Author POV

The dark road stretched endlessly as Vedant gripped the steering wheel, his knuckles white with tension. Ketan sat beside him, his sharp eyes scanning their surroundings. Silence loomed between them until Ketan finally spoke.

"Did you understand the Gulam rules?" His voice was devoid of warmth, a mere formality.

Vedant merely nodded; his expression unreadable. These so-called rules meant nothing to him—just another set of chains he would one day break, but there was no need to voice that now. Ketan didn't press further, his focus shifting to the rearview mirror. A black SUV had been tailing them for the past few minutes, maintaining a suspicious distance.

Vedant noticed it too. "We've got company."

Before Ketan could respond, a burst of gunfire shattered the rear windshield. Bullets ricocheted off the metal frame as Ketan pulled out his gun and fired back without hesitation. The sharp crack of gunshots filled the night.

Vedant gritted his teeth and slammed his foot on the accelerator, weaving through the sparse traffic to escape. But suddenly, a faint, rapid beeping noise echoed through the car. His eyes darted toward the dashboard.

Beep. Beep. Beep.

Both men exchanged a sharp glance.

"A timer," Ketan muttered, his face darkening. "There's a bomb in the car."

Vedant immediately pressed the brakes, but the pedal went limp under his foot. "Brakes are dead. Someone planned this well."

For the first time, Ketan looked genuinely unsettled. "How the hell—"

"No time for that," Vedant cut him off. His mind worked rapidly, analyzing their best course of action. "We take them down with us."

Without hesitation, Vedant gripped the steering wheel and drifted the car in a sharp U-turn, their tires screeching against the road. Instead of running from the tailing vehicle, he sped toward it, pushing the car to its limits.

Vedant met Ketan’s gaze. No words were needed.

As their car sped towards the enemy vehicle, both men unbuckled their seatbelts. Timing was everything. The beeping accelerated, the bomb seconds from detonation.

At the last possible moment, threw open their doors, and jumped out of the speeding car, rolling violently onto the road as their vehicle crashed headfirst into the SUV. The explosion was deafening, flames erupting into the night sky as metal twisted and shattered upon impact.

Dust and smoke filled the air as Vedant hit the ground hard, Ketan landed a few feet away, groaning in pain but quickly regaining his senses. Vedant barely had time to recover before he heard footsteps approaching. He rolled onto his knee, pulling out his gun in one swift motion. His eyes locked on Ketan—

Ketan froze, his breath hitching for a mere moment. Vedant’s finger moved over the trigger.

Bang!

The gunshot rang out, and Ketan instinctively ducked. A dull thud followed as a body collapsed behind him, blood pooling from the hole in his skull.

Ketan spun around, realizing just how close death had been. His chest rose and fell heavily as he looked back at Vedant.

For the first time, Ketan was truly impressed.

Vedant lowered his gun, his face as expressionless as ever. Ketan exhaled, his lips curling into a small, approving smirk. "You’re something else, Vedant."

Vedant didn't respond. He knew this was just the beginning.

Ketan had immediately called for another vehicle after the explosion, and now, both he and Vedant sat in the backseat, their clothes covered in dust.

As they reached the mansion, Ketan stepped out first, making his way inside with long strides. Vedant, however, remained near the vehicle, intent on heading to his quarters. But before he could turn, Ketan stopped at the entrance and glanced back.

"Come inside," Ketan ordered, his voice firm.

Vedant met his gaze, unreadable. "I’ll pass."

Ketan frowned. "I wasn't asking. Get inside. Now."

Vedant clenched his jaw, his first instinct being to refuse. He hated the idea of stepping inside the mansion, of walking among these people as if he were one of them. But he had to play the part, at least for now. Without another word, he followed Ketan inside.

The grand interior of the mansion was exactly as Vedant expected—luxurious yet suffocating. Chandeliers cast golden hues across the marble floors, and expensive paintings adorned the walls, all flaunting wealth and power. Yet, to Vedant, it was nothing more than a gilded cage.

As they stepped further in, Bali and Jitendra were already seated in the main hall, engaged in a hushed conversation. The moment Jitendra saw them, his sharp eyes narrowed.

"What happened?" Jitendra’s voice was low, dangerous.

Ketan exhaled sharply, rubbing the back of his neck. "We were attacked. A car followed us for some time, and then—boom. Our vehicle was rigged with explosives."

Jitendra’s expression darkened. "And you’re telling me this now?" His cold gaze shifted to Bali. "Find out who was behind it. I want names."

Vedant remained silent, standing just a few steps behind Ketan. His eyes met Bali’s. Unlike Ketan, Bali wasn’t impressed. He was calculating. Watching him the way a predator sizes up an unfamiliar beast.

Before Jitendra could say more, soft footsteps echoed through the hall. Dhara emerged from one of the rooms, her eyes immediately finding Ketan.

"Ketan!" She rushed forward, worry etched across her face. Without hesitation, she cupped his face, scanning him for injuries. "Are you hurt? I told you to be careful! What happened?"

"I’m fine, Maa," Ketan muttered, exasperated.

Dhara frowned, clearly unconvinced. She turned, calling a maid. "Bring the first aid kit. Now."

As the maid hurried away, Dhara’s gaze shifted, landing on Vedant for the first time. The moment she saw his face, she froze. eyes locking onto his face as if seeing something… familiar. Something she ...she couldn’t place. The warmth in her gaze unsettled him.

Before he could react, Dhara moved toward him. "You're hurt too." Her voice softened, motherly in a way Vedant hadn’t experienced in years.

"I’m fine," he said gruffly, stepping back instinctively.

But there was no cruelty in her touch, no force. Only warmth. An unfamiliar, almost foreign sensation coursed through him. He had long forgotten what a mother’s care felt like.

"Sit," Dhara insisted, her voice leaving no room for argument. When he hesitated, she gave him a look that reminded him of a mother scolding a stubborn child. "Now."

Against his better judgment, he obeyed.

As Dhara busied herself tending to his wounds, Ketan turned back to his father. "I saw a pattern on the car that followed us before the explosion. It wasn’t random. Someone marked it. Someone wanted us to know who they were."

Jitendra leaned forward, his expression unreadable. "Describe it."

Ketan’s eyes gleamed darkly. "A silver serpent curled around a dagger."

A heavy silence fell over the room. Bali and Jitendra exchanged a glance, something unspoken passing between them.

Vedant, despite his disinterest in their politics, memorized every reaction, every subtle change in expression. He had learned long ago that silence often revealed more than words.

Jitendra leaned back in his chair, fingers steepled under his chin. "Find out who is sending us messages. And make sure they regret it."

Bali smirked darkly. "It will be handled."

As Dhara finished tending to Vedant’s injuries, she patted his hand gently before standing. "There. All done. Next time, don’t act like you're invincible."

Vedant didn’t respond. He didn’t know how to.

For the first time since stepping into this hellhole, something inside him wavered. Just for a moment.

The night was silent, but Dhara’s mind was restless. Lying on the grand bed of the Solanki mansion, she absently ran her fingers over the silk sheets, her thoughts clouded with unease —the man who was with Ketan. His presence had struck a strange familiarity within her, like a memory just out of reach.

A strong arm wrapped around her waist, breaking her trance. She turned her head slightly as Jitendra pressed a kiss against the back of her neck, his presence as commanding as ever.

“You’ve been lost in thought ever since we returned.” His voice was deep, laced with exhaustion from the long day. “What’s bothering you?”

Dhara exhaled softly, debating whether to voice her concern. Finally, she asked, “That man who was with Ketan today... Who is he?”

Jitendra’s grip tightened slightly before he moved to sit beside her. “His name is Vedant,” he said, watching her reaction. “A New Gulam.”

Dhara’s brows furrowed. “That man—he doesn’t seem like a normal man, Jitendra. There’s something about him...”

Jitendra let out a low hum, running a hand through his hair. “We’re still gathering information about him,” he admitted. “Bali is looking into his past as we speak.”

Dhara turned to fully face him now. “You don’t trust him either, do you?”

Jitendra’s expression darkened. “I don’t trust anyone until I know their worth”

She held his gaze for a long moment before nodding. Jitendra sighed, brushing a strand of hair from her face. “Enough thinking for tonight.” His voice softened, but there was an edge of finality to it. “Now. Sleep”

He pulls her into his arms. But even as she lay against his chest, her mind refused to rest.

Meanwhile, back at the Solanki estate, Bali stood in the dimly lit hall, his face void of expression. His men had just reported back, whispering of the highway explosion.

His fingers tapped against his chair’s armrest. "Find out who was behind this attack." His voice was cold, controlled.

"And more importantly—find out everything about this Vedant. His past, his bloodline, every shadow he’s ever stepped in. I want to know who the fuck we just let into our empire."