Lucifer's Last Sin ✔️

• Chapter Twenty Six •

Manik sat on his red throne-like couch, his eyes bloodshot and flaming with rage. His fingers caressed the cold metal of his loaded rifle.

"Where is Nandani?" he asked.

Alya, twirled a strand of her lustrous hair between her fingertips. "I am God, right? I should know everything," she sarcastically remarked.

"Where is my Nandani?" Manik's voice grew more desperate.

Alya's expression softened as she leaned closer to him, her fingers now gently tracing the contours of his face.

"Oh, Manik, my love for you knows no bounds," she murmured. "Why are you worried about her? She has abandoned you. She doesn't care about your feelings. But I, my darling, am still here. You have no idea how deeply I love you, baby."

Manik gripped Alya's hair tightly. "Enough!" he bellowed, his voice echoing through the room. "Tell me where my Nandani is, you bitch. Stop putting my patience to test, and open your filthy mouth."

Alya pushed him with all her might. "You want the truth? Fine, then listen to me," she hissed, her words dripping with venom. "I helped Nandani escape from this hell. She despises you, Manik. She has abandoned you."

A cruel smile curled upon her lips as she continued, "She will be flying to another country, far from your reach. She will never return to France, to your arms. And me? Oh, how happy I am. Do you now understand the pain of losing someone you hold dear? Do you now understand how it feels to be abandoned by someone you love? Do you feel my pain now?"

Manik's anger reached the boiling point, his fingers tightening around Alya's throat, pushing her against the wall with an iron grip. "No, she can't leave me. She's mine, and I won't let her escape. She belongs to me," he growled.

Alya, gasping for breath, managed to utter, "You monster, stop living in a world of delusion. Nandani has broken free from your clutches. Your love cannot chain her down. Face the harsh reality!"

Manik's friends tried to pull him away. "Leave her, man! You will kill her," they implored.

After countless futile attempts, they finally managed to pull him away. Alya's trembling body fell on the floor.

"I----I hope Nandani goes far away from you. You're a jerk and a scumbag. You do not deserve an angel like her. I hope you never find out where she is."

"Shut up," Manik screamed aiming his pistol at her.

"I will not.  Manik, she despises you. She despises you. She'll never be---"

Before she could finish the statement, an agonising scream tore through her chest. Manik shot her not just once, twice, or three times, but over and over until she lay still on the floor, surrounded by a pool of blood.

"NANDANI IS MINE," he scremed. "I LOVE HER. DID YOU HEAR WHAT I SAID? I LOVE HER!"

▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬

"Guys, we can't afford to waste any more time," Navya insisted. "We must report this to the police and ask for security."

Nandani let out a bitter laugh. "Do you still have faith in them, Navya? They're nothing but pawns in Manik's game."

Richard, deep in thought, spoke up. "Arya I remember you mentioned that you have a bungalow on the outskirts of France. Perhaps Nandani can seek refuge there until she secure tickets to the United States."

Navya nodded in agreement. "I agree with you, Rich. Aryaman, please accompany Nandani. Leave immediately, without wasting time. Lucifer might come here looking for her.

Nandani's voice quivered, "But what about you and Richard? I am afraid that heartless devil will harm you."

Richard's gaze met Nandani's. "Stop worrying about us, sweetheart. Please leave from here. Every minute is precious and counts. Stop squandering your time. Believe me, we're going to be fine. By tomorrow evening we will catch a flight to the States too. We will all be together soon."

Navya gave her best friend a tight hug. "Yes, darling. Don't think about us. Aryaman, please protect her. I know that she's in the safest hands with you by her side."

Aryaman nodded slightly. "I will do everything I can to keep her safe until my last breath."

▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬

Manik stared at Alya's lifeless body in front of him, a twisted grin spreading across his blood-stained face. His clothes were saturated with blood.

He clutched Nandani's photograph tightly, whispering. "Oh, mon ange. Look how I have taken her life. She dared to come between us, to tear you away from me. Death was her only fate. But you, my love, you too are wicked. Do you know how much you've hurt me. You knew the depths of my love, yet you abandoned me. This is not fair, mon amour, it cuts deep. You are cruel."

Cabir called out. "Manik."

"Buddy. Please bring her back. I...I can't live without her. I want her. I want my Nandani. I need her because she is my only peace," Manik begged as if he were a child.

"Champ, our men are searching for her," Cabir retorted. "We'll locate her soon. She won't be able to escape us."

A glimmer of hope flickered in Manik's eyes as he spoke softly. "I think I know where she might be."

"Where?" Cabir asked.

"My heart is telling me that she's at Navya's house. We need to go there right away," Manik declared, as he grabbed his gun and dashed downstairs, followed by Cabir.