Chapter 12 - The Line Between Us

The Warning

Pranavi stood still, her mind spinning with unanswered questions. The sound of Vedant's car had faded, but his words still echoed in her ears-

"I'm coming back."

She turned to Aarav, demanding answers. "Bhai, what was all that? How do you know Vedant?"

Aarav ran a hand through his hair, frustration clear on his face. "You don't need to get involved in this, Pranavi."

Her temper flared. "If it wasn't my concern, then why does Vedant keep coming back to me?"

Aarav's jaw tightened. "Vedant is a dangerous man. His business is just a facade-his real work is something else. You don't understand, Pranavi. You need to stay away from him."

Pranavi frowned. "Real work? What are you trying to say?"

Aarav exhaled, hesitation flickering in his eyes before he finally spoke. "Vedant Rathore isn't just a businessman. He's part of the underworld. The mafia world."

Pranavi felt her blood turn cold. "Mafia...?"

Aarav nodded. "And we're not just business rivals, Pranavi. We're enemies."

---

Questions with No Answers

Her brother's words settled heavily in her mind, but instead of fear, all she felt was confusion. How could someone like Vedant be involved in the mafia? And why did he keep coming back to her?

"If he's so dangerous, why hasn't anyone stopped him before?" she asked, her voice steady.

Aarav's eyes darkened. "He's not that easy to stop. Vedant's connections don't just end in the business world. He plays above the law. Whatever he wants, he gets."

Pranavi swallowed hard. "And if I just ignore him?"

Aarav gripped her shoulders tightly. "He'll still come back. You've already become his problem, Pranavi."

She looked away, her thoughts running wild. She didn't want to be a part of this world, yet somehow, she was being pulled into it.

But why?

---

A Message from the Devil

Later that night, Pranavi sat in her room, gripping her phone tightly. Sleep was impossible. The entire evening kept replaying in her mind-Aarav's warning, Vedant's words, the storm in Vedant's eyes when he had looked at her.

Then suddenly-

Ding.

A message popped up on her screen. Unknown Number.

"Don't overthink, wifey. The more you try to run, the closer I'll get to you. - Vedant Rathore"

Pranavi's breath hitched.

Her fingers tightened around the phone, her heart pounding.

Because now, she knew one thing for sure-

Vedant Rathore wasn't done with her yet.

(The city sleeps, but Pranavi's world has just started to wake up to something dangerous.)

...