𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗼𝘀 𝗢𝗳 𝗙𝗮𝘁𝗲

ℂ𝕠𝕟𝕗𝕣𝕠𝕟𝕥𝕒𝕥𝕚𝕠𝕟

On the 15th floor of Lucas Corporation, a white room bathed in the warm rays of the setting sun. The sun's rays cast a silhouette of the person sitting in the chair, the only splash of color in an otherwise monochromatic space. Despite the vibrant hues of the individual, the silhouette remained stubbornly black.

Atulya glanced at the clock on her desk, noting that it had just struck three in the afternoon. "Ava's mehendi ceremony is at five," she thought to herself. "I should leave in an hour if I want to make it on time."

Just then, the door to her office swung open, and a member of her secretarial department entered. "Ma'am, someone is here to see you," the assistant announced, interrupting Atulya's thoughts.

With a subtle nod, Atulya granted permission for the visitor to enter. The door swung open once more, and Vidharth strode in, his eyes locking onto the woman seated comfortably in her chair. He took the vacant seat opposite her, his movements fluid and deliberate.

As soon as the door closed behind him, Atulya's expression turned inquisitive. "Why are you here?" she asked Vidharth, her tone direct and to the point.

Vidharth's response was succinct. "I did what you told me to do."

Atulya's eyes narrowed, her brow furrowing in confusion. "Wait, what?" she pressed, her voice tinged with a hint of alarm.

Vidharth averted his gaze, his eyes drifting to the side as he clicked his tongue in a subtle display of annoyance. "Yes, I told her the story you fabricated," he said, his tone laced with a hint of resentment. "Now it's your turn to hold up your end of the bargain and help me."
As Vidharth's eyes snapped back to Atulya's, a fierce intensity burned within them. An unidentifiable emotion flickered in their depths.

"Don't think you did it for me!" Atulya said, her voice laced with venom. "You did it for your parents, not me! I'm just a pawn to you, someone you want to use to get revenge for your parents' death."

She looked at Vidharth with a smirk, her eyes glinting with amusement. Vidharth's expression, however, remained serious.

"Yes, but..." he paused, his eyes narrowing slightly. "Are you sure she's just Ava, not Shubhra?"

Atulya's smirk never wavered. "Yes, I'm sure. She's just someone Jeremy picked up to play the role of Serenity's daughter, Shubhra, so he could get Serenity's shares."

Vidharth's expression turned thoughtful, and he shook his head, remembering the look on Ava's face. "I don't know, Atulya. I felt like she was genuinely unaware of everything. Is it right to play with her mind like this?"

Atulya's laughter was cold and mirthless. "Huh! What a brilliant actor she is. She always was. Why else do you think she's where she is right now?" Her eyes glinted with malice, and Vidharth's expression turned skeptical, unsure of what to believe.

Vidharth's eyes scanned the office, ensuring they were truly alone, before focusing on Atulya once more. "Aren't you afraid of someone overhearing us?" he asked, his voice low and cautious.