Samaira's POV

The bright lights of the operating room still felt fresh in my mind as I finished the surgery. It had been a long, exhausting procedure, but it was a success. I stood outside the hospital, waiting for Advait. He had promised to pick me up after work, something that had become a small comfort in the past few days. The weight of the past week’s silence between us still lingered, but I pushed it aside. Today had been a good day—a big step in my career. I should have been focused on that.

I glanced at my watch. He should be here by now. I sighed, glancing around. It was a quiet evening. The hospital grounds were calm, the day’s bustle fading away with the setting sun. As I stepped closer to the entrance, I checked my phone once more. No messages, no calls. Advait had been busy with his own meetings, but I had hoped there would be a message waiting for me. Something. Anything.

I waited. The minutes dragged on.

Then, my phone buzzed. I looked at the screen, expecting to see Advait’s name, but it was an unknown number. I furrowed my brow, but answered it anyway.

“Hello?”

A deep, unsettling voice came through the line. “Ms. Samaira or should say Mrs. Samaira.. then after a pause he continued "I trust you’ve had a good day at work?”

I frowned. “Who is this?”

The man’s voice was cold, almost too calm. “I think you already know, But it’s of no consequence. What matters is that I have you now.”

My stomach sank. I took a step back, scanning the surroundings. It felt as if the ground was shifting beneath me.

“What do you want?” I asked, trying to keep my voice steady.

“I don’t want anything from you, Samaira,” the man replied, his tone still chillingly calm. “But Advait... he will regret this. And I will make sure he knows the cost of crossing the wrong people.”

“What does Advait have to do with this?” I demanded, feeling a knot tighten in my chest.

“Don’t worry, you’ll see soon enough. But first... I suggest you stop asking questions.” The man hung up before I could respond.

I stood there for a moment, the world spinning around me. My heart raced in my chest. Who was this? What did he want with me? I had no answers, only a growing sense of dread.

Before I could think, a black car pulled up next to me. The window rolled down slowly, revealing a man with dark, calculating eyes.

“You’re coming with me,” he said in a tone that brooked no argument.

I instinctively took a step back, but before I could move any further, two more men appeared out of nowhere, grabbing me by the arms.

“Let me go!” I struggled, but they were too strong. One of them pressed something cold against my side. A gun. My breath hitched.

“Get in the car,” the man ordered. His voice was low, commanding.

I tried to resist, but the grip on my arms tightened, dragging me toward the vehicle. My heart pounded in my chest as I glanced around for help, but the parking lot was empty. My mind raced. Advait...

I was shoved into the backseat. The door slammed shut behind me, and the car lurched forward. Panic surged within me. I had no idea where I was being taken or why. My thoughts kept returning to Advait—would he come for me?

The man in the front seat didn’t say another word, but his presence was suffocating. I felt trapped, helpless. A part of me wanted to scream, to beg for answers, but the other part of me knew it wouldn’t help.

At Advait’s office

Advait was just finishing up a call when his phone buzzed again, this time from Rhea. His gut twisted as soon as he saw her name. He answered quickly, his voice sharp.

“Rhea.”

“Advait,” she said quickly, her voice laced with urgency. “Samaira... she’s gone. We’ve tracked her phone. She was taken.”

Advait’s blood ran cold. “What do you mean, taken?”

“We don’t know who it is, but she was kidnapped right outside the hospital. We’ve got people searching the area, but the car’s gone dark. We’re doing everything we can.”

He slammed his fist against the dashboard, his knuckles white. The thought of Samaira—his Samaira—in the hands of someone else twisted his insides.

“Find her,” he said through gritted teeth. “Now.”

“I’m on it. But Advait, you need to stay calm. If you go in blind, we won’t find her. You can’t act on impulse.”

He barely heard the words. His mind was already working, already calculating what he had to do. Who would do this? His thoughts flashed to all the enemies he had made over the years, but this... this felt different. Whoever had her, it wasn’t just a random attack. It was personal.

“I’ll handle this,” Advait said, his voice cold. “Just make sure you get me the information. Now.”

Without another word, he ended the call and sped toward the hospital. His mind raced with possibilities.

Samaira’s POV

The car came to a sudden stop, and I was pulled out quickly. My head spun as I was led into a dark building. I didn’t have the time to process what was happening. I was too focused on the fear gnawing at me.

I was shoved into a small room, and the door slammed shut behind me. My heart thudded in my chest as I looked around. The room was dimly lit, and there was nothing but a chair in the center of the room. I swallowed hard, trying to calm my racing thoughts. Advait...

A few moments later, the man entered. He was calm, collected, but there was an unmistakable edge to his presence.

“Advait will come for you,” he said, his voice cold and confident. “And when he does, I will make sure he regrets everything.”

“What if he doesn’t?” I asked, my voice trembling despite myself.

The man gave a low chuckle, a cruel smile playing on his lips. “Then he will regret not coming sooner.”

I was left alone in the dark, my mind spinning with questions. Where was Advait?

I had no answers. Only fear.

Advait’s POV

Advait’s grip on the steering wheel tightened as he neared the hospital. His mind was a blur of rage and worry. Every second that ticked by without Samaira in his arms was another moment closer to losing her.

He couldn't allow that. He wouldn't allow that.

The phone rang again—Rhea.

“They’ve moved her,” Rhea reported. “We’ve tracked the location, but it’s going dark. We don’t know how much time we have.”

“Find her. Now.”

He slammed his fist against the dashboard. They would regret taking her. Whoever they were, they would feel his wrath.

It was only a matter of time before Advait found them.

And when he did, nothing would stop him from making them pay.