Rise of the Devil - Part 48

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Chapter 48


Arnav’s POV


The gates open as I drive through them towards the fortress my father has built without my knowledge. Everything starts falling in place again. That night when I met Swetlana in the club, she knew who had abducted Jaipal. It was her father Rana Pratap and my father, together. But she couldn’t tell me the name as she was afraid the treaty which they both have would break and my father would hurt/kill Rana Pratap because of her silliness. My father through Rana Pratap tricked Gujrals, convincing them to keep Jaipal at one of their secret location and then when the time was right, my father got to him and killed him brutally. He had two intentions to do so. One to avenge my mother’s death and two to overpower the dark world and to doom the secret mission which he so far thought was led by my wife. Least does he know its me .. his own son who is going to be the end of him again.


As I park the car, the feeling of being close to Khushi raises my anxiety. I want her in my arms. Safe. Nothing and no one can come between me and her ever. Not even death!! As I get down, a few armed men who secure my father’s fort, surround me. One of them starts to frisk me and I punch him away.

“I have got nothing. When I say this, you better believe.” I yell.


The guards are confused for a few seconds until one of them speaks on the cordless phone and then allows me to walk inside without much inspection again. Like the spy I am, I don’t miss to scan the place, for the number of men here. They are more than 100. Aman has to be informed we will need more backup. But I had no way to contact him. They didn’t risk putting another tracker on me as my father’s security could be alert, ruining my entire plan to be here. Until I have Khushi by my side, I cannot risk anything, not even my own life. So, technically, I had no way to contact Aman but I still had a small backup just in case things go south.


I refuse to get myself cuffed and break the man’s nose by hitting him to the wall for even trying to do so. He doesn’t know who I am and dare they treat me like one of their captives. They didn’t bring me here, I volunteered to barge in. That’s the difference.

Both the times I have hurt my father’s men, I am sure he has been watching it all as there are cameras at every corner of this fort. Even an entry or exit of an ant won’t go unmissed.


These men lead me to a room with red black furniture. How can I forget I got this special liking for Red from my father? For me, Red was the color of rage and for him red meant blood. He’s shed a lot of them here for sure. I wait alone, scanning the four walls where I know every movement of mine is measured.


“Don’t act like a coward Dad,” I scream at one of the cameras in here. “I know you are watching me. Come here and show me your damn face.”


I hear nothing but a laughter and its coming from the speakers at the other corner of the room. He’s bloody watching me. I hate his laughter. I hate even the thought that I am his blood. My father hasn’t just wronged me but the whole nation.. He has kidnapped innocent people, killed them and looted them with money and ransom.. How can I ever forgive him? I can’t!!


“Arnav..” I finally hear him from behind. I turn. He’s at the door, watching me with a proud smile. I had almost forgotten his face, the way he looked at me, the way he smiled and the way his eyes blinked while he tried to read what’s going in my mind. This man had raised me not just as a son but to be a king of this dark world when he steps down from the chair. Wish things were different and he was a normal man with a normal life and could give me and my mother the normal lifestyle we deserved. “You look mighty..” he adds reaching closer.


My jaw clenches at the thought of three men following him like a protective shield whenever he walked. They were his armed bodyguards.


“You look old..” I taunt. “Good to see you are scared of me even now…” I add glancing at his guards.


I am sure it bruised his ego. I want that.

“Not scared!!” he lets out a chuckle. “You can’t hurt me ever Arnav. Even that day I was the one controlling your movements by handling you a fake gun and even today I will be the one whose permission you will need to see your piece of junk woman..”

“DON’T” I yell, my voice echoes in the room. “Don’t you dare disrespect her. People who have, have died and trust me I can kill you with my bare hands if I find any injuries on her body because of you..”


He glares at me with equal rage.

“So much sympathy for that woman? Why? You could have got anyone else Arnav.. Swetlana is the kind of woman you need as your Queen to rule this world.”

“Really?” I mock. “Then why didn’t you marry someone from the dark world instead of my mother? Why did you need a simple innocent woman beside you and not the one who’s corrupted by the sins of this place?”


He’s silent.

“At least your mother wasn’t a spy..” He argues.

“So isn’t Khushi.. She is innocent.”

“What was she doing with the police then?”

“They wanted to use her to get to me..”


This isn’t a lie. Shyam tried to use her to get proofs against me.


“And she broke your trust, didn’t she?”

“Did Mom break your trust, Dad? Ever?” I cross question. It hurts to bring my mother in this conversation but I really want this man to know my wife is as innocent as my mother was. “Despite knowing your real identity, she never gave out your secrets to any outsiders. Why?” I ask. “Because she loved you and you didn’t take a minute to decide you needed me more than her.”


Now he looks hurt. He kicks the table between us.


“Yes, I did. I chose you and it wasn’t a decision of me alone..” he shouts. “I don’t know what you saw that night or heard.. Your mother was equally pleading me to choose you Arnav. Obviously any parent would do the same.. What we did.. We were ready to sacrifice ourselves to save you. If I had the choice to die and save you and your mother, I would have happily did so.”


This is the first time we are even conversing on this topic. During my childhood when I got to know he had that choice to save me or my mother, I had loathed him for not choosing her but now that he gives me additional hints of what exactly happened that night when I had passed out, it all makes sense.


“Your mother sacrificed her life to save you.. I saw her dying and that image still haunts me,” he screams. “I loved her.. I always will and you…” he pauses. “You were the proof of that love. We both would have chose .. ever and ever…”


My eyes turn moist with emotions… for this man.. for my father who looks hurt and dejected by my accusation, and who cleared up that bit of my past which I didn’t care to re-think on. Maybe he isn’t at fault entirely for me losing my mother but that doesn’t make him any sane. He has wronged with the country’s law and hurt too many people. Can I do anything about it? To save him? Should I?


“I need to see my wife..” I demand.


Whatever remorse my father had on his face is gone and replaced by grudge.

“We had a deal Son.. You make her give me the name of that spy who is poisoning our dark world and I will give her freedom.”

“I haven’t forgot” I say, clenching my jaw. “Where is she? Until I meet her, this deal isn’t going to be helpful to you.”

“I know..” he grins. “Raaka..” he shouts at someone and I see a tall sturdy and scarred face man entering the room. “Bring the woman..” my father demands.


Damn! I can very well imagine how much Khushi would be scared being around such scary people. I swear these men will pay it off with their blood.


I literally count seconds and stare at the door, waiting for my wife to show up. Three and half minutes of silence until my father speaks.


“You love her, don’t you?” he asks.

“You won’t understand..” I snap. “Had you known me… known what love is… you wouldn’t dare to abduct your son’s wife.”


He’s silent again. And before we can argue over it, she’s here. I can sense her even before I see her. The door opens and Rakka drags my Khushi inside the room. Damn!! My body freezes as I see her state. She’s cuffed, blindfolded with stains of tears on that black satin covering her eyes. Her ankles have bruises because probably they had tied her up on a chair. Her wrists.. I can’t see them as they are at her back but I am sure they have such bruises too.


“Khushi..” I murmur and as if she’s relieved, Khushi tries to search me in the room, struggling to set free.

“Arnav…”


The moment she struggles to use my voice to reach my direction, Rakka grabs her arm and yanks her behind so badly that she loses her steps and stumbles on the wall beside her, hurting her forehead. That’s it. Grabbing the piece of rod from the side of the table between me and my father, I aim it on Rakka. It hits him straight on his head, making it bleed while I stride to my wife and hold her close.


The moment she lands into my arms, Khushi eases and I untie her blindfold, and free the cuffs from her wrists. She blinks hard for a few seconds and when she finally sees me, she grabs my shirt and pulls me closer, crying her heart out.

“Ssshhh” I soothe her back.. “Stop crying..”


Though I am completely occupied to soothe my wife, I don’t miss to see my father’s surprise at the entire scene. The way I hurt his powerful man for hurting my wife, tells him I have no limits when it comes to protecting the angel of my life. Rakka gets up with fisted fingers but my father stops him from reaching us. Good call or else I would have killed Rakka before he would even think about us.

“You okay?” I ask Khushi once her sobs subsides. But fear and insecurity takes over her face.

“Arnav? You… you shouldn’t have come here.. He will kill you.. They will kill you.. please go.. please…”


I know she is more worried for me than her ownself. I cup her face and bring her closer, not bothered my father and four of his men were witnessing us like this..


“He can’t touch me and I won’t let him touch you either. We will walk out of here safe. Do you hear me?”


Khushi weakly nods but I can say she is still scared.


“Don’t give her false hopes Arnav,” my father pokes. “None of you is crossing the perimeter of this place until she tells me who the real spy is from the agency?”


Khushi stares at my face and I know why. She promises to die but to give that information to anyone.. especially to my father.

“What would you do knowing that name?” I ask, sliding my arms around Khushi’s waist, bringing her close to me.


He laughs. “Out of all, I hadnt expected you to ask me that question Arnav. You are the king of the Devils.. You rule this dark world. What would you do if you found a traitor who is destroying everything you have built so far?”

“I would kill him” I give him my reply which is honest and very much what I would do to anyone who corrupts my world.. It’s not the dark world I am talking about.. I am talking about my country.. People like my father have been corrupting it by their nasty acts and threats. I had pledged to stop this and I still stand by my promise.

“Good” Dad smiles. “Then tell your wife to give us that name and then she can walk away free. Whereas you and I will happily kill that person and bring harmony in our kingdom. I can’t wait to fight this war with you by my side Son.”


Oh his wish!! That will never fulfil.


“Free her.. I will give you the name myself..” I offer.


Now he becomes serious.


“What?” he snaps. “You know who it is? You know that traitor?”

“I do..” I nod.

“Arnav..” Khushi grabs my shirt harder. She knows what I intend to do and she is scared of the consequences. My baby is scared of losing me. She doesn’t have to be afraid.

“Its okay..” I say bringing her fingers to my lips. “I’ll be fine..” I whisper.

“No” she shouts back. “I am not going anywhere without you..”

“Don’t do this again Khushi” I scowl. “I can’t afford to lose you again.. I will get someone pick you up once you are out and you will wait until I come back.”

“No” she grabs me harder. “If you think you came here all the way to save me and out your life in danger, I don’t want this freedom.. or this life..”


Damn her! I want to argue but my father is more pissed and curious to know from me whats happening and he can’t wait.


“Enough of your who will save whom drama.” He shouts. “I want the name and one of you have to give me that. Arnav…” he turns to me. “You just want to save your wife that’s why you are lying to me. You cant know that spy.. Because if you had, that person would have been dead by now.. I am sure you are just doing this to let Khushi free from here but that’s not happening.. She will walk away only when I have that name from her.. not you..”


I laugh. I don’t know why? But I laugh at how little my father knows about me.


“My strength is right in my arms Dad. You don’t have a choice but to give in and do as I say. If you don’t, I swear this place will be burned down in a matter of minutes.”


Now he looks pissed than before. He walks to us and I make sure to hold Khushi firmly.


“You are wasting my time Arnav. Ask her to give me that name. NOW..” He yells.


I sigh and then turn to my wife who is afraid of what the next action from my father would be if he doesn’t get the name he wants to know. I don’t have to worry much. I only wanted to secure Khushi, I did. I needed time to ensure the backup team Aman and Akash are bringing up here is ready, and I am sure by now they are out there, waiting for my next command. Though I have no electronic device to communicate with them, I still have my backup ready, right here under my father’s nose and he wouldn’t even realize it until he hears the blast!! Soon!! I promise before smiling at my wife.


“Tell him that name, Angel,” I demand. “Tell him who the real spy is..”


Khushi’s eyes widen in shock. She wouldn’t spill my name even if I am the one demanding her to do so.

“I won’t” she murmurs with more tears in her eyes.

“Don’t be afraid..” I pull her closer, before my father who is glaring at both of us.. “We have nothing to be afraid of.. Believe me..”

She swallows the lump of tears formed in her throat, but she wouldn’t tell. I know.. Fine!!


So, the next instant, I meet my father’s heated gaze with a grin.


“I am the one you want dead, dad. I am that spy you are looking for.. The King of the Devil …. has pledged to bring the dark world down.. It’s me..!! It’s always been me!!”


To be Continued.

NEXT PART

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Have you read FORBIDDEN? 

Standalone Enemies to Lovers Romance Novel

Jhanvi Sikand
I was supposed to marry my childhood friend, Mohit Raichand. Call it fate or destiny, I tied the knot with the Forbidden Heir of the Raichand family – Aarav Raichand, instead. I knew nothing about him except that he used me as a pawn to start a war to snatch from the Raichands what was legally his.

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A Fight for dominance altered to War for Love. One war, Three Lives, Only Two could survive.

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