💟 𝟎𝟒: 𝐈'𝐦 𝐍𝐨𝐭 𝐋𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐆𝐨

HRIDYANSH

The walls of my bedroom felt like they were closing in as I slammed the door behind me. My hands trembled, my heart pounding with a mix of disbelief and anger. Vinnie, the woman I had mourned as dead, had been alive all this time. How had she managed to stay hidden from me for so long?

"How could she?" I roared, my voice raw with anguish. The framed family photo lay in shards on the floor, its broken glass a bitter reminder of my shattered trust. "Why did you hide from me all these years?"

I looked around the room, once orderly but now mocking reminder of my shattered reality. My frustration bubbled over as I overturned the desk, the clattering crash echoing the wrath inside me.

"Why?" I shouted, my voice breaking. I threw a flower pot against the wall with a loud smash. The family photo frame exploded on the floor, its shards scattering across the room. "How could you do this to me, Vinnie?" I sank to my knees, tears streaming down my face. The anger and self-blame felt like a suffocating weight, pressing me into the wreckage around me.

I grabbed the photo frame from the floor, the glass shards scattering as I gripped it tightly. "I blamed myself for her death," I muttered, my voice hoarse as I stared at the mess around me. "All this time, I've lived with the lie you let me believe. Why, Vinnie? Why?"

In a burst of rage, I hurled the photo at the door. It slammed into the wood and shattered into two halves. A jagged edge of the broken frame sliced into my hand, and I winced as a bead of blood trickled down my fingers. I stared at the blood pooling on the floor, a grim reflection of the pain and betrayal that stained my heart.

Knock... Knock... Knock...

"Anshu! Anshu! What's going on?" Dadi's voice came through the door, trembling with concern. "What's with all the noise? Open the door."

I stared at the door, feeling utterly drained. I had no energy to talk, but I needed to send her away. The room was a mess, and I was too. I couldn't let her see me like this.

"Nothing, Dadi. I was just looking for a file," I managed to croak out. My eyes were swollen, and my voice was hoarse, betraying the disarray inside.

"But it didn't sound like that," Dadi's voice came through, growing more insistent. "Open the door. I want to see for myself."

I closed my eyes, my breath coming in shaky gasps as I tried to regain control. I fought to steady my voice. "I'm really tired, Dadi," I called out, keeping my tone as calm as I could manage. "I'm in bed now. Can we talk in the morning?" I hoped the softness of my plea would convince her to leave me alone for the night.

After a few moments of silence, Dadi's footsteps receded down the hallway. The room looked like a battlefield of emotions. I curled up on the edge of the bed, drawing my knees to my chest, the sharp pain in my bleeding hand forgotten in the haze of my anger. Blood dripped steadily onto the floor, mingling with the shards of glass. I rested my hands on my knees, my fingers trembling.

"You think you're free of this?" I murmured, my voice low but fierce. "I'm not letting go, Vinnie. I'll make sure you face every bit of the pain I've endured." The words came out with a chilling certainty, each one a vow to avenge the years of suffering.

I reached for my phone lying on the bed, my jaw clenched tightly as I dialed Varun's number. The line buzzed briefly before he answered, his voice steady despite the late hour. "Yes, Boss?"

"Don't let the contract get terminated," I said, trying to keep my voice even, though the tension was palpable.

Varun hesitated. "But you said to let it go-"

"I've changed my mind," I cut him off, my tone sharp. "Since Ms. Kiara is involved in it. I need that contract in place. No mistakes. No delays." My voice came out as a low growl, barely masking my fury.

"Understood," Varun replied after a moment of silence. "I'll handle it. Anything else, Boss?"

I ended the call abruptly, tossing the phone onto the bed. As I turned my attention back to the room, I took a deep breath, trying to steady myself. I needed to regain control, to turn my anger into action. The contract was just the beginning; I needed a plan, a way to confront Vinnie and make her face the consequences of her actions and the years of suffering she had caused.

***

The next morning, Varun entered my cabin with the contract. He stepped in cautiously, his eyes darting around, clearly trying to make sense of my sudden change in plans.

"Here's the contract, Boss," he said, placing the documents on my desk. "I managed to secure everything without any issues."

I nodded, barely glancing at the papers. "Good job, Varun."

He hesitated, his gaze falling on my bandaged hand. "Boss, what happened to your hand?"

I clenched my fist, feeling the sting of the injury. "It's nothing. Just a small accident."

"Okay!" Varun's concern lingered in his eyes, but he didn't press further. Instead, he shifted his weight, clearly curious about the sudden change in plans. "Can I ask you something?"

I looked up, meeting his gaze. "Go ahead."

"Why did you suddenly change your mind about the contract? Do you know Ms. Kiara personally?"

I leaned back in my chair, letting out a slow breath. "Kiara is... not who she's pretending to be. She's Vaanya, someone I mourned for the past ten years, someone I thought was dead. " I paused, gripping the contract tightly. I met his eyes. "She lied and played with my and my family's feelings. It's time she faces the consequences of her actions."

Varun nodded. "Understood, Boss. I'll make sure everything goes smoothly."

"Good," I said, flipping through the contract pages. "And Varun, keep this between us. No one else needs to know not even my family, not yet."

"Of course," Varun replied, his voice steady, before turning to leave.

As the door clicked shut behind Varun, I immersed myself in my work, the stack of papers in front of me consuming my attention. Hours slipped by unnoticed until the door swung open again, and Varun burst into the room, his face a mask of urgency.

"Boss, Ms. Vaanya is leaving for New York tonight," he said, breathless.

I looked up from my desk, a smile curling at the edges of my lips. "No worries. She won't be going anywhere," I replied, leaning back in my chair with a hint of satisfaction.

With a deliberate motion, I picked up the contract from the drawer and tossed it lightly in Varun's direction. It landed with a soft thud in front of him, the weight of its importance evident in the gesture. "This contract ensures she stays within my reach."

Varun's brow furrowed as he studied the document, confusion evident in his eyes. "What's the plan, Boss?"

I leaned forward, letting a smile slowly spread across my face. "Sometimes, the best way to understand a plan is to watch it unfold," I replied, my voice carrying a hint of mystery.

Varun nodded, though his gaze remained fixed on the contract, the mystery of my intentions still hanging in the air.

"Enough of this hide-and-seek game, Vinnie. I won't let you go this time." I let out a breath, feeling a grim satisfaction settle in. The real challenge lies ahead.

⇜ ♥ ⇝

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