Happy reading....

Meera walked into her home after the exhausting shoot, her emotions still in turmoil. She saw her parents in the living room, engrossed in conversation, while her younger brother, Yash, was absorbed in his mobile game as usual.

"How was the shoot?" her father asked, his tone expectant.

"Good," Meera replied tersely, not meeting his eyes. She rushed upstairs, calling out for Yash to follow her.

Her father’s face darkened with anger. "She’s getting out of control day by day," he muttered. "We should marry her off as early as possible."

His wife tried to calm him down. "It’s all new to her. Let it be."

But he was unconvinced. "No, she needs discipline. This attitude is unacceptable."

Meera heard every word, her eyes reddening in anger as she ran to her room. The familiar sting of her father's disapproval cut deep, leaving her feeling isolated and misunderstood.

Yash frowned and yelled at his father. "Why do you always scold her and never appreciate her?"

His father's face turned a shade darker. "Watch your tone. That's no way to speak to your father."

Ignoring the admonition, Yash rushed upstairs to his sister’s room. He found Meera sitting on her bed, her face buried in her hands. Yash’s heart ached for her.

"Meera, are you okay?" he asked softly, sitting beside her.

She looked up, her eyes red and puffy. "I’m fine. Don’t worry about me."

"You aren't at all fine. Why do you let him get to you?" Yash said, frustration evident in his voice. "You’re doing great. They just don’t see it."

Meera tried hide her tears but Yash caught her hand and turned her around. His thumb wiping her tears as he looked at into her eyes.

"It’s not that simple."She said.

"Never hide your tears from me. I know you better than anyone."

He knew his sister might seem cold and rude to others, but she just simply disguised herself under the mask to not let her see through her suffer.

"Am I burden to them?", she asked, her voice heavy.

Yash shook his head. "No, you aren't. They’re just too stubborn to see how amazing you are. Because you are born to be a Princess but forced to be in a wrong family."

"But I wouldn't have had you as my brother if i weren't born here.", She said.

"If you are a Princess you can do as you please. Including making me your brother. Nobody will stop you.", he said as if it's really so serious about it.

Meera managed a small smile. "You always know how to make me feel better."

"That’s what little brothers are for," he said with a grin, though his eyes were still filled with concern.

Meera took a deep breath, trying to compose herself. "I need to figure out what to do. I can’t keep living like this."

Yash nodded. "Whatever you decide, I’ll support you. Just promise me you won’t let them push you around."

He pulled her into his embrace and patted her head.

Meera hugged him tightly, grateful for his unwavering support. "I promise, Yash."

As they sat together, Meera felt a renewed sense of determination. She couldn’t change her father’s mind overnight, but with Yash by her side, she knew she could face whatever came next. The path ahead was uncertain, but for now, she found solace in the bond she shared with her brother.

"The ad shoot was really annoying right?" Yash asked, trying to divert her mind.

Meera's expression softened as she recalled certain moments from the day. "It was... not that boring"

Meera took a deep breath, deciding it was time to share something important with Yash. "By the way, the woman who harassed you... I dealt with her."

Yash's expression immediately changed to one of fear. "You did what?"

Meera quickly cupped his face, her eyes soft and reassuring. "Don't be scared, Yash. You have me. I will protect you from every evil thing that comes your way."

Yash's fear began to ebb as he looked into his sister's determined eyes. "What did you do?"

"I made sure she won't bother you again," Meera said firmly. "You're my little brother, and I won't let anyone hurt you."

Yash nodded slowly, the anxiety in his eyes fading. "I just... I didn’t want you to get into trouble because of me."

Meera smiled, her heart swelling with protectiveness. "You are my priority, Yash. I'll always be here for you, no matter what. We're in this together."

Yash hugged her tightly, grateful for her unwavering support. "I know. And I'll always be here for you too."

She would protect her brother at all costs, ensuring that nothing and no one could harm him.

------

Abhimanyu walked into the living room and immediately noticed Kavita pacing back and forth, her face creased with worry.

"Aunty, what's the matter?" he asked, concern etching his voice.

Kavita turned to him, her eyes wide and filled with anxiety. "Abhimanyu beta, Shourya hasn't come home yet. His phone is not reachable. I'm worried sick."

Abhimanyu felt his stomach tighten. "Why didn't you call me earlier? It's already 10 PM."

"I didn't want to disturb you. I thought he might just be running late, but now..." Her voice trailed off, tears welling in her eyes.

Abhimanyu stepped closer, his tone softening. "Aunty, even though we have our differences, you know I care about this family. Shourya is my little brother. How could I not care?"

Kavita's eyes welled up, and she held his hand tightly. "Please find him, Abhi. I'm really anxious. Your father just fell asleep after a terrible headache, and I don't want to wake him."

"I'll find him. Don't worry." Abhimanyu reassured her, his resolve firm.

He quickly left the house, his mind racing with possibilities. He drove to several places he knew Shourya frequented but found no sign of him. Frustrated, he pulled out his phone and called Raina.

"Raina, do you know where Shourya might be? His phone is off, and I can't reach him," Abhimanyu said, his voice tense.

There was a brief silence on the other end before Raina spoke. "Abhi, Shourya called me twice tonight."

Abhimanyu's heart skipped a beat. "Why didn't you tell me sooner? What did he say?"

"I didn't pick up. I was busy with the ad shoot stuff, and... well, we're not on talking terms right now," Raina admitted, his voice filled with regret.

Abhimanyu stopped the car abruptly, anger surging through him. "Why the hell didn't you answer his calls? Now I can't reach him at all."

"I'm sorry, Abhi. I didn't think it would go this far. I was just... I don't know. I'm really worried now," Raina said, his voice strained.

Abhimanyu took a deep breath, trying to keep his frustration in check. "I will send you my location, come fast. We'll search together."

A few minutes later, Raina arrived at Abhimanyu's location, his face mirroring the concern that Abhimanyu felt. They exchanged a brief nod and then began discussing possible places where Shourya could be.

They went to the office, both starting to see if there was anything unusual. Raina suggested checking the CCTV footage. They saw Shourya getting into his car, but then receiving a call as he settled in. Abhimanyu asked to zoom in on his face. Shourya looked furious as he talked on the phone and then drove off.

"It looks like something is happening that we didn't know about. Like someone is threatening him?" Raina speculated.

Abhimanyu immediately asked Raina to get the footage of his vehicle from where he went. Raina nodded and contacted some friends with influence to help track Shourya's car using traffic cameras.

After what felt like hours but was only minutes, they tracked Shourya's car to a specific location. The footage showed his car stopping at one point, and a person in a mask approaching and picking him up.

Abhimanyu's eyes flared with anger as he watched what was clearly a kidnapping. Raina punched the wall beside him, cursing loudly.

"We need to find him, Raina," Abhimanyu said, his voice low but filled with determination.

Raina nodded, already pulling out his phone to make more calls. "I'll get more people on this. We'll find him, Abhi. We have to."

Abhimanyu's mind raced as he thought about the next steps. They needed to act quickly and carefully. His heart pounded with fear for Shourya, but he forced himself to stay focused. They had a lead, and they would follow it until they found him.

------

Oh no 😢 I hope Shourya is safe.

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Allah Hafiz ✨