(Author POV)

The cozy cafe buzzed with laughter and chatter as Prisha stepped inside, her eyes scanning the familiar faces of her childhood friends. It had been years since they had all been together in one place, and the excitement in the air was undeniable. Siya, Rahul, Naira, Sneha, Swati, and Rounak—each one of them had gone their separate ways to study in different countries, but today, they were back, reunited in their hometown.

Pushing the door open, she stepped inside. Almost instantly, Siya noticed her and let out a dramatic gasp before rushing toward her. “Look who finally decided to bless us with her presence!” Siya exclaimed, throwing her arms around Prisha.

Prisha rolled her eyes but hugged her tightly. “Oh, please, like you don’t talk to me every day.”

“Not the same!” Siya pouted before dragging her toward the table where the others were waiting.

Rahul, the mischievous one of the group, smirked as he leaned back in his chair. “Well, well, well, if it isn’t the Mafia Princess herself.”

“Shut up, Rahul,” Prisha said, playfully smacking his arm before moving to greet Naira, Sneha, Swati, and Rounak. The girls squealed in excitement, each pulling her into warm embraces.

Once everyone had settled, Rounak leaned forward with a grin. “Okay, spill. You disappeared on us for years. No messages, no visits. What gives?”

Prisha sighed dramatically. “Ugh, you know how it is. My dad kept me locked in studies, then training, then more training. I barely had time to breathe, let alone plan a trip.”

Naira arched a brow. “Training? You mean… mafia training?”

Prisha smirked. “Something like that.”

Sneha shuddered. “I still don’t get how you survive in that world.”

“Easy,” Prisha shrugged, taking a sip of her coffee. “I make the world survive me.”

Siya laughed. “Classic Prisha.”

The conversation flowed effortlessly, filled with laughter and nostalgia. They talked about their school days, the ridiculous things they did as kids, and how much life had changed since they all went to different countries for their studies. Hours passed as they caught up on each other’s lives, sharing their experiences from different countries and reliving childhood memories.

"So, what’s the plan now?" Swati asked, stirring her iced coffee.

Siya clapped her hands together. "Shopping! We need a full day of shopping and fun."

"Yes!" Naira agreed excitedly. "We haven’t had a proper day out together in ages."

"Then it’s settled," Prisha declared. "Tomorrow, we go all out—shopping, food, and fun."

"Perfect!" Siya grinned. "Let’s meet tomorrow morning and make a day of it."

With that, they finalized their plans, promising to meet early the next day.

Vedant sat in the meeting hall, his sharp gaze scanning the faces of Ketan and Bali as they stood before him.

Ketan leaned forward, resting his arms on the table, his expression calm but authoritative. "Tomorrow morning, we leave for Amresh’s estate," he stated. "Once the job is done, and Amresh is dead, you will retrieve his HDD. That is your second priority after eliminating him."

Vedant’s eyes flickered with suspicion. Harsh had already warned him about the significance of this HDD. He had been expecting Ketan or Bali to explain its importance, but their deliberate avoidance only heightened his curiosity.

"And what exactly is on this HDD?" Vedant asked directly, his voice steady but probing.

Bali’s expression darkened slightly, while Ketan simply smirked and leaned back in his chair. "Not your concern," Ketan said dismissively. "Your job is to follow orders."

Vedant narrowed his eyes but didn’t push further. He had expected this deflection. If the HDD held something valuable enough that they refused to discuss it, then it was definitely worth looking into.

"Fine," Vedant said coolly, leaning back in his chair, his fingers drumming against the armrest. "What else do I need to know?"

Ketan exchanged a glance with Bali before continuing, "I’ll be coming with you. I want to ensure everything goes smoothly. So be at Solanki Mansion on time. No delays."

Vedant nodded, "Understood," Vedant replied, his tone indifferent.

The meeting concluded, but Vedant’s mind was already working ahead. Tomorrow, he would follow orders. But after that? He had his own plans to execute.

The dimly lit bar buzzed with soft music and murmured conversations, but inside a secluded private room, the air carried a different weight. A table sat at the center, drinks already waiting, as Vedant stepped inside. His sharp gaze flickered across the room until he spotted them—Mehul and Akshat, his closest allies.

"You bastard!" Mehul grinned, standing up and pulling Vedant into a firm hug. "How long has it been? Feels like you've been buried in that goddamn empire forever."

Akshat smirked from the side. "If we didn’t know better, we’d think you actually enjoy playing their loyal pet."

Vedant let out a low chuckle, shaking his head as he took a seat. "Yeah? Well, this ‘pet’ has learned a lot more than expected."

Mehul leaned forward, intrigued. "What do you have for us?"

Vedant’s expression darkened as he rested his elbows on the table. "Amresh Pal. They want him dead. But that’s not the real prize. There’s an HDD in his possession—something so valuable that the Solankis want it intact."

Akshat’s brows furrowed. "HDD? What's on it?"

Vedant exhaled, running a hand through his hair. "Harsh, the accountant at Solanki’s office, tipped me off. He claims it holds the entire financial history of Amresh—the money trails, offshore accounts, black-market dealings—everything. It’s their leverage, their insurance."

Mehul narrowed his eyes. "And let me guess, they didn’t bother telling you any of this?"

Vedant nodded. "I asked Ketan directly. He dodged the question. That means this HDD is more than just Amresh’s finances. It’s a fucking time bomb."

Akshat let out a low whistle. "So what’s the plan?"

Vedant’s gaze hardened. "Before I hand it over to them, we need to extract the data. But we can’t just copy it. We have to remove at least seventy percent of the sensitive information before they get their hands on it."

Mehul nodded. "I can handle that. Consider it done."

Vedant smirked. "Good. But we’ll have to be careful. Ketan is coming with me. He’s not an idiot. If he senses anything off, this mission will turn to shit real fast."

Akshat leaned back, arms crossed. "Then we make sure there’s nothing to sense. We’ll track you in real time. The second you get your hands on that HDD, signal us. We’ll take care of the rest."

Vedant glanced at both of them, a dangerous glint in his eyes. As the three of them drank, the tension settled.