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Pihu fell asleep shortly before sunrise.

Her mind had fought against sleep for hours every time she closed her eyes she was back in the basement looking at dev his torn shirt the blood on his skin the sharp pain in his dark eyes and the way he had looked at her when she cried.

His words kept returning to her (You're not like him)

Pihu turned under her blanket she didn't know why those words hit her so hard.

Maybe because she had spent her whole life believing her father was a good man but the seen she see changed everything she had seen a terrifying side of him she couldn't unsee.

And deep beneath the house dev was still tied....

Exhaustion finally won and her eyes closed.

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THE NEXT MORNING

Sunlight slipped through her curtains pihu opened her eyes slowly for a second her mind was blank then everything came crashing back.

The mansion the shooting dev her father the bloody bandage.

Pihu sat up fast. "Dev..."

She rubbed her face her heart accelerating.

(Is he okay? Is he bleeding again?)

She checked the clock it was morning she scrambled out of bed showered quickly and stood in front of her mirror on the outside she looked completely normal on the inside her thoughts were screaming.

(I have to check on him what if Dad finds out I went down there? what if dev's wound gets infected? What if he hasn't eaten?)

Pihu took a deep breath. "Stay calm just act normal."

She unlocked her door and walked downstairs.

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THE CONVERSATION

As Pihu reached the bottom of the grand staircase she stopped.

Voices her father's voice along with several other men.

Pihu pulled back instantly stepping behind a large stone pillar she pressed her back against it listening carefully.

Vikram stood in the center of the hall, surrounded by armed bodyguards files, maps and photos covered the glass table.

"Sir, Dev's men still have no idea where he is," one guard said.

Vikram nodded coldly. "Keep it that way."

"What about his business operations?" another asked.

Vikram's face hardened. "We strike them today dev's whole empire runs on three major supply routes cut those off and his entire family collapses."

Pihu's eyes went wide behind the pillar.

"And after his empire falls?" a guard asked.

Vikram looked up his tone flat and dead. "After that we finish dev he doesn't leave this basement alive."

Pihu covered her mouth, her breath catching in her throat her heart hammered against her chest.(He wants to murder him)she think

"Once his business is gone," Vikram continued calmly, "there will be nothing left for him no family to fight for if his men try to search the house shoot them."

Pihu felt sick to her stomach this wasn't just a rivalry her father was planning a total execution.

She carefully took a step back her shoe almost clicking against the floor she froze, holding her breath until the men kept talking.

She took a deep shaky breath wiped her trembling hands on her jeans and forced a smile onto her face.

She couldn't let them suspect a thing.

"DAD BREAKFAST?"

Pihu walked into the open hall as casually as she could. "DAD!?"

The room instantly went quiet.

Vikram turned around The murderous look on his face vanished in a second replaced by a warm loving smile. "Pihu mera baccha."

Pihu forced her smile wider. "Good morning."

Vikram walked over to her. "You're up early."

"Yeah I just came down for breakfast." She pretended to stretch and yawn.

Vikram waved his hand at his men. "Clear out."

The guards gathered the files and walked away pihu watched them leave out of the corner of her eye then looked at her father. "Dad let's eat together."

"Of course." Vikram placed a gentle hand on her head. "You look exhausted sweetie."

"I stayed up late" Pihu lied smoothly. "College work is killing me."

Vikram chuckled, walking with her toward the dining table. "College is already stressing you out?"

"You have no idea how much work the professors give us," Pihu joked sitting down across from him.

For the next ten minutes pihu talked nonstop about college her friends and a silly story about her professor vikram laughed looking like the gentle protective father she had known her whole life.

And that made it ten times worse.

Because beneath that loving smile was the man who had locked Dev in a dark room to bleed out.

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THE PLAN

Vikram took a sip of his coffee. "Aren't you going to class today?"

"No," Pihu said, putting on a tired face. "I'm not feeling well."

Vikram looked concerned right away. "What's wrong?"

"Just a bad headache and feeling weak," she said softly. "I think I just need to rest in my room all day."

"All right, stay home and rest."

Pihu leaned forward. "I'm going to take some juice and snacks up to my room to study and Dad?"

"Yeah?" Vikram reply

"Please tell the staff not to bother me every ten minutes i just want total silence."

Vikram laughed. "Still dramatic as always."

"I'm your daughter," she said with a cute pout.

Vikram smiled proudly. "Yes you are."

A sharp prick of guilt hit Pihu's heart but the image of dev's bloody shirt flashed in her mind and the guilt vanished completely.

Vikram set his cup down. "I have an important meeting today with some foreign contacts i'll be leaving the house soon."

Pihu kept her expression totally calm. "Okay."

"And Pihu..." Vikram stared right into her eyes. "Don't go near the basement stairs i'm leaving three guards posted in that hallway."

Pihu's heart stopped. " Guards?"

She immediately shook her head. "Dad, no! If guards are standing right outside the hallway they'll make noise and ruin my quiet!"

Vikram raised an eyebrow. "Pihu, it's for security."

"Please dad," she whined acting like a spoiled child. "I can't sleep or study if armed men are walking outside my door!"

Vikram looked at her then shook his head affectionately. "Fine. I'll keep them posted near the back exit instead."

Pihu smiled bright. "Thank you dad! Have a safe meeting!"

She stood up leaned over and kissed his cheek.

"Get some rest," Vikram said softly.

Pihu turned around and walked up the stairs. The moment she turned the corner out of her father's sight her smile died.

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NO GOING BACK

Pihu entered her room shut the door locked it tight and leaned against the wood.

Her chest was heaving. "Okay..." she whispered. "think pihu think soch jldi pihu."

Her father's plan was moving fast dev's family friends was about to be attacked and Dev was going to be killed the moment vikram got back.

Pihu looked at her hidden first aid kit then down at the floor beneath her feet.

"I have to get him out," she whispered her voice steadying. "I'm getting him out today."

She had no weapons she didn't know how to fight guards she didn't even know if Dev could walk on his own.

But none of that mattered anymore she wasn't going to let her father turn into a murderer.

Pihu grabbed a pen and a notepad rapidly scribbling down her steps

1 Pack food water and fresh bandages pihu

2 Wait for dad's car to leave the driveway

3 Distract the back guards

4. Get dev out before Dad comes back

She stared at the note her fingers trembling against the paper.

This wasn't just helping a wounded man anymore she was betraying her father to save his worst enemy.

And if she got caught... there would be no turning back.

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TO BE CONTINUED