𝑽𝑨𝑵𝑹𝑨𝑱 - 𝒑𝒓𝒆𝒅𝒂𝒕𝒐𝒓

"Then why are you so close to me?"

Kainaat's words still echoed in my head. I was turning the lights on and off repeatedly all night while lying on the bed. Kainaat is just playing with my head. Whenever she came in front of my eyes, I lost control over my conscious mind.

Yes, I hate her because she's Idhvay's fiancée, but still a part of me wants her in a way no one has ever desired anyone. 

I felt jealous when I saw her dancing with that pink shirt guy...in my own club. My encounter with Kainaat was completely coincidental. I didn't even know she was my prime customer.

She doesn't like me, but she likes my clubs. Strange!

I sat straight on the bed. That fucking bastard was kissing her right in front of my eyes, his hands were beneath her dress. He was touching her... fucking her with his fingers, and then his mouth.

Of course, they were doing all these dirty things behind closed door but Kainaat could never hide from me. Never! Even if she tries.

I couldn't explain how badly I wanted to get inside the room and drag Kainaat out, and punish her in my private lounge until the only man she could remember was me. Only me.

But I stopped myself. Leaning my face against the door and hearing her moans was like someone stabbing my heart. Heart, I always claimed I never had. 

My one hand was holding a whisky glass, while the other was touching the door surface before my fingers curled into a fist until my knuckles turned white.

Vanraj leave her! Leave her! Why are you affecting yourself for her? She isn't your property. She can fuck anyone. She can kiss anyone. You have no feelings for her. You get it.

I took two steps back, drank down leftover whisky, and threw the glass on the floor. My anger was getting out of control. I have to drag out my anger before it explodes my veins. I banged my fist on the door hard and dragged out all my anger, not giving a fuck if I broke my hand bones, and then walked away from there.

You're not supposed to live especially after fucking my amore.

I was back in the moment. I got down from my bed and grabbed the bottle of whiskey, pouring myself a glass and drinking it neat. Bitterness is what I needed right now. Suddenly a smirk spread on my lips, remembering how badly she was cursing me.

She looked so damn hot with those emerald eyes burning in hatred while my hand was wrapped around her throat. I've never seen her afraid of me. Maybe that's why I found her fascinating...

Stop thinking about her and take a shower.

3:10AM. My body was screaming for a shower. I hadn't taken shower after coming home from office today. I turned on the shower, letting the water hit my face, my hands tugged against the wall. I feel relaxed now, but...

My mind again shifted to her thoughts. That Cape Town night when I touched her lips first time, and her taste was enough for me to forget every woman. Vanraj Kharbanda, who used to sleep with different woman every night, was now not even thinking about anyone.

Kainaat has some kind of influence over me, and that was the real problem.

"Kainaat, smettila di rubare la mia attenzione. Non sai che tipo di uomo sono. Un giorno sarai in pericolo a causa della mia follia" I said, wiping the fog from the mirror. 

(Kainaat, stop stealing my attention. You don't know what kind of man I am. One day you will be in danger because of my madness)

You, stop thinking about her. I bet she's not even interested in you. But look at you, so consumed by her. Huh! And telling her she's in danger. Is there any way to kill your inner voice? Because I'm done with mine. 

This inner voice never uttered a single word when I was shedding people's blood.

Shut up! You are no one to tell me who I should think about and who I shouldn't? Order me again and I will cut you pieces.

I stepped out of the bathroom, wiping my hair with towel wrapped around my neck. Cracking my neck, I opened the closet to grab my nightclothes and changed. I was about to close the closet when my eyes landed on the drawer. It had been years since I last checked the thing hidden inside my closet.

But today I felt an intense urge to check on it as if it was necessary for my breaths. I pulled open the drawer and took out the small velvet ring box. "I hope your owner stopped searching for you." I took out thin golden chain.

Collecting woman's things is not my hobby. But I have Kainaat's pink scarf that I stole the day I visited Rewah and her bracelet that I forcefully snatched from her on my party night. And this chain. That belongs to that chubby girl. I don't remember her face now.

Eleven years ago!

I was studying in New York in my first year of graduation. I was seventeen at that time. One night I was in the club, drinking alone at the bar because I had no friends. It had always been difficult for me to make friends. I had loved being alone since childhood.

If I was close to anyone, it was dad. I used to share everything with him when I was like normal kids. But my mom made me a horrible monster afterwards. She killed a innocent child me. Forget about the past. It's just an ugly part of my life.

So much crowd around me. Loud music was almost blasting my eardrums. Ten minutes later I left the club and drove back to my hostel. The road was empty just like my life. Suddenly, I started feeling anxious, as if my car no longer had enough oxygen for me to breathe. Gripping the steering wheel with one hand, I quickly took off my jacket and threw it onto the back seat.

Still, I wasn't feeling good. It felt like someone was choking my neck with ropes, the grip tightening more and more until my eyes shut. I was caged in my nightmare. My horrible past kept flashing before me.

Dad don't go! Please come back to me!

My eyes were no longer on the road when, out of nowhere, someone appeared in front of my car. I lost control and hit the person before the car's bonnet crashed into a tree. 'Oh shit!' I swung the car door open and ran toward the person I had hit.

Damn! I hit the girl.

She was sitting on the road and crying loudly while gripping her ankle. "Are you okay?" I knelt before her. "What does it look like to you?" She shifted her eyes at me. "You are a horrible driver." She yelled.

She was hurt that's why I was tolerating her rudeness, otherwise I would make her regret using her tongue.

"Aa! Maa, it's hurting." She looked a few years younger than me, but still she looked like a small kid in front of me. Her face wasn't fully visible because she put on the mask. New York's winter could turn you into an iceberg. But her eyes were gleaming in the moon's light.

"I can take you to the hospital." I could hear her angry groans. Her temper was somewhat more than expected for her age. "Don't touch me! You've already hurt me enough." I stopped my hand midway when she shouted at me. Somehow, she stood up without my help.

"Why the hell are you roaming around like it's your garden?" I asked. "Because it's my hobby to get hit by cars," she replied sarcastically. I rubbed my hands on my face in annoyance. She was just checking my patience. "Men in this city are just creeps." She murmured in barely audible voice.

"I can hear you,"

"Good for you." I sighed. Teenagers were the most horrible creatures on this planet to deal with. I had no idea how their parents tolerated them.

She groaned in pain again. Vanraj, just take her to the hospital.

"What are you doing?" Her eyes widened when I picked her up in my arms. "Listen, if you have any thoughts of murdering me, let me tell you. I have a black belt in karate." It was so cute how she thought she could scare me.

"You can hit me anytime," she grimaced. I searched for a nearby hospital on the internet. Lucky me—it wasn't far, because I didn't have a car to get there, and I had to walk with this 50-kilogram burden. Someone please tell her about dieting.

"It's just a minor sprain. Nothing serious," Doctor examined her and wrapped relief bandage around her ankle. I knew anything wasn't serious, but still, I couldn't leave her alone on the road.

She was a student from my university. I mean, New York University runs both schools and colleges—and she was a high school student. I informed hostel authorities, and they took her from the hospital. My night ended with adventure.

I was still wondering how she was cycling on the road at 11 p.m. If I'm not wrong, students aren't allowed to roam around after 9 p.m.—not even on campus.

Never mind! She was a bit noisy. Thank God she left soon. Otherwise, I would've lost my sanity.

Three days later, I reached my college, and my phone fell on the floor when I applied the brakes. Sighing, I bent down and grabbed my phone when my eyes caught something under the seat—a chain! I picked it up.

Thin golden chain! But it wasn't mine. I think that hoodie girl from the accident night dropped this in my car. I had seen this in her neck. It was just trash to me. I opened the trash can, but I couldn't throw it away.

Maybe she was searching for her chain. I should give this to her. I changed my mind and dropped it in my bag. I searched for that girl, but campus was too big, and after three days, I'd stopped searching for her. But I kept this chain with me.

I yanked back from my old memory. "Princess"—that was written on her chain. I think her boyfriend gave this to her. What a cheap gift. And you are keeping someone's cheap gifts for years in your closet like a thief? I think you're the cheap one. I'll murder this annoying tongue soon.

I grabbed the bed. It's already 4AM. And I have no signs of sleep. I placed one hand beneath my head while the other was on the empty side of my bed. I was alone in this world. Not completely, because I have a brother, but he is always lost in his own world.

I wish Dad were alive then I wouldn't have been alone today. "Stop staring at me, amore," I muttered when my eyes landed on Kainaat's portrait. I have many more, and they all kept in my art room, but this one is my favorite, so I kept it in my bedroom.

"You always look happiest when you're not with me. I'm kinda hurt, amore." I've been talking to Kainaat's portrait like this for the past two months. I know it's weird but I'm still doing this. Ever since that night in Cape Town, I've been doing lots of weird things.

"And what happened to your choices in men?" I flipped on the bed, facing her. "Pink shirt guy? Really? You could've found someone better." I grabbed the AC remote from the bedside lamp table and turned down the temperature. "What did you say that you're not interested in me—"

Now I'm offended. "Oh, hello! I'm not interested in you either." Are you sure? Don't put your nose between us. This inner voice is just sick. I argued with her like this every night. If someone saw me murmuring alone, they would definitely think I was mad.

"What you say I was jealous?"

"I wasn't jealous." I could picture her laughing at me in my head. "It wasn't like that. I was just... annoyed." I paused, trying to think of something better that could explain my thoughts to her. "I didn't like your dance with him." I turned my gaze away from her portrait.

Her dance with him again flashed in front of my eyes. I was jealous, not much, but I was. There's nothing I've dreamed of winning and haven't won. I made up my mind to destroy Kainaat but still her mere gaze could destroy me.

She is the enemy I want to crush, but also the sweet torment I want to let hurt me. Kainaat is like poisonous air, and I can't even explain how alive I feel, knowing I'm probably dying.

If she had listened to me that day and left Idhvay, maybe it would have been easier to get her. But I think she was never meant to be mine. Still, I couldn't afford to lose anything that would let Idhvay win.

So, if Kainaat cannot be mine, I won't let her be anyone else's.

God, what have you done to me, Kainaat? Why do I still want to own you, ruin you, love you... all at the same time? When I know very well that I can either love you or hate you.

✧✧✧

"How dare you talk to us like that, Mr. Kharbanda?" He banged his fist on my desk. "Let's go! We wasted our time coming here," he said to the men sitting next to him. They stood up and turned to leave, but their bravado vanished the moment their eyes fell on my guards.

"They won't let you step out of this cabin." My words caught their attention. "You're all here because I want..." I placed my elbows on the table and leaned closer. "And you'll leave only when I want." They exchanged glances with each other.

I was at my office to discuss my next move with Suryavanshi Group shareholders. The current investors in Ravelle & Co.

I gestured them to take their seats, and they did. "I want all of you to withdraw your investment from the Suryavanshi Group with immediate effect." One of them scoffed. "That's not how business works, Mr. Kharbanda." Poor guy—if he had known me well, he would never have dared to laugh at me.

"Suryavanshi's and I are old business associates, and I won't withdraw my investment from Vardhan's company." That name crawled up on my skin like a leech and sucked my blood.

"Interrupt me again, and you'll regret it," I warned him. "Where was I?" I rubbed my finger against my temple. "Yeah! Pull your investments within 24 hours." I leaned back in my chair.

"And if we don't?" Another man challenged me. I stood up from my chair, placing both hands on the desk and leaning in. "Then you'll be behind bars for fraud, offshore accounts, and tax evasion." I glanced at Max, who opened the folder on his tablet and slid it in front of them.

"You all have a wonderful history." Everyone eyes widened in shock when they checked the details, and in the next second, Max pulled back his tablet. "I wonder how many of you will survive this crisis?" This time, I was the one who smirked.

"Do you want to sell your villas to pay for lawyers, or break your association with Suryavanshi's and stay in my good books?" Sweat dripped down their forehead. "Choice is yours."

"Or I have a second option." I gripped shoulder of the guy sitting my right-hand side, tightening my hold until he hissed in pain. "I can murder you, and nobody will ever find out where Mr. Kapoor disappeared. And your family? Who gonna protect them?"

His face filled with fear. "No one. I can erase them from this world anytime."

"No, no, no," he dropped on his knees. Oh! That was so easy. "I will sign every paper. I will do whatever you want...just don't hurt my family." I glanced at the rest of the shareholders for a fraction of a second. 

They nodded.

"That's cool, thanks man," I said casually, fixing my suit as if I hadn't just been threatening to kill his family.

I sat back in my chair. "Don't be disheartened. You can invest in my ventures. I'm sure your stock prices will hit the top." I gave them proposal.

They all agreed. I'm coming, Idhvay to take your company.

✧✧✧

𝑰𝑫𝑯𝑽𝑨𝒀 - 𝒑𝒍𝒂𝒚𝒆𝒓

I've never lost a single battle, no matter how strong my opponent is. No doubt, Vanraj is strong and powerful, and it wouldn't be easy to bring him to his knees. I checked his business history, and it made me want to fight him even more.

He's never lost a single battle, either!

Suryavanshi Group has ten subsidiaries, and Vanraj is trying to conquer Ravelle & Co.—one of our subsidiaries that deals in luxury cars. We own 55% of the shares in Ravelle & Co., while the remaining 45% are held by other investors, 20% by Mr. Kapoor and 25% by Mr. Rathi.

Mr. Goenka was with me in my home office, discussing the joint project Kainaat and I have been working on for the Jindal Group. Rai Singhania's are bigger in the hotel industry, which is why I forced Kainaat to sign this joint venture three weeks ago.

Kainaat doesn't like Jindal Group's CEO much, but I made her agree because I've something that could bring her to her knees. I'm a fan of hers in certain areas. Kainaat knows how to crush her enemies very well. And her business abilities are not hidden from anyone.

She's doing very well with her alcohol company.

If I talk about her physical appearance—yes, she's fucking gorgeous. There are at least fifteen royal families across Rajasthan, and Kainaat is one of the most stunning and beautiful princess among them. 

Every king and prince wants to make Kainaat his wife, but Prince Idhvay Suryavanshi is the one destined to rule her.

I want our marriage to happen as soon as possible, before Kainaat finds any way to get out of my blackmailing trap. Since childhood, I've only wished to make her mine. But when she rejected my marriage proposal, it drove me insane. She cannot say no to me.

I know blackmailing her is the wrong way, but the beast inside me can do anything to get what I want. She shouldn't have insulted me. Tonight, I've planned a dinner with her at my place. I have no doubt she'll come. She has no choice.

"Sir?" The door to my office opened, and my assistant walked in. "You have a visitor."

I didn't look up from my laptop screen. "Do they have an appointment?" She shook her head, and I could see that from the corner of my eyes. "Then I don't want to see them."

"Sir, it's Vanraj Kharbanda," I looked at her with wide eyes. "He wants to meet you." Vanraj is here? But why? And he wants to meet me?

"Bring him in." She nodded and rushed out the door. A minute later, the door to my cabin opened, and several men in black suits walked in. "It's nice to meet you again, Mr. Suryavanshi," a deep voice came from behind them. He talks in CAPITAL LETTERS.

I clenched my fists as Vanraj walked into my cabin, his hands tucked into his pockets. My anger and annoyance increased with each passing second. He stood at the front of his men, all of them dressed in dark suits, looking like they belonged to a mafia group.

"I'll join you later, Sir." Mr. Goenka rose up and left the cabin. Vanraj was looking at me like I was the one who had uninvitedly entered his office. Fucking delusional, this is my office.

"Why are you here, Mr. Kharbanda?" When the door closed behind Mr. Goenka, I leaned back in my chair while he was still standing with his usual arrogance. I just hated his egoistic presence.

I smirked only for a few seconds before his next words came out of his mouth. "I've every right to be here. After all, this is my company now." What? I think I've heard something wrong. This is fucking my company, not his.

"What are you talking about? You can't..." I stood up from my chair. Vanraj pulled out his black glasses and gestured toward the man with him. "My lawyers will definitely tell you what I'm talking about while giving you the acquisition papers. I just bought all of your stocks."

I took the papers with shaky hands and started flipping through the pages. Fuck, this can't be happening. Mr. Kapoor and Mr. Rathi sold him all their stocks just a day ago. Mr. Kapoor! We'd helped him many times with real estate projects, and this is how he repays us? That fucking bastard.

"They can't do that. Mr. Kapoor and Mr. Rathi signed a contract with us." I threw the file on the desk. "And according to that, they can't sell their shares unless they speak to us first. The transfer of their shares is null."

Vanraj tucked his glasses in his shirt and walked toward the flowerpot in the corner. He was already behaving like he owned the place. "But they can if the company is collapsing, which is the current situation. They have every legal right to sell their stocks," his legal representative explained to me.

"You can fight in court if you want, but you won't win." He added. Vanraj was still playing with flowers. How could he just walk in and take over my company? What should I do now? OH yes!

"Still, I own fifty-five percent of the shares." I kept my tone even, but deep inside I wanted to kill him. "And you acquired forty-five percent of the shares. I'm still ahead of you and own this company." Only then did Vanraj's eyes roll back at me.

He smirked and straightened up. "Correction needed. You had fifty-five percent of the shares. Now, it's forty-six." He smirked, shaking his head. "And who said I have forty-five?" He walked until he stood in front of me.

"I've already bought your 9.7% shares." He chuckled. "Seems like you forgot about that." My mouth hung open in shock.

Oh shit! How could I forget that this is the same company Vanraj has had his sight on since the day he entered India.

First, he secretly bought Ravelle & Co. 9.7% shares and now he just acquired our company in the blink of an eye. I told Maa to do something before Vanraj would dance over our heads, but she didn't take me seriously.

"You manipulated my shareholders, didn't you?" I said pointedly. Vanraj smirked with pure sin. "I'm always one step ahead of my enemies."

"You'll pay for this, Vanraj." I gritted my teeth. "You'll regret it this time." I took a step forward. "Game on. Be ready for the consequences." He laughed so hard, like I cracked a joke. But his smile wasn't genuine. It was mocking me.

"I like your spirit," he said, tapping my chest with his index finger. "But sadly, it's you who will bear the consequences." He was just raising my anger. "One day, I'll snatch everything from you, just like I did today," His hand running across my shoulder as he walked behind me.

"Your business, your house, your name, your fame." He stopped behind me, his lips near my left ear. "Everything you own. And you can't stop me." Then he stood in front of me.

"Now go home and think about my next move." His eyes darkened. "Because I never use the same tricks to ruin my enemy. You will soon learn about this." With that he moved toward the door with all his men.

Before stepping out, he turned his head. "Good luck." He winked before putting on his glasses. As he turned, he collided with a woman entering my cabin. She was about to fall from the impact but Vanraj caught her in his arms just like in a typical Hindi movie.

Angry veins popped on my arms and forehead when I saw Kainaat in his arms. They were just staring into each other's eyes like star-crossed lovers who couldn't live without each other. Is something going on between them? Their dance video flashed before my eyes.

No, no! It's nothing like that.

Kainaat distanced herself, but Vanraj leaned closer and whispered something in her ear. I tightened my fist. Then he left. How could he get so close to my fiancée like that?

Enough! Vanraj will regret this.

✧✧✧

𝑽𝑨𝑵𝑹𝑨𝑱 - 𝒑𝒓𝒆𝒅𝒂𝒕𝒐𝒓

I was feeling great after crushing Idhvay's first subsidiary. He thinks he can stop me, but he doesn't know who he's picking a fight with. Twelve years in business have made me cunning enough to stay on top.

To win, you have to be ruthless and have the ability to predict your opponent's moves before they make them. Being compassionate will not bring you results. You have to be mastermind.

That's how I win every battle because I know how to make my enemies fall at my feet. It's fun playing with Idhvay and... my amore.

I smelled my hands again, which were wrapped around her waist when she fell into my arms at Idhvay's office. I was making my way out when I collided with her.

She looked gorgeous in that brown casual dress that swirled around her thighs, paired with heels. Jesus, she was stunning. What I learned about her in just one month is that she's in love with brands. I always found her wrapped in them from head to toe.

A smile tugged at my lips when her angry balloon cheeks flashed before my eyes. She was angry with me, and she had every right to be. I had snatched her projects, but she didn't react and that was bothering me.

Kainaat has surprised me every time since the day we met. I thought she would attack me after the Ethan incident, but she stayed quiet. And that's not a good sign for me. I want her to fight with me because she excites me.

Kainaat isn't just a beauty. She's destruction.

"Still have a choice, leave him." I whispered into her ear. My cheek was caressed against her soft cheek, my words so soft no one could hear them except her.

"Take your hands off me." She was trying hard to wriggle out of my grip, but I had no intention of letting her go.

"Why?" She stopped fighting. "You don't like it when I'm close to you." She sucked in a breath as my fingers dug into her waist. "No, I hate you."

She was attached to me, her breasts grazed my chest, and her smell drugged my thoughts.

All I wanted was to pin her against the wall and kiss the fucking mole over her lips in front of Idhvay's eyes. I just hated how weak I became whenever she came close to me.

"Boss! Boss!" I snapped back to the moment when Max's voice boomed in my ears. "I got a call from police station." I frowned.

"There's a problem at our club."

✧✧✧

It took me an hour to reach the police station. This was the first time the police had raided my club without my permission. If I were in Italy, I would have made them regret it. But I'm in India, and I have to follow the rules and regulations of this country.

"I'd like to speak to the officer in charge," I said to the officer sitting behind the desk wearing thick glasses. "Mi aahe, Bola," the officer responded in Pune's local language and of course, I didn't understand a word. (I am. Say)

I slid the chair out and sat in front of him. He noticed my arrogant attitude but didn't say anything. 

"Who gave you the authority to raid my club?" I asked in my usual cold voice that I used while dealing with Fabio's enemies. "Do you even know who I am?"

"Vanraj Kharbanda, NRI business." I didn't mean that. 

"We received an anonymous tip, sir. Drugs were being circulated inside your club." Drugs? Well, drugs were used in my club—but in Italy, Germany, Bangkok, and a few other countries I can't even remember right now.

But not in India. Who did this? I'll kill that anonymous bastard slowly and brutally.

I leaned forward slightly, my elbows resting on the edge of his desk. "Anonymous tip?" I gave a humorless smirk. "So, what did you find there, officer?" I know they didn't find anything.

Because I have my men for this. Even if something like that were happening in my nightclub, my men could erase all the evidence just by snapping fingers. It's not that easy to trap Vanraj Kharbanda. Oh, come on! I was raised by the mafia. And I've never seen Fabio bothered by drug matters anyway.

I have ways to tackle this situation.

My welcome party wasn't just a gesture—it was a business tactic. Many high-ranking officers and politicians were at my party. I rarely throw parties or meet people face-to-face, but I did. I kept them in my orbit in case I needed them in the future. In my long revenge game.

I made enough connections after that. Money can buy anything even morals.

"No, sir. But there—"

"Shut up!" I cut him in raised tone. "You stormed into my club, disrupted my guests, and insulted my name over a faceless tip? Do you know what I'm gonna pay for this stupid and baseless raid?" I forgot that I was yelling at police station.

I was on my way when I came across some rumors on social media about this false drug news. Max was already tracking down the guy who leaked this false information. Though, Max managed to erase every single trace of the post from the internet. But still, playing with my image was unforgivable.

"We're just doing our job, sir," the officer said before he looked over my shoulder. "Jai Hind, Sir," he said to commissioner. Max had already called him while we were on the way.

"Is this how you work, officer?" Commissioner demanded. "You summoned a reputed businessman to the police station without any solid evidence?" Then he turned to me.

"Apologies for the inconvenience, Mr. Kharbanda. Actually, he's new to the post and..." He stopped when my dead glare shifted to him. I stood up and walked in front of him. "It's not my concern."

"Play with my reputation again, and I'll make sure you wish you'd never even heard my name," I warned the Commissioner in a cold tone. He gulped down. Yes, he did. "And I don't give a fuck if you're the commissioner or some politician. You got that?"

"Now, issue a formal apology to me and find that anonymous guy for me," I said before walking out of the police station.

One question still keep popping into my mind. Who did this?

✧✧✧

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