Page 65 of Entangled Vows (Destined Diaries #2)

“You didn’t,” Suraj said in disbelief. “Do you even realise these people don’t tolerate anyone sniffing around their businesses?”

“I know. That’s why I had to do it,” Vikram almost yelled, “to make sure Mahika was safe. Everything seemed fine. The nephew already had a girlfriend and was in Russia. I thought it didn’t matter now. I didn’t think...”

“It’s not just you,” Mohit’s voice broke, heavy with his own guilt.

“I’m her big brother. I should have known something was wrong.

I should have… fuck. That’s exactly why our fathers put the marriage clause in the will.

They deliberately set it this way. They knew the storm would hit. And me? I couldn’t protect her…”

Vikram growled, rage and guilt twisting inside him like a tangible thing. The same thought had gone through his mind, but he hadn’t voiced it aloud. Yes, he’d failed his wife.

And worse… that gut-wrenching, hollow pit in his chest whispered a cruel truth that further tore at him.

“I haven’t just failed Mahika… I’ve failed both our fathers too.

They trusted me with her life, believed she was safe with me.

And now… everything had gone to shit because I wasn’t careful enough,” Vikram snapped, guilt and anger dripping from his tone.

“Enough!” Suraj barked, cutting through both the men’s guilt trip.

“Stop it, both of you. This isn’t about who should’ve done what or who missed what.

Right now, guilt won’t save her, your actions will.

So shut off the self-blame for five minutes and focus.

We need to get to her, get her out, and keep her safe.

Then we need to make the Thakkars wish they’d never been born.

Vicky, you’ve got the proof on tape. We’ll destroy them. We’ll fix this together.”

The car was dead silent, and Vikram’s heart raced like it might burst. His wife was so fucking brave. Despite her obvious fear, Mahika was trying to talk to that bastard to buy time.

And then suddenly, everything went silent. The audio crackled once, then died out completely.

He tried to reconnect, but it wouldn’t go through. Fuck, he cursed. Vikram couldn’t breathe. He pushed the accelerator, and the engine screamed as the SUV surged forward.

Mohit was already on the phone. “Inspector Ranjan. We need a medical team and police squad at the location I’ve shared with you. Now. We’re about ten minutes out, just past Amrit Point. Mahika’s in danger. The stalker is armed.”

Vikram didn’t say a word. His hands trembled, and his eyes burned. He had never known fear, a bone-chilling dread, like this. Not when his father died. Not when Suraj fled home. Not even when his mother walked away.

But this? This was pure terror, and it devastated him. And in that moment, he realised just how much Mahika meant to him. She wasn’t just important; she was his whole world.

If, after a year, she wanted a divorce, he would beg her desperately to stay.

He would give up his family empire, all its power and prestige, if it meant she could find peace.

He would give her the life she’d always dreamed of, filled with laughter and love.

He didn’t care about the business, his legacy, or getting revenge.

She was the only one who truly mattered.

She was the woman he loved, the centre of his world, his everything.

And if something were to happen to her… he wouldn’t survive it.

∞∞∞

As they reached the location, Vikram spotted her before anyone else. She was running blindly through the rain, soaked to the bone, barefoot, with her dress clinging uncomfortably to her, one foot bleeding with each step.

A bone-jarring screech filled the air as he slammed the brakes, and the car fishtailed violently. Mohit cursed as they were thrown forward, the jolt rattling his teeth. But Vikram was already out, the door swinging open with a loud bang as he bolted into the pouring rains.

“Momo!” His voice was raw and frantic as he choked out her name.

She tripped and fell onto the wet road just as he reached her. Her lips were pale, and she was trembling, her skin clammy and cold.

“No, no, no,” Vikram whispered hoarsely, dropping heavily to his knees.

Rain was hammering down around him, but his focus was only on his wife. With trembling hands, he brushed the wet strands of hair from her face.

“Mahika... look at me,” he begged, holding her face. “Please, baby...”

She could hardly open her eyes as she went completely limp in his arms. Mohit was right behind him, yelling for the doctors to hurry. Suraj and Max had gotten hold of Karan, and Max was hitting him, striking blow after blow.

Vikram kissed her forehead and lifted her into his arms. His blood boiled when he saw the fingerprints on her cheek and her busted lip. Without a second thought, he settled Mahika in the backseat with Mohit and Suraj, and then stormed towards Karan, where Max was already punching him.

Rage ignited like fire in Vikram’s veins, drowning out everything else.

He slammed into Karan with the force of a battering ram, his fist cracking against Karan’s jaw.

And he didn’t just stop there. He couldn’t.

He punched him again and again, his knuckles splitting, and blood splattering, and Karan staggered under the fury of each blow.

“I will kill you,” Vikram growled, his voice dangerous and deadly, “for daring to touch my wife.”

“I did more than just touch her…” Karan taunted, even with all the blood streaming down his face.

“Shut up, you bastard!” Vikram roared and slapped him so hard that Karan stumbled backwards.

“Her skin is soft… sooo smooth… like—” Karan didn’t even get to finish his sentence as Vikram pressed the barrel of his gun against him.

Vikram’s eyes were pools of red-hot, molten lava, and his face was merciless as stone.

“You think you can lay a finger on my wife and live to tell?” he roared, and before Karan could react, the gun went off.

The bullet smashed into Karan’s arm with a sickening crack.

He screamed, clutching his arm as blood gushed in his hand.

But Vikram didn’t stop. The fury still burned inside him like a firestorm.

He charged at Karan, his fists slamming into his jaw and ribs, each blow fuelled by every second of fear and anger Mahika had endured.

“You. Touch. Her. Again,” he spat between punches, breathing fire. “And I swear… you’ll regret ever existing.”

Vikram’s hand gripped Karan’s throat, cutting off his air supply, his chest rising and falling with raw, unrestrained fury.

Max rushed forward and grabbed Vikram, trying to hold him back.

“Sir!! Enough! Stop. Let that bastard go. The police are here!”

For a long moment, Vikram didn’t listen. Then the distant wailing of sirens grew closer, louder before he finally let Karan go. The street was ablaze with the urgent, flashing red and blue lights. Uniformed officers rushed towards them, their boots pounding on the pavement.

Vikram shrugged himself free from Max’s tight grip and turned just as the medics gently lifted Mahika onto the stretcher.

He sprinted towards the ambulance, the flashing lights almost blinding him. “I’m coming with her!” he demanded.

With a nod, the medic permitted him to come inside. Vikram climbed in and looked at Mahika. She looked so fragile, drenched, and bruised as if she’d been dragged through hell. But none of it mattered… because she was safe now.

His body went rigid before the tremors began.

Subtle at first, but then his jaw ticked and his chest started rising in heavy, uneven bursts.

His hand clenched into a fist as he fought the sting in his eyes.

He pressed his hand to her forehead, inhaling her scent like he would oxygen.

A violent shudder ran through his shoulders, and then he broke down.

He took her cold, limp hand and kissed it, his lips trembling against her skin.

Silent tears streamed down his face, unstoppable now.

His voice sounded wrecked as he rasped, “I’m sorry, my love. I’m so sorry. I should’ve protected you. I failed you…”

He closed his eyes and let the tears fall, each drop carrying all the fear, pain, and love he had been holding back ever since he received her alert.