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*"कुछ सफ़र मंज़िल तक नहीं पहुँचते,

कुछ लोग हमेशा के लिए दिल में ठहर जाते हैं।

और कुछ जुनून...

मौत भी नहीं मिटा पाती।"* ❤️‍🔥

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HAPPY READING

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AUTHOR'S POV

Aditya adjusted his grip on the steering wheel as the powerful engine of his custom black SUV roared down the isolated, winding roads away from the dark perimeter of MRITYU. The dashboard screen illuminated the dim interior of the vehicle, flashing the caller ID in a relentless cycle: NAKSH❤.

{ raahi :noticed something😆 }

Sighing at his brother's stubborn persistence, Aditya tapped the steering wheel control to accept the call over the car's Bluetooth system. The quiet atmosphere of the car was instantly shattered as a loud, incredibly dramatic voice boomed through the high-end speakers. Naksh was breathing heavily, his voice dripping with pure frustration.

"Adi, tu khaan hai?! Tune mujhe ullu kyu banaya?!"

(Adi, where the hell are you?! Why did you make a complete fool out of me?!)

Aditya kept his eyes locked on the dark road ahead, his voice remaining smooth and perfectly calm. "Naksh, I am in the car and going home. Why are you saying that I made a fool of you?"

"Adi, don't! Don't you try to act innocent!" Naksh shouted from the other end, his voice echoing through the car. "You sent me to New York saying, 'Naksh beta tu jaa, mumma is not feeling well.' And when I said I won't go without you, you said, 'Oh Naksh, don't worry, I will come by night.'"

Aditya let out a soft huff. "So, what is the lie in this? I have told you the truth, and that's why I am going home for packing. Then I will go straight to the airport, and by night, I will be there."

"Adi-iiii!" Naksh dragged his name out in sheer irritation. "You just come home today, I will not leave you! And as for Mumma not feeling well... let me tell you, when I reached here, Mumma and Dad were doing gulu-gulu! Their voices were echoing in the whole mansion! By seeing and hearing that, it did not seem like she was sick or anything, bro. They were literally planning to give us a little brother or sister! Ahh!"

Aditya's grip tightened on the steering wheel as a deep scowl settled on his face. He rubbed his temples in utter exasperation, muttering under his breath, "This Mumma and Dad... why can't they control themselves for just one day? Ahh, Mumma... even they knew that he was coming."

"Adi? Hello? Are you hearing me?!" Naksh's voice snapped through the speakers, interrupting his thoughts.

"Ahh, yeah, I am here," Aditya cleared his throat, his eyebrows knitting together as the location clicked in his mind. "But wait a second... where are you right now? Are you at R-VILLA?"

"So, what do you think? Where am I? Yes, I am at R-VILLA!"

Aditya groaned inwardly. "Bhai, I am telling you the truth. Mumma was really not feeling well earlier, and she was missing you, that's why I sent you there. But why did you come back?"

"Vaah! Now I can't even come to my own house?" Naksh scoffed dramatically. "And yes, I came back because I was missing you, and you know that I can't sleep without you."

A rare, genuine smile broke across Aditya's usually stoic face. The icy armor of Lion Rax melted away completely at his brother's words. "Oh, okay. You tell Asha Kaki and Rimjhim to make dinner. By then, I will reach. Okay?"

"Ok, jaldi aa. Byeeeeeeee!"

The call disconnected with a sharp beep. Aditya's smile vanished instantly, replaced by a dark look of annoyance. He glared at the dashboard console, highly disturbed by the mental image his brother had just painted. He cursed his parents thoroughly under his breath for their sheer lack of timing, before dialing his father's private number.

Meanwhile in New York

The master bedroom of the grand New York mansion was bathed in a warm, dim amber glow. The atmosphere inside was thick with heavy passion, completely isolated from the cold city outside.

Rudraksh Singh Rathore, a strikingly handsome and powerfully built man of fifty-two years, was completely entangled with his wife, Manvi Rudraksh Singh Rathore, who looked breathtakingly radiant at forty-eight. Rudraksh's large hands pinned her wrists gently above her head, his fingers entwining with hers as his lips traced a burning path down the column of her throat. Manvi's chest heaved, a soft, breathless gasp escaping her lips as she arched into his heat, her fingers tightening against his grip.

"Aksh..." she murmured, her voice thick with desire, her eyes heavy as she looked up at him.

Rudraksh didn't answer with words; instead, his lips claimed hers in a deep, bruising kiss that left them both breathless. His body pressed flush against hers, demanding all her attention as the world outside ceased to exist.

Suddenly, the sharp, persistent ringing of a cell phone on the wooden nightstand shattered the silence of the room.

They both ignored it initially, Rudraksh shifting his weight to trail his lips down her jawline, his breathing heavy against her skin. But the phone rang out, went silent for a microsecond, and instantly started blaring again.

Manvi, breathing heavily, managed to free one hand and hit his shoulder lightly. "Aksh... your phone is ringing continuously from the last five minutes."

Rudraksh, still kissing her neck deeply, mumbled against her skin in a low, gravelly voice. "Veenu jaan... fuck off this phone. Enjoy our moment."

He shifted, his hand sliding down her waist, pulling her impossibly closer as he went to recapture her lips. But right on cue, the phone erupted into a loud, obnoxious ring once more, the vibration rattling against the wooden table.

Manvi pushed against his chest slightly, her cheeks flushed, trying to catch her breath. "Aksh, dekhiye naa. Shahyad kuch important hoga."

(Aksh, please look. Maybe it's something important.)

Rudraksh let out a frustrated groan, burying his face in the crook of her neck for a second before lifting his head. "Ahhh! Kon gadha hai? Saara moment kharaab kr diya saale ne!"

(Ahhh! Who is this idiot? He ruined the entire moment, the bastard!)

He aggressively reached over and snatched the phone off the nightstand. The anger in his eyes flickered, replaced by a sudden spark of wariness as he looked at the flashing caller ID. The screen brightly displayed the contact name: SUPUTRA (ADI).

Manvi adjusted her tangled hair, looking up at him curiously. "Aksh, kiska call hai?"

(Aksh, whose call is it?)

Rudraksh's demeanor softened instantly as he looked down at his wife. He leaned down, placing a tender, reassuring kiss on her warm forehead. "Jaan, you rest. It's a business call, I will just take it."

With that, he slipped out of the bed, sliding his robe on as he walked out of the bedroom to ensure her rest wasn't disturbed.

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Rudraksh stepped into the sleek, modern corridor outside, sliding the door shut behind him before bringing the phone to his ear.

"Yarr, Dad! What were you doing? I have been calling you for the last ten minutes!" Aditya's sharp, irritated voice barked through the receiver from India.

Rudraksh rolled his eyes, leaning back against the wall, entirely unbothered by his son's tone. "Umm... I was with your Mumma and having a very good time with her, but you idiot spoiled it completely."

Inside his car, Aditya scowled deeply, his grip tightening on the steering wheel. "Dad, what are you both doing? Don't you guys get tired of each other and doing that ridiculous thing?"

Rudraksh's tone hardened with playful authority. "Oye! Don't call our special moments ridiculous. And yes, we don't get tired of doing these things. Do you have any problem with us doing this?"

"No, no, why would I have a problem with this?" Aditya replied, his voice dripping with heavy sarcasm. "Go, do more. In fact, I am saying you should take Mumma on your 55th honeymoon. How is it? Tell me, and I will sponsor it."

Rudraksh chuckled darkly. "Even if you had a problem, it does not matter to me. She is my wife. And yes, you are right, I was thinking of the same. So please, book for Switzerland, okay?"

"Daddddd!" Aditya snapped, his ears burning. "Are you mad? Don't you have any shame?"

"Ok, ok, calm down," Rudraksh chuckled, shifting the phone to his other ear. "Why are you getting angry, huh? Tell me what happened."

"Dad, you are asking me what happened?" Aditya's voice lost its sarcastic edge, turning dead serious. "I sent Naksh there so that I could complete that work. After a lot of consoling, when he finally agreed and reached there, what did he see? Dad, he saw the deeds you were doing with Mumma! He was completely traumatized! Dad, why are you bent on ruining the few bits of innocence that are left in Naksh? Even knowing this, you couldn't control yourself for just one day?"

Rudraksh's jaw dropped in absolute shock. A cold sweat broke out on his forehead. "Whattttt?! He saw... I mean... what did he see? But how could he see? I clearly remember the doors were closed, so how can he..."

"Seriously, Dad?!" Aditya cut him off aggressively. "I have told you so many things, and you just heard that? Don't worry, he saw nothing. But he heard the sound of the 'prayer' you both were doing. He was even talking about the prasaad which we will get in nine months in the form of a sister or a brother!"

Rudraksh let out a massive, relieved breath, rubbing his chest as his panic subsided. He scoffed lightly. "Huhh! So what if he heard us? It's not like he is a toddler. He already knows about this. But okay, I am sorry. Next time I will take care not to traumatize your Naksh's innocence... which doesn't even exist in him at all."

"Where is Mumma?" Aditya asked flatly.

"She is sleeping," Rudraksh replied, looking back toward the bedroom door.

"I should have known," Aditya retorted coldly. "After your devotion, she must be sleeping. Okay, byyy. You are useless, Dad."

Click.

The line went completely dead. Rudraksh stared at his phone in absolute disbelief, his temper flaring. "You... you brat! Call cut kr diya saale ne!"

(You brat! He hung up on me, the bastard!)

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R-VILLA

Aditya pulled his SUV into the grand driveway of R-VILLA, the headlights cutting through the manicured lawns. He turned off the engine, stepped out of the car, and walked up the pristine steps. The heavy front doors opened smoothly as he stepped into the warm, luxurious foyer.

He barely had time to close the door behind him when a sudden blur of motion came charging down the grand staircase.

"Adi!"

Before Aditya could even brace himself, Naksh launched his entire body forward. He jumped straight at him, clinging onto Aditya like a tight koala, his arms locking around his neck and his legs wrapping firmly around his waist. Naksh immediately began planting dramatic, loud kisses all over Aditya's cheeks.

Aditya stumbled backward a step, his arms automatically coming up to support his brother's weight to keep them both from crashing to the floor. "Naksh! I could have fallen! What are you doing?"

Naksh pulled back slightly, still clinging to him tightly, his lower lip pouted out in a deep, offended frown. "Adi, how rude are you?! Here I am, missing you like hell, and you are scolding me? Now I will not talk to you!"

Aditya looked up at his brother's overly dramatic face, a fond chuckle escaping his lips. "Ohh, my baby brother got angry? Fine, don't talk to me. I don't care."

Naksh's eyes widened in fake horror. "Haaw! Adi, you... how could you say that?! You should have done something mujhe manane ke liye (to make it up to me), and you are saying 'don't care'? You heartless monster! But leave it... I missed you soooooooo much!"

Aditya began walking forward, carrying the full weight of his brother toward the living room, though his back was starting to strain. "Naksh, you were not even six hours away from me, and you missed me, huh? And now, let me enter at least. My back is hurting because of you."

"So what, huh?" Naksh countered proudly, tightening his grip and snuggling closer. "Five hours are enough to miss a person, and there you are... my jaan, my hubby ji!" He leaned forward and planted one more loud, sloppy kiss on Aditya's cheek.

Aditya laughed softly, gently sliding Naksh down until his feet touched the floor. "Ok, ok. Now let me get freshened up, then we will have our dinner, and I will listen to your ranting, okay?"

Naksh crossed his arms, huffing dramatically as Aditya turned to head up the stairs. "Uhh, heartless person! You are calling my true feelings 'ranting'!" With a sharp turn of his heel, Naksh stomped after him toward the upper floor.

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ADI'S ROOM

A little later, Aditya came out of his master bathroom, dressed in a comfortable pair of grey sweatpants and a black t-shirt. He wiped his face with a small towel and looked over at his massive king-sized bed.

Naksh was sprawled out completely across the mattress, lying on his stomach, kicking his legs back and forth in the air. He was scrolling through his phone, giggling and laughing hysterically at a video.

Aditya chuckled softly at the sight. He walked over with silent footsteps and, in one swift motion, snatched the phone out of Naksh's hands.

"Adi! Kya hai?! De mera phone mujhe!"

(Adi! What the hell?! Give me my phone back!)

Aditya slipped the phone into his pocket, looking down at him with a strict, older-brother expression. "Naksh, first have dinner, then I will give you back your mobile."

Naksh rolled over onto his back, glaring up at him with a deep pout. "Jalkukda kahin kaa!"

(You jealous creature!)

Aditya patted his head affectionately. "Ok, ok. Now stop cursing me, and let's go downstairs."

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Down in the grand dining hall, Asha Kaki and Rimjhim had laid out a lavish spread of food. True to his promise, Aditya sat patiently, quietly eating his food while Naksh launched into a highly animated, hand-gesturing description of his short-lived flight and trip to New York, completely forgetting his earlier anger.

After dinner, they returned to Aditya's spacious bedroom. True to his usual habits, Naksh immediately sprawled back out on Aditya's bed as if he owned the entire room, reclaiming his phone and returning to his scrolling and laughing. Aditya walked over to his study desk, opening his laptop to review some pending underworld security files.

The room was quiet for a few minutes, save for the tapping of the keyboard and Naksh's occasional chuckles.

"Adi yaar..." Naksh suddenly called out, his voice turning into a sweet, whiny pitch.

Aditya didn't take his eyes off the screen. "Don't call me 'yaar'. And what happened?"

"I will call you yaar!" Naksh rolled onto his stomach, holding the screen out toward Aditya. "Adi, look at this bike, bro! I want it!"

Aditya finally stopped typing and turned his chair around, looking at his brother flatly. "You got that exact same bike from Vansh last week only by emotionally blackmailing him. And now you want it again? Are you going to open a showroom of that bike?"

Naksh let out a nervous, guilty giggle, scratching the back of his neck. "Heheh, Adi... wo actually wo bike to... vo mai nahi bata sakta. Lekin yaar dilaade naa, pls!"

(Heheh, Adi... actually that bike... I can't tell you about that. But man, get it for me, please!)

"No," Aditya replied instantly, turning back to his laptop.

Naksh instantly shifted into full manipulation mode, sitting up on the bed and crossing his legs, his eyes turning wide and glossy. "Adi, tu tere eklaute, pyaare, innocent, pookie bhai ke liye itna nhi kr sakta? Pls!"

(Adi, you can't even do this much for your only, lovely, innocent, pookie brother? Please!)

Aditya stopped his work again, leaning back in his chair with a smirk. "First of all, you are cute, I agree. But innocent? If someone says that Dad is away from Mumma for an hour, I can believe it. But you, innocent? No way."

Naksh gasped, throwing a pillow at him, which Aditya caught effortlessly. "Adi, you just keep doing my bezzati, huhh! Dilwaade naa, pls!"

(Adi, you just keep insulting me, huh! Get it for me, please!)

Aditya set the pillow down on his desk, looking at his brother seriously. "Ok, I will buy it for you, but on one condition."

Naksh's eyes lit up instantly. "What?!"

"You have to score the highest marks in your class."

Naksh's face fell instantly into a look of absolute betrayal. He rolled his eyes hard. "Sidha sidha bol naa ki u dont want to buy it for me! Kanjoos makhi choos!"

(Just say it directly that you don't want to buy it for me! You cheapskate!)

Naksh sank back into the mattress, a sly, mischievous smirk suddenly playing on his lips as a new plan formed in his head. 'I will blackmail Karvin bhai this time, hehehe,' he thought to himself.

Aditya, without even turning around from his laptop, spoke in a cold, warning voice. "Don't even think about it. Otherwise, you will be grounded, and I will send you right back to New York."

Naksh's jaw dropped in shock. He sat up, staring at Aditya's back in sheer bewilderment. "Adi! Tujhe kaise pata ki mai kya soch rha tha?!"

(Adi! How do you even know what I was thinking?!)

Aditya simply chuckled, continuing to type on his laptop.

After some time, the room fell quiet again. Naksh grew bored of his phone. He slid off the bed, walked over to Aditya's study chair, and sat down on the floor right beside him. Without a word, he leaned his head back, resting it heavily in Aditya's lap.

Aditya stopped his typing immediately. His hand moved automatically to his brother's head, his long fingers gently stroking through Naksh's soft hair in a soothing rhythm. He looked down at him, his voice softening completely. "Naksh, are you feeling sleepy?"

"Yess..." Naksh murmured, his eyelids growing heavy under the comforting touch.

"So sleep on the bed, beta," Aditya advised softly, his hand continuing to caress his hair. "Here you will feel uncomfortable, no?"

Naksh closed his eyes completely, turning his face into Aditya's lap, his voice trailing off into a sleepy whine. "But I can't sleep without hugging you, naa..."

"But beta, I have work," Aditya reasoned gently, though his hand didn't stop its motion.

"Adi, you can do it in the morning also," Naksh mumbled, grabbing a piece of Aditya's shirt tightly in his small hand. "But pls, let's sleep naa..."

Aditya stared down at his brother's peaceful, sleeping face for a long moment. The ruthless, cold-blooded king of MRITYU completely dissolved, leaving behind only a deeply protective, loving older brother. He let out a soft sigh, closed his laptop, and carefully lifted his brother up to carry him over to the bed.

TO BE CONTINUED........

Ab sach-sach batao... 👀

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- Raahiwrts 🦋