Game of half hearts

"What are you doing here?" Aditya walked closer to the man in big black office shoes and matching suit pants. His eyes radiating head and body giant as a troll.

"My daughter is gone." The massive man said.

"I don't care. You know the ruckus she caused in mine and my girlfriend's life." Aditya replied with a brutal touch of sniff and stone cold eyes.

"I'm not here for that Mr. Aditya. I'm here to invite you to participate in my next 'game of half hearts'.

"There is no possible way for me to ever participate in your filthy murderous games. I think I've seen enough at the time of being your daughter's arm candy."

"You think you high of yourself my dear." The man laughed.

"Why? Was I not Mr. Gautam?"

"You indeed were Aditya, you indeed were. Subha, my loving daughter, where have you gone?" Gautam wiped the non existent tears from his face before looking at Aditya with a bright smile.

"I need your help to find her my dear. Would you care to oblige?"

"The answer is always going to be 'no'. Now get out of here. Never expect a thing from me." With that Aditya left, fuming.

There Jaz, Maahi and Rocky were chatting to Vedika about her work and hobbies, which Vedika was more than happy to talk about. Her head was still heavy and a bit painful but the painkillers were doing their job well.

"I was planning to go back but now this accident. Hopefully I will reach home in one piece." She joked.

"Aditya can't play anymore of series so you both can rest and heal. It was a big accident, must be traumatic." Jaz said.

"It was very much." Vedika remembered her dead to be born baby as tears threatened to escape her eyeballs.

"Vedika are you okay?" Asked Maahi. "Do you want doctor, should I call one?"

"No. No I'm fine, I think I'm just tired and my head is kind of buzzing. I don't know." Vedika chuckled through tears.

"Its okay Vedika you just rest now. And do tell us if you need anything, I'll also talk to Aditya." Rocky said and after bidding goodbye, they all left.

---

"No ma everything is fine. I'll tell you later." Aditya was talking to his family on mobile, standing in front of coffee shop across the hospital.

"Yes we both are fine, I don't know how but we are absolutely fine, I just came out to get coffee and something to eat for Vedika."

"Yes ma we are fine. Don't worry."

Few minutes later, Aditya was on his way back to the hospital. Thankfully the driver was not hurt that badly and hence he too was discharged along with him the same morning and left for home. But because of Vedika still being under observation, he had to stay at the hospital.

Aditya's phone buzzed with text, it was Rocky's message. So they were leaving the hospital. Aditya has decided to fly back to India as soon as Vedika gets better and discharged from hospital.

It was better for both of them to stay around family and friends in this time.

"I'm back with your sandwich and -" Aditya stopped in tracks seeing Vedika and Gautam chatting animatedly. He glared at Gautam and hurriedly came to stand between them both.

"What are you doing here? How did-?"

"Relax Aditya I was just having a little chat with your girlfriend here. No harm." Gautam said, raising his hand in surrender.

"Get out of here. Right now." Without another word, Gautam turned and left the hospital room with a smug smile.

Aditya immediately looked at Vedika.

"What was he doing? Did he say something? Did he hurt you?" He asked, checking on her.

"I'm fine, I'm absolutely fine Aditya. What happen to you?" Vedika asked, suddenly mirroring Aditya's concern.

"Did he say something to you?"

"No Aditya he said nothing to worry about. He said he was part of your management team and came to check on us."

"It's fine. Let's eat now." Aditya said settling beside her on bed.

"No, you have to tell me what's going on. Why were you so tight with him?"

"Vedika I don't want to alarm you but he's not a good man. He is Subha's dad."

"What? He is Subha's dad. What did he want from you? What did he wanted from us?"

"Since the incident in Urvaganj, she and Aman has been on run, you know that."

"Yes. So did he not know about her then?"

"He did use to talk to her virtually but she was still underground but now she has disappeared, no contact with her father or mother either."

"I get it but what was he here for? What did he want from us?" Vedika asked, now her breathing was ragged, tension was clearly getting to her head.

"He needs my help. He is a very dangerous man Vedika and so is his wife, Kavya. They run an illegal underground sports business with name, 'game of half hearts' on one of his islands far from here. Only desperate people participate in it and chances to come out alive is only five percent of hundred. Security is off the charts, not everyone can even watch it on screens. And those who do, have to go through tough security procedures."

"How does he need your help Aditya?" Vedika asked, somehow already knowing the answer.

"He wanted me to participate. He believes if Subha figure out that I'm in danger because of her father's brutal games, she will resurface and intervene." Aditya huddled closer to Vedika and hugged her tight.

"Don't worry, we will be fine. I told him no very sternly, I'll never participate in those death games."

"What if you have to, for some reason?"

"It won't come to that my beautiful love. I love you so much."

"I love you too." Vedika said.

Aditya shifted forwards and gave a slight peck on her lips before setting the table for breakfast.

"Come on now, time to eat." Aditya said and Vedika left her bed to go and sit on the couch in front of tea table.

"I want my life to be boring for once."

"Yeah, me too.”