Leaving Mr. Arman's club, Ariyan felt as though he was returning after winning a monumental war. The satisfaction of victory was written all over his face. He quickly got into his car; his heart yearned to go to Tuli right away, wrap her in a hug, and say—"We did it, Tuli, victory is ours."
As Ariyan's car sped along the city flyover, he suddenly noticed two black jeeps chasing his car from behind. Ariyan increased his speed, but the jeeps tried to surround him. Ariyan realized that Mr. Arman had not accepted his defeat easily; he had now become desperate.
On the other hand, sitting in the office, Tuli's mind was repeatedly filled with a sense of foreboding. She was calling Ariyan over and over, but since Ariyan's phone was left to charge in the car, he could not receive it. Becoming anxious, Tuli went out with her own car in search of Ariyan. She knew which route Ariyan would take to return.
Arriving at the far end of the flyover, one of the jeeps forcefully rammed into Ariyan's car. Losing control, Ariyan's car crashed against the divider and came to a halt. Three men got down from the jeep with weapons in their hands. Their target was crystal clear—to eliminate Ariyan forever.
Right at that moment, Tuli's car arrived at the scene. Seeing the sight, Tuli's blood ran cold. Ariyan was still inside the car, unconscious. As one of the assassins aimed a gun at Ariyan, Tuli screamed and scrambled out of her car.
"Stop! Don't you dare step toward him!" Tuli ran and stood as a shield in front of Ariyan's car.
The assassin frowned and said, "Step aside, Ma'am. Mr. Arman's strict order is that today is this boy's final day."
"My father's order?" Sparks of fire flew from Tuli's eyes. "If his death is written by my father's bullets, then those bullets will have to pierce my chest first. Let's see how much courage you have!"
The assassins did not back down. One of them pulled the gun's trigger. 'Ta-ta-ta'—the silent night shook with the sound of three gunshots. But not a single bullet hit Ariyan. Tuli collapsed against the glass of Ariyan's car window. In an instant, her white saree was drenched in bright, crimson blood.
At the sound of the gunshots, Ariyan regained consciousness. He saw Tuli sliding down his windshield, covered in blood. Terrified upon seeing Tuli covered in blood, the assassins quickly fled in their jeep. Swaying unsteadily, Ariyan got out of the car and gathered Tuli up in his arms.
"Tuli! Tuli! Open your eyes! Why did you do this?" Ariyan's cries faded into the night air.
With great difficulty, Tuli opened her eyes and looked. There was blood at the corner of her lips, but a smile of strange serenity played on her face. With trembling hands, she tried to pull out that old blue note from Ariyan's pocket.
"Ariyan Bhaiya... didn't I tell you... I won't let your blue note's Ariyan die... Today, all debts are repaid..." Tuli's words were slurring together.
"Nothing will happen to you, Tuli! I won't let it happen!" Ariyan held her tightly and lifted her into the car. His expensive suit was now soaked in Tuli's blood. Today, Ariyan realized that this success, this power—everything was worthless if Tuli was not by his side.
On the way to the hospital, Ariyan kept repeating just one thing, "Stay awake, Tuli, we still have to go back to the shade of that Bokul tree."
When the red light of the operation theater turned on, Ariyan sank to the corridor floor, resting his head against the wall. Tuli's blood was on both of his hands. Right then, Mr. Arman arrived there. The arrogance of aristocracy was still on his face, but an unknown terror lurked in his eyes.
Ariyan stood up. There was a demonic look in his eyes now. He grabbed Mr. Arman by his collar. "Your stubbornness ruined your own daughter today, Mr. Arman! If anything happens to Tuli, remember—this Ariyan will burn your entire empire to ashes with his own hands."
Mr. Arman remained standing like a stone. Had he ever thought that the poisonous tree he had planted himself would one day bite his own heart?