The air inside the warehouse felt suffocating.
Dark.
Cold.
Dangerous.
Anaya sat tied to a chair.
Her hands trembling.
Her eyes filled with fear…
But not for herself.
"Kabir… don't come…"
Footsteps echoed.
Slow.
Confident.
Riya walked in.
Her eyes sharp.
Her smile gone.
"Scared?" she asked.
Anaya looked at her.
Tears falling silently.
"You don't love him…" Anaya whispered.
Riya stopped.
Her expression hardened.
"You don't get to decide that."
Anaya shook her head weakly.
"Love doesn't destroy…" she said.
"It protects."
For a moment—
Riya's eyes flickered.
But then—
She laughed.
Cold.
"You're naive."
"And that's why you'll lose."
Suddenly—
A loud crash echoed.
The door burst open.
Kabir Malhotra stepped in.
His presence filled the entire room.
Dangerous.
Unstoppable.
His eyes found Anaya instantly.
"Anaya…"
Her lips trembled.
"Kabir…"
Relief.
Pain.
Love.
All at once.
Riya turned slowly.
"Right on time," she said calmly.
Kabir's voice was low.
Deadly.
"Let her go."
Riya smiled.
"Or what?"
Kabir stepped forward.
"Or I forget you ever mattered."
Silence.
That hurt her.
Deeply.
But she hid it.
"You really chose her…" Riya said quietly.
Kabir didn't hesitate.
"Yes."
That one word…
Changed everything.
Riya's eyes filled with anger.
Pain.
Broken pride.
"Then let's make this interesting," she said.
She pulled out a gun.
And pointed it at Anaya.
Kabir froze.
"Stop!" he shouted.
Riya's voice turned cold.
"You have two choices."
Her finger rested on the trigger.
"Your world…"
"Or her life."
Silence.
Deadly silence.
Anaya's tears fell.
"Kabir… don't…" she whispered.
"Don't choose me…"
Her voice broke.
"I don't want to be the reason you lose everything…"
Kabir's chest tightened painfully.
He looked at her.
Then at Riya.
Then—
He did something no one expected.
He threw his gun away.
Clang.
The sound echoed.
"I choose her," he said.
His voice firm.
"I always will."
Anaya's breath stopped.
Riya's hand trembled.
"You're weak," she said.
Kabir shook his head.
"No."
"I'm human."
Silence.
For the first time—
Riya looked lost.
Because she realized—
She never had his heart.
Not like this.
Not completely.
Her grip loosened.
Just for a second.
And that was enough.
Kabir rushed forward.
Gunshot echoed.
Anaya screamed—
"KABIR!"
Everything stopped.
Kabir fell to his knees.
Blood.
Silence.
Anaya's heart shattered.
"No… no… no…" she cried, struggling to get free.
Kabir looked at her.
Even in pain…
He smiled.
"I'm okay…" he whispered.
Tears streamed down her face.
"You're lying…"
Kabir shook his head slightly.
"I promised…"
"I won't let anything happen to you."
Riya stood frozen.
Her hands shaking.
She didn't mean—
This wasn't supposed—
Her world cracked.
Everything she planned…
Destroyed in one moment.
Kabir's men rushed in.
They caught Riya.
But Kabir didn't look at her.
He only looked at Anaya.
Always her.
They untied her.
She ran to him.
Fell into his arms.
"Why would you do that?!" she cried.
Kabir held her weakly.
"Because…"
He smiled faintly.
"You're my life."
Anaya broke completely.
Holding him tightly.
As if letting go meant losing him forever.