Chapter 20: The Price of Power
The jasmine-scented night air still clung to her as Aanya sat alone in her study at the shelter, staring at the faint reflection of herself in the glass window. The city stretched before her, glittering with power and danger, each tower a reminder of the game she'd been forced into.
On the desk before her lay two things: the USB Verma had given her, now nearly empty after its secrets were used to dismantle Rajiv's European assets, and a folded handkerchief stained faintly with Arjun's blood from the night she'd saved him.
One represented temptation.
The other, sacrifice.
The system chimed softly, as if sensing her turmoil.
[Main Quest Update]
Phase 2: Secure Majority Board Control
Time Limit: 9 Days
Risk Assessment: Board Uncertainty High
Warning: External Alliance Option Available — Manav Verma.
Aanya closed her eyes, massaging her temples. Verma's power could secure me the board's trust. But what would it cost me?
Arjun entered quietly, carrying two glasses of water. He set one before her and studied her with those steady eyes that always seemed to see beyond the mask.
"You've been sitting here for hours."
"Thinking," she murmured.
"About Verma."
She didn't answer, and silence stretched between them.
Finally, she asked, almost in a whisper, "Do you think I can win this war without him?"
Arjun's jaw tightened. "With him, you'll win faster. But you won't like what's left of you at the end."
Her heart clenched. "And without him?"
His voice softened, low and certain. "It'll be harder. Bloodier. But you'll still be you."
The system chimed.
[Trust Bond with Arjun Mehra: 50%]
New Ability Unlock Available: Battle Synchrony.
Effect: Increased Efficiency when operating together.
Before she could respond, her phone buzzed. A message, anonymous.
Tomorrow, 10 AM. Grand Hyatt. Board meeting called by Rajiv Malhotra. Attendance mandatory.
She showed Arjun. His eyes narrowed. "It's a trap."
Aanya's lips curved in a humorless smile. "Then let's spring it."
The Grand Hyatt's ballroom was transformed into a battlefield dressed as a board meeting. Crystal chandeliers glittered above, reflecting off polished mahogany. Cameras were discreetly placed at corners — Rajiv wanted every second recorded.
He stood at the head of the long table, flanked by directors who still clung to him like scavengers circling a wounded beast.
"Ladies and gentlemen," Rajiv began, his voice dripping with false warmth, "thank you for joining this urgent session. I fear we've allowed a dangerous wolf into our house."
He gestured toward Aanya, his eyes gleaming. "This woman, who stands before you claiming loyalty, has been conspiring with Manav Verma, a man notorious for hostile takeovers and bloodless destruction."
Gasps and murmurs filled the hall.
Rajiv raised a tablet. "Proof." He tapped it, and a video played — a carefully edited version of her rooftop meeting with Verma, spliced to make their conversation look intimate, conspiratorial.
"She would sell this company," Rajiv declared, "for her own thirst for power."
The system chimed.
[Warning!]
Reputation -25 with Neutral Board Members.
Crisis Threshold Approaching.
Aanya rose slowly, every movement deliberate. The room quieted under her presence.
"You call me a traitor, Rajiv. But here's the truth." She held up her own tablet, projecting files onto the massive screen.
Images of Rajiv's siphoning operations appeared — contracts, transfers, falsified ledgers. "This is what Rajiv has done. He bled Malhotra Global like a leech. And when I uncovered it, he tried to kill me."
A murmur of shock rippled.
Rajiv barked a laugh. "Wild accusations! Lies conjured by your puppet master, Verma!"
"Funny," Aanya shot back, her voice like steel, "these files didn't come from Verma. They came from your own men — the ones who are tired of being pawns in your game."
At her signal, Meera stepped forward, handing sealed affidavits to the ministers.
The system chimed.
[Ding!]
Sub‑quest Completed: Secure Testimonies.
+20 System Points.
Reputation +30.
Rajiv's smile cracked, fury flashing in his eyes. "This isn't over, Aanya. Do you think the board will risk Verma's wrath?"
A smooth voice cut through the tension.
"Perhaps they should risk mine instead."
All eyes turned. Manav Verma entered with the calm of a man who knew the world bent for him. His tailored suit caught the light, his smile dangerous and confident.
Whispers erupted. The Phantom Investor.Why is he here?
Aanya's pulse spiked. She hadn't invited him.
Rajiv sneered. "Ah, speak of the devil."
Verma's eyes locked on Aanya. "I came to clarify. Yes, Aanya Malhotra and I have spoken. But not to conspire. To protect this company — from him." He tilted his head toward Rajiv, disdain curling his lips.
Rajiv barked, "Lies! You want the company for yourself!"
Verma chuckled softly. "If I wanted Malhotra Global, Rajiv, you wouldn't be standing here."
The system chimed.
[Critical Choice Incoming]
Path A: Publicly Reject Verma — risk losing immediate board control.
Path B: Publicly Accept Verma's Support — risk permanent entanglement with him.
The board's eyes swung to Aanya. The world seemed to hold its breath.
Arjun, standing behind her, whispered, "Choose carefully. One path gives you power now. The other… saves your soul."
Aanya's fingers curled around the USB on the table. She looked at Rajiv — snarling like a cornered beast. At Verma — a wolf offering a velvet‑gloved hand. At Arjun — whose steady gaze asked her to trust herself, not shortcuts.
She rose to her full height.
"My answer," she said, her voice steady, "is simple—"
Meanwhile, in the shadows of the hall, a pair of eyes watched through a hidden feed. A woman's voice murmured into a headset, calm and dangerous.
"She's making her move. Prepare contingency Alpha."
A red light blinked on a console. Somewhere in the city, a trap was being set.