The Night the Truth Started Bleeding
1826 Words
HELLO LOVELIES!!! ✨🤗
Thank you so much for the votes, and comments under the last chapter 💖 You all notice the smallest details and honestly… I love it♥️
Today’s chapter is intense again, let's get it started already🤗
(There might be small dialogue mistakes here and there. I’ll clean them during editing later.)
Phase – I
★★★
AARA
Abandoned Warehouse District Past Midnight
For a moment after Raghav disappeared, no one moved, not even me nor Arjun.
Not even the guards who had followed him inside.
Gun smoke still hung in the air like a thin grey fog. Broken crates were scattered everywhere. One of Raghav’s men groaned on the floor where he’d been shot.
But all I could hear was Arjun’s heartbeat because I was still pressed against his chest his arm was wrapped tightly around my waist, like he wasn’t planning to let go anytime soon And the strangest thing?
I wasn’t pushing him away either maybe it was shock, Maybe it was adrenaline Or maybe it was the fact that five minutes ago I thought I might die in this warehouse and no one would ever find me.
Arjun’s breathing was slightly uneven.
I tilted my head up. “You’re bleeding.”
The bullet that grazed his shoulder earlier had torn through the fabric of his suit. A dark stain was slowly spreading across the sleeve.
He didn’t even glance at it.
“It’s nothing.”
Typical men like him probably considered getting shot a mild inconvenience.
One of his guards approached carefully. “Sir. We should move. This place isn’t secure.”
Arjun nodded once but his grip on my waist didn’t loosen.
“Bring the car around.”
“Yes sir.”
The guard hurried outside.
Arjun finally looked down at me again. His eyes scanned my face slowly, checking and searching.
“You’re hurt.”
“I’m fine.”
“You were drugged.”
“Just a little dizzy earlier.”
His jaw tightened.
“Did he touch you?”
I blinked.
“What?”
“Did Raghav hurt you?”
The question came out colder than ice.
I shook my head.
“No.”
His shoulders relaxed just slightly then he looked toward the warehouse door where Raghav had disappeared.
Something dark flickered in his eyes.
“He shouldn’t have taken you.”
“Well he did.”
That probably wasn’t the smartest response but I was tired and kidnapped.
Confused and honestly a little angry.
Arjun looked back at me slowly.
“Are you angry with me?”
I let out a small breath.
“Yes.”
“Good.”
That answer surprised me.
“Good?”
“Yes.”
He stepped back slightly, giving me space but still staying close enough that I could feel the heat from his body.
“Anger means you’re thinking clearly.”
I rubbed my sore wrists.
“They tied me to a chair.”
“I noticed.”
“They also drugged me.”
His jaw flexed again.
“I noticed that too.”
“And apparently both you and your psychotic brother have been watching me for years.”
“Only six.”
I stared at him.
“That was sarcasm.”
“I know.”
Despite everything, a tiny smile tugged at the corner of my mouth which was ridiculous considering the situation.
Then a thought suddenly hit me and my smile faded.
“Arjun.”
“Yes.”
“Your brother said something before you came.”
His eyes sharpened immediately.
“What.”
“He said the accident saved his life.”
Arjun’s expression turned unreadable.
I continued carefully.
“And he said I’m the only person who can destroy you.”
Silence stretched between us.
Then Arjun turned away slightly.
“Don’t listen to him.”
“That’s not an explanation.”
“He likes mind games.”
“That’s still not an explanation.”
Before he could answer, headlights suddenly flooded the warehouse through the broken doors.
His men had brought the cars.
Arjun placed a hand on the small of my back.
“Come on.”
“Arjun"
“We’re leaving.”
His tone made it clear the conversation was over.
For now.
★★★
The drive back to the mansion was quiet.
Too quiet.
The city streets were almost empty at this hour. Only a few late-night taxis and trucks passed by as I sat beside Arjun in the back seat.
Neither of us spoke but the silence between us wasn’t peaceful. It was heavy.
My mind kept replaying Raghav’s words again and again.
She’s the only person who can destroy you.
Why would he say that?
And more importantly… Why didn’t Arjun deny it?
I glanced at him from the corner of my eye.
He was staring out the window.
Lost in thought.
His injured shoulder was still bleeding slightly but he hadn’t asked for help or even a bandage.
Typical stubborn billionaire mafia man.
“Your shoulder needs treatment,” I said.
“I’ve had worse.”
“That doesn’t mean you should ignore it.”
No response.
I sighed.
“Do you ever listen to anyone?”
“Rarely.”
I rolled my eyes.
Figures.
Ten minutes later the cars finally pulled into the mansion driveway. The moment we stepped out, half the security team rushed toward us.
“Sir!”
“Are you alright?”
“Where’s Raghav?”
Arjun raised one hand.
Instant silence.
“He escaped.”
Murmurs spread among the guards.
One of them asked carefully, “And… Mrs. Rathore?”
Arjun glanced at me briefly.
“She’s safe.”
Something about the way he said that made my chest feel strangely warm.
Which was annoying. Very annoying.
Inside the mansion the atmosphere was tense.
The family council members were still there.
Waiting.
The moment we walked into the hall, all their heads turned.
One of the older men stood immediately.
“You went alone?”
Arjun ignored him.
Another woman looked at me.
“So the girl survived.”
I folded my arms.
“Disappointing, I know.”
She frowned.
Arjun cut in before things escalated.
“Meeting. Tomorrow.”
“But"
“Tomorrow.”
The authority in his voice shut everyone up instantly. One by one they left the hall again.
Soon only Arjun and I remained. The tension between us returned immediately.
I turned toward him.
“You owe me answers.”
His eyes met mine.
“I know.”
“So start talking.”
He hesitated.
Which was rare.
Very rare.
Then he walked toward the bar near the wall and poured himself a glass of whiskey.
I watched him carefully.
“You believe him.”
He stopped mid-motion.
“What?”
“You believe Raghav about something.”
Arjun didn’t answer immediately he then took a slow sip of whiskey.
“Six years ago,” he said quietly, “the accident wasn’t random.”
My heart skipped. “What do you mean?”
“The brakes on my brother’s car were cut.”
The words hit me like a punch.
“Sabotage?”
“Yes.”
“And you think I did it?”
“No.”
That surprised me.
“Then who?”
“That’s what I’ve been trying to find out.”
He set the glass down.
“But the strange part wasn’t the sabotage.”
“What was?”
Arjun looked straight at me.
“You were never supposed to be on that road.”
A chill ran down my spine.
“What?”
“That night,” he continued slowly, “Raghav was meeting someone.”
“Who?”
“You.”
I stared at him.
“That’s impossible.”
“Is it?”
“Yes!”
“I have the messages.”
My stomach twisted.
“What messages?”
Arjun opened a drawer and pulled out a thin file.
He placed it on the table.
Inside were printed screenshots.
Old ones.
Six years old.
I grabbed them and started reading. The blood drained from my face. Because the messages were from my phone number.
Arranging a meeting. On that exact road.
On that exact night, my hands started shaking.
“I never sent these.”
Arjun watched my reaction carefully.
“I believe you.”
“Then someone framed me.”
“Yes.”
“But why?”
His eyes darkened slightly. “Because whoever planned the sabotage wanted two things.”
“What?”
“One.”
He paused.
“Raghav dead.”
My throat tightened.
“And two?”
Arjun’s voice dropped.
“You blamed.”
The room fell silent.
A terrifying thought slowly formed in my mind.
Someone had orchestrated everything. The accident. The messages.
The blame. All of it.
And we still didn’t know who. I looked at Arjun.
“Your family council.”
“What about them?”
“They were suspicious tonight.”
“They’re always suspicious.”
“But what if one of them did it?”
Arjun didn’t respond immediately.
Then he said something that made my stomach drop.
“Not one.”
“What?”
“Two.”
My pulse jumped.
“Two?”
“Yes.”
“And I think one of them just made their move tonight.”
Before I could ask what he meant the mansion alarm suddenly went off.
Loud.
Piercing.
Red lights flashed across the hall. Arjun grabbed his gun instantly.
“What now?” I asked.
One of the guards ran inside, breathless.
“Sir!”
“What happened?”
“The underground security vault…”
“What about it?”
The guard swallowed. “It’s been opened.”
My stomach twisted.
“That’s impossible,” Arjun said coldly. “Only three people have access.”
“Exactly sir.”
Silence fell. Then I asked quietly,
“Who are the three?”
Arjun’s expression hardened.
“Me.” he paused
“My mother.” Another pause.
“And…”
Just then another guard rushed inside even more panicked.
“Sir we found something in the vault.”
Arjun turned.
“What.”
The guard held up a small evidence bag.
Inside it was a familiar object.
A silver bracelet.
My bracelet.
The one I lost the night of the accident. My breath caught. “How did that get there?”
Arjun’s voice came out dangerously quiet. “It didn’t get there tonight.”
Pause. “It’s been there for six years.”
My head spun.
“What?”
Before either of us could process that another voice echoed from the staircase above. Slow. Mocking.
“Well… this just got interesting.”
Both of us looked up instantly.
Standing at the top of the stairs…
Was Raghav.
Alive.
Smiling.
And holding something in his hand.
A detonator.
My heart stopped.
“Round two,” he said softly.
Then he pressed the button and somewhere deep beneath the mansion… A massive explosion began.
- Writer
