It was around midnight when Vedant sat on his knees in a dark room. Blood dripped from his forehead and one arm. His clothes were covered in dirt, and red slap marks stained his cheeks. His broken camera lay on a nearby table, and behind him stood two guards with their heads bowed.
Suddenly, there was movement in the room. Kabir rose from his chair and stormed in. Vedant trembled, but Kabir walked past him and punched one of the guards hard. The guard crashed into the door. The second guard was stunned and terrified. They hadn't done anything wrong—so why was the boss so furious?
Vedant was shocked for a moment.
"How dare you lay a hand on the boy? I told you to bring him here—not to beat him," Kabir shouted at the guards. They were even more confused now.
"Get out of my sight before I unload all six bullets into your chest," he warned. The second guard helped the first one out, and the door slammed shut behind them. Vedant grew anxious.
"Whatever you plan to do, I'll expose it to the media. I'm not afraid of you. Unmasking frauds like you is our job," Vedant said with all the courage he could muster. Kabir had returned to his chair, but his expression had changed. He now looked calm and innocent, as if the man from moments ago was someone else entirely.
Vedant chuckled lightly.
"So you turned out to be just another corrupt politician who thinks the public is a bunch of fools," Vedant said, but Kabir remained silent.
"You know me well. How long have you been stalking me?"
"For the past five years," Vedant replied, surprising Kabir.
"Yes, ever since you started dreaming of running for office. Dreams I'll never let come true," Vedant added.
Kabir laughed.
"I have to admit—you're good. Even I hadn't thought five years ago that I'd be running for election."
"If you hadn't thought about it, your social media wouldn't have been flooded with political issues. Even I was fooled by your words at first. But no one is that selfless—not enough to serve the public without personal gain," Vedant said.
Kabir kept watching him. He was the kind of politician one needed real courage to confront. Kabir smiled again. And that smile—it irritated Vedant to his core.
"Exposing me will remain just a dream for you, Ved. Because you're not getting out of here anytime soon. You'll only be seen outside once the elections are over," Kabir said. Vedant's fists clenched.
"Where's my friend?"
"You should be worried about yourself."
"I asked you—where is Rishi? If he's even slightly harmed, I will definitely kill you," Vedant said, his face hardening.
"Ah! He's exactly where he was meant to be. The place he's been searching for over the past few months," Kabir replied. Vedant's eyes narrowed.
"You really thought you both could stalk us and we wouldn't notice? Ved! You're really innocent, man. Choo choo choo choo," Kabir mocked with a sound from his mouth.
"We knew every step of your plan. Even your informant—he was our man," Kabir added. Vedant was stunned.
"You guessed right. The one feeding Rishi Thakur information? I hired him myself. So you'd walk right into our trap. We scheduled the press conference there on purpose. After tracking you for so long, we learned to recognize every move you make. The press conference was just bait to catch you. Otherwise, what did you think? That you could enter without an ID card?" Vedant was now completely shocked.
"Where is Rishi? Please don't hurt him. He had an accident a few days ago. He's still weak," Vedant said, his face filled with concern for his friend.
"Do you know who saved him back then? Our writer. Otherwise, you wouldn't have even found his body," Kabir revealed. Vedant was stunned.
"W-why?" he asked. Kabir smiled, clearly enjoying the reveal.
"Our writer is just like that. He enjoys playing with his characters. You know—gaming, gaming. He's a really interesting person. That's what he does every time. He plays with every character. That's how he crafts his stories. Rishi is his favorite character. He can only play with him if he's alive," Kabir explained.
Vedant couldn't fully process it, but a strange chill ran through his body. It felt like all of this was part of a grand conspiracy.
"You can spin whatever story you want. But I'll expose both of you in the media so thoroughly that you'll never dare to mistreat anyone again."
"Of course, my sweet puppy. You can do it. But here's something important, babe—I'm not releasing you this time. Wait five years. You know, waiting is really fun," Kabir laughed. Vedant's fists clenched again. He tried to free his hands.
Kabir chuckled softly and knelt down in front of Vedant. He grabbed Vedant's jaw.
"Ved! Ved! Ved! Don't do all this. You're now locked inside golden walls. Look, you won't be able to get out, but I promise, baby, I won't trouble you. Whatever you need, just ask. I'll provide it. Just stay put for a month. After the elections, you'll be free to slit my throat if you want," Kabir said.
Vedant jerked his head away, breaking Kabir's grip. But Kabir still wore that sweet smile. He kept smiling silently. That smile made Vedant want to kill him right then and there.
"Ah! Why? Why do you hate me so much? What have I done to you?"
"I hate people like you—those who deceive. I hate fake smiles like yours."
"Now I'm convinced you're not capable of truly understanding people."
"You can lock me in iron cages, but I'll still bring you out in front of the media."
"Okay babe, I'm waiting. Enough talk now. You're here anyway. Whenever I come back tired, your interesting conversations will lift my mood. I need to rest now. You know, there's a rally tomorrow. I have to be there—I'm the face of the party," Kabir said, standing up and helping Vedant to his feet. He touched Vedant's cheek, where slap marks were still visible.
"I'm really sorry for my guards. I'll make sure they're properly punished for that," Kabir said, and untied Vedant's hands. As soon as his hands were free, Vedant swiftly grabbed Kabir's collar. Kabir smiled again. Vedant glared into his eyes, but Kabir's eyes held nothing but innocence. With clenched lips and a shake of his head, Vedant seemed to mock him. Kabir's smile deepened, and he grabbed Vedant by the wrists.
"You'll get many chances, Ved. For now, should I leave? Or do you want to keep me here all night? By God, I'm just as interesting in bed," Kabir said with a smirk.
As soon as he said those final words, Vedant jerked his hands away and stepped back.
"Ever seen a dog? It sticks its nose anywhere. That's exactly what you remind me of right now," Vedant said. Kabir still smiled.
"But I'm not that dog, Vedant. I'm a painted jackal. I know exactly when and where to show my true colors. It would be better if you stopped resisting and chose my bed—I'll transform your life," Kabir said.
Vedant picked up Kabir's expensive showpiece from the side and hurled it at him. Kabir shifted slightly, and the showpiece shattered on the floor. Kabir glanced at the broken pieces and then looked at Vedant.
"It's worth five lakhs, but you won't pay for it with money—you'll pay with something else," he said and walked out. As soon as he exited, the door shut automatically. Vedant stood frozen, as if rooted to the ground.
Suddenly, the TV turned on by itself, startling Vedant. The screen showed today's press conference. Kabir's face, with his innocent smile, was being broadcast like a Bollywood hero across every news channel.
"The youth face of the party. The well-known young leader Kabir Sinha, whose image is spotless. Known for his fiery speeches and strong leadership, Kabir Sinha has become the pride of young hearts. Will he truly be able to lead this emerging party to victory?" The anchors were showering praise, and editors looked pleased.
Vedant covered his ears with both hands. Kabir, watching Vedant through a camera feed, smiled—but it was a mysterious smile. He held a glass of orange juice, took a sip, and his eyes reflected a mix of emotions—one of them being a seductive intensity.