The next morning's sunlight was wiping away the marks of yesterday's rain from Mumbai's streets, but the fire burning inside Aryav could not be calmed by any sunlight.
Until last night, he was a "zero." A man who, if someone pushed him on the road, would apologize instead. But today, as he stood before the mirror wearing the suit Somnath ji had brought, he could hardly believe his own eyes. A deep Navy Blue suit, the ancestral Singh Global ring on his hand, and a shine in his eyes fierce enough to scorch any enemy.
Somnath stood nearby. He extended a tablet toward Aryav.
"It's done, Aryav. 51% shares of 'Khanna & Associates' are now under your trust's name. Technically, you are the owner of that company. But the market doesn't know yet. You can walk in there like a 'surprise.'"
A smile appeared on Aryav's lips — cold and terrifying.
"Surprise? No, Somnath ji. Today I'm going to show them a mirror of their reality."
The Same Corridor, The Same Office
'Khanna & Associates' office was as noisy as ever. Employees were buried in their files, and Manager Khanna was inside his cabin, shouting at a client over the phone.
Suddenly, silence spread across the main entrance of the office.
A black Rolls-Royce stopped right at the building gate. The security guards were stunned; such an expensive car had never arrived there before. The car door opened, and out stepped the young man who had been insulted and thrown out just yesterday.
But today, he was not "poor Aryav."
As soon as Aryav stepped inside the office, the receptionist dropped her pen.
"Aryav? You… here? Like this?"
Aryav did not reply. He walked straight toward Manager Khanna's cabin. There was such authority in his stride that people standing in his path moved aside automatically.
Khanna himself opened the cabin door, about to yell at someone outside.
"What is this noi—?"
But the moment his eyes fell on Aryav, his words stuck in his throat.
"You? How dare you come back here? And what are you trying to prove wearing these fancy clothes? Remember what I told you yesterday? People like you from the middle class—"
"Middle class?" Aryav cut him off. His voice was low, yet it echoed like electricity through the cabin.
"Mr. Khanna, yesterday you said I was just part of the crowd in this world. Today, I've come to tell you that crowd now moves at my command."
Khanna burst into laughter.
"Have you gone mad? Guards! Throw him out!"
The Display of Real Power
The guards stepped forward, but just then Somnath ji entered along with a team of three lawyers dressed in black suits. The senior-most lawyer slammed a file onto Khanna's desk.
"Mr. Khanna, keep your hands behind you," the lawyer said sternly. "You are now merely an employee of this company. Within the last two hours, 'Singh Corporation' has acquired 51% stake in your company. And here is Mr. Aryav Singh… your new boss."
The color drained from Khanna's face. With trembling hands, he opened the file. The official seals and Aryav's signatures screamed the truth. Employees gathered outside the glass cabin. The boy everyone had mocked yesterday was now standing as the owner of the entire company.
Khanna's voice faltered.
"This… this is impossible. Until yesterday you were… you were begging."
Aryav slowly walked toward Khanna's chair. Holding him by the shoulder, he moved him aside and sat down in the main chair himself. He placed his legs on the desk and looked at Khanna.
"Time and fate don't take long to change, Mr. Khanna," Aryav said calmly. "Yesterday, you gave me my 'termination letter.' Today, I'm giving you your 'debt settlement.' I have the complete list of the financial manipulations you've done with company funds over the last three years."
Sweat poured down Khanna's face. He fell at Aryav's feet.
"Aryav… no, sir! Forgive me. I didn't know you belonged to such a powerful family. I have a small daughter, my home will be ruined."
Aryav looked at him with disgust.
"You enjoyed mocking middle-class emotions, didn't you? Now you'll explain the hard-earned money of that same middle class to the police."
Aryav gestured toward Somnath.
"Take him outside and hand him over to the police. And from today, this office will be called 'Singh Global – Wing A.'"
A New Layer of Mystery
As the police took Khanna away and a new silence filled the office, Aryav's phone rang. An unknown number.
He answered.
A heavy, digitally altered voice spoke from the other side.
"Impressive first move, Aryav Singh. But don't make the mistake of thinking you're an emperor just because you caught a small fish. The 'Shadow Order' is watching your every move. If you value your life and your mother's safety, hand over that ring and the pen drive to us… or the next explosion will happen in your home."
The call disconnected.
Aryav's fist clenched. The lion on his ring seemed to glow with anger. He looked out at Mumbai's tall buildings through the window. He understood now — this battle wasn't just about money. It was against an enemy that lived in the shadows.
Turning toward Somnath, he said,
"We need to find Kavya Mehra. The journalist who has the old files on the Shadow Order. The game has just begun."
As Aryav stepped out of the office, a white envelope lay near his car. On it was a mark drawn in blood — a lion with its neck severed.
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