NOT PROOFREAD

" From, Karan. Your very own business rival partner, a player, and your ex-best friend and finally someone who had been crushing after avni, since you know when- " mithali sniggered making neil completely, thoroughly helpless.

Hearing this neil was completely stuck. He knew, someone was looting their shares and all, but didn't know it would be Karan. His own best friend.

It was Karan, behind the mask of their rival company. Who always used the cryptic messages to aggravate neil.

Now, neil was sure, he would not leave Karan alive, ever again.

~~

Avni was being restless. Pondering over various scenarios but, just hoped that her Neil is safe and sound.

Among all of this, one thing she was sure. Mithali probably still here in the city and she wouldn't do anything to hurt Neil.

She might be obsessed over him but she still doesn't have the audacity to harm him.

Her mind was deceiving her again. Engaging her in the endless thoughts.

But her reverie got broke when she heard him call her

" Avni! Come here baby " the guy disguised as neil, whoever he is slurred.

She was disgusted.

She never thought her life would turn this way. This has to be the last time she's enduring all this. This has to be.

" Yes Neil " she tried to beam at him.

Ahh! Her acting skills are at work!

She had to make sure that, this whoever-this-person-is shouldn't disclose that Avni knows he's not her Neil.

Else, it will be bad.

Neil just snickers wickedly and grab hold of her keeping his face in the crook of her neck sending disgusting shivers all over.

She struggles out of his hold and gets out pretending to be shy.

The impersonator just chuckled and said " Why are you so hesitant avni? "

Avni just shakes her head, turns to him and give a huge smile " Why don't you go change, i will heat the food, meantime "

Avni couldn't call him neil. A stranger. He is just an imposter wanting something from them. And she wouldn't give him that chance.

" Trying to get rid of me, already? " he asked approaching her, till her back collides with his chest.

Avni was fuming with the proximity. She hated anyone who touched her from childhood. But neil, her neil had managed to change that. And, from then, he is the only person who could touch avni.

Only neil.

And being this close to a kidnapper of her neil was getting on her senses. She wanted to strangle that person.

Composing herself, turning back she saw him grinning at her.

Oh, how she would love to remove that grin off his face.

But, she has to wait. Patience was the key at the moment. Because she wanted to check his mobile for Neil's whereabouts. And, she was sure Mithali would text this guy about it.

She had to wait till he retires to his room so that avni would have the chance to go through his mobile.

Not much of a plan, but, that was the only thing she could do. She had to start somewhere.

Meanwhile, her reverie broke with a ping of mobile making both Avni and him cautious.

He chuckled lowly and looked at the mobile seeing that avni was not glancing at him and read the text.

He sighed in relief, winked at Avni and muttered " Avni, I'll go change, okay? " and left leaving his mobile on the lunger nearby.

She was not aware if it was on purpose or just a mistake. Whatever right now she has to get the address asap to find her neil.

So, she sneakily took the mobile and surprisingly it was open. There was no lock, nothing.

She just shook her head for thinking too much and opened his inbox to check the latest text.

It said " He's safe here and you can finish the job. And, We are in the place, we first met "

So, cryptic, avni thought. Pondering over where could they hide her neil she was about to turn when she felt a hard bang on the back of her head making her drown into the darkness.

~~~~

Avni's head was pounding when she regained her consciousness.

Trying to open her eyes she slowly opened them only to close again due to emerging light of the surrounding.

Groaning, she blinked profusely only to hear a chuckle from the other side of the room she was held in.

Immediately, she cautioned and flick her eyes open strongly, trying to glare at the person who did this with her blurry eyes.

" Woah, calm down tiger " a very familiar voice called out.

Turning around she faced the same face both neil and avni dreaded not to see again.

Karan.

Neil's ex-best friend. And now, his own rival.

Karan used to be goody-too shoes once upon a time. As they say, there's a strong reason behind every person turning into a psychopath, avni blames herself for it.

At least she believes she could be one of the reason. It's her usual thing to blame herself for every damn thing, though. She's that kind and would never want anyone to get hurt because of her be it knowingly or unknowingly.

" what? Confused, don't be " he smirked and urged her to see Neil's dismantled face mask sitting on the floor.

" It was so easy to fool you. Do you even love him? Don't you remember his touch or just craving for mine? " he smirked.

Oh, how she wants to wipe that bloody smirk off his face. Bloody asshole.

" Look " he grabbed Avni's chin to look at him and took out the skin from his exposed arms.

" Damn, it was hard to convince you, really " he started again.

" We should have had more time. We could spend—" he was cut down because of the low growl.

She pounced at him resulting to get back instantly. That's when she noticed her hands and legs were tied.

Crap.

How come she didn't notice it.

Avni was quiet just because she didn't want to aggravate the situation and not miss the chance of her escape.

But, he is messing with her.

The Karan once she knew was totally different.

Neil and Karan were the best of friends. Like you know friends before girls. They both practically grew up together from then they became chuddy buddies.

As usual, both buddies had gone to college and Karan instantly fell in love with a girl. Neil, being his brother and a friend he helped them to get together and the time passed on.

When they thought everything is going to alright an uneventful situation happened and the love of the Karan died.

Karan was broken was an understatement. He was shattered. He became a dead beat.

Neil's heart clenched to watch him in that state. But, they got another project in hand and started working on it.

And, in between of the work, they got to know it was a time machine. Like, we can go back in time to prevent some situations to happen.

Neil was against this. But, the deal was a deal, he couldn't back out. And, Karan also seemed to have deviated from the death and coping up. So, he continued it.

They've put All the IQ, they studied into work and with the help of the quantum physics they had been working for almost 2 years.

During the work, neil met Avni; his parents had selected a girl for arranged marriage. But, before getting married he wanted to be familiar with that person

Karan became a socially awkward person after that incident and wouldn't favor anyone to talk except for neil. And, when neil started skipping their sessions and the project he got aggravated but let that slide as he did the same when he met her loved one.

Much to their excitement, the project had completed and little touch-ups were there. But, still, they had to check it, whether it is working or not.

Karan was delighted when he heard that the project was almost ready. He just wants to go back to his love and nothing else. That was the main reason he had accepted the project without telling neil. But, he knew neil would know sooner or later. But, till then deal would be made.

Karan didn't want to lie his best friend. But, he also knew, neil would never let Karan do this if he approached neil.

And, hence the short cut.

And finally, the day had come where they successfully wrapped up the project. And, they were about to switch on it, when neil said he will not be part of it anymore.

Karan still remembers his words " Karan, i know you are hurting but, we can't undo what's done. I thought we are doing this for another purpose not to bring your love back. Sorry, I can't do this." and mumbled "Thank God, avni told this in the nick of the time " he mumbled to himself and left but not before destroying everything. Because he knew his best friend would go to any extent for his love. Even if it leads to his death. And, neil certainly can't afford it.

Karan was fuming both internally and externally. And that moment he wanted to kill someone. Especially avni, who destroyed his plan, revealing evry damn thing to neil.

And, for that, e would make sure this would be her last day too.

He went straight to Neil's apartment and found avni sitting there with a smile. She welcomed him. But, was terrified when she looked at the knife he had hiding on his back.

She tried to scream for neil. But, in vain. Neil had gone to shower at the exact moment.

Neil had come from the shower, fully dressed up and was walking to the living room when he heard muffled voices

He headed faster and saw the most disturbing scene in front of him.

Karan; his best friend is practically strangling avni. And they both were lying in the pool of blood.

Avni's blood. His Avni's blood precisely.

That moment, what neil saw was red completely. And knocked down Karan unconscious.

After this exchange Karan is not seen anywhere. He just disappeared into thin air. Avni and neil were worried for him, mostly neil. But, he wouldn't ever forget what that asshole did to his avni.

Breaking her eerie she saw the face after years. Who once had been a kind and good person had changed practically into a psychopath.

" What are you looking at? " he snickered " For your neil? He will not help you like before. Trust me " he said coming close to her.

" I am gonna kill you, right now. And no one will save you " he said and grabbed a huge knife, making Avni eyes widening in seconds.

PS: kindly ignore typos if any.

Okay, after a LOOOONGGG time. I am so sorry. I will try my best to finish this book this week. Hope you like this.

I am gonna sleep now, have to wake up veryy early. So, see ya.

Love you all my brave ravens.

Seneca