13. Hello, Commander Rudra?

Arjun Singh Rathod:

The fury coursed through me like a raging storm. Why does she insist on meddling in my life? Can't she just keep her mouth shut? Her voice grates on my nerves, and I swear, I could tear it from her throat. All I wanted was some peace. 

She pretends to be so innocent, but that day in the hospital, her smile shattered my focus. No, I refuse to be swayed again. Not now. Not ever. 

I took my car out for a long drive, desperate to find some semblance of calm. My fingers clenched the steering wheel, the muscles in my forearm taut beneath the rolled sleeves of my crisp white shirt, which clung to my broad shoulders and defined chest. 

With the top button undone, a glimpse of my toned collarbone and sun-kissed skin peeked through. There was a casual confidence in my grip on the wheel, a quiet power that hinted at my experience and strength.

Just as I began to unwind, my phone rang. It was her! Damn it! When will she leave me alone? I answered, my heart heavy with reluctance. 

She wanted to know when I'd be back. I was about to reassure her when the call dropped. 

Moments later, it reconnected, but it wasn't Mrs. Mehra on the line. A male voice echoed through the receiver. 

"How are you, Commander Rudra?"

My heart dropped like a lead balloon. Someone from this world had sniffed out my secret, my true self. How on earth did that happen? Did someone sneak in through the door?

"Who the hell are you? If you've got the guts, step up, coward!" I shouted.

"Soon, very soon, we'll meet, Rudra." And just like that, the call dropped again, but this time Rohan was on the line.

"Boss, Mehra Mam has been kidnapped." I went completely still.

"What? What's going on with our team? How could she get snatched with all those guards around?"

"Sir, the guards near the door were all out cold when I got there. I noticed a lighting glitch and went to check it out, only to find Mehra Mam missing. The door is also smashed."

The moment I realized she was in danger, my heart raced like a wild animal, a chaotic blend of fear and rage. It was as if the very essence of my being had been jolted awake, every instinct screaming at me to act, to protect. 

Just moments ago, I despised her, so why the hell was I feeling this way now? The question echoed in my mind, a relentless drumbeat that drowned out all rational thought. I couldn't wrap my head around it. A sharp, gnawing pain gripped my stomach, as if it had been punched, leaving me doubled over in a mix of physical and emotional torment. The overwhelming surge of anger, pain, and worry crashed over me like a tidal wave, pulling me under, threatening to drown me in its depths.

"Mind your damn business." Those cruel words I hurled at her, words that had cut deeper than I realized, now felt like daggers lodged in my heart. The sight of her pained expression from last night replayed in my mind, making me feel dizzy with regret. I could still see the flicker of hurt in her eyes, the way her shoulders had slumped as if my words had physically weighed her down. 

"How could I let this happen? I should have never walked away from her." The thought spiraled through my mind, a relentless loop of self-recrimination. I had turned my back on her when she needed me most, blinded by my own anger and pride. 

"I shouldn't have left her alone when I knew she was in danger. Damn it, Arjun! What have you done?" The weight of my negligence pressed down on me, a heavy shroud of guilt that threatened to suffocate me. It was a relentless torment, mercilessly amplifying my shame and self-hatred. Each second that ticked by felt like an eternity, a reminder of my failure to protect someone who, despite everything, had still mattered to me.

I felt an urgent need to rewind time, to take back my mistakes, to erase the moments that had led us to this point. But the weight of my actions crushed that hope, leaving me feeling powerless and trapped in a cage of my own making. The reality that I can't change the past is suffocating, a dark cloud that loomed over me, casting shadows on any flicker of hope I might have clung to. 

As I stood there, paralyzed by my own turmoil, I realized that I had to act. 

She was the only one who truly gave a damn about you, Arjun! How could you just abandon her like that? Damn it! Damn it! Damn it! I can only pray they don't hurt her.

I slam the door of my car, the engine growling as I speed down the street, every fiber of my being charged with rage.

"This time, I promise, they won't get away!"

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The night before Aditi was set to leave the hospital, she found herself by the window of her room, gazing at the peaceful night sky. 

"You really should try to get some sleep, Mrs. Mehra," Arjun suggested, glancing over at her.

"I just can't seem to drift off tonight," she replied.

"Why's that?"

"When I was a kid, I absolutely dreaded getting shots. My brother would sneak them in while I was asleep so I wouldn't fight him. Ever since then, hospitals have been a bit of a nightmare for me. I just can't relax enough to sleep here."

"That sounds pretty tough."

"Yeah... it really is." She shifted from the corner of the bed to sit up straight, facing Arjun. 

"What's your biggest fear, Arjun?" 

"What?" Arjun looked a bit surprised by her question.

Fear. PTSD. What's your biggest fear in life?

"I've got nothing to lose, so I'm not afraid, Mrs. Mehra."

"Really? Those are the exact words Rudra said in my first book! You'd make a perfect cosplay for him. You've got the same hair and eye color. You look just like how I pictured him!"

Arjun felt a chill run down his spine. She was close to uncovering his secret. The way she spoke, with that spark of excitement in her eyes, made him uneasy. It was as if she could see through the carefully constructed facade he wore like armor. 

"Hmm, I've read that book. Wasn't he the bad guy?" he asked, trying to steer the conversation away from the uncomfortable territory.

"Umm, yeah," she replied, her enthusiasm dimming slightly. 

"Do you hate him?" she asked, studying his expression with an intensity that made him squirm. 

"No. I actually think he was misunderstood in the end. The reasons for his revenge against Dhrupad and the court weren't explored enough. Dhrupad must have done something to him." 

"Interesting... I had a whole backstory for Rudranath, but it got cut from the book. The editor said it was unnecessary." Her voice was tinged with regret, and for a moment, Arjun felt a flicker of empathy for her. 

"What if I told you I am Rudranath?" he said, half-joking, half-serious, testing the waters of her reaction.

"Wait! That can't be true; he's a fictional character. But if it were you, I'd rather cut off my hands than write anything bad about you. I'd never want to hurt you in this lifetime." 

Arjun was taken aback by her response. He didn't expect that from her, especially since he couldn't stand her. The way she spoke, with such conviction, made him feel exposed. It was as if she had peeled back the layers of his carefully constructed persona and laid bare the raw, vulnerable parts of him that he kept hidden from the world.

"But you've already made me suffer, Mrs. Writer," he thought to himself, the bitterness rising like bile in his throat. The memories of her words, the way she had twisted his life into a narrative that was both captivating and cruel, haunted him.