The mansion was no longer a place of silence.
It had become a place of alarms.
Footsteps. Panic. Orders.
And Rudra Rathore's rage… like a storm waiting to explode.
Aanya stood frozen in the hallway.
Her mind couldn't process it.
Riya is gone.
Not just gone.
Escaped.
A guard rushed past her.
Another shouted Rudra's name from downstairs.
Everything felt broken.
Then—
the elevator opened.
Rudra stepped out.
And the entire atmosphere shifted instantly.
Cold.
Dangerous.
Uncontrolled rage hidden behind calm eyes.
He walked straight toward Aanya.
Stopped right in front of her.
"You're shaking," he said quietly.
Aanya didn't answer.
Her voice wouldn't come out.
Rudra's eyes softened for a second.
Then hardened again.
"She planned this."
Aanya finally whispered,
"Why would she leave like that?"
Rudra didn't answer immediately.
His jaw tightened.
Then—
"Because she didn't leave."
A pause.
"She took something."
Aanya's heart dropped.
"What… what did she take?"
Rudra looked at her directly.
Silence.
Heavy.
Final.
"You."
The word hit like thunder.
Aanya stepped back.
"No… no that's not possible—"
But even as she spoke…
the sound of breaking glass came from outside.
Black vans.
Engines.
Chaos.
Rudra turned instantly.
His voice dropped low.
"Too late."
Within seconds—
guards rushed out.
Gun clicks echoed outside the mansion gates.
Aanya grabbed Rudra's sleeve.
"Rudra… what is happening?!"
He looked at her hand holding him.
Then at her face.
And for the first time…
he didn't remove it.
"She didn't run away," he said quietly.
"She lured us into a mistake."
A pause.
Then—
"She wants me distracted."
Aanya's breath trembled.
"Distracted from what?"
Rudra's eyes darkened.
"From you."
Before Aanya could react—
the lights outside went out.
One by one.
Darkness swallowed the mansion perimeter.
And then—
A loud crash from the back gate.
Gunfire.
Shouting.
Chaos.
Rudra pulled Aanya behind him instantly.
His body shielding hers without thinking.
Aanya felt it.
For the first time.
Not fear.
Not confusion.
But safety.
Rudra spoke low.
"Stay behind me."
Aanya nodded.
But then—
a voice echoed from outside.
Familiar.
Sweet.
Dangerous.
"Aanya…"
Riya.
Aanya's blood ran cold.
Riya stepped into the shadows of the broken gate lights.
Smiling.
Calm.
Completely in control.
"You really thought I left?" she asked softly.
Rudra's expression didn't change.
But his grip tightened slightly around Aanya.
Riya looked at him.
Then at Aanya.
And smiled wider.
"I didn't take her to hurt her."
A pause.
"I took her… so you would finally stop pretending she doesn't matter."
Silence.
Aanya's voice shook.
"Riya… what are you doing?"
Riya stepped forward slowly.
"I'm finishing what you started, Rudra."
Rudra's eyes turned deadly.
"Take one more step… and you won't leave alive."
Riya smiled.
"I already left once."
A pause.
"But this time… I brought backup."
Suddenly—
more footsteps.
Surrounding the mansion.
Enemies everywhere.
A trap.
Fully set.
Rudra looked around once.
Calculating.
Cold.
Controlled.
Then he leaned slightly toward Aanya.
His voice dropped low.
"No matter what happens…"
A pause.
"Don't let go of me."
Aanya's eyes widened.
Because that wasn't an order.
It was something else.
Something deeper.
Before she could respond—
Riya raised her hand.
And everything exploded into chaos.