The office door rattled as it slammed shut. Vihaan stood stiff, fists clenched at his sides, his breath sharp and uneven.
"Sir," Harsh said carefully, stepping forward. "You need to calm down."
Vihaan shot him a hard look, but Harsh didn't back down. "I know what you feel about her work, but right now that doesn't matter. She's in danger. Those disappearances—we can't afford to let personal opinions get in the way of duty."
Vihaan's jaw worked, the muscles in his face tightening, but after a moment he exhaled heavily and gave a curt nod. "You're right. I'll… put it aside."
Without another word, he strode out of the office.
---
Outside the Station
Gauri was just reaching for the handle of her cab when his voice rang out.
"Ms. Gauri!"
She froze, her shoulders stiffening, then turned. Vihaan approached, his tone more measured this time.
"Look," he said, stopping a few feet away, "we clearly have our differences. But if we let that get in the way, it won't just be you at risk—it'll be another victory for him. We need to focus on the task at hand."
Gauri let out a short, bitter laugh. "Task at hand? You mean me being bait?"
He didn't flinch. "I mean keeping you alive."
Her expression softened for the briefest second, remembering how he saved her last night. Then her eyes hardened again.
"Thank you," she said quietly, "for your assistance yesterday. But I will not take help from a man who looks at me with judgement instead of respect. Not now, not ever."
She pulled open the cab door, slid inside, and shut it firmly before he could respond.
Vihaan stood in silence as the cab pulled away, her words cutting deeper than he cared to admit.
Later That Day
The humid Mumbai air hung heavy as Gauri's yellow-and-black cab sputtered and rolled to a stop at the side of the highway. She groaned, resting her forehead against the steering wheel.
"Of course… break down now, why don't you?" she muttered in frustration. The sting of Vihaan Kothari's cutting words at the police station still burned in her chest. "Arrogant man! Who is he to judge me? Cheap girl, huh… cheap are his thoughts."
Her words dissolved into the thick evening air.
Far up the same stretch of road, Vihaan's black sedan glided smoothly, his hands steady on the wheel. The setting sun painted the horizon with hues of blood-red and orange, casting a brooding glow across his face.
But elsewhere, in the shadowy interior of an abandoned godown, a hooded figure gripped a photograph of Vihaan. With a low chant, the figure plunged a dagger into the picture. The flame of a nearby lantern flickered violently—as if the world itself shivered.
---
Without warning, a hulking caravan truck barreled across the lane, slamming straight into Vihaan's car. The sound was horrific—metal tearing, glass exploding, tires screeching. The sedan spun, flipped, and crashed into the roadside ditch, mangled beyond recognition.
Gauri gasped from her broken-down cab further behind. Her heart lodged in her throat as she stumbled out, clutching the doorframe for balance.
"Ya Devi Maa…" she whispered in terror, staring at the wreck.
And then—unbelievably—the car door was ripped open.
Vihaan dragged himself out. His body was twisted, bloodied, and broken, yet before Gauri's horrified eyes, his bones cracked back into place. Burns and wounds faded as if erased by unseen hands. Within seconds, he stood straight again—whole, except for his eyes.
They glowed. Red. Predatory.
Gauri's hand flew to her mouth as her knees weakened.
Vihaan's feral gaze locked onto her. Something primal roared awake inside him, and with a terrifying snarl, he moved—faster than human, leaping off the wreckage with unnatural strength.
Gauri screamed and spun, running off the highway into the brush. Her sandals slipped on the dusty ground, her cab shrinking behind her as she darted blindly into the dense roadside jungle.
But Vihaan was faster. He bounded through the trees with inhuman agility, each movement silent but swift, a dark shadow stalking her every step.
She burst into a small clearing—and froze.
Vihaan landed right in front of her with a bone-shaking thud.
"Aaaaaah!" Gauri shrieked, stumbling backward, falling hard into the dirt.
Before she could rise, his hand clamped around her throat, iron-strong. She clawed at his wrist, choking, gasping, "N-no… let me go!"
Her tears streamed down, blurring the monstrous sight of his glowing eyes.
And then—something shifted.
Her tears splashed against his skin, and the red blaze in his eyes flickered. Horror flashed across his face. His grip loosened instantly, as though he'd just realized what he was doing.
Gauri collapsed to the ground, coughing violently, clutching her neck. Her terrified eyes locked onto his, silently pleading.
Vihaan staggered back, his own face contorted in anguish. He dropped to his knees before her, trembling. Slowly, his hand hovered over her head. A faint glow pulsed from his palm, and just like that—the memory of his monstrous form, the red eyes, the chase—slipped from her mind like a dream dissolving at dawn.
Her body weakened from the shock. Her eyes fluttered shut, and she collapsed unconscious.