As he moved closer, and with every step, my fear deepened. When he knelt down in front of me, his presence felt overwhelming, and my heart raced as he reached for the tape on my mouth. I instinctively turned my face away, unable to meet his gaze.

His voice, commanding and firm, cut through my thoughts. "I'm just removing the tape," he said, his tone brokering no argument. I shuddered at the sound of his voice. His proximity made me feel trapped, and my body tensed as if to shield myself from the unknown.

Then, the light in the room flickered on. The sudden brightness hit me, forcing me to squint and close my eyes against the harsh light. My fear and discomfort were palpable as I felt him carefully peel the tape from my mouth. The slow, deliberate motion only made the tension in my chest grow heavier.

As he removed the tape, the silence between us stretched, filled with the weight of uncertainty. I didn't know what would happen next, or if he was truly going to let me go, but for now, I was forced to sit still, trembling, under his watchful eyes.

I blinked, still trying to process the situation. My heart skipped a beat as I finally realized who the man kneeling in front of me was. The anger in his eyes, the intensity of his gaze, all felt too familiar. It was Hriday Rathore - CEO of Rathore Company, a billionaire, and the crown prince of the Rathore family. But why was he here? Why had he kidnapped me?

I could barely breathe as my thoughts raced. I looked around, my eyes landing on the other three men. One of them was Vivaan Rathore - a famous social media influencer and actor. My mind screamed, What was going on? The other two, though familiar, were still a blur to me. Brothers? They looked like they could be part of his family, their features unmistakably similar to his.

I tried to steady my breathing, my confusion deepening. What did they want with me?

Vivaan's chuckle broke through my thoughts, and I stiffened. He spoke casually, as if everything was perfectly normal. "I think she recognizes us," he said with a smirk, his voice dripping with amusement.

I couldn't find my words. The situation was so surreal, so out of my control. I was trapped here with members of the Rathore family, but why? What did they want from me?

I instinctively tried to pull away as the realization set in. Why was I here? What had I done to deserve this?

A sob escaped my lips as I finally found my voice, my words shaky and broken. "Where am I?" I asked, barely able to keep the fear from overtaking me. The sound of my voice, weak and full of pain, made everything feel more real.

"Why am I here?" The tears spilled down my cheeks, and I couldn't stop them from falling.

I hesitated for a moment, my throat tight with emotion, before I spoke again. "I want to go home." The words were barely above a whisper, full of desperation and fear.

He looked at me with something that seemed like pity in his eyes. Without saying a word, he moved closer. I flinched slightly, but he gently started to untie the ropes that bound my hands and legs. The action felt like a small mercy, but it only added to the whirlwind of emotions inside me. Why was he doing this? What was the reason for all of this?

The ropes fell away from my wrists and ankles, and I let out a shaky breath, my hands trembling as I touched my raw skin. Hriday didn't say anything for a moment, as if he was deciding what to do next. I could see the conflict in his eyes, but it didn't make sense to me.

I sat there for a moment, trying to make sense of it all, but my thoughts were a blur. All I knew was that I wanted to be anywhere but here. I wanted to be safe. I wanted to go home.

But was it even possible now? What did he want from me? And would I ever feel safe again?

As the words left my mouth, my heart raced in fear and confusion. Hriday's calm demeanor only fueled the storm of emotions inside me. I could barely wrap my mind around the fact that I was sitting here in front of him, restrained and vulnerable. The ropes were finally off, but I felt just as trapped in this situation.

Hriday's voice cut through my thoughts. "Look, we'll talk tomorrow. I'll ask the maid to bring you some food. Eat and sleep." His words were cold, dismissive, as if my pain meant nothing.

Before I could stop myself, my anger flared. I shot back loudly, "No! I want to go back!" My voice cracked with emotion. "Why did you kidnap me? If you wanted money, then you have more than enough! My family has nothing!"

He glared at me, his eyes hard, and stepped closer. "Look, Ms.," he said, his voice low but firm. "I didn't kidnap you for money. I kidnapped you because you're about to be engaged to Dev."

I froze, shock taking over my body. My breath caught in my throat. "What?!" I gasped, my mind reeling.

He continued, his voice cold and harsh, "Dev and my sister love each other, and she's pregnant with his child."

A wave of disbelief hit me. I couldn't process it, couldn't understand what was happening. But Hriday wasn't done.

He stepped even closer, his voice growing darker. "You should thank me that I saved your life."

I felt a surge of anger, one I couldn't control. Before I even realized it, I grabbed his collar, pulling him toward me. His brothers gasped, startled by the sudden shift in the air. One of them started to move toward us, but He stop him, silently signaling that it wasn't necessary.

My pulse raced as I locked eyes with Him, my anger boiling over. "This doesn't mean you can just kidnap me!" I shouted, my voice trembling but fierce. "You can't just take control of someone's life like this!"

His jaw clenched, his eyes narrowing. There was no apology, no sign of guilt. Just that cold, calculating stare. I refused to back down, glaring right back at him.

He didn't say anything, his silence louder than any words could have been. And in that silence, I realized how much I had underestimated the danger in front of me.

I let my frustration and anger spill out. "You can ask me to call off the engagement," I spat, my voice shaky with a mix of rage and disbelief. "I'll happily call it off! It's not like I love him!"

I took a deep breath, trying to keep my composure, but the fear and confusion bubbled up again. "Why kidnap me? Why bring me here?" I glared at him, feeling the weight of the situation press down on me.

"You saved your reputation," I continued, my voice growing louder with each word. "What about my family? What about the consequences for me? You think this is some game? Do you even care about what this does to me?"

I felt my heart race, but I wasn't going to back down. Not now. Not when my life had been upended by someone who clearly didn't understand the chaos they were causing. My eyes bore into his, searching for any sign of remorse, any sign that this had been anything other than a cold, calculated move to protect himself.

But there was nothing. Just that same icy glare.

I felt my body tremble as I slowly sank to the floor, my knees giving way beneath me. The tears came in waves, unstoppable, as I hugged my legs to my chest and buried my face in my knees. The room felt suffocating, each breath harder to take than the last.

I could still hear his cold, angry voice echoing in my mind "You won't go back until I give permission, so stay here." His words felt like chains wrapping around me tighter with each passing second. I couldn't understand why this was happening, why he had to make me feel like a prisoner in this place. I wasn't the one who had done anything wrong.

Vivaan's voice broke through the haze of my sobs, trying to sound comforting. "Look, I know you're hurt, but relax," he said.

"You just have to live here for a few days. You can't go out because of tight security. I'll ask a maid to bring you food. Relax."

His words barely registered in my mind as I heard him leave the room. I remained there, alone, letting the tears flow freely. My heart ached with the weight of everything-what had been done to me, what was happening, and how helpless I felt. There was no escape, no way out of this nightmare.

As I hugged my knees tighter, I could only wonder how I had gotten here, and more importantly, when it would end.

I stormed into the palace, my anger raging within me like a fire. The tension in my chest made it difficult to breathe, and I could feel the weight of everything that had just happened pressing down on me. I walked past the living room, where Dada Sa, Baba Sa, and Kasa Sa were sitting, unaware of the storm that had just exploded within me. Without a word, I turned and stormed toward my room.

Rohan, ever the calming presence, tried to follow me. "Bhaisa, relax," he called after me, but I didn't want to hear it. I was too consumed by rage. I didn't even pause as I reached my chamber and slammed the door behind me.

I walked over to my drinks cabinet, seething with anger. My fingers trembled slightly as I grabbed a glass and poured myself a drink, the strong liquid burning my throat as it slid down. I needed something to calm me, but nothing seemed to dull the fury that coursed through my veins.

As I gulped the glass, my thoughts kept drifting to her. Her innocent black eyes haunted me-eyes that had looked at me with so much confusion, fear, and anger. I cursed under my breath, frustration bubbling over as I stared into the empty glass.

I couldn't keep this up. Something had to be done. My hand reached for my phone, and with a deep breath, I called Dev.

"Come tomorrow, with your mom and dad," I said, my voice cold and clipped. Without waiting for a response, I cut the call.

I slammed the phone down on the table, rubbing my temples as the anger refused to subside. I needed to clear my mind, so I made my way toward the bathroom, trying to shake off the thoughts that had consumed me. A hot shower. That's what I needed.

The water hit my skin like a thousand needles, but it did nothing to erase the image of her eyes from my mind. She was here, and she was going to stay here until I could sort everything out. And that, more than anything, drove me insane.

Hriday stormed into the palace with fury in his steps, his anger evident in every stride. His emotions were a whirlwind, and no one could stop him from heading straight toward his chamber. Rohan, his trusted companion, followed him closely, concern etched on his face. He had never seen Hriday so consumed by rage.

Vihaan and Vivaan, both noticing the tension, quickly followed, their expressions equally perplexed. They had no idea what had just transpired, but they knew that something had gone terribly wrong.

Yashvardhan, noticing the sudden shift in the atmosphere, stopped Rohan from following. "What happened?" he asked, his voice filled with concern but laced with authority. He needed answers, but Rohan remained silent, struggling to find the right words.

Before Rohan could speak, Yashvardhan's piercing gaze shifted to Vivaan. "Tell me what happened. Now," he demanded. Vivaan, visibly nervous but understanding the gravity of the situation, took a deep breath and stepped forward. He knew he couldn't hide anything now.

"She... she grabbed bhaisa by the collar," Vivaan began, his voice shaky at first. "She shouted at him, accusing him of kidnapping her and dragging her here. She was furious, and bhai sa ... Bhais sa just stood there, trying to control himself. But then, the anger took over."

Vivaan glanced nervously at the others, the weight of his words settling over the room.

"She... she kept asking why he did it, why he kidnapped her. "

Abhiraj, and Abhimanyu exchanged looks of shock and concern. Abhiraj, Hriday's father, looked at Rohan with a heavy heart, his voice cutting through the tension. "Did Hriday say something to her?" he asked.

Rohan hesitated for a moment, glancing around the room, his mind racing. He opened his mouth to speak but found no words coming out. The situation was far more complicated than they had expected, and the unease was palpable.

Yashvardhan noticed the hesitation and looked back at Vivaan, urging him to continue. "What happened next?" he asked, the urgency in his voice now clear. Vivaan, gathering his composure, continued to explain what had transpired, and the family listened, their minds racing with questions, concern, and confusion.

Yashvardhan, after hearing the full account from Vivaan, sighed heavily, his eyes softening with concern. He turned to Sonakshi, his daughter-in-law, and gave a gentle but firm command. "Sonakshi, ask the maid to bring food to her room and console her. She must be going through a lot right now."

Sonakshi nodded immediately, her eyes filled with understanding and empathy. "Ji, Babasa," she replied softly. Without wasting any time, she stepped toward the door, instructing a maid to deliver food to the room and to stay with Mayra to offer her comfort.

Meanwhile, Gaytri, who had been quietly observing the scene, spoke up in a calm and steady voice, trying to lighten the atmosphere. "Chalo, dinner karen," she said, her tone gentle but carrying an undercurrent of authority. "Chitra, Hriday ka khana kamre mein bhejna. Make sure he eats," she instructed, her gaze falling on one of the servants.

The family members exchanged a few glances, each person processing the events differently, but no one said much more.