Page 12 of Substitute Bride

ESCAPE

He comes close to her and quickly informs her in a low, authoritative tone.

Without waiting for a response, he quickly turns and walks away, leaving Jhankar standing there, a wave of anticipation rushing through her. She starts to pace the room nervously, every nerve in her body tense. A few minutes later, the door opens and her parents enter.

The moment her eyes land on them, she rushes forward and throws her arms around them.

Both of her parents embrace her tightly, clinging to her as though they are trying to draw strength from one another.

None of them can speak; words fail them in the face of such emotion.

Their arms remain locked around one another, and silent sobs escape from all three as tears stream down their faces.

The pain, fear, and relief of this brief reunion weigh heavily on them.

Jhankar grips both their hands tightly and, with trembling determination, speaks softly,

“Now, both of you just calm down. I’ll find a way for us—there has to be one. We should seriously think about escaping from here. If we manage to get out, we’ll definitely find Bro too, and everything will eventually be okay. Don’t worry. We’re not waiting anymore. We’re going to leave right now.”

She quickly turns around, scanning the room, her instincts urging her to act fast. But before she can take a step, her father catches her hand and holds it tightly. She turns back and sees the tension etched on his face as he closes his eyes and speaks, voice shaking,

“You should do what that man says... We have no other way.”

Jhankar’s face hardens with disbelief.

“We’ll make our own path if we believe we can. You’re only saying this because you're scared. But if the three of us stay together, and if we somehow manage to find Bro, everything will fall back into place. Don’t lose heart, Papa. I’m working on a plan.”

Her mother, Chitrali, stands silently beside them, her eyes filled with pain.

She watches father and daughter with an aching heart, her voice absent, not because she has nothing to say, but because her emotions have numbed her.

Her tears have dried up; she has cried so much over the past few days that her eyes no longer obey her grief.

The worry for both her son and daughter is so deep, it has silenced her.

Still holding Jhankar’s hand tightly, Raghunath speaks again, his voice breaking with guilt and helplessness.

“Jhankar, you know that Vyom made a mistake… And because of that, we are paying the price. But he is my son, I can’t forget that, no matter what.

I’m terrified, and I have no shame in admitting it.

I am scared for both of you. Any mistake on our part can bring immense trouble, and I am not strong enough to handle another disaster. ”

“Papa, you’re scared; that’s why you’re not thinking straight.”

Jhankar’s heart aches at his words. The man who had always taught her to face the world with courage is today defeated by fear.

It hurts her deeply, yet she understands.

Stress and fear cloud her father's mind, potentially leading him to make a wrong decision.

She cups his face gently in her hands, turns it toward her, and looks directly into his eyes.

“Please try to understand what I’m saying. We have to show courage. If we surrender so easily, they’ll keep taking advantage of us. Today it’s this demand; tomorrow it will be something else. How can we trust people like them? They can deceive us at any time, in any way.”

Raghunath and Chitrali exchange a fearful glance.

They know their daughter isn’t wrong—everything she said is true.

But they’re stuck in such a complicated, dangerous situation that their minds are clouded.

They don’t know which direction to turn or whom to trust. Everything feels like a trap.

Jhankar observes their expressions carefully.

She doesn’t want to waste another moment.

She gently turns her father’s face back to her again and continues,

“If we don’t confront the situation, how will we know how bad or how good it truly is? That’s the first thing. Papa, you always said that as long as the family stays united, no harm can come to us. So let’s hold onto each other now. This is the time to live by that.”

Raghunath nods faintly. Her words make sense; his daughter’s strength shines brighter than ever. But his fear has paralyzed him. Chitrali finally steps closer, her voice faint but heavy with dread, as she clasps both their hands.

“These people are dangerous. Their reach goes far beyond what we can imagine. We’re just their pawns. What can we possibly do against them?”

Jhankar looks at her mother with determination and responds without hesitation.

“He told me we have twenty minutes, and he sounded far too confident. That means he’s not expecting anything from us. That’s exactly why we need to act now. If we can just leave this place, we’ll at least have the freedom to think and plan without being watched.”

As soon as she finishes speaking, she starts examining the room. Her eyes land on the large window, and hope flashes in her gaze. She rushes to it, pulls aside the curtain, and peeks out. A wide smile spreads across her face. The room is on the ground floor. The window is wide and opens completely.

Without another second's delay, Jhankar climbs onto the ledge and jumps out.

Alarmed, Raghunath and Chitrali hurry to the window.

They look around cautiously; no one is in sight.

Slowly but decisively, they climb out one by one, landing beside Jhankar.

Keeping low, they begin to move forward quickly but cautiously.

Elsewhere, inside a dark room of the same mansion, Vikrant is seated on a plush leather chair, facing a wall of surveillance monitors.

He fixes his gaze on the screen depicting Jhankar and her parents making their escape.

A smug smile tugs at his lips. His fingers tap slowly on the armrest, almost in amusement.

His eyes narrow as he watches her movements.

“Let’s see what you’re really capable of,” he mutters under his breath, a hint of pride hidden beneath the cold calculation in his voice.

~~~~~

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, both hands 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.