Chapter 7: The First Alliance
The morning sun stretched across Mumbai's skyline, painting the city gold. But inside the cramped shelter room, Aanya was wide awake long before dawn.
Her mind kept circling back to the system's new task.
[Ding!]
New Task: Establish First Defensive Alliance.
Time Limit: 48 Hours.
Reward: Trust Network Skill, Influence +10.
Penalty: Rajiv's bounty hunters gain advantage.
An alliance.
She needed an ally who could shield her against Rajiv's growing shadow. Someone with power, resources, and a reason to stand against him.
But who? Most of her old contacts had either betrayed her or were now firmly under Rajiv's thumb.
Her thoughts drifted to Meera Sinha, a sharp-minded woman who had once served as Chief Financial Officer of Malhotra Global. Aanya had trusted her — and remembered the pain when Meera had been forced out by Rajiv soon after Aanya's arrest.
If anyone still held a grudge against Rajiv, it was Meera.
But would she even agree to meet her?
[Hint: Trust is earned. Use the system's charisma boost wisely.]
Aanya exhaled slowly. "Then Meera it is."
By mid-morning, she was walking through the bustling lobby of the Hilton Towers, her black gown from the previous night carefully restyled with a shawl Arjun had found. It wasn't the armor she once wore as CEO, but it would have to do.
Beside her, Arjun walked silently, scanning their surroundings with a watchfulness that made her wonder if he ever relaxed.
"You don't have to come," she said quietly.
He gave her a sidelong glance. "After last night, you think I'll let you walk into a meeting alone?"
Her lips pressed into a thin line. She wanted to argue, but deep down, his presence steadied her.
They reached a private lounge on the fifteenth floor. Through the glass walls, Aanya spotted Meera, seated gracefully with a tablet in hand, her business suit impeccable as ever.
Meera looked up the moment Aanya entered. Her sharp eyes widened slightly, but her expression quickly returned to neutrality.
"Aanya Malhotra." Her tone carried both surprise and suspicion. "I thought you were… gone."
Aanya forced a small smile. "So did the world. But I'm not."
Meera's gaze flicked briefly to Arjun before settling back on Aanya. "You have courage, I'll give you that. Walking into the lion's den after what happened."
"I'm not here for courage," Aanya said evenly. "I'm here for an alliance."
Meera leaned back, studying her carefully. "You want my help? After five years in prison? Tell me, Aanya — why should I risk Rajiv's wrath for you?"
Aanya met her eyes directly. "Because you hate him as much as I do. He stole the company we built. He forced you out, didn't he?"
Meera's lips thinned. She didn't deny it.
Aanya pressed on. "And now, he's selling off assets to foreign sharks, gutting Malhotra Global piece by piece. If he isn't stopped, he'll destroy everything we once created."
Meera's expression hardened, but she remained silent.
The system chimed softly in Aanya's mind.
[Ding!]
Persuasion Success Chance: 45%.
Charm Aura Activated. Boosting by +20%.
Aanya's voice softened. "Meera, I don't want the throne back just for myself. I want justice. For my parents. For every loyal person Rajiv cast aside. Including you."
For a moment, silence lingered. Then Meera finally said, "You always knew how to strike the right chord."
Her eyes flicked toward Arjun again. "And who is he?"
Arjun spoke for the first time, his voice calm. "A friend. And someone who doesn't fear Rajiv."
Something in his tone made Meera raise a brow. She turned back to Aanya. "You want an alliance. What exactly are you asking of me?"
Aanya leaned forward. "Information. Access. Rajiv moves carefully, but I know he's planning something big — and I need proof before I make my next move. If I have that, I can strike."
Meera tapped her tablet thoughtfully. "I may still have contacts inside the company. But if I help you, Rajiv will know I've switched sides. There's no going back."
Aanya's heart pounded. This is it.
She extended her hand across the table. "Then don't go back. Go forward with me."
Meera's eyes lingered on her hand. Then, slowly, she reached out and shook it.
[Ding!]
Task Complete.
Reward Unlocked: Trust Network Skill, Influence +10.
Host Reputation Status: Rising Strategist.
Aanya exhaled in relief as the system's glow filled her mind.
After the meeting, Aanya and Arjun stepped into the bright Mumbai sunlight. For the first time in years, she felt the faintest glimmer of hope.
"She agreed," Arjun said, his tone almost impressed.
Aanya gave a small smile. "One step at a time. But Rajiv won't sit idle when he learns I'm moving."
As if on cue, her phone buzzed. A message from an unknown number.
"You can build all the alliances you want, Aanya. But queens fall faster the second time. — Rajiv"
Her blood ran cold. "He knows."
Arjun glanced at the screen, then slipped the phone from her trembling fingers. "Let him know. The more desperate he gets, the more mistakes he'll make."
She looked at him, searching his calm eyes for reassurance. "Do you really think we can beat him?"
He didn't answer immediately. Instead, he stepped closer, his presence steady and grounding. "Do you?"
Her chest tightened. She thought of the system, of Meera's handshake, of the fire that had reignited in her heart. And for the first time, she didn't hesitate.
"Yes."
Arjun's lips curved faintly. "Then we will."
That night, Aanya sat by the shelter's window, staring at the city lights, her mind already working on strategies. She wasn't the broken woman who had walked out of prison anymore. She was the queen rebuilding her empire — piece by piece.
But in the shadows outside, a black car sat parked, its engine idling.
Inside, a man in a dark suit lifted his phone. "Sir, she's alive. And she's already making moves."
Rajiv's cold voice replied from the other end. "Then crush her before she spreads her wings."