Sparks and Shadows

Ravindra Raizada was a man accustomed to power, control, and an unwavering aura of dominance. Nothing ever caught him off guard.

Until tonight.

As he stood there, expensive wine dripping from his tailored suit, his sharp gaze met Aira's, only to find himself staring into eyes that held neither apology nor fear—just pure, unshakable confidence.

The crowd stilled, expecting a reaction. Aira, however, merely lifted a brow, arms crossed as if daring him to lash out.

Ravindra's assistant, fidgeting nervously, stepped forward. "Sir, I—"

A slight lift of Ravindra's hand silenced him. Instead of the fury everyone expected, a slow, amused smirk played on his lips.

"Battlefield accidents, you say?" he drawled, loosening his tie, utterly unfazed. "Strange. I thought generals were trained to avoid unnecessary casualties."

Aira tilted her head, a ghost of a smile touching her lips. "And yet, the so-called king couldn't dodge a single glass of wine."

A murmur of suppressed laughter flickered through the room. Few dared to challenge Ravindra Raizada in his own kingdom, but here she was—unapologetic, unimpressed, and entirely indifferent to his status.

His grandmother, seated nearby, watched the exchange with open curiosity. It had been a long time since someone had intrigued her grandson this much.

Before Ravindra could respond, a man stepped forward, clearly trying to diffuse the tension.

"General Mehra, Mr. Raizada, perhaps we should move on to the main event?" It was the host of the evening, nervously glancing between the two titans.

Aira simply gave a small nod before walking past Ravindra without another glance.

He turned slightly, watching her go, his smirk widening. Interesting. Very interesting.

Meanwhile, in the Shadows...

In a dimly lit office across the city, Reyan Malhotra leaned back in his chair, eyes scanning the live surveillance feeds of the gala.

He had seen the entire exchange.

A sigh left his lips as he sipped his coffee. "Looks like the lion has noticed our tigress."

From across the desk, Aryan Shekhawat chuckled, twirling a knife between his fingers. "Poor guy. He has no idea what he's about to get himself into."

Reyan smirked. "Neither does Aira."