HER BETRAYAL HIS REVENGE

CHAPTER:24

ALOK'S POV

The dim light flickered erratically above me, casting unsettling shadows across the room. I leaned back in my chair, the leather groaning in protest as I tried to calm the seething rage within me. The room, my sanctum of power and control, now felt like a cage. The walls seemed to close in, reflecting the disarray of my thoughts.

My fists clenched as I stared at the ceiling, my mind replaying the failures of the last few days. The incompetence of my men was maddening. How could they have let a few individuals slip through their grasp? It wasn’t just about a personal vendetta anymore; it was about the blatant disrespect of their failure.

I slammed my fist onto the desk, the sharp crack of the impact reverberating through the room like a gunshot. The men present flinched visibly, but none dared to speak. They knew better than to interrupt my fury.

"I entrusted them with the simplest of tasks," I seethed, my voice low and dangerous. "Tracking a few people. How hard could that be? Clearly, they’re either grossly incompetent or conspiring against me. Either way, it’s unacceptable."

Suraj, one of my more trusted lieutenants, shifted uneasily. His eyes flickered nervously as he spoke. "Sir, we’re certain they haven’t left the state. The borders are being watched closely. If they make any move, we’ll know."

I fixed him with a cold, penetrating stare. "And if they’re hiding, plotting their next move? Are we to sit idly by and wait for them to make their move? We can’t afford to be passive."

Suraj’s gaze dropped. He knew better than to try to justify the failures of my men. "We will find them, sir. We have additional teams searching. They can't stay hidden forever."

My patience snapped. I leaned forward, eyes blazing with a fire that made even Suraj recoil. "They shouldn’t have been able to hide at all, Suraj. I want them found. No excuses. No delays. I want them brought to me—alive. Especially her."

My thoughts turned to Aparajita, the thorn in my side, the one who dared to challenge me. Her audacity was a direct affront to everything I had built. I had underestimated her, allowed her to slip through my fingers. A mistake I wouldn’t repeat.

"They’re heading to Chandarva," I murmured, piecing together fragments of the scant information we had. It was the only logical conclusion, the only place that tied together the threads of their journey. It was a trap, and they were walking straight into it.

A cruel, sinister smile crept across my lips. Let them wander into Chandarva. Let them discover the horrors that lay hidden within its cursed terrain. Their ignorance would be their downfall, and I would be there to relish every moment of their suffering.

"Increase our presence in Chandarva," I commanded, my voice icy and implacable. "Disguise our men as locals, blend them into the shadows. I want constant updates. And if you find them, do not engage. I will deal with them personally."

Suraj nodded swiftly, his face a mask of submission as he exited to carry out my orders. The others followed, their departure leaving me alone with my brooding thoughts.

Chandarva was a place steeped in darkness, its history tainted with secrets and bloodshed. Those secrets were mine to exploit, and no one—not Aparajita, not her misguided allies—would wrest them from my grasp.

I reached for the glass of whiskey on my desk, the amber liquid glinting in the low light. I took a long, deliberate sip, letting the burn settle in my throat as I stared out into the encroaching night. The game was far from over, and the next move was mine to make.

They believed they could evade me, but they were gravely mistaken. Chandarva would be their graveyard, and I would ensure they never saw the light of day again.