The celebration was in full bloom—music drifting softly, chandeliers shimmering like suspended stars, and laughter weaving through conversations. But none of that beauty reached Aishwarya. Her gaze was fixed on one place… one person.
Kiara.
And the man Kiara was smiling at as if the world had been sculpted just for them—Yuvaan.
Aishwarya stood near the bar, her grip tightening around her glass as she watched them dance. Yuvaan bent slightly, whispering something in Kiara's ear. Kiara laughed, a warm, effortless sound that twisted something sharp inside Aishwarya.
This should have been me.
The jealousy simmering in her chest was no longer an emotion—it was an obsession.
A plan began to take shape.
She signaled a passing waiter and leaned toward him, her voice calm but laced with quiet menace.
"Spill this on her," she instructed, sliding money into his palm. "Accidentally."
The waiter hesitated, then nodded.
Moments later, Kiara approached the table and the waiter executed the plan.
A splash of cold juice drenched her outfit.
Kiara let out a small gasp but immediately smiled.
"It's alright. Really. I'll just get cleaned up," she assured him before turning to Yuvaan. "I'll be right back."
Aishwarya watched her walk toward the restrooms, her own pulse quickening with a dark thrill.
Now.
She followed quietly, her footsteps precise, her expression empty.
Kiara didn't sense the danger behind her—not until something heavy crashed against her head.
There was no scream.
Just the sharp sound of impact… and silence.
---
The Storeroom
Kiara's consciousness returned slowly, like rising from underwater. Her vision blurred into focus. Dust. Cold floors. The faint smell of old wood.
She tried to move, but ropes dug into her wrists.
Her heart slammed against her ribs.
Then she saw Aishwarya.
Standing confidently. Smirking. Waiting.
"Aishwarya?" Kiara whispered, disbelief crackling through her voice. "What is this? What are you doing to me?"
Aishwarya tilted her head, amused by the fear she saw.
"Oh, Kiara. You really have no idea, do you,well I'm about to remove you from Yuvaan's life forever"
Kiara swallowed hard. "You're… removing me from Yuvaan's life? Why? If you loved him that much, why did you leave him in the first place?"
Aishwarya's expression flickered—hurt, anger, and bitterness all tangled together.
"Because Yuvaan never loved me," she said quietly, though her tone was sharp enough to cut. "He used me. Nothing more. And I didn't need him back then—I had everything. My family was wealthy, my life was settled."
Her voice darkened.
"But fate changed. My parents' business collapsed. Our wealth vanished. And suddenly, I needed a way back into the life I deserved."
She leaned closer, her breath cold, her eyes burning with greed.
"Yuvaan is my way back. He is the key. And you… you're in the way."
Kiara's voice trembled with anger. "This is insane. Yuvaan would never choose someone who—"
"I don't need him to choose," Aishwarya interrupted harshly. "I just need you gone."
She reached into her bag and pulled out a small glowing red orb.
Kiara's eyes widened. "What is that?"
"I don't know," Aishwarya admitted with a shrug, "but I'm certain it can help me."
Before Kiara could speak, Aishwarya lifted the orb and threw it to the ground.
It shattered.
A burst of red flames exploded outward, catching onto the wooden boxes. Fire spread in a violent wave, its crackling echoing through the room.
Kiara inhaled sharply as heat slapped her skin.
"Aishwarya! Are you out of your mind?! This could kill me!"
"That's the idea," Aishwarya replied calmly. "And no one will ever know it was me. You'll burn here while the party continues outside."
Kiara's voice broke with desperation and fury.
"You're selfish. Greedy. Yuvaan will never forgive you—he'll never love you."
Aishwarya's smile returned, chilling and triumphant.
"He won't have to forgive me if he never learns the truth."
She turned her back, walked to the door, and locked it with a final click.
When the door shut, Kiara was left alone with rising flames and thickening smoke.
The fire crept closer.
Kiara coughed, struggling against the ropes, tears pricking her eyes—not from fear alone, but from the suffocating smoke swirling around her.
The walls around her glowed orange.
The heat intensified.
The flames reached the edge of her chair.
Kiara realized—
She had only minutes to survive.