Nandini Verma was 18 when she penned her first story, a tale of passion, betrayal, and revenge. It was a masterpiece, poised for publication. But on the night she was to share her brilliance with the world, tragedy struck. Her abusive father, a figu...
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I felt a wave of relief wash over me as I spotted her standing beside Rakshit. Nandini was safe, unharmed, and as fiery as ever. She was angry-rightly so-and I knew her fury was directed at both of us for dragging her into this world. She had every right to be. But she was right: by bringing her here, I had already entangled her in the web of my dark world. Before I could apologize or say anything to calm her down, the night took a sharp turn.
The grand chandelier, which had once illuminated the ballroom in all its glory, crashed to the floor with a deafening roar, sending shards of glass and metal flying. Panic rippled through the crowd like a shockwave, and the once festive atmosphere quickly descended into chaos. But I didn't flinch; neither did Rakshit. We were ready for this. I nodded at him, and he returned the gesture, understanding what needed to be done. He leaned toward Nandini, whispering something that made her look confused for a moment. But then, just like that, the two exchanged a quick high-five, their secret understanding something I couldn't quite grasp. I'd have to figure that out later.
The three of us descended the stairs, a united front amidst the chaos. I took the lead, Nandini on my left, Rakshit on my right. I wanted to ask Nandini what had transpired between her, Rio, and Jasper, but there was no time. We were in the middle of a warzone, and I had to stay focused. As we reached the bottom of the stairs, I surveyed the room. Fear, curiosity, and anticipation filled the air. Everyone was waiting to see what would happen next.
But there was a problem-one that gnawed at me. I couldn't afford to use my powers in front of her. She was perceptive, far too intelligent to miss the signs. If I unleashed my full strength, she'd realize who I really was: the villain of her story, Asura, the dark force lurking in the shadows. No, I couldn't let that happen. She was already furious with me, and revealing the truth about the Mafia thing ,now would only make things worse.
Suddenly, the lights went out, plunging the room into darkness. Two seconds later, they flickered back on, and I saw them-dozens of men with guns, their laser sights trained directly on me. They had surrounded the ballroom, holding the guests hostage, including the Donna's family. But I still didn't react . Instead, I glanced at Nandini, expecting to see fear or worry. But there was none. She wasn't scared. If anything, she seemed to be searching for something, her sharp eyes scanning the room with a calm intensity. She was truly something else-a living embodiment of my own dark, ruthless mindset.
The ballroom doors swung open, and a man stepped in, flanked by more armed guards. He was shorter than me, his face hidden behind a black-and-white half-smile, half-cry Joker mask. He was trying too hard to play the villain, and I couldn't help but smirk at the pathetic attempt. As he walked forward, I could sense his need to assert dominance, to claim the throne of the underworld.
He began to speak, his voice echoing through the hall. He rambled on about how he was going to take control of the Mafia, how he was going to kill me and everyone who stood in his way. As soon as he mentioned killing me, the room fell silent. Gasps echoed as everyone realized he was here to challenge me for power. Little did they know, I had already manipulated 70% of the people in this room, convincing them to act as my rivals until I gave the signal. This fool had no idea the trap he had walked into.
