COFFEE & COCAINE ( The Unforgotten Bloosm)

The meeting room had grown cold. The boardroom, once filled with assertive voices and the hum of power, was now a heavy silence. Nayan's presence felt like the stillness before a storm. His sharp gaze, usually calculating, now seemed distant, consumed by thoughts that had nothing to do with the million-dollar deals that had just been discussed.

He stood by the floor-to-ceiling window, his back to the room, watching the chaotic dance of city lights below—reflecting his mind's turmoil. The soft buzz of his phone on the table was the only thing breaking the silence.

Sahil, his assistant, entered swiftly, stepping across the polished floor with the urgency of someone who carried news that would change everything.

"Sir," Sahil's voice was low, almost reverent, as he crossed the room to where Nayan stood. "It's about young master… Uttaraayan."

The mention of his younger brother's name immediately froze Nayan in place. Uttaraayan, or Uttara, was more than just family. He was the one thing Nayan had left in this unforgiving world. And now, something had happened.

Nayan turned, his cold brown eyes narrowing as he faced his assistant. "What about him?"

Sahil hesitated for a moment, his breath steady but controlled, before continuing. "The Italian syndicate—somehow they got wind of his location. The moment he was on his way back from university… it happened."

Nayan's grip tightened around the edge of the window, the glass under his palm vibrating ever so slightly, as his mind raced. His brother, a second-year medical student at the prestigious medical university, had become the target.

"They attacked him," Sahil continued, his voice lowering with every word. "Uttara wasn't expecting it. They tried to kidnap him, but… he fought back. They left him badly injured, but alive. He's in a secure medical facility right now. I've arranged for his protection, but…"

Nayan's chest tightened, his heart pounding like a drum in his ears. His younger brother, his only remaining family, was in danger. The gravity of the situation hit him like a freight train.

"Where is he?" Nayan's voice was low, the calm of his tone belying the storm brewing beneath.

"SSD Hospital. They're keeping him under close surveillance. He's heavily sedated at the moment, but the syndicate might try again," Sahil replied.

Nayan's gaze drifted back to the city below, his mind shifting between anger and the helplessness of knowing he couldn't be there for Uttara at this moment.

"Damn it," he muttered under his breath, before straightening up. His voice was sharp, cutting through the tension in the air. "Tell me everything. What happened?"

Sahil went into the details. "The moment Uttara was on his way back, the Italians found him. The mob connected to them didn't care about the collateral. They came for him. Not just to hurt him, but to take him. They know there's no one left in this world for him, except you."

Nayan closed his eyes for a moment, his fists clenching at his sides. The darkness within him stirred—this was a betrayal, a provocation. And those who dared to touch his brother had no idea what kind of storm they had just unleashed.

"Damn fools…" Nayan's voice grew quieter, colder. "What about Aagartha?"

"Aagartha?" Sahil blinked. "She was the one who treated Uttara when the syndicate's men left him half-dead. They barely managed to escape, but he trusted her. He's… he's closer to her than anyone right now."

Nayan's brow furrowed as he absorbed the information. "Her name again?"

"Aagartha Kashyap," Sahil replied, a slight tremor in his voice at the mention of her name. "She's an associate professor at the university. She's the one who kept Uttara conscious. If it weren't for her, he might have—"

Nayan's voice cut through the room like a blade. "She's the one."

His face was still, expression unreadable, but inside, everything was shifting. She was connected to his brother. To his past. To his fate.

"Call the hospital," Nayan ordered. "Tell them I'll be there immediately. Make sure Uttara's protected. No one touches him until I get there. And… take care of Aagartha."

Sahil nodded quickly, but then paused as Nayan's order sank in. "Sir, about Aagartha… She's an important connection. You're going to meet her, aren't you?"

"No," Nayan replied coldly. "I'll meet her when the time is right. For now, she doesn't need to know about Uttara. She doesn't need to know about anything."

Sahil blinked in surprise. "But… her connection to Uttara? She'll want to—"

"I said no," Nayan interrupted again, his voice firm. "She knows nothing. We need to focus on keeping my brother safe. The rest can wait."

He turned away, walking back toward the window, the cool night air slipping through the cracks of the open pane. The chaos below felt like the world spiraling out of control, yet inside, his calm was lethal. There was a growing pressure inside him—a need to act, to reclaim everything that was being taken from him.

Sahil stood silent for a moment, but then, as if reading the unspoken thoughts of his boss, he finally asked, "What about Uttara's university?"

Nayan's shoulders stiffened at the question.

"Change it," he replied, his words almost a command. "Get him out of there. The university can't protect him, and neither can Aagartha's connections. If she's involved with him, I'll handle her later. But Uttara needs to be with me. Now."

Sahil nodded, sensing the finality in his words.

Nayan turned, fixing his assistant with a hard look. "Send a team to the hospital. They'll bring him to our facility. No delays. And make sure Aagartha doesn't find out anything about this. She is not involved in this mess."

Sahil nodded again, sensing that Nayan was closing off the last of the doors between him and his own personal life. "Understood, sir. I'll take care of everything."

Nayan's expression softened for a brief moment, just before it returned to the impenetrable mask of business. "Good. Now go. I'll be waiting here."

Sahil left the room, and Nayan stood at the window, his mind replaying the details of the night. His brother, Aagartha, the Italian syndicate—everything was a tangled mess. But Nayan was used to untangling chaos. It was his specialty.

Soon, he thought to himself. Soon, everything will be back under control.

He just had to act fast.