Yesterday, 08:24 PM
Chapter 42: Appearances Can Be Deceiving
The call continued.
“Vikram… are you there…?”
Vikram’s grip on the phone tightened. “What happened? What monster? Who are you referring to as henchman?”
Mirnaa explained—voice low, almost whispering, still shaken.
“A car lost control at the hospital entrance. An old man was about to get hit. This man jumped in—pushed the old man away, took the scratches himself. Blood everywhere. I ran to help the old man… and then I saw him again later. He was beating someone in a room—kicks, punches, even pulled a knife. Threatening him. It was horrible.
I got scared… ran to security. I think he’s a henchman. Some violent thug hiding in the hospital.”
Vikram’s shoulders relaxed slightly. Not me.
Still, his throat went dry. He wanted to gently steer her thoughts away from “henchman” — to inject something safer, something that would keep her trust intact.
“How do you know he’s a henchman?” he asked, voice calm, measured. “Just because he beat someone doesn’t mean he’s a bad person.”
Mirnaa paused. “Is that so?”
“Yeah,” he said, forcing softness. “There’s a popular saying: Appearances can be deceiving. Never judge too fast. Not all henchmen are bad—sometimes situations turn them. Maybe he’s someone who takes a knife for his family.”
Mirnaa didn’t argue. She agreed to his words completely.
“Okay…” she said softly.
But her past resurfaced—she couldn’t let it go entirely.
“Maybe,” she added. “But I still hate those kinds of people. Whatever the situation may be… henchmen are the ones who killed my family. I can’t forget that.”
Vikram’s chest tightened. “I know. Just… don’t assume. Okay?”
“Okay,” she whispered.
A beat of silence. She sounded really tired.
“Anyway…” she continued, “the head nurse said I have to go to a big-shot event the day after tomorrow. As staff nurse. They’re sending people from different hospitals. We have to wear sarees, badges—no hospital names mentioned. Lots of VIPs coming.”
Vikram forced a smile into his voice. “Go ahead, darling. You’ll do great.”
“I miss you,” she said.
“Especially today. The fear and panic I got today… if you were here, I would have buried my face in your chest and slept. Missed it.”
Vikram felt peace of mind and a sense of guilt together—twisting inside him.
“I miss you too,” he replied—and meant it.
They spoke a few more minutes—small things, her day, his “meetings.” Then she said goodnight.
He ended the call.
The panic was real.
He really worried—and wished—Mirnaa should never know about his real side.
Moments later, the phone buzzed again.
Krish.
Vikram answered.
“What are you doing?” Krish asked.
Vikram exhaled. “Handling something.”
Krish’s voice hardened. “Your delay in acquisition is causing issues for Sekaran. Just one day—finish it and call me.”
Vikram stared at the ceiling. Malar was still beside him—quiet, watching.
He said, “I’ll finish it.”
He hung up.
Malar stood slowly. She gathered her clothes, dressed in silence.
Before she left, she paused at the door—dropped a small piece of paper on the table.
Her mobile number.
She looked at him once—eyes soft, conflicted—then slipped out without a word.
Vikram stared at the paper.
The room felt colder.
Next day…
Vikram was not sure why Krish was so insistent and what the trouble with Sekaran anna was. His heat and revenge had shaded his eyes. He decided to set aside his heat. With his revenge completed, he wanted to pursue the matter.
He immediately contacted local thugs through Krish’s links and proceeded with the acquisition.
He dialed Mohan and tried to check on Sekaran—to which Mohan said he was not sure and had not contacted him for a long time.
The acquisition didn’t go as he thought—delay, external forces pulling back. He updated Krish, who said Aadharsh was looking to grab it, but the giver was not ready to give it; he was causing external threats.
Vikram then decided to use his previous skill set that he used when he was with Sekaran. He caught a local investor and auditor through which he found all weak links and spied the source. By evening, the actual provider came in line. Krish was surprised—the deal was made in 8 hours since his call.
That night Krish said, “Sekaran is in danger. But to save him we need to get back his network, his men.”
Vikram was shocked.
If the men they spoke about was him (he hid it).
“And where is Sekaran actually? Is he not in USA?” he asked.
Krish said, “Family played spoilsport. They said something and took him to India. Since then we couldn’t reach them.”
krish said. To keep it simple, Aadharsh wanted to capture entire network, to get that he needs Sekaran's men, His resource, including me to his side. But the politician Aadharsh linked to is so cruel. though we do dark business, we don't do certain things , Aadharsh willing to do it, how would we join them.
Bharath the sharp young mind is his target as well. The contacts he have is unexplainable and for him people are ready to do anything, i mean in important circle.
Aadharsh is now pressuring Bharath. Bharath is disinterested to join Aadharsh. Vikram asked, “The Bharath—the cop we met at Swathi’s father’s place?”
Krish said, “Yes”
Vikram asked, “How come he?”
Krish said, “Bharath is unlikely to join, but Aadharsh is putting pressure. He offered him big. Earlier even before Swathi issue, Bharath was about to join them—it was for the way of thanking his mentor Bharath chose our side, bringing back is hectic. But he is not seeming interested in joining us or Aadharsh—so Aadharsh used an informer to make a complaint that gets him suspended.”
Vikram said, “Oh no…
Krish continued: Worst part is Bharath may have to succumb to Aadharsh if he keeps pressuring. Only way is activating the previous men of Sekaran.”
“Right now Sekaran might be under their control but he has not named them yet,” Krish said. “Vikram cried inside to save him, to save his life Sekaran is risking.”
Krish said, “He had spotted Sekaran’s whereabouts just few minutes back. He will be saved—not to worry.”
Vikram was not able to sleep until dawn. A message came from Krish.
Sekaran anna is safe.
That is when Vikram had gone to sleep.
He didn’t even attend Mirnaa’s call that night due to the heaviness.
The call continued.
“Vikram… are you there…?”
Vikram’s grip on the phone tightened. “What happened? What monster? Who are you referring to as henchman?”
Mirnaa explained—voice low, almost whispering, still shaken.
“A car lost control at the hospital entrance. An old man was about to get hit. This man jumped in—pushed the old man away, took the scratches himself. Blood everywhere. I ran to help the old man… and then I saw him again later. He was beating someone in a room—kicks, punches, even pulled a knife. Threatening him. It was horrible.
I got scared… ran to security. I think he’s a henchman. Some violent thug hiding in the hospital.”
Vikram’s shoulders relaxed slightly. Not me.
Still, his throat went dry. He wanted to gently steer her thoughts away from “henchman” — to inject something safer, something that would keep her trust intact.
“How do you know he’s a henchman?” he asked, voice calm, measured. “Just because he beat someone doesn’t mean he’s a bad person.”
Mirnaa paused. “Is that so?”
“Yeah,” he said, forcing softness. “There’s a popular saying: Appearances can be deceiving. Never judge too fast. Not all henchmen are bad—sometimes situations turn them. Maybe he’s someone who takes a knife for his family.”
Mirnaa didn’t argue. She agreed to his words completely.
“Okay…” she said softly.
But her past resurfaced—she couldn’t let it go entirely.
“Maybe,” she added. “But I still hate those kinds of people. Whatever the situation may be… henchmen are the ones who killed my family. I can’t forget that.”
Vikram’s chest tightened. “I know. Just… don’t assume. Okay?”
“Okay,” she whispered.
A beat of silence. She sounded really tired.
“Anyway…” she continued, “the head nurse said I have to go to a big-shot event the day after tomorrow. As staff nurse. They’re sending people from different hospitals. We have to wear sarees, badges—no hospital names mentioned. Lots of VIPs coming.”
Vikram forced a smile into his voice. “Go ahead, darling. You’ll do great.”
“I miss you,” she said.
“Especially today. The fear and panic I got today… if you were here, I would have buried my face in your chest and slept. Missed it.”
Vikram felt peace of mind and a sense of guilt together—twisting inside him.
“I miss you too,” he replied—and meant it.
They spoke a few more minutes—small things, her day, his “meetings.” Then she said goodnight.
He ended the call.
The panic was real.
He really worried—and wished—Mirnaa should never know about his real side.
Moments later, the phone buzzed again.
Krish.
Vikram answered.
“What are you doing?” Krish asked.
Vikram exhaled. “Handling something.”
Krish’s voice hardened. “Your delay in acquisition is causing issues for Sekaran. Just one day—finish it and call me.”
Vikram stared at the ceiling. Malar was still beside him—quiet, watching.
He said, “I’ll finish it.”
He hung up.
Malar stood slowly. She gathered her clothes, dressed in silence.
Before she left, she paused at the door—dropped a small piece of paper on the table.
Her mobile number.
She looked at him once—eyes soft, conflicted—then slipped out without a word.
Vikram stared at the paper.
The room felt colder.
Next day…
Vikram was not sure why Krish was so insistent and what the trouble with Sekaran anna was. His heat and revenge had shaded his eyes. He decided to set aside his heat. With his revenge completed, he wanted to pursue the matter.
He immediately contacted local thugs through Krish’s links and proceeded with the acquisition.
He dialed Mohan and tried to check on Sekaran—to which Mohan said he was not sure and had not contacted him for a long time.
The acquisition didn’t go as he thought—delay, external forces pulling back. He updated Krish, who said Aadharsh was looking to grab it, but the giver was not ready to give it; he was causing external threats.
Vikram then decided to use his previous skill set that he used when he was with Sekaran. He caught a local investor and auditor through which he found all weak links and spied the source. By evening, the actual provider came in line. Krish was surprised—the deal was made in 8 hours since his call.
That night Krish said, “Sekaran is in danger. But to save him we need to get back his network, his men.”
Vikram was shocked.
If the men they spoke about was him (he hid it).
“And where is Sekaran actually? Is he not in USA?” he asked.
Krish said, “Family played spoilsport. They said something and took him to India. Since then we couldn’t reach them.”
krish said. To keep it simple, Aadharsh wanted to capture entire network, to get that he needs Sekaran's men, His resource, including me to his side. But the politician Aadharsh linked to is so cruel. though we do dark business, we don't do certain things , Aadharsh willing to do it, how would we join them.
Bharath the sharp young mind is his target as well. The contacts he have is unexplainable and for him people are ready to do anything, i mean in important circle.
Aadharsh is now pressuring Bharath. Bharath is disinterested to join Aadharsh. Vikram asked, “The Bharath—the cop we met at Swathi’s father’s place?”
Krish said, “Yes”
Vikram asked, “How come he?”
Krish said, “Bharath is unlikely to join, but Aadharsh is putting pressure. He offered him big. Earlier even before Swathi issue, Bharath was about to join them—it was for the way of thanking his mentor Bharath chose our side, bringing back is hectic. But he is not seeming interested in joining us or Aadharsh—so Aadharsh used an informer to make a complaint that gets him suspended.”
Vikram said, “Oh no…
Krish continued: Worst part is Bharath may have to succumb to Aadharsh if he keeps pressuring. Only way is activating the previous men of Sekaran.”
“Right now Sekaran might be under their control but he has not named them yet,” Krish said. “Vikram cried inside to save him, to save his life Sekaran is risking.”
Krish said, “He had spotted Sekaran’s whereabouts just few minutes back. He will be saved—not to worry.”
Vikram was not able to sleep until dawn. A message came from Krish.
Sekaran anna is safe.
That is when Vikram had gone to sleep.
He didn’t even attend Mirnaa’s call that night due to the heaviness.
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