章 2: Roy's Nightmare

**The present--> Roy's P.O.V**

Two days after the incident on Yula mountain,

Roy was looking at the Grasal city from top of his office building. With a knock on his door, two men entered the his office room.

"Roy, everyone is taking a break these days but you are working overtime too, so boring. It's not like Smiths the richest of Osmin, will turn poor if you don't work--" One of the men who entered spoke.

Roy only looked sharply at the newcomer and the man stopped speaking.

"Why are both of you together ?"

"Ohh!! Boss, Mr. Si happened to meet me at the lift so we both came together. I have collected information about what you asked-" Ray's assistant Shawn replied.

"Speak." as usual his cold voice.

"Boss, that night after you left, your right-hand man Nil said she wasn't at the top when he reached the cliff. Maybe she left before he reached. But still, she is nowhere to be found. No one has seen her coming down the Yula mountain. And yeah there is news saying the top of the cliff fell down due to the rainfall."

"WAIT...Who are you talking about?... Whoever she is maybe left the mountain before other people and Nil could see her." Mr. Si spoke carelessly.

"Anything more."

"No, Boss."

"Leave."

'Is my team trying to betray me? Did she leave? Will she ever forgive me?' Roy got lost in his own thoughts. He had to find out the truth.

*****

A week after the incident of Yula mountain,

In a VIP ward of SMITH's private hospital of Grasal, Roy was sitting on a sofa reading his official documents as he was trying to distract himself from whatever was happening inside the room.

The injured man from that cliff was lying on the bed. He was wide awake and a couple in the ward was feeding him to eat. None disturbed Roy but the people inside were showering affection on that injured man.

Roy walked out as he couldn't watch their affection anymore. When he was about to reach the lift the couple called him. He stopped waiting for them to reach him.

"Roy thank you. You have saved our precious one. He is just a kid, do forget whatever he did, okay."The women spoke.

"Yeah Roy, your aunt is right. He is your cousin. What is done is done, forget the past. You fulfilled the promise, you made with big sister to bring Jack back safe and alive. You are a filial child. She is lucky to have a son like you." the man praised him.

That couple was Roy's maternal uncle and aunt. The man lying on the bed was their only son Jack.

"Oh, you guys finished the pampering. Don't you dare say he is a child, he is only a year younger than me. I saved him this time but I will never if there is a next...Then, can I talk with him?" as usual his distant and cold voice.

"Sure--" both replied awkwardly.

Roy returned back to the VIP ward. Jack spoke first, "Cousin...why did you return? Did you forget anything..?" he was afraid of Roy.

Seated on the sofa crossing his leg, Roy asked, "Tell me the truth...why are those people after you? What have you done this time?" Roy knew Jack was an extravagant, lecherous, and malicious person in private. He acted sweet in front of his family and friends. He was a two-faced person.

"What are you talking about...I am a good boy. What can I do?" If Roy knew what he had done then...maybe he won't remain alive. So, Jack decided not to say anything.

"Are you sure? Someone wants your life even though you did nothing...huh. Then never let me find out about it...Otherwise--" With anger, Roy left the room.

He knew Jack had done something worst otherwise Abha wouldn't have been after his life. But what can he do when he had made a promise and the last deal with his so-called mother to keep Jack safe in any condition.

Returning back from the hospital, he returned to Smith's residence. He didn't greet anyone on his way, directly went to his own room, and closed his door. He threw the suit he was wearing on the table and without changing his clothes or being fresh, he laid down on his bed on his back. He stared towards the ceiling.

Roy was a type who would act aloof and distant. He never wanted to be committed to a serious relationship. Seeing the people around him acting love sick, dramas, break-ups, and patch-ups, he was sick and had regarded love to be a nuisance before he met Abha. More ever seeing his own parents' awkward relationship, he had promised never to fall deeply in love with anyone.

It was soon going to be his wedding with his childhood friend Serene, the daughter of the second richest of Osmin - the Lee family. Serene was a beauty, she was working as a director in Lee Corporation. She was very prideful, a bit pampered, and had a sharp tongue but had a kind heart for the people close to her.

They both were only good friends but never fell in love with each other. His good friend and Serene were in love even when they were in high school.

But when both Roy and Serene turned 18, their grandparents decided to betroth them to each other. Their family wanted the big families of Osmin to be united with a marriage pact. Roy's twin sister had married Serene's cousin and he was supposed to marry Serene.

They both were against it before but none listened. So, both thought their family will forget with the flow of time or would change their decision somehow.

That didn't become a case, so when Roy returned back to Osmin a year ago their families immediately arranged their engagement. Due to some reason, Roy couldn't cancel it…

When he was analyzing his situation he slowly fell into deep sleep unknowingly. Maybe he was tired too.

In his sleep, he had a dream. More than a dream it would be better to call it a nightmare.

In his dream, he found himself in a large maze. He walked and walked but still, he returned back to the same place. He was beginning to feel irritated and helpless.

Then his surrounding suddenly changed and he saw Abha who was wearing a long golden gown looking dazzling with a group of people. When he tried to reach her, she ignored him and walk far away till she disappeared from his sight.

The surrounding changed once again and he found himself standing in front of a mirror. There were two replicas of him and both started to question him one after other.

Replica 1: "Roy be practical and always remember you are a born Smith...act as what is necessary...you have to accept their every order...be filial to your family. You have to be vengeful and take revenge for whoever has hurt your sister and never forget the oath you made with your grandmother on her deathbed -"

Replica 2: "Roy listen to your own heart and ask yourself what you really want...If you love Abha take her away from here and live happily, stop her miseries...If you don't then directly tell her clearly, she herself will go far from you...Because of your silence, you have made her suffer. How can you be selfish? You want to see her but when she tries to be close to you, you push her far away…."

Replica 1: "Don't think such nonsense... you are only attracted to her...you both aren't meant to be for each other...more over she is family of those traitors...she isn't your future...move on by forgetting her.. she is just a passerby and an instrument to find more about those traitors--"

Replica 2: "You brought Jack back but left her alone on that cliff at midnight. What do you think she will feel...how could you leave her...you snatched her every happiness. Do you deserve her? You never loved her...you never, she was only a tool--"

"NOO...don't say that..." Roy cried out even when he woke from the dream. He was drenched in a cold sweat, his nails have made cuts on his palm and even more, he was turning emotional.

He then noticed the surrounding of his room and breathed in relief, finding what he saw was only a nightmare.