LIGHTS, LOVE AND WAR

Two Lions In Two Kingdoms

Chapter 1: Two Lions in Two Kingdoms

---

Mumbai's scorching sun beat down on the bustling streets below, but the chaos of the city seemed distant from the top floor of Aryan Kapoor's sleek penthouse.

Aryan stood shirtless, staring into the mirror as his stylist fixed the final touches to his hair. A smirk curled on his lips. The look was perfect-carefully tousled like he'd just rolled out of bed, though it had taken an hour to perfect.

Raj, his agent, scrolled through his phone and sighed, "Aryan, you're trending again."

"Let me guess," Aryan said, rolling his eyes. "Another tantrum?"

"Bingo. Apparently, you yelled at the costume designer. Something about the wrong shade of black."

Aryan chuckled, unbothered. "If I have to wear it for twelve hours, it better be the right black. That's not too much to ask."

Raj shook his head. "You do realize they're calling you Bollywood's biggest diva, right? This isn't good for your image."

Aryan leaned back into his leather chair, grabbing an espresso from the tray. "My image? My films make money, Raj. That's all that matters."

And it was true. Aryan Kapoor's movies never missed. Whether it was an emotional romantic drama or a high-octane action thriller, Aryan was box-office gold. Directors tolerated his outbursts because the results spoke for themselves. He wasn't just a star-he was the star.

But beyond the screen, Aryan's arrogance was legendary. He didn't do small talk. He didn't waste time with people who didn't meet his impossible standards. Perfection was his religion, and anyone who couldn't keep up was left in the dust.

---

Thousands of miles away, on the other side of the world, Selena Reed stood in front of her Hollywood mansion's infinity pool. A cocktail in one hand, phone in the other, she scrolled through the latest gossip article about herself.

"Hollywood's Ice Queen Freezes Out Co-Star-Again."

She snorted. "These reporters are so predictable."

Her publicist, Clara, looked over her shoulder and groaned. "Selena, you need to stop giving them ammo. The studio's getting nervous."

Selena arched an eyebrow, her voice cool. "Let them be nervous. The minute I stop being talked about is the minute I become irrelevant."

She tossed her phone onto a sun lounger and turned toward Clara. "What did I do this time?"

"Apparently, you made your last director cry. Something about him being incompetent."

"HE, was incompetent," Selena said with a shrug. "I don't apologize for being honest."

Selena had built her career on more than just good looks and blockbuster hits. She was brilliant, unpredictable, and unapologetically blunt. Directors feared her sharp tongue, but the studios loved her. Every film she touched turned into gold. She was a lioness in Hollywood-a predator in an industry full of prey.

Her publicist sighed, rubbing her temples. "You know, Selena, you don't have to fight everyone. It wouldn't kill you to play nice."

"Nice is boring," Selena said, draining her cocktail. "And boring doesn't sell tickets."

---

Back in Mumbai, Aryan Kapoor made his way to his private gym, throwing on a loose tank top. As he started his workout, the television in the background blared entertainment news.

"Another day, another scandal for Bollywood's bad boy. Aryan Kapoor reportedly stormed off set, delaying production by two hours."

Aryan snorted. The media loved to paint him as difficult. But he didn't care. If being the best meant being hated, so be it. He had no interest in making friends.

Raj entered, holding out a towel. "You've got the press junket tomorrow. Please try not to insult anyone this time."

"No promises." Aryan chuckled as he continued his workout.

---

Meanwhile, Selena was also making headlines across the globe.

"Selena Reed Walks Out of Interview, Citing 'Stupid Questions.' Is Hollywood's Queen Too Difficult to Handle?"

The gossip channels were relentless. Every slip-up, every sarcastic comment, every cold glance-everything Selena did was front-page news. But Selena had mastered the art of turning controversy into currency.

"You know, Selena," Clara said as she scrolled through Twitter, "you have the same problem Aryan Kapoor has."

Selena raised an eyebrow. "And what problem is that?"

"Neither of you knows how to work with people who are just as good as you."

Selena laughed, a sharp, knowing sound. "Why would I waste time on people who can't keep up?"

---

Despite living on opposite ends of the world, Aryan and Selena had more in common than they would ever admit. Both were at the top of their game, dominating their respective industries with an iron grip.

But with success came scrutiny. Every move they made, every word they spoke, was dissected by the media.

And both Aryan and Selena had developed a coping mechanism they hated working with people as accomplished as themselves. Aryan saw them as competition; Selena saw them as a threat.

The media ate it up. Gossip about their tempers, their tantrums, and their difficult behavior filled tabloids on both sides of the globe. But the public couldn't get enough of them.

---

One morning, Aryan scrolled through his phone while waiting for his car. An article caught his attention:

"Hollywood's Selena Reed Refuses to Work with Co-Star: Too Much Drama on Set?"

He smirked, amused. "She sounds like a handful."

Raj, standing beside him, chuckled. "You two would get along."

Aryan rolled his eyes. "Doubt it. I don't work well with prima donnas."

Meanwhile, in Los Angeles, Selena was scrolling through her own set of news updates. She stopped at a headline about Aryan Kapoor.

"Bollywood's Heartthrob Throws Another Fit-Is He Too Arrogant for His Own Good?"

Selena smirked. "Sounds like someone I'd hate."

Clara, standing nearby, grinned. "You two are like mirror images. Lions from different jungles."

Selena drained her coffee and shrugged. "Good thing we'll never have to meet."

---

But the entertainment industry was a small world.And it had a way of throwing unlikely people together.

For now, Aryan Kapoor and Selena Reed ruled their kingdoms separately. But fate had a different plan.

Two lions from two different jungles, each convinced they were the only one who mattered. Neither knowing that soon, their paths would collide-and when they did, the world wouldn't know what hit it.