MY AVERAGE LIFE

Part 72

As Shivani's comforting presence wrapped around him, Sharath's racing thoughts began to settle. But even as he felt her warmth and reassurance, a dark anger simmered within him, aimed entirely at Shreya. She had crossed every line imaginable, not only testing his patience but threatening to destabilize the one relationship he cherished above all others.

When Shivani's eyes softened with a mix of understanding and reassurance, he took a steadying breath. With a final squeeze of her hand, he murmured, "I'll be right back. Got something to handle."

She nodded, sensing his resolve, and he handed her a stack of files, a hint of appreciation glinting in his eyes as he watched her get right to work. Shivani was his anchor, his safe harbor, and the only person who ever saw his true self. But the rest of the world? The rest of the world would face the version of him that knew no mercy.

Turning sharply, Sharath walked out of his office and strode down the corridor, every step deliberate as he made his way to Madhav's office. His expression hardened with each step, a cold fury masking every other emotion. By the time he reached the door, he was in full command of the anger raging within him. He barely knocked before stepping inside, and Madhav, who had been focused on his laptop, looked up, immediately straightening at the sight of Sharath's expression.

"Sharath," Madhav greeted, his tone uncertain, sensing the storm coming. "What brings you here?"

Sharath's jaw tightened, his gaze cutting and unrelenting. "I want Shreya's company gone," he said, his tone icy and unyielding. "By the evening we meet."

Madhav blinked, taken aback. "Wait... gone? As in—"

"As in bankrupt, ruined, unable to function. I don't care how you do it. I want it done." Sharath's voice was as steady as it was deadly, and his eyes bore into Madhav's, allowing no room for argument.

"Sharath, that's a serious move," Madhav replied, his tone tentative but wary. "What happened?"

"Shreya happened," Sharath spat, his voice laced with a disdain he didn't bother to hide. "She walked into my office today and crossed every line she could find. Manipulation, lies... a pathetic attempt to ruin the one thing that actually matters to me. She thought she could play me, Madhav. Thought she could take advantage of me and drive Shivani away. I warned her, and she decided to ignore it."

Madhav watched him in silence for a moment, his expression growing more understanding as he pieced it together. "So... you're saying she tried to come between you and Shivani?"

"Exactly," Sharath confirmed, his voice now colder, sharper. "I warned her to stay in her lane, out of my business and out of my life. I thought she'd understand that there would be consequences, but apparently, she didn't take me seriously." His eyes narrowed. "It's time she learns what happens when someone decides to ignore me."

Madhav exhaled, glancing down at the laptop, fingers poised as if considering the gravity of the task. "If that's what you want, Sharath, I'll get started on it. By tonight, her company will be a shadow of what it was. But are you sure? This isn't something you can undo."

Sharath's expression hardened, his lips pulling into a thin, unyielding line. "I'm not in the habit of making idle threats, Madhav. I don't tolerate betrayal, especially not from someone who pretended to be a friend."

Madhav nodded, understanding the finality in Sharath's tone. "Alright. I'll make the arrangements. By the end of the day, she'll have nothing left."

"Good." Sharath's voice was filled with satisfaction, and he turned to leave, but paused at the door, throwing one last look over his shoulder. "Make sure she feels it, Madhav. Make sure she understands exactly what it means to cross me."

With that, he stepped out, his heart pounding with an intense, unforgiving resolve. Shreya had tried to destroy what he held most dear, and she would pay for it. As he returned to his office, Sharath felt a wave of calm wash over him. He wasn't a man who sought out revenge, but for Shivani—for the only person who had ever mattered—he would become the coldest, most ruthless version of himself if that was what it took to protect their future.

Madhav Pov:

As he sat at his desk, buried in the usual flow of reports and figures, a familiar chill swept through him the moment Sharath stepped into his office. He'd known Sharath for years, but this version of him—the cold, unyielding force in front of him now—was a side reserved only for the gravest of situations. He straightened up, putting aside the spreadsheets as he noted the glint in Sharath's eyes, one he'd rarely seen. This wasn't a request; it was an order that would reshape someone's world in ways they couldn't begin to imagine.

"Sharath," he greeted, trying to keep his tone neutral, but a gnawing worry crept into his voice. Sharath's words came like ice: "I want Shreya's company gone. By the evening we meet"

The simplicity, the chilling finality of it, sent a jolt through him. His instincts had already been wary the moment Sharath walked in, but now? This went beyond a simple grudge or frustration. he searched his friend's face, hoping for some trace of hesitation, some sign of softening, but found nothing. Sharath was deadly serious.

As Sharath spoke, explaining what had happened, he listened, understanding more with each word, but unable to shake the unease growing inside him. Shreya, meddling in Sharath's life, trying to come between him and Shivani? It was easy to see why Sharath felt betrayed. Shivani wasn't just important to Sharath; she was his calm, his heart, his everything. Anyone threatening that bond was bound to face Sharath's wrath, and he feared that Shreya had underestimated just how brutal Sharath could be when pushed.

Sharath's final words echoed in his mind as he left: *"Make sure she feels it, Madhav. Make sure she understands exactly what it means to cross me."*

Once the door closed, Madhav let out a shaky breath, rubbing his temples as he stared down at his laptop, the gravity of the task pressing on him. He had seen Sharath use his power to silence rivals and outmaneuver competitors, but this was different.

 Shreya wasn't just another competitor. She was a friend who had misjudged how deep Sharath's loyalty to Shivani ran. For her to try and drive a wedge between them was reckless... but Madhav still felt a twinge of pity.

*Poor Shreya,* he thought, shaking his head. She'd mistaken Sharath's patience for weakness, and now she'd learn—painfully—that his warnings were anything but empty.

But it wasn't only Shreya he felt sorry for. Madhav worried for anyone who might ever try to harm Shivani. He'd seen firsthand how she was the one person who could soften Sharath, turning his hard edges into warmth, and gentleness. With her, Sharath was almost unrecognizable—a man who cared, who showed more depth than anyone could expect.

 Yet, in that same love lay the danger. Shivani had a unique power over him, a power that, if threatened, turned him into something dangerous, an unstoppable force of retribution.

"God help anyone who ever tries to hurt that woman," he muttered under his breath, realizing the terrifying loyalty Sharath possessed. *Shivani has no idea just how fiercely she's protected.*His fingers hovered over the keyboard, preparing to make arrangements that would dismantle Shreya's company. 

As he began typing, he couldn't help but feel the weight of what lay ahead, not just for Shreya, but for anyone who dared to touch what Sharath held sacred.

To anyone else, Sharath's warnings may have seemed extreme, but Madhav knew better. There was no middle ground with Sharath, no negotiating, no compromises. When it came to Shivani, he'd seen a man who would burn the world down just to keep her safe, and anyone who didn't take that seriously was in for a rude awakening.