Page 139 of Entangled Vows

“It’s a bit late for second thoughts. You’re married. You sleep next to her every single night.”

Vikram smirked. “So?”

“Don’t‘so’me, you idiot,” Mohit shot back. “You’re already in way too deep. Just admit it.”

Just as Vikram was about to retort, a synchronised buzzing filled the air as both their phones went off. He glanced down and his eyes widened, his whole body going rigid. It was analert notification, a shrill beep emanating from Mahika’s safety bracelet app.

Mohit’s face paled. “What the hell? Why did I just get an SOS from Mahi? I hope everything is alright.”

“Because she pressed the alert button,” Vikram said, his voice sharp, already rising to his feet. His heart hammered wildly in his chest. We are both registered as her emergency contacts. He looked at Mohit with urgency. “We have to go. Now.”

“What the fuck?” Mohit muttered, a mixture of shock and anger lacing his words. “Where could she be right now?” Mohit spoke almost to himself.

They both rushed towards the elevator, adrenaline sharply dispelling their weariness.

As they entered the lobby, Vikram’s phone rang with an incoming call. It was Max.

“Max?” Vikram answered sharply.

“Sir, I... I don’t know if this is serious or not,” Max stammered through the line. “I dropped Mahika ma’am at the mall a couple of hours ago. She told me to leave and said she’d come back on her own.”

Vikram’s chest tightened.

“But I stayed,” Max continued. “She looked upset, and I didn’t feel right just leaving her there. So I waited in the parking lot. Then, I saw her with a man. And… she got into his car.”

“What?” Vikram’s voice turned ice-cold. “You were supposed to stay with her, Max. You were supposed tocallme if anything felt off!”

“I’m sorry, sir. I was focused on Mahika ma’am… I tried to get closer. I called her name, I swear. She didn’t hear me, and then... she got in the car with that man. They were heading towards Market Square. I followed them, but got stopped at a red light. I lost them. And now, her phone is switched off.”

Vikram swore under his breath. “You did the right thing by waiting for her in the lot. But Max, something isn’t right. She just shared her location through the safety device a few minutes ago. We’re heading there now.”

“Send me the location,” Max said quickly. “I might be closer.”

“Mohit is sharing it with you now. Stay alert.”

“I’m already on the way,” Max assured. “We’ll find her, sir. Don’t worry.”

Vikram didn’t respond. He ended the call and turned to Mohit. His voice was clipped. “Get the car.”

The moment the SUV came around, Vikram jumped into the driver’s seat without a word.

“I’ll drive,” he said to the driver.

“Vicky, let me—” Mohit began.

“I said I’m driving,” Vikram snapped, leaving no room for argument. Mohit climbed into the passenger seat without another word.

Just then, Vikram’s eyes fell on Suraj sitting in the back seat. He didn’t bother with a greeting. “Why are you here, Sunny?”

“I was at the office. Came to meet you and Mohit,” Suraj explained. “Not finding you, I called Mohit, and he updated me about Mahika. He was already freaking out. Do you know who she’s with?”

“No, I don’t know, damn it. Do you know any of her friends she might’ve gone out with?”

Suraj shook his head. “No. I asked around. None of our mutual friends are with her today.”

Vikram muttered a curse under his breath and drove like he was gunning for pole position on an F1 track. The rain had turned into a relentless downpour, hammering the windshield, but he barely noticed.

His fingers fumbled to sync the phone to the car’s Bluetooth, recalibrating the audio from Mahika’s safety bracelet. The SUV cut through the storm like a bullet, his jaw clenched, his pulse roaring in his ears. He jerked the wheel with practiced force, rage simmering just beneath his skin. The storm outside had nothing on the one brewing in his chest.