Abhi froze, staring at Rajeev in utter disbelief. "A monkey dance?" His voice was thick with frustration and fatigue.
"Yes," Rajeev said, his voice menacing. "Or I'll put a bullet through her head."
Abhi's blood boiled at the humiliation, and he silently vowed, When I get my hands on these guys, I'll make them pay for this. But with their faces hidden behind masks, he couldn't tell who they really were. He had no choice.
Ram, playing his part perfectly, barked, "Stop daydreaming and get moving! If you want this girl to survive, you'll do exactly as we say."
Gritting his teeth, Abhi shot a furious glare at Rajeev but began the ridiculous monkey dance, hopping around and flailing his arms. His movements were wild and uncoordinated as he tried to mimic what he thought a monkey would look like, his pride crumbling with every humiliating step.
The scene was too much for Ram, who doubled over in laughter. Rajeev, too, had to cover his mouth to keep from breaking character, while Gowthami watched in a mix of amusement and pity. As Abhi swayed, clapped, and tapped his feet, his arms flailing like a monkey clutching imaginary bananas, the whole performance was both endearing and comical. He bent from side to side, bobbing his head in time with the exaggerated movements. The absurdity of it all was almost too much to bear.
Gowthami felt a pang of sympathy for Abhi, watching him debase himself to protect her. Though the whole situation was a prank, she couldn't help but admire his determination. At the same time, she couldn't suppress the laughter bubbling up from within her at the sight of Abhi's awkward, jerky movements as he swung his arms and bent over in his goofy "monkey dance."
Ram was laughing so hard he could barely breathe, his sides aching from the effort. Even Rajeev, usually composed, had tears in his eyes from trying not to laugh out loud. The sight of Abhi, normally so composed and dignified, hopping around like a cartoonish monkey was too much to handle.
As Abhi continued his exhausted "monkey dance," Ram, ever the trickster, decided to prolong the fun. But before Abhi could even process what new humiliation they had in store for him, Ram called out, "Hold on!"
Abhi froze mid-dance, panting and wondering, What now? What more are they going to make me do?
Just then, Gowthami, who had been watching the entire scene with growing frustration and pity for Abhi, couldn't take it any longer. "Brother, stop!" she shouted. "Don't listen to their orders!"
Ram, always quick to keep up the act, turned to her with mock annoyance. "Hey you girl, trying to save your brother huh?".
But Gowthami was done with the charade. She glared at Ram, her voice steady but filled with anger. "If you don't stop this right now, I'll fight you myself."
Gowthami was very upset to learn that abhi was really trying to help her; she no longer wanted to see Ram and Rajeev make fun of abhi.
Her words cut through the playful atmosphere, and for the first time, Ram hesitated. He knew all too well that Gowthami was not just Rajeev's future wife but Rudra Uncle's best student. Rudra had been an exceptional swordsman, and while Ram had learned a thing or two from him as a kid, he had no illusions about what would happen if Gowthami decided to take him on. She'd win—quickly and decisively.
Ram stepped back, his bravado fading. "Sister-in-law, please," he muttered, his voice pleading now. His act was slipping.
It was Ram's yell that brought Abhi back. That's what Ram said in his natural voice.
Rajeev instantly caught his breath when Ram spoke in his natural voice, thinking, "Holy crap, this idiot has finally revealed it. Abhi bro will definitely recognize his voice."
And indeed, the moment Ram spoke, Abhi's face changed. He knew that voice—it was unmistakably his brother's. His eyes narrowed, and he looked more closely at the two men standing before him. Despite the masks they wore, it didn't take long for him to piece it together.
He can state unequivocally that only Rajeev and Ram were involved.
The anger that had been simmering in Abhi's chest boiled over. "Ram... Rajeev..." he growled under his breath. Without hesitation, he grabbed the large stick he'd brought with him and began advancing on them, his face a mask of fury.
Ram's heart skipped a beat. Crap, he thought, he's figured it out. In a moment of panic, he tried to salvage the situation by deepening his voice again and waving the knife. "Stay back! I'll kill her, I swear!" But it was no use—Abhi wasn't buying it anymore.
Abhi's eyes burned with rage as he marched forward, the stick gripped tightly in his hands. Ram, despite his earlier bravado, felt genuine fear now.
Seeing the situation rapidly getting out of hand, Rajeev acted fast. "Ram, we're done! We're busted!" he called out, looking nervously at Abhi's determined approach.
As he approached Gowthami, Rajeev said, "Leave now; we're trapped." Without wasting another second, Rajeev pushed Ram off the horse. In one swift movement, he mounted the horse behind Gowthami and, with a quick kick, spurred the animal forward.
"Hey!" Ram shouted in disbelief as Rajeev and Gowthami galloped away. "You can't just leave me here!"
But Rajeev, barely turning his head, shouted back, "Sorry, Ram! It was your plan, man! You're the lead actor in this mess, not us!"
Rajeev, glancing back at Abhi as he rode off with Gowthami, shouted, "I'm sorry, but this is all part of Ram's plan! He's the mastermind here, and we're not to blame!" With that, he and Gowthami vanished into the depths of the forest.
Ram was left behind, his heart racing as he saw Abhi's determined advance. He swallowed hard, his face paling under his brother's intense glare. Trying to salvage the situation, he stammered, "Come on, brother, it was just a joke... I'm your younger brother, right? Please, just leave me alone…"
But Abhi's eyes were steely and unforgiving. The playful nature of the prank had evaporated, replaced by a simmering rage that promised serious repercussions. Ram's attempt to placate his brother fell flat; the reality of Abhi's anger was undeniable. As Abhi's fury burned brightly, Ram knew that there would be consequences for his ill-conceived prank.