A Silent Judgment

Ayush stood outside Arnav’s office, his heart hammering.

He had never been afraid of his oldest brother before. Annoyed? Yes. Resentful? Always. But afraid? Never.

Until now.

He inhaled sharply and knocked.

"Come in."

The voice was calm. Too calm.

Ayush pushed the door open, stepping inside. Arnav sat behind his desk, flipping through a file. He didn’t look up.

Ayush swallowed. "Arnav—"

"You left."

Two words. Simple, emotionless. But they hit Ayush harder than any slap.

"I—It was a mistake," Ayush stammered. "I thought Anirudh needed me—"

Arnav finally looked up. His dark eyes burned with something unreadable. "And did he?"

Ayush flinched. "No."

Arnav leaned back, studying him. "So you abandoned a deal worth 200 crores… because of a lie?"

Ayush clenched his fists. "I know I messed up. But I—"

"You didn’t just mess up," Arnav interrupted. His voice was soft, but lethal. "You disappointed me."

Ayush felt something crack inside him.

He had always told himself that he didn’t care what Arnav thought. That his approval meant nothing.

But now, hearing those words… it hurt.

"I—I’ll fix it," Ayush said desperately.

Arnav tilted his head. "And why should I give you another chance?"

Ayush froze.

He had no answer.

Because the truth was—he didn’t deserve one.

The Sentence

For a long moment, Arnav said nothing. Then, finally, he closed the file.

"You want to fix it?" he asked coldly.

Ayush nodded. "Yes. Please."

Arnav’s lips curled into something that wasn’t quite a smile. "Fine."

Ayush exhaled in relief. "Thank you—"

"But you will start from the bottom."

Ayush blinked. "What?"

Arnav leaned forward. "You are no longer my assistant. No longer handling reports. From now on, you will work in the warehouse. As a trainee. You will handle shipments, manage inventory, and report to the lowest-ranking supervisor. If you want another chance—you will earn it."

Ayush’s stomach dropped. "Arnav, you can’t be serious—"

Arnav’s expression didn’t change. "You don’t get to argue."

Ayush gritted his teeth. This was humiliating. Unbearable.

But he had no choice.

His voice was quiet. "When do I start?"

Arnav’s smirk was ice-cold.

"Now."

Avni’s Guilt

Back at the mansion, Avni sat in her room, restless.

Ayush’s words from earlier haunted her.

"I should’ve never chosen you over him."

She had wanted to break Arnav’s control over Ayush—but now? She wasn’t so sure anymore.

Had she really helped her brother… or just destroyed him?

To Be Continued