The far doors burst open.
The sound echoed through the ballroom.
Conversations stopped mid-sentence.
Heads turned and the atmosphere changed.
Instantly.
A man stepped inside. His shirt was half-unbuttoned.
The collar was creased and stained from travel and looked as though it had survived a battle.
His sleeves were rolled roughly to his elbows.
His dark hair hung uncombed, as though he had run his hands through it a hundred times and never once bothered with a mirror.
But his eyes… his eyes looked ancient, hollowed as if time had punished him beyond his years.
He looked exhausted.
Disheveled.
And that alone would have been enough to draw attention.
But the problem was everyone knew who he was.
There reaction was immediate.
One businessman nearly dropped his glass.
Even people who had never met him personally recognized him at once.
Because everyone knew the stories.
Or at least the parts that could be told publicly.
A legendary hacker.
A man who treated digital security the way most people treated paper doors.
Entire corporations feared him.
Government agencies monitored him.
Powerful people avoided becoming his enemy.
Not because of violence.
Because he had a reputation far worse.
If someone crossed him—
Their secrets disappeared.
Their carefully protected information suddenly belonged to everyone.
And the terrifying part?
He never seemed concerned about consequences.
Whether the conflict involved a billionaire, a multinational corporation, or an entire nation
he behaved exactly the same way.
As though power meant nothing to him.
As though consequences were someone else's problem.
The stories surrounding him had become almost mythical.
A figure of immense influence.
A man whose appearance was usually immaculate.
The sort of person whose public image was managed down to the smallest detail.
Yet tonight—
he looked as though he had walked straight through a storm.He looked completely out of place among the elegance.
Yet somehow—
he was the most dangerous person in the room.
❝ RAHI MIRZA . ❞
A ripple moved through the crowd,
"What happened to him?"
"Is that really—?"
"It is."
"He came looking like that?"
"I've never seen him dressed this poorly."
"No, not poorly."
An older businessman frowned,
"Desperately."
The distinction unsettled several people.
Even Mahim looked surprised.
A rare sight.
Because Rahi wasn't known for social appearances. He wasn't known for formal ceremonies.
He certainly wasn't known for arriving anywhere looking presentable.
And Maya —
Her head lifted before anyone else's.
Her eyes locked on the figure.
The noise of the party had long since faded into the background.
The glass slipped from her fingers.
It struck the marble floor.
CRASH.
Shards scattered across the polished stone.
Water spread across the floor like liquid silver.
Farhan straightened immediately.
Fahim's eyes narrowed.
Fahad looked from Maya to Rahi and back again,
"What just happened?"
No one answered.
Because at that exact moment—
the man finally saw her, his posture stiffened.
Just enough for people to notice.
For the first time since entering the hall, he looked genuinely caught off guard.
"Subject… 17B?"
The words cut the air like a knife.
" Wait, what???? "
"Subject? What did he say?"
"What does that mean?"
Before the words left her lips, she buried every trace of recognition.
The shock that had flashed across her eyes vanished as though it had never existed. Her breathing remained even. The faint tightening of her fingers relaxed.
Every instinct that had stirred at the sight of him was forced back into silence.
It happened so quickly that no ordinary observer could have noticed.
One heartbeat ago, she had recognized him.
The next, she was simply Maya Sunayna.
Her expression settled into perfect neutrality, calm and unreadable, not a flicker of familiarity remained in her eyes.
Then she spoke, her voice calm.
"I think you're mistaking me for someone else."
Several guests visibly relaxed.
The explanation sounded reasonable.
Rahi didn't , a faint smile touched his face,
"I recognized the right person.
There is no doubt."
Maya's expression remained unchanged,
"You're mistaken."
"No. I recognized exactly the right person."
His gaze sharpened,
"Isn't that right, 17B?"
Rahi let out a quiet laugh.
"The world knows me as a legendary hacker.
But only one person has ever tried to hack reality itself."
A pause.
"And she's standing in front of me pretending we've never met."
For the first time...the corner of Maya's lips curved.
Not into a smile, Into something infinitely more dangerous.
An expression too restrained to be called amusement.
Too controlled to be called emotion.
"If I truly possessed such talent..."
she said softly,
"...you would already doubt your own memory."
The words settled over the ballroom like velvet concealing a blade.
Several guests exchanged uncertain glances.
Maya folded her arms, there was a hint of challenge in her voice.
"Do you have any proof?"
Then he laughed softly,
"Proof? That's an interesting question."
He stared at Maya for a long moment.
Then—
Without the slightest warning, Rahi slipped a hand into his pocket.
His movement was so casual that no one paid it any attention.
A pen snapped into his fingers.
He flicked his wrist.
The motion was almost invisible.
A single, effortless flick of his wrist—
—and the pen vanished.
A sharp whistle sliced through the air.
Only then did the guests realize something had been thrown.
Gasps rippled across the ballroom.
The projectile was impossibly fast, streaking toward Maya in a blur that the human eye could barely follow.
Several people instinctively flinched.
Others hadn't even understood what was happening.
It happened in less than the blink of an eye.
But before anyone could react—
Maya's hand moved.
Snap.
She caught it cleanly between her fingers.
Several guests stared without blinking, unable to process what they had just witnessed.
"...What?"
The whisper escaped someone's lips almost involuntarily.
Because what they had seen wasn't merely fast, it was impossible.
The pen had been traveling at a speed most people hadn't even perceived.
Yet Maya had intercepted it as effortlessly as someone catching a falling leaf.
Rahi's expression didn't change.
Another pen appeared in his hand.
Then another and another and another.
The pens blurred through the air one after another.
Snap.
Snap.
Snap.
Snap.
Every single one stopped in her hands.
As though her body had already calculated the trajectory before the objects had even reached her.
Each pen became a silver streak, tearing through the air from different angles with terrifying speed.
To everyone else, they were little more than flashes of motion.
Maya herself seemed almost annoyed.
As though someone had interrupted her drawing.
The crowd watched in stunned silence.
One of the pens had moved so quickly that several guests hadn't even seen it leave Rahi's hand.
They only saw it appear in Maya's grasp.
Fahad had gone silent.
Farhan stared, "Holy cow. "
Fahan's eyes widened, "What the hell? "
Fahim's medical training offered no immediate explanation.
Meanwhile, Rahi simply folded his arms,
"Need any more proof?"
He lifted one hand slightly,
"A trained marksman wouldn't be able to intercept it."
A faint smile—cold touched his lips,
"Not even systems designed for interception can consistently track them.
No human should be able to process it in real time. Only one person I've ever tested could do that.
Without error, without delay."
His eyes locked onto Maya again,
"So tell me, How did you handle it?"
Maya's grip on the last pen loosened.
She placed it carefully on the table beside her, as though it had never been a weapon in the first place.
"You're assuming too much.
And If you're so certain...Then why ask me?"
Finally, he said quietly,
"Because if I'm right...Then you shouldn't be here."
Maya murmured,
"You always answered questions with another question."
"Sometimes," she replied evenly, "the question is more interesting than the answer."
A quiet chuckle escaped Rahi.
"...Still impossible."
"You said you are searching And yet...You never asked the simplest question."
Rahi's brow furrowed, "...Which is?
She looked at him quietly,
"What if the person you are searching never wanted to be found?"
The words struck harder than anyone expected.
Rahi stared at her.
Another long silence settled between them.
"You told me that i shouldn't be here, then Neither should you.
Hummm...So tell me —
what are you doing here?"
A pause.
"Am I wrong, Subject 13A?"
The moment the designation left her lips, the entire ballroom shifted.
Recognition of a truth they were never meant to hear.
"Subject… 13A?"
"Did she just call him that?"
"Is that a code name?"
A minister instinctively placed a hand on his forehead."...What is happening?"
Beside him, a business tycoon did exactly the same."So... there are two of them?"
A senator slowly rubbed his temples.
"I don't understand any of this..."
Farhan blinked several times.
"...Subject 13A?"
He looked toward Maya.
Then toward Rahi then back again.
"...You've got to be kidding me."
Fahan slowly placed both hands on his head.
"No..."
"No, no, no."
"We finally learned what 17B means....and now there's a 13A?"
Nahi stared in complete disbelief.
"My head hurts."
Faha covered his face dramatically.
"I came here for a family celebration."
He peeked through his fingers.
"When did this become classified military fiction?"
Fahad didn't even react, he was staring at Rahi."...13A?"
His voice was barely audible.
"So.....he wasn't just a legendary hacker."
Rahi didn't move.
For the first time, his confident posture cracked slightly— not in fear, but in attention sharpened to its peak.
"So you remember that name."
Maya answered without emotion.
"I never forgot."
Rahi let out a slow breath.
"I was beginning to think I'd imagined that entire part of my life."
"You didn't."
"You still remember the numbering system."
"I remember everything."
Rahi chuckled softly.
"...Then I really did find the right person."
Maya folded her arms.
"I told you not to call me that."
"You also told me I was mistaken."
"I lied."
A tiny smile tugged at the corner of Rahi's mouth."There you are The real 17B."
The ballroom collectively realized something terrifying.
Everything Maya had said until now...every denial...every calm expression...had been an act.
She had been performing perfectly.
Without a single visible crack.
Someone near the back whispered,
"...She fooled all of us."
A ripple of tension passed through the hall.
Fahim's eyes narrowed. He was already trying to fit the pieces together.
Maya's lips curved. It was small.
A smile that didn't belong in a celebration.
A chill passed through the crowd.
Several guests instinctively took a step back.
The smile vanished as quickly as it had appeared.
Fahad whispered under his breath,
"That smile… what is that?"
Farhan didn't answer.
Rahi stared at her for a few seconds.
Then a slow grin appeared on his own face.
"So, You've stopped pretending... ...You're unbelievable."
Maya said nothing , she merely watched him.
Rahi slipped one hand into his pocket.
"Your name is Maya...An illusion.Something people see...but never truly understand."
He tilted his head.
"The name suits you perfectly. You hide the truth so beautifully.....that people willingly believe the lie."
For the first time since entering the ballroom, his voice carried unmistakable admiration.
"I've seen master deceivers. I've seen world-class actors. I've seen professional interrogators."
He shook his head,
"But you...You're in a different league entirely.
I don't know why I expected anything less from Subject 17B.
You hide the truth so naturally.....that even reality begins to doubt itself."
"Are you finished complimenting me?"
Rahi laughed, "...Not even close."
She looked him up and down,
"You've grown up."
Rahi smirked, "So have you."
"Your throwing technique has gotten worse."
She sounded completely serious,
"You hesitated twice.
You dropped your shoulder before release.
And your wrist angle is inconsistent."
Rahi rubbed the back of his neck,
"...Yeah. I haven't practiced in a long time."
"Clearly."
"Good to know some things never change."
Maya folded her arms,
"You always hated training."
"I hated your training."
"It worked."
"It was torture."
"But, It worked."
Rahi sighed dramatically, "It worked."
For a brief moment, the tension between them felt strangely familiar.
Like two people continuing a conversation that had been interrupted years ago.
"I thought you were dead.
Do you have any idea how hard you were to find?"
A pause.
" I searched everywhere.
Every database, every record, every lead."
His voice grew more frustrated with each sentence.
"You disappeared completely.
You cut yourself off from the entire world.
No digital footprint, no communications.
No trace."
He shook his head,
"It was like you erased yourself from existence."
Maya's expression became unreadable.
"I know."
"You knew?"
"You leave a trail when you worked."
Rahi groaned,
"I knew you were going to say something annoying."
"You've always been predictable."
"That's insulting."
"It's accurate."
"Do you know how many people disappear every year?
None of them disappear that well."
"You talk too much."
Rahi stopped mid-sentence, "...Excuse me?"
Rahi groaned dramatically,
"Do you enjoy being difficult?"
"Sometimes."
"At least you're honest."
A few of the younger cousins exchanged bewildered looks.
Nahi whispered, "Are they arguing?"
Farhan whispered back,
"I think this is how they talk."
Maya murmured, "You're actually insane."
"W...What?"
"I walk into your party and say hello and you are saying me insane. "
"You called me 'Subject 17B' in front of half the country's political leaders, military officers, business executives, and academics."
She slowly gestured toward the ballroom behind her,
"In case you failed to notice...there are hundreds of people here."
A pause.
"Congratulations,You managed to create an international security incident before saying hello properly."
A quiet laugh escaped from somewhere in the crowd before immediately falling silent again.
Rahi placed a hand over his chest,
"I was excited."
"That doesn't make it less insane."
Farhan quietly whispered to Fahan,
"Ahum..Is she actually scolding one of the most feared hackers in the country?"
Fahan never looked away from them.
"I think...she's done it before."
"Apparently you learned nothing."
"I learned many things."
"Such as?"
Rahi grinned.
"That no matter how many years pass...17B will still scold me first and ask questions later."
——★
Maya thought for a moment , then she exhaled once.
Her eyes moved slowly across the crowd.
"All of you saw nothing , heard nothing."
A chill ran through the room.
"Do all of you understand?"
The stillness became uncomfortable.
The words hung in the air like a locked door.
A minister cleared his throat.
Near the back of the hall, one of the businessmen gave a nervous nod before realizing how absurd that looked.
Rahi watched the entire scene, "Still doing that."
Maya glanced at him, "Doing what?"
"Giving orders like people actually have a choice."
A few guests visibly stiffened.
Because the uncomfortable truth was—
it felt exactly like that.
Rahi shoved his hands into his pockets.
"Relax, She's not threatening you."
A pause.
"Probably."
Half the room looked less reassured than before.
Maya stared at him, "You aren't helping."
"I rarely do."
"That is true."
For some reason, that exchange only made the situation stranger.
"This is insane," Fahad muttered under his breath.
Fahan exhaled sharpl,
"She's ordering us to forget what we saw?"
Nobody answered.
Because, in a way, she was.
Mahi stood frozen. Her hands trembled slightly at her sides,
"Maya ... We can't just pretend."
The words lingered in the silence.
"You can."
Mahi swallowed, "Is that what you want?"
"Yes."
A heavy silence followed.
Farhan looked at her for a long moment,
"...And if we don't?"
"Then you make it harder."
Mahim stood quietly. Then he straightened,
"Then it is done."
His voice carried through the hall,
"We saw nothing. Understood?"
Fahad stared at Maya, "...Yeah."
Fahan rubbed a hand across his face ,
"Understood."
Eventually—
One by one, the others followed.
"Understood. We all saw nothing. "
Then Rahi looked across the room.
He slipped his hands into his pockets,
"If tonight's conversation somehow finds its way outside these walls..."
A pause.
"...then I suggest the person responsible pays close attention to their own secrets."
Silence.
The smile that appeared on his face was small,
"You never know what might happen."
Several people immediately looked away.
One businessman nearly choked on his drink.
A senator's aide suddenly found the floor fascinating.
Near the back of the hall, someone whispered,
"Was that a threat?"
His companion whispered back immediately,
"Don't ask."
Another guest muttered nervously,
"I told you I didn't want to come tonight."
"Stop talking."
"Why?"
"Because that's Rahi."
That explanation seemed sufficient.
Fahad stared at him,
"Did...Did you just threaten half the room?"
Rahi looked genuinely confused,
"What?
You heard me, i didn't threaten anyone."
The room collectively failed to believe him.
Rahi shrugged,
"I merely advised people to be careful."
"That sounded exactly like a threat."
Fahan said.
"It only sounds threatening if people have secrets."
Several guests looked horrified.
Rahi noticed. His grin widened,
"Judging by the reactions, that appears to be quite a few of you."
"Mr.Rahi Mirza ."
Mahim's voice cut through the room.
Rahi looked over, "Yes, Mr. Mahim. "
Mahim's expression remained composed,
"Try not to terrify my guests."
A pause.
Then he glanced back at the crowd,
"Relax."
Nobody relaxed.
Farhan rubbed his forehead,
"I understand why people are afraid of him now."
Meanwhile, Maya stood nearby, completely unbothered, "You enjoy this."
Rahi smirked, "A little."
"You're annoying."
Finally, Maya turned toward the staircase.
"Come with me."
Rahi raised an eyebrow."That sounds ominous."
"It wasn't a request."
"That sounds even more ominous."
"Are you coming?"
Rahi smirked, "Still bossy."
"And you're still slow."
"Rude."
Maya spoke, "Mr. Saad."
The butler, who had been standing quietly at the edge of the hall throughout the entire evening, stepped forward immediately.
"Yes, Miss?"
"Prepare a room for him."
For the first time, Mr. Saad hesitated.
His eyes shifted toward Mahim.
A guest near the back whispered,
"Even the staff is unsure."
"He's waiting for permission."
Mahim met the butler's gaze.
For a moment, neither spoke.Then Mahim gave a single nod.
Mr. Saad immediately inclined his head,
"As you wish, Miss."
His voice was smooth and professional,
"It will be arranged at once."
Rahi watched the activity with growing amusement,
"You know...Most people don't invite me to stay."
"Most people are sensible. "
" Crazy Monster. "
"Shut your mouth . "
Rahi sighed dramatically,
"There she is, The terrifying little commander I remember."
Maya didn't respond.
Click...Click....Click.
Her heels echoed across the marble floor.
Rahi followed , One step behind.
His hands remained in his pockets.
His expression calmer than it had been all evening.
As though simply knowing Maya was alive had removed a burden he had carried for years.
The black fabric of her dress brushed softly against the marble steps.
"Are you always this dramatic?" she asked.
"No."
Maya continued climbing the stairs,
"You walked into a formal ceremony looking like you'd lost a fight with a hurricane."
Rahi looked down at himself,
"I was in a hurry."
"You looked homeless."
"I came to see if you were alive."
"You could have combed your hair first."
The two disappeared onto the upper floor, their voices gradually fading into the distance.
—
Behind them—the hall remained frozen.
Fahad folded his arms,
"Well, Somehow I think we know less than we did an hour ago."
"Agreed."
Nahi blinked, "Is it just me..."
"No."
Farhan answered immediately, "I saw it too."
A guest whispered, "What just happened…?"
Another answered, "Something we weren't meant to see."
Then he adjusted his glasses and spoke quietly,
"I...I think Rahi is afraid of her."
"What?" Fahad stared at him.
"That's ridiculous."
"Rahi?
The same Rahi that terrifies half the country?"
"I'm saying.....he knows exactly what she's capable of."
[Ahem.]
[Ahem.]
[Ahem.]
The sound of a throat being cleared echoed through the room.
—
Mahim stood still , his voice low,
"Ehem. Let's continue."
The orchestra resumed playing again .
Soft music drifted through the hall.
Servants moved among the guests carrying silver trays filled with drinks and desserts.
Conversations slowly restarted.
A minister laughed at a joke.
A business executive discussed investments.
A university dean found himself speaking about research grants.
Nearby, Fahad rubbed his temples,
"This entire evening has shortened my lifespan."
Fahan took a sip of his drink,
"Only this evening?"
"Good point."
Farhan stood near one of the windows.
His eyes occasionally drifted toward the upper floor.
Mahi stood beside Mahim.
Watching the ceremony continue despite everything.
Above them, somewhere in the vast mansion, Maya and Rahi continued talking.
While below, beneath crystal chandeliers and golden light, the Sunayana family did their best to smile.
Slowly, the tension that had gripped the hall began to loosen. Children ran between tables.
Old friends reunited, photographs were taken glasses were raised.
Yet beneath every conversation lingered the memory of what had happened earlier.
The mysterious reunion.
The strange code names.
The unsettling appearance of Rahi.
As evening deepened into night, the crowd gradually began to thin.
The grand doors opened and closed repeatedly.
Cars rolled down the long driveway beneath the glow of the estate's lamps.
Near the entrance, Mahi stood waiting.
A gracious smile remained on her face despite her exhaustion.
"Thank you for coming."
"It was a wonderful evening."
"We're honored you joined us."
One by one, she greeted the departing guests.
A minister's wife squeezed her hand gently,
"Your daughter is beautiful."
Mahi's smile softened, "Thank you."
Another guest nodded respectfully,
"It was an honor meeting her."
"Thank you for coming."
An elderly professor adjusted his spectacles,
"Congratulations on your daughter's return."
For a brief moment, genuine emotion flickered across Mahi's face, "Thank you."
Nearby, Mahim stood with his usual composed presence.
Exchanging farewells, offering polite words.
As always, he carried himself like a man who commanded entire industries.
Eventually, the final guests began making their way toward the exit.
Until at last—silence returned.
Mahi stood in the center of the room.
The flowers remained.
The chandeliers still glowed overhead.
The scent of tuberoses lingered faintly in the air.
She exhaled slowly, " Finally It's finished."
Mahim walked toward her, "Yes."
For a moment, neither spoke.
Then Mahi glanced toward the staircase leading to the upper floors.
Toward the part of the mansion where Maya had disappeared earlier.
Upstairs, in the study, Maya and Rahi sat across from each other.
Books lined the walls from floor to ceiling.
A lamp cast a warm pool of light across the desk between them.
" I looked for you over past years ."
"I noticed."
Rahi pointed at her, "You are crazy. "
Maya looked at him without the slightest change in expression,
"That isn't new information."
Rahi sighed,
"No, I mean professionally crazy."
A brief silence.
Then Maya asked,
"Is there a certification for that?"
Rahi rubbed his forehead,"There should be."
He leaned back in his chair.
"Do you know how many dead ends I chased looking for you?"
Maya's gaze drifted toward the bookshelves.
"Years, Maya."
"...I know."
Rahi's voice softened,
"You could have sent one message."
She lowered her eyes, "I couldn't."
He studied her for a long moment,
"Couldn't... or wouldn't?"
Another silence.
Finally —"Both."
Rahi let out a long breath.
"You really enjoy making my life difficult."
"No, It just happens."
Rahi stared at her,
"That may be the most terrifying sentence you've ever said."
For the first time, the corner of Maya's mouth lifted almost imperceptibly.
Rahi blinked, "...Was that a smile?"
"No."
"17B, don't lie to the world's greatest hacker."
"You're the world's loudest hacker."
Rahi placed a hand dramatically over his chest.
"I'm being insulted in my own friend's study."
"You called me crazy first."
"Fair point."
A laugh escaped him.