Shut it, you idiot

Ram sat bound to the chair, the rough ropes digging into his skin as he struggled in vain to free himself. His wrists were tied tight, and no matter how hard he pulled, the knots only seemed to tighten. In the middle of the dimly lit hallway, the atmosphere was thick with tension. The usually warm and inviting Ram house had taken on an eerie silence, broken only by Ram's strained breathing.

Sashi and Abhi stood before him, both visibly angry. Abhi's face was tight with frustration, his jaw clenched, while Sashi's brows furrowed in silent disappointment.

Tears welled up in Ram's eyes, his voice breaking as he pleaded, "You can't bind me like this... Please, let me go. It's against the law!"

Abhi, unmoved by Ram's tears, stepped forward, gripping a sturdy stick in his hand. He raised it threateningly, his eyes dark with rage. "If you try to trick me one more time, I swear I won't hesitate. Now, stop playing games and tell me—what were you doing out there in the bushes at this hour of the night?"

Ram shivered, not just from fear but from the intensity of Abhi's voice. His mind raced, desperate to come up with an explanation that might calm Abhi's anger, but nothing seemed sufficient.

The hallway seemed to close in on him, the weight of the situation pressing down harder. Sashi, though silent, crossed her arms and watched closely, as if waiting for Ram to break under the pressure. Ram's breathing quickened, his heart pounding as Abhi's threat hung heavily in the air.

Ram's eyes widened in fear as he looked desperately at Sashi, his voice trembling. "Sister, please help me. I'm your little brother, after all," he begged, his usual confidence crumbling under the weight of Abhi's fury.

Sashi, standing beside Abhi, felt a pang of sympathy for Ram. As much as she was upset with him, seeing him tied up and helpless tugged at her heart. She knew Abhi was furious, but she couldn't bear to see her brother in this state. She had to think fast.

With a gentle touch, she leaned closer to Abhi, whispering softly, "Please, Abhi darling. He's just a kid, and he won't do it again. Let him go." Her voice was soft and persuasive, trying to soothe the fire burning in Abhi's eyes.

It was rare for Sashi to call Abhi by such an affectionate name, especially in front of others. Normally, when they were alone, her sweet words would make Abhi melt, and he wouldn't hesitate to sweep her off her feet, carry her into their room, and keep her awake with his affections all night. But tonight, Abhi's anger was different—this wasn't a night for distractions.

Abhi's face remained stern as he turned to glance at Sashi, her pleading eyes meeting his. She gave him a quick wink and a teasing smile, trying to lighten his mood. It was a move that had worked countless times before, but tonight, Abhi wasn't budging. His throat went dry as he stared at her, but he made a firm decision to stay focused.

"No one can distract me now," he growled, turning his head away and closing his eyes in frustration. He wasn't about to let Sashi's charm sway him this time, not with Ram still in front of him, bound and full of excuses.

Sashi sighed, her expression softening as she looked back at Ram with a hint of pity. "I'm sorry, Ram," she said quietly, knowing there was little she could do to change Abhi's mind tonight.

"How dare you deceive and mislead me!" Abhi's voice roared through the house as he stormed towards Ram, his eyes blazing with fury.

Ram, bound to the chair, began to wail in panic. "Please! Somebody help me! This man is going to kill me!" His cries were desperate, but Abhi reached him in an instant, clamping a hand over his mouth.

"Shut it, you idiot," Abhi hissed, leaning in close. "If you scream, everyone will come running, and they'll find out that Rajeev and Gowthami are missing."

Ram froze, realizing the gravity of the situation. His eyes wide with fear, he stayed silent for a moment before pleading in a quieter voice. "Brother, please let me go. I swear I won't do anything like this again. This wasn't my idea—it was Rajeev's plan, not mine. I swear, you have to believe me."

Abhi's eyes narrowed, his chest rising and falling with deep, controlled breaths as he looked down at Ram, still furious. "What are you hiding from me?" he demanded, his voice low and dangerous.

Ram, desperate, immediately blurted out, "We're not hiding anything! I'm telling you the truth—Rajeev just wanted to spend time with Gowthami in the woods. That's all!"

Abhi's expression hardened, his disbelief plain. "Do you take me for a fool? Do you think I'll just swallow all your nonsense?"

Ram's heart raced as he stared up at Abhi's stern face. Abhi could see right through the excuses, and Ram knew it. As far as Abhi was concerned, Rajeev wouldn't drag Gowthami into the woods in the dead of night just for some romantic escapade. Rajeev was protective, responsible, and deeply caring—especially when it came to the woman he loved. Something didn't add up, and Abhi knew it.

Abhi glared at Ram, his patience wearing thin. "I'm not buying this fairytale about a romantic stroll in the jungle. Rajeev would never risk Gowthami's safety like that. You're hiding something, and I'm going to find out what."

Ram, feeling trapped, thought to himself, 'Abhi brother won't believe anything I say. What do I do now? Rajeev, I'm definitely going to kill you when you get back.'

Ram's mind raced for a way out, but he knew he was caught. The tension in the room was thick, and he could feel Abhi's anger looming over him like a storm about to break.

Abhi's voice dropped to a quieter, but no less intense, tone as he leaned closer to Ram, his eyes still burning with anger and concern. ""Ram, I know you're hiding something. You and the others have been keeping things from me, and I can sense it. If you tell me what it is, maybe I can help. But don't keep me in the dark any longer. What's going on? Why are you all sneaking around without me? I don't belong here."

Ram's eyes widened, and in a panicked voice, he quickly replied, "Brother, please, don't say things like that. You're not an outsider. You've never been one to us." His voice cracked, and it was clear how much Abhi's words had shaken him.

Abhi's gaze softened for just a moment before he pressed on. "Then why won't you tell me what's going on? Why are you hiding something so important?"

Ram hesitated, his mind racing. He was torn. On one hand, Rudra had explicitly told him not to breathe a word to anyone, not even Abhi. On the other hand, Abhi was his brother, someone he trusted, and now Abhi was getting angrier by the second. How could he stay silent? But how could he break Rudra's command?

Abhi noticed the hesitation, and his anger flared once again. "You think you're still kids, sneaking around in the middle of the night, playing games? Ram, this isn't a joke! Do you have any idea how dangerous the forest is, especially at night? Did you even think about Gowthami? She's not like you and Rajeev—she's a woman, Ram. Have you thought about how she can defend herself out there? What if something happened to her? Did you think about what could've happened the last time? What if she was hurt? Or worse?"

Since Gowthami is a female, Abhi was very concerned about her since he believed that she would not be able to save herself from wild creatures and that these guys would be accompanying her through the bush. 

Ram was taken aback by abhi's words. "You are afraid of Gowthami, the one who plays with wild creatures? In reality, it was Gowthami who rescued our lives that day."

Sashi and Abhi were transported back to Ram's remarks. Abhi questioned in shock, "What did you say?"

"Indeed, she came to my aid that day. Are any of you familiar with her pet, Vyaaghra? You people seem more worried about her than about us, even if she actually owned a big tiger as a pet? Does that scare you more?"

"I was skeptical of Rajeev when he shared with me earlier that she had battled with a snake. However, the last time I went with her, I was able to see firsthand how skilled a fighter she was. I was astonished to see her at that moment. Do you guys even know who she really is? The way she took down those wolves..."

Ram kept on uttering words. Something clicked for him, He then turned to face Sashi and Abhi, who were staring at him in bewilderment. He cut his tongue right away.

'gosh, oh gosh. What have I revealed so far? Did I oblige them about Gowthami at this time? How do I go about this? '