A Silent Ride Home

The black SUV cut through the empty streets, the weight of the night hanging heavy inside the vehicle.

No one spoke.

Anirudh’s shirt was soaked in blood, but he barely reacted to his wound. His eyes remained on the road, his grip tight on the wheel.

Avni sat in the backseat, staring blankly at her hands. They were still trembling.

She had pulled the trigger.

She had nearly killed a man.

Ayush, usually the loudest, was unnervingly quiet. He kept stealing glances at her but didn’t say a word.

Aryan, sitting beside Avni, shifted uncomfortably. This wasn’t like her.

But the most terrifying presence in the car?

Arnav.

He hadn’t said a single word since they left the warehouse.

His face was unreadable, his jaw clenched. His fingers tapped against his knee—the only sign of his rising fury.

The Explosion

The car pulled up to the Oberoi mansion.

As soon as they entered the house, Arnav snapped.

He turned so fast that Avni barely had time to react before his voice boomed through the hallway.

"WHAT THE HELL WERE YOU THINKING, AVNI?!"

She flinched. She had expected this.

"You took a gun—YOU SHOT SOMEONE!" Arnav’s voice shook the walls.

Avni clenched her fists. "I DID WHAT I HAD TO!"

"You were NEVER supposed to be there in the first place!"

"Oh, so now you care?!" she shot back. "Where was this 'concern' when you threw me into hostels like I was some useless burden?!"

Silence.

Arnav’s face hardened. "Don’t turn this around, Avni. You nearly got yourself killed!"

Anirudh stepped in, his voice calm but sharp.

"She saved my life, Arnav."

Arnav turned on him. "And what if she hadn’t? What if that bullet had hit her instead?!"

Avni scoffed. "Oh, please. Like it would have mattered to you."

Something snapped in Arnav’s expression.

He grabbed her by the shoulders, his grip firm but not painful. His voice dropped, deadly quiet.

"Everything I have done—every decision I have made—has been to protect you."

Avni’s breath hitched.

"I sent you away because I thought it was best for you," Arnav continued. "I distanced myself because I knew one day you'd hate me anyway."

Avni’s eyes burned. "And you never once thought to ASK me what I wanted?"

Arnav let go of her, stepping back.

His face was unreadable again. "I don’t make decisions based on feelings, Avni. I make them based on what needs to be done."

"That’s the problem," she whispered. "You don’t feel anything, do you?"

Arnav didn’t answer.

Anirudh sighed. "Enough. This isn’t solving anything."

But before anyone could respond, a knock on the door echoed through the mansion.

A New Threat

Ayush opened the door—and froze.

A man stood outside.

Tall. Sharp suit. Cold eyes.

But what made everyone tense?

The badge in his hand.

"Mr. Arnav Oberoi?" The officer’s voice was clipped, professional.

Arnav’s posture didn’t change. "Yes?"

"You and your siblings need to come with us."

Avni’s heart dropped.

"Why?" Anirudh asked, stepping forward.

The officer’s gaze flickered to Avni. "A case has been opened against your family—for attempted murder."

Silence.

Then—Arnav smiled.

But it wasn’t a smile of amusement.

It was a warning.

"Tell Devraj Malhotra," he said coldly, "that he just made his worst mistake."

To Be Continued…