Adrenaline pumped into his veins as he ran forward. Panting he turned around to see that he had exited the crowd long ago.

Oh dear, he thought. It was now difficult for him to shield himself from those mens who were hell bent on to make him experience hell during his last moments on earth——or so they would like to say.

He removed his fingers away from the wound and tried to curl them, they were stained with his blood which had dried on them and stuck on his skin, they were numb being kept in the same position the whole evening. And his legs were now shaking because of all the chase he had done today——maybe not the chase but the running.

And to make the matters worse those assholes decided to break his phone as well.

So, now, he had no means to contact Khanna and any of his security to pick him up from wherever he was.

Some kind of businessman he was. He didn't know how he managed to land himself in such a condition.

He looked around the area.

It didn't seem familiar. It was all dark. He had to act up on now instincts to save himself from those goons.

Shivaay trudged forward.

He looked around, he could hear the footsteps, the roaring sound of the engine of the vehicles. He was thankful for the dark as he walked around, it was shielding him from the harm.

His steps remained shaky as he tried hard to keep quiet, he held onto the gash on his shoulder, the red seeping through his fingers soaking the whites with crimson.

The darkness loomed in the alley as he leaned against the wall. He could hear the footsteps. He held his breath as he looked towards the light. Stay still, he commanded himself as he tried to breathe in without making a sound.

His lips parted in anticipation and a sigh escaped when they passed the alley without flashing any lights there. He stayed there until everything turned calm once again.

He staggered forward, taking slow steps. The clouds loomed over the sky, hiding the shine of the moon.

He winced with each step he took. His hand was now drenched with his own blood and his arm was now numb being kept in the same position for so long.

He stopped, as his vision swam for a moment. The blood loss was finally acting up as he walked forward, he can't collapse now. He needs to somehow reach Khanna or anyone in his family.

He briefly wondered, how his family must have been holding up, he hadn't contacted them in the last thirty seven hours.

Who were these men and what did they want from him?

That was the last thought that crossed his mind as he collapsed on the concrete flooring.

The adrenaline had already drained out by the time he sunk to his knees.

Well, fuck.

~^~

Annika sighed as she slowed down the speed as she entered the alley. Bad idea. It was all dark except for the headlights of her brother's bike as she drove forward.

She looked at the medicine bag that she had hung in one of her hands and sighed. If only she had brought them during the day she wouldn't have to go out now, she would have been chilling on the sofa with the tub of her ice cream while she watched her favourite kdrama in peace.

Ah, that sounds like a dream. She thought as she rode forward only to have her hands twisting the handles in a sudden break.

Was that a body? Her heart dropped.

This is really bad.

Why do all the strange things have to happen today only? She thought miserably. But her thoughts halted as she heard a whimper coming from the figure.

Whoever it was, was alive. Ah, thank goodness. She thought. But wait——she shouldn't be here.

Take a U-turn Annika, she urged herself and she was about to follow. Her heart dropped, she must call an ambulance so they could help.

He looked in need of help and she couldn't leave him alone like this where he could be exposed to all kinds of threats. The least she could do was call an ambulance for help.

She took out her phone in hand and hesitantly parked the bike at a distance and got off it. She looked around and once she was sure that it was not some kind of scam she approached the injured man.

"Are you okay, sir?" She called out from the distance.

"N-no." The stammered answer came out.

She winced, of course he was not, or else he wouldn't have been lying on the streets like this.

"Just help me up..." The man gasped out and she froze in her spot. Should she? The voice was agonizingly calm, but she could hear the slightest gasp behind the words. And he didn't look like he was faking the injury.

She flashed the torchlight of her phone at the figure and her eyes widened at the sight of blood.

"Could have warned." The man groaned as he turned his head the other way at the sudden offence.

"I'm sorry, I just had to be sure." She spoke as she approached the man.

"You are bleeding." She spoke.

"Obviously." The man answered.

"Can——can you remove your arm so I can see the wound?" She spoke.

"I can't—feel them, they have gone numb." She winced as she gently pried his arm away from the injury and her face wrinkled up.

"That bad, huh?" The man asked as he tried to raise his head to see the injury himself.

"It's——" she trailed off shaking her head.

"I am going to help you up." She warned as he grabbed his shoulders and straightened him up.

"Do not flash the light on my face again." He wheezed out as he steadied his breathing.

She helped him up on his feet and led him towards her bike.

"Let me give you a ride to the hospital." She spoke as she put on her helmet.

"No! Not the hospital." He spoke. "At least not now." He spoke as he looked around hesitantly.

"What?" She breathed startled at the sudden exclamation.

"There are men trying to chase me" he winced and his eyes widened when the girl backed away.

"I haven't done anything wrong. Trust me——no scratch that. I am Shivaay Singh Oberoi, the industrialist. You can check my front pocket for the ID." He spoke as he pressed on the wound on his shoulder.

Her eyes widened and she turned on the flashlight once again and he immediately flinched away as the light fell on his face.

"Not again." He groaned as he blinked his eyes to clear away the vision.

"My apologies. But——"

"Please, get me somewhere safe. I am requesting you." He said as he turned to glance in the other direction.

She frowned.

Should she?

He did look genuine.

"Alright. Hop on." She spoke as she threw him the helmet that he nearly dropped as he tried to catch it with one hand.

"Alright, wait for me." He spoke as he tried to get on.

"What are you doing?" She asked as she looked in the rear view mirror of the bike.

"It's——kind of difficult to get on with one hand." He spoke. She sighed and turned slightly holding her hand out.

He looked at it, before placing his soft ones in hers and grasped on it as he pulled himself up.

"Please drive slowly." He spoke as he leaned away slightly.

"Hold on tightly." She spoke as she started the ignition.

And with that, they drove off.