Dangerous Billionaire

Shadows After Sundown

After the vibrant chaos and endless duties of the college's annual function, Shreya felt as though her bones ached from exhaustion. The pale amber sunlight filtered through the canopy of trees, casting elongated shadows across the nearly deserted campus as evening approached—a gentle reminder that the eventful day was finally coming to an end.

“Oh, finally, the function is over...” Shreya announced with a weary sigh, her soft voice trailing as she slumped alongside her friends near the campus exit.

Anaya, ever dramatic and refreshingly down-to-earth despite her status as a billionaire's daughter, flopped beside her and grinned.

“Oh ya, thank God! It was so hectic. I can’t wait to get to my favorite thing—my bed, yaar. I could probably sleep for two days straight. Thank God it’s Friday!” She yawned with exaggerated flair, drawing laughter from the group.

The easy laughter that followed, light and genuine, was the balm she needed. Shreya stole a fond glance at Anaya. It always amazed her how Anaya, the heiress to an empire, never carried herself with arrogance. Unlike Shikha, whose designer labels and icy attitude announced her privilege, Anaya was all warmth and sincerity. It was a bond that threaded their group tightly together.

Ahsan, tall and usually composed, eyed the sky in annoyance. “Yeah, actually, we’ve been here since morning, working nonstop,” he groused, brushing invisible dust from the cuffs of his faded blue kurta.

Mia, petite and quick-witted, chimed in, “And now it’s five in the evening! All because of that billionaire who showed up late.

Everyone says he’s punctual—”

“Punctual my foot,” Mia scoffed, arms crossed, a playful frown creasing her forehead. “If that’s punctuality, then I’m never late for anything in my life.”

Shreya grinned, her laughter soft and bright, as the fatigue in her limbs eased. “Come on, guys. I’ll see you after a week! It’s time for my evening walk. Anyone want to join?” She tossed the offer lightly, lips already curving—it was always a rhetorical question.

Predictably, her friends clamored to decline, waving her off with mock horror. “You and your workouts, Shreya!” Anaya teased.

They hugged their farewells quickly, eager to seek rest in their own ways.

Evening at the Park

The park was a picturesque oasis, bathed in a gentle golden glow as the sun dipped lower. Shreya strolled the winding paths lined by ancient banyan trees, their roots twisting into earth like guardians of memory. The air buzzed with the chirr of cicadas and the distant laughter of elders seated on weathered benches, their white hair gleaming like halos in the early dusk.

Shreya, dressed in a jade green kurti paired with soft leggings, fit perfectly among the regulars of the park. Her hair was braided loosely, swaying down her back as she moved with the easy rhythm of familiarity. She greeted each elder with a respectful nod. They, in turn, smiled warmly—she was a fixture in both the mornings and evenings, always offering a kind word.

By the time her loop was finished, pink twilight had begun to overtake the park, dappling the grass and statue-lined pathways in lavender shadows. Her body humming with the pleasant fatigue only a day of accomplishment could bring, she set out towards her hostel, content and at peace. The world seemed safe and ordinary; she had no reason to believe it would be otherwise.

But as her steps carried her past the hedge that marked the park’s boundary, the peculiar sensation of being observed returned. Shreya glanced over her shoulder. Only the wind stirred the leaves, and yet... an inexplicable chill crept up her spine. She shook it off, quickening her pace, determined not to be ruled by nerves.

Her favorite song still pulsed gently in her ears through her earbuds, drowning out the hush of evening, until a sudden, urgent tap on her shoulder shattered the tranquility.

Startled, Shreya yanked her earbud free—but before she could even turn, a harsh, chemical-laden cloth pressed down over her nose and mouth. Panic surged. She struggled, nails clawing at the stranger’s hands—hands rough and chillingly determined.

Her frantic gaze darted to the park lane just as a sleek black SUV skidded up to the curb, its tinted windows glinting like dark mirrors. The second her resistance spiked, the grip on the cloth tightened, cutting off air—and hope.

Strength ebbed from her limbs. The world spun; panic warped into whirlpools of darkness tugging her under. Dimly, beneath the thunder of her heartbeat, she heard a cold, succinct voice:

“Boss, we have her.”

Then, only blackness. The lights of campus, the laughter of her friends, the gentle peace of the park—all were swept away as Shreya was dragged into the unknown, her fate now tangled with shadows and secrets lurking just beyond the horizon.