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CHAPTER - 11

THE WARNING.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Aadya ~

The moment I unlocked the apartment door, not wanting to disturb Maa or Aarav because it was almost midnight, I could feel the tension pressing against my ribs.

Everything from the day was simmering just beneath my skin. Rahul's death, the case being buried, Rajveer's arrogance. My fingers curled into fists as I stepped inside, kicking off my heels and tossing my bag onto the couch.

I needed peace. A second to breathe.

"You're home late again." Maa's voice floated from the kitchen. "Do they pay you extra for ruining your sleep?"

I exhaled slowly, rubbing my temples. "Maa, not now."

She walked out, wiping her hands on her dupatta, her frown deepening. "You always say that, but it's never now."

Before I could respond, Aarav strolled in from his room, stretching like he had no care in the world. "Oh good, you're alive. Maa was two minutes away from filing a missing complaint. Why do you refuse to answer our calls?"

I grabbed the nearest cushion and launched it at his head. "Shut up."

He dodged it effortlessly, smirking. "That temper of yours is going to kill you one day, Di."

Maa sighed. "Both of you need help."

I let out a short breath, shaking my head. I wanted to tell them everything. About Rahul, about the threats, about the fact that my entire investigation had been erased overnight.

But I couldn't. I was in no mood to stress them out.

Maa already worried about me too much. And Aarav? He was only just starting his medical career. The last thing he needed was to get dragged into my mess.

"How was your first day?" I asked my brother, still sitting.

"Great! Everything went well. I will be giving you the details this weekend." He said and I nodded before he made his way back to his room, probably to go to bed.

Maa asked me to have my dinner but I lied to tell, telling that I already ate. She looked at me like I had committed a crime but then planted a kiss on my forehead before going to bed herself.

I too slipped into my room and shut the door behind me, making my way straight to the shower to wash the day off me.

I sank into my bed, finally looking at my phone after what seemed like hours and found one message from Vishesh finally.

"Coffee date, tomorrow evening?"

It read.

I was immediately tempted to say yes but then I took a deep breath and thought about his behaviour this past week and decided to leave him on seen, without replying.

He deserved that.

I had just kept it back on the nightstand and turn off the lights when my phone vibrated again and I was sure that it was Vishesh asking me why was I ignoring him.

But I was wrong.

It was a call.

Unknown Number.

A strange unease settled in my stomach.

I hesitated, then picked it up. "Hello?"

Nothing.

Just silence.

I pulled the phone away slightly, frowning, about to hang up—

Then, a low voice spat clear words, "You've been warned once. Stop digging before it's too late."

My blood ran cold.

I straightened, my grip tightening on the phone. "Who is this?"

Click. The line went dead.

I immediately called back.

That contact number does not exist.

My heart pounded against my ribs, but I forced myself to take a slow breath, pushing down the chill crawling up my spine.

I was being watched.

And not just by Rajveer's men.

There was someone else.

Someone like Ahaan Mishra.

Shit.

"Fuck, this means that Maa and Aarav are in danger. Fuck, fuck, fuck, what did I do and what the fuck do I do now?" I threw myself out of the bed and paced around, finally walking out to my balcony to breathe and look around to see if there was someone watching me.

I gripped the balcony railing, forcing my breathing to steady. The night air was cool against my skin, but it did nothing to calm the fire of panic spreading in my chest.

My hands trembled, the words from that call looping over and over in my head. You've been warned once. Stop digging before it's too late.

I was being watched.

Not just by Rajveer's men.

By them.

By people who may want me dead.

I clenched my jaw, shaking my head. No. I couldn't afford to panic. That wasn't an option.

I scanned the street again, my eyes tracing every shadow, every parked car, every movement. But there was nothing.

No signs of a threat, no one standing in the dark, watching me.

Except for the black SUV parked at the far end of the street.

Rajveer's men.

For once, I didn't feel anger at the sight of them.

I hated admitting it, even to myself, but right now, I was... grateful.

Not for him. Never for him.

But for the fact that, at least for tonight, I knew someone was keeping watch.

I let out a slow, shaky breath, rubbing my arms as if that would somehow erase the chill creeping up my spine.

I wasn't the only one in danger.

Maa. Aarav.

The thought sent another fresh wave of panic through me, but I shoved it down. Think, Aadya. THINK.

I couldn't tell them. Not yet. If they knew, Maa would never sleep again, and Aarav—he'd try to protect me, no matter how stupid that was.

I wouldn't let them get dragged into this.

I pressed my fingers against my temples, willing the rising fear to settle.

They wanted me scared.

I wasn't going to give them that satisfaction.

I squared my shoulders, taking one last look at the street before stepping back inside.

I locked the balcony door behind me and turned off the lights, but sleep felt like a distant possibility.

Still, I forced myself to crawl under the covers.

I needed rest. I needed a clear head if I wanted to fight this.

I stared at the ceiling, willing the adrenaline to fade, willing my mind to shut up.

But my brain had other plans.

What if they try to come after Maa? What if Aarav gets caught in this? What if—

Stop.

I squeezed my eyes shut. I can't let fear win.

Slowly, my body started to relax, the weight of exhaustion pulling at me and I let sleep take over.

________________________

Rajveer ~

"Boss, one of Aarav's men contacted Aadya two minutes ago. I tapped in to listen. She has been warned and as we speak, those fuckers might be ordering a hit on her if she does one more thing out of the line and tries to take them head on." Dhruv, my data head walked in, filling in the details.

I exhaled slowly, pushing the paperwork I was working on aside. 

This was bound to happen.

It had taken longer than expected, but Aadya Sharma was exactly where I knew she would be, on the verge of getting herself killed.

"What did she say?" I asked, my voice calm. Too calm.

Dhruv ran a hand through his hair. "Nothing. She didn't get the chance. They hung up before she could respond."

Of course, they did.

This wasn't a warning.

It was a message.

Ahaan's men wanted her to know they were watching. That she wasn't untouchable.

I clenched my jaw, feeling the slow burn of frustration creep in.

It is time to pay Ahaan a visit and let him know that she was my headache, not his.

I pushed back my chair, standing up as the weight of inevitable conflict settled onto my shoulders.

It was time.

I had given Aadya enough warnings. Enough room to make a smart decision. She refused to take it.

And now, because of her inability to let things go, I had to handle this mess myself.

Ahaan Mishra was a pain to deal with.

A big pain.

There had been a truce between our families for the past twenty years—signed by our fathers, built on a mutual understanding. We don't interfere with them. They don't interfere with us.

But this? This was an interference.

I grabbed my coat, throwing it over my shoulders as I walked towards the door.

Ahaan wasn't difficult to find.

He never was.

Despite the polished businessman image he sold to the world, his true empire existed in the shadows—clubs, docks, underground deals.

And right now?

He was exactly where I expected him to be.

The Red Orchid.

A high-end club, private entry only. A cover for what really went on in the rooms beyond the dance floor.

I walked in through the back, my presence needing no announcement.

The moment I entered, his men stiffened.

Good.

They knew better than to stop me.

I walked past the dim lights and expensive liquor, heading straight to the VIP section where he was seated casually, like he wasn't ordering hits in between drinks.

Ahaan leaned back in his chair, swirling a glass of whiskey in his hand as he spotted me. A slow, knowing smirk spread across his face.

"Rajveer Pratap Ranawat," he greeted smoothly. "What an unexpected surprise."

I didn't smile. Didn't sit.

I simply rolled my sleeves, stepping forward.

"We need to talk."

His smirk widened. "Now, that's interesting. Last I checked, we had nothing to discuss."

My gaze darkened. "You sent your men after a journalist."

His brow lifted. "And?"

I let the silence stretch.

Let him understand the weight of what he had done.

Ahaan set his glass down, sighing. "Rajveer, we have an agreement. You know that."

"I do." My voice was quiet. Dangerous. "And that agreement states that we don't interfere in each other's business."

Ahaan tilted his head. "Correct."

I leaned forward slightly. "Aadya Sharma is my business."

His smirk faltered. Just for a second.

Then, he let out a slow chuckle. "She's a reporter, Rajveer. A damn nuisance, sticking her nose where it doesn't belong. You expect me to sit back and let her disrupt my operations?"

I gave him a cold, humourless smile. "Yes."

Ahaan exhaled through his nose, shaking his head. "And why would I do that?"

I adjusted the cuffs of my shirt, my tone calm. "Because if anything happens to her, if she so much as gets a scratch, you and I will have a very different kind of conversation."

Silence.

He studied me, his expression unreadable.

Then, he laughed softly, shaking his head. "You're serious."

I didn't blink. "Very."

His amusement faded slightly, and he leaned back, rubbing his jaw. "Tell me, Rajveer... what is she to you?"

"My right hand's daughter and you should know better than that to mess with a person so into my system." I said.

"Interesting," he mused, taking a sip of his drink. "Very interesting."

I had no patience for this. "Call your men off. Now."

"Now you and I both know that this truce does not work this way, Rajveer. She is practically a no one to your family and the truce only talks about family." He countered.

I leaned in closer, my voice dropping, "I don't care about the what you think, Mishra. What I care about is the fact that your men crossed a line. And if anything happens to Aadya, I'll make sure you never get to enjoy another drink in peace."

He studied me with a calculating gaze.

 He wasn't intimidated, not yet, anyway.

 He was used to power games, and he was good at them.

"She's a journalist, Rajveer," Ahaan said slowly, his tone turning almost amused. "What, are you going soft on her? Is she worth this kind of trouble? You're too smart for this. You know how these things work. Besides, she tried to mess with me again after exposing that fucking trafficking deal, making me lose millions and you expect me to let her go with consequences?"

I didn't flinch. "She is my responsibility. I don't need to explain myself to you."

Ahaan chuckled again, but it was more strained this time, like he was trying to maintain control of the situation. "You know, there's a part of me that's curious. Why get so involved? You don't let anyone under your skin. What makes this girl so special to you?"

I didn't answer him right away. I just stood there, letting the silence stretch, watching him squirm under my gaze.

Then I spoke, my voice cold and direct. "Special? No one is special to me except my family. She is just a liability and a responsibility as I have already mentioned."

His smirk faltered for a fraction of a second, but then he regained his composure. "My men have given her one warning and that was also the last she'd get."

I stepped back, my patience wearing thin. "I am done talking to you. Call off your men. Or I will deal with this my way."

He met my gaze, his eyes hard before picking up his glass again, swirling the malt.

"I'll think about it," he said, his tone carefully neutral.

"Don't take too long," I warned, turning to walk away, my jaw twitching.

The fucker was not going to back down, not with that attitude.

I pulled out my phone, dialing Dhruv as I stepped into the back of my car.

"Get a hold of our contacts. I want every single one of Ahaan's movements tracked. Don't let him out of your sight. If he even thinks about making a move, I want to know."

Dhruv's voice crackled through the line, a slight tension in it. "Understood, boss. Should I mobilise the team for backup on Aadya's side as well?"

"Not yet but continue keeping an eye on her." I muttered. "If his men make another move, I' will deal with it."

"Got it."

I ended the call and leaned back, staring out the window while my driver started back.

I had made it clear to Ahaan that messing with Aadya would come at a price. But I wasn't under any illusion that he would back off just because I said so.

He was too used to getting what he wanted. 

The car turned down the familiar road that led to my estate and as I stepped inside, I found dad and Vijay waiting for me in the hall.

"Dad, it is quite late, you should have been asleep." I said while they walked towards me.

"I should be saying the same thing to you, son." His eyes twinkled.

"Something urgent came up." I told him.

"It is about Aadya, isn't it boss?" Vijay asked, with a look of guilt in his eyes.

He deserved to know the truth now.

I nodded simply.

"Ahaan's men had made a threatening call to her tonight. She is already under Rohan's watch but I had to pay him a personal visit to warn him to back off." I said, still looking at dad.

"That bastard is a true copy of his father, he would only value the truce when it comes to families." Dad shook his head and I nodded.

I already knew that.

"Aadya is not your family, boss. She is mine and I need to step up and be the father she needs me to be." Vijay added and dad turned around to face him.

"Vijay she might not be my family but she is yours and you are a part of this family, no matter what. No one has done more for this family than you and we protect family, no matter what it takes." He said and as much as Miss Sharma annoyed me, I could not forget that she was Vijay's daughter." Dad assured him.

He stood there, guilt written all over his face,.

But guilt has never fix problems.

Actions do.

"She doesn't need a father, Vijay," I said, voice calm but firm. "She needs to stop acting like she's invincible."

His jaw tightened. "She's not trying to deliberately create an issue with anyone, boss. She's just—"

"—stubborn? Suicidal? A walking invitation for trouble?" I listed off, watching as his expression hardened. "Because from where I stand, that's exactly what she is."

He let out a slow breath, rubbing his temples. "You don't understand, sir. You don't know what it's like to see your daughter grow up hating you. To watch her run toward danger because she thinks she has nothing to lose."

My jaw clenched, something unfamiliar twisting in my chest at his words.

Nothing to lose, my foot.

"You take care of the arms delivery scheduled for tomorrow while I deal with your daughter." I told him, making my way to my bedroom when Maa stopped me in between.

"Rajveer, zaraa mujhe batana ki tum exactly kab se soye nahi ho?" She asked, holding my hand and looking at my face.

"Maa, I do not have the time to sleep at the moment, Aadya Sharma has been creating nuisance in my life ever since she has stepped afoot in our home." I told her, closing my eyes for a brief second.

All Maa did was chuckle.

"She does look like the girl who refuses to do what she does not believe in. Have you ever watched any of her debates?" She questioned, only for me to open my eyes again.

"Does it look like I have the time Maa?" I asked.

She sighed, shaking her head like she was disappointed in my life choices. "You should, Rajveer. She's brilliant."

I pinched the bridge of my nose, exhaling sharply. "Maa, brilliant isn't the word I'd use. Headstrong? Irritating? Dangerously carefree? Those fit better."

Maa chuckled. "Sounds familiar."

I frowned. "What?"

She smiled, patting my cheek. "She reminds me of someone."

I gave her a look. "Don't start, Maa."

She ignored me, turning toward the kitchen. "Have something to eat before you get back to work."

I checked my watch. 6:07 AM. "I have work to do."

Maa didn't turn around. "And I have a son who thinks he's a machine. Sit. Eat."

I sighed but didn't argue. I knew better than that.

I sat at the dining table, running a hand through my hair as one of the house staff brought over a plate of food. I wasn't particularly hungry, but I knew if I skipped it, Maa would personally ensure I regretted that decision.

Vijay and Dad took the seat across from me, looking deep in thought. He was still caught up in whatever emotions he had over Aadya.

"She doesn't hate you, you know," I said casually, taking a bite of the toast.

Vijay looked up sharply. "Then what do you think this is?"

I chewed slowly before responding. "She's angry. Resentful. But hate? If she truly hated you, she wouldn't care about proving herself so much."

He scoffed. "You sound like you know her better than I do."

I didn't respond to that.

Because the truth was, I did understand her.

More than I cared to admit.

Her desperation to stand on her own, to prove she didn't need anyone, her recklessness in the face of power, none of it was new to me.

I had been the same once.

But she didn't have the luxury of making mistakes.

Not here.

Hey guys! This is the next chapter. I hope you all like it. To unlock the next one, at least 100 comments are required on this one.

I love you all. Until next time. Byee!!