Summary: Maya is trapped. Rathore wants Arjun. Her mother’s life is the price. What begins as a lie becomes a betrayal. Arjun opens his heart. Maya sells him the dream of a weekend escape. Rathore sets the trap. Every touch burns with guilt. Every word feels like a goodbye. The police close in. Maya breaks in silence. She doesn’t know what’s coming. An arrest? A fall? Or something worse? But she can’t stop it now. She already lit the match. And in the calm before the storm, love and death wait in the same room.
Section 1: No Way Out
Outside Maya’s window, the city roared. Horns blared. Sirens wailed. Neon lights cut through the polluted haze. But inside the apartment, it was silent. Still. Heavy. Suffocating.
Maya sat curled on the couch. Her arms held her knees tight. Her body wouldn’t move. Rathore’s voice echoed in her head. The forged file. Her mother’s shaking hands. His final threat played again and again. He had made it clear—she had no choice. Not if she wanted her mother safe.
Then came the worst part. He had said he would book them under prostitution charges. Not just her. Her mother too.
Maya shuddered. Her throat burned. She had seen what those false charges did. Models. Starlets. Their lives ruined. Names dragged into filth. Futures destroyed.
She imagined her mother in that chaos. Reporters shouting. Courtrooms calling her a pimp’s daughter. Maya trembled with fear.
There was no air left. Only her fear. Loud. Crushing. Inescapable.
Her fingers dug into her palms hard. Sweat coated her skin. Her heart thudded so loudly it felt like it would burst. A police siren wailed in the distance. She flinched, breath catching in fear.
Maya had fought hard to leave behind her past. She had spent years proving she was more than just a body. More than a face. Now one threat had undone it all. Rathore had made it clear. He would drag her mother into the old fraud case. He would frame them both for prostitution.
Her mother, Sarla, was too fragile to survive that. The media would tear her apart.
It felt cruel. Maya was under the protection of Arjun Malik, the most powerful man in the city. And yet, to protect her mother, she had to let the police use her to get to him.
The man who had given her safety was now the bait. The police wanted him, and they were using her to get to him. She didn’t know how or when. But she was letting it happen. She had no other option. That was the truth.
What made it worse was the doubt creeping into her heart. Maybe he saw her differently. Maybe she wasn’t just another woman in his life. Maybe she had started to feel something too.
She didn’t want to name it. Not now. Not yet. But it made everything harder. And it wasn’t going to stop what was coming.
There was no justice. Only damage. Only loss. And now, everything she had run from was back—this time, from the very hands that once saved her.
Maya jumped to her feet. Panic surged through her. She couldn’t sit still. She paced the floor. Her chest felt tight. Her bare heels hit the marble hard. She was trapped. If she ran, Arjun would find her. If she spoke, he would snap. She couldn’t tell him anything. Her mother was her weakness. So was their reputation. The smallest scandal could destroy them both. And being Arjun Malik’s woman—once her safety—was now her biggest risk. If he found out, there would be no mercy. She was cornered from all sides. There was no way out. There was no safe choice. No way out. Every path ended in ruin.
Her hands shook as she held the curtain. A dark SUV passed below. Maybe nothing. But fear had taken over. Every shadow now felt like a threat.
She ran into the bathroom and turned on the light. Cold air struck her face. Her eyes were red. Her makeup was ruined. Her skin looked drained. She didn’t look like someone loved. She looked ruined. Nothing was left of the woman she used to be.
She gasped. Her legs gave way.
She collapsed to the floor, hands covering her mouth, trying to stop the sobs. But she couldn’t. The cries burst out—loud, painful, shaking her body. She felt broken. Afraid. Ashamed.
Because she already knew what she had to do.
She didn’t want to turn against him. But she had no control. The threat was real. Her mother would be wrecked. So would she. And now, she wasn’t choosing anything. She was cornered. And just trying to stay alive.
She wiped her face and took a deep breath. Her body felt weak, her face puffy from crying. She wasn’t brave. She was just tired. That’s why the decision was made.
She went to the bedroom. She wiped her face with her sleeve.
Just then, her phone buzzed. One new message. Her stomach turned cold.
She picked it up and read: “Stand by for further instruction.”
No name. No signature. But she knew who it was. Rathore. Short. Final. Cruel.
She stood frozen. A part of her wanted to throw the phone. Another part wanted to run. But she did neither.
Because the game had begun. And she was already in it.
Section 2: Love in the Dark
Arjun stood on the balcony, smoking. The evening air was thick. The city noise felt far away. Inside, Maya sat still on the couch. Her posture was stiff. Her wine glass was full. She kept circling the rim with her fingers. Her shoulders were tense and hunched.
Arjun turned and watched her for a moment. “You’ve been quiet lately,” he said.
She looked up with a mechanical smile. “Just tired.”
He came closer, pulled a chair beside her. “No. That’s not it.”
A chill ran through her. For a second, her heart stopped. Had he seen through the lie? Was this the moment everything collapsed?
“You look tense,” he said quietly. “Like you’re scared of losing something and trying to hide it.”
She said nothing. Her face stayed still. But her heart was racing. He didn’t know she was already compromised. She didn’t know if that meant betrayal. But something had changed. And it was too late to stop it. He thought she was just unsure. That made it worse.
He leaned back and stared at the ceiling. “I used to think love made a man weak. Soft. Blind.” He paused. “But with you, I wanted peace. A life without blood. Without fear.”
He had no idea he was saying this to the one who might destroy him.
Maya’s throat tightened. He wasn’t just in love. He was opening up. And something about it felt dangerous. She didn’t know what would happen. But something in her gut said it wouldn’t be good. The air felt heavy. Every word he spoke sounded like a farewell. Her chest tightened with a fear she couldn’t name. But it was close. And nothing could stop it.
Maya’s hand twitched. The glass shook slightly in her grip. said, his voice softer now.
Arjun looked at her and said, “You made me want things I never thought I would. A quiet life. A real home. A future without guns. Without blood. Just peace.”
He paused and looked down. “It’s strange. I don’t say things like this. But tonight… I feel it.”
She stared at the floor, throat tightening.
He looked at her again. His eyes were softer than usual. "I’ve been thinking. Maybe it’s time I step back. Let others take over the dirt. I’m tired of living like each day could be the last."
Her heart pounded. A dull ache filled her head. She felt crushed by fear and guilt. Arjun had just said he loved her. And she cursed what she was being forced to do. The man had just said he loved her. And she was leading him toward something she couldn’t control. Something that felt dark. Final.
She knew exactly how it had come to this. She was being torn between two loyalties. One was born from love. The other from fear. Her mother or Arjun. Her past or her present. And she had no power to choose either without destroying the other.
“A house by the sea,” he said quietly. “Somewhere quiet. No guards. No guns. Just you. And me.”
Maya stayed still. Her fingers dug into the glass. Her hand trembled. Her face showed nothing. But inside, she was drowning. Fear. Guilt. Confusion. She couldn’t speak. She couldn’t run. All she could do was stay in the act and hope it held a little longer.
Arjun shifted forward, elbows resting on his knees. “I never said it before because I didn’t know how. But I love you, Maya.”
Maya froze. She hadn’t expected this. Arjun had never said anything like that before. He meant every word.
And that made it worse.
She had thought he would use her like other men had. But he hadn’t. Not once. No grabbing. No pushing. No taking. Just gentle words. Respectful touch. Holding hands. Occasional kisses. Nothing more.
She had never met a man like him. A man who treated her like more than a body. A man who, maybe, saw her. And that’s what hurt the most.
If he had used her, the pain wouldn’t have been this sharp. But this—this was different. He had been kind. Careful. Almost too good.
And she was dragging him toward something he didn’t deserve.
Her heart twisted.
Why? Why her? Why now?
She had no answers. Only guilt. And silence.
“I don’t know if you feel the same,” he said, voice low. “But I had to say it. I’ve given people money, orders, bullets. But this—this is the first time I’m giving someone my truth. No games. No control. Just me.”
Her chest clenched hard. Her eyes burned. Her lips trembled, but no sound came. Her body shook, not from fear, but from guilt she couldn’t shake off. Arjun’s words kept echoing. Gentle. Honest. Real. A man who had touched her with care, never once crossing a line. She had met men who used her. She could handle that. But Arjun—he was different. And that made it unbearable. She nodded faintly, unable to meet his eyes. A thousand thoughts screamed inside her, but none came out.
“I do.”
It was all she could manage. Anything more would have broken her. Of course she meant it. She did love him. Fully. Deeply. But she couldn’t say it. Not like that. Not tonight.
Saying 'I love you' felt too complete. Too final. Saying just 'I do' felt safer. Like it left something unsaid. Like it took some of the weight off her betrayal.
Strange, how the mind tries to protect itself. With half-truths. With silence. With the smallest choice of words.
She sat still, clutching the lie that wasn’t a lie. Hoping it would hurt a little less.
Arjun smiled. His eyes lit up. He reached for her hand and held it tight. “Then let’s get out. Soon.” His voice was light, almost excited. Like a weight had lifted. Like he had been waiting to hear those words from her all along.
She nodded again, mechanical, smiling weakly.
Inside, she was breaking. Each word felt like a blow. Guilt burned through her. Pain pressed into her chest. She was hurting the man who loved her. And he didn’t even know it.
And as he leaned in to kiss her, Maya's breath caught. His lips were urgent. Deep. Hungry. The kiss wasn’t soft—it was full of everything he had held back.
She froze for a second. Her guilt screamed. But if she pulled away, it would tell him something was wrong. And that could ruin everything.
So she kissed him back. Matching his passion. Matching his need. Her hands gripped his shoulders. Her mouth moved with his. Her heart pounded—not just from the kiss, but from what it meant.
She wished she could stay there. Lost in him. But the clock was ticking. And the walls were closing in.
Outside, something waited. Silent. Unseen. Inside, love burned. And Maya stood between the two—caught in the middle of a love that felt real and a danger that could destroy Arjun and everything he had built.
Section 3: The Price of Silence
Her phone rang.
An unknown number.
Her stomach dropped. She knew that number now. It was him. Rathore.
Thankfully, Arjun wasn’t around. How did Rathore ensure that? Police network? Surveillance?
She answered, heart thudding.
Rathore’s voice was cold. No greeting. No delay.
“Take him away. Get him out. Somewhere quiet. Keep me posted.”
Maya opened her mouth to respond.
“Don’t talk. Just do it. Soon. I don’t care how. Just get it done. Don’t make me repeat myself.”
Her fingers went numb.
“And Maya,” his voice dropped lower, meaner. “If you screw this up—your mother goes first. Then you.”
He paused, then delivered the filth in the coldest tone possible. “I’ll have both of you on the street, looking for clients and fighting with pimps and other prostitutes. You and your sixty-year-old mother, standing in filth, waiting for drunk men to unzip their pants and screw you both. Hundred bucks for a grope. Two hundred for a ride. No mercy. No breaks. I’ll make sure every bastard in the city lines up. You’ll beg them to pick you. I’ll turn your faces into posters for every cheap bastard’s fantasy.”
The line went dead.
Maya stood frozen, phone still in her hand. The order was clear. The threat was real.
She took a deep breath, straightened her face, and walked out—alone. She was left to face Rathore’s threat and her guilt, with no one to shield her. It was her battle now.
It had begun.
And now, she had to sell him his own end—with love, charm, and everything else she had left.
Section 4: A Lie Called Escape
The next morning, Maya stood at the kitchen window, staring blankly at a pigeon picking crumbs. Behind her, Arjun flipped through the newspaper and smoked. The silence between them was tense and heavy.
She turned slowly, choosing her words with care. “Let’s get away for a few days.”
Arjun didn’t look up. “Away where?”
“Anywhere quiet,” she said, walking over. “Just us. No phones. No meetings. Just… peace.”
He raised an eyebrow. “Now?”
Maya forced a smile, steadying her voice. "You said you wanted peace. I’m giving it to you. Just two days, Arjun. No calls, no meetings, no guards. Just us. Before things explode outside, let’s take this one chance to breathe."
Arjun set the paper down, eyes narrowing. “You’ve never asked for something like this before. Not since I settled you. What’s going on?”
A sharp wave of panic hit her. If he sensed even a hint of betrayal, she wouldn’t just die—she’d be tortured and butchered. Arjun’s men didn’t spare traitors. They made examples of them. She knew it too well. One wrong word, one wrong look, and she’d die screaming. Her body stiffened, but she forced a smile. She stepped closer and touched his wrist, hiding the shake in her fingers.
"Because I’m tired, Arjun," she said, keeping her voice steady. "You said you wanted peace. I want it too. Just two days. No men. Just us."
She leaned in, her voice softer now. "You once told me I was the only part of your life that felt normal. Let’s hold on to that—just once more."
He studied her. His eyes didn’t blink. Her pulse shot up. Her neck stiffened. Her hand twitched slightly, betraying her panic. She forced herself to stay still, to keep breathing. One wrong move, and he would know.
“You’re hiding something,” he said slowly, eyes fixed on her. His voice wasn’t sharp—it was low, uncertain. That alone made it more dangerous. Arjun Malik never guessed. He knew. But this time, he was second-guessing himself. Because it was her. And for the first time in his life, Arjun Malik—the man who trusted no one—was in love. Real love. The kind that made him ignore his instincts. The kind that could get him killed.
Her throat tightened. Panic flared, but she forced herself to stay calm. “I’m hiding exhaustion,” she said sharply, then quickly softened her tone. “Please… I just need to breathe, that’s all.”
As he looked away, she exhaled silently, her hands damp with sweat. Relief hit her. Somehow, she had sounded convincing. She thanked her stars for giving her just enough presence of mind to pull it off.
Arjun watched her for a few more seconds, then nodded slowly. “Where?”
She looked away, pretending to think. “There’s a place near Lonavala. Grand Pearl Resort. Discreet. No media. I checked it out a while ago… just didn’t think you’d ever say yes.”
He leaned back, eyes fixed on her. “You already had this place in mind?” His voice was calm, but the doubt was clear. He wasn’t used to coincidences. Not in his world.
Maya smiled tightly. “I needed something to hope for.”
"Shall we go this weekend? Today is Thursday. We'll leave Saturday morning and be back by Sunday evening. Does that work for you? Happy now, my dear?” Arjun asked casually.
Maya froze. She hadn’t expected him to say yes. Not so fast. Not with barely a day to go. It shook her.
Arjun never acted like this. He planned. He measured. But now he was moving fast. Too fast.
And that overwhelmed her.
She had so much to do. So much to set up. There was no time to think, no space to breathe. But this was it. Her one shot. If she backed off now, everything could fall apart.
Rathore’s words echoed like fire in her skull. Her mother. Herself. There was no turning back. She had to sell the lie. Make it look like love.
Even if it killed her.
She quickly hugged him, trying to mask her panic with warmth. “You’ve really made me happy,” she said, holding him tight. But inside, her thoughts raced. It was already past noon. How could she arrange everything so quickly?
She looked up at him, trying to sound casual. “But so soon? It’s a popular resort. We need advance booking. What do we do now?”
Arjun gave her a familiar look—a silent assurance that nothing was beyond his reach. He crushed his cigarette.
“I will tell Karan to book it. No staff. Just the two of us.”
“Thank you,” she said, stepping forward again. She wrapped her arms around him, kissed his cheek, and held him close. “You have no idea how much this means to me.” Her voice was calm, her smile soft—but inside, her fear grew stronger with every passing second.
Arjun made a quick call. His tone was sharp and direct. Minutes later, his phone rang. He picked up, listened, gave a short grunt, and hung up. Then he turned to Maya. "It’s done. Suite 302 is booked. Everything’s arranged. Now you can plan and prepare as you want. We’re leaving early Saturday morning to beat the traffic. Make sure you’re ready early. We can’t afford delays. Okay?"
Arjun checked the time, grabbed his keys, and walked over. He pulled her into a warm hug. He kissed her forehead, then her lips—gentle, lingering. “We’re going to have the best weekend,” he whispered. “Just you and me. No world, no noise.”
Maya nodded, her smile forced but convincing.
He gave her one last look, then turned and left for work. The door clicked shut. And just like that, she was alone again—with time ticking and choices running out.
Maya stood frozen for a moment, then quietly walked to the bedroom. She needed to act before the window closed.
Alone in the bedroom, Maya moved fast. Every second counted. Her hands shook, but she didn’t stop. She grabbed her phone and wiped her sweaty fingers on her dress. This was it. One slip, and it would all collapse. She opened the SMS app and took a breath that barely reached her lungs.
She typed slowly: “Grand Pearl Resort. Suite 302. Check-in 10 am Saturday. Repeat, Saturday. That’s day after. GPS active.”
As soon as the message was sent, she deleted it. Like it was poison. Like it could explode if seen. If anyone—even by accident—especially Arjun—read it, she was finished. Her hand shook as she hit delete. Her stomach churned. This message could end everything.
A pause. Then came the reply: “Received. Stay quiet. We’re watching.”
The reply came. Cold. Distant. Her stomach turned. She didn’t even finish reading it. She deleted it in a panic, like touching it any longer might curse her. If Arjun ever saw it—she would be dead before she could explain.
Rathore had locked onto the target. He wasn’t just any cop—he was Mumbai’s most feared encounter specialist. He knew exactly how to get the kill done—fast, quiet, and without a single mistake.
She closed the phone and sat on the bed, breathing hard. Her stomach twisted. The trap was real now—no turning back.
The phone beeped again. Another message. Maya flinched, heart racing. Then she saw it—a single heart emoji. From Arjun. She had almost hit delete without thinking. But something stopped her.
She stared at the red heart. Her eyes welled up. What was she doing to him? To herself?
She clutched the phone, guilt ripping through her. The man who loved her was walking blind into a storm she had helped build. Her body shook. Her throat closed.
She let the sobs out—raw, quiet, helpless.
Section 5: Kill Protocol
Rathore sat in his office, curtains drawn, AC humming. He lit a cigarette, opened the operations laptop, and clicked the surveillance app. The screen loaded.
A red dot blinked on the map.
Maya.
He leaned forward, eyes narrowing. “Good,” he muttered. “Very good.”
The GPS tracker on her phone that they were tracking was live, steady, and accurate. He had her. Which meant he had Arjun.
One of his trusted men leaned in. “The girl’s location is holding. She’s on track.”
Another officer asked, “You trust her to deliver?”
Rathore smirked, smoke curling from his lips. “She doesn’t have to be loyal. Just scared. Fear does the job better than faith. She’s terrified for her mother and herself. That’s enough.”
He clicked to zoom. The red dot still hovered over Maya’s apartment. That dot was everything. Her location was live. Stable. Locked in. Rathore allowed himself a rare smile. The backbone of the operation was holding.
He turned to his core team—four men he trusted just enough. “No early details. Final plan stays with me until the last minute. Too many mouths in the force. Malik pays well, and his moles listen better.”
One nodded. “So how do we move?”
Rathore’s tone was cold. “We leave a day before. Check into a hotel close to the resort. No one moves until we see them arrive. Then we wait. The girl will tell us when he’s most vulnerable—drunk, asleep, maybe in the shower. Whatever it is, she’ll signal. That’s our window.” He looked at each face in the room. “We go in clean. No CCTV. No phones. No radios. No sound. One entry. One exit. One bullet. No arrest. No noise. Just silence. Let the rest guess what really happened."
The team stayed silent.
“Fake intel goes out tomorrow morning. We’ll feed the media a gang war and subsequent police raid in Thane. Pull a few cars. Stage arrests. Throw in a couple of planted weapons. That’ll keep cameras, reporters, and half the force tied up elsewhere. By the time they realise what really happened, we’ll be done and gone,” Rathore said, tying up the last loose ends.
He leaned back and exhaled. “This isn’t an arrest. One entry. One shot. Then we vanish. No sound. No trace. Clean. As always.”
“What if something goes wrong?” asked a junior—the same one who had messed up the last op Rathore had to fix.
Rathore looked him dead in the eye. “Nothing will go wrong. The girl’s doing half the job for us.”
He stubbed out his cigarette.
“All we need to do is show up.”
Section 6: The Calm Before the Storm
Saturday, 10 AM.
Arjun Malik’s black Land Rover pulled into Grand Pearl Resort in Lonavala. He had driven himself with Maya, just the two of them. Leaving early had worked. They beat the traffic and reached on time.
The Grand Pearl Resort stood on a quiet Lonavala hillside. The town below, known for 'chikki' shops and weekend traffic, was now lost in mist. Fog wrapped the resort grounds in silence. The marble lobby glowed under chandeliers. Staff moved in crisp uniforms. It was the kind of place built to hide secrets—behind glass, behind money, behind perfect calm.
Maya stepped out of the car first. Her sunglasses covered her eyes. Her smile looked forced. Arjun came out next. He threw the keys to the valet without looking. He looked calm. Too calm. Only a man with no idea of danger could look like that.
Their suite overlooked the valley—glass walls, private plunge pool, expensive minimalism. Arjun dropped his duffel bag and collapsed onto the couch, arms stretched wide, eyes closed.
“This is perfect,” he said, voice slow, content.
Maya nodded, slipping off her heels. Her legs felt numb. “Told you.”
He turned toward her. “We should do this more often. Just disappear.”
Disappear—the word hit her like a jolt. It sounded innocent, but in her head, it echoed with danger. Would he vanish? Would something go wrong? She had no idea what Rathore had planned. But her gut twisted. That word felt like a warning.
She smiled faintly. “Sounds like a dream.”
Arjun stood, pulled her into an embrace. “I meant it, Maya. We’ll get out soon. I’ll shut down half the operations, let others run things. Maybe buy a place like this. Quiet. Safe.”
She rested her head on his chest. His arms held her gently. For a moment, she felt safe. But her body betrayed her. Her fingers twitched behind his back. Every word he spoke felt like a wound. She had handed him over to the police. Yet here she was, held in the arms of the man she had condemned. Her heart ached. Her guilt burned. This was love. But also betrayal. And it tore her apart.
Later, they had lunch on the balcony. Soft music played in the background. Arjun spoke about their future. He joked that the staff had already started calling them Mr. and Mrs. Malik. He kissed her between sentences. He touched her with ease and comfort.
Maya smiled. She sipped her wine. She leaned into his touch. But none of it was real. Every action felt forced. Every movement felt like a lie. Her eyes kept scanning the glass, the balcony, the shadows below. She tried to act normal, but she knew what was coming. She was sitting in the arms of a man she had betrayed. Soon, this peace would turn into blood.
Her throat dried with each laugh she faked. Her grip on the wineglass tightened every time he mentioned the future. She moved closer to him. She tried to look normal. But in her mind, she was screaming.
After lunch, she went to the washroom and locked the door. Her legs felt weak. She almost fell as she turned the latch. She grabbed the sink for support. Her breath came in short, sharp bursts. Sweat ran down her face. Her hands shook as she pulled out the phone from her bag.
She sent the message: “Location steady. No suspicion.” Then deleted it instantly. Her heart pounded. If anyone saw it—especially Arjun—it would all be over.
Her hand hovered over the screen for a second longer than it should have. Then she locked the phone and dropped it back in her purse.
She stared at her reflection. Her face looked calm, but her eyes gave her away. They were wide, empty, and full of fear.
She splashed cold water on her face, gripped the counter harder, and whispered to herself, “Just get through tonight.”
When she returned, Arjun was already in bed, flipping channels. He looked up.
“Everything okay?”
She forced a nod. “Yeah. Just needed a minute.”
He didn’t press. But his gaze lingered longer than usual.
She sat beside him on the couch. Arjun pulled her close and wrapped his arm around her waist.
For the first time since he had claimed her, Arjun made real love to Maya. No rush. No control. Just raw emotion and deep hunger. He started slow, lips exploring her neck, hands moving over her with purpose. But soon, his restraint gave way. The man who ruled the city with fear now ruled her body with the same fire.
He kissed her hard. Deep. His hands gripped her waist. Her clothes came off in seconds. She gasped, moaned, trembled. He was relentless. Fierce. A storm she couldn’t hold back.
She matched him—moan for moan, breath for breath. He took her again and again, as if each time was the first. And with each thrust, he broke her down and rebuilt her.
By dinner, Maya was breathless, her body weak, her legs barely holding. But Arjun wasn’t done. Not even close. He pulled her in again, dragged her back into the bed, kissed every inch of her skin like it was his last night on earth.
She had never felt anything like this. He wasn’t just making love. He was claiming her. Body. Mind. Soul. And she gave in fully, helplessly, desperately—because in that moment, she belonged to him.
And maybe, just maybe, he belonged to her too.
Maya rolled off him, laughing breathlessly. They both laughed, raw and wild, like something had finally broken loose. But as the laughter faded, silence took over.
She lay still beside him, staring into the ceiling. Her body tingled, her skin still burning from his touch. But her mind had already drifted—into fear, into guilt.
That word again—disappear.
Her heart sank. She hadn’t known what Rathore had planned. But now, the silence in the room felt like a countdown.
She reached for Arjun’s hand under the sheet and gripped it tight. He was real. Warm. Alive.
But for how long?
The storm was nearly here.
Section 7: Final Hours
They had finished dinner and were now sipping champagne on the balcony. Arjun had ordered the best bottle, saying it felt like the perfect night for it. He looked relaxed. The candlelight flickered softly between them. Outside, fog covered the valley. The resort was quiet. Maya sat beside him, glass in hand. She nodded at his stories. She laughed when he joked. But inside, she was pretending.
Arjun was in a lighter mood than she’d seen in weeks—talking about buying a beach house, starting over, maybe traveling—Dubai, Singapore, even Europe. His voice was warm, hopeful. Human.
Maya forced a smile, fingers brushing his across the table. “You make it sound so easy.”
“With you, it could be,” he said, raising his glass.
She clinked it against his, swallowed the wine too quickly. The bitterness stayed on her tongue.
A few hundred meters away, inside a nondescript hotel near the resort, Inspector Rathore sat in a dim room with his core team. He stared at a blinking red dot on the operations laptop—Maya’s GPS. The exact coordinates of Grand Pearl Resort. He lit a cigarette, smoke curling like a noose.
“Team One moves in from the rear stairwell. Team Two from the elevator shaft. Quiet, clean, precise,” he said.
The officers around him checked weapons, loaded silencers, secured vests. Every movement was cold and practiced.
“No civilian casualties,” Rathore added, eyes fixed on the screen. “No noise. Malik dies tonight.”
Even the most seasoned men in Rathore’s team went quiet. These were cops who had pulled triggers in countless fake encounters. But this one—Arjun Malik—was different. The king of the Mumbai underworld. His fall would shake the entire city.
They glanced at each other but said nothing. The weight of what was about to happen settled like a stone in the room. None of them had expected Rathore to go all the way.
As always, Rathore had planned for silence. All mobile phones were collected, switched off, and locked in a sealed box with his personal security officer. No calls. No leaks. No trace.
Standard protocol before a hit. Total blackout.
Back in the suite, Maya felt a faint vibration against her skin. The phone was hidden deep in the inner pocket of her house gown, pressed close to her body. She had placed it there on purpose—discreet, silent, unseen. She couldn’t risk Arjun seeing her with it. Not now. Not when everything was seconds from collapse. She glanced at him—still mid-sentence, unaware—then quietly excused herself and walked to the washroom, locking the door with shaking hands.
A message appeared on screen. It read: “Operation underway. Inform if anything changes.” That was classic Rathore—always expecting the unexpected, always prepared for things to go wrong once the operation started.
She stared at the message. Her chest tightened. Was this it? Was Arjun going to be taken? Locked away? Would they drag him out in handcuffs while she stood and watched?
That was all she could imagine—arrest, trial, humiliation.
The word 'death' hovered at the edge of her thoughts. She pushed it away.
She didn’t know Rathore’s past. She didn’t know what he really meant by ‘operation.’ But something about the message felt cold. Final.
She looked around the room. Everything was still. Too still.
And in that silence, a terrible thought crept in.
What if he didn’t make it back?
She put the phone aside. Her hands were wet with sweat. She washed them again, not to clean them, but to stop the shaking. Her breath came fast. Her legs felt weak. She held the sink to keep herself from falling.
Her reflection in the mirror didn’t look like her anymore. Her face was pale. Her eyes were wide and full of fear. Her lips trembled.
The weight of it slammed into her. She had betrayed the man who loved her. And now, something was about to end. But what?
Would they drag him away in handcuffs? Would his empire fall? Would Arjun Malik vanish, not just as a don—but as a man?
She didn’t know. She couldn’t know.
Her heart thudded. Her throat tightened.
The word 'end' echoed in her head, but its meaning stayed blurred.
She didn’t want to picture it. She didn’t want to believe it. But something dark was coming.
And she had helped open the door.
She gripped the counter harder, trying to stay upright. Her stomach turned. Her body was breaking.
Arjun was going to be destroyed. Wiped out. And it would be because of her.
When she stepped out, Arjun was lounging on the couch, barefoot, flipping channels.
He looked up, smiling. “Come here.”
She moved to him slowly, sat beside him, curled into his side. He wrapped his arm around her, kissed her forehead, then her cheek, then her lips.
“You’re quiet again,” he said softly.
“Just tired,” she murmured.
“You always say that.” He smiled faintly. “But you look beautiful when you lie.”
Her heart stopped for a second. Her grip on his arm tightened.
But Arjun just laughed, kissed her again, and rose.
He walked toward the window, pulled the curtain slightly aside, eyes scanning the fog-shrouded valley.
He stood there, still, watching.
Then he said, almost to himself, “Strange… feels too quiet tonight.”
Maya didn’t answer. Her eyes stayed locked on him—etched into memory, as if it was already goodbye.
And outside, in the dark, the trigger fingers were already tightening.
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