A fleet of black luxury SUVs stood frozen outside Savandi's house, their presence as chilling as a graveyard. Armed guards surrounded the perimeter, turning her quiet neighborhood into a battlefield.

The sky was choked with heavy, obsidian clouds, casting a suffocating gloom over the entire city. Savandi walked toward her home, clutching her university books to her chest, her mind filled with a thousand dreams for the future. But the moment she saw the scene before her, her world came to a shattering halt.

Father? What is happening?" she cried out, rushing inside, her breath hitching in her throat.

Her heart burned with an agonizing fire when she saw her father kneeling in the center of the living room. Standing before him was a man—tall, imposing, and exuding an aura of lethal grace. His eyes were cold, harboring a murderous hatred that made her blood run cold. It was Rajveer.

The choice is yours," Rajveer's voice thundered, vibrating through the walls. "Either the blood of every man in your family stains this floor... or you give this girl to me."

Savandi stood paralyzed. She had no idea that a mistake from her father's past would come to claim her life as a sacrifice today.

Me? Why... why me?" she whispered, her voice trembling with terror.

Rajveer stepped toward her, his piercing gaze locking onto hers. He leaned in, his face inches from hers, and whispered in a low, rasping tone that sent shivers down her spine.

You will hate me until the day you die, Savandi. But from this moment on, you belong to me. Every second of your life will be spent paying the debt for my mother's death. You leave this house as my captive bride... or you leave it as a corpse."

No! I won't come! Let me go!" Savandi screamed, her fists pounding against Rajveer's broad chest like a madwoman. She fought with every ounce of her strength to break free from his grip. "Father! Tell them to let me go! Why is this happening? What did we do wrong? Please, say something!"

She tried to lunged toward her kneeling father, but Rajveer's powerful arms clamped around her like iron shackles, pinning her against him.

Let me go! I'd rather die than go with you! You're a monster!" she sobbed, her voice breaking with desperation.

"Savandi... my child..."

Her father spoke at last, his voice fractured. He slowly lifted his head, his eyes drowning in guilt and unshed tears.

"Savandi, my daughter... don't scream. Just... let go. Go with him, my child. Go... Forgive me, my precious girl... I cannot bear to watch my whole family bedestroyed. If you don't go, they will kill us all. They will kill your brother... Please, just go..."

As those broken words left her father's lips, Savandi's arms lost their strength and fell limp. The betrayal stung worse than the abduction. The father she loved more than life itself was handing her over to this "monster" to save the rest. A wave of profound sorrow washed over her, realization sinking in that she was merely a pawn in a game of blood.

Rajveer leaned into her ear, his voice a dark murmur. "Do you understand now? Your fate was sealed long ago. Now, move!"

He grabbed her arm and dragged her out ruthlessly. As the black SUV sped away, Savandi stared out the window, her silent tears blurring the retreating image of her home. Rajveer sat beside her, silent and brooding, the fire of revenge still burning bright in his eyes as they headed toward his ancestral mansion—the place where his cold-hearted grandmother awaited her.

The luxury black SUV tore through the darkened road like a silent predator. Inside, a deathly silence hung in the air, heavy and suffocating. Although Rajveer's eyes were fixed on the road ahead, his jaw was clenched so tight that the muscles pulsed with suppressed fury. Beside him, Savandi stared out the window, her silent tears blurring the passing trees. Her father's desperate, trembling words still echoed in her ears like a haunting melody.

She felt as if the world she loved—her freedom, her hard-earned university dreams—were being crushed under the heavy rotating wheels of this very car

Crying won't help you, Savandi," Rajveer's voice sliced through the silence, cold and rasping. "Do you think your tears will melt my heart? Do you think the great Rajveer feels pity for a girl like you? No. My thirst for revenge is far more ruthless than you can imagine. From today, your life is a living hell. You are the price for your father's sins.

Savandi closed her eyes, refusing to utter a word. After nearly an hour, the car pulled up before massive iron gates. It wasn't just a house; it looked like a fortress. Armed guards stood at the entrance, their presence making Savandi feel like a prisoner being delivered to a high-security jail.

Rajveer stepped out and rounded the car, wrenching Savandi's door open with such force that she jumped in terror. "Get out!" he barked.

With trembling legs and no other choice, she stepped out. Even though the mansion was lit with expensive lamps, it felt shrouded in a gloomy, ominous aura. A group of people—Rajveer's family—were gathered at the entrance. Their eyes didn't hold a shard of sympathy; only cold hatred and disgust directed at her. Savandi felt like a fish out of water, gasping for breath in a sea of enemies.

A woman stepped forward from the crowd. It was Rajveer's aunt, Monica. Draped in a long black shawl, her eyes were as sharp and lethal as a dagger.

"Rajveer! What is this madness?" she shrieked. "Have you forgotten? How could you bring a girl from the family that sucked our blood into this sacred house?"

Rajveer grabbed Savandi's wrist, his grip like a shackle, and dragged her toward the door. "She didn't come here to claim this house, Aunt. She came here to pay back every drop of blood my mother shed. From today, she is nothing but a servant in this house."

"A servant?" Monica stepped closer, leaning into Savandi's face. "Can a Barbie doll like this even work? She probably only knows how to enjoy luxuries."

She grabbed Savandi's chin, forcing her head up. "Listen to me, girl... I can smell the filth of your family in your blood. Not a single inch of this house belongs to you. Your place is in the corner of the kitchen... or some dark room. You are our slave now."

Savandi couldn't take it anymore. She pushed Monica's hand away and stepped back, her voice trembling but firm. "I don't want to stay in this cursed house! I only came to save my father. Kill me if you want, but do not insult me like this!

Rajveer's eyes turned a dangerous shade of crimson. He lunged forward, grabbing the back of her neck and pulling her face inches from his. "Don't you dare be disobedient, Savandi! If you raise your voice again, I will have your father's corpse delivered to this doorstep by tomorrow morning. Do you understand?"

The threat acted like a cold bucket of water. Savandi's tears flowed freely as she fell silent. Rajveer dragged her down to the ground floor and threw her into a cramped, lightless room like she was trash.

"This is your life now. You wake up at 4:00 AM. You clean the entire house and prepare food for everyone. If you make even one mistake..." he whispered harshly into her ear, "...your father will pay the price."

He slammed the door and locked it from the outside. Savandi collapsed onto the floor in the pitch blackness, her sobs racking her fragile frame. As she fell, the university books she had been clutching—her only treasures—scattered across the floor.

Still holding onto these useless books?" Rajveer's voice boomed as he re-entered.

He stepped on one of the books with his heavy leather boot, crushing the pages. Savandi's heart shattered. "Do you think you're going to university while living here? From now on, there are no books for you. Only the kitchen and this dark room belong to you."

"Please... just let me keep these books," she begged, kneeling at his feet. "I'll do any work you want. These are my life!"

Rajveer let out a dark, hollow laugh. He gathered the remaining books and threw them out into the hallway. "Life? Your father took my mother's life without a shred of mercy, Savandi. So today, I kill every single one of your dreams."

He locked the door again, leaving her in total darkness. Savandi wept on the cold floor, but her hand went to her waist. Hidden beneath her dress was a small notebook he hadn't seen—her last shred of hope.

The Next Morning

At 4:00 AM, Monica's shrill voice jolted Savandi awake. "Girl! Get up! The house needs cleaning and breakfast must be ready. We have a guest coming today. One mistake, and you'll regret being born!"

Savandi entered the kitchen with shaking hands. She washed massive pots and scrubbed the floors until her back ached. While working, she saw a man enter the house—Shevin, Rajveer's best friend.

Shevin stopped in his tracks, watching the young woman kneeling on the floor, her hands covered in soap suds, sweat beading on her forehead. She looked noble, yet like a beautiful flower that was being trampled before its time.

Who is this girl? Did Raj really do this?" Shevin muttered to himself.

He stormed upstairs and threw open Rajveer's bedroom door. The room smelled of expensive cigars and aged scotch. Rajveer, thirty-seven years old and built like a mountain, stood by the window in a black shirt. His beard gave him an air of dangerous authority.

"Couldn't you even call me, you bastard?" Shevin yelled. "I expected you to meet me straight from the airport!"

Rajveer didn't even turn around. He set his glass down heavily. "Why are you here? If you're done looking, leave, Shevin. I want to be alone."

"Is that how you treat a friend? Who is that girl downstairs... that Barbie doll? Why did you bring an innocent soul into this hell?"

Rajveer turned slowly, his eyes bloodshot. "Innocent? Do you know the scent of blood behind that innocent face? She is the daughter of my mother's murderer! Her father destroyed my world. Now, I destroy hers. That is Rajveer's law!

Shevin swung his hand, landing a sharp blow across Rajveer's cheek. Rajveer's face turned, but he simply smirked. "You're still a monster, Raj. You're thirty-seven, a powerful businessman the whole country knows. Why turn your life into this misery? I can't stand watching you suffer like this anymore!"

Rajveer laughed loudly, a sound devoid of joy. "Suffer? I'm happy, Shevin! I'm the happiest man alive!"

Shevin sighed. "I know your 'happiness', Raj. I came to remind you about the new business project agreement tomorrow. You've already signed it. I'll pick you up for the office in the morning."

He paused at the door. "Raj... you always say Sharu left you. But she didn't die. She married another man and is happy. Is it right to take revenge on this innocent girl for that too?"

Rajveer lunged, grabbing Shevin by the collar. "Why did she leave? The day that girl's father killed my mother and threw me onto the streets, Sharu left me because I became a beggar! He is the root of everything!" He shoved Shevin away. "If my mother were alive, Sharu would never have left. That man loved his daughter more than his life... so making her my slave is only fair!"

Outside the door, Savandi had heard everything. Her heart felt like it was being ripped out. She hurried back downstairs, tears streaming down her face. Oh, Father... why did you do this? Am I paying for your sins?

She went back to the kitchen, but her eyes held a new, cold spark of determination. If Rajveer wants to break me, I will not break

Later, Rajveer and Shevin walked downstairs. Rajveer stopped beside her, his heavy boots echoing against the floor. "Be ready by 7:00 AM tomorrow. You're coming to the office with me."

Savandi looked up in surprise. "Why should I come to the office?"

Rajveer leaned down, his eyes boring into hers. "I need a servant to cook for my staff and clean my cabin. I thought you'd be perfect for the job. I want the whole world to see who is cleaning my shoes!"

Savandi's face flushed with anger and humiliation. She clenched her teeth. "I won't come!"

Rajveer grabbed her chin, lifting her off her feet. "You don't have a choice. Either you come with me, or by tomorrow afternoon, I tell the police exactly where your father is hiding. Understood?"

He dropped her and walked out with Shevin following. The room fell silent. Savandi touched her chin, where his finger marks were turning red on her fair skin.

"What are you staring at? Finish that pile of laundry in the corner!" Monica barked, a venomous smile on her face.

Savandi walked to the backyard without a word. As she scrubbed the clothes, she thought of tomorrow. Rajveer's luxury office... hundreds of employees... he was going to brand her a servant in front of everyone

You destroyed my books, Rajveer, but I won't let you destroy my soul," she whispered to herself, her grip tightening on the fabric.

As Rajveer spoke those words and walked away, Savandi stood there, burning with pain and rage.

"Hey girl! Go and wash those clothes over there... right now!"

Savandi said nothing. She moved with a hollow feeling in her heart, as if her soul had already left her body. Hours passed like this.

The pale moonlight fell upon the balcony of the mansion, bringing with it a deathly silence. Just an hour ago, Savandi's heart had been shredded by the harsh words of Aunt Monica and Rajveer, and it was still throbbing with agony. She sat in a corner of the balcony, hiding from Monica in the shadows.

Within seconds, she heard the sound of heavy footsteps. Rajveer... the thirty-seven-year-old majestic man stood beside her. The scent of his raw masculinity, mingled with the smell of cigar smoke, filled the air, making her chest burn even more.

"Hmph... so you're still crying," Rajveer's voice was deep and commanding, but there was a subtle shift from the lethal roughness of before.

Savandi wiped her tears. "You brought me to this hell to make me cry, didn't you? So, I am crying. You can be happy about that."

Suddenly, Rajveer grabbed her shoulder tightly and turned her towards him. His eyes were engulfed in a blazing fire. "Shut your mouth, Savandi! Did you think this Rajveer would kneel for your tears? Hmm? This is my revenge! You don't know how I cried the day your father turned my world into ashes! Only I know how my mother died the day she left me. Your wretched father killed my mother, you bastard! And Sharu... she was my girl, and she left me too!"

He pushed her away abruptly, but Savandi did not flinch. She looked at him defiantly. "You don't want to take revenge on me, Rajveer. What you want is to find that love that died inside your heart. But because you are a coward who cannot do that, you torture me. That is the truth!"

Rajveer's eyes turned blood-red. He took a step forward, gripped the back of her neck tightly, and pulled her against his chest. It wasn't an embrace; it was an act of dominance. Savandi's cheek was pressed against his rough chest.

"What did you just say? Say it again... I'm a coward? Is that it?" he whispered roughly into her ear. Savandi could feel his heartbeat racing unnaturally fast. "You don't know, Savandi... as much as I hate you, I love the disobedience in your eyes. But that love will be more agonizing for you than death."

Savandi's entire body went numb at those words. She realized that the 'love' spoken of by this man, blinded by hatred and the frenzy of revenge, was merely another death sentence. Pressed against his rough chest, she felt no comfort—only the feeling of being trapped by a beast.

"Let me go! I loathe you!" Savandi tried to break away, pounding her fists against his chest.

Rajveer's eyes darkened further. He tightened his grip on her neck, bringing her face closer to his. "Loathe? That's good, Savandi... the more you hate me, the happier I am. I will destroy your pure world with my own hands. If your father took my mother's breath, I will take your entire life in return! Remember that!"

He threw her aside roughly. Savandi hit the stone wall of the balcony and began to sob in pain. Seeing her tears, a distorted smile appeared on Rajveer's face.

"Cry! I feel a strange freedom when I see those tears. Did you think I was doing this out of love? No... this is a frenzy. A blood-feud that has been burning in my chest for years. You are just my slave, Savandi! Keep that in mind!"

He slowly approached her and wiped a tear trailing down her cheek with his rough finger. But there was a deathly chill in that touch.

"Be by the car tomorrow morning at seven. If you are even a minute late, I will call the police and tell them where your father is. I know that old man has been sick lately... he won't survive a single day inside a prison, will he?"

"You... you are a monster, Rajveer!"

Rajveer laughed loudly. "Yes, I am a monster! I know even the rhythm of your breath, Savandi. I decide everything in your world. Now go! Go to that trash room by the kitchen and cry. Starting tomorrow morning, I will prepare your new hell!"

Without a word, Savandi closed her eyes and ran downstairs. She crashed into her small room, locked the door, and fell to the floor, unable to bear the pain any longer. On the balcony above, Rajveer remained, staring at the moon, blowing smoke rings, savoring his madness.

Savandi sat in a dark corner of her tiny room, sobbing. Today, Rajveer's words had pierced her heart like lethal poison. She knew well that the tone in which he said he 'loved' her carried no affection, but a fierce obsession to keep her under his command forever.

Even though the moonlight tried to peep through the window, the room was shrouded in a morbid silence. About an hour later, the door was thrown open roughly. Rajveer stood at the entrance. The thirty-seven-year-old majestic man's eyes were still bloodshot. The scent of his masculinity mixed with cigarette smoke filled the small room.

"Get up!" Rajveer's voice was thunderous.

Savandi stood up, trembling, supporting herself against the floor. He looked at her tear-filled eyes without a shred of pity.

"Did you think I came to this room to comfort you? Hmm? Remember I told you to be by the car at seven tomorrow morning?"

"Yes."

"Hmm. Be there on time, or it will be exactly as I said."

The majestic man said this and walked away, while Savandi watched him through her tears and anger.

The next morning, by 6:30, the entire house was covered in a heavy chill. Savandi sat on the floor of her small room with her eyes closed, fearing what was to come. She was wearing an old, faded, simple dress. She didn't want to look innocent before Rajveer; she wanted to show her loathing for him.

At 7:00 a.m., she arrived at the main entrance. Rajveer was standing by the black luxury car. Dressed in a black shirt and an expensive watch, his appearance was incredibly majestic, but his eyes held the same murderous frenzy seen the night before.

"If you were even a minute late, your father would be eating his breakfast in prison today," Rajveer said roughly, opening the car door. "Get in!"

Savandi got into the car without saying a word. The car sped forward. Inside, there was a silence so heavy it was hard to breathe. Rajveer drove with one hand while checking files with the other.

After an hour's journey, the car stopped in front of Rajveer's company—a massive glass mansion in the heart of the city. As soon as the car stopped, security guards arrived and opened the door with fear and respect.

"Get out!" Rajveer commanded harshly.

Savandi stepped out with trembling hands. her simple dress was completely out of place in those luxurious surroundings. Rajveer adjusted his coat and gripped her arm tightly. As his finger marks appeared on her delicate skin, Savandi moaned in pain.

"Let me go, Rajveer... everyone is watching."

"It's good that they are watching, Savandi! That's exactly what I want!" He dragged her into the company.

As they entered, all the employees stood up and bowed. Their eyes were filled with curiosity and amazement. Who was this young woman being dragged so roughly by the CEO?

Rajveer stopped in the middle of the hall. He pushed Savandi forward. "Everyone! Listen! From today, this girl will work in my office. But remember, she is not an official. She is here only to haul trash and clean the toilets! If there is even one person who treats her with respect, you can leave this office tomorrow!"

The entire hall became as silent as a funeral. Tears rolled down Savandi's cheeks. She looked up at Rajveer with intense loathing.

"Do you think humiliating me like this will quench the fire in your heart? This is an animalistic act!" she screamed.

Rajveer took a step forward, gripped her hair from behind, and pulled her face close to his. His eyes were filled with fire. "Shut up, Savandi! Your father took my mother's breath in a way a thousand times more wretched than this. This is my revenge. I will drag you through this mud until you see death!"

"Stop that, Raj!"

It was Shevin who approached Raj.

Raj pushed her aside. "Shevin! Give her the toilet cleaning equipment and tell her to start working from the ground floor. If there is dirt in even one place, she won't get any food tonight!"

Rajveer walked proudly toward his office. As Savandi fell to the floor crying, she was left alone amidst the pity and mockery of the employees. Her heart was burning with madness and pain.

'Rajveer... one day, you will pay for every single tear I shed today!' she vowed in her heart.

The heavy silence in the corporate tower was shattered as Rajveer slammed his office door. The sound, like a thunderclap, vibrated through the expensive glass partitions and marble floors. To Savandi, it felt like the final nail in the coffin of her dignity. She remained on the cold, polished floor of the main hall, her knees bruised and her spirit broken. Around her, the corporate world continued its mechanical pace, but the air was thick with the suffocating whispers of employees. Their gazes, sharp and judgmental, stripped away her last shred of self-respect.

"Get up... child," a voice whispered, breaking through her haze of despair.

Shevin stood over her. As Rajveer's closest friend, he was the only one who dared to show a flicker of humanity in this concrete jungle. His eyes held a misplaced warmth—a stark contrast to the glacial coldness that defined Rajveer Kapoor. He extended a hand, a gesture of genuine help, but Savandi recoiled. She didn't want his pity; she didn't want anyone's touch.

With trembling, pale fingers, she gripped the floor and forced herself up. Her simple cotton dress was stained with dust and grime, a visual testament to her fall from grace. "Give me... the supplies," she said, her voice cracking like dry parchment, yet carrying a spark of defiance that even Rajveer hadn't been able to extinguish.

Shevin let out a long, weary sigh. He signaled a nearby janitor to bring the heavy cleaning bucket. "Rajveer is a storm right now, Savandi. Don't provoke him. Just follow his orders... for your sake, and for the sake of your father. One wrong move and his life is forfeit."

Savandi didn't respond. She grabbed the heavy handle of the bucket, the cold metal biting into her soft palms. The weight was physical, but the emotional burden of her father's safety was heavier. For the next several hours, the world narrowed down to the rhythm of scrubbing. She moved from the lower lobbies to the sterile corridors, her back aching, her muscles screaming in protest. Every inch of that luxury flooring felt like a mile of torture. She stared at the reflection of the dim lights on the wet floor, her eyes hollow, her mind wandering to the small home she once knew.

Suddenly, a cold shiver ran down her spine. The primal instinct of being watched took hold. She slowly lifted her tired head. There, on the upper mezzanine, leaning against the glass railing, stood Rajveer. At thirty-seven, his presence was a dark eclipse. With his arms crossed over his broad chest, he watched her every movement with a detached, clinical cruelty—like a scientist observing a dying insect in a jar.

Her hair had escaped its tie, sweat-slicked strands clinging to her flushed cheeks. She looked like a crushed sunflower, wilted under a relentless sun. As Rajveer's predatory gaze swept over her, Savandi felt an intrusive chill, as if his eyes were hands searching for her vulnerabilities. She lowered her head, hiding her tears behind a curtain of hair, and scrubbed harder.

The silence was broken by the rhythmic, heavy sound of leather shoes on the stairs. Rajveer was descending. Each step felt like a heartbeat. When he stood before her, the scent of his expensive, rugged cologne—a mix of sandalwood and cold tobacco—enveloped her, triggering a wave of nausea and fear.

"Look at me," he commanded. It wasn't a request; it was a decree. When she didn't move, he reached down, his fingers gripping her chin with bruising force, jerking her face up.

"Let... go..." she hissed through clenched teeth.

"Did you think I brought you here to play house, Savandi? Hmm?" His voice was a low, melodic growl, filled with a lethal calm. "Those eyes... they are still too proud. I've been watching you from above. You're slacking. You think you can escape the labor I've set for you?"

"I am doing what you asked, Rajveer! But I am not your slave, and you know that!"

In a flash of movement, he pinned her against the cold concrete pillar. His eyes were no longer dark; they were burning with a manic, blood-shot intensity. "You are exactly what I say you are, Savandi. To me, you are the dirt under my boots. When your father's negligence took my mother's life, she gasped for air just like you are now. She felt the same terror."

He leaned in closer, his breath hot against her ear. "Every time I see you suffer, I feel a peace I haven't known in years. No food for you tonight. You will mop this entire level again, from start to finish. If I find a single streak, a single speck of dust... your father's prison sentence starts tomorrow. And that little brother of yours? I'll make sure his life becomes a living hell."

He shoved her away with a disgusted flick of his wrist. Savandi collapsed back onto her knees, the sound of her sobbing echoing in the empty hall. Rajveer didn't look back; he walked away with his head held high, though the fire in his soul seemed to burn even hotter.

The clock struck midnight. The Kapoor mansion was a tomb of silence, but on the high balcony, Rajveer was a restless ghost. He leaned against the stone railing, the orange glow of his cigar the only light in the darkness. The smoke swirled around him, mirroring the chaotic thoughts in his head.

"Still awake, Raj?" Shevin's voice came from the shadows. Rajveer didn't flinch.

"That girl... she hasn't eaten in over twenty-four hours, Raj. Don't you think the punishment has crossed the line of sanity?" Shevin asked, standing beside him.

"Sanity died the day my mother was buried," Rajveer replied, his voice a jagged edge. "Do you think her hunger compares to the void in my life? Every tear that girl cries is a tribute to my mother's memory."

He tapped the ash off his cigar, his eyes fixed on the distant horizon. "You're lying to yourself," Shevin whispered. "You're not punishing her for your mother. You're punishing her because she's the only thing that makes you feel anything at all. You're taking revenge on your own soul, Raj."

"Enough!" Rajveer roared, turning with a sudden, violent grace. "Don't preach to me about my choices. That girl belongs to me. She is a debt I am collecting. If you value our friendship, stay out of the shadows of my vengeance."

"Brother..."

"That's not justice, brother... that's pure, unadulterated madness!"

The voice came from the doorway. Aryan stood there, draped in the moonlight. At twenty-two, he possessed the same regal stature as Rajveer, but his eyes were filled with a clarity the elder brother had lost. He wasn't cowering; he stood with a defiant strength, a plate of food held firmly in his hands.

"Aryan... I told you to stay in your room. This doesn't concern you," Rajveer warned, his voice a low vibration of threat.

Aryan stepped onto the balcony, the light catching the silver tray. "It concerns me when my brother acts like a common thug. You speak of the Kapoor name, of honor and legacy... yet you starve a girl who has done nothing to you? That isn't strength, Rajveer. It's cowardice."

"Shut your mouth!" Rajveer lunged, grabbing Aryan by the collar, his knuckles white. "You were too young to remember the blood! You didn't see our mother gasp for breath! You didn't see our father's legs crushed! Her father did that!"

"I remember the pain, Rajveer! But Savandi didn't pull that trigger. She didn't drive that car!" Aryan didn't back down; he met his brother's fury with an icy resolve. "If you want to be a monster, be one. But I won't let you kill her. I am taking this to her. Stop me if you think you're man enough."

The two brothers stood locked in a silent battle of wills. In Aryan's eyes, Rajveer saw the reflection of the person he used to be—before the hate took root. In a sudden, jerky movement, Rajveer snatched the plate from Aryan's hand.

"Stop you? You're a child playing at being a hero," Rajveer spat. He shoved Aryan aside and stormed down the stairs, his coat billowing behind him like a dark shroud.

He marched to the cramped, airless storeroom where Savandi was kept. He kicked the door open with a resounding bang. Savandi was curled on the floor, her breathing shallow, her eyes closed in a feverish sleep. Rajveer knelt beside her, the smell of his expensive tobacco and sweat filling the small space.

"Get up!" he barked, shaking her shoulder.

Savandi's eyes fluttered open, wide with terror the moment she recognized him. She tried to scramble away, her back hitting the cold wall. "Please... no more... I can't do any more..."

Rajveer grabbed her chin, his grip iron-clad, forcing her to look at his tormented face. "Did you think I'd let the debt be settled so easily? Death is too kind for you, Savandi. Aryan wanted you to have this. So, eat. Every bite you take is a reminder that your life is in my hands."

He shoved the plate toward her. A single, hot tear traced a path through the dust on her cheek. Rajveer reached out, his rough, calloused thumb catching the tear before it could fall. For a fleeting second, his touch wasn't cruel—it was almost a caress. But the moment passed as quickly as it came. He stood up, regained his cold mask, and walked out, leaving her in the dark with the food she so desperately needed.