The air inside the house felt suffocating.
Meera Verma stood frozen, staring at Advik Rana like her mind was refusing to accept reality.
Kabir's past…
Standing right in front of her.
Alive.
Intentional.
Dangerous.
Advik's voice stayed calm.
"You look surprised."
A pause.
"But you shouldn't be."
Meera tightened her fists.
"What are you going to do to him?"
Advik smiled faintly.
"I'm not going to do anything."
A pause.
"I'm going to make him choose."
Her breath caught.
"…Choose what?"
Advik stepped closer, slow and confident.
"You."
A pause.
"Or his empire."
Silence shattered the room.
Meera's heart pounded violently.
"That's not possible…"
Advik tilted his head.
"In Kabir Rajvansh's world… everything has a price."
Outside, distant engines roared again.
Closer this time.
Kabir was coming back.
And the trap was already set.
Meera shook her head.
"He won't choose like that."
Advik's eyes darkened slightly.
"He already has before."
A pause.
"He just never told you."
That hit harder than fear.
It hit like doubt.
Meera whispered,
"You're lying."
Advik stepped back slightly.
"I don't need to lie."
A pause.
"Truth is enough to break people like him."
A loud crash echoed outside.
The battle was getting closer.
Time was running out.
Advik turned toward the door.
"He's here."
Meera's body went cold.
"No…"
She moved instinctively toward the window.
And saw it.
Kabir Rajvansh stepping out of the smoke.
Walking straight into chaos.
Unaware.
Focused only on reaching her.
Meera's breath trembled.
"He doesn't know…"
Advik smiled.
"Of course he doesn't."
A pause.
"That's what makes it perfect."
Meera turned sharply.
"What do you want from me?"
This time her voice was stronger.
Desperate.
Advik looked at her for a long moment.
Then said quietly—
"I want you to make a choice for him."
Her eyes widened.
"What choice?"
Advik stepped closer.
"Stay alive…"
A pause.
"…or stay his weakness."
Outside, Kabir's men clashed with unseen enemies.
The war was spreading fast.
Too fast.
Advik's voice dropped lower.
"If you run to him now… you confirm everything."
A pause.
"If you stay here… you become the bait."
Meera shook.
"So I'm trapped either way…"
Advik nodded once.
"Yes."
A long silence followed.
Then—
Kabir's voice echoed faintly outside.
"Meera!"
Calling her name.
Searching.
Desperate.
Meera froze.
Advik watched her carefully.
"Do you hear that?"
A pause.
"That's the sound of a man who's already losing."
Meera's eyes filled slightly.
For the first time… she didn't know what to do.
Run to him?
Stay?
Save him?
Save herself?
Advik leaned closer.
"Choose wrong…" he whispered,
"…and he dies loving you."
That sentence broke something inside her.
Because suddenly, it wasn't just about survival.
It was about consequence.
Love had become a weapon.
Outside, footsteps rushed closer.
Kabir was inside the perimeter now.
Seconds away.
Meera whispered shakily,
"I don't want anyone to die…"
Advik's expression softened just slightly.
"That's the problem."
A pause.
"In his world… someone always does."
The door outside slammed open.
Kabir had entered.
And Meera stood in the middle of a decision that could destroy everything.
Stay.
Or run.
Love.
Or survive.
And for the first time…
she understood what Kabir had been protecting her from all along.
Not the world.
But choices like this.
To be continued… 💔