Ab batao kaisa laga ye surprise??

Few hours ago:-

The car's lights were dim, and the streets outside bustled with nightlife, but the air inside the car was thick with tension. Suddenly, one of the two men sitting in the car spoke.

"Are you certain about this, Mr. Santo Jr.?" he asked, raising his eyebrows at the other man.

"Yes, I'm more than sure. This time, I've made no mistakes," The person who was called Mr. Santo Jr. replied.

He then passed the papers to the man who had spoken before.

"Mr. Santo Jr., please ensure this isn't a mistake. Too much is at stake," the man warned.

"You can call me Liam, after all. We're old acquaintances in this matter. Help my father, and I'll help you uncover the truth. I know you seek revenge against the Yorks." Liam responded,

The man in the shadows nodded. "Okay, I'll help. But remember: keep my name confidential. A car will be waiting for you under the toll bridge that will take you to Airport. And don't mention this meeting to anyone."

"Okay, I'll help you," the man said, "but remember: keep my name confidential. A car will be waiting for you under the toll bridge. And don't mention this meeting."

"What are you even talking about?"Liam just shrugged with a hint of humor and departed.

"Drive!" he ordered the driver.

The engine purred back to life, and the car sped off into the night, its headlights casting an eerie glow on the deserted streets.

As they drove, the man began to read the file handed to him, his eyes scanning the pages filled with information about the York family. But he was searching for one name in particular – a name he hadn't heard in a long time.

And then, he found it:  'Aria York'.

A name etched in his memory forever.

Back to Palace:-

Adwait paced at the palace gate, the cold wind whipping through his hair, and the serene moonlight illuminating the deep lines of tension etched on his face. Beside him stood Atulya, Aniket, his secretary Sameer, and his men, their faces reflective of their shared concern.

Sameer was still half asleep when he got the order to reach the palace as soon as possible. Only after reaching he realised the gravity of the situation. Even he had arrived but his lady boss was nowhere to be found.

"Shouldn't she be here by now?" Adwait muttered to himself, checking his watch for what felt like the hundredth time.

Atulya watched him pace, her eyes filled with worry. "You're right, it's been over an hour. I'm getting worried too," she admitted, her voice barely above a whisper.

As she spoke, her nails drifted to her mouth, and she began biting them subconsciously, a telltale sign of her growing anxiety.

Aniket's phone buzzed in his pocket, breaking the tense silence. He pulled it out, his eyes narrowing at the caller ID: Matteo. It had been a long time since they last spoke.

Aniket's hesitation was palpable as he glanced around at the others, their irritation already simmering. The ringtone only fueled their frustration.

With a quiet "Sorry," Aniket swiftly declined the call and shoved his phone back into his pocket.

But it buzzed again, refusing to be silenced.

"Just answer it, maybe it's important," Adwait snapped, his usually calm voice low and menacing, making Aniket flinch.

"Yes, sir," Aniket replied to Adwait, stepping aside to answer the call.

"Matteo, what is it?" Aniket asked, but Matteo didn't give him a chance to speak.

"Caleb has switched sides, Aniket. He's working with those who want to harm you all. And now, Signora is in trouble," Matteo uttered urgently.

Color drained from Aniket's face as he listened to Matteo's words.

"Do you know where she is?" Aniket shouted, his voice catching everyone's attention. All eyes snapped to him.

"The last time I checked, she was at the old sugar mill," Matteo answered. "Her phone's location is still there, but I think she's been moved."

"Okay, send me her last location. I'll go check," Aniket reassured.

"I'm coming with you," Matteo offered.

"I'm outside Randhawa Palace," Aniket said, cutting the call.

"What happened?" Adwait inquired, his face pale with concern.

"Caleb was working with the person behind this," Aniket revealed.

Atulya's eyes widened, and she palmed her face in dismay.

Adwait's expression turned grim. He took a deep breath before issuing orders.

"Sameer, we need to leave. Call Vidharth too."
Adwait's voice was laced with urgency, his eyes already scanning the surroundings.

Back to Shubhra :-

Vidharth slammed on the brakes, narrowly avoiding a collision with the reckless driver. His frustration boiled over, but as he stepped out of his car, he froze.

"Ava!" he exclaimed, shocked.

Ava swiftly exited her vehicle, her eyes locked on Vidharth. "Damn! Thank God," she breathed, relief etched on her face.

Vidharth's gaze swept over Ava's disheveled appearance. Her blue denim jacket was stained with blood, and her white shirt had turned a gruesome red. The visible wounds on her body made his jaw drop.

"Ava, what...?" he trailed off, stunned.

Ava's gaze darted nervously behind her, her eyes scanning the surrounding area.

"What the hell happened?" Vidharth gasped.

"Let's get out of here first, please," Shubhra pleaded, her voice weak.

"Okay, sure!" Vidharth swiftly opened the door for her and settled into the driver's seat. He started the engine and sped away.

Once they were safe, Vidharth demanded, "Now, tell me what happened!"

But she remained silent. Vidharth's gaze snapped to her, and he noticed she had passed out. He slammed on the brakes, bringing the car to an abrupt halt.

"Ava!" Vidharth exclaimed, panic rising.

He quickly checked her vitals, relief washing over him as he confirmed she was fine, just unconscious. Examining her wounds, Vidharth's concern deepened. Though not gaping, they were sufficient to cause significant blood loss, especially considering the duration of her ordeal.

"We need to get you to a hospital," Vidharth muttered to himself, starting the car again.

Vidharth pulled up to the hospital and swiftly admitted Ava. As he waited, his phone rang, displaying Adwait's name.

He answered promptly, recalling Adwait's earlier summons.

"She's with me," Vidharth said, dispensing with formalities. "We're at the hospital. Come here, now."

Adwait's voice was urgent on the other end. "What happened? Is she okay?"

"She's being treated," Vidharth reacted. "Just get here."

Adwait rushed into the hospital, his eyes scanning the waiting area until they locked onto Vidharth. "How is she?" Adwait asked, his voice laced with concern.

Vidharth stood, his expression grim. "She's stable, but lost a lot of blood. The doctors are with her now."

Adwait's jaw clenched. "What happened?"

Vidharth filled him in on the events leading up to Ava's hospitalization.

As they spoke, Aniket and Sameer arrived, their faces etched with worry.

"What's the situation?" Aniket asked.

"The doctors are working on her," Vidharth replied. "We'll know more soon."

The group fell silent, awaiting news on Ava's condition.

"I will tell the other's!" Sameer said to other's present there.

"I also had to inform everyone." Aniket pulled his phone and went to other side.

The silence was oppressive, until Joseph spoke up, his voice laced with frustration. "How the hell did this happen?"

Matteo, Jarek, and Joseph had arrived together, Matteo having briefed Jarek on the ambush. Joseph happened to be with Jarek at the time, and upon hearing the news, they rushed to the hospital.

Adwait struggled to process the events, his mind reeling from the sudden turn from joy to despair.

Just then, the doctor emerged from Ava's hospital room, drawing everyone's attention.

"Is she fine, Doctor?" Adwait questioned, his voice tinged with concern.

The doctor's expression turned solemn. "She's fortunate to be alive. Two gunshot wounds and a stab wound to the abdomen, but she's stable. The main concern was blood loss and potential infection from untreated wounds."

Vidharth's eyes narrowed. "When can we expect her to wake up, Doctor?"

"Minimum five hours," the doctor replied, glancing at his watch.

Adwait stepped forward. "Can we see her?"

"Only two at a time, please," the doctor cautioned.

"Understood. Thank you, Doctor," Adwait said.

The doctor smiled. "No need for formalities, Mr. Randhawa. It's my duty."

"Since she's fine, Matteo, explain how this happened!" Joseph demanded. "And don't cover for her; I know her too well. She must have walked right into this mess."

Matteo hesitated, then recounted the events leading up to Ava's hospitalization.

Vidharth shook his head. "Can't she ever stay out of trouble? Why jump into situations like this?"

Jarek, who had been listening intently, countered, "Actually, it might have been the right call. At least she avoided an even worse situation."

Adwait's eyes narrowed. "We'll discuss this further, but first, we need to ensure her safety and uncover who's behind this."

The group fell silent, lost in thought, as they pondered their next move.

"You guys should leave and get some rest. I'll stay with her," Adwait said.

"I'll stay with you," Jarek countered.

"It's fine, I—" Adwait began.

"No, Adwait, you need to go," Jarek insisted. "You've been up all night. You're exhausted. Look at the dark circles under your eyes. Go get some rest. I'll stay with Vidharth."

Vidharth nodded in agreement. "Yeah, Adwait, go rest. We've got this."

Adwait hesitated, then nodded. "Alright... I'll be back soon. Call me if anything changes."

As Adwait departed, Jarek and Vidharth settled in for a long vigil beside Ava's hospital bed.

..Author's scribblings point..

Toh kya lagta hai kon hai ye insan? Any new entry or a wolf in sheep clothing?