Rhea didn't let go of Aarav for a long time.
Her fingers clung to the back of his shirt as if letting go would make the shadow from the hallway return. She could still hear the man's voice echoing in her ears—
"He couldn't save the first woman.
He won't save you either."
The words had carved themselves into her mind, leaving a deep, cold wound.
Aarav held her tighter, breathing hard—not from fear, but from rage. She could feel the tension in his arms, the storm in his heartbeat.
After several minutes, he gently pulled back and cupped her face.
"Rhea," he whispered, his voice thick, "did he touch you? Did he come close?"
She shook her head quickly. "N-No. He only tried to break the door."
Aarav closed his eyes briefly, relief mixing with fury. He pressed his forehead lightly to hers.
"I'm so sorry," he murmured. "You should never have gone through that."
She swallowed, her voice breaking. "Who was he, Aarav? Do you… know him?"
Aarav's expression changed. The softness faded, replaced by something hard and haunted.
"Let me check the house first," he said. "Stay here. Don't move."
"No!" Rhea grabbed his arm in panic. "Don't leave me alone in this room again."
Aarav froze.
Then, without a word, he lifted her into his arms.
She gasped. "Aarav—"
"I'm not leaving you," he said, carrying her out of the room. "Not even for a second."
---
THE DAMAGE IN THE HALLWAY
Aarav walked with her through the dim corridor. The door to her bedroom was cracked, its edges splintered from the force of the attack.
Rhea shivered violently.
Aarav's jaw tightened so sharply it looked painful.
He shifted her in his arms and touched the broken wood. His fingers trembled—not out of fear, but because of the barely contained rage that burned inside him.
"I will kill him," Aarav whispered under his breath. "I swear to God, Rhea, I will."
She touched his shoulder gently. "Let's… just be safe first."
Aarav nodded, forcing himself to stay calm.
He carried her downstairs.
Two armed security guards ran inside the mansion.
"Sir! We detected intruder activity—"
Aarav barked, "He was here. Inside the house."
The guards paled instantly.
"Search every corner," Aarav commanded. "Every door, every hallway, every camera angle. I want him found."
"Yes, sir!"
Rhea felt Aarav's arm tighten protectively around her waist as the guards spread out.
She had never seen him like this.
Cold.
Furious.
Deadly.
---
THE WARNING
Aarav carried her to his private study—the one room he always kept locked but opened now without hesitation.
He set her gently on a sofa.
"Don't move from here," he said softly. "I won't be far."
He walked toward the desk, checking the windows, the blinds, the security monitor screens.
Rhea watched him, tears blurring her vision.
He looked… tired.
Not physically. But as if something heavy he'd been carrying for years had finally cracked open.
She stood slowly and walked toward him.
Aarav turned sharply. "Rhea, I said—"
Then he saw her trembling lips, the fear in her eyes.
His expression softened instantly.
Without speaking, he pulled her into his chest.
Her voice broke. "Aarav… he said something about… the first woman. Who… who was he talking about?"
Aarav stiffened.
Every muscle in his body tightened.
His breath hitched.
"Rhea…" he whispered, "I promise I will tell you. But not tonight. Not when you're this scared."
"But that man—"
"He won't get near you again." Aarav's voice dropped to a lethal low. "Not while I'm alive."
Before she could reply, her phone buzzed.
Rhea's blood turned to ice.
Aarav grabbed the phone from her hands and checked it.
His eyes darkened dangerously.
Another message.
Four words.
Cold.
Cruel.
Threatening.
"YOU LOOK LIKE HER."
Rhea covered her mouth as the words sank in.
Aarav's fingers curled around the phone so tightly it looked like he would crush it.
He exhaled slowly—too slowly.
As if trying not to explode.
Then, with a sharp inhale, he crushed the phone in his hand and threw it across the room.
Rhea flinched.
"Aarav…"
He turned to her, guilt flashing in his eyes.
"Sorry," he whispered. "I just… I can't let them touch you. I can't let them think they can."
"Who is her?" Rhea asked softly. "The woman I look like?"
Aarav closed his eyes and rubbed his forehead.
"There are things in my past," he said quietly, "that I've spent years burying. Things that should have stayed buried."
He opened his eyes again, and the pain in them made Rhea's heart ache.
"But the past is waking up," he continued. "And tonight… it found you."
---
THE NIGHT UNRAVELS
The security guards returned.
"Sir," one of them said, swallowing hard. "We found something in the garden."
Aarav straightened. "What?"
"This."
He handed Aarav a small object sealed in a plastic pouch.
Aarav's face drained of color the moment he saw it.
Rhea stepped closer. "What is it?"
Aarav looked at her with an expression she had never seen before—fear.
Real fear.
"It's a pendant," he whispered. "A symbol… from a group I hoped I would never see again."
Rhea frowned. "A group?"
Aarav nodded slowly.
"A dangerous group."
He swallowed.
"One I escaped from years ago."
Rhea felt the world tilt.
"You escaped?" she whispered. "Aarav… what were you involved in?"
Aarav shook his head. "Not now. You've already been through hell tonight."
"But I need to know—"
"No." His voice softened. "You need sleep. You need safety."
He looked at the guards.
"Double the security. No one enters or leaves the property. Anyone suspicious—detain first, questions later."
"Yes, sir!"
Aarav took a deep breath and turned back to Rhea.
"Come," he said gently. "You're staying with me tonight."
Rhea hesitated. "In your… room?"
He nodded once.
"I'm not letting you out of my sight until I know you're safe."
Something warm and trembling settled in her chest.
She placed her hand in his.
Aarav's fingers tightened around hers.
For the first time since the attack, she felt safe.
Terrified.
Shaken.
But safe—because he was there.
---
THE FINAL WARNING
As Aarav led her upstairs, something caught his eye.
A paper slipped under the main door.
He froze.
Rhea followed his gaze and felt her stomach twist.
Aarav picked up the paper and unfolded it.
One sentence.
Written in black ink.
"WE FINISH WHAT WE STARTED."
Rhea clutched Aarav's arm.
"Aarav… what does that mean?"
Aarav's expression went cold.
Dark.
Deadly.
"It means," he said quietly, "the people I ran from… have finally found us."