It was a very dark night. Dust was flying everywhere, carried by the restless wind. Outside, in front of an empty and deserted building, a few men were standing. The main gate of the building was open, and the lights in the central hall inside were switched on. From the outside, the place looked abandoned and silent, but from within, it was actually a warehouse. Many bodyguards were moving around outside, walking back and forth as if they were keeping a strict watch over the place…

The silence of the night felt heavy, broken only by the sound of footsteps and the soft rustling of the wind. Shadows stretched long across the ground as the guards patrolled the area with alert eyes. Everything looked calm on the surface, yet there was a strange tension in the air, as if something important was about to happen inside that lonely warehouse…

Inside the warehouse, a man was sitting on a large, royal-looking chair. A cigarette rested between the fingers of one hand, while his other hand lay calmly on the armrest. One leg was crossed over the other, relaxed and commanding, like a king sitting on his throne. His face was hidden in the darkness, impossible to see clearly, yet his presence alone made it feel as if a devil was sitting there in human form…

Bodyguards stood on either side of him, silent and alert. On the chair beside him sat another man, watching everything closely. His face showed no emotion at all, no fear, no mercy, only a cold, empty expression. In front of them, three men were tied tightly to a thick iron rod. One of the captives was being beaten with a metal wire, and his screams echoed through the entire warehouse…

Blood was scattered all around them, staining the floor, and its strong smell filled the room. Yet no one there seemed to care. It was as if this scene of violence was an everyday matter for them. Sitting comfortably in their chairs, both men watched the suffering in front of them with cruel smirks on their faces, as if it were nothing more than entertainment…

The man who was beating them suddenly spoke, his voice sharp and filled with anger…

“Who sent you? On whose orders did you come here? Speak!...”

But not a single word came from their mouths. The three men stayed silent, their heads hanging low, fear clearly visible in their trembling bodies. The question was asked again, louder this time, but still there was no answer…

Slowly, the second man, the one who had been sitting quietly on the other chair, stood up. Without saying a word, he removed his coat and calmly folded the sleeves of his shirt. Then he took off his watch and placed it aside. Step by step, he walked forward until he was standing right in front of the three tied men…

His face showed no emotion at all, not even a trace of anger. It was cold and empty, as if he felt nothing. But the moment the captives saw him standing before them, their expressions changed completely. Their faces turned pale, as if all the blood had drained from them. Their fear became even more visible now, as they realized what was about to happen…

And then, in the very next second, a scream tore through the warehouse so loudly that even some of the men standing nearby felt a chill run through them. It was a scream filled with unbearable pain and terror. The second man had, in one single swift move, cut off all the fingers of the tied man’s hands at once…

The sight was so horrifying that the other two captives completely lost control of themselves. Fear overwhelmed their bodies, so much so that their clothes were soaked, and their legs gave way beneath them. Within moments, both of them fainted on the spot, unable to bear what they had just witnessed…

The echoes of the scream still hung in the air, mixed with the heavy smell of blood, while the men in the warehouse stood frozen for a second, watching the brutal scene in stunned silence…

Then the first man finally stood up from his place. He looked at the two men standing in front of him and gave a small nod by slightly tilting his head. Without saying anything more, he turned and started walking toward the exit…

At the doorway, he stopped. Without turning back, he said in a cold, firm voice,

“You have time till tomorrow. And whoever is behind this should know very well what the result is of messing with ASR…”

After saying this, he walked out…

No one had ever been able to defeat him till today, and because of that, he had made countless enemies along the way…

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The next morning, in a different part of the city, far away from the darkness of the previous night, the scene was completely different. As far as the eyes could see, there were only neat upper–middle-class houses. The sound of birds filled the air, their soft chirping spreading peace everywhere. From one particular house, a very sweet and gentle voice was heard. The moment the birds heard it, many of them came and sat on the trees around that house, as if they too had been drawn by the melody…

The house was neither very big nor very small. It looked like a comfortable upper–middle-class home. In front of it was a small, beautiful garden with a table and chairs placed neatly. Beside it, there was even a small swimming pool that sparkled in the morning light. Inside the house, in one quiet corner, there was a small temple, beautifully decorated with flowers and lights…

A girl was sitting there in front of the temple. She was wearing a blue kurti and matching palazzo. Her long hair was left open, gently swaying with the soft morning breeze. Even her earrings moved slowly with the air. In her hands was an aarti plate, and as she moved it in a slow circle before the idols, she softly sang the aarti in a calm, melodious voice…

Listening to her voice, one by one, all the family members came out after getting ready. They stood quietly behind her, folded their hands, and joined her in the prayers. The peaceful sound of the aarti filled the entire house, making the morning feel pure, warm, and full of devotion…

After the aarti was completed, the girl first offered the final prayer to God. Then she gently touched the aarti plate to her forehead in devotion and slowly turned around. As she did, a soft, lovely smile appeared on her lips, lips as delicate as rose petals. It was the kind of smile that could melt anyone’s heart, the kind that could make a person’s entire day brighter in just one glance…

Her small, button-like nose added to her innocent charm. And when she finally lifted her eyelashes and looked at the people standing behind her with those deep, ocean-blue eyes, her smile only grew wider. Seeing her family there, watching her with warmth and love, her face glowed even more, filling the room with a quiet happiness that needed no words…

Then she offered the aarti to everyone, and all the family members placed their hands on her head and gave her their blessings with loving smiles. After that, she kept the aarti plate back in the temple and took the prasad herself. Soon, everyone started walking toward the dining table together…

“Beta, you were awake till late last night. Then why did you wake up so early today?” her mother, Ramya Mehta, asked in a concerned voice…

“Yes, Tara, you should complete your sleep. If you wake up early every day and still stay up late at night, your health will get affected…” her aunty, Mohini Mehta, added, showing her worry…

That girl was none other than Tara Mehta. She had a habit of waking up early every single morning, no matter what. No matter how late she slept the previous night, she would always wake up at dawn and first perform the aarti in the house. Only after that did she attend to her other daily routines. It was a discipline she followed with quiet devotion, a part of her nature that never changed…

And this was her daily routine, everyone in the house always reminded her every morning to take proper rest. She was just about to reply when she heard another voice coming from right beside her…

“Yes, Taru, you really should complete your sleep. Otherwise, you’ll get dark circles…” her sister-in-law, Sana Mehta, said lightly, with a teasing smile…

“Alright, alright, everyone calm down. Nothing will happen to me,” Tara replied, understanding all their concern and trying to reassure them. “And you all know, I just can’t sleep for too long anyway...”

Her gentle words carried both innocence and quiet certainty, making everyone smile, even though their worry for her still remained…

“Alright, alright, now everyone have your breakfast,” Tara’s father, Harish Mehta, said with a gentle smile. Then he asked casually, “By the way, where is Karan? He still hasn’t come downstairs…”

“Yes, Papa,” Sana replied, “he had an emergency at the hospital late last night, so he had to leave…”

“Hmm, alright then,” Tara’s uncle, Mohit Mehta, said while neatly ending the conversation. “Now everyone eats quickly. We all have to leave for work as well…”

With that, the family settled around the dining table, the soft sounds of dishes and light conversation filling the warm morning air…

After that, everyone left for their respective work, stepping out of the house to begin their day…

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༺✧ Chapter End ✧༻

Phew! That was a rollercoaster, blood, fear, devotion, and breakfast chaos all in one! 😆 Remember, while Armaan is busy being the boss of everything shady, Tara is busy being the boss of her own peaceful mornings. 🌸 Can’t wait for the next chapter!...

~ Twia_Nyxverse

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