Mansion ki lights flickering kar rahi thi aur speakers se aati wo lori (lullaby) Sia ki ragon mein khoon jama dene ke liye kaafi thi. Aryan ne monitor ki tootey hue kaanch ki taraf dekha, uski mutthi itni zor se banchi hui thi ki knuckles safed pad gaye the.
"Hospital... abhi!" Aryan ne garaj kar kaha.
Sia ka bura haal tha. Wo chillayi, "Aryan, mere papa! Vikram unhe maar dega! Tumne kaha tha wo mar gaya hai!"
Aryan ne Sia ka hath pakda aur use ghaseet-te hue garage ki taraf le gaya. "Maine kaha tha wo khaai mein gira hai, Sia. Maine ye nahi kaha tha ki usne maut se sauda nahi kiya hoga."
The Race Against Time
Baarish abhi bhi ruki nahi thi. Aryan ki gaadi sadak par bijli ki raftar se daud rahi thi. Sia seat se chipki hui thi, uski aankhon se aansu ruk nahi rahe the.
"Tumhe kya lagta hai, Vikram ye sab kyun kar raha hai?" Sia ne rote hue pucha.
Aryan ne steering wheel par haath maara. "Kyunki wo ek 'Shadow' hai, Sia. Use bachpan se dhoop nahi mili, sirf andhera mila hai. Wo mujhse mera taj (crown) nahi cheenna chahta... wo mujhse meri sabse keemati cheez cheenna chahta hai."
Aryan ne ek pal ke liye Sia ki taraf dekha. Uska obsession saaf dikh raha tha. Uske liye 'keemati cheez' Thorne empire nahi, balki Sia thi.
The Silent Hospital
Jab wo City Hospital pahunche, wahan ek ajeeb sa sannata tha. Emergency lights jal rahi thi, par koi guard ya nurse dikhayi nahi de raha tha. Aryan ne apni gun nikali aur Sia ko apne peeche rakha.
"Mere kareeb rehna. Agar hili, toh main Vikram se pehle tumhe goli maar dunga," Aryan ne thande dimaag se kaha, par uski awaaz mein ek darr tha—Sia ko khone ka darr.
Wo ICU floor par pahunche. Floor par khoon ke nishaan the, par laash kisi ki nahi thi. Jab wo Room No. 404 (Sia ke papa ka room) ke paas pahunche, darwaza adha khula tha.
Sia ne andar daudne ki koshish ki, par Aryan ne use rok liya. Andar se wahi lori gunj rahi thi... par is baar wo kisi speaker se nahi, balki kisi ke gale se nikal rahi rahi thi.
"Welcome, bade bhai," ek gehri, dard-bhari awaaz aayi.
Aryan ne laat maar kar darwaza khola. Andar ka nazaara dekh kar Sia ki cheekh nikal gayi.
Deepak Mathur (Sia ke papa) bed par bethey the, unki gardan par ek patla sa wire bandha tha jo ek automatic machine se juda tha. Aur bed ke peeche khada tha—Vikram. Uska adha chehra jala hua tha, kapde mud aur khoon se sanne hue the, par uski aankhon mein wahi Thorne family wali chamak thi.
"Vikram! Use chhod do!" Aryan ne gun taan di.
Vikram ne ek sard hansi hasi. "Chhod doon? Maa ne mujhe andhere mein chhoda, tumne mujhe khaai mein chhoda... aur ab tum chahte ho main is purane dushman ko chhod doon?"
Vikram ne wire ko thoda aur kensa. Deepak Mathur ka dam ghutne laga.
"Ruko!" Sia chillayi. "Tumhe kya chahiye? Mujhse badla lena hai toh mujhe maro!"
Vikram ne Sia ki taraf dekha aur phir Aryan ki taraf. "Mujhe ye ladki chahiye, Aryan. Iske badle mein, main tumhare taj (crown) aur tumhare papa ke raaz ko hamesha ke liye dafan kar dunga. Ek sauda... ladki meri, Thorne empire tumhara."
Aryan ki aankhein laal ho gayi. Usne gun Vikram ke maathe par set ki.
"Thorne empire toh pehle se mera hai, Vikram. Aur ye ladki... ye meri saans hai. Aur main apni saans kisi aur ke liye nahi chhodta."
The Fatal Choice
Tabhi, hospital ke intercom par Gayatri Thorne ki awaaz gunji.
"Dono ruk jao! Vikram, tumne jo kiya wo tumhari saza thi. Aryan, tum jo kar rahe ho wo tumhari bhool hai. Security team andar aa rahi hai. Jo bhi zinda rehna chahta hai, wo peeche hat jaye."
Lekin Vikram ne locket se ek button dabaya. "Maa, aapne hamesha Aryan ko chuna. Aaj, main faisla karunga."
Room mein ek dhuan (gas) failne laga. Sia ko chakkar aane lage. Aryan ne Sia ko pakda, par tabhi Vikram ne Deepak Mathur ki chair ko window ki taraf dhakka de diya.
"Ek ko bachao, Aryan! Ya toh apni 'saans' ko, ya iske baap ko!"
Aryan ek pal ke liye ruka. Usne Sia ki taraf dekha jo behosh ho rahi thi, aur phir khidki ki taraf jahan Deepak Mathur girne wale the.
Author's Note
Aryan ke samne sabse bada imtehaan hai! 💥 Kya wo Sia ko bachayega ya uske papa ko? Vikram ka agla qadam kya hoga? Aur Gayatri Thorne is sab mein kya khel khel rahi hai? 🌑🏯
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💬 Comment karein: Aryan ko kise bachana chahiye? Sia ko ya uske papa ko? 🧐