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“We have already discovered where your son is hiding. But we haven't made him aware of it yet. Even Viren Chandel, who believes he will find your son soon, has no idea that we already know his location. Both of them are currently safe, but if Viren Chandel ever discovers that we have located Vyom, you can beconfident that your son will either end up in a coffin or, even worse, you won't see his face again. That much is certain.”

A sudden gasp escapes Chitrali's mouth, and Raghunath feels like the breath has been knocked out of him. Their worst fears have taken shape in Vikrant’s cold, calculated words. Trembling, Raghunath folds his hands and pleads:

"Please… please don’t harm my son. Take your bride, do whatever you want, but leave us alone. My son made a mistake… And for that, I sincerely apologize to you. I beg you, try to see this from our perspective. My family and I were completely unaware of the situation. We didn’t know anything until you suddenly declared at the wedding that ‘my son has taken your bride.’ Sir, believe me, we truly didn’t know anything. We are completely innocent in this matter..."

Vikrant abruptly silences him with a raised palm in a commanding, still, and absolute manner. Chitrali immediately clasps Raghunath's hand tightly, drawing closer to him, shivering slightly from the stillness in the room. She dares not look up at Vikrant; her eyes are filled with fear and unshed tears. Vikrant notices her fragile demeanor but remains unmoved. After ensuring silence has once again consumed the room, Vikrant continues in a cold, calculated tone.

"The bride’s escape was a massive humiliation for both families, but particularly for me. It questioned my authority, my control, and my image. It sent a message that I couldn’t manage my bride, something that exceeds the limits of what we can tolerate. We needed a bride to sit in that pavilion; however, when Mr. Chandel's daughter ran away, I became so enraged that I completely lost control of myself."

He pauses, leaning slightly forward as if emphasizing his words through posture.

"So, we made a decision, a harsh but necessary one. We substituted your daughter with Sonakshi, and we compelled her to sit in the marriage pavilion in her place. It was essential at that moment. That decision was not just about marriage; it was about control, power, and dignity."

He sits back again, his expression unreadable, his voice devoid of emotion. But his words echo like thunder in the hearts of Raghunath and Chitrali. Their daughter had become a pawn in a cruel game, and their son a target in a violent war. And as they sit in silence, they realize that this man was not merely issuing threats. He was making promises. Promises soaked in blood.

Chitrali immediately looks at him, tears welling up in her eyes, as her daughter’s face begins to revolve in her mind. Raghunath was already staring at Vikrant, but Vikrant wasn’t looking at either of them; instead, he stared ahead, speaking continuously without pause.

"I got married to your daughter in front of everyone, and now everyone believes that she is Viren Chandel’s daughter."

"This is absolutely wrong..."

Raghunath shouts abruptly, his voice filled with disbelief. At that moment, Vikrant turns to face him, observing him closely before he speaks.

"Whatever is right or wrong, I don’t really care right now. I’m not here to argue. I’m here to inform you that I need your daughter as a substitute right now, and you need to see your son alive. So, it’s in your best interest to explain some things to your daughter—things that are very important at this point.”

“This cannot happen at all… Jhankar will never be ready for this, and neither are we. We are not ready to accept this in any way!”

"I thought you might say something like this,"

Vikrant says as he turns toward his bodyguard.

"Call Viren Chandel and give him the address where his son is being held. I have nothing to do with Sonakshi or his son anymore. He can take care of them as he pleases."

"No…"

Raghunath’s voice echoes through the room with sudden intensity, filled with the unmistakable pain of a father. Hearing this pain, Vikrant lets out a faint, cold smile; he knows he has struck the right chord. Settling his foot casually over his knee, he continues speaking, without sparing them a glance.

“Let’s make a small deal. If everything is done according to that deal, then everything will be fine. I need your daughter to be my bride, and you need your son’s safety. I promise you, so long as your daughter stays with me, your son will remain absolutely safe with Sonakshi. And I never break a promise once I’ve made it.”

At present, Raghunath and Chitrali are stuck in a heart-wrenching dilemma: their daughter on one side and their son on the other. Both are more precious to them than life itself. If someone were to tell them that sacrificing their lives would save both children, they would not hesitate. However, the situation demands that they secure their daughter’s future while ensuring their son's safety. The emotional weight crushes them, leaving them speechless. Not a single word escapes their lips.

Vikrant immediately rises from his chair and begins to inform them in a cold, clipped tone.

"You are my guests here, so stay comfortably. I neither enjoy unnecessary conversation nor have the patience to interpretambiguous emotions. That’s why I won’t waste my time explaining anything to your daughter myself. You will explain to her what she has to do. Your response is all that I require. That’s it. If you agree to the proposal calmly, then it’s good. If not, I will have to resort to other drastic measures. I’ll be very clear: if you want Vyom’s life, then you must accept your daughter as my wife, and you must also convince her to accept this. Otherwise, you have no idea how terrible the consequences can be.”

Vikrant knows very well that if he doesn’t instill fear in them, they won’t obey him. His understanding of the situation may be limited, but his mind is fixated on one thing: Sharda was devastated when she saw him marry a random girl and treat her so poorly. He’s aware that what he’s doing is wrong, even now. He doesn’t know what the future holds. But he’s certain that when Sharda regains consciousness, she will only remember what she chooses to see. Without wasting another second, Vikrant strides out of the room, leaving Raghunath and Chitrali behind, tightly clinging to each other’s hands. They have no words left: only silence, pain, and fear.

~~~~

Jhankar struggles to open her eyes, as if a heavy weight is pressing down upon them. After gathering all her strength, she manages to open them and, to her astonishment, realizes that she’s in an entirely different room. Her mind reels as a series of unexpected images flash before her.

She sees three to four women in uniforms standing silently, their heads bowed. There are also two nurses—one is adjusting her IV drip while the other is reading a chart. As soon as Jhankar becomes aware of them, she speaks out with urgency.

“What is happening?”

Hearing her voice, one of the maids immediately walks out, as directed earlier by the nurse checking her pulse. The nurse responds calmly, trying to reassure her.

“Madam, you fainted. Your body was extremely dehydrated, which led to some serious complications, but you're okay now.”