Zack stepped forward and sneered.
"You dog. Someone wants to meet you. Come quietly with me."
Before Rex could respond, Jasmine moved in front of him protectively.
"You bastard, get lost from here. If you even try to touch Rex, it won't end well for you."
Zack's expression darkened.
"This bastard isn't your real brother."
The sound of the slap echoed sharply.
Jasmine had struck him across the face.
Zack didn't say another word. He simply turned and walked away.
Rex quickly tried to calm her down. "Didi, you shouldn't have done that. He could hurt you."
Jasmine replied firmly, "Nothing will happen to me. Just make sure you stay safe."
On the other side, Zack pulled out his phone and started talking to someone.
Soon after, Joe and Koji noticed Rex and walked over to him. They apologized for what had happened that day and thanked him for helping them. Rex forgave them and smiled.
"So… we can be friends now, right?"
"Of course," Joe and Koji replied.
Rimu and Rika also joined them, and together they started walking toward the college building.
Rex introduced Jasmine. "This is Jasmine… my sister."
Joe and Koji greeted her politely. "It's nice to meet you. From today, we're your brothers too."
Jasmine smiled warmly. "It's nice to meet you as well."
Everyone headed to their respective classes, but Jasmine couldn't stop thinking. What if Zack comes after Rex again?
Rika noticed her expression. "Is everything okay? Why do you look so worried?"
"It's nothing," Jasmine replied quickly. "I was just thinking about the exams."
Meanwhile, Rex, Rimu, Joe, and Koji entered their classroom.
Joe sighed dramatically. "You guys are so lucky. You both have such amazing sisters. I'm jealous."
Rex and Rimu burst out laughing.
Joe frowned. "What's so funny, idiots? If you laugh again, I won't be responsible for what happens."
Koji chuckled quietly. It's been so long… Joe finally made new friends. Since childhood, it was always just the two of us. He never liked making new friends. And now he has two more.
Suddenly, several bikes roared to a stop outside the college gate. A large car followed behind them, but the person inside wasn't revealed.
A boy ran into the classroom, breathing heavily.
"Rex! The principal is calling you to his office."
The entire class went silent. Whispers spread instantly.
"What did the new guy do now?" someone muttered.
Joe stood up. "I'll come with you."
Rex shook his head. "No, it's fine. I'll go."
As Rex walked toward the office, he saw several thugs standing outside the door. His heart started pounding. He lowered his head and slowly stepped forward.
He pushed the door open.
The principal gestured for him to come inside.
Rex noticed Zack standing beside the chair in front of the principal's desk.
Then the large chair slowly turned around.
Sitting there was Veer.
The principal spoke calmly. "They wanted to meet you."
Veer stood up and said, "I'm taking him with me. I'll drop him back at college later."
The principal nodded without hesitation.
Rex's body began to tremble. Why did Zack bring so many people? Are they going to beat me up alone?
Just then, Jasmine rushed into the office. The moment she saw Veer, she said,
"Veer bhai… you called us?"
Veer nodded. "Yes. Come with me. Someone is waiting for you."
Jasmine told Rex to come along with her. It was clear that she and Veer already knew each other.
Rex was confused. Why is she calling this gangster 'brother'? How do they know each other?
Seeing his expression, Jasmine whispered, "I know you're confused. I'll explain everything when we get some free time."
Outside the college, Veer sat on his bike while the other thugs mounted theirs. Zack opened the car door.
"Get in."
Rex and Jasmine sat inside the car.
Soon, they arrived at a large bungalow. They stepped out and entered the building, both filled with suspense about why they had been brought there.
Inside, all the thugs lowered their heads respectfully.
On the sofa in front of them sat the Third Elite.
Behind her stood a tall, dark man—clearly her left-hand man.
So this is their leader, Rex thought.
The woman spoke calmly, yet her presence was overwhelming.
"My name is Shaily. I am an elite member of DKG. I called you here because I want to talk."
Rex swallowed hard but said bravely, "If you want to kill me, then kill me. But leave my sister out of this. Keep her away from all of this."
"Rex, stop talking," Jasmine whispered urgently.
From the side sofa, Veer's voice echoed coldly.
"Come here and sit down quietly. No one is going to harm you. The leader just wants to talk."
Shaily felt a strange sense of satisfaction when she saw Rex instinctively shielding Jasmine.
Rex and Jasmine sat down on the sofa.
Shaily's expression turned serious. "Jasmine… what I'm about to tell you—don't panic."
Jasmine nodded slowly.
Shaily spoke calmly, "Your brother Rishu didn't die in an accident. He was murdered."
Jasmine froze. "You're lying. It was an accident!"
Rex's anger flared instantly. "You can't say things like that to my sister. I don't care who you are."
The atmosphere changed immediately. The gang members stiffened, ready to kill Rex on the spot.
Shaily raised her hand. "No one touches him."
The room went silent.
She ordered everyone outside. Now only Rex, Jasmine, Zack, Veer, Tank—the second-in-command—and Shaily remained inside.
Shaily continued, "Before me, Rishu was the leader. I was his right hand. After his death, I took over the gang."
Jasmine began crying. "Stop lying! My brother wasn't a criminal!"
Shaily replied, "Rishu made us promise that you and your father would never find out he was the Third Elite. That's why you never knew."
Seeing Jasmine break down, Rex clenched his fists. He gently held her shoulders.
"If you have something to say, say it clearly. Stop making her cry."
Zack snapped angrily, "Watch your tone. Do you even know who you're talking to?"
Veer, who had been casually playing a game on his phone, suddenly turned serious.
"Rishu was my best friend. His death hit me the hardest. And I'm certain—someone, or some gang, was behind it."
Rex looked at Shaily sharply. "How can you say with such confidence that it was murder?"
Shaily answered coldly, "Because the person found inside Rishu's car… wasn't Rishu. It was one of our own men, dressed like him, with the same hairstyle. We are based in Mumbai, yet Rishu's body was found in Pune. And his condition… was horrific. That's why we never informed you or your uncle."
Jasmine shook her head repeatedly. "No… my brother wasn't a gangster… he wasn't…"
Her voice faded.
She collapsed.
Rex's world went red.
Seeing Jasmine unconscious, something inside him snapped. His veins darkened visibly. A heavy aura spread through the room.
"I'll kill you!" Rex roared.
Everyone felt it.
The same overwhelming aura Rishu used to possess.
Rex lunged at Shaily and threw a punch—but Tank grabbed his arm mid-air. Tank was about to strike back lethally—
Suddenly, Veer moved.
He kicked Rex straight in the face, knocking him unconscious.
If he hadn't done that, Tank would have killed him.
But Veer was intrigued.
That aura… it was identical to Rishu's.
Later, Rex and Jasmine regained consciousness.
They were in a hospital room.
Zack was sitting beside them.
Rex looked at him. "Did you bring us here?"
Zack scoffed. "Idiot. I only listened to the leader and brought you here. Otherwise, I would've killed you there."
Jasmine slowly remembered seeing Shaily and Veer with Rishu when she was little.
If what Shaily said is true… even then, we can't do anything now. Too much time has passed. And Papa must never find out. It would destroy him.
Zack stood up to leave. "There are fruits on the table. Eat them."
After he left, Rex murmured, "What happened to me back there?"
Then he exhaled.
"Forget that… Zack isn't a bad person. He's the one who brought us to the hospital."
Jasmine told Rex not to inform Uncle about anything that had happened. Rex agreed. He didn't want to worry Uncle either.
He gently told Jasmine, "Don't believe what those people said. They were lying."
Jasmine nodded. "You're right. I overthought everything."
The two of them left the hospital and went back to college.
When Rex entered the classroom, everyone immediately surrounded him with questions. He casually replied, "The principal called me by mistake. He meant to call someone else."
Rimu frowned. "Then where were you for so long?"
Rex shrugged. "I was just roaming around the campus, exploring the college properly."
Joe grinned. "I'll show you the entire college next time."
Soon, the lunch break ended, and everyone returned to their seats.
Rex sat quietly at his bench, lost in thought.
So much has happened in just one week… and I don't understand anything. I have so many questions, but not a single answer. What am I supposed to do?
That night, after dinner, Rex sat alone in the same garden.
He opened a notebook and started writing.
"I need answers."
One by one, he listed his questions:
1. What really happened to Rishu?
2. What was that mysterious dream?
3. Who killed that girl in the ruined house?
4. Who exactly are those gangsters?
5. Who am I… really?
He was still writing when the same girl from the garden suddenly appeared in front of him.
"So, I finally caught you," she said.
Rex looked confused. "What?"
"Why do you keep staring at me secretly?" she demanded.
"I never stared at you."
"Don't act smart. I know exactly what kind of people you are."
She kept scolding him, but Rex slowly stopped responding. He drifted back into deep thought.
Seeing herself being ignored, she got even angrier. She grabbed his collar.
"I don't understand what you're talking about," Rex said calmly. "Please… just leave me alone."
Frustrated, she slapped him and stormed off.
Rex stood there, stunned.
"Great… now there's another question."
He sighed.
"Who is this girl… and why did she slap me? I don't even know her."
Later, back in his room, Rex looked at his notebook again.
"I need answers to all six questions now."
He paused.
"And why do I feel so strange whenever I see that girl?"