chapter 1
The train screeched to a halt, and Bhoomi stepped onto the crowded platform of Delhi. The air was heavy with dust, noise, and the smell of street food. She clutched the strap of her bag tightly, her heart thumping with a mix of fear and excitement.
For nineteen years, her world had been small—a quiet town, loving but protective parents, and dreams too big for the narrow streets she grew up in. Delhi was different. Here, she wasn’t just her parents’ daughter. She was Bhoomi Sharma, a girl chasing her own future.
“Auto, madam?” a driver called out, waving to her.
She nodded, showing him the address of her college. “But… first I need a place to stay. A girls’ PG near campus, if you know one.”
The driver smiled knowingly. “I’ll take you. Many students come here. Don’t worry.”
As the auto rickshaw rattled through the busy streets, Bhoomi’s wide eyes absorbed everything—towering buildings, glass offices, the endless traffic. Delhi was overwhelming, but somewhere deep inside, she whispered to herself: I will make it here. I will stand on my own.
After half an hour, the auto stopped in front of a modest three-story house. A small board read: Girls’ PG Available.
“This is safe place, many college girls stay here,” the driver assured.
Bhoomi paid him with careful hands—every rupee mattered now. She pulled her suitcase out, staring at the PG. It wasn’t fancy, but it was hers. Her first step into a life where she wouldn’t depend entirely on her parents.
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Meanwhile, on the other side of the city, a very different world was unfolding.
Inside the glass-walled conference room of Malhotra Constructions, tension thickened like smoke. Employees sat stiffly around the long table, their eyes downcast.
At the head of the table sat Riyan Malhotra—young, sharp, untouchable. His expensive suit hugged his broad shoulders, his jaw clenched as he slammed a file shut.
“What the f**k is this plan?” His voice cut through the silence like a blade. “You call this design worthy of Malhotra Constructions? Even a first-year student would sketch better!”
No one dared to breathe too loudly.
Riyan’s dark eyes scanned the room, cold and merciless. To the public, he was a respected businessman, the face of brilliance in architecture. But here, in his empire, he ruled with fear. Every word, every glance carried the weight of a man who tolerated nothing less than perfection.
One trembling junior architect finally stammered, “S-sir, we can rework the—”
“Rework?” Riyan leaned forward, his voice low and dangerous. “I don’t pay you to rework. I pay you to deliver.”
The man swallowed hard, nodding quickly.
Riyan leaned back, loosening his tie slightly. On the surface, he was just a frustrated CEO. But in truth, this wasn’t just about a failed design. Behind those glass walls, deals were being made—some legal, some drenched in blood. And every weak plan threatened more than just business… it threatened power.
His phone buzzed. He glanced at the screen, eyes darkening further. With a flick of his hand, he dismissed the meeting.
“Get out,” he ordered. “All of you. Don’t come back until you have something worth my time.”
The employees scrambled to leave, the echo of his fury still hanging heavy in the air.
Riyan stayed behind, staring out at the city skyline. A predator watching his territory. To everyone outside, he was Delhi’s golden boy of architecture. But in the shadows, he was something far more dangerous.