Born To Be His Only One

CHAPTER 6

Aarav chuckled softly, but there was no humor in his eyes. "They won’t come at you directly, Sonam. They’ll chip away at your foundations, weaken your allies, and sabotage your business. By the time they make their move, they’ll have hollowed out your empire, leaving you with nothing to stand on."

Sonam's eyes blazed with defiance. "Let them play their games. I didn’t build VASUKI and my underworld empire by luck. I’ve been fighting enemies since I could walk."

Vishakha leaned back in her chair, crossing her legs with a smirk. "And let's not forget, they’re dealing with more than just Sonam. If they come for her, they come for us all."

The unspoken threat hung in the air between the three of them. Vishakha wasn’t just Sonam’s second-in-command; she was her best friend, the other half of her lethal duo. Together, they had crushed rivals, built their mafia empire, and risen to the top. Anyone who wanted Sonam would have to go through her first.

Aarav's gaze lingered on Vishakha for a moment before turning back to Sonam. "You’re not wrong, but the Serpents are playing a long game. The fact that they’ve resurfaced now, with the resources they’ve accumulated, tells me they’ve been preparing for this for years. You can’t just rely on brute force to stop them."

Sonam leaned forward, her elbows resting on her knees, her expression steely. "Then tell me, Aarav. What’s your plan? You clearly have more insight into this than you’re letting on."

Aarav hesitated for a brief second, just long enough for Sonam to notice. She narrowed her eyes. He wasn’t telling them everything. But she didn’t press him. Not yet.

"I’ve been tracking the Black Serpents for a while," Aarav finally said, his voice low. "I have people embedded in their networks—informants, spies, people who owe me favors. I’ve been keeping tabs on their movements, but recently, things have started shifting. They’re more aggressive, more organized. Someone new has taken control, someone smart. I’m still trying to figure out who."

Vishakha raised an eyebrow. "So you're saying you have no idea who's pulling the strings?"

"Not yet," Aarav admitted, his expression darkening. "But I’m getting close. Whoever it is, they’re staying in the shadows for now, but that won’t last. Once they show their hand, we’ll know exactly where to strike."

Sonam’s gaze didn’t waver as she assessed him. "You’re asking me to trust you when you don’t have all the answers. Why should I?"

Aarav’s eyes locked with hers, intense and unwavering. "Because we need each other. The Black Serpents are playing for keeps, and if we fight them separately, they’ll pick us off one by one. But together, we’re a force they won’t see coming."

Sonam leaned back, her mind churning. There was truth in Aarav’s words, and despite her reservations, she knew the situation was dire enough that she couldn’t dismiss his offer. But aligning with him came with risks—he wasn’t just any ally. He was the King of the Italian Mafia, and trusting him fully could come back to haunt her.

Vishakha, ever the pragmatist, spoke up. "Alright. Let’s say we work together. What’s our next move?"

Aarav’s expression shifted, the faintest hint of a smile playing at the corners of his mouth. He had anticipated this question, and he was ready. "We disrupt their operations. The Black Serpents thrive on secrecy and fear. They’ve been striking from the shadows, so we drag them into the light. We hit their supply lines, expose their informants, and start tearing down the alliances they’ve been building."

Vishakha nodded, clearly warming to the idea. "Divide and conquer. I like it."

Sonam was more measured in her response. "Hitting their supply lines won’t be enough. If we start taking out their smaller operations, they’ll retreat and regroup. We need to lure them out. Force their hand."