A Tense Household

The Oberoi mansion had never been a place of warmth, but now, it felt like a battlefield.

Ever since the truth about Devraj Malhotra’s schemes had started surfacing, tensions had only grown.

Arnav had locked himself in his study, working tirelessly to stay one step ahead of Devraj.

Anirudh, despite being a lawyer, had taken on the role of a watchdog—tracking every move their enemies made.

Ayush had become more rebellious than ever, ignoring orders and skipping family dinners.

Aryan had stopped pulling his usual pranks, his mischief replaced by unease.

And Avni?

She had become distant.

No one spoke about it, but everyone felt it.

The once chaotic yet unbreakable bond between them was fracturing.

The Breaking Point

That evening, Avni sat in the living room, scrolling through her phone.

Anirudh entered, rubbing his temples. "Avni, where were you last night?"

Avni didn’t even look up. "Out."

"With whom?"

She smirked. "Wow, you sound like a father."

Anirudh clenched his jaw. "I don’t care for your attitude right now. Answer me."

Avni sighed dramatically. "Relax, okay? I was with friends."

Arnav’s voice cut through the air like ice.

"Which friends?"

Avni froze for a second before turning. Arnav stood at the top of the staircase, his piercing gaze locked onto her.

"You never go out without Aryan," he continued. "Yet last night, you did. So, I’ll ask again—who were you with?"

Avni crossed her arms. "What, are you tracking my every move now?"

Ayush, who had been silently observing, suddenly laughed. "Seems like it, huh? Dictator bhai at his best."

Arnav didn’t flinch. His eyes remained fixed on Avni.

"I’ll give you one last chance. Answer."

Avni’s heart pounded. She couldn’t tell them about Devraj. Not yet.

So she lied.

"Just some old school friends."

Arnav stared at her for a long moment. Then, he turned to Anirudh.

"Find out where she really went."

Avni’s blood ran cold.

"You don’t trust me?" she asked, her voice quieter.

Arnav’s expression didn’t change. "No. I don’t."

Those four words hit harder than a slap.

For the first time, Avni saw something in his eyes.

Doubt. Disappointment. Distance.

It hurt.

But instead of showing it, she scoffed. "Fine. Do whatever you want."

She stormed off, but inside, her mind was racing.

A Dangerous Meeting

Later that night, she snuck out again.

She had to meet Devraj. She had to make sure he still believed she was on his side.

What she didn’t know… was that someone was already following her.

And this time, the consequences would be worse than she could ever imagine.

To Be Continued…