Avya’s Office, London

After some time of silence.

“No, Ishu… I don’t want to be a burden on anyone. That’s why I can’t stay with you,” Avya said coldly, her voice sharp enough to slice glass.

Isha glared at her in disbelief, her dramatic eyes wide with rage, but Avya didn’t even flinch. Her attention stayed glued to her laptop, her fingers typing away like the conversation didn’t matter.

Seeing that her emotional glare wasn't affecting Avya, Isha pulled out her ultimate weapon — fake tears. She wiped invisible ones from the corners of her eyes and sniffed dramatically. “So today… you made me a stranger? You can’t even listen to this one little thing I asked?”

She stared at Avya, hoping for a reaction. But Avya? Still silent. Still unmoved.

That was it. Isha dropped the act and switched to her serious tone. “If you don’t come with me, I’m not going to talk to you ever again.”

And this… this hit the spot. Avya finally looked up. Her eyes were sharp, deadly — like she could burn down the world. She gave Isha a hard glare and shook her head firmly.

But Isha only smirked and nodded with satisfaction — she knew this would work.

When Avya didn’t argue further, Isha instantly jumped forward and kissed her cheek. “Thank you, jaan! I’ll inform everyone that we’re coming tomorrow.”

Meanwhile, Siya — who’d been watching the entire drama unfold — nearly choked trying to hide her laughter. Not because Isha was funny (well, okay, a little), but because she knew that even though Avya looked calm, her rage was nothing short of divine destruction when unleashed.

Avya turned to Siya and said with her usual commanding tone, “Book your flight to India today itself. Once you’re there, check everything — personally.”

Siya saluted mentally and left the room immediately.

Once Siya was gone, Avya walked over to the office balcony, looking over London’s skyline. Her voice dropped to a deadly whisper — one that could send chills down a spine.

“You all have lived too easy… but not anymore. I’ll make your lives worse than hell. You’ll beg for death… and death will only come when I allow it.”

She started laughing — the kind of laugh that would terrify anyone listening. Her blood-red eyes reflected pain, fury, and a burning obsession for vengeance. Her fists clenched with the memory of her family’s murder.

Just then, a hand touched her shoulder.

She turned sharply — only to find Isha standing there. Without a word, Isha pulled her into a tight hug. Avya, momentarily caught off-guard, returned the hug quietly — allowing herself just a second of softness before regaining control.

“You’re not alone, Avya,” Isha whispered, holding her face gently. “No matter what happens, I’m with you. Always. Don’t ever forget that.”

Avya simply nodded, before stepping away and slipping back into her cold composure — back to being the Avya Kapoor.

---

Abhay’s Office

Abhay sat in his office chair, emotionless as ever. “Info on A.K. Industries?” he asked in his deep voice.

Neil, his assistant, nodded. “Boss, the company started five years ago. And in that short time, they’ve become the number one in the world. No one’s ever seen the owner. Earlier everything was operated from London, but now they’re shifting to India. Their new headquarters is ready in Mumbai.”

Abhay listened quietly, nodding once. “Anything on the owner?”

Neil looked down. “Nothing, sir. But we’ve learned she’s arriving in India tomorrow.”

“And the girl?” Abhay asked, his voice suddenly heavy with an emotion too dangerous to name.

“We still have no clue,” Neil replied hesitantly. “No name. No photo. Nothing.”

Abhay dismissed him with a hand gesture and leaned back in his chair, his hand grazing the side of his neck as he whispered to himself like a madman.

“Three years… it’s been three years since I started looking for you, butterfly. You never came back. You hid yourself too well. But something tells me… you're near. You're coming back into my world. And this time, I won’t let you go. Ever. Whether you want it or not.”

He chuckled — a dark, haunting sound — and whispered with a smirk, “The way I suffered all these years, you’ll pay for it. Every second of it.”

He closed his eyes — and behind his lids flashed the image of a masked girl, her face hidden… but unforgettable.

---

Night, London – Avya’s Villa

Avya and Isha had returned from the office. Avya was silently packing her bags, her movements mechanical and precise. Isha sat on the sofa, watching her with a pensive look.

When Avya finally joined her, Isha asked quietly, “What’s your next step?”

Avya’s voice was laced with ice. “First… I’ll deal with the pawns. One by one. And trust me, they’ll beg for death — but they won’t get it until I say so.”

Her eyes glinted with hatred — the kind that made your bones shiver.

Then, her expression softened. Just a little. “And the most important thing… I have to find bhaiyu. My heart says he’s alive. I don’t know where, but I will find him.”

Isha held her hand. “You will. I believe you.”

They shared a moment of silence before Isha groaned, “It’s already late. Let’s sleep. I’ll call home and let them know I’m finally coming back. I just hope they haven’t forgotten my face. I barely called anyone…”

She walked to the door, then suddenly turned back, kissed Avya’s cheek, and ran away like a guilty child.

Avya shook her head with a rare smirk. “She’ll never change.”

Then she popped her sleeping pill and slid into bed — because sleep was something that didn’t come naturally anymore.

---

Mumbai – Rathore Mansion

The Rathore Mansion was nothing less than a palace. Located in Mumbai’s poshest area, with just a few other elite houses in the vicinity, the mansion stood tall and proud.

Inside the grand hall, the Rathore family was sitting together — three generations under one roof.

Let’s meet the family:

Harshvardhan Rathore (78) – Ex-army. Head of the family. Looks 55, disciplined, intimidating to outsiders, soft for his family. Worships his wife.

Sunita Rathore (74) – Elegant and sweet, looks 50. Her only mission now: get her grandson Abhay married.

Elder Son’s Family:

Abhishek Rathore (53) – Handsome, serious, rarely involved in business anymore, loyal husband.

Puja Rathore – Social worker, calm and graceful, mother of two: Abhay and Isha.

Younger Son’s Family:

Nitin Rathore – A lawyer, loyal to his elder brother, cheerful and lovable.

Nitika Rathore – Outspoken, fiercely protective of her family, helps Puja with NGO work.

Dev Rathore (25) – Actor. National heartthrob. Goofy with family, savage with outsiders. Nicknamed Entertainment King.

Misha Rathore (22) – Youngest. Angelic face, devilish brain. A street-smart rebel with a cause. Fights bullies and owns every hallway in her college.

Abhishek Rathore’s phone buzzed.

He looked at the screen, a flicker of surprise in his eyes — then quietly stood up and walked a few steps away from the living room to answer the call.

A few minutes passed. His voice was low, steady… but when he returned and took his seat on the sofa, there was a different kind of shine in his eyes — the kind you only get when your heart is full.

Pooja noticed instantly. Of course, she did. With a knowing smile, she asked,
“What happened? Why do you look so happy all of a sudden?”

Her voice made the entire room go quiet — everyone turned to Abhishek, now curious.

He looked around, smiled softly and said,
“It was Ishu. She just called. She’s coming back… tomorrow.”

And just like that — his whole face lit up.

Of course it did. His daughter, his princess, was coming home after years.

The room filled with warmth.

Pooja's eyes widened, joy overtaking her face.
“Really? She’s actually coming? I thought she’d forgotten all about us…”
Her tone was excited at first, but the second sentence came with a hint of mock annoyance.

Nikita jumped in, arms crossed with exaggerated frustration,
“Let her come! She went abroad and acted like we didn’t even exist. Barely called. I swear, when she gets here, I’m going to pull her ears and make her stay right here. No more disappearing!”

Before anyone else could react, a sweet, cheerful voice rang through the room.

Everyone turned.

It was Misha — excited as ever, standing near the stairs with her eyes gleaming.

“You can scold her after she gets here! For now, we need to prepare, okay? She’s coming back after years — I have SO much to talk to her about.”

She grinned wide, then stretched her arms and yawned.
“Okay, goodnight, everyone!”

With that, she skipped off to her room like a literal ball of sunshine.

And just like that — her words brought everyone back to the moment.
Yes, they had a lot to prepare.

Sunita ji, the grandma, instantly took charge.
“Yes! Everyone — up early, lots to do!”

Abhishek listened to all the chatter and quietly said,
“Relax. She’s arriving tomorrow evening. We’ll get everything done by then.”

He paused.
“Also… she’s bringing a friend. She’ll be staying here too.”

Everyone nodded in quiet agreement. Slowly, they began to head to their rooms, the excitement still lingering in the air like the scent of a coming storm — a beautiful one.

Abhishek & Pooja’s Room

Later that night, Abhishek entered the bedroom and found Pooja sitting on the bed, lost in memories.

She was flipping through an old photo album — full of Ishu’s childhood pictures. Sometimes she smiled, other times her eyes shimmered with unshed tears.

Abhishek sat beside her.

Pooja looked up, sensing him, and the moment their eyes met — she leaned into him, hugging him tightly. He hugged her back without a word.

After a pause, she pulled away and pouted slightly.
“Can you believe it? Our daughter is finally coming back. After all this time… She completely forgot about us there. I swear, once she’s here, I’m going to twist her ears.”

Abhishek laughed. Loudly.

“You? Scold her? Ha… that’s funny. We both know the second you see her, you’ll melt into a puddle.”

Pooja shot him a deadly glare, clearly offended.

Abhishek tried to stop laughing — miserably failed.
So she gave him a light shove and turned her back to him, pretending to be mad.

He smiled, moved closer, and gently turned her toward him — then held his ears in mock apology.

She burst into laughter despite herself, catching his wrists.
“Fine, fine… forgiven. Just don’t laugh like a donkey again.”

They both chuckled — and soon, drifted into sleep.

After all, tomorrow was a big day.

Next Morning – London

As usual, Avya woke up with a jolt — her heart racing, her forehead damp with sweat.
Another nightmare. Again.

She took a breath, grounded herself, and walked out to meet Isha. The two girls hit the gym, like always, before getting ready for the big day.

Today, Avya wore black jeans, a crisp white tee, and a black denim jacket — and looked effortlessly hot. No surprise there.

When she walked downstairs, she saw Isha already ready in a pink top and blue jeans.

Isha let out a loud whistle the second she saw her.

“Damn girl! Looking like a whole snack today.”
Then with a teasing grin,
“How many boys are you planning to destroy on the way, hmm?”

Avya didn’t respond. She just walked past her and sat at the dining table like she hadn’t heard a word.

Isha gasped and followed her, dramatically hurt.
She nudged Avya’s shoulder and whined,
“Hello? I just complimented you! The least you can do is smile. Or maybe — just maybe — compliment me back?”

She made a full-on puppy face, her eyes wide, lips pouted.

Avya glanced at her, sighed, and said in her signature flat tone,
“You look… nice.”

That was all.

Isha lit up like a firecracker anyway. A compliment from Avya was rare — even if dragged out of her.

The food was already served. They both ate quickly before heading out.

Downstairs, Jack — Avya’s personal security head — was already waiting.

He opened the car door for her. Another guard opened the opposite one for Isha.

Both girls stepped in, settled down, and Jack took his seat in the front. A quick nod — and the driver started moving.

Within minutes, they arrived at the airport.

Jack got down and opened Avya’s door with practiced precision. Isha stepped out too.

Avya, Isha, and Jack — the trio walked into the terminal, heading straight toward Avya’s private jet, which was waiting, gleaming under the morning sun.

And just like that — they were off to India.

Back in India – Abhay’s Office

Inside a sleek corporate cabin, Abhay was typing furiously on his keyboard. His tailored shirt hugged his muscular frame, coat hanging on the back of his chair.

He looked like the classic CEO — powerful, focused… and effortlessly hot.

If any girl walked in at that moment, she would’ve stopped breathing.

The only sound was the click of keys.

Until the silence broke.

The cabin door opened — without knocking.

Abhay’s eyes flicked up, irritation sparking instantly. Who the hell—

But the second he saw who it was…
his anger vanished.

TO BE CONTINUED