UNIVERSITY ARC
The message stared back at me.
I wasn't sure how long I had been gripping my phone. My fingers felt numb, my chest tight. The words blurred slightly, yet I could still read them perfectly.
"Mr. Manoj Vardhan, you are now free."
I sat still, phone in hand, my mind tangled in a storm of emotions.
Free—It should have felt like a victory.
But why did it also feel like a trap?
A decade of struggles, hunger, loneliness—and with one message, it was all erased? No. It wasn't that simple. It never was.
My breath was uneven. I forced myself to inhale, slow and deep. Calm down.
My fingers hovered over the screen. My first instinct was to call, demand answers. But I didn't.
Because deep down, I knew.
Nothing in the Vardhan family comes without a reason. And if they wanted me back now, it meant something had changed.
But what?
What had forced their hand after all these years?
The past clawed its way back into my mind. The hunger. The exhaustion. The humiliation.
I still remember the pain of surviving day by day. Those years of struggle, the ones that shaped me into the person I am today. They flashed before my eyes.
.
.
.
.
Life wasn't easy. I had no privileges, no shortcuts—just a constant battle to survive. Every single day, I worked tirelessly, juggling part-time jobs just to make enough money to live.
I woke up before sunrise, dragging myself out of bed while my body screamed for rest. My first job started early—working at a local café, wiping tables, taking orders, and hoping for a few extra tips.
After college, while my classmates relaxed, I rushed to my next job. Some days, I stood behind a convenience store counter for hours, my legs aching. Other days, I unloaded heavy boxes at a warehouse, sweat dripping down my back.
There were nights I worked as a delivery boy, speeding through the streets on an old bike, just to earn a few more coins. Rain or shine, I had no choice—I had to keep going.
Food was never a luxury. I counted every note, making sure I could afford at least one proper meal a day. Some nights, I went to bed hungry, telling myself, "Just hold on. One day, this will all change."
I took whatever job I could find. I endured every sleepless night, every empty stomach, every insult thrown my way.
And now, just like that, I was 'free' again?
No.
I had earned my place.
The Vardhan name? The wealth? That wasn't my achievement—it was just an inheritance. But this? The man I had become?
That was mine.
And no message could take that away.
I exhaled slowly, locking my phone.
I wouldn't celebrate yet. Not until I knew exactly why they were welcoming me back.
And more importantly—what price I would have to pay.
– – – –
The sound of hurried footsteps echoed through the dimly lit corridor.
Ranga, dressed in a black suit, ran toward the communication block, his heartbeat racing. His usually steady hands trembled as he reached for the highly encrypted landline.
He punched in a number.
The call connected.
A deep voice answered.
"Speak."
Ranga hesitated, swallowing the lump in his throat before finally forcing out the words.
"Mr. Sagar… h-he's still alive."
Silence.
Then, a sharp intake of breath.
"Who?"
The voice on the other end was no longer calm. It was edged with something dangerous.
Ranga's grip on the receiver tightened.
"The heir. The one we—"
"Stop!" Sagar cut him off, his voice suddenly lower, almost a whisper.
"You mean… Manoj?"
Ranga shut his eyes briefly.
"Yes, sir. Not only is he alive, but he's reclaimed everything—his power, his position, his fame."
Another pause. This one is heavier.
Then, a shuddering breath.
Sagar felt a chill crawl up his spine. His fingers slackened around the phone. He pressed his free hand against his forehead, trying to steady himself, but his body wouldn't stop trembling.
This couldn't be happening.
"No… that's impossible," Sagar muttered. "We saw it. We saw it happen. It was confirmed! He was supposed to be—"
Dead.
The word hung in the air, unsaid but suffocating.
Ranga inhaled deeply. "I swear on my life, sir. It's true. I personally verified it. There's no mistake."
Sagar's legs buckled, and before he realized it, he had collapsed onto the floor. His back hit the cold wall, but he barely felt it.
His heart pounded, each beat a deafening echo in his ears.
"If Manoj was alive…
Then I was…a dead man walking."
His lips parted, but no words came. His mind spun with a thousand questions, none of which had answers.
How?
Why now?
And most importantly…
What the hell was Manoj planning?
Ranga's voice pulled him back. "Sir, what are your orders?"
Sagar squeezed his eyes shut. He had to think. Act fast.
"Shit! Don't contact me again from that location. We'll meet somewhere else."
The line went dead.
But Sagar knew—this was just the beginning.
The nightmare had only begun.
– – – –
Silence filled the room.
I sat still, phone in hand, my mind tangled in a storm of emotions.
Free.
That's what the message said.
Free to reclaim my position. Free to take back everything that was once mine.
But instead of relief, I felt fear.
Fear for what comes next. Fear of them.
Ramu. Keshava. Suresh.
The three people who had been my only light in this dark, cruel world.
Would they still see me the same way if they knew the truth?
Would they still laugh with me, joke with me, treat me like one of their own?
Or would they start walking on eggshells around me, questioning my every word, wondering if I had been lying to them all along?
I squeezed my phone, staring at the message until the words blurred.
I could still hear them—Ramu's frustration, Keshava's sincerity, Suresh's warmth.
"We're always with you, no matter what."
I wanted to believe that. I really did. But people changed when money was involved. No—when power was involved.
Because with great power came even greater risks. Wealth attracts threats.
I had seen it before.
Loyalty could turn into jealousy. Trust could turn into doubt.
And in the worst cases… friendship could turn into betrayal.
I'm not doubting their loyalty or friendship. Just fearing to lose them. I don't want to give a chance knowing it could break our bond.
I had fought so hard to survive. But I wasn't sure if I could survive losing them.
Not now. Not after everything.
I let out a slow breath. For now, I had to keep it a secret.
...…
But my fears weren't just stopped after my friends.
The moment I read that message again, another thought crept into my mind. A realisation made me think even deeper.
If my family had lifted my restrictions… that meant someone else had agreed to it.
Someone powerful. Someone who once decided that I had to be erased.
And now, they were suddenly bringing me back. I was wondering why. What had changed.
That's it…. Yes! I know…I know what has probably happened.
I gritted my teeth. Rage bursts inside me.
The Vardhan family wasn't just rich. They weren't just powerful.
They were something far more dangerous.
And in their world, nothing happened without a reason.
I had spent ten years fighting to survive while carrying a name I wasn't allowed to use.
Why?
Because of something—or someone—in my past.
A shadow that haunted me. A force that once ensured my downfall.
And now, that same force might not just be a threat to me… but to someone else.
My little brother.
Right! The first thing I needed to check was him.
I grabbed my phone, searching through every possible source of information I could access. But no matter how deep I dug, the result was the same.
Nothing.
No updates. No news. It was as if he barely existed.
My fingers tightened around the device. He was eighteen now—old enough to step into our family's affairs. So why was he still hidden?
Had they kept him away from everything, just as they did with me back then?
Or was there something else?
A memory surfaced. A faint voice. A small hand gripping mine.
"Brother, will you come back soon?"
Back then, I had no answer. I could only force a smile and ruffle his hair, promising something I wasn't sure I could keep.
"Of course. Just wait for me, okay?"
That was the last time I saw him. A scared little boy, watching as I was taken away.
But he's not a boy anymore.
I exhaled sharply, forcing myself back to the present.
How would he react… when he learned the truth about me? Would he see me as a brother? Or someone like a stranger?
For the first time in years, I felt something unfamiliar settling in my chest.
Uncertainty. And I hated it.