Published on:- 2/3/25 [Sunday]
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⭐Ramadan Mubarak⭐

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In the quiet of her bedroom, Sunaina moved swiftly as she was packing a few essentials into a sleek black bag. Her sharp mind was calculating every step she needed to take tonight.

Suddenly, her phone buzzed on the nightstand. It flashed 'Dino'.

Without wasting a second, she answered. "Any news?".

"Yes, Princess. I traced the unknown number you sent me… and cross-checked it with the link connected to Queen's hacker", Dino said.

Sunaina’s hand paused mid-air, fingers curling tightly around the edge of her bag.

"And?", She asked and a brief silence fell in the air.

"They are the same person", Dino replied.

Her jaw tightened as the weight of those words settled over her like a storm cloud.

So the one who had been tracking her moves, the one... spam number connected to Tarana's, wasn’t just a random threat. It was someone skilled enough to breach the Queen’s network.

'So my intuition was right. It was not just a digital crime or a set up to trap her but actually, Tara's phone was hacked by someone who knows the Scorpion Satan and understands that Tara is the weak link of us', Sunaina thought as her eyes blazed with fury.

"What’s the next move, Princess?" Dino asked.

Sunaina's lips curved into a dangerous smile. "We bait the hacker".

Dino didn’t hesitate. "I will set the trap".

"Make sure it’s flawless because if they slip away… there won’t be a second chance", she said in a cold voice.

"And I'm coming to shimla tonight. Tell Nora to be prepared for the next meeting with the Russians", Sunaina said.

Dino salute and then the call ended.

Sunaina zipped up her bag and stood straight, her reflection in the mirror as fierce as ever.

Tonight wasn’t just about business deals or meetings.

It was about hunting the hunter.

Sunaina turned around only to find Nilay standing by the door. She froze as his gaze was intense, dark like a brewing storm.

The silence between them felt heavy.

He didn’t move, didn’t blink, just stared at her while his eyes were burning with anger, concern… and something deeper.

"Pookie baby! What happened?", she spoke softly.

Nilay's eyes narrowed down dangerously.

"Who were you talking to?", His tone was calm, but there was an edge to it, like a blade hidden behind silk.

Her fingers unconsciously tightened around the handle of her bag.

"It’s nothing you need to worry about", She replied.

His lips pressed into a thin line. "That’s not an answer".

The tension of unspoken secrets and silent battles crackled between them.

Sunaina met his stormy gaze head-on and said, "I handle my own problems, Nilay".

Nilay took a slow step closer while responding, "And I handle anything that involves you".

A dangerous dance of dominance and defiance.

The storm in his eyes only grew darker.

"Nilay! We already talked about this, we agreed not to interfere in each other’s businesses", Sunaina said.

Nilay's jaw clenched, his stormy gaze never leaving hers. "That was before I saw you packing a bag after a call for a meeting with Russians".

Her fingers tightened around the strap of her bag. "It’s just work, Nilay. Like always".

He took a slow step forward, the intensity in his eyes deepening.

"Then why does i feel like you are walking into something dangerous?", Nilay said and this time, his voice was low and full of concern.

Sunaina's lips parted, but no words came out. The room felt smaller, the silence louder.

"Tell me! Is this about that hacker who hacked the sister-in-law's phone?", Nilay’s voice dropped lower, and a quiet storm was brewing within him.

Sunaina's heart thudded against her ribs as she was shocked.

Nilay knew. Of course, he knew.

But Sunaina stood her ground. "I can handle it".

Nilay's stare darkened as he growled, "And I can’t handle the thought of something happening to you".

For a moment, they just stood there, two forces, equally fierce, equally unyielding.

"Nilay! It’s a business meeting to seal a deal, nothing else. I am not going alone. T-Rex, Nora, and my team members are coming with me. Obviously, I am not risking my life", Sunaina said calmly.

But before she could step away, Nilay grabbed her wrist and pulled her against his chest and his arms were circling her possessively.

"Don’t go… Or let’s go together", He said and his voice was a whisper and the tone was rough, low and desperate.

Sunaina blinked up at him, the fire in his eyes clashing with her steady resolve.

A sly smile tugged at her lips. "Don’t you have to go to the company, Manager Sahab?", she teased, tilting her head.

Nilay didn’t smile back. His hold on her tightened, his jaw clenched.

"I can skip a meeting. But I can’t skip keeping you safe", He said.

Her heart thudded at his words. His words had a dangerous mix of love and control but she only arched a brow.

"I don’t need another bodyguard", She said.

"No! You need a husband who doesn’t want to lose you", he said softly.

"Okay, fine. Let’s go to the base together… but I will go alone to the meeting point. Agree?", Sunaina sighed as her gaze was steady on Nilay's stormy eyes.

Nilay’s jaw ticked as his grip on her waist was still firm as he declined, "No".

Her brows shot up. "Nilay....?".

"I am not agreeing to anything that puts you in danger", he cut her off.

Sunaina stepped back slightly, just enough to create a sliver of space between them.

"I am not asking for permission. This is business... my business", She growled back.

His deep brown eyes were dark and burned into hers, but before he could respond, her phone buzzed again.

It was T-Rex.

She glanced at the screen, then back at Nilay while responding to T-Rex, "We are leaving in ten minutes".

She cut the call and then she said softly to Nilay, "Decide if you are coming to the base or staying here".

Turning around, she grabbed her bag, her heart was pounding louder than her footsteps.

Behind her, Nilay's voice followed like a shadow. "I am coming".

Sunaina's mouth curved upward but suddenly her lips fell down when she heard his next words.

"I've promised to walk with you from heaven to hell, so how can I let you go alone today?", Nilay said.

....

On the other hand, In the Khadka mansion, Tarana was arranging her novel and books on the old bookshelf in the storeroom when her gaze landed on a small, old diary tucked between the books.

Curiously, she pulled it out, only to find that it was locked.

"A locked diary?", Tarana said.

Her brows knitted into a frown as she ran her fingers over the metal lock, wondering whose secrets were hidden inside.

"Now, where to find the key?", Tarana murmured softly while her eyes were fixed on the rusted lock.

With a quiet sigh, she placed the diary aside and decided to deal with it later.

Focusing back on her task, she continued arranging her fictional world; books of fantasy, romance, and mystery, neatly on Avyaan’s bookshelf and the title of the book was a small escape from reality to another fictional universe.

While arranging her novels, a crumpled envelope hidden between the books caught Tarana's eye.

She pulled it out and carefully opened it, only to find a tiny key resting inside.

Her brows furrowed in confusion.

"A key?", she whispered, turning it over in her palm.

Her gaze slowly drifted back to the locked diary she had set aside moments ago.

"Is this the key to the locked diary?" Tarana wondered while her heart was beating a little faster.

She glanced between the small key in her hand and the diary resting on the table.

Without wasting another moment, she picked up the diary, her fingers trembling slightly as she brought the key closer to the lock.

The key slid into the lock with a faint click.

Tarana held her breath and twisted it gently.

For a moment, nothing happened and then, with a soft snap, the lock popped open.

Her fingers hovered over the cover, hesitatingly.

"Whose secrets are you hiding?", she murmured while slowly flipping the diary open it.

It wasn’t a diary.

Tarana's frown deepened as she realized it was a box cleverly designed to look like a diary.

The lock had kept not words, but secrets of another kind.

Inside, a few papers were folded neatly, their edges slightly yellowed with time.

She carefully picked them up while her mind was running with numerous wild thoughts.

"What is this…?" she whispered, unfolding the first sheet.

But before she could read the papers, her eyes caught something else. It was a small photograph tucked between the folds.

Her heart skipped a beat.

She stared at the image and her mind was reeling as she recognized the two familiar figures.

"Avyaan… and Sunaina?" she murmured. Her heart softened as she pulled it out and looked at it.

It was a childhood picture.

Avyaan was around 15 years old, stood tall and protective, while beside him was a younger Sunaina, barely 9 or 10, her eyes were fierce yet innocent.

A gentle smile crept onto Tarana’s lips.

"Siblings" she whispered.

She ran her thumb over the image, feeling a strange warmth at the sight of Avyaan’s protective stance beside Sunaina.

The folded papers still waited, but for a moment, Tarana let herself smile at the hidden piece of Avyaan’s past.

Curiosity sparked in Tarana's eyes as she noticed another picture tucked beneath the papers.

She carefully pulled it out, this one was different.

It showed a woman standing alone while her back was to the camera and she was gazing up at the sky. The photograph was taken from behind, giving no hint of her face.

The woman's long hair cascaded down her back, and the way she tilted her head toward the heavens made the image feel... melancholic.

Tarana's brows furrowed.

"Who is she?" she murmured softly, her fingers lingering over the mysterious figure.

Something about the picture felt personal, like a silent story hidden within its frame.

As Tarana carefully sifted through the contents of the box, her fingers landed on a folded piece of paper.

She unfolded it and then she realized that it wasn’t just any paper but it was a drawing, drawn by a child.

The drawing showed a woman and a man standing side by side, with two children; a boy and a girl holding their hands.

The lines were rough yet heartfelt, as if drawn by someone trying to capture a precious moment.

Her eyes lingered on the girl in the drawing. The small details of the pigtails, the bright smile made Tarana’s heart clench.

"Is this... Avyaan and Sunaina?", she whispered, recognizing the familiar features in the children.

But the adults… who were they?

The woman’s delicate form and the man’s strong stance hinted at something deeper like a story lost in time.

"Are they their parents?" Tarana wondered while a strange sense of longing stirred in her chest.

Tarana carefully placed the pictures and the drawing back into the hidden box.

Then, she picked up the folded papers which were aged, slightly yellowed, with creases that suggested they had been read and reread countless times.

Her heart thumped softly in her chest as she unfolded the first sheet.

Tarana unfolded the paper, expecting a letter but what met her eyes made her heart stop.

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ShineeSunshine ❤️