Chapter Three: The Abandoned and the Rescued

The aftermath of the event was pure chaos. An emergency evacuation order echoed through the halls as news of Dev’s kidnapping spread like wildfire. Panic seized Rohan; gripped by a paralyzing fear, he sped away in the van, inadvertently leaving Anamika behind in the swarming crowd. Anamika stood on the curb, her fingers trembling as she dialed Rohan’s number over and over, but there was no answer.

Suddenly, a sleek car pulled up beside her. Aditya leaned over and pushed the door open, offering her a way out. She hesitated, nearly ignoring him, until she saw the police beginning to deploy hot water cannons to disperse the unruly crowd. Realizing she had no choice, she scrambled into the passenger seat. Aditya floored the accelerator and drove away, completely forgetting that Sameer was still waiting for him back at the Arena.

Sameer stood on the pavement, watching the tail lights of Aditya’s car vanish. "So he left me to get burnt here just to pick up that lowlife girl," he muttered to himself, his voice shaking with pure rage.

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Back in the neighborhood, Padma was pacing the edge of the road, her eyes glued to the news on her phone. The reports of Dev’s kidnapping had her heart racing. When she finally spotted Rohan’s van turning the corner, a wave of relief washed over her—until she saw his face.

Rohan stumbled out of the car, tears streaming down his cheeks. "Umm—I couldn't find sis Mika," he stammered, his voice breaking.

Padma froze, the color draining from her face. "How can you come back without her?" she cried out, terror taking hold. "Omg, this is bad! What do I do? Where is Mika?"

Inside Aditya’s car, the atmosphere was suffocatingly quiet. Aditya tried to strike up a conversation, attempting to gist with her to break the ice, but Anamika remained pulled back against the door, her eyes wide with fear. She didn't trust him.

"Please drop me here," she pleaded as they reached a familiar street. "Thanks for picking me up."

Aditya brought the car to a halt. As she reached for the handle to flee, he spoke up. "I didn’t even get your name. I’m Aditya."

Anamika offered a quick, nervous smile before darting out of the car. Aditya didn't let her go that easily; he stepped out after her, continuing to talk as she tried to make her retreat.

Desperate to find any sign of their friend, Padma and Rohan climbed through Anamika’s bedroom window. They had barely caught their breath when Priyanka walked in.

"Thank God, Padma," Priyanka said, her tone transactional. "Where’s your friend? Her 'protection money' expired a long time ago, and I can't keep covering for her for free."

Padma and Rohan stared at her in shock, but before they could respond, the situation turned dire. Raju happened to glance through the sitting room window and spotted the two of them in Anamika’s room. He marched over to confront them immediately.

"Padma? Where’s Anamika?" Raju demanded. "Are you back from the clinic? How is your health?"

Padma and Rohan exchanged a confused, terrified look, while Priyanka stood paralyzed with fear. The tension surged as Mohini appeared in the doorway behind Raju.

"Where is Anamika?" Mohini asked, her eyes narrowing. "Are you hiding something?"

The pair was speechless, caught in a lie they couldn't finish. Just as the silence became unbearable, they spotted Anamika approaching the house in the distance. Rohan reacted instantly, putting on a performance of a lifetime.

"Sis Mika! What took you so long?" he shouted, feigning relief.

Anamika froze in her tracks, her heart sinking as she looked up to see both of her parents watching her.

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