The evening sun had dipped below the horizon, giving way to the brilliant glow of the Vardhan mansion.

It was a scene of pure power and opulence. As the son of Chief Minister Shaurya Vardhan, Yuvraj’s fourth birthday was a state affair—ministers and MLAs moved through the crowd, their voices a constant hum against the backdrop of soft classical music.

At the center of the hall, the cake-cutting ceremony was about to begin. Shaurya and Avantika stood proudly on either side of little Yuvraj, who looked adorable yet overwhelmed by the crowd.

To their left stood Advait Oberoi, his wife Vedika, and their daughter Kyra, who was watching the cake with wide, impatient eyes.

On Shaurya’s right, standing like a silent, dark pillar of strength, was Agastya Singh Rana.

"Dekho Avantika, hamara beta kitna bada ho gaya hai. Pata hi nahi chala char saal kab beet gaye." Shaurya beamed, placing a hand on Yuvraj’s shoulder, his political persona completely replaced by the pride of a father.

"Waqt waise bhi pankh lagakar udta hai, Shaurya. Bas dua hai ki iski zindagi hamesha isi tarah roshan rahe." Avantika leaned down to whisper something in Yuvraj’s ear, making the little boy giggle.

"Birthday toh Yuvraj ka hai, par excitement Kyra ke chehre par zyada dikh rahi hai." Advait chuckled, looking down at his five-year-old daughter. "Kyra, thoda sabr rakho beta, cake abhi katega."

"Papa, Yuvraj ne bola tha ki cake chocolate wala hoga! Humein kab milega?" Kyra asked with a sweet, demanding tone, pulling at Vedika’s saree.

"Bas abhi, meri jaan. Pehle Yuvraj ko wish toh kar lo." Vedika smiled at Avantika, the bond between the two families evident in their warm gaze.

Shaurya Glancing at the man beside him. "Agastya, tune toh abhi tak birthday boy ko wish bhi nahi kiya. Isse darna band karo, yeh mera dost hai, Yuvraj."

"Happy Birthday, champ." Agastya spoke in a low, gravelly voice, surprisingly soft for a man of his reputation.

He reached into his pocket and handed a small, elegantly wrapped box to the boy. "Yeh tumhare liye."

"Thank you, Agastya Uncle!" Yuvraj chirped, reaching for the gift with tiny hands.

"Dekh Shaurya? Agastya ke andar bhi ek dil hai, bas usne usey bohot gehre raaz mein chhupa kar rakha hai." Advait teased, throwing a smirk toward Agastya.

"Dil sirf kamzori deta hai, Advait. Isliye ise chhupa kar rakhna hi behtar hai." Agastya adjusted his cufflinks, his eyes scanning the crowd. "Shaurya, tumhari woh 'lawyer' dost abhi tak nahi aayi? Party shuru ho gayi hai."

Shaurya spoke. "Bas aati hi hogi. Maine usse baat ki thi, woh seedhe court se hi aa rahi hai. Intezaar karo, Agastya... woh lawyer tumhari zindagi ka sabse bada toofan banne wali hai."

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The air in the private section of the lawn was thick with the scent of expensive cigars and the sharp, burning aroma of whiskey.

Shaurya, Advait, and Agastya sat in heavy leather chairs, looking like kings presiding over a dark empire.

Agastya sat slightly apart, a silent, menacing figure exhaling a cloud of gray smoke from his cigar, his eyes fixed on the amber liquid in his glass.

A few meters away, Yuvraj and Kyra were sat on a silk rug, surrounded by a mountain of toys, completely oblivious to the profanity-laced conversation of the adults.

"Oye, Avantika! Where the fuck is she?" Shaurya growled, loosening his tie with a sharp jerk of his hand, his face flushing with the irritation of a man who wasn't used to waiting. "Fucking hell, it’s been two hours since the party started. She’s your best friend, na? Toh kahan mar gayi woh?"

"Seriously, Shaurya is right. What the fuck, man?". Advait leaned forward, slamming his glass onto the side table with a loud clack that made the ice jump. "We’ve been sitting here like idiots waiting for this 'legendary' lawyer. Shaurya, tune toh bola tha she’s always on point. Yeh kaunsa tareeka hai?"

He shook his head, his patience wearing thin as he looked at his watch for the tenth time.

"Chup karo Shaurya! Don't shout at me."  Avantika snapped back, rolling her eyes with a dismissive wave of her hand before taking a slow, defiant sip of her wine. "That bitch always does this. You know her, right? Once she’s in that zone, she doesn't give a fuck about the world. She’s probably still obsessing over some minute detail from today’s hearing, completely forgetting that we exist."

"Exactly.Advait, stop acting like a drama queen." Vedika chuckled softly, leaning back into the cushions with a smirk playing on her lips.

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"Sahi mein bei, it’s getting annoying now." Advait glanced over at the silent man in the corner, feeling the heavy tension radiating from him. "Agastya has been sitting here like a stone statue for an hour. Agastya, tu kuch bolta kyun nahi? Tera case hai, and your future lawyer is busy playing hide and seek."

"I don't give a damn." Agastya finally spoke, his voice a low, dangerous rumble that seemed to vibrate in the air. He exhaled a long, slow stream of smoke, his eyes never leaving the fire pit. "Let her take her time. If she’s as good as Shaurya says, then her being late just means she’s busy winning. If she’s not... then she’s just another arrogant bitch I’ll have to fire tomorrow." He took a slow, deliberate sip of his whiskey, his expression as cold as ice.

"Oye Agastya, watch your mouth!" Avantika pointed a finger at him, her eyes narrowing in a warning. "Don't call her that. She’s the only one who can pull your ass out of the fire, and you know it. Wait kar thoda. She’ll be here, and she’ll make you regret every word."

"Ha, Agastya. Aur waise bhi, seeing her enter a party is a performance in itself." Vedika’s smile widened as she imagined the scene. "She’ll walk in like she owns the place, even if she’s three hours late. It’s fucking hilarious how she ignores everyone’s stares. She doesn't give a damn about your "power," she only cares about the win."

"Performance my foot. Fucking hell, I’m the CM and I’m waiting for a lawyer." Shaurya let out a bitter, frustrated laugh, shaking his head at the absurdity of it all. "This is just brilliant. Avantika, tell her if she doesn't show up in ten minutes, I’m sending the police to drag her here. Kya mazaak bana rakha hai?"

"Don't show me your 'Chief Minister' attitude." Avantika laughed at him, completely unimpressed by his status. "She isn't scared of your police. In fact, she’d probably sue them for harassment before they even reached her door. She’ll come when she wants to. Bas tab tak whiskey piyo aur shaant raho."
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The rhythmic click-clack of stilettos against the marble floor cut through the room like a blade.

Every conversation died instantly. It didn't matter that this was the Chief Minister’s residence; the power in that sound commanded the entire hall.

A woman walked in, and the atmosphere shifted from celebration to heavy, breathless tension. She was in her mid- 20 s.

Wearing a black dress that acted as a second skin, tracing every curve of her body with lethal elegance. Her wavy hair flowed down to her hips, and her eyes were sharp, pitch-black voids.

She didn't look at a single soul, her thumb busy scrolling through her phone as she moved through the crowd.

Shaurya, Avantika, Advait, and Vedika all shared a look of pure triumph. The destruction of justice had finally arrived.

But Agastya—his world stopped. The man who lived in frozen silence felt his heart hammer against his ribs so hard it was painful.

His eyes were locked on her, his breathing shallow. He wasn't supposed to feel this, yet his gaze was glued to her every movement.

The woman didn't acknowledge the guests. She walked straight to the private seating area and sat beside Yuvraj.

The little boy immediately jumped into her lap, hugging her and burying his face deep against her chest.

At the sight, Agastya’s blood boiled. His fist slammed onto his whiskey glass with a terrifying force, his knuckles turning white as his jaw locked. He didn't understand this sudden, violent possessiveness.

Shaurya and Advait caught the reaction and were stunned—Agastya Singh Rana was known to despise women, yet here he was, looking like he wanted to burn the world down just because a child was touching her.

Then, she turned around.

Her pitch-black eyes met Agastya’s blue ones. For a moment, the hall vanished. She didn't give him the satisfaction of a long look.

She simply rolled her eyes and turned toward the group, raising a perfectly arched eyebrow.

Shaurya and the others, who had been bitching about her minutes ago, were now completely frozen.

She gave them a slow wink and a playful smile, and finally, they were able to breathe again.

"Fucking hell,  Look who finally showed up." Shaurya looked at his wife, Avantika, then turned his glare at the girl. "What the fuck took you so long? Do you have any idea how long we’ve been sitting here like idiots?"

"Sahi mein bei!" Advait shook his head, a smirk finally breaking his shock. "You got to be fucking kidding me. It’s CM’s son’s birthday, not some casual dinner. What the fuck was so important?"

"Oh, shut the fuck up, both of you." She didn't even look at them, her fingers gently stroking Yuvraj’s hair. "Some pathetic losers tried to harass me on the way. Apparently, they had a problem with my driving."

"What?" Shaurya’s protective instinct flared, his face darkening with rage. "Who the fuck were they? Give me the names. I’ll fucking kill them myself. No one touches my sister and stays alive."

"Seriously. Just say the word." Advait stood up, his eyes flashing with a cold, professional violence. "Fucking bastards think they can pull that shit in this city? They won't see you tomorrow."

"Relax, boys. Fuck off for God’s sake, I can handle myself." She let out a cold, dry chuckle that sent a shiver through the room. "They are already in the hospital with broken ribs and shattered jaws. Plus, tomorrow they’ll be going behind the bars. I made sure of that."

Agastya, watching her intently, felt a strange sense of amusement. He let out a low, deep chuckle, his eyes darkening with an intense, newfound obsession.

"Wait... are you—" Avantika’s voice died in her throat as she reached out and grabbed the girl's hand. "Oh my god! Look at this! Your knuckles... they're bleeding!"

Vedika screamed at Advait, her face turning pale. "Aahana... Aahana Kashyap, you fought them with your bare hands? You’re fucking insane!"

"Oye! Bring the first aid box right fucking now!" Avantika screamed toward the villa, her voice full of panic. "Move your asses! Aahana, you're literally bleeding!"

"Avantika, stop fucking yelling at the staff, it’s just a few scratches." Aahana rolled her eyes, looking completely bored by the blood on her skin. "Believe me, they look a lot worse than I do."

"Just shut the fuck up and let them clean it." Shaurya sat back, exhaling a sharp breath, his heart still racing but his pride in her showing through. "Only you, Aahana, could show up to a party with blood on your hands and still look like a queen."

Agastya leaned back, his gaze never leaving her.

"Aahana..." he whispered the name under his breath, savoring the sound of it like a dark secret, his mind already memorizing every detail of her face.
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