Pain has a way of waking old memories.
Aarav sat alone in his apartment, shirt discarded, fresh bandages wrapped tightly around his ribs. Every breath burned. Every movement reminded him of that night.
But the physical pain was nothing compared to the look in Meera's eyes.
Doubt.
That hurt more than the blows.
His phone lay on the table. Silent. No messages from her.
He knew why.
She had finally learned the truth.
Or at least part of it.
Across the city, Meera stood in her father's office — the same cold room overlooking the skyline. The air felt suffocating.
"Did you order it?" she asked, her voice trembling.
Rudra Khanna didn't look surprised.
"He was getting too close."
"That's not what I asked!" she shouted. "Did you order them to attack him?"
Rudra turned slowly toward her.
"He is not innocent, Meera."
"Neither are you!" she fired back.
The words echoed.
For a moment, even the Shadow King was silent.
"He's using you," Rudra said calmly. "Do you even know who his parents were?"
Meera's heartbeat quickened.
"What does that mean?"
Rudra walked toward his desk and opened a file.
"Years ago, a man tried to expose my operations. He failed."
Meera's hands trembled slightly.
"That man… was Aarav's father."
The room felt like it tilted.
"No," she whispered.
"Yes."
Meanwhile, in his apartment, Aarav opened a small metal box hidden beneath his bed. Inside were old photographs — a smiling couple, a younger version of himself.
And a newspaper headline:
Whistleblower Couple Found Dead in Suspicious Accident.
His jaw tightened.
"They didn't die in an accident," he muttered.
They were silenced.
By Rudra Khanna.
His entire life had been built around one purpose.
Revenge.
And now the girl he cared about was the daughter of the man he had sworn to destroy.
Across the city, Meera stepped back from her father.
"So this is why," she said softly. "This is why you're afraid of him."
Rudra's eyes hardened.
"I'm not afraid of anyone."
But for the first time in years…
He wasn't completely sure.