Face My Fate

Billionaire's Son

"Coincidence enough?"

⋆ ───⊱☽❁☾⊰─── ⋆

𝐒 𝐇 𝐀 𝐑 𝐕

𓂀

Today was my elder brother's engagement with the eldest daughter of the Menons.

The heir and the heiress.

I stayed there until the rings were exchanged before making my way back home.

Don't get me wrong, I don't dislike my brother... that much. I've just never been a huge fan of social gatherings where everyone pretended to be superior to the others.

Most people in such gathering either try to suck up to me to get them contracts with my father or bring up their daughters to get a more direct contact with my father.

I hate that. I don't know how it never bugged Karhan Bhai. But it bugs me. It makes me feel like I'm nothing without my last name.

Maybe it bugs him, too.

It's not like we talk... much.

Bhai is busy with Dad in his company, and Neer, that little s**t is mostly off to France for educational purpose. The boy is seventeen yet is more sorted in life than I've seen most adults be.

Driving back home, I already know that I'm gonna get a good earful from my parents tomorrow morning. I just couldn't stay in that suffocating place anymore.

The guards opened the main gate for me, bowing as I entered. My car came to a halt when I saw a silhouette of a figure crouched on the ground, facing 90° to me.

I turned on my headlights to get a proper view under the darkness and all that rain.

It was a girl.

I couldn't see her face, but judging by the physique, it's definitely a girl.

Now why would I be welcomed at the sight of a crying girl?

I took the umbrella from the backseat and opened the glove box to get my gun out. For all I knew, she could be an assassin. We've encountered enough of them before.

I opened the umbrella and stepped out of the car. I don't think she even noticed a car had stopped in front of her. I got a clearer look of her as I got closer.

She was wearing an ice blue... whatever that thing is called, and white pants. Her face was hidden in her palms. She sobbed as her shoulders shook.

I stepped closer, holding the umbrella over our heads.

She froze, before slowly looking up. Her olive skin was all damp and red. So were her red-rimmed eyes that glistened with tears. Her lower lip trembled as she processed the situation.

I clicked the gun safety off and pointed it towards her. Her eyes went wide as she stared between the gun and me with a horrid look on her face.

"Who are you?"

⋆ ───⊱☽❁☾⊰─── ⋆

Well, that was an interesting first meet. I thought, reflecting back to the night, sitting on the singular couch in the middle of the room, near the bookshelf.

My eyes fell on the wardrobe door where that girl disappeared to, not too long ago. After a bit—a lot—of discussion, we figured that her damp clothes wouldn't do her much good.

I gave her a pair of new clothes.

𝘝𝘦𝘥𝘢.

My mind went back to what she had said.

Her missing sisters and their phone being traced on our estate. That was enough to ring the alarms in my mind. Besides, that case falls under my direct administration.

Coincidence enough?

The door knob twisted before the door opened, revealing the shivering figure in an oversized black shirt and grey trousers. She looked up, eyed me warily and stood in the farthest corner of the room.

I bit my inner cheek to stop an amused chuckle.

I guess, the effect of the gun still hadn't wore off.

I took the remote from the side-table drawer and turned on the room heater.

"Have a seat." I gestured towards the couch bed near the window.

"No thanks, I'm fine here." She mumbled, crossing her arms as she refused to meet my eye.

"I said take a seat." I said with a sharp edge and a dead stare.

Her eyes narrowed, jaw clenched as she looked like she was fighting an inner turmoil. She huffed stubbornly and sat on the couch rather aggressively.

This wouldn't have happened if she listened when I asked nicely.

"So, tell me about them." I cleared my throat.

"About who?" Her brows furrowed.

I took a deep inhale, closing my eyes briefly. "About your missing sisters." I deadpanned.

"Oh." She mumbled, before swallowing. "Are you... really the new ASP of Worida square?" She asked. Her tone was guarded and cautious.

And honestly, I expected nothing less.

I simply stood up and opened the glass cupboard attached to the wall. I took out my official ID card and passed it on the table in front of her. She picked it up and searched through the contents.

"Satisfied?" I asked in a flat tone, raising an eyebrow as I sat back on the chair.

Her eyes narrowed on me again. "Pardon me for not believing a billionaire's son to actually have a distinct job." She matched my tone.

My jaw clenched. Just a billionaire's son.

I took a deep inhale to control my fury. "Can we not?" I gritted out. "Do you even want to find your sisters?"

That set her off. She practically trembled with rage as she gave me the most furious glare that she could muster.

"You think I came here for nothing?!" She snapped, standing up.

I pinched the bridge of my nose. "Don't yell." I chided. "Sit back down and give me more information." I said in a eerily calm voice.

She glared at me for a good second before settling back on the couch. Her fists clenched around the T-shirt over her knees as she sighed. Dejected. Exhausted.

"Rayi and Riva... they are fourteen, twins." She began, fidgeting with the end of the couch. "They went missing ten days ago. No one knows where. No one has even called for ransom."

"There was no call for ransom?" I repeated, frowning.

No demand for ransom leads to a cluster of horrific possibilities. I refuse the very notion of either of them being any less ugly. There's a huge possibility they might already be dead.

"Stop that." She said firmly but her voice trembled. "Stop looking at me like there is no hope anymore." Her inky eyes glistened again.

I sighed. "Listen, Veda, I won't lie to give you false reassurance." I said, point-on. "Ten days is a long period. And there are many 𝘶𝘨𝘭𝘺 aspects involved."

She bit her lower hard enough for the red liquid to spread across her lips. My eyes softened at her obvious distress.

"But I can promise you I'll try my best."

There's wasn't much I could really say in that moment that would've made her feel better. Her and I, we both knew what I said was the truth. There was a really meagre chance for them to be found.

I'll chase every bit of that tiny chance to provide justice as I pledged.

"Is there any chance they might've left on their own?" I asked, wanting to look into each and every possibility.

Besides, teens these days are nothing if not wild and spontaneous.

She shook her head with conviction. "No. Never. Both of them were way smarter than their age. They'd never do something so reckless."

I nodded, leaning back on the couch.

Silence settled between us before it was broken a loud clap of thunder. I looked out the window. The storm had started again. I noticed as she shivered under the cold wind coming from the window.

I stood up and went towards her.

Her eyes comically widened at my approach as she pressed herself against the couch completely. I leaned forward towards her and she pressed herself more as if trying to blend herself with the couch.

Resisting the urge to roll my eyes, I shook my head.

My hand reached behind her as I closed the window, keeping my eyes locked with hers. She blinked as she realised what I was trying to do. Her cheeks flushed as she cleared her throat.

I smirked and walked back to my seat and sat on the couch again. I took a book from the bookshelf and opened it to keep myself occupied.

"Alexa, increase the room temperature and draw the curtains." I said, before turning towards her. "You can stay the night in the guest bedroom if you want."

She frowned. "No, thank you. I'd like to leave." She said, glancing down. "I, um, I'll return your clothes if you meet again?"

"Oh, we'll meet again, now that I'm handling the case." I said to which she nodded. "Are you sure you want to leave, though? I don't think the storm will stop anytime soon." I added as an afterthought.

"I'll manage." With that, she made her way towards the door.

She twisted the knob and pulled the door back. But it didn't open. She repeated the action multiple times but none of the tries worked. She glanced at me with a frown.

"Why isn't it opening?" She asked.

I shrugged. "Do it properly."

"I am doing it properly, look." She pulled the door again. "See?"

I kept the book on the glass table and stood up from the couch, approaching her. I tried to open the door but it was of no use. I pulled with all my strength, but it still didn’t budge.

What the...?

"What happened? Why isn't it opening? Do something. I have to get home." She pleaded as her voice turned desperate. Her eyes widened in horror.

I tried again before realisation dawned on me. I moved back and glanced towards her, meeting her frantic gaze.

"I think the staff locked it before retiring for their quarters."

"What?!" She yelled. "Why would they do that? Don't they know you're home?" Her panic was palpable with the way she gripped her hair.

"The staff are ordered to close the bedroom doors when no one's home. No one was supposed to be home until tomorrow morning." I clarified, running a hand through my hair.

"This is so stupid!" She hissed. "Try calling someone." She suggested.

I picked my phone and as I had expected. "There is no signal due to the storm." I informed her and watched as the colors drained out her face.

That meant both of us were stuck here for the night.