Outside Aisha Seth's upscale bar, a non-tech venture under the Horizon name, Robin Seth's violent slap to Sanjay Hooda's face still echoed, the sharp crack silencing the rain-soaked street. Priya Reddy stood firm beside him, her eyes blazing with defiance, while Neelima Menon, Hyderabad's liquor queen, trembled with rage, her power in the city's elite circles unmatched. "You'll pay for this, Seth," she hissed, her voice a venomous whip. "No one insults my family and walks away."
Aisha Seth and Vikram Malhotra smirked, relishing Robin's apparent overstep. "You've dug your grave, ex-husband," Aisha purred, her tone smug. "Neelima's untouchable—Regal's finished." Vikram laughed, his voice cruel. "He's overplayed his hand, thinking he can challenge her. Pathetic."
Robin leaned close to Neelima, his voice a low whisper. "Your headaches," he said, his eyes intense. "They're not natural. You're being poisoned." Neelima's face paled, her hand clutching her temple, the secret of her chronic condition exposed. "How do you know?" she whispered, her voice trembling, stunned by his revelation.
Neelima's gaze hardened, her voice sharp. "Who's doing this to me?" she demanded, her authority unwavering despite her shock. Robin's eyes locked onto Sanjay, who still rubbed his reddened cheek. "Sanjay Hooda," Robin said, his tone unwavering. "He's poisoning you to seize Global Exports." The accusation hit like a thunderbolt, Neelima's trust in her cousin fracturing, her eyes narrowing as she studied Sanjay's nervous expression.
Sanjay, humiliated and desperate, lunged forward, his voice shrill. "Lies!" he shouted, trying to interrupt. "Punish him, Neelima! He's slandering me to save his failing club!" His panic betrayed a flicker of guilt, his hands trembling as he pointed at Robin.
Neelima raised a hand, silencing Sanjay, her suspicions deepening. "Enough," she snapped, her voice cold. "I'll visit Regal Club to discuss this further, Seth." Her decision defied Sanjay's protests, his face twisting in alarm. "You can't trust him!" he pleaded, but Neelima's glare shut him down.
Neelima's mind churned, recalling Sanjay's daily ritual of bringing her nourishing tea, which she now suspected as the poison's source, per Robin's implication. "That tea," she murmured, her voice low, her doubts about her trusted cousin growing. "Could it be?"
Aisha and Vikram, oblivious to Robin's strategy, scoffed from the sidelines. "He's desperate, clutching at straws," Aisha said, her voice dripping with disdain. "He'll never sway Neelima." Vikram sneered, "Shameless, thinking he can manipulate her. Regal's done." Their mockery underestimated Robin's calculated move.
As Sanjay grabbed Neelima's arm to pull her away, she spun, her hand cracking across his face in a sharp slap. "Don't touch me," she snarled, her authority blazing, her trust in Sanjay crumbling as she aligned with Robin's revelations. The crowd gasped, Sanjay staggering back, his panic now undeniable.
Robin's bold move to expose Sanjay's poisoning scheme positioned him to potentially secure Global Exports' liquor supply for Regal Club, a pivotal step in its revival and his intensifying rivalry with Aisha's non-tech ventures. Priya's eyes gleamed with pride, the storm outside the bar a mirror to the shifting power dynamics, as Robin's gambit set the stage for Regal's rise.