12

VEDANT

I loved the way she easily got irritated and angry. But flustered? That was not on the list. I didn't expect it, especially after she called me ‘A giant crocodile’. Interesting.

I had not done anything but if there were any other person instead of her? He or she wouldn't be alive by then. But anyhow I controlled myself because I was dealing with a woman who had dangerous mouth.

Although she behaved like a tough woman, but she got nervous easily. When I told her about her eating me, she was nervous, flustered, amazed. All in one moment. And she didn't have a reply then.

After she finished her food, she insisted on paying for herself. But would I give that chance? Absolutely not. In the end, I forced her to come and have a meal with me. But she was a sweet pain but she was very stubborn.

She said “I'm an independent girl. I can pay for myself.” That's it and she left hurriedly as she lied to her mom about meeting me. Well I was grateful that she was putting in the effort but I really didn't like the idea of paying for the meal which I wanted to do.

When it was evening, I was already home by then. As it only took two hours to reach Jaipur and half an hour to reach my mansion.

Jai, my right hand showed up in my office suddenly with a coffee mug in his hand and some files.

Well, he stayed in my house as I told him to, he was orphaned when I met him near the Jawahar Lal Nehru Marg. He was lost. I was ten by then and he was nine. I insisted my father take him but my father didn't agree. So I had to pretend that I wouldn't eat for a week.

Manipulation won over emotions.

“What are you doing?” I asked softly

“You asked me for some reports about the cartel of Milan, which Rodriguez wants to take over.”

“Nonsense, this will not happen.” I refused

“How? Do you know how dangerous it is to stop him? He has influence over the place and people.”

“As I said, manipulation works better than anything. Use it, make believe him but you know it will never happen.”

“You always thrive on manipulating! God! Why can't you just use guns?” Jai was uncomfortable with my idea

“Well, sometimes the satisfaction is mentally defeated. The brain is the smartest organ in the human body ... .so use it properly.” I said in a monotonous tone

I felt his silence lingered more than necessary. He was utterly confused about my ideologies. And he didn't like it.

Jai was a person who believed physical harm was better than anything but we could have two sides of a coin, couldn't we?

Everything in this world was just a drama, better use your brain. Having a strategy worked better because you knew not only option A but also infinity.

“These are the files, check it out.” He took a sip of his coffee and pointed out on the part of the files

“See, this thing can turn him down, drugs are his weakness.” He grinned

“But we can't use drugs, can we?” My mind was thinking different situations

“Hell yeah, it's so much worse, but we can defeat him like baddies.” He spoke with so much energy

“Baddies? What are baddies?” I tapped into my desk

“You don't know? Hell nahhh, leave it.” He laughed

This genz slang would be my death. What are those even?

Somewhere I read istg when my cousin Samira sent me her videos.What was that? And my cousin Tejas was like ngl.

Stupid people with stupid vocabulary. Didn't make any sense.

“I will handle the cartel. And anyways Devyansh and Avgust will come to meet me soon at the upcoming gala. I hope.” I said casually

“Wow! That means Devyansh has to spill tea about his new life. And Avgust has to tell me his skincare routine. I will beg them.” He was proud of his own research

Wait. Tea? Since when Devyansh started his tea garden?

Goddamn someone should save Jai from the genz influence. And I knew my cousins spoiled him very much. Of course they grew up together.

“And about Ma'am! She is really beautiful but she has some serious issues with you, why does she think you're the devil?” He raised his eyebrows

“That's none of your business!” I took a long breathe

“Well! But she has business with you, you should remember her tantrums first and then regret.” He left my office with his coffee mug

I didn't know but I saw red when he told me she was beautiful.

Beautiful? She? Yes but any other men complimenting her? I didn't like the idea.

She was mine to take care of, real or fake, I didn't care about anything but my investments.

As the night wore on, I joined myself into my work. I usually couldn't sleep at night so I sketch sometimes or draw some designs for my company.

But today was different. I spent seventy two lakhs on her but still she didn't fall over my charms and money. I thought she would be surprised but she was a goddess wrapped in a fire ball.

After she signed the contract, she scolded me about spending money. Even she gave me financial advice like she was an analyst. I didn't blame her though, she was going to be a financial analyst anyway.

She told me that she would return the gifts but I had to tell her that it was just compensation because I ruined her scooter. She felt suspicious but then she said it's too much for her scooter. Quardaple of her scooter’s price.

Well such a beauty with brains.

But I gifted her because I wanted to. Not because of her scooter, maybe for being pretty and destructive for my existence.

It was 11:30pm when I finished my work and laid down on my bed with my phone in my hand.

Jai mentioned that Idhika had Instagram. So I was curious for sure. I wanted to check her account but never had this urge before.

I never had an account before but I installed the app and made a fake account because I don't like to give my real name.

It asked for a username. Seriously?

@vsingh

@singhking

@chsmmnn

@hellnahhh

I thought of multiple usernames but then I googled some unique usernames but these are all cheesy. It made no sense. It felt like the universe was giving me a punishment.

So I made an username as aapgulabmainguldasta

“I think people should be more creative.”

It sounded ridiculous like some urdu poetry who was stuck between the heavens and the hell because he had written such a crappy line.

If anyone stole this username from me, I would burn the Instagram community.

Well, after my account’s username got accepted, my fingers curiously typed her name in the search section.

There were so many Idhika but where was my sweetheart Idhika?

I spent two hours trying to find her account. My fingers searched every five hundred sixty accounts one by one. Some accounts were private and some were public. But when I thought the account would be her, a sense of disappointment washed over my face because she was not her.

I tried looking at the profile picture but it was no use. Some use puppies, some use sky and other parts have no profile picture.

What were those? If you were having an account then post your pic in your profile picture but why puppies, skies!?

This generation had a different style of thinking. I might think Idhika had the same genz vibes.

But my eyes focused on an account who had a red wall in the background, some paintings hanging on the wall. And a black silhouette was standing before it. I couldn't see properly because of the lack of lighting in the photo.

It was a public account. And it has 1032 followers and 412 following.

When I went through the posts, it was only red aesthetics. A red lipgloss, a red bag, a pair of red sandals. And a picture of the lady in red. It was her. Of course I knew it.

I smiled in victory but stalking someone's account was not my type, yet I chose to break the rule for her.

I had no idea why she had 1032 followers? When I searched through it, it was all some dainty aged people who were literal teenagers. And I should mention some men who had annoying bios.

What was the meaning of writing ‘Radhe Radhe’ if you cannot respect any girl. I knew because my sister Vaani told me about this topic. She was a lawyer who got many cases like that.

Without any thoughts, my finger pressed on the follow button. And there was an orange line around her profile pic. I clearly didn't understand this kind of feature but I pressed on. It showed a picture of some financial questions and a book and it was written as ‘Late night study will never be my type🙏🏻’.

So she was studying the whole time when I was searching for her account. Well this felt intriguing enough.

She was a sweetheart. Maybe.

I wondered why I had called her sweetheart? Had my mind sunk into the depth of her brown eyes that shone so bright while she ranted about me in anger? Perhaps.

But I was not a man of morals who would do things for people. But her? Why had I spent so much money just for her? I didn't know the real reason….

But I had to work strategically because my mother had to be impressed by Idhika. I cannot marry anyone who wants my money. I had to make her believe that my type was Idhika.

For that, I had to play a dangerous game.

Game of emotions.

It was the first time ever I thought I would not win but winning was my hobby. I had to win no matter what.

A sudden call broke the silence of my room.

Avgust.

“Hello da! Long time no see.” His thick Russian accent was clear

“Yeah? What about you?”

“My father died. And I'm going to take over the bratva.” I smiled because he deserved to be the head

But he didn't sound sad, he was just relaxed. I didn't ask him how his father died but I knew something happened that I would know when we meet.

“So you will be Pakhan? Congratulations” I felt a little bit of proud

“You know the cartel you sent me, it's dangerous Vedant. You should not touch it. You know what happened to your—” I stopped him

“I can handle it well. And if I die, I die but my soul will know that I have defeated him.”

‘What about your devochka?” He sounded a little bit of worried

(Girl)

“What girl? Wait, Devyansh told you?” I asked

“Yes…so the manipulator king found its defiant queen. Interesting.” He seemed to be amused

“Well. It's a fake relationship. Nothing much. But yeah I should stop my obsession but it's not working mate.” I told him in one breath

“Возможно, она кусает тебя одним взглядом.”

(Perhaps she bites you with a single glance.)

Maybe….

Maybe very much……

She could destroy me with anything. I should be careful.

“Good night!” I cut the call before but I know he called me bastard in russian.

I couldn't kill him because he was my best friend. But I could shut him up.

It was 3am and I was still thinking about her. Maybe I should check up with a doctor because this thing should be stopped.

One day I would kill the very reason who took my peace and that's not Idhika.

And I would destroy them by hook or crook, with every

kind of manipulation, with every kind of strategy. I would kill them.

With that, i slowly closed my eyes, letting me feel the silence of the room, the AC’s soft hums. I felt utterly relaxed.