Chapter 16: Shadows of Power

The boys sat in silence, their eyes hollow, their bodies tense with a fear that ran deeper than mere pain. They weren’t just afraid of what had happened to them—they were afraid of what could happen if they made the wrong move. Their fathers had power, yes, but she was beyond power. She didn’t hide her identity because she was afraid of exposure; she simply wasn’t done yet. And until she was, they weren’t allowed to speak.

The fathers, once full of rage and vengeance, looked at their sons—their broken bodies, their trembling hands, the way they flinched at the mere sound of a closing door. Their gaze drifted toward the charred remains of their warehouse, the message unmistakable. It wasn’t just an attack on their business; it was a demonstration. A lesson in dominance.

The police, who had initially been interested in solving the case, saw what the fathers saw. True, unshakable fear. No one was talking. No one would ever talk. The case was quietly dropped, buried under silence and unspoken warnings.

_______________________________________

The boys returned to college within a week, as instructed. But this time, they were different. They weren’t the arrogant, spoiled brats who once ruled the campus. They were… quiet. Careful. Like prey in a jungle, always watching their surroundings.

And then came the ultimate humiliation—they had to apologize to Malang.

Malang was sitting with Kahani and Veronica, enjoying a rare moment of peace when the five boys approached. They stood in front of him, their heads lowered. Their voices were hoarse, as if forced through a throat that refused to speak.

"We… We’re sorry."

Malang frowned. He couldn’t believe his ears.

Kahani’s jaw nearly dropped. Them? Apologizing?

Veronica, ever the observer, tilted her head.

"Are you guys serious?" she asked, crossing her arms.

The boys flinched at her voice, as if the mere sound of it reminded them of something terrible. One of them swallowed hard and said, "Looking at our condition right now… do you really think we’re pulling a prank?"

Malang was stunned. These were the same boys who had made his life a living hell, who had bullied him for no reason. Now they stood before him, their arrogance stripped away, their confidence shattered.

"I… I don’t know what to say," he admitted. He didn’t know whether to forgive them or not. Instead, he just turned around and walked toward class, Kahani and Veronica following behind, just as confused as he was.

As they entered the classroom, another surprise awaited them.

A new admission. A girl.

She stood near the professor’s desk, her gaze sweeping through the room like a hawk scanning for prey. Her presence was suffocating, demanding attention without uttering a single word.

Then, her eyes locked onto Malang.

For a moment, she didn’t move. She just stared.

It wasn’t admiration. It wasn’t interest. It was something else—something darker.

"Who… is that?" Kahani whispered.

When Veronica had arrived as a transfer student, everyone had thought she was an angel descended from the heavens. Her beauty was mesmerizing, delicate yet untouchable.

But Maya Singhania?

She was different.

She didn’t look like a fairy.

She looked like a predator.

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