In Malho“How dare she?” The words tore out of me, venom burning on my tongue. My fists clenched so hard my knuckles ached. She challenged me. Me, Aarush Malhotra. She thinks she can get away with it? I’ll make her regret every damn word.
Rehaan’s voice broke through my storm. “What happened to you? Why are you so upset? Who challenged you?”
I turned, fury boiling in my chest. “She.”
He frowned, confused. “Who?”
“That… Dhriti Krishna.” The name felt bitter in my mouth.
Rehaan’s eyes widened. “What? So your meeting was with her?”
“Yes. With her.” My voice rose, harsh and uneven. “And I hate her.”
“Hate her?” he echoed, disbelieving.
“She rejected me, Rehaan. Told me she doesn’t want my investment. And then—then she had the audacity to challenge me. Said she’d launch that project without me in one month. I want to see how the hell she pulls that off.”
Rehaan sighed, shaking his head like I was a child throwing tantrums. “Why are you taking this so seriously? If she doesn’t want your investment, let her go find another.”
“No way,” I snapped. “I never accept rejection. And I never lose a challenge. She wants to play games with me? Then I’ll play. But she’s going to lose.”
He exhaled sharply, exasperated. “So what are you planning now?”
A slow grin spread across my face, sharp and cruel. “I’ll make her life hell. Break her confidence piece by piece. She’s still hiding behind that façade, hasn’t even revealed her identity. Tomorrow? The entire world will know who DK really is. By evening, her face will be everywhere. That’s my first strike.”
“Aarush,” Rehaan warned, alarm flashing in his eyes. “Don’t do something stupid because of your anger.”
But reason couldn’t reach me. My rage had already decided. Dhriti Krishna had dared to defy me, and for that, she would pay.
I didn’t go to the office after leaving Rehaan’s place. The thought of dealing with numbers, files, polite boardroom faces—it made my blood boil. Instead, I drove straight home, to the one place that could dull the edge of my temper.
The moment I stepped into the hallway, Aashu threw her arms around me. My little sister. Her warmth cut through the haze in my head for a fleeting second.
“When did you reach?” I asked, startled.
“In the afternoon,” she chirped, her smile wide.
Aryan jumped in, ever the chatterbox. “So how was your trip?”
“It was amazing,” she said softly, “but I missed you all.”
Mom glanced at us, brows lifting. “You boys are home early. What happened?”
I opened my mouth, but Aryan beat me to it. “We just thought of enjoying some family time.” His quick cover saved me, and I nodded along, forcing a smile.
Dadi clapped her hands, that mischievous twinkle lighting up her eyes. “Then what are you waiting for? Go, freshen up!”
The air smelled of home, of comfort. For a while, over evening tea, laughter filled the house. With Aashu back, it felt whole again. Almost enough to drown out the storm inside me. Almost.
But peace never lasts.
Dad’s voice cut through the warmth, stern, demanding. “What happened at AURA Group of Companies? Did you sign the deal?”
YOU ARE READING
𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐓𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐥𝐞𝐝 𝐋𝐨𝐯𝐞
Romance#1st Book in 'Tangled Series.' Revenge and Love, I was tangled between both of these. Once I loved but that love took everything from me, it destroyed me inside out. At that time, Revenge was my only hope. I decided Vengeance would be my endgame. I...
