Read the chapter with the above song for a better experience.
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The sun barely peeked over the horizon when a sleek black Rolls-Royce rolled to a stop outside the towering Rai Elites,headquarters. The building itself was a masterpiece of modern architecture, with its reflective glass panels shimmering in the early light.
As the car door opened, the world seemed to hold its breath. A figure emerged with an aura so commanding it could silence a storm. Ishita Rai, the CEO of Rai Elites stepped out, her stilettos clicking sharply against the marble floor. Dressed in an impeccably tailored black suit, her hair tied in a sleek ponytail,and a sunglass, she exuded power and precision.

The staff inside scrambled to their feet, bowing their heads slightly as she walked past. Conversations halted, the sound of papers shuffling and keyboards clicking ceased. Ishita didn't glance at anyone; her gaze was locked straight ahead, her posture radiating authority.
The head receptionist quickly followed her with a clipboard, her voice slightly trembling.
"Ma'am, the client has arrived for the meeting. Everything is ready as per your instructions."
Ishita gave a curt nod, her sharp eyes like molten steel. "Good. I don't tolerate inefficiency. Make sure there are no interruptions."
Her stride was unbroken as she headed toward the conference room.
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Inside the meeting room, the atmosphere was thick with anticipation. The team from the client company waited nervously, their boss seated at the table's opposite end. The tension only escalated when Ishita walked in.
Her heels clicked against the marble floor with a rhythm that seemed to resonate authority. She stopped briefly, scanning the room with a gaze so piercing that even the air seemed to stiffen.
Without a word, she took the seat at the head of the table, crossing her legs elegantly. Her presence alone demanded respect. "Begin," she said in a tone that left no room for hesitation.
The client's employee stood visibly nervous and began the presentation. Charts, numbers and terms flashed across the screen. Ishita's face remained unreadable, her hands clasped as her sharp eyes followed every word, every slide.
But halfway through the presentation, her eyes flicked to the client sitting opposite her. His hand was inching toward her PA, a young woman standing beside him, nervously explaining a key clause in the contract. His intentions were clearly seen through his smirk.
Ishita's blood boiled. Her eyes darkened with fury, her body stiffened. She stood without warning, her movements sharp and decisive. Grabbing the glass bottle of water from the table, she strode toward the man with the grace of a predator.
The room fell silent, everyone holding their breath.
Before he could react, Ishita grabbed the back of his chair with a deadly grip and spun it around with such force that it slammed against the desk, making the man lurch forward. Her eyes burned with cold fury as she lifted the bottle high, her movements deliberate yet terrifyingly swift.
With a bone-crushing force, she brought the bottle down, shattering it on his groin. A loud crack echoed through the room, followed by a guttural scream of pain as blood trickled down. The man fell to his knees, his face contorted in agony and humiliation.
Ishita's voice cut through the room like a blade, low and venomous.
"Himmat toh bohot hai tumme jo ye sab mere saamne kar rahe ho, Lagta hai ab tumhe tumhari aukat dikhani padegi."
("You sure have a lot of guts to do all this in front of me. Looks like I'll have to show you your place now.")
She turned to her team, her voice calm but laced with authority. "This deal is canceled. I don't work with filth."
Without sparing the man another glance, Ishita stormed out, her heels clicking against the floor, leaving behind a room filled with stunned silence.
After Ishita enters her cabin, her anger still burning, she calls her trusted men with a chilling tone
"I need the client's company to go bankrupt and file harassment cases. And I'm sure there's no need to create new ones, just dig into his history, you'll find everything you need."
For Ishita, the world was black and white there was no tolerance for disrespect, no room for compromise on dignity.
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It was almost 11 at night. Ayaan was waiting for Ishita's so he could prepare dinner for her. He sat on the couch with Aanya curled up in his lap, hugging his arm as she drifted off to sleep. She had said she would wait for Ishita too, but slowly as time passed aanya succumbed to her drowsiness. Ayaan trying to stay awake, felt his eyelids growing heavier with time.

It was late, and the weight of the day hung heavily on my shoulders as I stepped into the quiet living room. The soft glow of the lamp illuminated the scene in front of me, and I froze.
Aanya so tiny, so fragile curled up in his lap like she belonged nowhere else. Her small arms clung to him as if he were her entire world and Ayaan,his head tilted to rest against the arm of the couch his face peaceful the usual lines of worry and exhaustion smoothed out by sleep.
I should have walked away. It was just a moment, an unremarkable one at that yet, my feet refused to move. My gaze was anchored to them, and for reasons I couldn't explain, my heart felt... different.
I moved closer almost cautiously like stepping too hard would shatter the serenity of the moment. My hand reached out and I gently caressed Aanya's hair. Her tiny fingers twitched, gripping Ayaan's arm tighter as though she sensed someone might take her safety away.
The thought hit me harder than I expected. Safety. How long had it been since I felt safe? Since I had someone to hold on to, someone who could anchor me to something real?
My eyes shifted to Ayaan. His face always so composed now looked vulnerable in the dim light. I hadn't allowed myself to notice these things before, the softness in his features, the quiet strength in the way he held Aanya even in his sleep.
And somehow, watching them, I felt a sharp pang in my chest. It wasn't jealousy. It was something deeper, something that scared me. Was it longing? For what? For this fragile, fleeting moment of peace? For a place in that circle of trust and love?
I took a step back, suddenly overwhelmed. My life does not have room for these emotions, for these connections. They were dangerous, too dangerous.
I adjusted the thermostat, ensuring the room would stay warm. It was a small gesture, almost insignificant, but it felt like the only thing I could do for them in that moment.
Grabbing an apple, I paused at the doorway and looked at them .They looked like they belonged in a world I could only watch from the outside.
My lips curved into a soft smile. They didn't need me in their world and yet, for the first time in a long while, I wished I could belong to it.
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