The sharp sound of tires against the road echoed outside the massive glass building. A sleek, expensive luxury car pulled up smoothly right next to the main entrance.
From the passenger seat, a young woman stepped out. She carefully adjusted the edges of her stylish, well-fitted blazer and took a deep breath. Her sharp eyes looked up at the huge golden letters shining brightly against the modern concrete wall Shekhawat & Associates.
It was well-known as one of the most powerful and feared law firms in the entire city, handling only the biggest and most complicated cases.
She pushed open the heavy glass doors and walked right into the grand lobby. The loud click of her high heels echoed across the polished floor, making a few people turn around to look. Her posture was perfectly straight, and she walked with a natural, heavy confidence. It looked as if she owned the entire place.
As she approached the front desk, the receptionist looked up quickly and gave her a respectful but slightly nervous nod.
"Mam, sir aapka office mein wait kar rahe hai."
(Ma'am, Sir is waiting for you in his office.)
The girl let out a soft, tired sigh. She casually shifted her designer handbag to her other shoulder and gave a small nod. "Thanks," she said shortly.
She turned around and walked straight toward the private executive elevator. Standing inside, she watched the floor numbers light up one by one until she reached the very top floor where the executive cabins were located.
Stepping out, she walked down the quiet, carpeted hallway until she stopped right in front of a pair of massive, dark mahogany doors. Right in the middle of the door, there was a highly polished golden nameplate. Written on it in large, bold letters was: CEO - Dev Singh Shekhawat.
She raised her hand and knocked firmly on the wooden door, creating a sharp, rhythmic sound.
A few long seconds passed in complete silence. Then, a deep, husky voice came from inside. "Come in."
She turned the handle and pushed the door open, stepping into a sprawling, beautiful office. The entire room was incredibly modern the walls, the shelves, and the partitions were all made of clean, expensive glass, showing a beautiful view of the busy city below.
Sitting right behind the grand desk was a man who looked incredibly handsome. Dev Singh Shekhawat was in his late twenties, possessing a powerful, muscular body with very wide shoulders that stretched his crisp white shirt.
His dark hair was lightly curled at the ends, giving him a rugged look, and he had a sharp, distinct butt-chin that made his jawline look even more stubborn. His hazel eyes were sharp and focused, framed by a neatly trimmed beard. He looked like someone who was used to being in absolute control.
The girl completely ignored his intense presence. She walked right past his grand desk and headed straight toward a comfortable leather couch placed in the far corner of the room.
She plopped down heavily on the cushions, crossing her legs. Without asking, she reached out to a crystal basket resting on the glass table in front of her, picked up a fresh red apple, and took a loud, crunchy bite.
Dev did not even look up from his computer screen. His fingers kept typing on the keyboard with fast, precise movements. "Did I tell you to sit, Miss Yaduvanshi?" he asked, his voice dripping with cold sarcasm.
Riddhima Yaduvanshi did not care about his tone at all. She chewed her apple slowly, swallowed, and then replied in a very sweet, innocent voice. "Sir, kya main jaan sakti hu ki aapne mujhe yaha kyu bulaya?"
(Sir, may I know why you called me here?)
Without saying a single word or even shifting his eyes away from the monitor, Dev suddenly grabbed a thick manila folder from his desk and threw it across the room. It flew straight toward her face.
"What the f- I mean, what the hell!" Riddhima screamed loudly. Her fast reflexes kicked in just in time, and she caught the heavy file right before it could hit her nose. She dropped her apple back into the basket, glaring at him.
Dev finally turned his hazel eyes toward her, completely calm and unbothered by her anger. "Iss case ko study karo."
(Study this case.)
Riddhima looked down at the heavy folder in her lap and let out a dramatic, annoyed groan. She leaned back into the soft couch, raising her hands to look closely at her perfectly manicured, glossy nails. "Mere paas pehle se hi bohot saare cases hai, ab main aur nahi le sakti. Ab aap kya chahte ho main saara din issi mein lagi rahu?" she said in a highly sassy voice.
(I already have so many cases, I can't take on any more. Now what do you want, for me to stay wrapped up in this the entire day?)
Dev leaned back in his comfortable leather chair, a mocking smile appearing on his lips. "Woh saare cases toh pehle hi tumne dooba rakhe hai, yeh ek aur dooba do." He paused, his sharp eyes narrowing slightly.
(You've already ruined all those other cases anyway, go ahead and ruin this one too.)
"Btw, woh tumhari demand kar rahe the isliye main yeh case tumhe de raha hu. Ab jyada hawa mein mat udna ki tumhari demand badhne lagi hai."
(By the way, they were specifically demanding you, which is why I'm giving you this case. Now don't start flying high in the clouds thinking your demand is skyrocketing.)
Hearing his words, a bright twinkle suddenly appeared in Riddhima's eyes. She loved being a popular lawyer, and knowing a client specifically asked for her made her feel incredibly proud.
Suddenly, she stood up from the couch, flipping her long hair over her shoulder with a dramatic motion, just like an actress in a film.
She walked over to his grand desk and leaned against the edge, a sly smile on her face. "Hawa mein toh udungi hi, acchi lawyer jo hu. Meri toh demand badhti hi rehti hai."She paused for a moment, leaning a little bit closer to him.
(Of course I'll fly high, I am a good lawyer after all. My demand keeps on increasing.)
"Uff, main kitni busy rehti hu aur ek aap... sirf naam ke CEO hai, pura din kuch nahi karte. Sirf iss computer mein pakka game khelte honge."
(Uff, I stay so busy, and then there's you... a CEO only in name, doing nothing all day. You must definitely just play games on this computer.)
Dev shook his head slowly, a look of pure exhaustion on his face. "Main tumse iss waqt behes nahi karna chahta. Aur vaise bhi, client tumhara wait kar rahe honge tumhare cabin mein."
(I don't want to argue with you right now. And besides, the client must be waiting for you in your cabin.)
Riddhima nodded, but just as she was about to turn around, her eyes fell on a silver photo frame resting on the corner of his desk. Strangely, the photo frame was kept face down, completely hiding the picture inside.
Her curiosity got the better of her. She reached her hand out slowly, trying to flip the frame over. "Vaise yeh kiski photo frame hai, sir? Aur aap isko humesha aise kyu rakhte hai?"
(By the way, whose photo frame is this, sir? And why do you always keep it face down like this?)
Before her fingers could even touch the silver edge, Dev's hand shot out like a flash of lightning. He snatched the frame away from her hand, slamming it down against his palm. His handsome face instantly turned incredibly serious and angry.
"It's none of your business, Miss Yaduvanshi. And I appreciate it if you don't interfere in my personal life," he said in a very low, firm, and dangerous voice.
The sudden coldness in his voice made Riddhima freeze. She slowly pulled her hand back, her cocky attitude vanishing instantly. She cleared her throat and switched back to a professional tone. "Sorry, sir."
She turned on her heel and quickly walked out of the office, slamming the heavy mahogany door shut behind her with a loud, angry thud.
Inside the quiet office, Dev let out a long, heavy breath. Slowly, he turned the photo frame over in his hands. Staring back at him was the beautiful, smiling face of a young girl.
His thumb gently moved across the glass, tracing her cheek. His tough, angry expression completely broke down, revealing a deep, hidden pain. "Rooh..." he mumbled softly, his voice cracking with emotion.
A single tear rolled down from his hazel eyes. He quickly wiped it away with the back of his hand, not wanting anyone to see his weakness. He pulled open his desk drawer, placed the photo frame inside very gently, as if it were the most precious thing in the world, and locked it away in the dark.
---
Riddhima marched down the long corridor, still feeling angry about how Dev had yelled at her. She reached her own private cabin, took a deep breath to calm herself down, and pushed the door open.
Sitting on the leather couch inside her office was a very handsome man. He had striking grey eyes that looked highly intelligent, sharp high cheekbones, and a clean, formal look.
Riddhima quickly hid her annoyance and walked over to her large desk, sitting down in her executive chair. She looked at him with a professional smile. "Jee, aap hi ho jo case lekar aaye the? And you want me to fight your case?"
(Yes, are you the one who brought the case?)
The man stood up politely, bowing his head slightly to greet her. "Jee, main Ayush Malhotra. Mujhe aapse milkar accha laga, aasha karta hu ki aap mera case acche se lagenge."
(Yes, I am Ayush Malhotra. It's a pleasure to meet you, I hope you will fight my case well.)
Riddhima leaned back, feeling more comfortable now. She placed both of her hands flat on the desk. "Main jaanana chahti hu ki aapne mujhe hi case kyu diya? Yaha aur bhi bahut saare acche lawyers hai."
(I want to know why you gave this case to me specifically? There are many other good lawyers here.)
Ayush looked straight into her eyes, his tone completely honest. "Kyunki maine aapke baare mein bahut suna hai, aur main har haal mein yeh case jeetna chahta hu."
(Because I have heard a lot about you, and I want to win this case at all costs.)
"Mai aab itni bhi kuch khaas nhi hu" she said with shy dramatic smile.
Then she cleared her throat and came out from her la la land.
Riddhima opened the heavy manila folder that Dev had given her. "Thik hai, lekin pehle main aapke case ko study karlu, phir hi main kuch keh paungi," she replied professionally.
(Alright, but first let me study your case, only then will I be able to say anything,)
"Yeah, sure. Take your time, Miss Riddhima," Ayush said, sitting back down on the couch patiently.
Riddhima began flipping through the pages of the file, reading the police complaints and looking at the evidence. After analyzing the details for a few minutes, she looked up at him, her expression becoming serious.
"So, a man basically who was a gunda was threatening you, and keeps sending threatening letters to your office and house. And you want him behind bars?"
"Yes, Miss Yaduvanshi," Ayush replied, his jaw tightening as if he was remembering something terrible.
Riddhima raised an eyebrow, leaning forward. "Why is he threatening you? There should be some reason for threatening."
Ayush let out a long, exhausted sigh and shook his head. "Yeah, because I was about to open a new branch of my company. Aur jabse maine announce kiya hai, woh mujhe tabse hi threat bhej raha hai ki main apni nayi branch na kholu. I don't know why."
(And ever since I announced it, he has been sending me threats not to open my new branch. I don't know why.)
Ayush rubbed his face with his hands, his voice shaking slightly as he continued detailing the terrifying events. "Miss Riddhima, it started a month ago. I was sitting in my main office when my secretary told me a strange man wanted to see me. Before she could even stop him, he walked right into my cabin. He was a tall, scary man named Daksh.
"He didn't look like a gali chaap gunda at all. He was wearing a simple, plain cream kurta, and he had a rough, dark gamcha (cotton scarf) wrapped around his neck. His eyes were wide and crazy."
Riddhima listened carefully, her pen stopping mid-air. "What did he do?"
"He didn't yell. He just walked up to my desk, stared straight into my eyes, and slammed a handwritten letter onto my table," Ayush said, a shiver running through his body. "He told me directly that if I opened the new branch, he would destroy my family and burn my offices down. He said he was watching my every move. Since that day, he has been secretly leaving those handwritten threatening letters inside my car, at my house doorstep, and even inside my office drawer. I feel like I am being hunted."
Riddhima closed the folder with a sharp, loud snap. "Maine aapki statement bhi sun li hai, and maine case ko study kar liya hai. Mujhe lagta hai ki main aapke case ko ladne ke liye tyaar hu. Aap chinta mat kariye, main apna best dungi."
(I have heard your statement, and I have studied the case. I think I am ready to fight your case. Don't worry, I will give my best.)
Ayush let out a massive sigh of relief, his shoulders finally relaxing. "Maine aapse yahi expect kiya tha, Miss Yaduvanshi. Ab main chalta hu, agar aapko case ke liye kuch aur jaanana ho toh mujhe call kariyega."
(I expected exactly this from you, Miss Yaduvanshi. I'll leave now, if you need to know anything else regarding the case, please call me.)
He reached into his pocket and slid a sleek, elegant personal business card across the smooth desk, offering a small, grateful smile.
Riddhima reached out to take the card. As she pulled it toward herself, her fingers briefly brushed against his warm hand. A sudden, strange feeling passed between them, making her heart skip a beat. She quickly pulled her hand back, clearing her throat to maintain her professional look. She gave a small nod. "Okay, ab aap jaa sakte hai."
(Okay, now you may leave.)
Ayush smiled softly, stood up, and walked out of the cabin. Riddhima stared at his card for a long time, knowing this case was going to change everything.
---
One long month had passed, filled with intense preparation, late-night research, and gathering evidence. Finally, the day of the final court hearing arrived.
The grand stone steps of the high court were packed with shouting reporters, flashing cameras, police officers, and anxious people. Riddhima walked up the massive steps, her long black lawyer's robe flying slightly behind her. She looked incredibly sharp and determined. Beside her, Ayush Malhotra was walking nervously, constantly fixing his necktie, his face completely pale from fear.
He looked at her, his voice trembling under the immense pressure. "Hum jeet toh jaayenge na?"
(We will win, right?)
Riddhima stopped walking on the stairs. She turned around to face him completely, a gentle, highly reassuring smile breaking across her face. "Bharosa rakhiye, Mr. Malhotra. Hum hi jeetenge."
(Have faith, Mr. Malhotra. Only we will win.)
Her calm words gave him a sudden wave of strength. Together, they pushed open the heavy wooden double doors and stepped into the massive, echoing courtroom.
The courtroom felt completely suffocating. The judge sat high up on his wooden bench, looking down at everyone with a cold, serious face. Riddhima walked over to the prosecutor's table, setting down her heavy law books and documents. Across the room sat the high-priced defense lawyers.
But what made the entire room feel intensely eerie was the accused man sitting in the wooden prisoner's dock.
It was Daksh. Even inside a highly formal courtroom, he refused to change. He was wearing his signature plain white kurta, and his rough, faded gamcha was draped loosely over his shoulder. He sat with his arms crossed, a terrifyingly calm and mysterious smirk plastered on his face. He didn't look like a criminal who was caught; he looked like a mastermind who was secretly enjoying a game. His dark eyes didn't blink as he stared directly at Riddhima, creating a deep sense of mystery and fear in the room. Who was this man really working for? Why was he so confident?
The judge banged his heavy wooden gavel loudly, making the entire room fall into dead silence. "Order in the court. Case number 402, Malhotra versus Daksh. The prosecution may present its case."
Riddhima stood up gracefully, adjusting the collar of her black robe. She walked to the center of the courtroom, her voice clear, loud, and confident.
"Thank you, Your Honor. The defense claims that my client, Mr. Ayush Malhotra, is simply imagining things and that there is no real danger. They claim that the defendant, Daksh, is just a simple man who has nothing to do with these threats. But today, I will bring the hidden truth out into the light."
She walked over to her desk and picked up a clear plastic evidence bag containing the handwritten letters.
"I have in my hand the threatening letters that were physically delivered to my client's office and home. We ran a detailed forensic chemical test on the paper and the ink. The ink used to write these horrific threats contains a very rare chemical compound a unique dye that was completely banned five years ago. Our team investigated further and found that a massive stock of this illegal ink was seized by the police years ago and stored in an old city warehouse."
The defense lawyer stood up angrily, shouting, "Objection, Your Honor! This is ridiculous! What does an old warehouse have to do with my client?"
"Objection overruled. Let the prosecutor speak," the judge ordered strictly.
Riddhima smiled smoothly, walking directly toward Daksh, who was sitting in the dock. Daksh's smirk didn't fade; his eyes followed her every move like a predator.
"It has everything to do with him, Your Honor," Riddhima said, her voice echoing with absolute authority. "Because when we pulled up the security camera footage from the night my client was threatened inside his own office cabin, we saw something shocking. We saw the defendant, Daksh, walking into the building. And more importantly, we found a fingerprint on the latest letter delivered to Mr. Malhotra's house. The forensics team confirmed a one hundred percent match. The fingerprint belongs directly to Daksh."
She turned around, pointing a sharp finger at the accused man. "He didn't just send letters. He walked into my client's private space, wore his identity like a shield, and threatened to destroy a man's entire life just because of a business expansion. This man is dangerous, he is methodical, and he belongs behind bars!"
The courtroom broke into loud whispers. The defense lawyers looked panicked, whispering frantically among themselves, unable to counter the solid physical evidence.
The judge looked at the forensic reports handed to him by the bailiff. He flipped through the pages, his face turning incredibly stern. After a few agonizing minutes of absolute silence, the judge grabbed his gavel and banged it down with tremendous force.
"Order! The court has reviewed the physical evidence, the fingerprint analysis, and the eyewitness statements. The evidence against the defendant is overwhelming. This court finds Daksh guilty of criminal intimidation, extortion, and illegal stalking. I hereby sentence him to seven years of rigorous imprisonment. Case closed."
---
The heavy courtroom doors swung open, and a wave of fresh air hit them as Riddhima and Ayush walked out into the bright afternoon sun. The intense, month-long nightmare was finally over. They began walking down the grand stone steps of the high court.
Riddhima turned her face toward Ayush, a huge, proud, and triumphant smile lighting up her features. "Kaha tha na hum hi case jeetenge? Aisa koi case nahi hai jo Riddhima Yaduvanshi na jeet sake!" She flipped her long hair dramatically in the air, letting out a joyful, Victorious"
(Didn't I say we would win the case? There is no such case that Riddhima Yaduvanshi cannot win!)
Ayush stopped walking and looked at her. Seeing her dramatic expression, he couldn't help but chuckle softly. His grey eyes filled with a deep, genuine warmth and immense respect. "Jaise maine socha tha. Aap sach mein ek bahut acchi lawyer hai, Riddhima ji."
(Exactly as I thought. You truly are a very wonderful lawyer, Riddhima ji.)
They continued walking down the stairs side by side, chatting happily about how brilliant her arguments were in front of the judge. The heavy burden on Ayush's heart was completely gone.
But suddenly, the warm atmosphere turned freezing cold.
A shadow fell over the stone steps. Out from behind one of the massive, ancient pillars of the court building, a man stepped out abruptly, blocking their path completely.
Riddhima and Ayush both froze in their tracks, their laughter dying instantly.
The man standing in front of them was dressed in a simple, spotless white kurta. He had a rough, dark gamcha tied loosely around his neck. It was Daksh. Because of a legal delay with the police transport van, he was being led down the public steps by two guards, but he had managed to break away for a split second to stand right in front of them.
The police guards rushed forward to grab his arms, but Daksh didn't care. He ignored the guards completely, tilting his head slightly as his dark, crazy eyes locked dead onto Riddhima's face. A chilling, deeply sinister smirk stretched across his lips.
"Tum jaanti nahi tumne kisse panga liya hai. Iska anjaam bohot bura hoga," he said in a low, gravelly whisper that sounded like a promise of death.
(You have no idea who you have messed with. The consequences of this will be extremely terrible,)
Before Riddhima could even open her mouth to respond, the police officers forcefully grabbed Daksh by his shoulders and dragged him down the steps toward the waiting prison van. Even as he was being pulled away, he kept his head turned, staring at her with that terrifying, mysterious smirk until the metal doors of the van slammed shut.
A heavy, suffocating silence fell over the crowded steps. Riddhima stood completely still, staring at the empty space where he had just been standing. A sudden, ice-cold shiver ran straight down her spine. The sweet taste of victory vanished instantly, replaced by a deep sense of dread. Who was Daksh really working for? What did his words mean?
Riddhima realized that instead of ending a case, she had just opened the doors to a much bigger, darker, and far more dangerous mystery.
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