Author's POV 

"What the hell is this!" The boss screamed, catching the attention of the whole office.

The Spotlight Horizon had been too quiet for days. So it was obvious that something was about to happen sooner or later. But there was a reason for the sudden outburst of the boss today. 

"Where is Prakash?" Ayushi didn't have to eavesdrop on it anymore. It was quite evident that the boss was looking for him early in the morning. 

The whispering and gossiping crowd gathered around while Ayushi stretched her arms and smirked satisfactorily, seeing him getting worked up. 

From the corner of her eyes, she noticed the team leader advancing towards the boss. His eyes lowered as he bowed before him. "What happened, sir?" 

"Come to my cabin." The boss clenched his teeth before walking inside his cabin while the team leader followed him.

Seeing them leaving, Ayushi stood up immediately and took the files and pen drive towards the cabin. But before she could enter, she tried to listen to their conversations. 

"What is this Prakash up to? He told me that the news of Ishaan's marriage with Priya was confirmed. But here the news of Priya's marriage with Vicky has been released." 

"Yeah... I saw that news. I don't know sir, what's happening?" 

"How is he going to fix this? Ugh... We should have released the news first." 

Ayushi purposely planned on not releasing this story here. After feeling satisfied that her moment had come, she first peeked through the room before knocking on the door. "Sorry Boss. I didn't mean to eavesdrop but can I just say something?" 

He raised his eyebrows before calling her inside. "What is it?"

She took a deep breath in and said, "Boss, I have some news." She presented the pen drive to the boss. "This is a personal interview of the writer of Sherni, 'Ishita Srinivas'... I mean 'Ishita Talwar.' Ishita Srinivas is the name she created for herself." 

"What?" The boss and her team leader overly reacted upon hearing it. "So you mean that mysterious writer?" 

Ayushi nodded her head, feeling extremely proud of herself. "Amazing! This is big!" He yelled in joy. He laughed aloud in happiness but he looked more like a fool to Ayushi. She quietly smiled and gave the team leader a smirk.

"You will get a bonus if this hits big, okay?" 

"Thank you." She bowed sincerely, too happy at the mention of money. 

She was about to leave when she realized that she forgot about the most important thing. She turned around and asked, "Sir, if in future, you need someone to bring you news, I hope you will remember me. Then, see you, sir." Ayushi greeted him and left the room.

The boss once again laughed hysterically. After coming out, she placed her ears near the door. From her eavesdropping skills, she could hear them too well. 

"She is ambitious. We need more people like her." 

"What about Prakash?" She heard the low voice of the team leader as if scared he would lose the commission he would get from the boss for that news. 

"Ah... we can get rid of him now. He already lost the game. Only winners survive here. Anyway, I was thinking of giving Ayushi the promotion next month. So, this is great!" 

After listening to them, a big smile was placed on her face. She pumped her fist in the air and rushed to her place. 

★★★

"Just what the heck?!" Alisha ma'am punched the desk in front of her, taking out her frustration. 

Her manager came rushing inside and informed her, "Ma'am, the press is too curious about that announcement. They want to talk to you." 

She clenched her teeth as her nose flared in rage. "Just don't pick up their calls. Does it look like I care?" She gave a death glare to the manager who scurried away like a rat after seeing her boiling anger. 

After seeing Priya's marriage news with Vicky, her anger was breaking all limits. Just then, her phone buzzed as she saw director Rajiv calling her. "What is wrong? Where is Priya? Did she make that announcement?" 

Alisha ma'am closed her eyes for a bit before opening them. "I don't know what she is up to." 

"I will try calling her." She hung up the call, flicking her phone on the chair next to her.

Meanwhile, director Rajiv got a call from Prakash. "Why is that bastard calling me now?" He uttered under his breath.

"Sir, what is this news suddenly? I will lose my job like this. Please help me." 

He sighed, irritated at his pathetic tone. "Shut up man. I am also having trouble. I will talk to you later." He hung up the call without answering him. 

Worried and terrified, Prakash was trembling. He never wanted to get into this but his greed for money pulled him too much into this. He tried coming out of it before but he only got abused and pressed into this situation.

He was convinced that his job had come to an end. He stood at the very corner of the rooftop of the office. As he had been thinking too much about it, he heard the footsteps of someone. When he turned he saw Ayushi looking straight at him. 

Scared, he stumbled on his feet before regaining his control. "Ayushi, what are y...you... doing here?" He stammered.

She looked at him up and down before saying, "Shouldn't I ask you that?" She came close to him. "Prakash, I know what you have been doing." 

Prakash looked up before turning his gaze away. He didn't dare to look at her straight in her eyes. His eyes darted away as he gulped his nervousness. "I am sorry." Soon, tears trickled down his cheeks as he apologized further. "I am so sorry. I didn't mean to do it. I really wanted to come out of it. Please." 

Ayushi stood apart and didn't try calming him. "Jeez, you turned out like this huh? I really wanted to act as a badass heroine. What's this right now?" She sighed before patting his back.

"I am really sorry. I will formally apologize to Maya. Please help me save my job." He joined his hands before her.

"Maya already knew this and she will even forgive you. But you need to do something for us." Ayushi passed on her phone to him.

He was confused but he still took it. He noticed a call coming from someone. "Hey, Prakash. Can you hear me?" He heard Priya's voice over the phone.

He immediately stood stunned before replying, "Yes." 

"Listen carefully..." Prakash listened to her carefully, taking in every piece of information. He knew this was the last chance to change his fate. 

He looked up at Ayushi, wiping his tears off. "I will cover this." 

★★★

"Are you trying to screw me over? Remember that I also know everything about you," director Rajiv screamed over the phone to Alisha ma'am. 

Alisha ma'am who had been earlier staring and scrolling the social media viral news didn't utter anything. It showed how Director Rajiv allegedly harassed women behind the sets and had a bad reputation in the industry.

"Won't you take any action?" 

"Where is Priya?" She only asked that much, flaring in rage.

He chuckled in frustration. "How would I know?! Hey, did you plan this with that girl? Of course, you are taking revenge on me or something, aren't you?" 

Alisha ma'am was getting impatient. "Don't call me again, loser. I don't want to lose my game because of you." She threw the phone away, screaming out her anger. 

Tired, she sat on her chair. "I can't lose," she uttered before calling Ishaan.

"Ishaan, are you sure that Maya trusts you enough now to forget Ajay?" She asked, turning on the video of her ignoring Ajay.

"Yes, she does. But... why?" 

"Then, ask her to date you. You wanted that, didn't you? Let me be a good mother." She smiled wickedly.

Ishaan on the other hand turned to Maya beside her. "Can I do that? Thank you, mom." He wished her before ending the call. 

"What are you planning now?" Maya asked him right at that very moment. Her eyes drifted across his worried face. He creased his forehead and turned to face Maya.

"Why? Don't you have a plan next?" 

She took a deep breath in and was about to speak when her phone buzzed with a notification from the writer Samyukta. 

Rajiv's name is cancelled out of the movie credits. It's been taken care of.

"Priya and I both wanted to take our revenge on director Rajiv so we planned on this huge thing. He will be publicly criticized shamefully and he will also lose the film that he wanted so eagerly. And even Alisha ma'am now threw him off like trash." Maya smirked, her lips curling up slightly before she looked at Ishaan.

"I did that because it was that scumbag director. But if I am being right here about Alisha ma'am, it was you who suffered the most. You should plan the ending now." 

He stared at her for a long time before pulling her near, startling the hell out of her. Her breathing halted as Ishaan pulled out his phone. 

"What are you... doing?" 

"Planning the ending." He turns on the camera and smiles at her. Maya, who was too stunned, could hardly smile but on the second click he whispered in her ears, "Please smile and don't worry." 

Her lips curled and she pretended to smile at the camera, not-so-heartily. Still, her heart kept beating like crazy. What is he thinking? 

★★★

"Did you like the surprise?" She played with her fingers with a smile playing on her lips.

"So, it was you. How can you do this to me? I made you, Priya." The dominating voice of the director reached her ears over the call.

With a stoned expression, Priya spoke, "Made me? You just ruined me. I don't want to be a game for you anymore." Her voice cracked, her gaze fixed on the walls as she inhaled a gasp of air. 

"You shouldn't do this." 

"I don't care. I was never an upright person. If I am doing a little more wrong, I don't mind." She gulped, closing her eyes. "Be thankful that I am not killing you. Dare you to mess with me or anybody again, I will not leave you easily." 

She hung up the call and looked at Pranav who kept looking at her suspiciously. "What?" 

"You became bolder but better. How did this happen?" 

On his question, she sat down opposite him. "I just wasn't a villain from the beginning." She took a sip of her drink.

"I chose wrong before but I want to come out of this for the second time. The first time, I tried coming out after losing everything on that day. I got my career but I lost my first love and my friends. I tried yet I failed. I hope I can do it this time." 

She looked up with a half-formed smile on her face. 

~•~

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