Salim_

Daren Sajwan was the only child raised amidst the royal habits of his wealthy father. First, he stubbornly insisted on marrying a young girl of his own choice, and later, without any hesitation, he indulged in an affair with another woman. As a result, his marriage inevitably hit a rough patch. But when he, in turn, was deceived in the same way he had betrayed his wife, he lost his mind. So much so that this immoral, wayward, and unethical man ignored even his own premonitions—his déjà vu.

second sight

"The situation ahead looks pretty bad," Darren said as he returned, opened the taxi door, and got inside. "Looking at it, I'd say we're stuck here till morning."

"What happened?" Babu, who had just fallen silent, asked.

"A major accident up ahead has completely blocked the road."

"And then?" the turbaned driver inquired.

"Then what? The way things are over there, I doubt the traffic will clear before dawn."

"What do we do now?" he muttered, almost to himself, in a doubtful tone.

"Perform a ritual," Darren quipped sarcastically. "What else can we do here?"

"Is there an alternate route?" Babu asked the driver.

Instead of answering immediately, the driver pondered for a moment before saying, "There is one."

"Well, that's great news!" Darren exclaimed with enthusiasm.

"But we'll have to take a long detour," the driver cautioned.

"Then do it," Darren urged. "What's the problem?"

The driver hesitated for a moment, glanced at the still-anxious Babu through the rearview mirror, and then said with firm resolve, "No problem at all, sir."

The car picked up speed again, but soon, the driver slammed the brakes once more.

"What now?" Darren asked, shaking off the jolt from the sudden stop.

"Another traffic jam ahead," the driver informed.

"What?" Babu exclaimed in disbelief, peering through the windshield.

"See for yourself," the driver said. "The road ahead is completely blocked."

Darren, who had been trying to shake off his bad mood—aggravated by his argument with Neeta and the chaos in the taxi—felt his frustration rising again.

"This night seems endless," he said, throwing his hands in the air.

"Today's just been a bad day," Babu sighed.

"The day passed somehow, but this night is proving to be far worse," Darren added.

"What do we do now?" Babu turned to the driver, eyes filled with hope.

"Nothing can be done now, sir," the driver sighed. "We'll have to inch forward as part of this traffic."

"So, we'll be stuck here till morning?" Darren muttered.

"Seems like it," the driver nodded.

"There's no other way?" Babu pressed.

"None," the driver confirmed. "Unless, of course, you know a way."

"There is one..." Darren said as he stepped out of the taxi, eyes scanning a signboard ahead. "Park the taxi here, in the motel's lot, and follow me."

Babu noticed the glowing sign across the street—a motel boasting a "Bar & Barbecue."

He exchanged a glance with the driver.

The driver looked ahead at the jam, realizing that it would take at least three to four hours to clear.

"Considering the situation…" Babu murmured, recalling a certain grim figure named Murad, "spending the night inside is better than out here."

"But..." The driver hesitated—he had plans of his own.

"Either spend the night on this road," Darren leaned against the driver's window, "or park the car and come inside for a while."

"It's the better option," Babu reassured him.

The driver cast a glance skyward. The thick, dark clouds—threatening rain but holding back—rumbled again, their deep growls resonating through the midnight air.

He took a deep breath, weighed his options, and then finally turned the car, steering it toward the motel parking lot.

part 23