Shadows of Vengeance & Secrets of Destiny

The air inside the car felt heavy. Zara's past had unfolded like a horror story—a nightmare no one should have endured. But as Veer drove in silence, one question burned inside him.

He finally spoke, his voice calm yet sharp.

"Do you know where they are now?"

Zara's eyes flickered toward him, but she didn't answer immediately.

"Your father and your brother," Veer clarified. "Do you know where they are? And… do you want revenge?"

For a moment, Zara simply stared ahead, her face unreadable. Then, she exhaled softly, leaning back against the seat.

"Revenge…" she murmured, as if tasting the word. A cold, humorless smile played on her lips.

"My father drank himself to death two years after I escaped. Poisoned by the very thing that fueled his rage. They found him rotting in a dingy apartment, alone, with no one to mourn him. It was a pathetic death… fitting for a pathetic man."

Veer remained silent, listening intently.

"And my brother?" Zara's eyes darkened. "He's alive. Somewhere. But he isn't the same."

Veer raised an eyebrow.

"What do you mean?"

She turned to look at him, a slow smirk curling at the corner of her lips.

"He got what he deserved."

There was something unsettling about the way she said it. The amusement in her voice… the satisfaction.

"I may not have been strong enough to kill him myself, but life has a way of balancing things, Veer. The last time I saw him, he was a crippled, scarred, and miserable excuse of a man. Someone—or something—made him suffer before I could."

Veer narrowed his eyes.

"Someone or something? Are you saying it wasn't human?"

Zara's smirk widened, but she didn't answer.

A shiver crawled down Veer's spine.

He knew better than to push further.

He had seen enough in the Vast Forest to understand that not everything was human.

A Purpose Beyond Revenge

Veer exhaled, shifting the conversation.

"And now? Where are you headed? You mentioned your car broke down on the way somewhere."

Zara's expression lightened.

"I was heading for an interview," she said. "A pharmaceutical company. They deal in medicines."

Veer raised an eyebrow.

"Medicines? That's interesting. What position are you applying for?"

Zara glanced at him, a barely noticeable smirk flashing across her lips.

"Oh, just a personal manager role," she said smoothly.

But Veer caught something in her eyes—a flicker of mischief.

And that smirk…

It was barely there, but for some reason, it sent a strange sensation through him.

As if she knew something he didn't.

As if she was remembering something.

In truth, she was.

She was remembering Seraphina's words.

"Hey, sexy, the chosen one is coming here, and he needs to be trained so that he can awaken his powers of manipulating other's emotions and turn every game in our favor. Our enemy is strong—we can't deal with them alone. Their chosen one awakened their powers when they were just kids. To protect us, we need our chosen one to awaken as well."

"And for that, you need to make body contact with him—again and again—until he stops resisting the pleasure that comes from a male and female connection. Until he can take control over you… and, as you are our first chosen one, its your duty"

Zara felt warmth spreading through her body as she recalled those words.

Her purpose.

Her duty.

Veer… had no idea what he was about to become.

Or what she had to do to him.

She exhaled slowly, her smirk fading before Veer could notice.

Veer's Suspicion

Veer kept his eyes on the road but stole glances at Zara.

Something about her… didn't add up.

The way she smirked when she mentioned her interview.

The way she avoided certain answers.

The way she looked at him—as if she already knew what would happen next.

"Do you really want to work there?" he asked suddenly.

Zara turned to him, raising an eyebrow.

"Why wouldn't I?"

Veer shrugged.

"You just… don't seem like someone who wants to spend her life working in a medicine company. You have a different energy. A different… presence."

Zara chuckled, tilting her head.

"And what kind of presence do I have, Veer?"

Her voice dropped into a softer, smoother tone.

Veer glanced at her.

Her eyes were deep, piercing, yet inviting.

The warmth of her body seemed to radiate in the confined space of the car.

Veer clenched his jaw and looked back at the road.

"I don't know," he admitted. "But it's something… different."

Zara's smirk returned.

"Different isn't always bad, Veer."

Veer didn't respond.

Because deep inside—he knew that.

And yet, a part of him wasn't ready to accept what "different" could mean.

Arrival at the Khanna Mansion

The grand gates of Khanna Mansion finally came into view.

Standing tall and imposing, the estate stretched across acres of land, its majestic structure glowing under the moonlight. The long driveway leading to the entrance was lined with perfectly trimmed hedges and dimly lit lanterns, giving the place an almost royal ambiance.

Veer slowed down as the iron gates opened automatically, scanning Zara's face for any reaction.

She simply smiled, eyes shimmering with curiosity.

"Impressive," she murmured.

Veer scoffed.

"I bet you've seen better."

Zara chuckled.

"Oh, you have no idea."

There was something haunting about the way she said it.

As if she had seen things that made even this mansion feel small.

Veer parked the car near the grand entrance.

A butler was already waiting outside, bowing slightly.

"Welcome back, sir."

Veer stepped out and glanced at Zara.

She opened the door gracefully, stepping out as if she belonged here.

There was no awkwardness, no hesitation.

Just confidence.

Veer took a deep breath.

He still didn't fully trust her.

But tonight, she would be under his roof.

And he would make sure he kept an eye on her.