Page 10 of Substitute Bride

HIS THREATS

Raghunath starts looking at Vikrant because he has no other option but to listen to him.

He tries to stand up and sit on the sofa in front of him, but his body is already weakened not by hunger alone, but by the emotional turmoil he has been enduring.

He hasn’t eaten anything for a long time and is deeply distressed.

The fasting itself isn’t unfamiliar; people often stay hungry by choice or by ritual, but this moment is different.

The overwhelming mental agony has gradually eroded his strength.

Despite the doctor's continuous glucose administration, which has kept him physically stable, his mental state has completely collapsed. As soon as he feels like he is about to lose balance and fall, his legs give up, and he collapses to the ground with a loud thud.

Upon seeing him fall, Vikrant briefly gazes at him.

But as a hardened mafia don, he doesn't display any emotion.

His life has become desensitized; routine bloodshed and cruelty have made compassion a luxury he can no longer afford.

Without a hint of emotion, he directs his gaze toward his bodyguard, who promptly advances, skillfully lifts Raghunath, and guides him to the sofa, ensuring he receives just enough care to prevent him from collapsing once more.

Chitrali, despite witnessing her husband's fall, is unable to get up or even cry out.

Her body, fragile and drained from emotional suffering, doesn't allow her to move.

The fear gripping her heart is heavier than her limbs.

Raghunath glances at her with worry in his eyes.

At that moment, Vikrant signals again, and the bodyguard walks to Chitrali, gently helps her to her feet, supports her carefully, and brings her to sit beside her husband on the sofa.

The couple, broken and helpless, now sit quietly, their bodies close but their souls trembling.

Just then, the maid enters with a tray of food and places it in front of them. The smell itself is repulsive to them; they cannot even think of eating. Their throats are dry, their stomachs tight with fear. Vikrant, observing their silent refusal, speaks in a firm yet composed voice.

"Your daughter is absolutely fine. There is no need to panic unnecessarily.

I will allow her to meet you tomorrow morning.

But right now, it's more important that you both take care of yourselves.

Otherwise, what will you show her when you meet?

You need to gather strength and restore your health.

There is no reason to remain hungry. Your daughter is safe, and as far as your son is concerned, he is also absolutely fine. "

The moment he mentions Vyom, the color drains from both their faces.

A cold dread grips them because they know very well that Vyom was the one who interfered with Vikrant’s marriage and chased away his intended bride.

In such a situation, they know Vyom has effectively painted himself as Vikrant’s enemy, a dangerous position to be in.

Vikrant sits up straighter, his posture sharper, his tone even more menacing as he continues, this time not looking directly at them but clearly watching every shift in their expressions.

“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 be confident 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 interpret ambiguous 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.”

Jhankar listens but can’t stop her eyes from scanning the unfamiliar room, trying to make sense of her surroundings.

The last thing she remembers is being locked inside the dungeon.

Thereafter, everything blurred together; he had returned, but she couldn't recall what transpired next.

She suddenly looks down at herself. Her bridal clothes are gone.

Not a single piece of jewelry remains on her body.

In a state of panic, she starts touching herself frantically, searching for answers in her disheveled appearance.

Understanding her distress, the nurse gently explains the situation.

“Madam, we had to change your clothes. They had become too dirty, and besides, those heavy garments might have caused you discomfort in your condition. That’s why we changed them.”

But Jhankar, still reeling with confusion and anger, abruptly gets up from the bed. In a swift motion, she pulls the drip out of her arm, causing the nurse to shriek in alarm.

“Madam, what are you doing?!”

“I have to leave this place right now… I don’t understand what kind of nonsense is going on here.”

Blood begins to ooze from her hand due to the sudden removal of the needle. The nurse rushes forward to stem the bleeding, trying to hold her hand, but Jhankar shoves her away and staggers toward the door. Just then, the door swings open, and standing there is Vikrant.

Without hesitation, Jhankar picks up a nearby statue and hurls it at him with all her strength. But before it hits, Vikrant strides forward, seizes her wrist mid-motion, and locks eyes with her. His voice is firm but not loud, loaded with a strange calmness.

"Your mom and dad are in the next room."