Chapter 5 – His First Move

Pranavi thought it was over. That maybe, just maybe, Vedant would let it go.

She should’ve known better.

The moment she stepped into college, she felt it—the shift in the air, the lingering stares, the hushed whispers. It was like walking into a storm she hadn't seen coming.

Her phone buzzed. A message from an unknown number.

“You like slapping people, huh? Let’s see if you enjoy being the center of attention now.”

Her stomach twisted as she clicked on the attached video.

The screen lit up with yesterday’s scene—her hand striking Vedant’s face. But the video had been altered. Carefully edited angles, slow-motion effects, and an audio overlay that painted a completely different story. The captions beneath it read:

"A spoiled brat who doesn’t know her limits."

"How desperate can she be for attention?"

"She lost it because Vedant rejected her."

Her grip on the phone tightened. Heat rushed to her face, not out of embarrassment, but pure, boiling rage.

A cold chuckle broke her thoughts.

She looked up.

Vedant Rathore stood a few feet away, leaning lazily against his car, arms crossed over his chest. Dressed in all black, his sleeves rolled up just enough to show the veins lining his forearms. His hazel eyes held amusement, but there was something darker lurking beneath. He was waiting.

For her reaction.

Pranavi stormed toward him, her heels clicking sharply against the pavement. Without hesitation, she shoved her phone in his face. “What the hell is this?”

Vedant didn’t even blink. Instead, his lips curled into an infuriating smirk. “A video, I believe.”

Her hands trembled with anger. “You manipulated it.”

Vedant tilted his head slightly, as if considering her words. “Did I?” His voice was maddeningly calm. “Or did I just let people see what they wanted to see?”

She felt her chest tighten. He was playing games, twisting reality like it was a toy in his hands.

“You’re pathetic,” she spat.

Vedant pushed off the car, stepping closer. Too close. His cologne mixed with the crisp morning air, intoxicating and dangerous at the same time. “And you,” he murmured, his voice dropping to a whisper, “are naive if you thought I’d let you walk away unscathed.”

Pranavi refused to move, refused to show even an ounce of fear. But her fingers curled into fists at her sides. “This is your revenge?” she scoffed. “A cheap video and a few rumors? I expected something more… ruthless.”

Vedant’s smirk deepened. He reached out, brushing a loose strand of her hair behind her ear. A deliberate move. A power play.

Pranavi’s breath hitched, but before she could react, he leaned in, his lips barely inches from her ear. His voice was velvet and venom.

“Oh, sweetheart,” he whispered, “this is just foreplay.”

Her heartbeat thundered in her ears.

Vedant pulled back, his eyes scanning her face like he was memorizing every flicker of emotion. Then, as if completely unbothered, he adjusted the cuff of his sleeve and walked away.

Pranavi stood frozen, anger and something else—something unnameable—burning inside her.

This wasn’t over.

This was war.

And she wasn’t about to lose.

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What will Pranavi do next? Can she match Vedant’s ruthlessness?

Stay tuned for Chapter 6, where the game truly begins.