Mere Piya

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter: Shadows of Betrayal

Dawn crept slowly over Kashish Estate, casting muted light over a landscape still cloaked in mist. Vedant stood by the window, his gaze unfocused as he sipped his coffee, replaying the events of the previous night in his mind. Aarohi had faced him with a defiance he hadn’t expected, and it unsettled him. The woman seemed unbreakable, yet there was something fragile about her that he couldn’t pinpoint. It stirred something in him, a conflict he despised yet couldn’t suppress.

Just as his thoughts started to drift, Vedant’s phone buzzed, snapping him back to reality. It was a message from his private investigator.

Message: "Met with Shivika and Jimmy last night. They’re working with Abhiman Rajvansh. Objective seems clear: Aarohi’s trust fund. They’re planning something big."

Vedant’s jaw clenched. So, Abhiman had finally come out of the shadows. He knew of the Rajvansh heir’s existence, the lost grandson of Ashok Rajvansh, but hadn’t thought him a real threat. Yet, here he was, ready to tear his world apart, with Shivika—his former lover—and Jimmy, a slippery opportunist he’d tolerated too long. They thought they could use Aarohi against him? Not a chance.

Across town, in Abhiman’s dim apartment, the mood was tense. Shivika paced the floor while Jimmy sat at the table, rolling a cigarette.

Shivika: "Are you sure this will work, Abhiman? Vedant isn’t someone to mess with. He’ll see us coming a mile away."

Abhiman smirked, flipping through a set of documents on Aarohi’s trust fund, his finger tracing each line with calculating precision.

Abhiman: "Vedant won’t expect it from Aarohi. He thinks she’s oblivious to the power she holds. That’s his mistake—and our advantage. Once we start the transfer process, he’ll be too distracted trying to keep her in check to figure out what’s really happening."

Jimmy chuckled, lighting his cigarette and exhaling a cloud of smoke.

Jimmy: "Vedant's always thought he’s invincible. This’ll be a nice change of pace for him. Maybe he’ll finally know what it’s like to be outplayed."

Shivika stopped pacing, her lips curling into a smile as she envisioned Vedant brought to his knees. Her voice dropped, low and laced with satisfaction.

Shivika: "It’s poetic, really. Aarohi, the very woman he thought he could control,would be his undoing."

Abhiman raised his glass.

Abhiman: "To vengeance, then. And to take back what’s ours."

The three clinked their glasses, sealing their alliance with a silent vow of betrayal.

Back at Kashish Estate, Aarohi moved through the quiet halls, her mind spinning with thoughts of the previous night. Vedant's words had struck her deeper than she wanted to admit, and his touch lingered in her memory like a haunting melody. She couldn’t understand why her heart betrayed her like this, why she felt drawn to a man who made it clear she was nothing but an inconvenience to him.

As she turned the corner, she was startled to see Vedant waiting by the doorway, his gaze fixed on her with an unreadable intensity.

Vedant: "We need to talk."

Aarohi raised an eyebrow, crossing her arms as she met his cold stare.

Aarohi: "About what, Vedant? Last night’s conversation was clear enough."

Vedant stepped closer, his voice low.

Vedant: "Not about us. It’s about Abhiman Rajvansh. There are things you need to know."

Aarohi froze, her eyes narrowing.

Aarohi: "Abhiman? What does he have to do with us?"

Vedant sighed, rubbing his temple as though the very thought of explaining exhausted him.

Vedant: "Your trust fund. He’s targeting it. He’s been working with Shivika and Jimmy behind our backs, and they plan to use it to bring down everything I’ve built."

Aarohi’s expression shifted from confusion to shock.

Aarohi: "I didn’t even know about this trust fund. Why didn’t you tell me?"

Vedant’s gaze softened for a moment before hardening again.

Vedant: "It wasn’t something I wanted you tangled up in. But they’re planning to make you the centre of their scheme. If they succeed, it’ll destroy everything—including you."

Aarohi’s fists clenched at her sides, the betrayal sinking in as she pieced together the web around her. Shivika, her supposed friend, plotting behind her back. Jimmy, whom she’d trusted, now aligned with her enemies.

Aarohi: "And what do you expect me to do about it?"

Vedant: "Stand with me. If we work together, we can expose them before they make their move."

For a moment, Aarohi felt a flicker of hope, a chance to reclaim her agency in a life that seemed determined to rob her of control. She hesitated, then nodded.

Aarohi: "Fine. But make no mistake, Vedant—I’m doing this for myself, not for you."

Vedant smirked, a hint of admiration in his eyes.

Vedant: "I wouldn’t expect anything less."

That night, the estate was darker than usual, the tension between Vedant and Aarohi mirroring the shadows that danced across the walls. But somewhere out there, Abhiman waited, Shivika and Jimmy by his side, each of them moving their pieces in a game where betrayal and desire were only the beginning.