Shattered Illusions

Dhruv had never been one to indulge in luxuries. Growing up in a small apartment with his single mother, he had learned the value of every rupee. So, when he started dating Jasmine, he knew he couldn’t shower her with extravagant gifts, but he made up for it in other ways. He was always there for her—carrying her books, helping her with her projects, surprising her with thoughtful gestures. He had believed that love wasn’t about material things, but about care, loyalty, and attention. Jasmine had assured him she felt the same.

But everything changed that Friday night.

Dhruv sat in his tiny room, staring at the glowing screen of his phone. His fingers hovered over Jasmine’s number, his mind racing. She hadn’t answered any of his calls or texts since the previous night. His heart was pounding, his stomach twisting with unease. Something felt wrong.

He scrolled through his social media feed for the hundredth time, hoping for a sign of her, anything that would explain her absence. That’s when his screen stopped on a photo. It was posted by one of his classmates—a picture from a party that Dhruv didn’t even know had happened. And there, in the background of the picture, was Jasmine.

But she wasn’t alone.

She was standing next to Kartik, the notorious playboy of their class. He had his arm slung lazily around her waist, leaning in close to whisper something in her ear. The sight made Dhruv’s stomach drop. Kartik was everything Dhruv wasn’t—rich, arrogant, and dangerous. Girls flocked to him, not because he treated them well, but because he had money, charm, and a bad-boy aura that made him irresistible to many.

Dhruv’s hands shook as he clicked on the next image in the post. His heart stopped. It was a video. A short clip, barely fifteen seconds, but it felt like a lifetime. In the video, Jasmine was sitting on Kartik’s lap, laughing, while Kartik’s hands moved lower than they should have been. And Jasmine wasn’t stopping him.

His chest tightened painfully, his breath coming in short gasps. It felt like the air had been sucked out of the room.

“No… this can’t be real…” Dhruv muttered to himself, praying it was some misunderstanding. But the more he stared at the video, the more his world started to crumble. All the promises Jasmine had made about love and loyalty now seemed hollow.

He tried calling her again, but as expected, there was no answer.

Later that evening, Dhruv received a message from one of his close friends, Aman. “Bro, I need to tell you something, but don’t freak out,” it read.

Already on edge, Dhruv immediately replied, “What is it?”

Aman hesitated before replying, “I wasn’t going to say anything because I didn’t want to hurt you. But Jasmine and Kartik... they were seen leaving together last night. And bro, it’s not just rumors. There’s more. They’ve been doing online stuff together. You know, stripping. It’s all over the group chats.”

Dhruv stared at his phone, his mind blank. His heartbeat roared in his ears, drowning out everything else. Jasmine, his Jasmine, had spent the night with Kartik. And worse, she had been doing things with him online. Stripping, for an audience, alongside a guy like Kartik. It was like a nightmare that he couldn’t wake up from.

The humiliation hit him like a wave. He had been working so hard to keep their relationship strong, always putting her first, always believing she felt the same way about him. And yet, she had thrown it all away for someone like Kartik.

His phone slipped from his hand, clattering onto the floor. Dhruv collapsed onto his bed, burying his face in his hands. He felt numb, as though his heart had been ripped out of his chest. How could Jasmine betray him like this? He had given her everything he could, everything that mattered—his love, his time, his devotion. And she had thrown it back in his face.

Hours passed, though Dhruv barely noticed. He lay there, unmoving, staring at the ceiling, consumed by a swirl of anger, heartbreak, and disbelief.

It wasn’t until the early hours of the morning that Dhruv finally sat up, rubbing his eyes. His mind had wandered into darker thoughts. Should he confront her? Should he confront Kartik? A part of him wanted to scream, to make them both pay for the pain they had caused. But another part of him, the part that had always been kind and forgiving, couldn’t bring himself to face the situation head-on. Not yet.

As dawn broke through his window, Dhruv’s phone buzzed on the floor. It was an unknown number.

Reluctantly, Dhruv picked it up, barely glancing at the screen before answering. “Hello?”

“Mr. Dhruv Sharma?” a stern, professional voice greeted him.

“Yeah, that’s me,” Dhruv replied, his voice thick with exhaustion.

“This is Mr. Mehta, your late father’s attorney. I’ve been trying to reach you for some time. I know this must be a shock, but your biological father, Mr. Rajiv Singh, recently passed away. You’ve been named in his will. I would like to meet you to discuss the inheritance.”

Dhruv blinked, sitting up straight. “I… I think you have the wrong person,” he stammered.

“There’s no mistake,” Mr. Mehta continued, his tone steady. “I understand this might come as a surprise, but Mr. Singh was your father. You are his sole heir, and there is a significant estate involved. We need to meet at your earliest convenience.”

Dhruv’s head spun. In the span of 24 hours, his life had completely unraveled. His girlfriend had betrayed him in the worst way possible, and now, out of nowhere, he was being told he was the heir to a billionaire.

He stared at his reflection in the mirror, the weight of the moment pressing down on him. He didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. One thing was certain—his life would never be the same again.

Would he use this sudden windfall to get revenge on Jasmine and Kartik, or would this be his chance to rewrite his story?

As his mind raced, one thought settled at the forefront: Power changes everything.

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