The explosion didn't fade this time.
It echoed.
Like the villa had finally started breaking apart. Walls cracked somewhere far down the corridor. Dust filled the air, thick enough to blur vision. The emergency lights flickered violently—red, unstable, almost dying.
Arin grabbed my arm immediately.
"Move," he said.
But my eyes stayed on Rudra.
He was already turning toward the hallway.
He was moving like he had a map of every danger in his head.
"Rudra..." I called him.
He stopped for a second but he didn't look back . Go with him, he said carefully.
And then he was gone into the smoke.
Arin pulled me through a narrow side corridor. The air was worse here.
"Where are we even going?" I asked.
"Safe route," he said quickly.
Somewhere behind us, another explosion echoed. "Move fast," Arin said sharply.
"I am trying," I snapped.
He just kept pulling me forward. We reached my room. I froze at the doorway.
"Why here?" I asked, confused and scared.
Arin didn't answer immediately. He pushed me inside, shut the door behind us and locked it. Then he stepped straight toward the wardrobe.
"No…" I already went there before, I said.
"I know," he cut in quickly.
He opened the wardrobe and pushed aside the clothes and reached the back panel. The hidden spot was still there.
My hands started shaking.
"Do you still have the key?" he asked.
I hesitated. Then slowly, I pulled it out of my pocket. It felt heavier than before.
Arin exhaled. "Good."
He adjusted the hidden panel properly and revealed the small keyhole again.
The same secret door.
The same dark passage I had entered before. Cold air came out from inside.
My throat tightened. Last time I went in, I didn't know what was ahead.
This time… I still didn't. Another explosion hit somewhere above us.
We don't have time, he said.
My fingers tightened around the key. I looked back at the room once. Then slowly stepped forward. I inserted the key.
The back of the wardrobe moved open with a low sound. A dark tunnel appeared.
"Rhea go inside," he said.
I took a deep breath and stepped inside.
Arin stood just behind me, half inside the room, half watching the hallway outside.
He kept checking behind us while I struggled to close the hidden door properly.
"Hurry up rhea, close it." Arin said quietly.
I started pushing the panel. The passage started closing. Slowly.
"Arin.. come inside," the wardrobe is closing,
I whispered.
But Arin didn't move. The panel kept sliding. The gap was getting smaller. And then—
Footsteps.
Clear this time. Coming fast.
My heart stopped.
Rhea close it, Don't wait, Arin said quickly.
"No... you come first ! I panicked.
He finally looked at me. And in that second...
I understood something was wrong.
Trust me, he said.
I didn't understand… but I have no time to ask so I pushed the panel harder. It started closing faster now.
Then a shadow appeared at the end of the corridor. Arin saw it. Everything changed in his expressions.
"Close it," he said again.
"Arin !" I screamed.
He took one step toward me. And then—
Gunshot.
The sound hit my ears like everything had shattered. His body jerked suddenly. I froze.
"No…" I whispered.
There was blood on his arm. He stumbled back slightly but he didn't fall.
Go... he said through pain. Close it…
Another shadow moved closer behind him.
Someone else was coming.
I couldn't think anymore. I had no time.
But I knew one thing-
If I hesitated even a second more I would lose everything.
With shaking hands, I pushed the panel with all my strength. The passage closed completely. Everything went dark.
The last thing I saw was—
Arin standing there, still trying to protect me.