The city of Jaipur had a rhythm of its own. Rain fell in sheets that made the marble streets glisten, the old palaces shimmer like ghosts, and the narrow lanes hum with life. But for Lucy Mehra, the monsoon carried only echoes of the past — Sid's laughter, Sid's smile, and the piercing sound of the gunshot that had ripped him away.
She walked under a dark umbrella, shoulders hunched, eyes scanning every passerby. School uniforms, auto-rickshaws, market vendors — none of it mattered. The world kept moving, but her world had stopped that night.
Lucy's phone buzzed. A message flashed: "You need to disappear. Now."
Her heart raced. It wasn't from the agency, not exactly. It was a warning — one she couldn't ignore.
She ducked into a quiet alley. Her mind replayed the moments over and over: Sid's notebook, his unfinished sketch, the warmth of his hand in hers — all of it stolen by death.
> "I didn't mean for this… I didn't…" she whispered to the rain.
A memory struck her suddenly. Sid had always loved the rain. He said it cleansed the world, washed away lies, and made everything new. But for Lucy, it was a reminder — of mistakes she could never undo.
She reached her apartment, shut the door, and leaned against it, drenched and shaking. Papers and files littered the small desk: maps of the city, encrypted notes, reports of mafia activities — all linked to Nick Verma, Sid's older brother.
Nick. The name made her stomach twist. The man behind the underworld, the one who would stop at nothing to avenge his brother. And now, he was free.
> "I have to prepare," she muttered, gripping her fists. "I have to stop him… or he'll kill everyone I care about."
Outside, the rain continued, relentless. It sounded like Sid's voice calling her, urging her to be brave. Lucy closed her eyes.
This city had taken Sid from her.
And now, it would test her in ways she had never imagined.
The storm was coming. And Lucy knew she was standing right in its path.
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