Deepak Malhotra couldn't sleep. Every time he closed his eyes, he saw Rey's face—a face that felt like a haunting melody from a past he had tried to bury. He looked at the medicine bottle on his nightstand, the one Rey had 'miraculously' found.
His hands trembled. He knew that in the business world, nothing was ever free. Especially not for a man like him, who had stepped on many shoulders to build his now-ruined empire.
"Papa? You're still awake?" Sia's voice came from the doorway, soft and full of concern.
"Sia... tell me again," Deepak croaked, his voice thin. "Where exactly did you meet this Rey? And why is he helping us so much?"
Sia sat at the edge of his bed, a dreamy smile on her lips. "I told you, Papa. It was an accident. He's just an intern, a simple man. He's the only good thing that has happened to us in years."
Deepak wanted to scream. He wanted to tell her that 'simple men' didn't have eyes that cold. But he remained silent. His guilt was a cage he had built for himself ten years ago.
Meanwhile, Reyansh was sitting in his darkened penthouse, miles away from the cramped apartment. He wasn't the 'struggling intern' anymore. He was the King of Thorne Industries, and his kingdom was built on the ashes of those who had betrayed his father.
"Sir, the bank has processed the foreclosure notice for Deepak's apartment," Marcus, his assistant, reported. "He will be on the street by tomorrow."
"Good," Reyansh said, his voice a low, dangerous rumble. He swirled the amber liquid in his glass. "Deepak thinks he can hide his sins behind his daughter's innocence. He loves her more than his own life... and that is exactly where I will strike."
"But Sir... Sia is innocent. She has no idea what her father did to your family," Marcus dared to say.
Reyansh's eyes flashed with a lethal fire. "Innocence is a luxury her father robbed me of when I was a teenager. He stole my family's legacy and left my mother to die in shame. If I have to use his daughter to make him bleed, then so be it. She is the only thing he values more than his pride."
Reyansh looked at a hidden file on his desk—the evidence of Deepak's old crimes. Embezzlement, betrayal, and a setup that had destroyed the Thorne family. Reyansh wasn't just a billionaire; he was a hunter who had waited ten years for this moment.
The next morning, the "trap" was set.
Sia was at work when she got a frantic call from her father. The bank officials were at their house, throwing their belongings out. She rushed home, her heart breaking, only to find the street crowded and her father clutching his chest in agony.
"Please! Give us a few days!" Sia begged the officials, but they ignored her.
Just as she felt she would collapse from the weight of her helplessness, the dented silver car pulled up. Rey stepped out, looking like a hero in his faded jeans.
He didn't just help her up; he stood like a shield between her and the officials.
"Stop this!" Rey yelled, his voice commanding even in his 'poor' disguise. "They are coming with me. Sia, pack only the essentials. You and your father will stay at my place."
Deepak looked at Rey as the young man helped him into the car. For a split second, their eyes met. In that moment, Deepak saw it—the glint of a Thorne. The recognition hit him like a lightning bolt. He knew who this boy was.
But he couldn't speak. He couldn't warn Sia. If he told her the truth, she would hate him for his past. And if he didn't, he was handing her over to a man who wanted to destroy them.
Reyansh saw the terror in Deepak's eyes and felt a surge of triumph.
"Don't worry, Mr. Malhotra," Reyansh whispered, leaning close as he buckled the old man's seatbelt. "I'll take very good care of your daughter. After all... she's the most precious thing you have left, isn't she?"
Deepak's breath hitched. He realized that Reyansh didn't just want his money or his house. He wanted his soul. And he was using Sia as the blade to carve it out.
"Let's go, Sia," Rey said, turning back to her with a sweet, comforting smile. "Your new life starts today."
Sia took his hand, feeling grateful and loved. She had no idea she was walking into a war zone, and her heart was the only casualty Reyansh was willing to take.