Her Dangerous Obsession

Chap 52 - The Vulnerable Confession

Author's POV

Adhrit locked the door behind him, as he entered his room. He leaned against the cool wood, taking a deep, shuddering breath. His chest felt constricted — not from physical exhaustion, but from the immense emotional storm brewing inside him: guilt, doubt, confusion, and somewhere deep within, that unshakeable fear of becoming something, he never wanted to be.

He glanced at his wristwatch. By his estimation, Anaisha would leave in the next fifteen minutes. That meant, he had precisely fifteen minutes to decide: would he still go to meet Niharika and ask her to halt the plan, or would he join hands with her and push the plan forward, seeking revenge?

He walked to the mirror and stood before it, staring at his own reflection, his eyes filled with turmoil. He continued to look for a long time, as if trying to peer through his reflection, and glimpse his soul. Finally, he let out a deep sigh.

"You’re not like them, Adhrit!" he whispered under his breath. "You were never supposed to become like them."

Lost in his thoughts, Pranay's words echoed in his mind, solemn and weighty:

"Do whatever you want, but only when you are absolutely sure, that you won't regret that in the future, because regret always destroys life..."

He stared straight into his own eyes in the mirror, and the central question of his internal conflict solidified.

He wanted to see justice served, but was he truly sure, he wouldn't regret the path of revenge in the future? If a man like Pranay Mehrotra could regret his decision, could Adhrit, who had always distanced himself from the world’s darker tactics, survive without regret? Will he be able to face himself after doing something like this?

The clear, resounding answer was No. A definitive, absolute No. He was certain, he would regret it, and that conviction alone was enough to make him want to stop.

Just then, another voice, Pranay’s, echoed: "Don’t let this pain turn you cruel, Adhrit. It makes you strong for a while... but hollow forever."

He closed his eyes, feeling the profound weight and depth of those words sinking into his consciousness.

He knew Niharika had meticulously crafted the plan, and she was capable of executing everything, he was reluctant to do. Yet, something was holding him back. He couldn't pinpoint the source — was it his upbringing, his principles, his conversation with Pranay, or perhaps his earlier exchange with Anaisha?

Anaisha’s soft voice from earlier tugged powerfully at his conscience: "My Love can never hurt someone on purpose... He is so pure and innocent, that he cannot even think about doing something bad..."

Innocent?

His heart clenched painfully. He didn’t feel innocent anymore. But perhaps... it wasn't too late to hold onto what little was left of that core belief.

He took a deep breath, calming himself down, then glanced at his wristwatch.

Fifteen minutes had already passed.

He stepped out of the room, went downstairs, and found a servant cleaning in the hall. "Where is Anaisha?"

The servant looked up, greeted him respectfully, and replied, "Madam is with Jeet sir."

Adhrit nodded, understanding. "And where is Mr. Bhardwaj?"

"He forgot something in his room and went to retrieve it. When he returns, Madam and he will leave.", the servant replied.

Adhrit nodded again, and went upstairs. He leaned on the hallway railing, looking down into the hall below. He was standing in a spot, where he was barely visible.