𝐀𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐚: 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐁𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐭'𝐬 𝐃𝐨𝐥𝐥

Chapter-15 ❀ Sneaky Move ❀

"Vikram, Miss Sharma called me. Aisha didn't come to the academy today, and she's not responding to calls. I tried multiple times, but initially, it was out of coverage, and now it's switched off. Please, do something," Meera pleaded urgently.

Vikram's heart sank at this distressing news, dark thoughts crossing his mind. However, he steadied himself and reassured his worried wife, "Meera, relax! She's probably out with her friends. Maybe they made spontaneous plans and forgot to inform us. She'll be home soon, don't worry."

Meera, unconvinced, replied, "No, I called all her friends. They said she's not with them. Even if she planned to go out, she would've called me from someone's phone. This isn't like her. Please, I'm worried. What if she's in...?" Unable to finish her sentence, she choked on her tears, crying uncontrollably. With only one daughter, the thought of losing her was unbearable.

Concerned about Meera's fragile health, Vikram felt an urgency to reassure her. Attempting to sound composed, he gently said, "Shhh, Meera, please don't cry like this. I'll make a call and check on her. I'm sure she's fine. Let me scold that troublemaker for making my beautiful wife cry."

Vikram attempted to lighten the mood, but Meera, with tearful eyes, replied while sniffing, "No, don't scold her. It's okay. I'm fine now. Just ensure she's safe. Please, don't say anything harsh. I just need to know she's okay."

Vikram chuckled, "Okay, your highness. As you wish."

After reassuring Meera, he ended the call with a gentle reminder for her to stay calm. His expression turned serious as he dialed another number.

"Trace Aisha's number and let me know her location," he instructed.

A crisp voice from the other end replied, "Sure."

Worried about the numerous rivals he had been dealing with recently, Vikram feared that Aisha's sudden disappearance might be linked to them. Knowing his daughter well, he was certain she wouldn't vanish without a trace unless something was amiss. Realizing this could take time to resolve, he decided to call Meera and fabricate a story to prevent her from unnecessary worry.

Dialing Meera's number, he reassured her, "See, didn't I tell you? Aisha is probably having a great time with her friends. I just received a call from an unknown number, and it was Aisha. She mentioned that today was her classmate's birthday, and they spontaneously decided to go camping."

Taking a deep breath, he continued the tale, "The plan was so sudden that she couldn't inform anyone. Plus, there was no signal, and by the time they got one, her phone had died. So, your dear daughter is safe, and here you are, crying needlessly."

Relieved, Meera responded, "Oh, I was so worried. Thank God she is safe. Please ask her to call me."

Vikram felt a wave of tension, but he exhaled and reassured, "Come on, let her have some fun. She's alright, believe me, sweetheart. She mentioned there's a signal problem, and she can't talk much. She even told me to inform you that she's already eaten some snacks, so you don't have to worry."

Despite a lingering feeling in Meera's heart that something might be wrong, she chose to dismiss it and agreed with her husband. "Okay, if she calls you again, tell her to call me. I'm worried," Meera said with a pained expression.

Vikram smiled softly, "Okay, your highness."

After ending the call, Vikram briefed his subordinates, instructing them to be prepared for any potential action. However, until he obtained precise information, he needed to maintain a sense of normalcy. He returned to the meeting room, seamlessly resuming his work as if nothing had happened.

On the other side, Mr. Raina and the other men worked tirelessly to search for Abhirudra in the vast and dense forest. Recognizing the enormity of the task, Mr. Raina instructed his men to call for additional help, realizing that their numbers were insufficient for the extensive search required. Ron, the leader of the bodyguards, promptly contacted others, urging them to come fully prepared.