Entangled Lives

Chapter XXXV

FINE

Ranbir and Aryan stumbled into the room. Holding themselves just in time to stop from stepping on the vase that lay broken on the floor. Their eyes rose to take in the fragmented state of the room. The bedside table turned to the side, the beddings sprawled all over the place, the mirror shattered. It took them full seven seconds to come to their senses, and then the next four seconds to comprehend words in their minds.

"Prachi," Ranbir mumbled, bouncing a bit on his feet before moving around the room, checking from behind the headboard of the bed to the washroom, unable to spot her anywhere.

"Prachi?" He shouted, the reply coming the sheer void.

"Prachi?" Pragya asked, looking at Abhi, panicking.

They all pushed through the entire house looking for the two girls, only to gather back in the hall empty-handed. Frown lines settled on everyone's face. Any emotion anyone had for the two generations of Mehra heiresses was overtaken by worry for the missing girls.

"Did they- did they leave?" Mitali asked tentavely.

"Why?" Pragya asked, "No- no they can't leave. My- my child can not leave.."

"But your child only asked her to leave." Mitali commented tauntingly, "And after everything that happened today, anyone would have left everything behind. After all, who would like to live somewhere where their own sister is snatching their parents and marrying someone's love. After everything Rhea had done to Prachi, I don't think she would have stayed here any longer."

"Mitali bhabhi please," Abhi snapped, "if you can't say something positive then please try and restrain yourself from uttering anything at all!"

"Pragya, you- you don't worry, we'll get them back. I'll bring our daughter back." He consoled Pragya who was becoming a crying mess by the second.

"I've already called the police, they must be here in about half an hour," Purab informed.

"Half an hour?" Aryan asked, "That would be too long, they could go too far by then. God knows what had happened in that room."

"Haven't you seen the condition of the room, something fishy sure happened there." Piyush said, and for the first time since he had entered the house, anyone ever saw the true emotions of fear and tension shadowing his visage.

The remembrance of the disheveled room started a ringing sound in Ranbir's ears. The shameless girl that stood on the side with no ounce of worry added to his anger even more. There was no shame, no emotion, no worry, no guilt whatsoever in her eyes. She just stood there, empty, staring at him with no regret.

His mind went blank and he saw Red.

"What have you done?" He strode towards Rhea. Grabbing her arms from below the shoulders in a death grip. Rhea whined, trying to free herself from his hands.

He spun her around the one-eighty degree, "I know this is somewhere or another your deed, TELL ME!" He jerked her, "TELL ME WHERE IS PRACHI?!?"

"Ranbir, Ranbir you are hurting me." Rhea stuttered out.

"Ranbir, Ranbir"

"Ranbir let go of her,"

"Ranbir, bro control." Aryan and others tried to get him away from her.

"What control Aryan?" Ranbir left Rhea, pushing her away. She whimpered when the blood supply returned to her arms, clutching her arms and bending over in pain.

Ranbir ran a hand through his hair, frustratedly pulling on them. "This girl," he pointed at Rhea, "I know her better than anyone here, she can do anything, that's why I'm telling you all. I am sure it's her that had done this."