Chapter 6 — The First Rule
The next morning, Prema woke before her alarm.
For a few seconds, she lay perfectly still, staring at the ceiling of her hostel room. The familiar surroundings should have comforted her, but they didn't. The quiet room felt different now. Every small sound seemed louder—the movement of footsteps in the corridor, the distant closing of a door, even the rustle of curtains against the window.
She sat up slowly.
The kidnapping had ended, but her mind hadn't accepted that she was safe.
Her phone was lying beside her pillow.
There were no new messages.
Still, she checked it twice.
Then three times.
She hated herself for doing it.
A soft knock came at the door.
Prema froze.
Another knock followed.
"Prema?"
Satya's voice.
She released a breath.
"Come in."
Satya entered carrying two cups of tea and a bag of breakfast.
"I knew you wouldn't eat unless someone forced you."
Prema smiled weakly.
"I would have eaten."
"At noon?"
"Maybe."
Satya placed everything on the table.
"You have college today?"
Prema nodded.
"I have a lecture in the afternoon."
"You aren't going."
Prema looked at her.
"I am."
"Prema—"
"I can't hide in this room forever."
Satya sighed.
"I know."
Prema picked up the tea.
"I'm scared, Satya."
The admission came quietly.
Satya sat beside her.
"You don't have to pretend with me."
"I keep thinking someone is watching me."
"Maybe they are."
Prema looked at her sharply.
Satya immediately regretted the words.
"I mean…" She sighed. "I'm just saying we should be careful."
Prema nodded.
Then her phone rang.
She glanced at the screen.
Unknown number.
Her heart stopped.
Satya noticed.
"Don't answer."
The phone stopped ringing.
A second later, a message appeared.
You should have listened.
Prema's fingers went cold.
Another message arrived.
You think the billionaire can protect you?
Satya took the phone from her.
"Call Zyan."
Prema hesitated.
"Why?"
"Because he told you to."
"He doesn't get to decide everything for me."
"No. But right now, he may be able to help."
Prema stared at the message.
Finally, she picked up her phone.
She called him.
Zyan answered before the first ring finished.
"Prema?"
She swallowed.
"Someone sent me another message."
Silence.
"What did they say?"
She read it aloud.
Zyan's voice changed.
"Send me a screenshot."
She did.
Within seconds, his phone received it.
"Where are you?"
"Hostel."
"Stay inside."
"I'm going to college."
"No."
Prema frowned.
"You can't order me around."
"I know."
His voice remained calm, but she could hear the tension underneath it.
"I'm asking you not to go until I know who's behind this."
"I have an exam next week. I can't keep missing classes."
"I'll arrange—"
"No."
She interrupted him.
"I don't want you arranging my life."
Silence.
Zyan closed his eyes.
She was right.
He was already slipping.
His first instinct had been to remove every risk from her path, even if it meant deciding everything for her.
But protection without choice could become another kind of prison.
"Fine," he said.
Prema blinked.
"Fine?"
"I won't stop you."
Satya looked surprised.
"But I'm sending security."
Prema immediately protested.
"Zyan—"
"Not inside your college. They won't interfere with your classes or follow you around like prisoners' guards."
She remained silent.
"They'll stay nearby," he continued. "If anything happens, they'll respond."
Prema finally nodded.
"Okay."
"And Prema?"
"Yes?"
"Don't disappear without telling anyone."
Her voice softened.
"I won't."
"Good."
The call ended.
Satya stared at her.
"You know he's completely obsessed with you, right?"
Prema nearly choked on her tea.
"Satya!"
"What? It's obvious."
"He barely knows me."
"Exactly."
Prema looked away.
She didn't want to admit that some part of her was beginning to notice him too.
Not as a billionaire.
Not as the man who had rescued her.
As Zyan.
The man who remembered whether she had eaten.
The man who listened when she told him to stop.
The man whose voice became dangerously cold whenever someone threatened her.
She didn't know whether that frightened her or drew her closer.
At Malik Industries, Zyan stood inside the security room.
Several screens displayed information from different parts of the city.
Rahul stood beside him.
"We traced the message."
"Where?"
"Multiple locations."
Zyan looked at him.
"Explain."
"They're using encrypted routing. Every time we get close, the signal jumps."
"Can you track the device?"
"Not yet."
Zyan turned toward Harry.
Harry stood near the doorway, arms folded.
"You said the company connected to Rakesh belonged to someone who disappeared."
"Yes."
"Find him."
"I already started."
"Then don't stop."
Harry's expression became serious.
"You think he's behind everything?"
"I think someone wants me to believe he is."
Harry nodded.
"There's another possibility."
Zyan looked at him.
"What?"
"This could be someone inside your organization."
The room became silent.
Zyan slowly turned toward the screens.
His empire had thousands of employees.
Executives.
Security personnel.
Drivers.
Assistants.
People who knew his schedule.
People who could access private information.
If someone inside his company had provided information about Prema, then the threat was much closer than he had imagined.
"Audit everyone who had access to my personal schedule during the last six months."
Rahul nodded.
"Yes, sir."
"And restrict access to Prema's information."
Harry looked at him.
"You're putting her at the center of your security network."
Zyan's gaze hardened.
"She's already at the center of someone's target."
Before Harry could respond, Zyan's phone rang.
His mother's name appeared.
He answered.
"Mom."
"Where are you?"
"Office."
"You promised you'd come for dinner."
"I remember."
"Then come."
Zyan glanced at the clock.
"I'll be there."
His mother paused.
"Are you all right?"
He looked through the glass wall of his office.
For the first time, he wondered how much his family already knew.
"I'm fine."
"Zyan."
He smiled faintly.
"Yes?"
"You sound like your father when he lies."
He laughed quietly.
"I'll see you tonight."
After ending the call, he looked at Harry.
"I'm going home."
Harry nodded.
"Good. You need people around you too."
Zyan didn't answer.
His eyes remained fixed on Prema's photograph on his desk.
He had spent his entire life believing control was strength.
Now he was beginning to understand something different.
Sometimes strength meant knowing when to let go.
But he wasn't there yet.
That evening, Prema arrived at college.
Students moved around her as usual.
For a moment, everything seemed normal.
She entered the classroom.
Satya sat beside her.
"See?"
Satya whispered.
"Nothing happened."
Prema smiled.
"Maybe you're right."
The professor began the lecture.
Prema opened her notebook.
Then her phone vibrated.
She ignored it.
A second vibration followed.
She looked down.
Unknown number.
There was a photograph attached.
Her heart stopped.
It was a picture of her entering the classroom.
Taken less than a minute ago.
Below it were five words.
Look behind you, Prema.
Slowly, she turned around.
At the back of the classroom stood a man she had never seen before.
He was watching her.
And smiling.
Then his phone rang.
He answered.
His eyes never left hers.
"She's here."
A pause.
"Yes."
His smile widened.
"Zyan's girl."
Prema's blood ran cold.
The man ended the call.
Then he walked toward her.
And for the first time, Prema realized the enemy wasn't hiding anymore.
He wanted her to see him.