Chapter 3: The Crimson Night
The transition from a quiet office life to a heart-pounding thriller began on a rainy Thursday. Maira had stayed late to finish a merger report, her desk illuminated by a single lamp in the otherwise darkened floor of Tripathi Industries.
Arjun was in his cabin, the door closed. For the past hour, Maira had heard him speaking in a language she didn't recognize—harsh, guttural, and commanding. When he finally stepped out, he wasn't wearing his suit jacket. His white shirt was unbuttoned at the collar, and his sleeves were rolled up, revealing a tattoo on his forearm that looked like a serpent coiled around a dagger.
"It's 11:00 PM, Maira. I told you not to stay past eight," Arjun said, his voice dropping into that dangerous, velvet register.
"I wanted to finish the report for the morning meeting, Arjun," she replied, her heart fluttering at the use of his first name.
"There will be no meeting tomorrow," he said shortly. He walked toward her, his eyes scanning the dark windows of the office. Suddenly, his posture stiffened. "Get down. Now!"
The Attack
Before Maira could ask why, the sound of shattered glass echoed through the silent floor. A high-caliber bullet whistled through the air, embedding itself into the mahogany wall exactly where Maira's head had been a second ago.
Arjun didn't hesitate. He lunged across the desk, shielding Maira's body with his own. He pulled a sleek, silver handgun from a holster she hadn't even noticed he was wearing.
"Stay behind me and don't look up," he commanded. The cold businessman was gone; in his place stood a predator who moved with lethal precision.
More shots rang out. A group of masked men in tactical gear swarmed the floor from the emergency stairs. These weren't common thieves—they were professionals.
"They're here for the ledger, Arjun!" one of the gunmen shouted.
Arjun didn't argue. He fired three shots in rapid succession. Three men fell. His face remained calm, almost bored, as if taking lives was as natural to him as signing a contract. Maira watched from under the desk, her breath hitching in terror. The man she was falling for was a killer.
The Escape
"We have to move," Arjun whispered, grabbing Maira's hand. His grip was a literal lifeline.
They sprinted toward the private elevator. Arjun shielded her in the corner of the lift as bullets sparked against the metal doors. When they reached the basement, a black SUV was already waiting, its engine roaring.
As they sped away into the rain-soaked streets of Kolkata, Maira sat shivering in the leather seat. She looked at Arjun's profile—his jaw was set, his eyes fixed on the rearview mirror.
"Who were those people?" she whispered, her voice cracking. "And why do you have a gun, Arjun? Businessmen don't carry guns."
Arjun pulled the car into a dark alleyway and killed the lights. He turned to her, his face half-shadowed. He reached out, his thumb tracing the line of her trembling lower lip.
"I told you once that Curiosity is dangerous, Maira," he said softly. "Those men were from the Singhal cartel. They don't care about 'business.' They care about blood."
"And you?" Maira asked, her eyes searching his. "What do you care about?"
Arjun leaned in, his forehead resting against hers. For a moment, the violence of the night faded. "Until a month ago, I cared about power. Now... I only care that you're still breathing."
The Twist:
Maira realized that her "normal" life ended the moment she stepped into his office. She was now a target, and her only protector was the most dangerous man in the city.