Chapter 255: Price Of Trust

Robin’s face fell. A cold dread settled deep in his chest. He had no idea how to dig himself out of this.

Silence stretched between them.

Rohit shook his head, another wave of disappointment visible on his face.

"Silence is the worst answer you can give me. Lives are at stake in our work. If I have to guess why you talked, I’ll guess whatever suits me. And one of the people close to you might pay for it."

Robin’s blood ran cold. He knew exactly what that threat meant — and who it was aimed at. Priya.

He dropped to his knees in front of Rohit, voice cracking, almost breaking completely.

"Sorry, sir— no, Boss. It was a sincere mistake. I slipped. I swear on my life it will never happen again. If anything ever forces me, I’ll tell you first. There won’t be a second time."

His words came out frantic. He no longer cared if anyone watched or mocked him. Saving Priya mattered more than dignity. Living under Rohit had taught him one thing clearly: once this man decided on something, nothing could stop him.

Rohit looked down at him for a long moment.

"I was thinking of dropping it. But seeing how deeply you’re involved..." He let the sentence hang.

Robin tightened his grip on Rohit’s legs, tears welling up.

"Sir, please. Just one chance. Spare her. I admit the mistake. If you want, I’ll break the relationship myself — just don’t kill her."

At this point, pride was the last thing on his mind.

Just then, Rohit’s phone rang.

It was Namrata.

His entire demeanor shifted. The cold edge vanished, replaced by a more casual, friendly tone as he completely ignored the man still kneeling at his feet.

"Hey. What’s up?"

Namrata’s soft voice came through, clearly worried.

"Rohit... Seo-yeon’s bodyguard just showed up. I tried to arrange a meeting with their father for the evening, but now they’re asking me to see him immediately. Can you come?"

Rohit frowned. He was in a completely different location.

"I wish I could, but I’m tied up with something right now. By the time I get there, I’m afraid there won’t be much left to talk about."

A heavy sigh came from the other end.

"It’s okay. Not your fault. Neither of us expected them to send a bodyguard this fast to arrange the appointment."

She paused, then added carefully,

"I think it’s better if I go first and see how it goes. If there’s any misunderstanding and things get out of hand, I’ll call you. That should be fine... right?"

The last question carried a clear need for reassurance. Rohit rubbed his temple lightly, still ignoring Robin.

"Yeah. Go ahead. Just keep me updated."

Namrata sounded relieved.

"Alright. Thanks."

She ended the call.

Rohit finally looked back down at Robin and clicked his tongue.

"Stop wailing. Killing her gains me nothing. It would be far more useful if you proved your resolve... unless you actually want me to do something to her."

The words were spoken casually, but Robin gulped hard. The threat was clear, and so was the slim chance of mercy. The catch, however, was the test. But how was he supposed to prove it?

As if the universe had decided to hand him a convenient test, a middle-aged, heavy-set man suddenly sat down next to Rohit, almost pushing him aside. Rohit’s expression darkened. He disliked people invading his space, and this felt deliberate.

He spoke politely, but with clear irritation.

"Uncle, why don’t you sit on another bench? There are plenty empty ones."

The man glanced at him over his newspaper, as if doing him a favor by responding.

"You trying to teach me, kid? This is a public place. You can’t just run your little circus and expect people to stay quiet." He gave Robin a look of pure contempt. "What a day... watching a grown man crawl on his knees for some childish favor."

The remark scraped against both Rohit and Robin’s nerves, but Robin stayed silent. This wasn’t his place to speak.

Rohit had noticed the man earlier, the moment he’d sat down with his first cup of tea.

Heavy-set, around fifty, newspaper held upside-down for the last ten minutes, with three friends at the next table. They’d been watching the kneeling Robin with open amusement, and the man had been muttering about "rich brats" and "grown men crying" loud enough to be heard.

Rohit hadn’t chosen him. But he hadn’t ignored him either.

Rohit turned to Robin, voice calm and indifferent.

"If you want to prove how resolute you are... break his mouth and beat him senseless."

The middle-aged man froze, then burst out laughing.

"You think you can just beat someone in public and walk away with no consequences?" He glanced at his friends, who were already starting to stand up with slow, confident smiles.

Robin hesitated.

"But sir—"

Rohit cut him off flatly.

"If you’re worried about consequences, then leave it. Our relationship ends here. Return the leftover funds and give me the budget. I won’t punish you... but your cooperation and future with me end today."

Robin froze.

The middle-aged man continued mocking them like children. He stood up, grabbed Rohit’s collar, and raised his hand to slap him as if an elder teaching a lesson—

His wrist was suddenly caught.

Robin was already holding it. The man’s eyes widened.

"You dare—!"

He never finished the sentence.

Robin’s fist smashed into his face. The man was thrown clean off the bench and hit the ground hard.

Robin followed immediately, raining kicks and punches until all resistance stopped. He then straddled the man and kept striking until the body went completely still. The only remaining sign of life was the rhythmic rise and fall of his chest. He had been beaten completely senseless.

The entire sequence lasted less than a minute.

Everyone froze.

None of the man’s friends dared move. When Robin finally stopped, breathing heavily, and looked toward Rohit, it became crystal clear who held the real authority.

The friends slowly sat back down. Passersby looked away and kept walking, as if they had seen nothing. In an isolated place like this, no one wanted to draw the attention of the devil in front of them.

Rohit noticed a young nerd standing nearby, phone still raised and recording with a shocked expression.

He called out to him.

"Come here."

The student quickly lowered his phone and walked over, trying to look casual.

Rohit looked at him.

"Want to make some quick money?"

The student stammered.

"W-what money?"

Rohit held out his hand.

"Account QR. Quick transfer."

The student didn’t argue. He shared the code. Rohit transferred twenty thousand rupees. The boy’s face lit up with joy.

"Thank you!"

Rohit scoffed.

"Too early."

He snatched the phone and dropped it straight into a bucket of used water.

The student panicked.

"My phone!"

Rohit sneered.

"Should’ve asked for permission before recording."

Rage flashed across the boy’s face. For some reason, the phone seemed more important to him than the danger screaming at his instincts. He snarled, though hesitation still lingered in his voice.

"I-I ’ll report this. This isn’t over. I’ll call the police."

Rohit smiled, completely unbothered.

"And I’ll say you scammed me out of money. Keep shouting and I might just bribe the police and have you beaten there instead."

That shut him up completely. The rest of the onlookers suddenly found the ground very interesting.

’Cameras are only fine when I’m the one holding them,’ Rohit thought dryly.

Earlier, He’d switched off the button camera when Robin stood up. The one on his chest had saved him this morning. He wasn’t going to let it document this.

He turned to the stall owner and the watching crowd, voice even.

"You may be thinking we’re goons who beat a man in a lonely spot. Don’t mistake us. Your understanding of this is very little."

Nobody moved.

"I did it because I can. And because he started it. If he had ignored us, nothing would have happened. We don’t bother people who don’t bother us. Do the same, and we’ll all go our separate ways."

He let it sit.

It wasn’t bravado. His family name, his money, and the owners of the nearest police post were all the factors he was counting in . And he’d given the man a warning first. Whatever came of it, the man had chosen it himself.

"How much for the tea?"

The stall owner stammered, hands waving. "Free, sir! On us."

Rohit paid five thousand anyway. "For the trouble. And if you can, handle the aftermath quietly."

The owner nodded so hard his head nearly came off. He turned and barked at the friends. "Take him and get lost, if you know what’s good for you!"

They dragged the man away by his arms, grateful to leave.

Robin got to his feet and bowed deeply, voice rough. "I understand, sir. A promise I make, I keep. Even if it costs me."

Rohit studied him.

"Good," he said at last. "Remember that feeling in your hands. Next time, you’ll know what the price of trust is."

Robin nodded, unable to speak.

Rohit glanced at his watch. 2:58. The meeting window was already narrowing.

"We’re late," he said. "Let’s go."

They left the tea stall behind and walked toward the gates of the ordinance factory.

***

//A/N:

Apologies for delay so long. Was out on some unavodiable long trip.