2:00 a.m.

"This is the right time... Mama and Baba must be asleep by now. Let's go."

Eira quietly slipped out of her room, her heart pounding against her chest. The silence of the house felt heavier than ever as she carefully made her way toward the main door. Every step carried fear and excitement in equal measure.

But just as she turned the corner, her hand accidentally brushed against the small side table.

Clink.

The sound echoed through the hallway.

Eira froze.

Her breath caught as she quickly looked around, waiting for a door to open or footsteps to approach. But the house remained still. The noise hadn't been loud enough to wake her parents.

Relieved yet nervous, she hurried toward the main entrance.

Crossing the doorway felt unreal.

The security guard outside had fallen asleep, making her escape easier than she had imagined. Holding her breath, Eira slowly pushed the gate open and stepped out into the quiet night.

For the first time in her life-

she was free.

Eira's POV:

"Hashh... I'm finally out."

A nervous smile appeared on her face as the cool night air brushed against her skin.

"Now... how do I reach the airport?"

Without wasting another second, she booked a cab. The empty roads of Lucknow passed by as she sat in silence, watching the city slowly disappear behind her. She had calculated everything carefully-the timing, the route, and the flight.

From Lucknow to Delhi, the journey would take only 1 hour and 15 minutes.

Her hands trembled with nervous excitement as she entered the airport, afraid that something might still go wrong. But fate stayed on her side.

Right on schedule, Eira completed the formalities and boarded the flight-her heart filled with fear, hope, and the unknown waiting ahead.

A New Journey Begins

Eira's POV

"Finally... I'm here."

As Eira stepped out of Delhi airport, she paused for a moment and took a deep breath.

"A new city... a new beginning."

Then she wrinkled her nose and laughed softly.

"Well... maybe the air is a little more polluted than I imagined."

With her backpack resting on her shoulder, she looked around at the busy streets and endless crowd.

For the first time in her life, she had no fixed plan.

No schedule.

No one telling her where to go.

And strangely... that freedom felt both exciting and terrifying.

Since she hadn't planned what to do after arriving in Delhi, she decided her first priority was simple-book a hotel room.

Now all she needed was a cab.

But Delhi had other plans.

Standing outside the airport, Eira waited nearly fifteen to twenty minutes as one ride after another kept getting cancelled.

Eira's POV

"Wow... Delhi is way more rushed than I imagined."

Finally, a cab arrived.

Relieved, she quickly got in and shared the hotel location. But her relief didn't last long.

Halfway through the journey, the cab suddenly slowed down and stopped on a deserted stretch of road.

The driver stepped out and checked the vehicle before turning toward her.

"There's a technical issue, madam. You'll have to book another cab."

Confused and frustrated, Eira gathered her belongings and stepped out.

The road around her felt unusually quiet.

She tried booking another ride, but the network lagged and every attempt failed.

Holding her bag tightly, she began walking along the roadside, hoping to find help or a safer area.

But then-

she noticed something.

A few drunken men walking behind her.

At first, she ignored them.

Then their footsteps grew closer.

Her heartbeat quickened.

She increased her pace without looking back.

Eira's POV

"This... this is not what I expected."

Fear crawled through her chest.

"Oh God... please help me. What do I do? There's nobody here... and my phone is dead too. I'm seriously cooked."

Their voices grew louder.

Her hands trembled.

She dared not turn around.

Just as she tried to move faster, one of the men suddenly grabbed her wrist.

Panic shot through her.

Eira pulled back immediately, struggling to free herself while calling for help, but the empty road answered with silence.

Summoning every bit of strength she had, she jerked her hand free and broke into a run.

And then-

Headlights cut through the darkness.

A black Scorpio appeared out of nowhere and slowed beside the road.

Desperate, Eira waved her hands and cried out for help.

The vehicle stopped.

Without thinking twice, she rushed toward it and climbed into the passenger seat.

Breathing heavily, she shut the door behind her.

Eira's POV

"Thank God..."

Still shaken, she turned toward the driver-

Only to find a lean, fair, strikingly handsome man sitting behind the wheel, staring at her with visible surprise and curiosity. His expression held both confusion and quiet concern, as though he hadn't expected a terrified stranger to suddenly appear in his car.

And for a brief second the world outside fell silent.