A Test of Will

One week into his punishment, Ayush was on the verge of breaking.

The back-breaking labor, the constant humiliation, and the deafening silence from Arnav were suffocating him.

But the worst part?

The nagging voice in his head whispering, You deserve this.

That night, as he dragged his aching body back home, he found Aryan waiting in the corridor, arms crossed.

"So," Aryan said, "enjoying your grand fall from grace?"

Ayush rolled his eyes. "Not in the mood, Aryan."

Aryan smirked. "You think working like a slave is gonna make Arnav respect you?" He scoffed. "He’s just making you suffer."

Ayush clenched his fists. "And whose fault is that?"

Aryan raised an eyebrow. "Oh, so now it’s my fault?"

"You and Avni played your little game," Ayush snapped. "And I was stupid enough to trust you. So yeah, it is your fault."

Aryan’s smirk faltered. "Ayush—"

But Ayush had already walked past him.

For the first time in his life, he wasn’t looking for an escape.

He was ready to face the fire.

A Brutal Lesson

The next morning, Ayush was in the warehouse, lifting a heavy crate, when the supervisor barked, "Oberoi! Delivery truck’s late. Get the backup logs from the East Storage."

Ayush wiped the sweat from his forehead and nodded.

The East Storage was one of the older buildings. Hardly anyone went there. As he entered, he noticed something was off. The shelves were rusted, dust-covered boxes stacked carelessly.

And then—he heard footsteps.

Before he could turn, a sharp blow landed on his back.

Ayush gasped, stumbling forward. Two men stood behind him, their faces partially covered.

"What the—"

Another blow. A hard kick to his ribs.

Pain exploded