RUDRANSH POV

My eyes opened.

I looked at the clock placed on the bedside table.

5:00 AM.

I didn't need an alarm to wake me up. I never had.

My sleep had always been light. Years of discipline had turned waking up early into a habit rather than a routine I had to force myself into.

I pushed the blanket aside and got out of bed.

The room was silent.

I walked towards the washroom, changed into my gym clothes and headed towards the private gym inside the mansion.

For the next one hour, I did nothing except work out.

No phone.

No conversations.

No distractions.

Just me and the weights.

By six, I was back in my room.

I went straight to the washroom, took a shower and changed into my usual clothes.

A black shirt.

Black trousers.

I buttoned my shirt carefully before standing in front of the mirror.

I combed my hair perfectly, not leaving a single strand out of place.

I picked up my watch from the table and wore it.

One last look at myself in the mirror.

Everything was exactly where it needed to be.

I walked out of my room.

The corridor was completely silent.

This mansion was huge.

Luxurious.

Beautiful enough to impress anyone who walked through its doors for the first time.

But for me...

It never felt like peace.

It never felt like home.

Maybe because a house becomes a home when there is warmth in it.

And there had never been much warmth in mine.

I walked down the stairs.

As soon as I reached the ground floor, I noticed Yuvraaj already standing near the entrance.

His eyes were fixed on his phone, his expression as unreadable as always.

Yuvraaj was my shadow.

My right hand.

The person who stood beside me in almost every business deal and every difficult situation.

He respected me.

A lot.

Maybe more than he should.

That's why he never questioned my decisions.

Not once.

But then again...

Yuvraaj wasn't someone who questioned things easily.

He was ruthless.

Cold.

Dangerous.

Just like me.

Sometimes I wondered when exactly he became this way.

And the answer was always the same.

Because of me.

I had trained him.

I had shown him how this world worked.

I had taught him that weakness was something people waited for.

That trust had to be earned.

That hesitation could cost you everything.

I never wanted him to become like me.

But somewhere along the way, I became the reason he did.

And maybe I was solely responsible for that.

Yuvraaj looked up when he heard my footsteps.

"Morning, Bhai Sa."

I gave him a small nod.

"Morning."

That was it.

I loved him.

I didn't know how to say it.

I didn't know how to show it.

Actually, sometimes I wondered if there was anything left inside me that could be called an emotion.

Whatever was there, I had buried it a long time ago.

Tabhi jaisa chal raha hai, chalne do.

There was no point trying to change something that had already become a part of me.

Yuvraaj put his phone inside his pocket.

"Gaadi ready hai."

I nodded and walked towards the entrance.

Our driver was already waiting beside the black SUV.

Yuvraaj opened the back door for me.

I got inside, and he followed.

The moment the door closed, the driver started the car.

The mansion slowly disappeared behind us as we drove towards the city.

For a few minutes, neither of us spoke.

I looked outside the window.

The roads were still relatively empty.

The city was slowly waking up.

People were beginning their mornings.

Shopkeepers opening shutters.

Workers rushing towards bus stops.

Everyone had their own lives.

Their own problems.

Their own priorities.

Mine had always been different.

My phone vibrated.

I glanced at the screen but didn't pick it up.

Yuvraaj's phone rang a few seconds later.

He answered.

"Yes."

He listened for a moment.

"Send the documents to my office."

A pause.

"No. I don't need an explanation. Just fix it."

He disconnected.

I looked at him.

"What about Khanna?"

He immediately understood whom I was talking about.

"He is already handled, sir."

When we were working, Yuvraaj preferred calling me sir.

Not Bhai Sa.

Sir.

A line he never crossed.

I nodded.

He remained silent for a few seconds before speaking again.

"The Khanna group won't interfere anymore."

"They better not."

"They won't."

I looked back outside the window.

I didn't like repeating myself.

And people who worked with me knew that.

I wasn't the kind of man who gave warnings twice.

The car entered the main road.

My phone started ringing.

This time, I picked it up.

"Yes."

It was one of the senior managers from the company.

"Sir, goo- good mor—

"Come straight to the point."

He immediately stopped.

"Yes, sir. The Singapore deal... there is a slight delay from their side."

"How long?"

"Maybe two days."

"Maybe?"

He went silent.

I waited.

"Two days, sir."

"Then make sure it's two days."

"Yes, sir."

"And send me the revised contract before nine."

"Yes, sir."

I disconnected.

Yuvraaj glanced at me.

Silence returned.

That was one thing I liked about Yuvraaj.

He knew when to speak.

And more importantly...

He knew when not to.

My office was already visible in the distance.

A tall glass building standing in the middle of the city.

People moved in and out through the entrance.

Employees.

Managers.

Executives.

Everyone knew one thing.

When Rudransh Rathore entered the building, the atmosphere changed.

Not because I asked anyone to fear me.

I never had to.

The car stopped at the entrance.

The security guards immediately straightened.

The driver stepped out and opened the door.

I got out.

Yuvraaj followed.

The moment we entered the building, the receptionist stood up.

"Good morning, sir."

I gave her a nod and continued walking.

The employees standing near the lobby moved aside.

Some greeted me.

Some lowered their eyes.

I didn't pay attention.

I walked straight towards the private elevator.

Yuvraaj entered behind me.

The doors closed.

For the first time that morning, I looked at him.

"Board meeting at ten."

"Already scheduled."

"Legal team?"

"Waiting."

"Finance?"

"Also ready."

I nodded.

"Good."

The elevator doors opened.

My office was on the top floor.

The entire floor belonged to me.

As soon as I stepped out, my secretary stood up.

"Good morning, sir." I nodded

She moved away.

I entered my office.

Large windows covered almost the entire wall, giving a clear view of the city.

I walked towards my desk and placed my phone on it.

There were already several files waiting.

I picked up the first one.

Rathore Industries — International Expansion.

I opened it.

Numbers.

Reports.

Contracts.

Investments.

Losses.

Profits.

That was my world.

Numbers didn't lie.

People did.

I spent the next hour going through the files.

At 9:15, Yuvraaj entered.

"Sir."

I didn't look up.

"Speak."

"The Singapore team has sent the revised proposal."

"Put it here."

He placed the file on my desk.

I opened it.

Read the first page.

Then the second.

Then the third.

I closed it.

"Reject it."

Yuvraaj didn't ask why.

"Done."

"They're trying to increase their margin without giving us anything in return."

"I noticed."

"Then why did you let it reach my desk?"

There was a brief silence.

"I wanted you to see it once."

I looked at him.

He met my eyes without fear.

That's why I trusted him.

He wasn't afraid of me.

He respected me enough to know when to step back.

"Next time, handle it yourself."

"Yes, sir."

He turned to leave.

"Yuvraaj."

He stopped.

"Yes?"

"Make sure Khanna understands one thing."

His expression hardened.

"What?"

"Rathore doesn't forget."

He nodded.

"I'll make sure he remembers."

He walked out.

I leaned back in my chair.

The room became silent again.

Outside the glass windows, the city was moving at its usual pace.

Everyone was busy chasing something.

Money.

Power.

Success.

Respect.

I already had all of it.

But none of it gave me peace.

And I had stopped expecting peace a long time ago.

For me, life was simple.

Wake up.

Work.

Win.

Destroy whatever stood in the way.

Go home.

Sleep.

Repeat.

There was no room for anything else

MY office door opened without a knock.

I looked up.

My secretary stood there, visibly nervous.

"Sir... the board members have arrived."

I checked my watch.

9:58 AM.

"Fine "

She nodded and immediately left.

I got up and move towards meeting room.

I can  the senior members of the company sitting there.

There were seven of them.

People who had been working with the Rathore Group for years.

Men who had built their careers around this company.

They took their seats around the long conference table.

I walked in after them.

ThE conversation stopped immediately.

I sat at the head of the table.

"Let's begin."

The presentation started.

NUmbers appeared on the screen.

Revenue.

Investments.

International accounts.

Everything looked normal.

Until the finance head reached the final section.

I looked at the numbers carefully.

Something was wrong.

Not big enough for someone inexperienced to notice.

But I noticed.

"Stop."

The presentation froze.

Everyone looked at me.

I pointed towards the screen.

"This number."

The finance head swallowed.

"Yes, sir?"

"Explain it."

He looked at the screen.

"Sir, that's the operational expenditure for the last quarter."

"I can read."

My voice remained calm.

"Explain why it increased by eighteen percent."

He hesitated.

"There were some additional expenses related to—"

"Which expenses?"

"Sir..."

I leaned back in my chair.

"Should I ask again?"

The room went silent.

He quickly opened his file.

"Sir, there were some emergency payments made to our external vendors."

"Which vendors?"

He started naming them.

I listened.

Then I looked at Yuvraaj.

"Check those companies."

He immediately pulled out his phone.

"Already did."

I looked at him.

"And?"

His eyes moved towards the finance head.

"They don't exist."

Silence.

Complete silence.

The finance head's face lost its colour.

I looked at him.

"Interesting."

"Sir, I—"

"Don't."

He immediately stopped.

I picked up the file lying in front of me.

I opened it and pushed it across the table.

"Three shell companies."

I pushed another document forward.

"Fourteen fake invoices."

Another one.

"Twenty-three crore transferred in the last six months."

Nobody spoke.

The finance head looked down.

I stared at him.

"How much did you think you could steal?"

His hands began trembling.

"Sir, I can explain."

"You had six months."

My voice was still quiet.

"You had six months to come clean."

He remained silent.

"You chose not to."

"Sir, please..."

I closed the file.

"Security."

Two security guards entered the room.

The man immediately stood up.

"Sir, please. I have a family."

I looked at him without changing my expression.

"Then you should have thought about them before stealing from mine."

He folded his hands.

"Sir, forgive me. I made a mistake."

"A mistake?"

I almost smiled.

"You created fake companies."

He said nothing.

"You forged invoices."

Silence.

"You moved company money into your personal accounts."

His head lowered.

"That's not a mistake."

I stood up.

"That's a decision."

The guards stepped towards him.

"Sir!"

I didn't move.

"Take him."

The guards escorted him out.

His voice slowly disappeared down the corridor.

Nobody around the table dared to speak.

I looked at the remaining members.

"Anyone else?"

No one answered.

I waited.

"Good."

I sat down again.

"Now, we can continue the meeting."

The presentation resumed.

No one questioned my decision.

No one asked me to reconsider.

They knew better.

---

By eleven-thirty, the meeting was over.

Everyone left except Yuvraaj.

He remained standing near the door.

I continued signing documents.

After a few seconds, he spoke.

"Sir."

I looked up.

"The Khanna matter."

"What about it?"

"He is asking for a meeting."

"No."

"He said he wants to explain himself."

"Then he can explain himself to someone who cares."

Yuvraaj's lips twitched slightly.

"Understood."

He turned around.

"Yuvraaj."

He stopped.

"Bring him."

He looked back at me.

"Here?"

"Yes."

A few minutes later, my office door opened again.

This time, Khanna walked in.

He was an influential businessman.

At least he used to be.

He entered with two men behind him.

They stopped when they saw me.

Khanna forced a smile.

"Rudransh."

I didn't return it.

"Sit."

He sat across from me.

His men remained standing.

I looked at them.

"Outside."

They exchanged a glance.

I didn't repeat myself.

Khanna immediately signalled them to leave.

The door closed.

Silence.

He cleared his throat.

"I think there has been some misunderstanding between us."

"No."

I looked directly at him.

"There hasn't."

His smile disappeared.

"You've been interfering with my company's contracts."

"I was only trying to protect my interests."

"You crossed a line."

"I didn't mean to—"

"You knew exactly what you were doing."

He stopped.

I stood up and walked towards the window.

"The contract you tried to take from us was already signed."

"I thought—"

"That's your problem."

I turned towards him.

"You thought."

He swallowed.

"I can compensate you."

"No."

"I can give you another contract."

"No."

"Then tell me what you want."

I looked at him for a few seconds.

"Nothing."

He looked confused.

"Nothing?"

"I wanted you to understand that there are consequences."

He remained silent.

I walked back towards the desk.

I picked up a file and placed it in front of him.

He opened it.

His face changed.

"You investigated me?"

" Na Na Khanna , investigation kaha ye toh pandit se tumhari kundali nikali hai "

I sat down.

His fingers tightened around the file.

Inside were copies of his company's financial records, details of several questionable transactions and correspondence between his executives.

"You can't use this."

"I don't need to."

I leaned back.

"You're going to withdraw from the deal."

He looked at me.

"And if I don't?"

I didn't answer immediately.

Instead, I pressed a button on my desk.

The screen behind me turned on.

A document appeared.

Khanna stared at it.

His company had already begun losing two major contracts.

His expression changed completely.

"What did you do?"

"Nothing."

I looked at him calmly.

"I simply informed the people involved about the risks of doing business with you."

"You can't destroy my company."

"I haven't."

I paused.

"Not yet."

His face went pale.

I continued.

"You still have a choice."

He stared at me.

"What choice?"

"Walk away quietly."

"And if I don't?"

I looked at my watch.

"Then tomorrow will be worse."

He remained silent for a long time.

Finally, he stood up.

He looked defeated.

"Fine."

I didn't respond.

He walked towards the door.

Before leaving, he stopped.

"Rudransh..."

I looked at him.

" Mr Rathore .I suggest you call me that only "

I stared at him for a moment.

Then I said,

He frowned.

"I told you what would happen if you crossed me."

I looked back at the file on my desk.

"You simply didn't believe me."

He left.

The door closed.

Yuvraaj entered a few seconds later.

He looked at me.

"Should I stop everything?"

"No."

He raised an eyebrow.

"Why?"

"Because Khanna has already made his decision."

Yuvraaj understood.

"Alright."

He started walking away.

"Yuvraaj."

"Yes, sir?"

"Keep an eye on him."

"Already doing that."

I nodded.

He left.

I looked out of the window again.

The city was shining beneath the afternoon sun.

People were walking through the streets, completely unaware of what happened inside these walls.

That was how the world worked.