Avinash stepped out of the elevator and walked toward the desk in his small library. Reaching under the desk, he pulled out two long, thin metal boxes attached beneath it. One of them had "24" written on it, while the other was completely plain.
Avinash opened the first box. Inside it was a key, also marked with the number 24. Next to the key was a square slot. Avinash took the wristwatch used in the lab out of his pocket and placed it inside the slot, then locked the box with the key. After that, he opened the second plain box and took out a pistol, keeping it with him.
Turning the Mona Lisa painting behind the desk, Avinash entered the hidden room where Aarav was sleeping inside the sleeping pod. He placed the box containing the watch inside Aarav's pod and then returned to the library, setting the painting back in its original position.
Holding the pistol, Avinash stepped out of the library. The moment he did, he noticed fresh bloodstains on the floor. It looked as though someone had been dragged toward the hallway.
A wave of anxiety rushed through him.
What if something has happened to Priya…?
He quickly hid behind a pillar and peeked into the hallway.
Two men stood there holding SMGs, beside a pile of bodies. The bodies belonged to the mansion's servants.
"Bang… Bang… Bang…"
From behind the pillar, Avinash fired three rounds.
Two men collapsed instantly, but the third managed to duck and take cover behind a sofa. From there, he began firing back at Avinash, forcing him to retreat behind the pillar again.
The moment the man paused to change his magazine, Avinash stepped out from behind the pillar and aimed at the sofa. The bullet tore through the sofa and struck the man in the back. He collapsed and died on the spot.
Avinash cautiously moved forward.
Just then, a voice came from the kitchen connected to the hallway, making him stop in his tracks.
"Finally, you gathered enough courage to pick up a gun, my dear brother."
"What are you doing here?" Avinash shouted, turning toward the voice.
"You're still worrying about that? You should be worrying about your wife. I'll count to five. If you don't come out by then, I'll assume you don't love your wife."
The same heavy voice echoed again from the kitchen.
"Five…"
"Four…"
"Three…"
"Alright! I'm coming! Don't hurt Priya!"
Pain and helplessness filled Avinash's heart. There was nothing he could do. Leaving the pistol behind, he raised his hands and slowly walked toward the kitchen.
There he saw Priya tied to a chair. Bruises covered her face, and blood was flowing from her nose and mouth.
Seeing her in such a condition, tears filled Avinash's eyes.
As he stepped toward her, a man standing beside Priya suddenly grabbed Avinash from behind, locking his arm around his neck.
"We were born from the same womb. The only difference between us was the time of our birth," said a man whose back was turned toward Avinash as he calmly ate something.
After a moment, he turned around.
His face was exactly like Avinash's—as if someone had simply copy-pasted it.
"Just 180 seconds… a difference of three minutes. But that small difference has placed us today at 180 degrees apart. That is what time does."
The man stood up and walked toward Avinash.
"Oh… but who knows more about time than you, Dr. Avinash? The obedient son of your parents… a brilliant scientist… the owner of Phoenix Watch Company… a successful businessman… a good husband… a good father… and who knows what else."
He smirked.
"But me? I am a genius villain."
"Happy birthday, my dear little brother."
"Where is my birthday gift?"
He signaled the other man to release Avinash and stretched out his hand.
"I came to take my watch. Where is it?"
"Alok… please don't hurt Priya," Avinash pleaded with his twin brother.
Hearing this, Alok punched Avinash hard in the face. Avinash collapsed unconscious.
After searching him, Alok found the key to the box marked '24.'
He had Avinash tied to another chair beside Priya. Then he left with his men to search the entire mansion.
"Avinash… Avinash…"
Hearing Priya's weak voice, Avinash slowly opened his eyes.
"Avinash… where is our baby?"
"He's in the secret room, Priya… and the watch is with him."
"No matter what happens, he must not find out about our child… otherwise he will kill him!" Priya said through tears.
Outside, in the library, Alok rubbed the key against the wall and shouted,
"Search everything! Not a single corner of this mansion should be left unchecked!"
The noise of destruction in the library woke Aarav, who began crying inside the secret room.
At that moment, the sleeping pod's mechanism activated automatically. A milk bottle moved toward Aarav's mouth, and he quietly began drinking it.
Back in the library, Alok faintly heard the sound of a baby crying.
"Quiet!" he shouted.
But no sound came again.
Just then, one of his men approached.
"Sir, we searched everywhere. The watch isn't here."
"The watch is in this mansion, Viraj," Alok replied coldly. "I just heard a baby crying. Go find him."
Alok then headed back toward the kitchen.
The moment he entered, Alok kicked Avinash hard in the chest, knocking him and the chair to the floor.
"Where is the watch, my brother?" he asked again.
When Avinash remained silent, Alok picked up a cloth lying nearby and wrapped it around Priya's neck.
Throwing her to the floor, he placed his foot on her throat.
"If not the easy way… then this way."
"Tell me, brother—where is the watch?"
"Alok… why are you doing this?" Avinash begged helplessly.
"Then tell me where the watch is!"
"Alright… first let Priya go. I'll bring it for you."
"You think I'm a fool? I'm not letting you leave."
Alok tightened the cloth around Priya's neck.
"Priya! Alok, don't do this! She will die, brother!"
"Die? Then let her die."
With a violent jerk, Alok pulled the cloth tighter.
A sharp crack echoed as Priya's neck snapped.
In that very moment… she died.