Veins of Vengeance (18+)

CHAPTER 1: INTO THE FIRE

Aarav's POV

Mumbai was a city built on power-those who had it, and those who craved it. From the rooftop of my empire, the lights of the sprawling metropolis blinked below, a restless ocean of chaos that I ruled with an iron fist. Every street, every alley, every corner bore my mark, a testament to the legacy I had inherited and the revenge I swore to complete.

But none of it was enough.

Not until I destroyed the woman who haunted my every thought.

Rhea Kapoor.

Her name alone ignited the fury simmering inside me. Her family had stolen everything from me, ripped apart the life I once knew. My father's betrayal, my sister's pain, my mother's untimely death-all traced back to the Kapoors.

And yet... every time I thought of Rhea, a strange, dangerous desire surged through me. It wasn't just hatred that fueled my obsession. It was something darker, something deeper-an itch that clawed at the edges of my control.

Tonight, at the gala, I would face her again. The invitation had come directly from Kabir Kapoor himself, a mockery disguised as an olive branch. He thought he could play me, thought he could lure me into his trap.

But this time, I wasn't walking in as the boy who lost everything.

I was the man who would take it all back.

As I entered the grand ballroom, the air was thick with wealth and vanity. Faces turned, whispers followed. The underworld knew who I was, and they knew not to cross me.

And then, I saw her.

Rhea Kapoor.

She stood at the far end of the room, her gaze cutting through the crowd like a blade. Her dark hair cascaded over her shoulders, her body wrapped in a dress that seemed to glow under the low lights. She exuded a confidence, a defiance that only made my blood boil. She was beautiful, yes-but she was also poison.

Her hazel eyes locked onto mine, and for a brief moment, the entire room fell away. It was just us, two enemies bound by the same chains of blood and revenge.

I hated her.

I wanted her.

And I would destroy her.

Rhea's POV

The gala was a game, a showcase of power where alliances were forged in whispers, and rivalries simmered beneath polite smiles. My father had taught me well. In this world, weakness was an invitation to be devoured, and trust was a weapon best left unused.

And then there was him-Aarav Thakur.

I spotted him the moment he walked in. Tall, imposing, his presence like a storm rolling in. The crowd parted for him, as if even they knew that Aarav was more than just a man. He was a force. His sharp jawline, his dark eyes that seemed to hold the weight of too many secrets... they were a reminder of everything I despised.

And yet... I couldn't tear my gaze away.

Aarav Thakur had been a thorn in my side since the day I could remember. Our families were locked in an endless war, one that had cost me more than I cared to admit. His father, once the king of the underworld, had nearly destroyed mine. But we'd won. We'd stripped the Thakurs of their power, driven them into the shadows. Or so we thought.

But Aarav was back. Stronger. Angrier. Deadlier.

And something about him terrified me.

Not because I feared what he could do.

But because, every time I saw him, a strange pulse of something deeper stirred in me. It wasn't fear-it was the unsettling realization that I saw myself in him. The anger, the loss, the drive for vengeance. We were two sides of the same coin, bound by the same darkness.

I hated him.

But a part of me couldn't deny that I understood him too well.

I watched as he made his way through the crowd, his gaze never leaving mine. There was something primal in the way he looked at me-like he wanted to devour me whole, destroy me for every sin my family had committed. And for reasons I couldn't explain, that look made my heart race.

I refused to look away. I wouldn't give him that satisfaction. Not tonight.

As he approached, the noise of the gala faded into the background, and it was just us. A battlefield, disguised beneath the sheen of expensive suits and champagne.

"Rhea," Aarav greeted, his voice low, dangerous.

"Aarav," I replied, my tone equally cold.

This was how it always began-civil words laced with the venom of old wounds.

"You look... different tonight," he said, his dark eyes roaming over me, the intensity in them making my skin prickle.

I kept my face neutral, refusing to give him the reaction he sought. "And you look like a man who's trying too hard."

He smirked, but there was no humor in it. "Always the sharp tongue, Rhea. I suppose some things never change."

"Like your need for revenge?" I shot back, my voice barely above a whisper, but the sting in it undeniable.

His eyes darkened, the space between us charged with tension. "Revenge is all I have left."

"And yet," I said, stepping closer, "you'll never get it. Not from me."

He was close now, too close. The air between us crackled with something I couldn't define-something dangerous, intoxicating, and far too tempting.

Aarav leaned in, his breath warm against my ear. "Every time I look at you, Rhea, I see the enemy who stole everything from me. Yet, I can't help but crave the very thing I'm meant to destroy."

His words sent a shiver down my spine, but I forced myself to stand my ground, meeting his gaze head-on. "You may be the monster my family warned me about, Aarav, but deep down, I know you're just as broken as I am. Lost in a world of vengeance."

For a moment, something flickered in his eyes, something raw and painful. But just as quickly, it was gone, replaced by the cold mask he wore so well.

"I'm not broken," he whispered, his voice laced with steel. "I'm just waiting to win."

Without another word, he turned and walked away, leaving me standing alone, my heart racing and my mind spinning.

This was the game we played. A dance of power and destruction, where one of us would have to fall.

But as I watched Aarav disappear into the crowd, a terrifying thought gripped me.

What if, in the end, we both lost?

to be continued...

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