Third person's pov!

Viraj paced back and forth in his dimly lit office, his face contorted with frustration. Sandeep Dutta sat in a chair, watching Viraj with equal irritation.

"This is a disaster," Viraj spat, slamming his fist on the desk. "Siddharth Raichand has got feelings for Nidhi, and now she is under his constant protection."

Sandeep nodded, his expression grim.

"It's clear he is a bigger problem than we anticipated. We have got to find a way around this. We can't let this slip through our fingers."

"Exactly," Viraj growled. "But how? That bastard has men watching her every move. We can't get close without setting off alarms. It's that attack on her that made him so protective."

Sandeep leaned forward, his eyes narrowing.

"We need to find a weakness. Everyone has one. Siddharth can't be everywhere at once. There's got to be a moment when she's vulnerable."

Viraj stopped pacing and looked at Sandeep, a spark of hope igniting in his eyes. "Go on."

"We'll wait for an opportunity when she's not with him," Sandeep suggested. "Maybe during one of her visits to the temple or when she goes to deliver snacks. Somewhere public but with enough chaos to provide cover."

Viraj rubbed his chin thoughtfully.

"That could work. We need to create a distraction, something big enough to draw Siddharth's men away but not so big that it attracts too much outside attention."

Sandeep smirked.

"Leave that to me. I can arrange for a staged accident or a small fire. Something that will cause panic but can be contained quickly."

"And then?" Viraj pressed, his eyes gleaming with anticipation.

"We grab her in the confusion," Sandeep replied. "Quick and clean. We have a van ready, and we will take her to the safehouse outside the city. By the time Siddharth and his men realise what's happened, we'll be long gone."

"And once we have her, we move her to Balvant Seth's place immediately. After that, it will be his headache." Sandeep said.

Viraj nodded, his eyes burning with determination.

"Wait! Right now, she is in the hospital with her father. I don't think any other place would be a better option than this.." Viraj said.

"Right!"

"Do it. And make sure nothing goes wrong. We have come too far to let Siddharth Raichand ruin everything."

Sandeep nodded and left the room, leaving Viraj alone with his thoughts. As he stared out the window, a dark satisfaction settled over him. Siddharth Raichand had made a grave mistake falling for their target. And soon, he would pay for it dearly.

Siddharth was already one of his targets. But in a different business. But now it is all tangled and he should make best use of it now.

****

The hospital room was brightly lit, the steady beep of the heart monitor providing a rhythmic backdrop. Jairaj lay on the bed, his face pale but peaceful, with a saline drip attached to his arm. Bhadra Bua, Chandni, Priya, and Nidhi were gathered around, their expressions a mix of relief and concern.

Bhadra Bua, a stout woman with a stern but caring demeanour, looked at Jairaj with tears in her eyes.

"If it hadn't been for Siddharth, we might have lost him," she said, her voice thick with emotion. "His quick thinking saved Jairaj's life."

Chandni, always the quieter one, nodded in agreement.

"He is not just quick, Bua. He is brave. The way he took charge..."

"I always thought of him as this arrogant businessman, but today he showed us a different side. We owe him so much." Priya, sitting by the bed and holding Jairaj's hand, chimed in.

Nidhi stood at the foot of the bed, her heart swelling with emotions. Hearing her family speak so highly of Siddharth made her feel overwhelmed. The gratitude in their voices mirrored the tumultuous feelings inside her. It was as if the love she had been trying to suppress for so long was threatening to break free from the chains she had wrapped around it.

She felt an uncontrollable urge to see him, to thank him, to lose herself in his protective embrace. But the fear that her family might see the longing in her eyes held her back. She couldn't let them know how deeply she felt for him. Not yet.

"I'll go get some tea from the canteen," Nidhi said suddenly, her voice trembling slightly. She grabbed a flask and hurried towards the door, needing a moment to collect herself.

Bhadra Bua looked at her with concern. "Are you okay, Nidhi?"

Nidhi forced a smile. "Yes, Bua. Just need a breather. I'll be back soon."

She walked through the hospital corridor in a daze, her mind replaying the events of the day. Without realising it, she took a wrong turn and found herself in an empty, dimly lit corridor. The silence was eerie, a stark contrast to the bustling main hall she had intended to reach.

Before she could correct her path, two men dressed as hospital attendants appeared from around a corner. There was something off about their presence, but Nidhi was too preoccupied to notice. They approached her swiftly, and before she could react, one of them pressed a cloth soaked in chloroform against her mouth and nose.

Nidhi's eyes widened in shock, her struggles weakening as the chloroform took effect. Her vision blurred, and her body went limp in their grasp. The men worked quickly, placing her unconscious form on a gurney and covering her with a white hospital blanket.

They moved with practised efficiency, wheeling her down the corridor and out of the hospital without raising any alarms. The hospital's chaotic environment worked in their favor, allowing them to blend in and make their escape unnoticed.

As the gurney disappeared around a corner, the empty corridor remained silent, oblivious to the drama that had just unfolded. Nidhi's family, still in the room with Jairaj, had no idea of the danger that had just befallen her.

A/N

The book is about to end.. Just eight more chapter to go... And then an epilogue too..