In The Hands Of Fate

Chapter 5

Rudransh Raichand, known to the world as Rudra, walked into the dimly lit restaurant, his expression as unreadable as ever. The establishment was one of the city's most exclusive, a place where only those with power and wealth could secure a table. As he stepped inside, the staff immediately recognized him, bowing slightly as they guided him to a private booth at the back.

Rudra moved with a controlled grace, his demeanor exuding an air of authority that demanded respect without words. His thoughts, however, were a bit scattered—a rare occurrence for someone as composed as him. The encounter with the fiery woman from earlier was still fresh in his mind. No one had ever spoken to him like that, except his parents, of course. He wasn't sure whether to be irritated or intrigued.

As he approached the booth, he spotted his best friend, Raghuveer Malhotra, already seated, a glass of whiskey in hand. Veer, as everyone called him, looked up and grinned when he saw Rudra.

"Took you long enough," Veer teased, taking a sip of his drink.

Rudra slid into the seat across from him, his expression unchanging. "I had a small... distraction."

Veer raised an eyebrow, immediately curious. "A distraction? You don't get distracted, Rudra. What happened?"

Rudra leaned back in his seat, crossing his arms as he considered how much to share. "Some girl threw a tantrum because my car splashed mud on her dress. She demanded an apology."

Veer nearly choked on his drink, the amusement clear in his eyes. "Wait, you're telling me a girl yelled at you? The great Rudransh Raichand?"

Rudra shot him a dark look, but Veer was unfazed. If anything, it only made him more interested. "Come on, Rudra, you have to tell me more. Who is she?"

Rudra's gaze darkened slightly, his mind flashing back to the confrontation. "I don't know. She was just some spoiled brat who thought she could get her way by shouting. I put her in her place."

Veer couldn't help but laugh, the sound drawing a few curious glances from nearby tables. "You're telling me she's the only girl who's ever had the guts to yell at you? Besides your parents, of course."

Rudra's jaw tightened at the reminder, but he didn't respond. Instead, he reached for the glass of whiskey that had been placed in front of him, taking a long sip.

Veer leaned forward, his eyes gleaming with curiosity. "You have to admit, it's pretty impressive. I don't think anyone else would dare."

Rudra didn't reply immediately, his thoughts drifting back to the encounter. There had been something different about that girl—something that had made her stand out. But he wasn't about to admit that to Veer.

"Forget it," Rudra said, brushing off the topic. "She's not worth discussing."

Veer, however, wasn't ready to drop the subject. "Not worth discussing? Come on, Rudra. A girl like that doesn't just come out of nowhere. I bet she's someone important."

Just as Rudra was about to change the subject, his phone buzzed on the table. He glanced at the screen and saw a message from Akash, one of his most trusted men.

Veer noticed the look on Rudra's face and smirked. "Is that Akash? What's he saying?"

Rudra opened the message, his eyes narrowing as he read it. The smirk on Veer's face widened as he watched his friend's reaction.

"What is it? Did Akash find something out?" Veer prodded, his tone laced with curiosity.

Rudra looked up from his phone, his expression unreadable. "He says the girl's name is Ruhi Birla."

Veer's eyes widened slightly in recognition. "Birla? As in the Birla family? Now that's interesting. No wonder she had the guts to stand up to you."

Rudra didn't respond, his mind already working through the implications of this new information. He hadn't expected the girl to be someone of significance, but now that he knew who she was, things were different.

Veer leaned back in his seat, a mischievous grin on his face. "So, what are you going to do now? Ignore her, or are you going to have some fun with this?"

Rudra's lips curved into a small, dangerous smile. "Let's just say, I'm not one to back down from a challenge."

Veer chuckled, raising his glass in a mock toast. "This should be interesting. I can't wait to see how this plays out."

As they continued to discuss their plans, the dark aura that surrounded the two men seemed to intensify. There was something undeniably dangerous about them, a presence that commanded attention and respect. But beneath the surface, there was also a playful side—one that was now fixated on the girl who had dared to yell at Rudransh Raichand.

Little did Ruhi know, this encounter was just the beginning of a much larger game, one where the stakes were higher than she could have ever imagined.