❝The only kind of love I want is one where even if it is just for a short moment, it feels like I have lived a lifetime in that moment with that person. ❞ - Jhanvi Raichand.
**You CANNOT read this as standalone. Read Dare to Be before reading this...
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2.50 Order in the Chaos
I stand groggily, pushing myself off the floor. Clutching my head, I clear the haze surrounding my eyes. Why does my head feel this heavy? My eyes land on the digital clock at my bedside table. 8:42 p.m. My hand leaves my head once the time registers.
The priest selected 8 p.m. as the auspicious time for the coronation rituals.
If I have been here knocked out...
I swallow harshly at a faint memory of Randeep handing me a drink. Saying something about how I need to calm myself before the big doomsday event. The sneaky... I catch myself from cursing on time. When did my little cousin get sneaky enough to slip something in my drink that I didn't even catch it? I should have been sharp enough to notice a change in taste. But, that is for later as I realize something else. If I am here, then he is out there. No one would know if he'd taken my place given my face would have been covered during the rituals.
Fighting the blur, I take off to save that idiot. He probably thinks he is saving me by fooling our enemies and taking the attack on himself. But, just you wait, Randeep. When I get my hands on him, I am going to make him regret the moment this stupid plan crossed his mind.
The entire coronation is a lure for my enemies to try and kill me before the end of the rituals - the havan and everything. Key point: my enemies. They'd be hurting the wrong person and this is my quest for justice more than his.
I rush towards the security room. We had assigned 5 guards to cover all the cameras. They are surprised to see me in person, as they should be. "Rawal sa, if you are here..."
"Give me your gun," I cut him short, having no time to spare for him to catch up that things are obviously very wrong here and not according to plan. Well, it may be going according to Randeep's plan, but not mine.
A good soldier, he reaches for his holster at once and hands over his weapon. I perform a quick scan of the screens to spot where everyone is currently located. As assumed, Randeep was in my place in the throne room. Only I knew who the person sitting there really is. Jhanvi was standing to the side with Eva while one of the female guards was with Inaaya in her room - the farthest from the throne room to ensure that no matter what, the baby would be safe. I had wanted Jhanvi there with her, but we also knew that we had to keep up pretenses. People would have questioned why the Queen of Jaipur was not present at the coronation - even if they didn't much take a liking for her, because if they weren't sticklers for tradition, then who were they?
I don't see Annie, Aarav, or Arshiya. For that matter, even Dimitri isn't in his position. I already had doubts that he would heed to my plans, but I had still assumed that he would stay put if for nothing else than to keep an eye on Annie. He's the one I had been counting on to keep both Annie and Aarav safe because I knew, where Annie was, Aarav would be too. Sure, Aarav had Vikas, but his skills were useful to me elsewhere.
