Chapter -6 A trap in the making

Chapter -6 A trap in the making

Late at night, the Agnihotri estate was silent, but Sinnea couldn't sleep.

She sat in her lavish bedroom, seething.

Adrian Blackwood had never shown interest in any woman.

Yet today, he had personally asked to meet Tanisha.

She gritted her teeth.

Tanisha had barely been here a few days, and she was already stealing the spotlight.

Sinnea's phone buzzed.

Unknown Number: "Keep an eye on Tanisha. She's not as simple as she seems."

Sinnea's eyes narrowed. Who was this?

Before she could reply, the number disappeared.

She clenched her fists. Something wasn't right.

Meanwhile, Nathan Agnihotri was seated in his study, flipping through a thick file.

Tanisha Agnihotri's records.

Orphanage. High grades. Perfect behavior.

Too perfect.

His instincts, honed from years in business, told him she was hiding something.

"Who are you really and what you have suffer, Tanisha?" he murmured.

The next morning, the Agnihotri family's return to Royale Academy made headlines.

As Tanisha stepped out of the limousine, whispers erupted.

"She's the lost heiress?"

"She looks so calm… doesn't she feel out of place?"

"She's beautiful, but can she match Sinnea?"

Sinnea, always the center of attention, linked arms with Tanisha, smiling sweetly. "Everyone's excited to meet you."

Tanisha returned the smile. Fake. Polished. Deadly.

"I'm looking forward to it."

Sinnea's grip tightened slightly.

This was her territory.

She wouldn't let Tanisha steal it.

During lunch, Tanisha sat at an elegant table, sipping tea, when a girl approached.

Livia Royce—the daughter of a powerful politician and Sinnea's closest friend.

"So, the lost heiress finally returned," Livia sneered. "Tell me, Tanisha, do you even know how things work here?"

Tanisha placed her teacup down gently.

Sinnea watched, waiting for Tanisha to falter.

Instead, Tanisha tilted her head. "Should I be concerned?"

Livia smirked. "This school runs on hierarchy. You're at the bottom."

Tanisha chuckled softly, her voice light but laced with mockery.

"That's funny." She met Livia's gaze. "Because from where I'm sitting… you're the one looking up at me."

Silence.

Livia's face darkened, but Tanisha simply picked up her tea again, sipping gracefully.

That evening, Sinnea stormed into her room, slamming the door.

Tanisha wasn't supposed to be this strong.

She had thought she would be easy to break—fragile from her orphanage life.

But instead…

She was the one feeling powerless.

As she paced, her phone buzzed.

Unknown Number: "Want to make her fall? I have a plan."

Sinnea's lips curled into a slow, wicked smile.

If Tanisha wanted to play this game… she was going to lose.

Sinnea stared at her phone, the anonymous message burning in her mind.

"Want to make her fall? I have a plan."

Her fingers hovered over the reply button.

Who was this person? And why did they want to help her?

Finally, she typed: "Who are you?"

A few seconds later, the response came.

Unknown Number: "Someone who wants Tanisha gone as much as you do. Be at Black Orchid Café at 9 PM. Alone."

Sinnea's heart pounded with a mix of suspicion and excitement. This was her chance.

She smirked. "Tanisha, let's see how long you last."

---

Meanwhile, Nathan Agnihotri watched his younger sister from across the estate's private garden.

She sat beneath a tree, casually reading a book, her expression unreadable.

Nathan had spent his life dealing with deceitful businessmen, people who wore masks.

But Tanisha?

She wore hers too well.

He needed to test her.

"Tanisha," he called.

She looked up, calm and composed. "Yes, brother?"

Nathan studied her for a moment. "You adjusted quickly. Most people would feel overwhelmed by a sudden change in status."

She gave a soft smile. "Should I be struggling?"

Nathan smirked. "That depends." He leaned forward. "What if someone tried to bring you down?"

Tanisha closed her book, tilting her head slightly.

"That would be… amusing."

Nathan's eyes narrowed. There it was.

A glimpse of something cold, something dangerous beneath her soft exterior.

He leaned back. "Let's hope you don't get bored too quickly."

---

That night, Sinnea arrived at Black Orchid Café, a high-end but discreet location.

She stepped inside and spotted a hooded figure sitting in the corner.

Taking a deep breath, she walked over. "You wanted to meet me?"

The person slowly lifted their head, revealing a sharp, calculating gaze.

"You want to get rid of Tanisha, don't you?" the stranger murmured.

Sinnea clenched her fists. "Yes."

The stranger smirked. "Then listen carefully. Here's what we're going to do…"

---

Across the city, Adrian Blackwood sat in his office, staring at his phone.

His mind kept replaying the way Tanisha had handled Livia at school.

Fearless. Sharp. Amusing.

She was unlike anyone he had ever met.

He smirked. He wanted to see more.

Reaching for his phone, he sent a message.

Adrian: "Tanisha Agnihotri, I think it's time we talk again."

The next morning, Tanisha woke up to an anonymous message on her phone.

Unknown Number: "Someone is planning to frame you. Be careful."

She stared at the message, her expression unreadable.

A trap? Already?

Her lips curled into a faint smirk. Let them try.

She deleted the message and got ready for the day, her mind already working through possible scenarios.

---

At Royale Academy, Sinnea stood with Livia and a few other elite students in the hallway.

Livia whispered, "Everything's set. The fake evidence will be 'found' during today's student council meeting."

Sinnea smirked. "Good. Let's see how our dear cousin handles humiliation."

Their plan was simple: Tanisha would be accused of stealing answers for an upcoming exam.

In a school like Royale Academy, where reputation was everything, cheating was unforgivable.

By the end of the day, Tanisha's name would be ruined.

---

During the student council meeting, a professor stormed into the room, holding a file of 'stolen' exam papers.

"Tanisha Agnihotri," he said coldly. "Care to explain why these were found in your locker?"

Gasps echoed in the room.

Sinnea sat back, feigning shock. Now, Tanisha would have no way out.

But then—

Tanisha simply tilted her head, amused.

The professor frowned. "This is serious. If you have no defense—"

"Defense?" Tanisha interrupted, her tone calm. "That won't be necessary."

Sinnea's smirk faltered. What?

Tanisha leaned back in her chair. "Since I'm accused of 'stealing' these answers, let's check something first."

She turned to the professor. "Which exam are these answers for?"

"The Advanced Business Strategies exam."

Tanisha chuckled. "That's interesting." She glanced around the room. "Because I don't take that subject."

Dead silence.

Sinnea's eyes widened.

The professor hesitated, flipping through the papers. His face paled.

Tanisha rested her chin on her hand. "Next time, at least frame me for something I actually study."

Laughter broke out among the students.

Sinnea's hands curled into fists.

She had lost. Again.

Outside the meeting room, Adrian Blackwood leaned against a pillar, having witnessed everything.

A smirk played on his lips.

"She's not just smart. She's dangerous."

As Tanisha walked past him, he murmured, "Not bad, little heiress."

She paused, her sharp eyes meeting his. "Were you expecting otherwise?"

Adrian chuckled. Amused. Intrigued. Interested.

He watched as she walked away, his smirk deepening.

He had decided.

Tanisha Agnihotri wasn't just fascinating.

She was going to be his.