HER SAFE PLACE

PLAN

Shivangi's POV

Slowly, slowly, I opened my eyes. My head felt heavy, and my vision blurred as I tried to make sense of where I was. It took me a moment to realize that I wasn’t in Arun’s car anymore. I wasn’t anywhere familiar. I was in a room, a small, dark, and suffocating space. The walls seemed to close in on me, painted in shadows that made it impossible to see anything clearly.

As I tried to move, I realized my hands were tied. Panic surged through my chest, my breath quickening. My heart pounded in my ears as I jerked my wrists, trying to free myself, but the ropes cut into my skin, only tightening with each movement. I struggled to control the rising fear inside me, but it was no use. The more I fought, the more trapped I felt.

"Is anybody there?" I shouted, my voice breaking as I called into the dark emptiness. "Where am I?"

The memories rushed back to me—Arun, that cold, calculating look on his face as he injected me in the car. My mind spun with the horror of it all. Why had he done this? Why was I here? And where was Rocky?

I pulled at the ropes again, desperate to escape, but they wouldn’t budge. I could feel the panic setting in, and my chest tightened as the suffocating feeling overwhelmed me.

Suddenly, I heard footsteps approaching the room. The door creaked open, and my heart skipped a beat. There he stood—Arun. His smile was almost too calm, too sweet, as he looked at me, and I immediately felt a sense of dread wash over me.

"Oh, see, Shivi, you're awake," he said, his voice dripping with false concern. "Are you all right? Are you feeling dizzy?" He took a step closer, and I flinched instinctively.

He reached out to cup my cheeks, but I quickly jerked my head away, refusing to let him touch me. "Back off," I spat, my voice trembling with anger.

But Arun wasn’t bothered by my resistance. He simply grabbed my chin, turning my face to make me look at him. His eyes sparkled with an unsettling calmness. "You still have this much attitude, huh?" he said with a twisted grin. "You know, this is what I like about you."

My chest tightened, and I struggled to pull my face from his grip. "Leave me, Arun," I said, my voice barely above a whisper, but the fury in my words was undeniable.

Arun laughed softly, leaning in closer, his grip tightening around my chin. "Not so easily," he whispered. "And, well, you have nowhere else to go. You have to come to me, Shivi. Your parents will never accept you. And Rocky..." His voice dropped to a sickening tone. "May his soul rest in peace."

I felt my blood boil. I could feel the anger surging through me, building up with each word that left his mouth. My heart pounded in my chest, and before I even realized it, I was shouting.

"Shut the hell up!" I screamed, my voice raw with rage. "Dare to say anything else about Rocky, and I swear, Arun, you’ll see a side of me that you’ve never witnessed. I will make you regret this!"

My body trembled, but not from fear—no, it was from the intense fury I felt, the desire to make him pay for everything he had done.

Arun's smirk faltered for just a moment, but then he chuckled darkly, his grip still tight on my chin. "Oh, how cute," he sneered. "You still think you can protect him, huh? Rocky’s gone, Shivangi. He's gone because of me. And you, you’re just stuck here with me now. I own you."

I struggled against the ropes, trying to free my hands, my heart racing in my chest. The anger in me was like a fire burning out of control, but I couldn’t let it overwhelm me. Not yet.

Arun moved closer, his face now inches from mine. "You loved him, didn’t you? But you never truly cared about me, did you, Shivi?" His voice turned venomous. "You think Rocky was your savior? Well, guess what? He’s dead. And I’m the one who made it happen. I pulled the strings. I planted the bomb in that warehouse. He never stood a chance. And now, you’re mine."