Chapter- 50

The moment the headlights fell on the entrance, Ekansh slammed on the brakes. His breath hitched. The two security guards posted outside Vikram’s house lay motionless in a pool of their own blood.

Throwing the car door open, he stepped out, sprinting towards the house. Rajeev and Vikram followed close behind.

The main door stood half open. Furniture inside lay scattered across the floor. A flower vase lay shattered near the staircase. Broken glass crunched beneath his shoes as Ekansh searched each room frantically.

“DAD!” He yelled, agitated. Even if the situation was beginning to unfold before him, he refused to believe it.

“Ansh!” Vikram’s voice echoed through the living room, his face drained of all colour.

The three of them stared at the CCTV screen. The timestamp showed barely thirty minutes ago.

Virendra was pacing across the hall, his phone clutched tightly in his hand. Every now and then, he glanced towards the entrance. Suddenlty, a thin cloud of smoke seeped through the air-conditioning vents.

Within less than a minute, the entire hall disappeared beneath a thick white layer of smoke. Covering the cameras just enough to blur the attackers without hiding their movements completely, shadows began moving through the fog.

Virendra instantly covered his mouth, looking around for the source. The smoke kept thickening. His breathing became laboured. He staggered back a step, gripping the sofa for support as his vision slowly blurred. Before he could recover, the main door burst open. Four masked men rushed inside.

Virendra defended himself the moment they attacked. His fist connected with one man’s jaw. Another crashed into the centre table. A powerful kick sent the third flying into the wall. For a brief moment, he stood alone against all four of them. But the smoke continued filling his lungs. His movements slowed his vision blurred further. He failed to notice one of the men getting back onto his feet behind him.

The metal rod crashed against the back of his head, throwing him down onto one knee. He tried to rise again, to fight back. But his body finally gave in. He collapsed onto the floor unconscious.

Two men lifted him effortlessly while the remaining two cleared the path, carrying him towards the black van waiting in the patio.

Silence swallowed the room. Ekansh stood frozen before the screen. His fists trembled violently. First his sisters, now his father. A thousand horrifying possibilities flashed before his eyes.

His entire family was trapped somewhere he couldn’t reach, and that helplessness was slowly suffocating him. Abhiraj wasn’t merely targeting his family. The man was dismantling it one person after another.

“Vanya?” Vikram murmured, rushing down the stairs, catching their attention. “Where is she?”

She hadn’t appeared in the footage. He checked her room. His room. But she was nowhere to be found.

“Call her,” Rajeev said immediately.

Vikram held up her phone. “She left it behind.”

“Yahi kahi hogi. Did you check the other rooms or the backyard?” Ekansh asked, worried.

The sound of hurried footsteps echoed behind them. The trio turned only to find a breathless Vanya rushing inside.

“Where the hell were you?” Vikram burst out angrily.

Vanya flinched, looking around as she took in the wreckage of the room.

“Phone kyu nhi leke gayi thi saath mein?” Vikram scolded harshly. “Itni laparwah kaise ho sakti hai tu Vanya? Do you even realise the seriousness of the situation? How could you...” He trailed away as she wrapped her arms around him.

“Sorry...” Vanya mumbled against his chest. “Uncle ki BP ki dawa doctor dena bhool gaye the. He was worrying so much... medicine khatam thi... Vo hi lene gayi thi paas wali medical shop se...”

She slowly pulled away. “Uncle kaha hai? Aur Esha aur Ekta ki kuch khabar...” Her words faded as she noticed the tears glazing Ekansh’s eyes. Slowly thhe reality sank in.

Ekansh exhaled sharply, forcing his emotions back under control. He turned towards Rajeev. “Dad ki watch... he wears the same watch every single day. Even in the footage he was wearing it. It has a tracker... we can track it down, right?”

Rajeev took out his phone nodding his head.

“What’s going on in your head?” Vikram asked, noticing the look on Ekansh’s face.

“Let’s file a police complaint,” Ekansh declared. “We were looking for evidence. We got one... that footage. Virendra Seghal... country’s most respected business tycoon was kidnapped. The police will have to act. The MLAs and industrial investors won’t stay quiet either because of the multi-crore infrastructure project Dad was handling.”

He looked at Vikram. “The Commissioner is Dad’s friend. He will help us. One side we will continue searching our way... and on the other side the police will activate their entire network. The moment we reach Dad... We will find Abhiraj. And the girls.”

Vikram and Rajeev exchanged a glance before nodding. It was a perfect plan. Finally, they had at least one lead. Even a psychopath had loopholes in his plans. They just had to be patient enough to find them before Abhiraj struck again.

✨✨✨

Eshita stared into the darkness, her thoughts refusing to settle no matter how hard she tried. She didn’t even know what time it was, how many hours had passed, or whether it was still the same night or a new day had already begun.

The room remained buried in darkness, making it impossible to tell. Every passing moment only made the silence feel louder. How long would her bhaiya reach them? Did he get any clue? Was their father safe? Each and every question circled endlessly inside her mind, refusing to leave her alone until her own thoughts became more suffocating than the walls around her.

She glanced down at Ekta, who was finally sleeping peacefully. At least that calmed her down. The girl had been fidgeting in her sleep earlier, as if even her dreams refused to spare her. It was only after Eshita had softly sung the lullaby, Ekta had gradually relaxed, unconsciously curling closer until sleep finally claimed her exhausted body.

Eshita smiled faintly. She was grateful that she was there for Ekta. Otherwise, she couldn’t even imagine the girl being left alone in this kind of hellhole with her habit of overthinking every little thing until it consumed her from within.

The sound of the iron door opening abruptly shattered the silence. Heavy footsteps echoed inside the narrow cell before bright light flooded through the entrance, forcing both girls to squint.

Ekta sat up with a jolt, Eshita instinctively moved in front of her. The lights streaming in from the hallway instantly gave away that morning had already arrived.

A woman stepped inside. Eshita stared at her, she looked to be somewhere in her late thirties. Draped in an expensive emerald-green silk saree, diamond earrings glistened beneath the hallway lights. Heavy makeup concealed the wrinkles around her eyes, while bright red lipstick only made the cruel smirk on her face more unsettling. Her neatly tied bun, matching bangles, and high heels gave her the appearance of an elegant socialite.

Until she opened her mouth. Without sparing either of them another glance, she threw two sets of clothes onto the floor. “Badal lo.”

Eshita’s eyes fell on the dresses. They barely deserved to be called dresses. The fabric was short, revealing and shamelessly obscene. Her jaw clenched. “Nhi. Hum ase kapade nhi phelne wale. Jake khe do tumhare uss boss...” Before anyone could complete, the woman grabbed Eshita up harshly by her hair.

The slap echoed through the room.

Eshita crashed onto the rough floor. The sharp edge of the woman’s diamond ring sliced across her cheek, leaving behind a thin cut. She hissed, instinctively pressing her fingers against the burning skin.

“Di!” Ekta rushed to her side.

“Yeh tere baap ka ghar nhi hai!” The woman spat venomously. “Yaha wahi hota hai jo Malik chahte hain. Zyada awaaz ki na... toh teri zubaan kheench lungi.”

Her eyes shifted towards Ekta. “Teko toh pata hai na...yaga nhi bolne pe yaha kya kya hota hai... bataya nhi tune isse?”

Ekta flinched visibly. “Hum... hum abhi tayyar ho jayenge... aap please gussa mat kijiye.” She pleaded helplessly.

She knew the consequences of refusing far too well. Every punishment flashed before her eyes, girls locked without food, beaten until they couldn’t stand, dragged away screaming, or simply disappearing forever. She couldn’t let the same fate fall upon Eshita because of one moment of defiance.

The woman shot one last glare at Eshita before turning around. “Leke aao dono ko bahar.” She ordered the guards, who quietly shut the iron door behind them.

“Aap thik ho?” Ekta asked, carefully brushing her fingers against the small cut on Eshita’s cheek.

Eshita gently moved her hand away before nodding, getting back onto her feet. She was a fool to let her impulsiveness get in the way. She needed to control her anger if she didn’t want to die before even her brother reached them. Acting on emotions would only hand Abhiraj exactly what he wanted.

“Aap please unhe mana mat kijiye kisi bhi cheez ke liye.” Ekta whispered desperately. “I know it’s hard for you... but please try to understand. Yeh log kisi ki nhi sunte. Yaha wahi hota hai jo Ma-maalik chahte hain. Aur jo unki baat nhi maanta hai... Vo ladkiyan... unhe vo maar deta hai. Agar aapko kuch ho gaya toh...” Her voice shook, tears welled up in her eyes once again.

“Fine.” Eshita sighed, pulling her into a side hug. “Tu ro mat yaar. Main wahi karungi jo yeh kutte chahte hain. Aur koi option waise bhi nhi hai mere pss.”

Ekta nodded before picking up one of the dresses and silently passing it to her. “Aap yeh...”

“Pehen rahi hu,” Eshita completed reluctantly.

She glared at the dress in annoyance. It was far too short, exposing almost every inch of skin. Disgust twisted inside her stomach. She couldn’t bring herself to wear something like that before a man who was nothing more than a predator hiding behind power, but she didn’t have a choice.

Quietly, she changed into the humiliating outfit, avoiding her own shadow completely.

Soon the girls were dragged out of the room and into the grand hall. Eshita looked around carefully. Every other girl seemed to be busy decorating the mansion for some kind of lavish celebration. Fresh flowers were being arranged in crystal vases, long silk drapes hung from the high ceiling, expensive chandeliers glittered overhead while servants rushed from one corner to another carrying trays and decorations.

She stumbled forward along with Ekta before the lady from earlier, who glared at them as though they were nothing more than slaves beneath her feet.

“Tu... upar uss taraf ka kaam sambhal...” The lady spat, pointing towards Ekta. “Phool wagaira sab waha rakha hai... achhe se sab kuch sajna chaiye. Itna toh nhi bhuli hogi... ki yaad dilana padega?” The malicious smile curling on her lips instantly frightened Ekta.

Eshita reached out, holding Ekta’s hand in silent support. She could feel the girl trembling beneath the lightest touch, as iff the old wounds had reopened all over again.

The lady noticed the small gesture and scoffed. “Wah... kya behno ka pyaar hai.”

The very next moment she yanked Eshita away from Ekta with enough force to make her stumble.

“Lekin yaha yeh sab nhi chalta. Khud ko zinda rakh le wahi badi baat hai.” She glanced at Ekta, “Nikal idhar se... Kaam par lag fatafat.”

Ekta flinched at the sharp command. She looked at Eshita one last time. Eshita gave her a small reassuring nod. Quietly, Ekta walked away, hoping and praying that Eshita would keep her temper under control and not provoke anyone. She had already seen what happened to girls who dared to answer back. She couldn’t bear to watch Eshita suffer the same fate because of her stubborn courage.

Eshita met the woman’s gaze without flinching. She wouldn’t do anything foolish to get herself killed, but she refused to lower her eyes before people like them. Showing fear before monsters only fed their arrogance. And Eshita Seghal had never bowed her head before fear.

“Aise kya dekh rahi hai?” The lady snarled, digging her nails painfully into Eshita’s arm. “Aankhein neeche kar ladki. Warna nikal kar haath mein de dungi.”

“Mujhe kya kaam karna hai vo bategi?” Eshita asked coolly, refusing to react to the pain. “Ya yeh dialogue baazi mein time waste karna hai? Tumhare uss so called Malik ko pata chala toh meri jagah tum logon ko hi goli na maar de.”

The lady’s face burned with rage. She raised her hand to strike Eshita again when one of the guard hurried towards them. “Malik aapko bula rahe hain.”

The lady clenched her fist before lowering it. She shoved Eshita backwards. “Tujhe toh baad mein dekhti hu.”

Picking up a nearby basket overflowing with flowers, she dumped it into Eshita’s hands. “Yeh sab waha laga de achhe se. Galti karne ki himmat bhi mat karna. Warna anjaam achha nhi hoga.” Throwing one final threatening glare, she turned around and walked away.

Eshita sighed in relief the moment the woman disappeared from her sight. She looked around carefully. There wasn’t a single guard standing in the immediate area. Only frightened girls moved from one place to another like lifeless puppets, silently obeying every order. Her gaze found Ekta again, who was also working with lowered eyes, her movements mechanical, as if her body remembered every command before it was even spoken.

Eshita’s heart clenched at the sight of them all. They were breathing, walking and working... yet every pair of eyes carried the same emptiness. It was as the place had stolen not just their freedom but their very existence.

Quietly she walked towards the pillar the lady had pointed at, her eyes scanning the surroundings. Every corridor, staircase, locked door, balcony, window, she forced herself to memorise each detail. If there was even the smallest chance of escaping, she needed to know this place better than the people who owned it.

If the man was truly as calculating as she believed, then there was every possibility that hidden cameras were watching every corner of the mansion. She couldn’t afford a single reckless mistake. Not until she understood the layout of this prison and discovered a way to contact Ekansh.

She picked up the flower basket, forcing herself to move like everyone else. Her hands continued arranging flowers while her eyes quietly observed every face around her. Cautiously she step towards the girl decorating the pillar beside her.

“Hii...” She whispered softly, “Tum kab se ho yaha prr?”

The girl didn’t even look at her. Her hands continued working as if she hadn’t heard a single word.

Eshita frowned. She moved towards another girl arranging flower strings. “Hii?”

Silence.

She continued to ask a few more girls, trying to initiate a conversation, but received only silence and the visible tremble in their hands. Fear had taught them that even speaking could cost them their lives.

Just as another girl walked past carrying a tray of candles, Eshita quickly caught hold of her wrist. Before the girl could react, she gently pulled her behind one of the massive marble pillars, making sure they stood exactly in the camera’s blind spot she had noticed a few moments earlier.

The girl gasped. “Cho-chodiye hume...”

“Shhh...” Eshita whispered urgently. “Main tumhe chot nhi puchungi.”

The girl looked around in panic. “A-gar k-kisi ne dekh liya to-toh... Hume... Jaane...”

“Koi nahi dekhega.” Eshita cut her off softly. “Bss mere ek sawal ka jawab de do please... Yaha se bhagne ka koi rasta....”

“Nhi...” The girl shook her head violently, her face turning pale. “Malik... Malik ko pata chala toh... Vo maar denge... hum sab ko maar denge. Aap...”

“Vo kuch nahi kar payega.” Eshita held her shoulders gently. “Shaant ho jao aur meri baat suno. Main wada karti hu tumse... tumhe aur baaki ki sabhi ladkiyon ko yaha se azaad karungi. Mere bhaiya... woh mujhe dhoond rahe honge. Mujhe unpar vishwas hai. Woh hume yaha se bachane zaroor aayenge. Bas tum log thodi si madad kar do. Main wada karti hu... tumhe koi kuch nahi karega.”

The girl’s eyes immediately filled with tears. She had only ever known captivity, fear and endless suffering. Freedom was nothing more than a forgotten dream she no longer dared to believe in. All she wished for now was death, something that could finally wash away the filth, shame and disgust that had seeped into her veins over the years.

Hope was a luxury she had buried long ago. Too many girls had whispered the same promises before disappearing forever. Some were beaten to death, some were sold away, and the rest simply stopped believing that anyone would ever come for them. Eshita’s words were beautiful. but beautiful words were the cruelest thing this place had taught them not to trust.

“Sab... sab yehi kehte hai...” She whispered brokenly. “Wada krne ke baad koi wapas nhi aata...”

“Mein aaungi.” Eshita stated firmly, she pointed at the red thread around her wrist, “Yeh dhaage ki kasam mein zarur aaungi. Tum sabhko yaha aur zayda samye tk rahne nhi dungi. Yakeen kro mera.”

The girl slowly stepped backwards, fear flashing in her eyes. “N-Nhi...”

Before Eshita could stop her, the girl hurried away, disappearing back into the hallway without looking behind even once.

Eshita closed her eyes briefly. She couldn’t blame the girl for running away or refusing to trust her. It was that fear which had kept them alive inside this hell for so long. When survival depended on obedience, hope itself became the most dangerous thing to hold onto.

For now, every minute felt like sand slipping through her fingers. If no one was willing to help she would have to find another way.

Her gaze instinctively swept across the hall again. That’s when something caught her attention. Near one of the sofas, half hidden beneath the expensive curtains, a mobile phone.

Probably dropped by one of the guards while supervising the decorations. Without changing her expression, she continued arranging flowers, slowly moving towards that side of the hall. Reaching the table, she deliberately dropped a few flowers from the basket, bending to pick them up.

In one swift motion, her fingers grabbed the phone. She slid it beneath the flowers inside her basket before straightening as if nothing had happened. Her heart pounded against her ribs.

A few minutes later, she turned towards the same girl she had spoken to earlier. “Washroom kidhar hai?” She asked casually.

The girl hesitated before pointing towards the corridor. “Waha... Dusra darwaja.”

Balancing the flower basket in her hands, Eshita walked normally until she reached the washroom. She placed the basket outside the door. stumbling a little, on her own feet, she crouched to run her ankle. Quickly she slipped the phone into her hand before straightening and adjusting the tiny dress that had absolutely nowhere to hide it. She hurried inside.

The moment the door clicked shut, she locked it. Turning on the tap on fast, she immediately dialled Ekansh’s number with her trembling fingers

The Number unreachable.

“No... no... please...” She tried again. Tears of frustration burned her eyes at the same response.

The sound of footsteps echoed outside. Her pulse spiked. Without wasting another second, she quickly opened the message typing..

Bhaiya!

The message was sent. Instantly she deleted the message, praying it would reach her brother.

A loud bang on the washroom door made her jump.

“Bahar aa!” One of the guards shouted, “Kon hai andar? Itna time kyu lag raha hai?”

Eshita looked around desperately. There was nowhere to hide the phone. If they searched her everything would be over. Closing her eyes, she made the hardest decision she could. Flushing the phone. Watching it disappear beneath the rushing water.

Taking one last shaky breath, she washed her hands and unlocked the door. The moment she stepped outside, a guard stood waiting, glaring at her. “V-Vo... mujhe washroom use karna tha... isliye...”

Before she could even finish. A cloth soaked with a strong chemical was suddenly pressed against her face. Her eyes widened. She tried to struggle but failed. The world spun violently. Her vision blurred.

The last thing she saw was the guard catching her unconscious body before she collapsed.

As darkness swallowed her whole... Only one thought echoed inside her fading mind. For her brother to find them soon.

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