HIS ROYAL BRIDE

Chapter 23

12 years ago

" RUHANIKA..." When that scream pierced the air, it was like time froze for her. The scene before was already way too much for her young mind to handle, and now this. It sent shivers down her spine. The 10-year-old kid was terrified with all this.

He looked up at her, with his eyes so dark it felt like they could swallow her whole, his face smeared with blood, and the knife covered in crimson.

Her breaths came in short gasps, as if she couldn't get enough air into her lungs, and when he slowly stood up and took a step towards her, she couldn't help but take a step back, Fear gripped her tight, like a vice, making her whole body tremble.

Ruhanika's heart pounded in her chest, each beat echoing in her ears as the kidnapper approached her.Each breath she took felt shallow and strained, as if the air itself had turned thick with dread.

The fear that gripped her was suffocating, paralyzing her both mentally and physically.The man's looming presence sent shivers down her spine, making her body tremble uncontrollably. She could feel the cold sweat trickling down her forehead, mingling with the tears streaming down her face.

As the kidnapper drew closer, his footsteps heavy and menacing, Ruhanika's mind raced, desperately searching for a way to escape. But her body felt weak, drained of any strength to fight back. She was just a ten-year-old girl, trapped in a nightmare that seemed never-ending. Thoughts of helplessness and abandonment flooded her mind, questioning why no one had come to save her.

The fear was suffocating, wrapping its icy tendrils around her fragile heart.

Her mind became a swirling vortex of terror, Every fiber of her being screamed for someone to come and rescue her, to chase away the darkness that had consumed her. But as the seconds ticked by, each one dragging her deeper into the abyss, the silence only grew louder, amplifying her desperation. Questions swirled in her mind, taunting her with their unanswered echoes. Why had her father forsaken her? Why had no one come to save her?

As Ruhanika suddenly remembered the photo, her heart sank. She couldn't help but wonder why he wasn't there to protect her in this moment. He must knew that his princess would be so terrified with all this but still...

When she saw it she was definitely hurt but the truth she had on her father and her family, she knew that her father had no idea where she was. Because If he knew, he would move mountains to come to her rescue.

If he found out what these people had done to his princess, they would be begging for death infront him.

In the midst of all the chaos and fear, all Ruhanika craved was the safety and comfort of her father's embrace. She longed for his strong arms around her, shielding her from the world. It was in his presence that she found solace and strength. But for now, she had to face the overwhelming fear on her own, yearning for the day when her dad would come to her rescue.

" So princess wants to escape... huh ? Let me help you..." he sneered, his voice dripping with malevolence.

Ruhanika, fueled by determination, let out a defiant cry, " Noo..." her heart pounding with adrenaline. With swift agility, she sprinted towards a dimly lit corridor on the left, her every step echoing her desperation for freedom.

As the man stood there, a creepy smile played upon his lips, his hand casually tucked into his pocket. With a calculated move, he dialed a number, his voice laced with malice as he spoke into the phone, " Make them suffer, one by one. Let Arnav Chauhan struggle with the impossible choice of saving his Princess or protecting his family."