Unedited (Will edit and republish a while later)

Samyukta's POV

"Good God! Where are you?" I mumbled as I opened my eyes, registering the dim yellow light.

I slowly tried to straighten up my bowed head.

"Aanhh..."

The sprain in my neck had worsened.

Sweat beads had made a home on my skin. I had no idea how many days had passed since I'd been tied up here. The sharp iron wires had started to slice and penetrate my skin. I'd grown accustomed to the stinky, fishy smell this little room kept emitting. The dried blood around my lip from the slap earlier and my sweaty clothes—everything around me made me cry and lose consciousness countless times, but no one had come to check on me. 

Right now, I didn't have the energy to cry either. A small hope lingered that my husband would find me.

But despite all this, my brain kept struggling to find the answer to why Suraj Bhaiyaa would do such a heinous thing?

How had things come to this? Suraj Bhaiyaa, someone who had always been a gentleman, was now my captor. Why? What had driven him to such madness? 

The betrayal cut deeper than any physical wound.

My mind drifted back to the last time I saw Abhimanyu. The way he looked at me, the desperation in his eyes... I could only hope he was out there, fighting to find me. I clung to that image of him, using it to gather strength.

I had to stay strong. For him. For us.

Every passing moment felt like an eternity. My throat was parched, my stomach ached from hunger, and my body was screaming for relief. But the thought of Abhimanyu gave me the will to hold on. He would come. He had to.

I tried to shift my position, wincing as the wires dug deeper into my flesh. My feet had gone numb from restricted movement. Even my fingers refused to move. My head was throbbing, and my entire body screamed in pain.

Despite the agony, I forced myself to keep my eyes open, scanning the room for any possible means of escape. The dim light made it difficult to see clearly, but I had to stay alert. I had to stay hopeful.

I closed my eyes briefly, imagining Abhimanyu's face, his strong arms around me, whispering that everything would be alright. That image was my lifeline, the only thing keeping me sane in this nightmare.

"Please, Abhimanyu," I whispered again, my voice barely audible. "Find me. Save me."

Just then, I heard footsteps approaching. My heart raced, pounding in my chest like a drum. Was it that bastard? 

The door creaked open, and a figure stepped inside. I strained to see who it was, my vision blurred by sweat and tears.

"Samyukta." his voice called out confirming his presence.

I felt a mix of fear and anger rise within me but I didn't reply. I waited for his next move.

"Enjoying Istanbul?" He asked as a sly smile played on his lips and as he half- seated himself on a broken table edge.

"Why, Bhaiyaa? Why are you doing this?" I croaked, my voice hoarse from dehydration.

He didn't respond immediately, instead walking closer and squatting down to my level. His eyes held a strange mix of danger and determination. 

"My revenge, babe."

"I don't understand?" I shot back, my voice gaining strength from my anger. "You've tied me up, starved me, and left me to rot in this hellhole! What've I done to you?"

Suraj's face twisted in anguish.

"Your husband." He growled. "Your husband is the reason of my failure. Of my this very condition, bitch!"

"Huh! Failure, my foot!" I spat, my frustration boiling over. "You're the reason for whatever you've failed to achieve. My man doesn't meddle in others' business. He already has a lot on his plate."

"Your man?" Suraj scoffed. "You think you know what your man is? He's part of a world that will destroy you, and it destroyed me once. Now that I've come back fully prepared, I can't let that happen."

I glared at him, my resolve hardening. 

"I'd rather face that world with him than be trapped here and be your pawn."

Suraj laughed, standing up. He kept laughing like a maniac, shaking his head and holding his stomach.

"Why are you doing this, Bhaiyaa? What'll Pallavi Bhabhi think? What'll Suyash and Khushi think? Have you thought about them?"

"Pallavi?" he asked, amused. "Pallavi is a stupid woman, darling. She thinks I married her because I love her. Sad. I just wanted the estates of her father to build my empire."

My head started swirling. "Your empire?"

"Yes, Samyukta. My empire. Stronger than yours."

"Mine?"

"Yes. The Rathores and Chauhans. Their joint association in the underworld that trades diamonds and drugs in the black market. Your family is a part of it, and so are you."

I knew about this association somewhat, even though I was never given a clear picture. I knew it existed. I only knew that they aided our state's backward and minority communities, women, etc. But the black market?

"Babe, you don't know a lot of things. The association-"

"Don't you dare to call me babe!" I shouted interrupting him.

"Oh! I'll call you babe. And do a lot of things to you. Just wait and watch." He replied with a sinister smile lurking on his face sending shivers down my already acing spine.

"The association is deeply rooted in the underworld. The wealth, the power—", he continued. "They're not just from legitimate businesses. And your marriage to Abhimanyu tied two powerful families together. But now, I want to break that tie and take over."

"Take over? You're insane! You think you can just waltz in and take everything?"

He smirked, his eyes glinting with madness. 

"I've already started. Kidnapping you was just the beginning. With you out of the way, the Rathores and the Chauhans will be too busy looking for you to notice their empire crumbling from within. And by the time they realize what's happening, it'll be too late."

My mind raced. If what he said was true, then my family was in grave danger. Abhimanyu was in danger. And I was a pawn in a game I didn't fully understand.

"Suraj, you can't do this. You have to stop."

"Stop? Oh, Samyukta," he said, leaning in close as he traced his fingers disgustingly on my face. "I'm just getting started."

I struggled against my bonds, my wrists burning where the wires cut into my skin. 

"You're a monster," I spat.

He chuckled and then next moment he cupped my jaw painfully making me look into his eyes as I winch.

"Perhaps. But I'm a monster with a plan. And soon, everything will be mine."

He turned to leave, and I was left alone in the dimly lit room, my heart pounding with fear and anger. My only hope was Abhimanyu. He had to find me. He had to stop Suraj before it was too late.

I closed my eyes, drawing strength from the thought of Abhimanyu. 

"Please, find me," I whispered. "Find me before it's too late."

-------------

The door barged open, jolting me back to the present. I had no idea when I'd dozed off, lost in thoughts of what might happen next. My body was utterly dehydrated, but I couldn't give up now.

"That asshole husband of yours! I swear I'll gift him your lifeless body!" Suraj screamed into my face, breaking whatever he could get his hands on.

"What happened?" I asked softly, trying to coax answers out of him.

"I've been working hard for four fucking days, and now he's messed it up by alerting the media and the police!" he screeched.

Oh, so he didn't see this coming? Foolish!

"Oh!" I replied lightly, trying to hide my happiness.

Suraj's expression darkened, his anger morphing into something more sinister. "You still don't get it, do you? He doesn't care for you, Samyukta. He's literally putting your safety in danger, babe."

Every time he called me "babe," it made me want to rip his skin off.

"I don't care," I said, my voice steady despite the fear gnawing at my insides.

"Ah! Poor lovestruck woman! His stocks are slowly going to fall, babe. Watch me take over him overnight. Sad that he's still in Istanbul trying to find you, but don't worry. The storm I will create in the enterprise will make him leave you and run to India while I just sit here and win both of you."

I stared at him, shocked. Abhimanyu would never do that, and I knew my brothers and fathers were there to handle the situation in India. Why couldn't this idiot understand? Is it any wonder he was never able to reach the position Abhimanyu is in? Well, Abhimanyu had an easy competition, haan! Let's meet, and I won't forget to tease him about it.

"You just wait, woman. I'll contact him right now and give him a mouthful for the mess he has created. Just wait and watch!"

Go ahead. It'll be easier for him to track you now. Haha! You're such a fool. I was worrying uselessly.

"All the best!" I cheered, making him visibly irritated.

He marched towards me, and before I could react, his right palm landed on my cheek for the second time, this time more harshly. But I was not withered at all. I looked at him with a shamelessly wide smile playing on my lips, which only added to his infuriation as his eyes began reddening.

"Fuck you!" he shouted.

"Oh! But I'm sure you won't be able to do it like Maan," I snapped back.

He was taken aback and for some moments remained speechless. Then, gritting his teeth, he stomped away, leaving me alone with my defiant smile.

So four days, hmm. I had lost track of time. But right now, I'm happy. I've got a feeling that he will come soon. Very soon. And this creep will be able to do nothing.

But is he okay? I'm worried. No matter how much I'm sure that he'll be able to make things right and save me from here, the fear won't go away until it happens in reality.

I shifted slightly, trying to ease the pain in my limbs, my mind racing with a mix of hope and dread. The thought of Abhimanyu, my Maan, out there doing everything he could to find me, filled me with a sense of determination. I had to hold on for him, for us.

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