Page 21

Jhankar, Raghunath, and Chitrali manage to escape Dhanraj Mansion unnoticed. As they reach a safe distance from the property, they pause for a moment. Breathing heavily, they turn to each other and embrace tightly, the weight of fear momentarily lifting. Relief and joy shine in their eyes, the bond of their shared pain holding them together. Raghunath looks at his daughter with hopeful urgency.

“My company owner has a very close friend in the police. I must talk to him immediately. He can help us effectively.”

Hearing this, both Jhankar and Chitrali feel a sense of relief. Without wasting a moment, the three of them start walking again. None of them has a mobile phone to make a call; they’ll have to find someone to borrow a phone from or reach the police station in person. Their pace quickens. Jhankar stays alert, constantly scanning their surroundings. Vikrant's warning echoes in her mind like a siren. She knows they are not safe yet.

After walking for a while, they finally spot a police station up ahead. A cautious but hopeful smile grows on each of their faces. They head straight for it, desperate for justice. As soon as they enter, Jhankar steps forward and speaks to the inspector with urgency.

“Sir, we need to file a police complaint. We were kidnapped and held against our will. We've been harassed, and my brother’s life is in danger.”

The police inspector studies her silently, his face expressionless. Jhankar continues firmly.

“I want to file a formal complaint against industrialist Viren Chandel, politician Ravindra Dhanraj, and his son Vikrant Dhanraj—for kidnapping, threats, and criminal intimidation.”

“I also want to file a complaint,” comes another voice from behind.

Startled, the three of them turn around, only to see Vikrant, calmly seated in a chair across the room. The sight of him hits Raghunath and Chitrali like a jolt. Fear floods their faces. They glance desperately at the inspector, hoping he will intervene. But Jhankar's eyes are fixed solely on Vikrant, who smirks as he speaks, looking straight at her.

“Mr. Vyom Dixit—he fled from my wedding venue with my would-be bride. Or maybe the bride didn’t want to marry me and willingly ran off with him. Either way, he kidnapped her. What he did with her after that, no one knows. She’s still missing. He should be arrested immediately and punished for misbehaving with my fiancée.”

Jhankar, furious, starts to step toward him, but Vikrant doesn’t let her get far. He holds her gaze and, with cold composure, continues,

“And along with Vyom, his entire family was part of the kidnapping—especially his parents, Raghunath Dixit and Chitrali Dixit.”

As soon as he finishes speaking, the police officers spring into action. Raghunath and Chitrali are suddenly grabbed and restrained. Their eyes widened with shock. Jhankar spins around, hearing her parents' cries, and runs toward them, only to be halted mid-step as Vikrant grabs both her arms and holds her firmly.

“You left my mansion too easily, didn’t you?” he whispers in her ear. “No one stopped you. No guards. No interference. Did you really think it was all just luck? This… this was exactly what I wanted. Come to the police station—watch how your complaint turns into your downfall.”

“You moron—” Jhankar snaps.

“Don’t. Not one word,” Vikrant warns her in a low, menacing voice. “One wrong move from you, and your parents will pay the price. You know I mean it.”

Jhankar turns to see her parents struggling as officers begin dragging them toward the cells. She shouts and pleads.

“What are you doing? This is happening in front of you… Why aren’t you stopping it? Why are you silent?”

The inspector finally looks at her. His face remains disturbingly calm as he raises his hand and snaps his fingers. His officers instantly stop moving, the room falling into chilling silence. The inspector then glances at Vikrant, then back at Jhankar, and speaks slowly, coldly.

“You really think you three can just walk into a police station and file a complaint against Vikrant Dhanraj? That your words would be heard? You can go to any police station in the country—or the world. Your story will remain the same. It’s better for you to listen carefully and obey what they say.”

Despite the inspector’s harsh words, Jhankar refuses to back down. Fueled by rage and desperation, she violently kicks Vikrant in the leg. He stumbles back in surprise, loosening his grip. She rushes forward toward her parents, but before she can reach them, officers quickly overpower Chitrali and Raghunath, locking them in a holding cell. Jhankar bangs her fists on the bars, helpless. Outside the cell, Vikrant stands calmly, bothhands in his pockets, unaffected by the chaos. Jhankar storms over to him, glaring with fire in her eyes.

“You know damn well that Sonakshi chose to go with my brother. No one kidnapped her. You’re twisting the truth to ruin us… Whatever you’re saying is a lie. My parents have nothing to do with this. No one has the right to treat them this way!”

“I know,” Vikrant replies coolly. “But I’ve told you before—there’s something you haven’t understood yet. I married you…. And now, my mother wants to see her daughter-in-law… I intend to fulfill her wish. Which means you’ll have to fulfill mine.”

Jhankar clenches her fists, jaw tight with fury. Before she can respond, her parents’ painful screams echo from the cell. She turns around in horror. Inside the cell, police officers are hitting Raghunath and Chitrali with sticks, striking them mercilessly.

“No… stop… STOP…

She cries, racing toward them. Vikrant quickly looks at his assistant, who shows him a message on his phone. It’s from Ravindra Dhanraj, who ordered the beatings. Vikrant’s expression darkens. He rushes forward and shouts

“STOP…”

The beatings halt immediately. Jhankar drops to her knees just outside the cell, watching her parents curl into themselves in pain, their faces bruised, their bodies trembling. Her arms stretch toward them, but she cannot reach them. Her tears fall rapidly, her heart shattering with helplessness. The cell bars become a physical barrier between her and the people she loves most. Vikrant kneels down beside her. His voice is low, steady, and almost gentle.

“You have no option left…”

Jhankar doesn’t look at him. Her hands are still outstretched toward her parents, her body shaking with sobs. But she hears him. And in that moment, she knows he’s right. Every path she thought was an escape has led her straight back to the cage.