Chapter 15: The Power Play

:

A Confrontation at Tara's House

Kyara knocked firmly on the door. The sound echoed through the silent corridor of the upscale apartment complex. She didn't fidget, didn't second-guess herself—she simply waited.

A few moments later, Tara opened the door.

There was no pretense of politeness. They both knew why Kyara was here.

Inside, they sat across from each other, the tension thick between them.

Kyara leaned back slightly, her tone flat. "Let's get straight to the point. You're the one pulling the investors from Niki's studio."

Tara smirked, completely unfazed. "I won't be shy about it." She tilted her head, eyes glinting with amusement. "Yeah, I did. So what?"

Kyara chuckled, pulling out a set of neatly stacked papers from her bag. She placed them on the table between them and slid them toward Tara.

Tara's smirk faltered for just a second.

Her eyes flicked to Kyara's face before she picked up the documents.

[Flashback: Chapter 11.2]

The day Kyara had confronted Niki in his office, she had walked in ready for a fight.

"Are you out of your mind, Niki?" she had snapped.

But instead of arguing, he had simply slid these very papers across his desk.

"I did what should've been done a long time ago," he had said, completely unbothered.

Kyara had grabbed the documents hesitantly. Inside were pages of legal steps against Tara, proof of misconduct, and a detailed plan for how she could reclaim what was stolen from her.

She had stared at the papers, realization settling in.

Niki had done this for her.

Even though she had yelled at him, even though she had been furious, he had silently fought her battles in his own way.

"I'll handle it," she had finally muttered.

"Good."

Back to the Present

Tara flipped through the pages quickly, her jaw tightening.

A short laugh left her lips—mocking, but with a trace of unease. "So you think this vague proof will make you win the case?" She tossed the papers back onto the table. "For the position I stole from you?"

Kyara shook her head, unfazed. "No, it won't."

Tara's smirk returned. "Then what's your—"

"But," Kyara interrupted, voice calm, "it will be enough to drag you and your family into court hearings for months."

The smirk disappeared.

Tara masked her reaction quickly, but Kyara caught the flicker of tension in her posture.

Kyara leaned forward slightly, voice quiet but firm. "And let's not forget college." She smiled, but it didn't reach her eyes. "How do you think you'll handle the bullying and teasing once people find out the truth?"

Tara's nails dug into the armrest, but she kept her expression unreadable.

"It's all up to you," Kyara continued smoothly, standing up. "How do you want to deal with this? If you push too far, I won't hesitate either."

Without waiting for a response, Kyara turned and walked toward the door.

She didn't need Tara's reply.

She had already won.

Meanwhile, at the Studio

Niki finally stepped into the studio, stretching his shoulders as he walked toward Rohan's desk.

Rohan looked up, relief washing over his face. "Dude, finally."

Niki frowned, throwing his bag onto the couch. "What happened?"

Rohan hesitated, then sighed. "Tara's been messing with the investors."

Niki's jaw tightened, but before he could respond—

His phone rang.

Rohan's phone buzzed at the same time.

They exchanged glances before answering the calls.

A few minutes later, both of them hung up.

A slow grin spread across Rohan's face. "They're not backing out anymore."

Niki's brows furrowed. "What?"

"They suddenly changed their decision," Rohan said. "It's obvious—it was Kyara."

Niki stilled.

His fingers, which had been casually drumming against the table, froze mid-tap.

A beat of silence stretched between them.

Rohan was still talking, something about how Kyara must have threatened Tara, how she always found a way to fix things, how she never backed down.

But Niki wasn't listening anymore.

He let out a slow breath, his mind rewinding through every moment.

The arguments. The times she stood up for herself. The way she fought for things she believed in—even when it wasn't easy.

The way she fought for him.

His lips pressed together, a strange, unfamiliar feeling settling in his chest.

Then, without hesitation, Niki and Rohan high-fived.

"She actually did it," Rohan grinned.

Niki exhaled, running a hand through his hair. His chest felt… lighter.

Without another word, they both picked up their phones and messaged Kyara.

Kyara's Decision

Kyara's phone buzzed just as she stared at her laptop screen.

Her eyes flicked to the message first.

Niki: Let's all meet for a small treat.

She smiled slightly. But before she could reply—

Her gaze shifted back to her laptop.

Her breath caught.

The screen displayed her scholarship results.

A notification at the top read:

Congratulations! You have been selected.

She did it.

She cracked it.

She was going abroad.

Kyara's first instinct was to scream. To call Niki and Rohan immediately.

But then…

The excitement slowly faded.

And reality sank in.

If she left… that meant leaving everything here behind.

Her fingers hovered over the keyboard. Her heartbeat was loud in her ears.

Niki…

She swallowed.

Should I tell him now? Should I—

Her thoughts spiraled. Should I confess?

For the first time, Kyara felt a conflict she never thought she'd face.

For years, she had prioritized her dreams over love. She had never been the type to hesitate.

So why was she hesitating now?

Her chest felt tight, her mind cluttered with emotions she didn't know how to process.

She didn't reply to the message yet.

Instead, she just sat lost in her thoughts

To be continued....