Outside Regal Club, tensions flared as Robin Seth faced Aisha Seth, Vikram Malhotra, Neelima Menon, and Sanjay Hooda. Neelima, Hyderabad's liquor queen, eyed the clash between Aisha and Priya Reddy, sensing a deeper story. "There's history here," she murmured to Sanjay, her voice low, intrigued.
Vikram, his jealousy raw, sneered at Robin. "You're just Priya's gigolo, Seth," he spat, his voice dripping with scorn. "A kept man playing at power." Sanjay, sizing Robin up, scoffed. "He's not worth Neelima's time," he said, his tone dismissive, echoing Aisha's disdain for Robin's bid to rival her upscale spas, salons, and bars.
Robin, undeterred, stepped past Sanjay to pluck a single hair from Neelima's head, his fingers swift as a thief's. The act stunned the group, Neelima's gasp sharp. "How dare you!" she snapped, her voice a whip, her lehenga flaring as she stepped back. Sanjay's face reddened with fury. "You insolent dog!" he roared, lunging to slap Robin.
Sanjay Gupta, Robin's loyal tech ally and former Horizon security head, surged forward, grabbing Sanjay Hooda's wrist mid-swing, his grip iron. "Touch him, and you'll regret it," Gupta growled, his loyalty unwavering. The confrontation crackled, rain mixing with the heat of their standoff, as Aisha's smirk widened. "You've crossed a line, Robin," she taunted. "Neelima's done with you."
Neelima, her fury blazing, stepped forward. "My Global Imports cuts all ties with Regal Club," she declared, her voice cold. "Your dream is dead, Seth." The decision gutted Regal's prospects, leaving Priya's face pale, but her resolve unbroken.
Priya moved to Robin's side, her voice fierce. "You're wrong to doubt him, Neelima," she said, her eyes locked on the liquor queen. "Robin's move was bold, not reckless. I trust him completely." Her unconditional support contrasted sharply with Aisha's and Vikram's scorn, deepening the rift. Aisha laughed coldly. "Trust? He's dragging you down, Priya. Regal's finished."
Inside a quiet corner of the unfinished club, Robin pulled Priya aside, his voice low. "I plucked Neelima's hair for a reason," he said, his eyes intense. "I suspect Sanjay Hooda's poisoning her, using Poison to weaken her and take Global Imports." Priya's eyes widened, her voice a whisper. "Poison? Sanjay's her only kin—why would he?"
"He's greedy," Robin said, his tone grim. "He wants her empire." His bold move revealed a strategic gambit, positioning him to disrupt Aisha's advantage with Neelima's liquor supply. Priya's smile returned, her trust deepening. "You're always one step ahead," she purred, her fingers brushing his. "Take them down, Robin."
Within Regal's unfinished interior, Priya introduced Robin as the new head. "Robin's here to make this club Hyderabad's crown," she announced, her voice commanding. But the staff, led by manager Chetan Rana and security leader Vikram Singh, bristled with defiance. "We will this place fine without you," Chetan snapped, his arms crossed. "Why should we follow a nobody?" Vikram Singh, towering and scarred, added, "You don't belong here, Seth. Step aside, or we'll make you."
Robin's eyes narrowed, his voice steady. "Defy me, and you're out," he said, his tone cutting. "Regal's mine, and I'll drag it to the top, with or without you." The internal conflict simmered, Chetan and Vikram's prior control a looming obstacle to Robin's vision.