《 2 》

ANVITHA

A test always comes. Sometimes as a whisper. Sometimes a gunshot.

For me, it arrives in the form of a folder.

Black. Unmarked. Silent as death.

It lands on my desk just before sunrise, placed there by someone in silence, maybe by my father himself, or by one of his trusted shadows. No name, no note. Just weight.

I open it.

Inside is a deal.

A complicated one.

Three companies. One collapsing. One circling like a vulture. One pretending to be savior while hiding poison in the fine print.

It's layered. Tricky. A trap wrapped in opportunity.

If I mess this up, I hand power back to the same board members who smiled at me yesterday like I was a child wearing my father's crown.

But if I crack this?

They'll never be able to doubt me again.

I sink into it like it's a battlefield. My coffee goes cold beside me. I scribble notes, sketch charts, rip things apart. By noon, I've already identified the shell company in Dubai that's being used to bleed assets. By two, I've discovered the "savior" company is tied to a politician my father's blacklisted.

By four?

I have a strategy.

A clean one.

Aggressive.

Illegal in three countries.

But here? Genius.

I march into my father's office at 4:01 p.m.

He looks up from a call. Ends it without a word.

He gestures at the chair.

I don't sit.

"I know what this is," I say, holding up the file. "And I know why you gave it to me."

He leans back, folding his arms. "Do you?"

"You wanted to see if I'd beg for help. Or worse, if I'd ignore the landmine and let someone else handle it."

"And did you?" His voice is soft. Dangerous.

I toss the file onto his desk. "I didn't just handle it. I flipped it."

He opens the folder. Reads my notes. His eyes flick once, twice. Then still.

A minute passes.

Two.

Then, slowly, he sets the file down.

He smiles.

That rare, terrifying smile that means someone's about to be gutted in a boardroom.

"Walk with me," he says.

We walk.

Down the corridor, past offices and war rooms, to the east wing-the old one. The wing with portraits on the walls. Men in suits, painted like royalty. My grandfather. His brother. My father, younger, holding a glass of whiskey and wearing war in his expression.

He stops in front of one.

It's a portrait of a woman.

The only one.

"She was my aunt," he says, quietly. "Your great-aunt. The only woman who ever ran this empire before you. She took over for six months during a war with the northern syndicates."

"What happened to her?"

"She won. Then disappeared. No one ever found her."

"Disappeared?"

He looks at me.

"Power makes you vanish. In different ways. Sometimes physically. Sometimes emotionally. You need to decide which one you're willing to lose."

He walks ahead. I stare at the portrait.

She was wearing a saree and her hair were tie in burn and a bold red lipstick, she look powerful and I can see the fire In her eyes. She's looking calm and composed in picture.

The woman has my eyes.

Later that night, I get my second visit.

This time, it's not a folder.

It's him.

Not my father.

The man from the boardroom.

My uncle by blood.

A traitor by soul.

He's sitting in my office when I return from a call.

How he got in? Doesn't matter.

He's always slithered through cracks.

I don't stop walking.

"Get out."

He smiles. "Congratulations. I heard you passed the little test."

"I don't need your validation." I said while approaching him . He is Setting on a sofa like he own it and I am here to break his delusional abilities.

"No, but you'll need allies. Soon." He said while scrolling down his phone . And I am take I deep breath , inhale from nose and exhale from mouth. I hate him to my dear hate and he know that that's why he was getting on my nerve .

"Not from snakes." I said with some unnecessary force and bitting my inner Cheek.

He stair up from his precious phone and look at he for a second or two put his phone down on table and claps slowly. "Fiery. Just like your father."

"I'm more dangerous." I barks . 'Will kill you one day with my own fucking hands ' I didn't said it out loud.

"I don't doubt that. That's why I came to offer you something."

Like I give a fuck about it .

He slides a file across my desk.

Not black. Blood red.

I take it and start unfolding it and while that time we both are glaring at each other . I can't stand him now and never trust this man .

Inside are photos.

Of one of our factories.

Burned.

Leaked documents.

Names.

Bribes.

Cover-ups.

And a single note at the end:

'Release this to the press in 48 hours unless deal is renegotiated.'

"You leaked this?" I said while looking at the file in my hand .

He leans back. "Of course not. I'm not stupid. But I know who did. And I know how to stop it."

And it know it he was plotting something, can't even expect anything from him

"What do you want?" I said while closing the file and throw it on the coffee table and staring him with a less serious and more dangerous look . I learn that from appa .

"Control of the Mumbai vertical. And a seat on the inner council." and he said and a smirk was on his vixen face . The most greedy and immoral person I ever seen . But the thing was everyone is here was immoral and just seeking for chance to become the higher even if it cost them to loss there own people.

I almost laugh. "You want me to sell a city to save a secret?"

He shrugs. "We both know what happens if this leaks. Your father's empire will crack at the base. One fracture. That's all it takes."

I pick up the file.

I scan it.

Then I walk to the fireplace and drop it in.

He lunges, but it's too late. Flames kiss the edges. Truth burns with it.

"You're bluffing," I say.

He stares at me, stunned.

"No one with real power gives in to blackmail," I continue. "You thought I'd panic. Thought I'd protect my father's name at any cost. But you forgot something."

I step closer. And look into his eye and Said with arrogance.

"I'm not here to protect him."

"I'm here to replace him."

He stands. Angry now. Real anger. No mask.

"You'll regret this."His face become red with anger and I don't give a fuck about that . I even enjoying the side .

"No. You will."I said with a smile it's not a soft one which I give my sister and father, it's dangerous.

He give his last look of anger and he marches toward the door and he slams the door on the way out.

I took my sit on my chair looking the picture which rhea send me they are of some chocolates which her friend might bought for her .

Five minutes later, my father enters.

He's heard.

Of course he has.

He walks to the fireplace. Sees the ashes.

He says nothing for a long time.

Then-

"Was it worth it?"he is looking at me and waiting for my answer

I meet his gaze. "Yes."

"Even if this leaks?"

"If your empire can't survive truth, it doesn't deserve to survive at all." I said it without fear because this word don't have any place in our would . Fear is equal to loss or death in most cases.

His eyes flash.

Then something changes.

Pride.

Dark. Dangerous. Proud.

He walks to my desk, opens a drawer, and pulls out a single black keycard.

"The war room. Third floor underground. Welcome to the next level."

He leaves.

I sit there in the silence.

In the shadows.

Ashes still glowing in the hearth.

And I smile.

Because today, I didn't just pass a test.

I passed a warning.

And issued one of my own.

---

Later at night when I was heading towards my car I feel like someone is watching or he is waiting for me there in the dark . Just waiting for the right chance or may be it's my over thinking .

I reach my car , open it and start driving and taking a sip from my redbull which is not good for health I now but what a can can do it or my two cans a day .

At the time I reach mansion , the gate open my man with rifles . The mansion is two stories with a huge garden become appa love gardening in his free time and even encourage us for it .

When I wa inside I saw rhea is she waiting for me .

" Rhea " i said while approaching her , she looked up from her phone and give me her sweet smile just like her . My sister is so innocent and pure for our twisted fucked up world.

"AKKA " She screamed and run towards me . My little sister, my rhea .

"Slow down baby " I said with a huge smile on my face .

As she came take my hand in her and said " how was your day , how you feel , did you enjoy it , is appa same there or difference and tell me --

" Oh my god , slow down rhea .did you eat something or just surviving on chocolates " I said while going towards the kitchen and she's just behind me .

" I am not hungry but I can accompany you if you want " . She said while sitting on the counter.

" No thanks, how about you go and fo your homework." I said while pouring water for me .

" No thanks, how about you finish up eating and watch movie with me" . She said with excitement and telling me about the movie . While I was thinking about the shadow at the parking area.

" Good night " She said while running towards her room like someone is chasing her .

While I was in my thoughts a message pop up on my screen and it was from Tanishkha , daughter of appa step brother.

The message was " hey anvi , long time no see look who we have with us " And a picture attached with it was of my crush or I say ex crush and she was doing it on purpose . I know it . Her whole family is unbearable but she is a little bit only a little bit torrible.

I just left her in seen and headed towards my room . Just thinking about how my life gonna change afterwards.



Hey readers thank you for give your love to my story, I hope my enjoy it .

Vote the chapter if you like I would he grateful for you and comment down your thoughts.

Goodbye your Kelly.