Settle the Score

                                    

                                          
[Ch. 63, 64 available on STCK]
Next update on Wattpad only after the voting target is completed unlike last time.
NOTE: This chapter has multiple flashbacks. Read carefully.
Thanks to those readers who're buying the chapters on Stck. I'm so glad that you're appreciating my work. 

TARGET🎯: 400 Votes
Author's POV
(FLASHBACK) JUST AFTER THE COUPLE RETURNED FROM LONDON
The warehouse sat on the outskirts of the city, deep within a restricted zone, hidden from prying eyes. The thousand-acre compound was heavily fortified, a place none dared to enter without explicit permission. No one crossed the threshold unless they belonged, and the vast land was littered with signs warning trespassers of severe consequences. Surveillance cameras dotted the perimeter, while armed guards patrolled tirelessly. It was a stronghold—isolated, secretive, and ominous.
As Abhimanyu stepped out of his car, the air around the warehouse was thick with the metallic stench of dried blood, mingling with the acrid scent of iron and sweat. The atmosphere itself seemed to vibrate with tension, as if the land itself knew what transpired within its walls. The chilling coldness of the place contrasted with the sweltering humidity outside, creating a strange, uneasy feeling as he moved further inside unaffected by anything.
The entrance was flanked by heavily armed marshals, men who'd been honed into weapons themselves. They were engaged in relentless practice, their grunts and the dull thuds of fists meeting flesh echoing through the corridors. Nearby, teams of soldiers—some active, others former—underwent rigorous training, their faces reflecting concentration and determination as they pushed their bodies to the limit. It was a battleground in its own, a place where lives were molded for sins. There was no mercy in their practice, no room for error.
The guards at the entrance straightened immediately upon seeing Abhimanyu approach, bowing their heads in a show of respect. With a curt nod, he acknowledged them but kept walking, with an unreadable mask on his face. The long corridor he entered was dimly lit, the darkness seeping into every corner, making the metal walls seem even more oppressive. The faint, lingering scent of copper coated his nostrils, reminding him of the many men who had bled within these walls. His footsteps echoed through the channel as he advanced. 
The deeper he went, the more sinister the atmosphere became. The shadows seemed to stretch, swallowing any sense of hope a supposedly 'normal' human being would have had before stepping into this 'hell'. The hum of generators and the distant clank of chains added to the already thick tension in the air. The dark passage stretched out like a tunnel into the abyss, its oppressive silence broken only by the occasional faint grunt or scream.
He continued walking, unbothered by the eerie surroundings, knowing exactly where he was headed. The guards stationed at each checkpoint bowed their heads as he passed, acknowledging the man who commanded their respect—and fear.
Finally, after walking what felt like a mile through the suffocating darkness, Abhimanyu reached a heavy metal door. The air here was colder. He pushed open the door, the creak of the hinges piercing the silence. Inside, a small, sequestered room awaited him, its sole occupant the man tied to thick ropes, hanging limply from the ceiling.
Suraj.
His wrists were bound, stretched above his head, while his broken ankles were similarly tied, leaving him suspended and helpless. Bruises marred his skin, and dried blood caked his face as gifted by Samrat Singh Chauhan. He lifted his head weakly as the door opened, his eyes barely able to focus on the figure now stepping into the room. The once-creepy man was now about to be reduced to a pitiful sight.