Flashback Continued...

Avneet stood in front of her mirror, staring at her reflection almost admiring herself. The sequined black dress hugged her figure like a second skin. Her hair curled in soft waves, a sharp contrast to the cruelty lurking in her eyes. She sprayed a final touch of perfume on her neck, the scent heavy and intoxicating, and smiled at the thought of the night ahead.

Her phone buzzed on the dresser. A message from Ritika.

“Tick tock, Avi. Last day of the bet. Either you get him tonight, or I win. Let’s see if you can back up all your big words.”

Avneet’s lips tightened into a thin smile. No one, not even Ritika, would ever get the satisfaction of watching her fail. Losing was not an option.

Siddharth Nigam wasn’t just a boy she wanted. Tonight, he was the prize, the proof of her power, the key to silencing Ritika’s smug face forever.

I don’t lose. Not to anyone, she told herself, adjusting her earrings. Especially not over a boy.

Still, the thought of Siddharth stirred something in her chest. He wasn’t like the others who fell at her feet. He had rejected her once, humiliated her, not once... Multiple times already. That sting had never faded. If she couldn’t have him willingly, then she would take him. Tonight, he would be hers, and the world would see it.

She smirked at her reflection. “By the time the sun rises, Siddharth Nigam will belong to me. And Ritika will eat her words.”

---

The party was already in full swing by the time she arrived. The hall glowed with fairy lights, laughter tangled with bass-heavy music, and the air was thick with alcohol and hormones. Students turned their heads as Avneet entered, their admiration feeding her ego.
She spotted him almost immediately.

Siddharth sat away from the dance floor, half in shadow, a drink untouched on the table in front of him. He looked exhausted, lost in his own head, while the world moved on without him. His shoulders were slouched, his gaze distant, as though he didn’t belong to this place at all.

Perfect, Avneet thought.

Vulnerable. Alone.

A waiter passed by carrying a tray of drinks. She stopped him with a delicate flick of her fingers. “Give me that,” she said, taking one of the orange juices. From her clutch, hidden between her lipstick and compact mirror, she pulled a small vial. With the ease of someone who had planned it all, she poured the contents into the glass, watching the liquid swirl, then settle back into innocence.

“Make sure he gets this one.” She slid a bundle of notes into the waiter’s pocket, her gaze cutting toward Siddharth. The man nodded and moved on.

Her heart thrummed—not with guilt, but with anticipation. Tonight wasn’t just about a bet. It was about showing Siddharth who really held the power.

---

Siddharth barely looked up when the waiter placed the glass in front of him. He muttered a distracted thanks, lifted it to his lips, and took a slow sip. The bitterness made him frown, but he was too weary to think much of it. He already had a lot going on at his house. He wasn't planning to come to this fuckass party. But he had big fight with his dad and thought it would be better to stay away tonight.

Avneet, watching from across the hall, saw his throat move as he swallowed. A thrill ran through her.

Time to strike.

She crossed the room with the elegance of someone who owned it, her heels clicking against the floor in perfect rhythm with the music.

“Siddharth,” she said, tilting her head innocentely, “why are you sitting here like an old man when everyone else is having fun?”

He sighed, running a hand through his hair. “I’m not in the mood, Avneet. Just leave me alone. Please not today...”

“Oh no,” she said with a laugh that drew a few glances their way. She grabbed his hand before he could protest further. “You don’t get to sulk tonight. Come dance with me.”

“Avneet—” His voice faltered. The room had already begun to spin faintly. His limbs felt heavier than usual, his head light, as though someone had slipped cotton into his thoughts.

“Trust me,” she whispered, leaning close enough for her perfume to overwhelm him. “It’ll be fun.”

She pulled him onto the dance floor. He had no energy to repel.

The music pulsed through their bodies, and she pressed against him, guiding his movements. To anyone watching, it looked like Siddharth had finally given in, dancing with the hottest girl in the room. Ritika looked mad as Avneet deliberately smirked showing off how she was in Siddharth's arms. But up close, his eyes were dazed, unfocused. His hands hung awkwardly at his sides until she placed them on her waist, forcing him to play his part.

“See?” she teased against his ear, her lips grazing his skin. “You and I look perfect together.”

His breath hitched. “I… I don’t… I need to leave... I... don't feel” The words slipped into nothing.

She smirked, tightening her grip on his hand. “Come with me.”

No one questioned it when she led him out of the hall. Why would they? It was Avneet Kaur, the untouchable queen, and Siddharth Nigam, the boy she had chosen. To them, it looked like a love story beginning. Only he knew the truth, but his truth was dissolving with every step.

---

The hotel room was cool, dimly lit. Avneet shut the door behind them with a sharp click. Siddharth sank onto the bed, breathing hard, trying to steady the storm in his head.

“What’s… happening to me?” he muttered, his voice thick.

Avneet’s heels clicked as she approached, slow and deliberate. She slipped off her dress, letting it fall carelessly to the floor, and leaned down so close he could feel her breath on his cheek.

“Nothing’s happening, Siddharth,” she whispered, cupping his face. “This is what was always meant to be.”

“I don’t… want…” His protest was weak, swallowed by the drug and her persistence. His body no longer obeyed him.

Avneet’s lips curved into a triumphant smile. She pushed him back against the pillows, climbing over him, her voice dripping with cruel satisfaction.

“You turned me down once,” she murmured. “You humiliated me. Did you think I’d forgive that? Tonight, you’re mine. And tomorrow, everyone will know I always get what I want.”

And though Siddharth tried to push her away, his strength melted into helplessness. The room swallowed his resistance, leaving only her laughter and the sound of his breaking heart.

By the time the night was over, she had won the bet. But in doing so, she had crossed a line.

She had violated Siddharth in a way
that would ignite a storm neither of them could ever escape.