Recap: Daniel escapes from the underground cell

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After Aryan and Ranjith left the underground cell that afternoon, Daniel was transferred to an old, abandoned building far from the city. His hands and legs were tied as he was dragged inside. Once he was secured there, Ranjith instructed the guards, "Untie him and give him dinner later tonight."

The guards followed orders, freeing Daniel's cuffs and handing him a plate of food late at night.

They positioned themselves carelessly, making it seem as if they weren't paying much attention. Seizing the opportunity, Daniel cautiously edged toward the door. The guards remained deep in conversation, unaware, or perhaps pretending to be.

Once outside, he hurried down the desolate road, his eyes scanning for a way out. At the corner, he spotted an auto-rickshaw idling. He rushed toward it.

"Excuse me," he panted. "Can you take me to an address I'll give you?"

The auto driver glanced at him through the rearview mirror. "Sure, sir. Hop in."

"Drive as fast as you can," Daniel urged, his voice trembling.

The driver nodded. "Of course, sir."

Daniel gave the address of his secluded house, a place he had been using as a hideout. The drive took nearly an hour. As soon as they arrived, he fumbled through a hidden stash inside his home and handed the driver some cash.

The driver hesitated. "Sir, are you in trouble? Your hands are shaking."

"It's nothing," Daniel snapped. "Just go!"

As the auto pulled away, the driver discreetly made a call.

"Yeah, tell me," Ranjith answered.

"Sir, he gave the exact address you mentioned. I dropped him there."

"Was anyone else waiting for him?" Ranjith asked.

"No, sir. He was completely alone."

"Good. Carry on."

"Okay, sir."

Meanwhile, Daniel sneaked into his backyard and lifted a flower pot, revealing a mobile phone wrapped in plastic. He unwrapped it with trembling hands, hurried inside, and dialed a number.

The call connected almost instantly.

"Daniel, where are you?" a voice asked.

"I'm home," Daniel muttered. "That bastard drugged me."

"Mind your words," the person warned. "Don't you dare speak ill of Aryan."

Daniel let out a bitter laugh. "Whatever. You know what I need right now. Quick. I can't take this anymore."

"I already have your address," the voice replied. "Wait thirty minutes."

Daniel's fingers drummed anxiously on the table. Every second stretched unbearably. His body ached with withdrawal, his nerves burning from the lack of what he craved.

Finally, a knock echoed through the house. He rushed to the door and flung it open. A young woman stood there.

"I was sent to serve you," she said softly.

Daniel grabbed her by the wrist and yanked her inside, slamming the door shut.

A few minutes later, muffled screams filled the house.

By morning, Daniel lay sprawled on the floor, exhausted. His body was drenched in sweat, his mind dulled from the previous night's haze. He turned his head and saw the woman lying unconscious beside him—naked, motionless.

He exhaled heavily and let himself slip into a restless sleep.

Sanju stirred awake, feeling the warmth beneath her. As her eyes fluttered open, she realized she was lying on Aryan's chest, her fingers unconsciously clutching his shirt. He was still fast asleep, his face calm and serene.

The close proximity sent a flurry of butterflies through her stomach. Her cheeks warmed as she became aware of his strong arms wrapped securely around her waist. A shy smile crept onto her lips, her heart pounding at the intimacy.

Carefully, she attempted to move, but his grip on her waist tightened slightly in his sleep. The heat rose to her cheeks as she gently pried his hands away and slipped out of bed, making her way to the washroom.

As the door clicked shut behind her, Aryan's eyes fluttered open, a smirk tugging at his lips.

" Today is a happy morning, man. " Aryan thought with a smile.

Still lying on his stomach, he stretched lazily, relishing the warmth that lingered where Sanju had been.

When she emerged from the washroom, she was wrapped in a bathrobe, her damp hair cascading over her shoulders, glistening with droplets of water. She stood before the mirror, drying her hair, then moved toward the closet to pick her outfit for the day.

" What is happening here, Aryan? You're in serious trouble, man. If she's going to stand like this every morning, how will you survive? Your control is already slipping, and she's making it worse. Did I make a mistake shifting to her room? Oh, God. " Aryan thought and swallowed hard 

Before his thoughts could spiral further, he pushed himself off the bed and strode toward the washroom. A cold shower would do him good.

When he stepped out, refreshed and dressed, he found Sanju standing on the balcony, lost in the morning view. He walked up to her and stood beside her.

"Good morning, sweetheart," he murmured.

Sanju turned slightly. "Good morning, Aryan."

"Oh? She called me Aryan? That means she's in a good mood. Let's go along with it." he thought and looked at her.

"What are you doing out here?" he asked.

"Just watching the morning beauty," she replied, her voice soft.

Aryan turned his gaze toward her instead of the scenery. "Even I'm looking at the morning beauty."

Sanju met his eyes, only to find something unreadable in his gaze. Flustered, she quickly looked away. A strand of her hair blew in the breeze, falling over her face. Aryan reached out and tucked it behind her ear, his fingers barely grazing her skin.

Sanju shivered at the light touch, goosebumps rising along her arms. Aryan noticed and felt a wave of satisfaction at the effect he had on her.

" Hey, don't push too far, or she'll retreat back to Mr. Chaitanya mode " Aryan thought and cleared his throat.

"Shall we go down for breakfast?" Sanju asked, breaking the moment.

"You go ahead. I'll be there in five minutes," Aryan said.

Sanju nodded and left the balcony.

As soon as she was gone, Aryan pulled out his phone and dialed Ranjith.

"Good morning, sir," Ranjith greeted.

"Hmm," Aryan responded, his voice neutral.

"Daniel called someone after reaching his house," Ranjith continued. "But it wasn't from his personal or official number."

Aryan's eyes darkened. "Good. What did he say?"

"He asked for his 'needs.' We couldn't hear what the other person said, but about thirty minutes later, a girl's voice was heard. He was venting about his drug withdrawal, and she was begging and crying. Soon after, her voice disappeared."

Aryan's jaw clenched. "Track him constantly."

"Understood, sir. He will definitely meet that person soon."

"Hmm. Let's see."

Ending the call, Aryan made his way downstairs, where he found Sanju waiting for him at the dining table. Throughout breakfast, they exchanged fleeting glances, a quiet, unspoken tension simmering between them.

"What is it, Sanju? You look so different today," Kowsalya remarked, narrowing her eyes.

Sanjana shook her head quickly. "Nothing like that, Maa."

Kowsalya didn't seem convinced but chose to let it go. "You do look different... but fine, have your food. "

Aryan, seated across from Sanjana, hid his amused smile, not wanting to get caught.

After a few moments, he casually asked, "Sanju, how about going out somewhere today?"

Sanjana looked up in surprise. "Where?"

"You tell me."

She raised a brow. "Are you going to send me alone?"

"Of course not. We'll go together."

Her smile faltered slightly. "But what if someone sees you? After all, you're a celebrity and the business emperor."

Aryan leaned back, smirking. "Just tell me where you want to go, I'll take care of the rest."

"Beach!" she said without hesitation.

He chuckled. "Simple. Okay, get ready. We'll leave soon."

Her face lit up. "Really?" She clasped her hands together. "Oh my god, Aryan, thank you so much!"

She bolted upstairs, excitement bubbling in her chest. Within minutes, she was ready and came running back down, eager to leave.

They settled into the car, Aryan and Sanjana in the backseat while Ranjith sat in the passenger seat. Aryan had already informed Ranjith about their little day out.

Sanjana looked around suspiciously as the car drove on. "Where are you taking me?" she asked.

Aryan smiled, keeping his eyes on the road ahead. "You'll see."

Her excitement was uncontainable. She held Aryan's hand without a second thought, leaning against him as she spoke animatedly about her past visits to the beach. Aryan, in turn, found himself mesmerized, not just by her words, but by the way her eyes sparkled with enthusiasm.

His mind drifted. She's held my hand before... but that was when she was vulnerable, when she was asleep. This......this is different.

Sanjana suddenly stopped mid-sentence. "I've been talking non-stop, haven't I?"

Aryan chuckled. "No problem. Keep talking, darling."

She rolled her eyes playfully. "Fine. But how long until we reach?"

"Very soon."

"Hmm... okay. And how long are we staying?"

"We'll return home only when you want to. Is that okay?"

Her eyes widened in delight. "Really? Thank you, Aryan! You're the best!"

He smirked. "That's a little too much buttering."

She shot him a glare before turning away. "I shouldn't have been nice to you."

Aryan chuckled, realizing he had teased her a little too much. Crazy fellow, he scolded himself internally. She was holding your hand so sweetly, and you had to go and ruin it.

Clearing his throat, he tried again. "Hey, I was just teasing you, sweetheart."

She shrugged. "I'm fine. No need to worry."

But he noticed one thing...she still hadn't held his hand again.

Feeling slightly dejected, he watched as she turned to Ranjith. "Ranjith bro, at least you talk to me."

Ranjith chuckled. "Sure, Sanjana. What do you want to talk about?"

She gasped dramatically. "Oh my god! How can you both sit here without uttering a word? It would be a miracle if I stayed quiet for even a minute!"

Aryan smirked. "That, I already know."

She narrowed her eyes at him. "How do you know?"

He fumbled, trying to cover up his words. "That... uh... yeah... I just watched you talking all the way and figured it out."

She hummed in response, not entirely convinced.

Aryan took out his phone, scrolling through emails.

Sanjana noticed. "Are you busy? Did I spoil your day?"

He looked up instantly. "No, baby. Just had to check a few mails. If I finish responding before we reach, I can be free with you..no disturbances."

She nodded. "Okay then, carry on."

After a few moments, Aryan spoke again. "Ranjith, you can head to the office and come back later."

Ranjith nodded. "Sure, sir."

Sanjana frowned. "How is it possible for you to stay away from Ranjith bro?"

Aryan chuckled. "I've given him some important work, Sanju. Don't worry—he'll make all the arrangements for our safety, even if he isn't with us."

She smiled. "Oh, yeah. That makes sense."

A few moments later, Aryan spoke again. "We're here."

Sanjana turned eagerly, expecting to see the beach.

But what she saw was something else entirely.

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A/N:

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