Aanya couldn't sleep that night.
Riya's voice was still inside her mind.
"You are the reason he will burn everything again."
Three months of peace suddenly felt like a lie.
Morning came—but nothing felt normal.
Aanya stepped out of her small apartment to get water.
And stopped instantly.
A black envelope was placed at her door.
No name.
No sender.
Only a red symbol on it.
Her hands trembled as she opened it.
Inside—
A single photo.
Aanya's breath stopped.
It was Rudra.
But not the Rudra she knew.
He was sitting in a dark meeting room.
Surrounded by armed men.
Eyes cold.
Empire rebuilt.
Power restored.
And under the photo… a message.
"He never left you. He only hid the war."
Aanya whispered,
"No… this can't be real…"
Suddenly her phone rang again.
Unknown number.
She hesitated.
Then answered.
Riya's voice came instantly.
Calm. Controlled. Dangerous.
"You saw it?"
Aanya's voice shook.
"What is this? Why are you showing me this?!"
Riya replied softly,
"Because you think he chose peace."
A pause.
"He didn't."
Aanya tightened her grip.
"Then what did he choose?"
A long silence.
Then Riya said—
"Power… with you in the background."
Aanya froze.
Riya continued,
"Did you really think Rudra Rathore could survive without war?"
A pause.
"He is the war."
Aanya whispered,
"You're lying…"
Riya's tone turned sharper.
"Am I?"
A new voice suddenly entered the call.
Deep.
Cold.
Familiar.
"Enough."
Aanya's heart stopped.
Rudra Rathore.
Aanya gasped,
"Rudra?!"
Silence.
Then Rudra spoke.
Calm. Heavy.
Controlled.
"I told you to stay away from her."
Riya laughed softly in the background.
"Oh, I missed this."
Rudra's voice turned darker.
"This is your last warning, Riya."
Riya replied softly,
"I don't respond to warnings."
A pause.
"I respond to memories."
Call ended.
Aanya stood frozen.
Her world was breaking again.
Because now she realized—
Rudra wasn't hiding from the world.
He was hiding something from her.
And Riya… was the only one exposing it.