Veins of Vengeance (18+)

CHAPTER 8: WEB OF DECEIT

Nisha's POV

The air inside the warehouse was heavy with the smell of steel and damp concrete, a far cry from the world of luxury and power I had grown up in. But this was where the real deals were made. Not in glitzy ballrooms or fancy offices, but in the shadows, where blood and money mixed freely.

I paced around the dimly lit room, my heels clicking against the cold floor, the sound echoing through the space. Every step I took was calculated, like everything I did. The men around me—Zaid's men—watched me warily, unsure of what to make of the woman who was both their ally and, in some cases, their nightmare.

Zaid sat at the far end of the room, reclining in a chair with his feet up on the table, looking every bit the smug bastard he was. He thought he was in control. He thought he had everything planned perfectly.

He had no idea what I was capable of.

"You look like you're waiting for something," Zaid said lazily, his voice tinged with amusement as he twirled a knife between his fingers. "Or someone."

"I don't wait," I snapped, my gaze locking onto his. "I plan. And I make sure things happen."

Zaid's eyes narrowed, though his smirk remained firmly in place. "Is that so, Nisha? Because from where I'm sitting, it looks like you've got something else on your mind."

I ignored his taunt, unwilling to rise to the bait. Zaid loved to play games, but I was far better at them than he'd ever know.

The truth was, Aarav Thakur occupied too much of my mind these days. He was supposed to be mine. I had been by his side, ensuring his empire remained untouchable, but then he met her—Rhea Kapoor. Everything had changed after that. The way he looked at me, the way his focus shifted, the way his cold demeanor melted whenever she entered the picture.

It made my blood boil.

He should have been mine. But instead, he had allowed that wretched woman into his life—no, into his thoughts, his emotions. I had seen it, the way his jaw tightened whenever someone mentioned Rhea, the way his voice lowered whenever he spoke about her.

And now, he was working with her. That was the ultimate betrayal.

"You're thinking about him, aren't you?" Zaid's voice cut through my thoughts, sharp and mocking. "Aarav Thakur."

I stiffened, my hands curling into fists at my sides. I hated that Zaid could read me so easily, but I wouldn't give him the satisfaction of knowing how deep my hatred ran.

"Aarav is nothing," I said, my voice cold as ice. "He's a fool who doesn't realize how vulnerable he's become. And he'll pay for his mistakes."

Zaid laughed, a low, dark sound that sent a shiver of irritation through me. "You really think you can outmaneuver him? Aarav isn't just another thug. He's sharp. He knows how to survive."

"I know that better than you," I snapped. "But everyone has a weakness. And Rhea Kapoor is his."

Zaid raised an eyebrow, clearly intrigued. "Rhea, huh? I thought she was just another pawn in this game, but you're telling me she's the one pulling Aarav's strings?"

I smiled, a slow, wicked curve of my lips. "She doesn't even realize it yet. Aarav thinks he's in control, but he's blinded by his emotions. And that's where we strike. We'll hit them where it hurts, and when the dust settles, Aarav will be left with nothing. Just like I was."

Zaid studied me for a long moment, his smirk fading as he took in the gravity of my words. "So, what's the play, Nisha? What's the grand plan?"

I stepped closer to him, leaning down so that our faces were inches apart. "Let them come tonight. Let them think they're walking into our trap. But when the time is right, we'll turn the tables. I want Aarav to suffer before I take him down."

Zaid's lips twisted into a slow grin. "I like the way you think."

Zaid's POV

Nisha was a piece of work. Cold, calculating, and as dangerous as a viper. She had crawled her way into my operation with promises of power and revenge, and while I didn't trust her entirely, I knew better than to dismiss her.

She hated Aarav Thakur, that much was clear. And hate made people predictable. Nisha might think she was playing both sides, but I was no fool. I'd use her ambition to my advantage, but in the end, she was just another pawn in the larger game I was playing.

I leaned back in my chair, my fingers tapping idly on the armrest as I considered my next move. Aarav and Rhea were a problem, but one that could be solved with the right amount of pressure. Tonight would be the first step in dismantling their little alliance.

"They'll be here soon," I said aloud, my voice breaking the silence in the room.

Nisha nodded, her eyes gleaming with anticipation. "Everything's in place."

I grinned. "Good. Let's make sure we give them a warm welcome."

As I stood and walked toward the windows, the lights of the docks twinkling below, I couldn't help but feel the thrill of what was about to unfold. Aarav Thakur thought he was untouchable. He thought he could muscle his way through this city and keep control.

But he didn't understand what it meant to be truly ruthless. He played the game, sure, but he didn't know how to win it.

That was my edge. I wasn't afraid to burn everything to the ground if it meant coming out on top.

Tonight, the pieces would start falling into place. And when they did, Aarav would learn just how wrong he had been to think he could stand against me.

Nisha's POV

I watched Zaid closely, noting the way his excitement grew as we neared the moment of reckoning. He thought he was in control, that he was the mastermind behind this entire operation.

But he wasn't.

Zaid was useful, for now, but I had plans that extended far beyond him, far beyond even Aarav. The men in this game were so obsessed with power that they never saw the true moves being made in the shadows.

Aarav would fall. Zaid would follow. And in the end, I would be the one left standing, the true queen of this city.

I smiled to myself, the darkness in my heart growing.

Let them all believe they had the upper hand. They had no idea what was coming.

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