THREE STEPS AHEAD
“Yet each man kills the thing he loves…”

Maya Alvarez adjusted her earpiece, the wind brushing her hair as she scanned the city from her vantage point. The mission was moments away—taking down Crimson Dawn, and the largest global terrorist network, head- The Ghost. It was critical, but all she could think about was Vivaan Hawthorne.

Her fingers brushed her neck, tracing the spot where his voice seemed to linger. Low. Measured. Commanding. It had hooked her from the start, back when he first took command of the Special Unit. That rare quality—calm, never rattled—that’s what drew her in. That's what grounded her.

A faint smile crossed her lips. Maybe that’s why she’d spent so much time learning every detail about him. It wasn’t strange to want to know the man you love, right? Not when lives were at stake. She had studied him—his habits, his routines, how he handled the chaos around him. It wasn’t obsession. It was preparation. Necessary preparation. For a full life together.

She tightened her grip on the binoculars, focusing back on the mission. Crimson Dawn had been too quiet lately, and that silence gnawed at her. They’d burned cities before, left bloodied bodies in their wake. If they didn’t stop tonight’s strike, it could be catastrophic. But even with the mission weighing on her, Vivaan dominated her thoughts. He always did.

Wasn’t it normal to feel so connected? So, intertwined? They’d been through enough. She had earned the right to know him. She loved him, didn’t she? That’s what love was—knowing every part of someone. She’d seen it in his eyes—the recognition that she was different. Special.
“Alvarez, you’re in position?” His voice crackled in her ear, smooth, controlled. Her pulse quickened.

“In position,” she replied, neutral. “Steady.”

“Good. We need a clean extraction. Make no mistakes.”

She moved into the shadows, but beneath the professionalism, she couldn’t shake the tension building between them. He was close—she could feel it, almost like she could sense the heat of his body through the cold night air.

She had never told him how she felt, not in words. It wasn’t necessary. He knew. How could he not? Every glance, every unspoken moment between them held the truth. Their connection was undeniable, bigger than any mission. That’s why they worked so well together—she was the only one who could keep up with him, the only one who understood the weight of what they were doing.

It wasn’t obsession. It was loyalty.

Vivaan was the only one she could trust in this rotten world. She had to hold on to that, even if it felt like he was slipping through her fingers.
Maya crept through the darkened warehouse, each step taking her closer to the target—and to Vivaan. The mission was supposed to be simple—flush out Crimson Dawn, sever their tech operation, leave no survivors. But her thoughts were locked on him.

Her grip tightened on her rifle as she glanced at Vivaan, standing a few feet away, calm as ever. His dark eyes scanned the perimeter, always calculating.

"Maya," Vivaan said, turning toward her, "we should take this from two sides. I'll go south, you head north." His voice held that charm that always got under her skin. "When the squad arrives, we’ll pin them in."

Maya frowned. She hated splitting up. But Vivaan’s confidence always made her want to follow him, trust him. Despite everything.
"Are you sure?" she asked, keeping her tone neutral.

Vivaan smiled that half-smile, the one that twisted her stomach. "Trust me, Maya. It’s the best way."

She hesitated, then nodded. “Alright. I’ll go north.”

But as Vivaan moved toward the south, Maya lingered, her obsessive need to stay close to him overriding any strategy. I know what’s best for you. We’re supposed to be in this together. Her eyes never left him. Her heart raced, not from the thrill of the mission, but from her fixation. You don’t know it yet, but you need me.

As she moved stealthily, she saw Vivaan stop near the corner of a dimly lit alley. Another figure emerged from the shadows—a man in a dark jacket with the unmistakable insignia of Crimson Dawn. Maya’s breath caught. Wait… why is Vivaan talking to him?

She ducked behind crates, heart pounding. This isn’t part of the mission. Who is this guy? Her stomach twisted tighter. You wouldn’t betray me. Not me.

As they spoke, a sickening familiarity passed between them. Have you been lying to me? She struggled to breathe. I trusted you.

Every second they conversed felt like a hammer to her trust. The puzzle pieces began to fall into place. Is this who you really are, Vivaan?
Have you been lying to me this whole time? Her mind raced, flipping between rage and hurt. I trusted you. But before her thoughts could go any deeper, something changed.

Vivaan shifted, his posture stiffening, and in an instant, he pulled out his gun and shot the Crimson Dawn operative in the chest. The man crumpled to the ground, lifeless.

Maya froze. The sharp crack of the gunshot rang in her ears. Oh. Oh… you knew. You knew I was here, didn’t you, Vivaan?

For a moment, all the anger, the betrayal, faded away, replaced by a growing sense of admiration. Vivaan turned slowly, his face composed, his gun already holstered as if nothing had happened. He didn’t even look back at the body. He just walked forward, steady and confident.

You’re doing this for me, she realized. I see it now. You’re trying to protect us—protect me—from this lie, you’re living.
Maya’s lips parted slightly, her breathing unsteady. You knew I couldn’t handle seeing the real you, not yet. That’s why you killed him. I understand now.

The suspicion, the doubt—it vanished as quickly as it had appeared. All that remained was her deep, obsessive need to be close to him. I knew you cared about me, Vivaan. You’d never let me down.

Maya’s eyes followed him as he disappeared into the shadows ahead. A dark smile crept onto her face. We’ll fix this betrayal together, she thought. We really will, you just don’t know it yet.

As Vivaan disappeared into the shadows, Maya lingered for a moment, staring at the lifeless body of the Crimson Dawn operative. The blood pooling beneath him didn’t bother her; it was insignificant in the grand scheme of things. He was a threat to us, she rationalized, stepping over the body. Her heartbeat had slowed, and her mind calmed.

The mission wasn’t over. The rest of the squad would be arriving soon, but Maya didn’t care. They were just distractions, temporary players in a world where only she and Vivaan truly mattered. Her mind spun with scenarios and possibilities. You don’t know it yet, but I’m always with you, Vivaan.

She followed his path through the back alleys, careful to stay just far enough behind to not alert him again. Vivaan’s steps were deliberate, his composure flawless. That’s what she loved—No, not love, she corrected herself. Admired. Yes, admired about him. She had always been drawn to men who understood the world the way Vivaan did—men who saw beyond the superficial, who had their own code of justice, even if that meant making the hard choices.

But a nagging thought flickered at the edge of her consciousness. Why didn’t he trust me with the truth? If Vivaan was working some deeper game, why keep her in the dark? She could handle it. After all, she’d proven herself time and again to him, hadn’t she?
He’s just waiting for the right time, she reassured herself. Once he knows I’m fully on his side, he’ll let me in.

The tech station loomed ahead—an old factory building repurposed by Crimson Dawn for their underground network. Maya watched from a distance as Vivaan moved into position, his body blending into the shadows. A moment later, the squad’s comms crackled to life, confirming their approach.

She tapped into the frequency, her voice steady. “I’m in position.”

“Good,” Vivaan’s voice replied, smooth and commanding as ever. “Squad’s moving in from the north. Stay on your corner.”

Maya’s lips twitched. Stay in your corner. He still didn’t trust her, not fully. Not yet. But she could change that. She would make him see how much they belonged on the same side, that they could be more than just mission partners.

We could be unstoppable.

As the squad breached the factory, Maya held back, watching Vivaan. He moved like a ghost through the chaos, taking down guards with practiced precision, staying just out of sight, but always in control. She felt a thrill course through her—He’s so perfect at this.

But the doubt crept in again. Why had he been talking to that Crimson Dawn operative? Maybe it was a setup. Maybe he needed information. She shook her head. Or maybe it’s something else. Something I don’t see yet.

The thought gnawed at her. What if Vivaan wasn’t just protecting her from that man but from something bigger? What if I’m missing something? She couldn’t let it go. She had to understand him completely, every hidden layer.

Later when the squad dispersed after a routine debrief, she followed him outside, her footsteps silent.

“Vivaan.”

He turned, his expression neutral, calm. “Maya.”

There was a pause, the air thick between them. Maya’s heart raced, but she kept her voice steady. “Back there. That Crimson Dawn guy you shot. Why didn’t you interrogate him?”

Vivaan’s eyes flickered with something unreadable—a lie forming, she realized.

“He wasn’t worth it. We had all the intel we needed. He was expendable.”

Maya stepped closer, her gaze locked onto his, searching for any crack in his carefully constructed mask. “And you’re sure that’s all it was?”

His smile tugged at the corners of his lips, and for a brief moment, her pulse stuttered, her breath catching as warmth spread through her chest. “Of course. Why wouldn’t I be?”

For a moment, she almost believed him. But there it was—that seed of doubt, planted deep in her mind, refusing to go away. You’re lying to me. You don’t think I see it, but I do.

She wouldn’t confront him directly, not yet. That would be too dangerous. Instead, she’d do what she did best—watch. Follow. Learn. I’ll figure out your secret, Vivaan, she promised herself. And when I do, you’ll have no choice but to let me in.

Later that night, Maya followed Vivaan, again. She stood, watching him unlock the door to his home. A gunshot rang out, the sound lingering in Maya’s ears like a scream. Her body moved before her mind had even caught up. One second, she watched Vivaan stumble from the bullet, and in the next, her gun was already drawn, locked, and firing.

She turned to a Special Unit member—the man who dared to shoot Vivaan—who barely had time to register her response. One clean shot to the head. His body dropped like a puppet with its strings cut, collapsing at her feet, lifeless.

Maya stood there, frozen, her heart hammering in her chest. She blinked, the reality of what she’d done starting to creep in, but it didn’t feel like shock or guilt.

It felt like control.

I had to. The thought repeated itself like a mantra, quieting the pulse pounding in her ears. She saved Vivaan. That’s all that mattered.
Opposite her, Vivaan groaned, leaning heavily against the wall, his hand pressed tightly against the wound in his side. The sight of his blood spurred her back into motion. She crossed the short distance between them in seconds, her hands hovering over him, unsure where to start. Her fingers trembled as they found his wound, warm with blood.

“Vivaan, I—” Her voice cracked, but she forced it steady. “He was going to kill you.”

Vivaan’s head lolled back, his usually sharp eyes now half-lidded with pain, but even now, something was calculating beneath them, something cold. He was always composed, even when faced with death. That’s why I need him.

“Maya…” His voice was raspy, as if he were trying to grasp the situation fully, but the pain slowed him down. His hand overlapped hers, smearing his own blood across her skin. “You…”

“I had no choice,” she blurted, cutting him off before he could say anything else. “He shot you. I couldn’t let him—” She stopped herself. He doesn’t need to hear that I did it for him. That’s not what he wants right now.

Maya’s mind spun in a hundred directions. She needed to fix this. Vivaan was bleeding out, and a dead Special Unit member lay behind her, the consequences of her actions pressing in from all sides. But none of that mattered compared to the fact that Vivaan—her Vivaan—was hurt.

Her hands, slick with his blood, fumbled for anything to staunch the wound. “Stay with me,” she whispered, her voice trembling. “I’ll take care of it. I’ll take care of everything.”

Vivaan’s brow furrowed, but it wasn’t from the pain. Maya could see the wheels turning in his head. He wasn’t shocked. He wasn’t even angry. He was… calculating. Even now, he was thinking ahead, thinking how to spin this to his advantage.

Of course, he is, she thought, a small thrill running through her. He’s always three steps ahead.

But there was something else in his eyes too. He didn’t expect me to shoot the man. He didn’t expect this. And that realization settled deep within her, a flicker of satisfaction blossoming in her chest.

“I’ll handle the body,” she muttered, her mind racing through the logistics. “No one will know. We’ll make it look like an ambush. I’ll take care of everything.”

Vivaan didn’t respond right away. His eyes searched hers for something—trust, assurance, maybe even fear. But all Maya felt was a fierce, consuming need to keep him alive. To fix this. To show him that she could be trusted. That she was the one who would always protect him.
She knelt beside him, one hand pressed firmly against the wound, the other gripping her gun as she glanced back at the corpse. The dead man’s eyes stared up at nothing, his life snuffed out in an instant. Good. He was a threat to Vivaan, and Maya couldn’t allow that.

“Maya…” Vivaan’s voice was low, pained, but there was a softness in it now, a tenderness she clung to. “You didn’t have to do that.”
“I did,” she whispered, her voice shaking with the weight of her conviction. “I had to protect you.”

His gaze didn’t waver, and for a brief moment, Maya saw something in his expression she hadn’t seen before—something that almost looked like respect. She clung to it, convinced that maybe, just maybe, he understood.

Maybe he would finally see that she wasn’t just some pawn in his game. She was his equal. His protector. His lover.

With one final look at Vivaan, Maya gave him a reassuring nod, already planning her next move. And once this was all over, once Vivaan saw the lengths she was willing to go for him… maybe he would finally understand that he needed her too.

We’re in this together, Vivaan. Even if you don’t realize it yet.

Vivaan’s breath was ragged, shallow, and each exhale sounded like it was clawing its way out of him. Maya was pressing down on the wound with all her might, but it wasn’t working fast enough. His blood, hot and thick, oozed between her fingers, and she could feel the life slipping out of him.

Her heart raced, but not from panic—from desperation. She couldn’t lose him. Not like this.

“Maya…” His voice was barely a whisper now, the strength he usually wielded like a weapon reduced to a fragile thread. She leaned in closer, her face inches from his, trying to hear every word, willing him to stay conscious. I can fix this. I can save you.

But instead of pleading for his life, instead of asking for help, Vivaan’s bloodied lips curled into the faintest shadow of a smile, dark and knowing. His hand, weak but steady, gripped hers where it pressed against his wound.

“Maya…” he rasped again, his eyes locking onto hers, sharp despite the haze of pain. “You… need to… be The Ghost.”

Her heart stuttered. The Ghost? She blinked, trying to make sense of the words. Was this some kind of delirium? A fevered, dying man’s ramblings? No. Vivaan was too calculating, even now. Every word he spoke, even in his final moments, carried weight.

“The Ghost?” she repeated, her voice trembling, but not from fear. From something much deeper—something that thrilled her. Her mind spun, trying to understand. The Ghost, the one who ran Crimson Dawn. The one who controlled it all from the shadows. It finally dawned to her. He is The Ghost… and he wants me to take his place?

Vivaan's eyes were unwavering, his grip tightening just slightly, as if to remind her of the gravity of this moment. “Take it… over,” he wheezed, his breath hitching. “Lead them.”

Maya’s pulse quickened, her thoughts racing in a hundred directions. Lead them? Run Crimson Dawn? Me?

For a moment, a flicker of doubt sparked. She wasn’t part of this. She was supposed to bring down Crimson Dawn, to destroy everything it stood for. That had been her mission all along, hadn't it? But now… now Vivaan was giving her something far more than just a role in his world. He was giving her his world. His power. His legacy.

You need me to be The Ghost, she thought, her mind spiralling, filling with a dangerous clarity. It wasn’t just a request—it was a validation. A confirmation that she had always been his equal, his lover. He saw it. He finally saw what she was capable of.

Her lips parted as the realization struck her with the force of a bullet. This is what I was meant for. Vivaan, the man who had always been steps ahead, who had always held the power, was now passing it to her. And if he trusted her with it, if he believed she could carry the weight of it… who was she to deny him?

“I will,” she whispered, her voice low and trembling with something dark, something eager. “I’ll do it.”

Her grip on his hand tightened, and in that moment, all the doubts, all the questions, melted away. It didn’t matter if Crimson Dawn was the enemy, or if she was part of the Special Unit, created to destroy them. Plans could change. I’m doing this for him. This was about more than loyalty, more than right or wrong. This was about what Vivaan saw in her, what he believed she could be.

He’s dying. But I’ll carry this for him. I’ll become anything he needs me to be.

Maya leaned in closer, her lips brushing against his ear as she spoke, her voice filled with a fierce promise. “I’ll be The Ghost, Vivaan. I’ll take over. I’ll finish what you started.”

Vivaan’s lips curled again, that same faint, twisted smile. His hand slipped her a drive, as his breath grew shallower by the second. And in his final moment, his eyes gleamed with something close to satisfaction.

Maya watched as the life drain from him, her heart pounding not with sorrow, but with purpose. Vivaan was gone, but what he’d given her—what he’d asked of her—was a mission. A responsibility. No… a gift.

And she would honour that gift.

Her mind was already working, already calculating. The pieces were falling into place. She would become The Ghost. She would take control of Crimson Dawn. She would do it all in his name.

And in that moment, as Vivaan’s body grew still beneath her, Maya felt something she hadn’t expected: power.

This is what it feels like. To be the one in control. To hold all the cards. To be the one pulling the strings.

A smile ghosted across her lips as she stood, her eyes flicking to the body of the Special Unit colleague she’d killed moments before. She glanced back at Vivaan, at the blood still staining her hands.

You trusted me with this, Vivaan. You believed in me.

And now, she had everything she needed to finish what he started.

Maya stood in the dimly lit street, the scent of gunpowder lingering in the air, mingling with the metallic tang of blood. Two bodies, and she had to spin the narrative to her advantage. She had no choice but to act quickly. The walls felt like they were closing in on her, and she could almost hear the whispers of the Special Unit echoing her name.

When the Special Unit discovered the bodies, it was only a matter of time before they pieced together the truth. But Maya was not like the others, she knew that she had to craft a story that would not only exonerate her but also solidify her position.

“We know Vivaan betrayed us,” she declared, her voice steady and composed when she faced the remaining members of the Special Unit. “He was working with Crimson Dawn, playing us all for fools. I followed him that night to gather intel, but I was too late. I arrived just in time to see him kill our colleague. He was the Ghost, and I barely escaped with my life.”

Gasps echoed in the conference room, scepticism mingling with concern. She leaned into their doubt, allowing a look of anguish to wash over her face. “I couldn’t just let him get away. I did what I had to do to protect us. He was dangerous—planning to undermine everything we stood for.”

As she spoke, she could see the tide beginning to turn. The members exchanged glances, weighing her words. She had them where she wanted them. “If we don’t act now, we risk losing everything. Let me infiltrate Crimson Dawn, gain their trust, and find out what they’re planning. We can turn this around.”

“Why should we trust you?” Jivan challenged, arms crossed, his scepticism still palpable.

“Because I am one of you,” Maya insisted, her voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. “I will bring them down from the inside, but I need your support.”

The room fell silent, the weight of her proposition hanging in the air. With every word she spoke, she wove a tighter net around them, making them complicit in her deception.

After what felt like an eternity, Jivan, her boss sighed, his expression softening. “Fine. But if you’re lying… If you’re even the slightest bit untrustworthy, we’ll take you down ourselves.”

“Understood,” Maya replied, suppressing a smile.

As she stepped out of the meeting, a wave of exhilaration surged through her. She had done it—she had convinced them. But with each passing moment, the weight of her lies grew heavier. She had to play her part perfectly; any misstep could lead to her undoing.

Maya quickly began her work within the Special Unit, all while secretly orchestrating her role within Crimson Dawn. She navigated her double life with precision, relishing the thrill of deception. With each intelligence report she delivered, she fed them just enough information to keep the Special Unit satisfied, while simultaneously building her influence within Crimson Dawn.

Days turned into weeks, and every interaction with the Special Unit became a game of chess. They believed she was loyal to them, but in reality, she was gathering intel, manoeuvring to gain favour with Crimson Dawn’s members. The more they trusted her, the deeper she embedded herself into the organization.

During a clandestine meeting with a high-ranking member of Crimson Dawn, she laid the groundwork for her takeover. “Vivaan had plans for a new world order,” she whispered, her voice dripping with conviction. “But he needed someone who could execute them flawlessly. I can be that person. Together, we can make him proud.”

As the members of Crimson Dawn listened, Maya felt the intoxicating power of manipulation coursing through her veins. They were buying into her story, seeing her as the successor to Vivaan’s dark legacy.

However, the Special Unit’s scrutiny remained a constant threat. They were vigilant, their suspicions lingering like a shadow over her every move. Yet, Maya’s mind raced with possibilities. She was The Ghost now—a shadow lurking in the darkness, ready to pounce and seize her fate, no matter the cost.

Everything was going according to plan.

Until now, when she sat on her desk, skimming through her emails. It had been months since his death, and yet, he still haunted her. He was always there—in her thoughts, in the quiet moments between breaths. She had tried to push him to the edges of her mind, but he always found his way back. The way he looked at her during missions, his calm under pressure, the way his voice lingered in her ear long after their comms went silent.

Maya’s hand hovered over the keyboard. She knew she shouldn’t, but the temptation had been gnawing at her for days now. The drive that held his emails sat innocently on the desk, the last remnants of Vivaan’s digital footprint. Her fingers twitched. It felt wrong, but at the same time, necessary. She needed to understand him better, needed to find some closure—or maybe, just to feel close to him again.

With a deep breath, she plugged the drive into her laptop. The screen blinked, and a folder with his name appeared. Her heart pounded. It wasn’t like she hadn’t been here before, but tonight, it felt different. It wasn’t obsession. No, this was about remembering. About honoring him in the only way she could.

The first email she opened was one from months before his death. His words were direct, strategic, outlining mission details with the precision she had come to expect from him. It was all business. But then, buried deeper in the thread, she found a message sent to Jivan.

December 1st. Four days before the ambush. Six nights before Vivaan’s death.

Maya’s fingers trembled as she pressed play. The dim glow of the screen illuminated her face, but the darkness swirling in her mind was far more blinding. She had come searching for answers, but nothing could have prepared her for what she was about to see.
The grainy footage flickered to life, showing a room she knew all too well—the Special Unit's briefing chamber. And there they were. Vivaan and Jivan. Together.

Her heart pounded in her ears, disbelief crashing through her as the two men exchanged a glance, then shook hands. Not in the way comrades did after a mission, but with purpose, a sinister finality. They weren’t just allies—they were conspirators.

The camera’s angle shifted slightly, revealing Jivan’s face—cold, calculating, like a man about to execute a well-thought-out plan.
“Everything’s set for the operation,” Jivan said, his voice low but clear enough to cut through the static. “We’ve rooted out most of Crimson Dawn’s players. The only question left is Maya.”

Maya’s heart lurched. Her? Why her?

Vivaan’s figure moved closer to Jivan, his posture rigid, composed in a way that made her stomach turn. “She’s the last piece,” he said, his voice steady. “Maya’s been running her own game, trying to play both sides. It’s time to pull the trigger.”

Maya’s breath caught in her throat. Both sides? They thought she was disloyal? She swallowed hard, her eyes glued to the screen, willing herself to keep watching even as her heart screamed at her to look away. This wasn’t real. It couldn’t be.

But the conversation continued, each word tightening the noose around her neck.

Jivan leaned forward, his tone icy. “We’ll fake your death during the ambush. It’s the only way to flush her out. Once she thinks you’re gone, she’ll slip. She’ll lead us right to Crimson Dawn.”

Maya’s entire body went numb. They were going to fake Vivaan’s death? To set her up?

Vivaan’s face, so familiar and once full of warmth, now looked cold, almost unrecognizable. He spoke again, his voice carrying that dangerous edge she had somehow never noticed. “I’ve kept her close, made her trust me. She thinks she’s in control. But this? This will break her. She’ll lead us straight to the heart of Crimson Dawn, thinking she’s avenging me. And once she does, we’ll have everything.”

Maya’s heart twisted, bile rising in her throat. It had all been a lie. Every touch, every whispered word, every stolen moment with Vivaan—it had all been part of their sick game. He had never trusted her, never cared about her. She was nothing more than a pawn in his elaborate plot to bring her down.

Jivan nodded, his gaze hard. “She’s dangerous, but she’s predictable. We’ll catch her in the act.”

The camera zoomed in on Vivaan, capturing the flash of something dark in his eyes—determination, or maybe it was something worse. “I’ll bring her in myself. When she sees me alive, it’ll break her. And then…” He paused, his lips curling into a grim smile. “She’ll realize it was always me pulling the strings.”

Maya’s blood ran cold. It wasn’t just betrayal—it was worse. He had played her like a puppet, guiding her every move, waiting for the moment she would fall.

They weren’t just going to pin everything on her—they were going to destroy her.

Her hands trembled violently as the video came to an end. Silence filled the room, but inside her mind, everything was screaming.
Vivaan had orchestrated everything—the ambush, his “death,” all to flush her out, to prove she was the one who had betrayed the Special Unit. The truth of Crimson Dawn didn’t matter anymore. All that mattered was that they believed she was the traitor.

And now, they were coming for her.

Her body shook with rage, grief, and something else she couldn’t quite place. Everything between them had been a lie. Vivaan had worn his mask so well, convincing her to trust him, to let him in. And she had.

She had fallen for the lie, and now it was going to cost her everything.

The room felt smaller, the walls closing in as her mind spiralled. Every encounter with Vivaan, every calculated smile, every whispered plan—they were all part of his manipulation. He had made her a pawn in his twisted game. The betrayal burned like acid in her veins.
Maya gripped the edges of the table, her nails digging into the wood. No. This couldn’t be happening.

“Vivaan,” she whispered, her voice trembling with a mixture of rage and disbelief. “You think you’ve outsmarted me. You think you can control me?”

The footage flickered once more, showing Vivaan leading a group of Special Unit members through the halls of Crimson Dawn’s former hideout. They were dismantling everything she had built, erasing every trace of her hard-won power.

Her breath caught fury bubbling just beneath the surface. He had not just betrayed her—he had humiliated her. He had let her believe he was dead, let her grieve, let her rise in Crimson Dawn, only to pull the rug from under her when she thought she had everything.
But this wasn’t over. Not by a long shot.

Maya's lips curled into a slow, cold smile, the kind that only someone like her could wear after discovering a betrayal like this. She stared at Vivaan’s image on the screen, her mind racing with plans, with possibilities. He may have fooled her once, but no one fooled her twice.
"You think you're untouchable, don’t you?" she whispered to the empty room, her voice dripping with venom. "You think this is over? That you’ve won?"

Maya stood, her mind already calculating her next steps. Vivaan had made her feel powerless, but she had learned from him. She had watched him, studied him, become him in a way. And now, she would use every lesson he had taught her against him. He had betrayed her trust, but it was deeper than that—he had betrayed her love, her need to control, to own him.

And now? She would make him pay.

She knew exactly what to do. It would take time—meticulous planning, patience, and precision. But Vivaan wouldn’t see it coming. Not this time. He thought he had been playing her, manipulating her to serve his ends, but Maya was done being anyone’s pawn. Now, she would turn the tables.

"I trusted you," she whispered again, her tone dark and lethal, as though speaking directly to him. "And now… I’ll make sure you regret every second of it."

In her mind, the plan was already forming—He would pay. For every lie, for every moment of false trust, for thinking he could control her.
And as she walked out of the room, leaving the flickering screen behind, she felt an eerie calm settle over her.

Her love, her obsession had returned. Only this time it was not love, it was revenge.