Page 263 of The Redemption
At first glance, it looks completely normal. But the moment I follow the direction of her finger, I realise it’s a hidden door built so seamlessly into the wall that nobody would notice it.
I release her instantly. She stumbles forward, coughing violently as she struggles to drag air back into her lungs. I don’t spare her another glance. I just grab her arm and shove her towards Trisha, who catches her before she hits the floor.
“She’s all yours.”
I cross the room and slam my shoulder hard against the concealed door, forcing it open. Cold air rushes in as I storm out into nothing but darkness and forest beyond it. F*ck!
I don’t waste another second. I run. The gunfire, the explosions, all of it becomes distant noise as I go deeper into the woods. I know Samarjeet is somewhere ahead of me with Siya’s mother, and I need to find them before he disappears into this forest completely. Fortunately, it’s a full moon night, and the moonlight is bright enough to illuminate the path. But within moments, the path splits into three different directions. One narrow path curves to the left. Another disappears deeper into the trees. A third route slopes downwards through dense undergrowth.
Which path had he taken?
I cannot go wrong here. I stop for a second, trying to think and look around for something, anything, like a broken branch, footprints, and disturbed soil. I need some sign that tellsme where they have gone. But the darkness makes everything harder to see.
Instinctively, I touch my earpiece. “Krish,” I call out, but there’s no response.
“Krish,” I try again, but again silence.
F*ck. The signal is gone. The forest must be blocking communication, which means I can’t reach Krish or ask him to pull up the aerial feed and look for movement from above. I’m completely on my own now. I close my eyes for one brief moment and force myself to breathe.
Think, Raghav.
Charging blindly in the wrong direction could cost me everything. Panic gets people killed. So I stand completely still and listen. To the wind… to the trees… to the silence. Then I think about Samarjeet. The kind of man he is and what he would do when cornered.
Slowly, the pieces begin falling into place.
I open my eyes and look at the darkest trail of them all, one that disappears downwards into the dense forest. Most people would avoid it, especially at night. Which is exactly why Samarjeet would choose it. Trusting my instincts, I start running.
RUKMINI VARDHAAN
The branches scrape against my arms as Samarjeet drags me through the woods, his grip painful against my wrist. My feet keep slipping over loose stones and roots hidden beneath the darkness, but he never slows down. Every time I try to pull my hand free or force him to stop and listen to me, he turns and points the gun at me.
“Keep walking.”
“Samarjeet...” I plead, struggling to keep up with his relentless pace. “You cannot keep running forever. Stop this. Please. Surrender yourself before you destroy whatever little is left of your life.”
He doesn’t answer. He just keeps walking.
“You have already committed enough sins. Enough blood has been spilled. Stop before it gets worse. Maybe Raghav will show you mercy if you surrender.”
That finally makes him stop.
“Raghav?” he repeats with a bitter laugh. “Who is Raghav to show me mercy?”
I stare at him as he turns towards me and takes a step closer.
“Who is he to decide whether I deserve punishment or forgiveness?”
The hatred in his voice makes me truly understand how deeply broken he has become. For all these years, I kept telling myself that Samarjeet was merely difficult. That he was harsh, controlling, and arrogant. I convinced myself that his ruthlessness was simply the burden of carrying a mafia empire. I convinced myself that beneath all of that, he was still my son, still the little boy I had once held in my arms.
But standing here tonight, staring at the rage burning inside him, I finally realise how wrong I was. This bitterness did not appear overnight. It has lived inside him for years… growing, rotting, poisoning everything around him, destroying not only his relationship with his father and Siya, but even me. Somewhere along the way, he stopped seeing us as people he loved and started viewing us as obstacles standing in his way.
My heart breaks at the realisation.
“Samarjeet...” I whisper.
But he grabs my arm again, hard. “Move.”
I stumble after him as he pulls me with him. Ahead of us, the trees gradually begin to thin, and finally, a small clearing appears. My heart beats louder on seeing a parked jeep there. This is his escape route. He’s planning to disappear before Raghav can find him.
