"What did you say?"

Rahul asked with increasing excitement, his eyes lighting up at the prospect of finally fulfilling the wish that had consumed him for these long months.

Ever since Meera had slipped through his fingers that night, Rahul had become almost severely obsessed with her.

Unless he dragged that proud actress down to her knees, broke her completely, and made her beg for mercy in front of him, he would never be able to let go of this obsession.

His carefully crafted plan had been perfect. Months of preparation every single detail accounted for.

And then it had fallen apart in seconds because of a nobody in a security uniform.

He had tried to find that man afterward, but the alley had no cameras and none of his lackeys had been able to track him down. In the end, he was forced to let it go.

What came after had been worse.

Instead of staying quiet like he expected an actress of her caliber would, Meera had started digging. She had begun searching for evidence of his past crimes, pulling at threads he had assumed were long buried.

Did she not know that her career could be destroyed in an instant?

If not for his father and the network of politicians that his father had spent decades cultivating, that night might not have ended as cleanly as it did.

But because of her persistence, Meera had also become extremely cautious. She stopped wandering alone.

His spies, one by one, found their access cut off. Getting close to her again had become nearly impossible, and that helplessness only made the obsession burn hotter inside him.

The more he thought about it, the angrier he became.

"Tell me," Rahul said, his voice dropping low. "What opportunity?"

His lackey straightened, urgency written across every line of his face. "Boss, the spies we have trailing her finally reported in. She went out tonight to her friend’s birthday party. She is at Zenith right now and has not come out yet. This is the least security we’ve seen around her in months."

He added quickly, "I have already sent someone to keep an eye on her."

Rahul stared at him for one long moment. Then he laughed.

His belly jiggled with each heave in a way that was genuinely difficult to look at.

"Haa... hahaha... HAHAHA!"

He slapped his lackey on the shoulder hard enough to make the man stumble.

"Good, good," Rahul said, wiping the corner of his eye. "I haven’t kept you with me all these years for nothing."

He was already reaching for his jacket, moving with a new energy that had not been there five minutes ago.

"If you finish this work properly," he said, straightening his collar, "you will be heavily rewarded." He turned and pointed at the door. "Now go. Call the driver."

"This bitch will not escape this time."

--------------------------

Meanwhile, outside the Zenith Club, the lively atmosphere of Khushi’s birthday party was finally winding down.

The group of girls made their way downstairs together, laughing and chatting as they spilled out onto the wide pavement in front of the towering skyscraper.

The cool night air of Mumbai greeted them, carrying the distant sounds of traffic and the glow of city lights that never truly slept.

Meera stretched her arms lightly, feeling more relaxed than she had in weeks. The night had been exactly what she needed good food and the comfort of old friends.

"Thank you again, Khushi," Meera said warmly, pulling her friend into a tight hug. "I really had a great time tonight."

"You better have!" Khushi laughed, squeezing her back. "Next time we’re dragging you out even if you try to hide in your apartment."

Riya smiled as she watched the two of them, while Lucy stood quietly beside her.

The other girls were also exchanging goodbyes, checking their phones and arranging their rides home.

None of them noticed the black van that had been idling further down the street, its engine humming low.

Meera stepped slightly away from the group, reaching into her purse for her phone to call her driver. She was still smiling softly, scrolling through her contacts, when it happened.

A black van came speeding down the road and slammed to a stop right in front of the group. The side doors slid open violently. Several masked men in dark clothes jumped out, moving with clear intent.

Before any of the girls could react, two of the men lunged straight toward Meera.

"Get her!" one of them barked.

Rough hands seized Meera’s arms.

She let out a sharp gasp of pure shock and fear as they started dragging her toward the open van.

Khushi screamed and grabbed Meera’s waist, trying desperately to pull her back.

Riya immediately stepped forward, her face shifting from surprise to fury in an instant. The other girls’ faces filled with panic, their voices rising in chaos.

Everything moved terrifyingly fast.

One of the masked men had already shoved Meera halfway into the back of the van. The last man reached out to slam the sliding door shut, sealing her inside.

Bang!

A loud crash echoed across the pavement.

The van door suddenly stopped halfway with a violent jolt. The masked man gripping it barely had time to register what was happening before his entire body was lifted off the ground.

He flew backward through the air like a ragdoll, crashing hard onto the asphalt several meters away with a heavy, painful thud.

He groaned loudly, clutching his chest.

At the entrance of the van stood Lucy.

One of her long, shapely legs was still raised high in a powerful kicking posture, the burgundy mini dress riding up and revealing the smooth, toned length of her thigh.

Her petite figure looked almost delicate under the streetlights, yet the force behind that single kick had been monstrous.

Her expression remained eerily calm, almost serene, but her eyes carried a cold, sharp intensity that sent a chill down the spines of every masked man present.

The kidnappers froze in complete shock.

The girls stood with their mouths hanging open, eyes wide in complete disbelief.

In just a flash before any of them could fully comprehend what had happened one of the attackers was already down.