Arjun didn't reply to the last message immediately.
From whoever is easiest to reach.
He read it twice, then locked his phone and placed it on the table. Sameer was watching him carefully.
"What did he say?" Sameer asked.
"Forty-eight hours," Arjun replied.
"For what?" Sameer pressed.
"Full payment," Arjun said.
Sameer ran a hand through his hair. "From her?"
"From whoever is easiest," Arjun replied calmly.
Sameer stared at him. "That means you."
"Yes."
Silence filled the room for a few seconds.
"You need police protection," Sameer said.
"I've already documented visits," Arjun replied.
"That won't stop someone desperate," Sameer said.
Arjun didn't argue.
He was thinking.
At 7:12 a.m., Arjun called his lawyer again.
"They've set a deadline," he said.
"Verbal?" the lawyer asked.
"Yes."
"Record everything," the lawyer said. "If they threaten directly, we escalate."
"They haven't threatened directly," Arjun replied.
"Yet," the lawyer added.
Arjun nodded once.
"I won't pay," he said clearly.
"Good," the lawyer replied.
At 9:40 a.m., Riya called.
He answered.
"They gave you time, didn't they?" she asked immediately.
"Yes."
"I'm trying," she said breathlessly.
"Trying what?" he asked.
"To arrange money," she replied.
"How?" Arjun asked.
Silence.
"I'll sell things," she said.
"Seventeen lakh?" Arjun asked calmly.
She didn't respond.
"They won't accept partial," he said.
"I know," she whispered.
Silence stretched.
"You involved me," he said.
"I was scared," she replied.
"You were strategic," he corrected.
She didn't argue this time.
"They said they'll visit again," she said.
"Yes."
"They'll hurt you," she whispered.
"I'm not responsible for your debt," he replied.
She started crying.
"I can't fix this," she said.
"You created it," he replied calmly.
She disconnected.
At noon, Arjun visited the police station again.
Inspector Rao listened carefully.
"They've visited twice?" the inspector asked.
"Yes," Arjun replied.
"Direct threats?" he asked.
"Indirect pressure," Arjun said.
The inspector leaned back.
"File written complaint," he said. "We'll send warning."
"Will that stop them?" Arjun asked.
"It creates record," the inspector replied.
Arjun nodded.
He wasn't expecting miracles.
Just documentation.
By evening, tension was visible in Riya's online silence. No posts. No stories. No reactions. She had vanished digitally.
At 6:18 p.m., Rahul called.
"Mahesh is impatient," he said directly.
"I'm not paying," Arjun replied calmly.
"I know," Rahul said.
"Then why call?" Arjun asked.
"Because if she doesn't pay in 48 hours, he won't negotiate," Rahul replied.
"And?" Arjun asked.
"And he doesn't separate emotional from financial," Rahul said.
Arjun stayed silent.
"You need to stay alert," Rahul added.
"I am," Arjun replied.
At 10:02 p.m., Arjun received a message from Riya.
Can we meet? It's urgent.
He stared at the screen for several seconds.
Then replied.
Public place.
She sent a location near a busy café.
She looked worse than before.
Eyes swollen.
Hands shaking slightly.
"They came to my apartment," she said without greeting.
"When?" Arjun asked.
"An hour ago," she replied.
"And?" he asked.
"They said if I don't arrange money by tomorrow night, they'll collect in other ways," she said.
Arjun watched her face carefully.
"What does that mean?" he asked.
"They didn't specify," she whispered.
Silence.
"You need to leave the city," she said suddenly.
"No," he replied.
"They won't find you if you're gone," she insisted.
"I'm not running," he said calmly.
"They won't stop," she said.
"That's your issue," he replied.
Her expression hardened slightly.
"You think you're safe because you didn't sign?" she asked.
"I know I didn't sign," he replied.
"They believe you did," she said.
"I clarified," he replied.
"They don't care about clarification," she snapped.
Arjun didn't react.
"They care about recovery," she added.
Silence.
"I can't arrange seventeen lakh in one day," she whispered.
"I know," he replied.
She looked at him carefully.
"You could help," she said again.
"No," he replied.
"You have savings," she said.
"That's not your concern," he replied.
"You'll regret this," she whispered.
"Maybe," he said calmly.
She stared at him.
"For what it's worth," she said quietly, "I never wanted this to involve you like this."
"It involved me the moment you used my name," he replied.
She didn't respond.
At 11:47 p.m., Arjun's phone buzzed again.
Unknown number.
Unknown:
Deadline is tomorrow 9 p.m.
Arjun typed.
Arjun:
I'm not paying.
Pause.
Then:
Unknown:
Mahesh doesn't negotiate.
Arjun stared at the screen.
Arjun:
Then let him come.
There was no reply after that.
The next day passed slower than usual.
Sameer stayed close.
Arjun worked from home.
He installed additional cameras outside his door.
He informed the building security again.
By 6:32 p.m., tension was visible even in the air.
Every sound felt amplified.
At 8:41 p.m., his phone buzzed.
Rahul.
"He's moving," Rahul said quietly.
"Where?" Arjun asked.
"To her place first," Rahul replied.
Arjun didn't respond.
"After that?" he asked.
Rahul was silent for two seconds.
"Secondary contacts," he said.
Arjun exhaled slowly.
At 8:59 p.m., the doorbell rang.
Not once.
Three times.
Hard.
Sameer froze.
Arjun walked calmly to the door.
He checked the camera.
Mahesh.
Different from the others.
Older.
Sharper eyes.
Alone.
Arjun opened the door halfway.
"Yes?" he asked.
Mahesh looked at him steadily.
"You're Arjun," he said.
"Yes."
"She didn't pay," Mahesh said.
"That's between you and her," Arjun replied calmly.
Mahesh smiled faintly.
"She listed you," he said.
"She lied," Arjun replied.
Mahesh's eyes narrowed slightly.
"She lies often," he said.
Silence.
"I don't like chasing," Mahesh added.
"I'm not running," Arjun replied.
Mahesh stepped slightly closer.
"You seem calm," he observed.
"I am," Arjun replied.
Mahesh studied him for several seconds.
"You're not paying," he said.
"No."
Mahesh nodded slowly.
"Good," he said.
That surprised Arjun.
Mahesh leaned slightly toward him.
"Because if you paid once, I'd never stop," he said quietly.
Silence.
"I collect from debtors," Mahesh continued. "Not emotional attachments."
Arjun didn't move.
"She has until midnight," Mahesh added.
"After that?" Arjun asked.
Mahesh looked at him directly.
"She loses something she values," he said.
Then he stepped back.
"And that won't be you," he added calmly.
He left.
Arjun closed the door slowly.
Sameer stared at him.
"What did he mean?" Sameer asked.
Arjun didn't respond immediately.
He took out his phone.
It buzzed at the same time.
Unknown number.
He opened it.
Unknown:
He's not coming for you.
He's going after her job offer in another city — and he already knows where she plans to move.
Arjun stared at the message.
Because that meant—
The next move wasn't about violence.
It was about cutting her last escape.
And if she lost that…
She would have nothing left to run to.