Episode 5: A Dangerous Feeling

King of Shadows..

The next morning, V woke up with something unusual on his mind.

Not a business deal.

Not an enemy attack.

Not a shipment.

Riya.

The thought alone irritated him.

He was the King of Shadows. A man feared by thousands. He had built an empire with his own hands.

Yet somehow, one girl had become the first thing he thought about every morning.

V sat in his office, staring at documents spread across his desk.

"Boss?"

Arjun's voice broke his thoughts.

"What?"

"You've been looking at the same page for ten minutes."

V glanced down.

Arjun was right.

He hadn't read a single word.

"Is there a problem?" Arjun asked carefully.

"No."

The answer came too quickly.

Arjun smirked.

"Her name starts with R, doesn't it?"

V's cold stare could have frozen fire.

"Leave."

Arjun immediately stood.

"Understood, Boss."

But before leaving, he couldn't resist.

"I've never seen you like this."

The door closed.

For the first time in years, V felt embarrassed.

---

That evening, he arrived at the bookstore as usual.

The moment Riya saw him, her face brightened.

"You came."

V tried to hide his smile.

"I said I would."

"That's true."

She handed him a cup.

"Coffee?"

V looked surprised.

"You bought this for me?"

"No."

His eyebrow lifted.

Riya laughed.

"I made it."

Taking a sip, V was silent for a moment.

"Well?"

"It's terrible."

Riya's mouth fell open.

"Excuse me?"

V couldn't stop the small smile appearing on his face.

Then Riya realized he was teasing her.

"You scared me!"

For several minutes, laughter filled the bookstore.

Something neither of them wanted to end.

---

Hours later, as they arranged books together, Riya suddenly asked,

"Can I ask you something?"

V nodded.

"What do you actually do?"

The question caught him off guard.

For a second, he froze.

He couldn't tell her the truth.

That he controlled the city's criminal empire.

That people disappeared at his command.

That blood stained his hands.

"Business," he answered.

Riya narrowed her eyes.

"That's a very mysterious answer."

V looked away.

"It's complicated."

She studied him for a moment.

Then smiled.

"Okay."

"You're not curious?"

"I am."

"Then why stop asking?"

Riya's answer surprised him.

"Because you'll tell me when you're ready."

Those simple words hit him deeply.

Trust.

She trusted him without knowing his secrets.

And that made him feel guilty.

---

Across the city, Raghav sat inside his penthouse reviewing reports.

One of his men entered.

"Boss."

"What is it?"

"We've confirmed it."

Raghav looked up.

"The girl means everything to him."

A cruel smile appeared on his face.

"Excellent."

His fingers tapped the table slowly.

"For years, I've searched for a way to destroy V."

The room became silent.

"And now I've found it."

The man hesitated.

"What are your orders?"

Raghav stood and walked toward the window.

Looking out over the city, he whispered,

"Keep watching her."

His smile darkened.

"When the time comes..."

"We'll take away the thing he loves most."

---

That same night, V drove home after leaving Riya's bookstore.

For once, the city didn't seem dark.

The streets didn't seem cold.

Everything felt lighter.

Because every day with Riya made him forget who he was.

Forget the violence.

Forget the bloodshed.

Forget the shadows.

But fate was already moving against them.

And neither V nor Riya knew that danger was drawing closer with every passing day.

To Be Continued... 🖤👑❤️

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