As I gazed at the beautiful girl sleeping in my arms, I was struck by the moonlight illuminating her exquisitely crafted face. Her delicate nose, brown hair cascading across her cheeks, and soft pink lips all seemed to radiate an otherworldly beauty.

I couldn't resist the urge to gently kiss those lips. I buried my nose in her hair, inhaling the sweet scent of her strawberry shampoo. I was astonished by how intensely I had become drawn to her in just two brief encounters.

Though I knew it was hasty to consider a relationship, I couldn't shake the hold she had on my mind since my return from India.

Our chance meeting had left an indelible mark, and I was helpless to resist her allure.

That day, when I arrived at the scene, I had no intention of saving her, but she had captivated me so thoroughly that denying my feelings now seemed impossible, even fatal.

"Boss, we've searched the entire truck, but Miss Ava is nowhere to be found," Vipul reported.

"You're all useless!" I snarled, exasperated after a fruitless search all night. "Let me see for myself!"

The truck driver pleaded, "Believe us, sir, there's nothing!"

"I'll be the judge of that!" I thundered.

I stormed into the truck, searching every nook and cranny, but it was empty. Just as I was about to give up, I heard a faint whisper:

"Bhai..." The voice was so soft, delicate, and faint that if there had been any other sound, I would have missed it.

I spun around, trying to locate the source of the voice, but it was elusive. The whisper came again,

"Bhai..." I stomped my foot in frustration, unable to pinpoint the source.

"Please, is someone there?" Another faint voice called out.

I crouched down, thinking the sound might be coming from beneath the truck.

"Tear it down!" I ordered my team.

They quickly arrived with tools and began to carefully remove the aluminium sheeting covering the truck bed.

"Be careful! There may be people underneath!" I warned.

After they removed a section of the sheeting, I saw several girls lying there, some half-unconscious and others fully unconscious.

"Get them to the hospital, now!" I instructed my men.

"I don't think Miss Ava could be here," Matteo suggested.

I nodded in agreement, preparing to leave with him when I heard the voice again.

I turned back and gazed at the girl lying there, her black hair falling across her face, obscuring my view.

Yet, I still recognized her. I had seen her photo while reviewing the Randhawa family files. Her name was Vritika Randhawa, the youngest daughter of the family.

While her pictures had caught my attention, they didn't do her justice. Even in this dishevelled state, she was still breathtakingly beautiful.

I moved forward, scooping her up in my arms. "Let's go!" I ordered Matteo, carrying Vritika. He looked shocked, his eyes fixed on her as if trying to process her identity.

"But... her..." he muttered, clearly perplexed.

"If the Randhawa's were involved in Ava's disappearance, then she'll be a valuable asset in negotiations," I explained, my voice firm.

Matteo's expression showed confusion.
"But how?" he asked, clearly not understanding who she was.

I sighed, slightly annoyed.
"Can't you see? She's Vritika Randhawa," I grumbled.

Matteo's eyes widened as he took another look at her, and he nodded. "Oh!"

"Let's head to the hospital first," I announced, and he quickly opened the car door for me. I settled in with Vritika in my lap, and we sped off towards the hospital.

He sat, and we drove off to the hospital.
She started making strange sounds,

"Umm!! Ahh!!" Matteo looked at me through the rearview mirror, raising an eyebrow.

"I didn't do anything!" I growled, defensive.

"I think she's been injected with something," Matteo suggested, his voice laced with concern.

I gazed down at the petite girl in my lap, my heart softening. Her sky-blue dress was torn in a few places, her hair stuck to her face, and a smudge of blood marred her sweet pink lips. My hands instinctively reached out, gently tucking a few strands of hair behind her ear.

I gently wiped her face with a damp tissue, clearing away the dirt and grime.

"Sir, Signora is still missing," Matteo reminded me, his voice laced with concern.

"Yeah, I know!" I clenched my jaw, frustration evident in my tone.

"Have the cyber experts found any leads?" I asked, hoping for a breakthrough.

"Nothing yet, sir. They're stumped," Matteo replied, shaking his head.

I let out an exasperated sigh. Where are you, Sorella? We finally arrived at the hospital, and a doctor in scrubs rushed out with a stretcher. I carefully placed Vritika on it, about to leave when I felt a tug on my sleeve.

"Please don't leave!" she whispered, her small hand clinging to my arm.

I attempted to gently extricate myself from her grasp, but she only held tighter, her cries growing more desperate.
"Please! Please!!" she begged.

I was taken aback - this girl had been silent in the car, and now she was clinging to me like we were old friends. I tried to reason with her, but she wouldn't let go.

Just then, an elderly woman intervened, her tone stern. "Oh, young man, accompany your wife! Look at her condition - she needs your support!"

I bit back a retort, realizing we were drawing unwanted attention. With a sigh, I relented and followed the doctor.

The doctor asked us to leave the room so they could check on her, and we left the room.

Matteo's phone rang, and he answered it.
I was relieved to learn that Sorella was safe.

I ended the train of thought and returned to the present.

I reluctantly tore myself away from her side, knowing I had to attend the meeting with Wilson and ensure those responsible for harming my girl faced justice. I had already instructed Matteo to handle the matter, but I wanted to confront them personally.

I needed to verify that they weren't connected to the people who had kidnapped her previously, as Sorella (sister) had informed me.

I woke up, gently placed her head on the pillow, and got ready. It was still early, but I wanted to get this over with quickly.

My gut feeling was that Sorella might leave, and Grandma had even called to inquire about her and Adwait. It seemed everyone knew about her now.

'She'll have my head if I'm late!' I thought to myself as I stepped out of the room, only to find Matteo about to knock.

"I thought you were still asleep!" he said, surprised.

"I'm wide awake!" I replied, matching his energetic tone.

"I can see that!" He grinned, his eyes sparkling with amusement.

"Let's go!"

As we entered the elevator, he asked out of the blue, "Are you two dating?"

Matteo was like a brother to me, a long-time friend and one of my most trusted allies. I smiled mischievously. "Yup!"

"Finally!" He exclaimed, before clearing his throat.

"Your girlfriend won't appreciate you looking at me like that," he uttered with a smirk.

"Stop sexualizing it," I retorted, turning back to him with a stern expression.

"Sure thing," he chuckled, still grinning.

"I wouldn't mind breaking your teeth for that!" I threatened my tone firm, without glancing at him.

"For sure!" he affirmed, his amusement evident.

I changed the subject, my tone turning serious. "So, did you gather any information about those people?" I inquired.

"Yes, they're local goons," he informed me. "They're involved in chain snatching and occasional fights."

"Any chance they were sent by someone?" I probed, my eyes narrowing.

"As far as I've checked, they don't have any connections to anyone regarding Miss Vritika," he disclosed. "They found her alone and just..."

He didn't need to finish his sentence. I understood the implication.

"Whatever they've done, they've already shortened their lifespan," I declared grimly, and he nodded in understanding.

We arrived at the top floor, where the meeting was scheduled to take place. As we exited the elevator, Mr. Smith greeted us and led us to where Mr. Wilson was seated. I wasn't impressed with the room, knowing what typically happened in such spaces. The truth often hid behind the gleaming walls.

"Hello, Mr. York! Delighted to see you here," Mr. Wilson said, extending his hand.

"Likewise, Mr. Wilson," I responded, as we made our way to the coaches and took seats opposite each other. Mr. Smith and Matteo stood behind us.

"I apologize for missing yesterday's meeting, Mr. York. The delay is entirely my fault," Mr. Wilson said, his tone contrite.

"It's quite all right, Mr. Wilson," I assured him. "We've known each other long enough to understand that you wouldn't miss a meeting without a valid reason."

"Thank you for understanding," Mr. Wilson replied, his expression serious.

"So, what brings you here, Mr. York?" he inquired.

"Mr. Wilson, I'm sure you're aware of the issues regarding the mechanism," I retorted.

"Yes, Mr. York, and because of our long-standing business relationship, we haven't raised any objections. We're simply seeking repayment," he uttered, steepling his fingers.

"I understand your concerns, Mr. Wilson, but I'm here to address your doubts. We still possess the mechanism and will deliver your products on time," I assured him.

"But, Mr. York-" he started to interrupt.

"Let me be clear, Mr. Wilson. We are not a company to be trifled with. We rule with an iron fist and have earned our reputation as a formidable force," I declared.

"I see, Mr. York. Well, in that case, I expect you to deliver our products on time," he stated.

"Absolutely," I confirmed.

Later, I headed to the dungeons where the incompetent individuals were being held. I had requested Williams' assistance in resolving this matter, as we were on his turf.

"Where are they?" I queried the guard, who led me to the cell.

The metal door opened with a screech sound and I entered as the smell of blood filled the air. The room was dimly lighted and in a corner, three men were sacked.

"Shackle him to the wall," I shouted my voice echoing through the walls.

Two guards chained them to the wall.

"Give me the hammer and a nail and wake them," I asked.

A member of the staff entered with a few nails and a hammer, I slowly selected one while a man threw boiling water on their face.

Those men cried in pain. I went forward with the nail and set his one hand.

Sensing what I was doing he cried and started to plead.

"Please! Please leave me... For god's sake please I don't even know you please." He cried more pitifully too bad he chose to mess with the wrong person.

I placed the nail on his hands and started hammering.

His cries echoed through the cell.
I stocked the hammer a last time while the man passed in fear and pain.

"Wake him up!" I growled and another wave of hot water was thrown on his face.

His skin started to get red because of the hot boiling water I also put a nail on the other hand.

The other man had peed in their pants due to the fear.

I got an axe and chopped off his hand that had touched my Mio Cara!

"Sir we should leave or else we would be late." Matteo interrupted me.

I growled but I knew he was right.

"Okh! Let them deal with them. Make sure you make them useless." I commanded and left for my room but not before changing into something else so I didn't scare her.

...During the flight...

"How long will it take us to reach your house?" Vritika inquired, her hands tied across her chest and a pout on her face.

"Almost 9 hours," I uttered.

She sighed and whispered, "Ooh."

"So, how many people reside in your house?" she queried.

"Five," I declared, counting on my fingers. "Me, my mom, dad, Ava, and Nonna."

As soon as I mentioned Dad's name, my throat dried up, and memories of the board meeting flooded my mind. Questions started racing through my thoughts.

"Are you okay?" Vritika interrogated, interrupting my train of thought.

I looked at her and offered a weak smile. "I'm fine. I just realized I mentioned an extra name."

My voice cracked, and Vritika grasped my hands, trying to console me. "He will always be here for you," she consoled.

We hugged, and she caressed my back. After a moment, I inquired, "How did you know?"

"Just a guess," she murmured, placing her head on my shoulder.

"Ooh!" Vritika exclaimed.

"So, who is Nonna?" she inquired, her curiosity piqued.

"My grandma," I uttered, trying to stifle a chuckle.

Vritika's cheeks flushed red with embarrassment. "Ooh!"

"So, where are we headed?" she queried, changing the subject.

"I think we're going to the old mansion," I declared, a grin spreading across my face.

"Weird name! Sounds like a creepy old house," Vritika teased, making me laugh.

"Why is it called an old mansion?" she probed, her eyes sparkling with curiosity.

"Because old people live there!" I retorted, chuckling.

"And you're one of them! Old monkey!" Vritika joked, sticking out her tongue.

"I am not an old monkey!" I exclaimed, pretending to glare at her.

"You are!" Vritika asserted, running to another seat.