UNWILLINGLY HIS

Spicing things up

The reunion had started out so perfectly. It was everything Samaira needed—a break from the chaos, a breath of fresh air away from the shadow of Advait’s world. Aahana was with her, her old friends from school gathered around, laughing and reminiscing about their days of carefree youth. It was like stepping back in time, where nothing else mattered.

Naksh, who had been in Samaira’s school years ago, was there too. His presence, though a bit more serious, was still comforting. Samaira was so used to seeing him as the quiet, business-minded person, but today, he seemed lighter, more relaxed. Everyone was chatting, everyone was happy. Even Anay, who had arrived just a few minutes before, joined in the conversation, his easygoing nature making the group even warmer.

“I still can’t believe you’re married, Samaira,” Aahana teased, taking a sip of her drink. “I always thought you’d end up running away with someone completely unexpected.”

Samaira laughed, trying to shake off the unease she had been feeling all day, as if she were still caught between two worlds—her old life and the one she had been thrown into. “Well, surprise. Life’s full of twists and turns, Aahana,” Samaira said, raising her glass in a mock toast.

But her thoughts were interrupted by Naksh, who leaned in and said with a half-smile, “So, any interesting plans for tonight, or are we just here to relive the glory days of school?”

“I’m just here to relax. Nothing too crazy,” Samaira replied, though a part of her knew it wouldn’t stay that way.

But then, everything shifted.

A sudden bang echoed through the hotel, followed by screams from the hallway. The loud sound rattled the room, and the group’s conversation came to an abrupt halt. It wasn’t the usual noise of a busy hotel, and in an instant, Samaira felt the atmosphere change. A cold dread washed over her, as if the universe was about to turn her world upside down again.

“What the hell was that?” Aahana whispered, looking around, her eyes wide with confusion and fear.

Before anyone could answer, the door to the private room slammed open. Several men in dark uniforms stormed in, their presence immediately sending a chill down Samaira’s spine. She could see the cold, empty look in their eyes as they shouted at everyone in the room.

“Down! Now!” one of the men barked, his voice deep and authoritative.

Everyone froze, eyes wide with panic, as the reality of the situation sank in. Terrorists. Samaira’s heart pounded in her chest. She’d seen enough in her life to know when things were about to spiral out of control, and this... this was one of those moments.

Aahana immediately grabbed Samaira’s arm, pulling her down to the floor with her, trying to shield her from the madness unfolding before them. “Stay down, Samaira. Don’t move,” she hissed, her voice sharp with urgency.

Samaira, heart racing, could barely process what was happening. She wanted to scream, to shout, to do something—anything—but her body was frozen in place. She could hear the terrorists yelling in a foreign language, commanding everyone to get on the floor, demanding phones, valuables, anything that could give them leverage.

“Phones!” one of the gunmen shouted, his voice cold. “Everyone. Now.”

Samaira’s hand instinctively went to her pocket, her fingers brushing against her phone. But before she could even make a move, another gunman grabbed her by the arm, jerking her roughly. “Give me your phone. Now,” he snarled.

“Wait!” Samaira blurted out, her mind racing. She needed to contact Advait. She needed to let him know what was happening. But the gunman didn’t care. With a swift motion, he yanked the phone from her pocket, swiping it from her hand. Her heart sank.

She wanted to scream, to do something, but she was too overwhelmed. She glanced around the room, her friends—all of them, Aahana, Naksh, even Anay—were just as terrified. Samaira could see the fear in their eyes, the realization that they were now at the mercy of these men.

“Stay calm,” Aahana whispered, her hand shaking as she reached out for Samaira’s. “We’ll get through this. Just stay calm.”

But Samaira knew the gravity of the situation. Her mind raced—what was happening? How had this gone from a joyful reunion to this terrifying nightmare? She thought about Advait, and for a split second, she wished she could call him, tell him everything. But her phone was gone. Her only connection to him, the man who held her life in his hands, was taken.

The terrorists made their rounds, taking everyone’s phones and forcing people into submission. Samaira tried to stay composed, tried to keep her breathing steady, but it was hard. Every muscle in her body was tense, ready to spring into action, but there was nowhere to go, nothing to do.

The leader of the group, a tall, imposing figure, stepped forward. He was eyeing Samaira with something like recognition. His gaze lingered on her for a long moment, his eyes cold and calculating. “You,” he said, his voice cutting through the silence like a blade. “Stay.”

He pointed at her and nodded toward the corner of the room where the other hostages were being moved. “The rest of you, move!” he ordered.

As Aahana was pulled away, her hand slipped from Samaira’s, a look of desperation in her eyes. Samaira could only watch as her friends were herded out of the room, their faces pale with fear. She felt helpless, paralyzed in place.

“Where are you taking them?” Samaira demanded, her voice sharp, though it shook with fear.

The leader only smiled cruelly. “Where they’ll be useful,” he said with a shrug. “But you, you’re coming with me.”

Samaira’s heart skipped a beat. The world seemed to blur around her as she was forced to her feet and led into another room. Her mind raced with thoughts of Advait. Surely, by now, he knew what was happening. If anyone could get them out of this, it was him.

But as the terrorists locked her in the room with the others, Samaira felt a shiver run down her spine. This wasn’t a game. This was real. And Advait—her ruthless, dangerous husband—was about to show up in the most dramatic way possible.

For now, though, all Samaira could do was wait. Wait and hope that her nightmare wouldn’t spiral any further.

And deep down, she knew it would.

She just didn’t know how bad it would get.