"No, I'm heading back to my residence before heading to my bedroom to have a nap," Anvika remarked, glancing at Nivik.
Nivik, standing firm, gave Daksh a suggestive look. Understanding immediately, Daksh moved quickly to the main door and shut it with a decisive click. The sound echoed through the room, amplifying the tension.
The Nivik mansion had a massive entrance door that measured five feet in width and ten feet in height with an imposing structure,towering over anyone who stood before it. Made of heavy, solid wood with intricate carvings, it was both a symbol of strength and security. It had two doors that opened in a clockwise direction and two locks to secure it: one at the center position and one at a little angle to the upper top.
Being the tallest of them all, Daksh ran straight to lock the door's higher lock when Nivik struck him. Anvika found it difficult to arrive at that.
Daksh, adding to the challenge, reached up and locked the door at the top. In normal circumstances, Anvika, with her usual agility, she would leap high to get to the lock, but at the moment, with her injured leg, she knew it was an impossible feat. She felt a surge of helplessness and anger.
When Anvika saw that Daksh had shut the door, she yelled at him, "You inept, reopen it or else I'm going to murder you."
Nivik crossed his arms, his expression resolute. "No one will open that door, Anvika. If you think you can, go ahead and try."
Anvika, still fuming, turned to Levi with a steely gaze. "Levi, open the door," she ordered, her voice leaving no room for argument.
Levi glanced nervously at Nivik, who was glaring at him with an expression that could freeze water. Caught between the two, he hesitated.
When he noticed Nivik's irate expression, he was afraid to open the door. Nivik's anger was palpable, and it made Levi's stomach churn. He felt like he was caught between two powerful forces, each pulling him in a different direction.
"Levi!" Anvika's voice cut through his thoughts, sharp and demanding. "Why are you scared of Nivik? Just open the door."
Levi's heart pounded in his chest. Looking at Nivik and Anvika, who were staring at him fiercely, Levi was unsure of what action to take. feeling the weight of their expectations pressing down on him. On one side was Anvika, her eyes pleading and insistent, and on the other was Nivik, whose silent command held a different kind of power.
Levi swallowed hard, his mind racing." Goodness gracious", he thought," I'm starting to grow petrified of these two" . He felt like he was trapped in a battle of wills between two of his closest friends, each pulling him in a different direction.
He looked back at Anvika, her eyes blazing with frustration and determination. Then he looked at Nivik, whose intense gaze communicated that he wasn't going to back down. Levi felt a bead of sweat trickle down his forehead.
"Levi!" Anvika's voice broke through his thoughts, sharper now, filled with impatience.
With a deep breath, levi finally spoke, trying to placate both of them. "Anvika, I... I think Nivik has a point. You need to rest. Please, just take it easy for now."
Anvika's face hardened, her anger palpable. "So you're scared of Nivik, huh?" she muttered, her voice dripping with disappointment. She couldn't believe Levi was siding against her.
Levi bit his lip, feeling the weight of her words. He didn't want to hurt Anvika, but he also couldn't defy Nivik in this moment. The tension in the room was almost unbearable.
"I'm stuck between a rock and a hard place", Levi thought. "Why do they have to make it so difficult?"
Anvika, sensing his inner turmoil, turned away in frustration. She felt betrayed by Levi's hesitation, by the way everyone seemed to be ganging up on her. All she wanted was a bit of control over her own life, and now even that seemed out of reach.
Nivik, seeing Anvika's distress, softened his tone. "Anvika, we're not trying to make things harder for you. We just want you to be safe. Please, trust us."
She is fully aware that Nivik would not give up. Nivik has always taken on the position of commander in their friend's crew, and she is aware that these individuals won't let her go.
Anvika clenched her jaw, trying to suppress her emotions. She knew Nivik was right, but it didn't make it any easier to accept. She sighed, feeling the fight drain out of her. "Fine," she said quietly, her voice barely above a whisper. "But I'm still not happy about it."
Nivik nodded, understanding her frustration but relieved that she was willing to stay. Levi let out a breath he didn't realize he'd been holding, grateful that the immediate tension had passed. He made a mental note to himself," Next time, I'm staying out of it".
Anvika sent him a furious glance before retiring to Nivik's room to drift off to sleep.
Nivik halted Neena as she was ready to accompany Anvika back into the room, feeling bad that her words had harmed her. "Give her some time to relax; she'll be OK eventually."
Utterly helpless Neena gave in to his brother.
Later, all of the pals got together in the hallway for a light conversation.