Pakhi, who had been sitting with Armaan at the café until now, suddenly had her phone ring. Pulling the phone out of her pocket, she saw that it was her best friend, Sneha.
Pakhi answered the call and said, "Yeah, tell me Sneha..."
Sneha spoke in a hurry, "Hello Pakhi! Where are you? Why haven't you reached college yet?"
Pakhi checked the time and gasped, "Oh no!! It's way too late!"
Then she hurriedly added, "Sneha, I'm reaching right now, just wait for me!"
Saying this, Pakhi hung up, looked at Armaan, and said, "Armaan, there's an important seminar at college today, and I also have to submit my project. Could you drop me off at college?"
Armaan smiled and replied, "Yeah, sure, why not? Let me drop you off."
After paying the bill, Pakhi and Armaan left the café.
---
A short while later, they arrived at the college. Getting off the bike, Pakhi said, "Thank you, Armaan!"
Armaan smiled and said, "What's there to thank me for? I can at least do this much for my wife-to-be."
Pakhi smiled, stepped closer to Armaan, pulled his cheek playfully, and said, "Why not, my husband-to-be! Okay, bye!"
Pakhi ran inside the college campus while Armaan rode away on his bike.
---
Sunlight fell across the vast college campus. All around was the noise of students, the sound of laughter and banter from the canteen, and a buzzing atmosphere of gossip.
Pakhi walked in through the main gate of the college.
Sneha, who was waiting for her, spotted her and said, "Finally, you're here!"
Pakhi quickened her pace and replied, "Yeah, come on fast! We need to submit our project too."
"Oh come on, Pakhi! Just listen to me first," Sneha gasped, trailing right behind Pakhi. "Do you even know who is coming to the seminar today?"
Without slowing down, Pakhi asked, "Who's coming?"
Sneha said excitedly, "The one... whose name makes the entire corporate world tremble!" Then, blushing slightly, she added, "And my one and only crush!"
Pakhi adjusted the bag slung over her shoulder and said nonchalantly without slowing her speed, "Sneha, I have zero interest in any corporate big shot. I just need to complete my presentation, so stop your unnecessary drama."
"Drama?!" Sneha grabbed Pakhi's hand to stop her. "You silly girl! Advait Raichand is coming! The owner of Raichand Industries! Girls would literally die for just one look from him! I've heard he's as ruthless as he is smart!"
Rolling her eyes, Pakhi took a deep sigh. "Smart or ruthless, what do we care? Besides, it's best to stay far away from such people. Now come on, I have work with the Economics professor, and we're getting late for the seminar."
Saying this, Pakhi grabbed Sneha's hand and pulled her along.
---
A short while later...
The college's massive auditorium was packed to capacity with students and professors. Suddenly, a heavy silence fell over the entire hall.
Sneha and Pakhi were sitting together. Sneha was staring at the door with a smile, prompting Pakhi to pat her shoulder and say sarcastically, "You're staring at the door as if your corporate king is going to walk into the room and ask for your hand in marriage first thing!"
Without taking her eyes off the door, Sneha replied, "Oh Pakhi, you have no idea! That guy is so hot, even you'll go crazy!"
Pakhi made a face and replied with attitude, "Yeah, whatever..."
Just then...
The auditorium doors swung open, and Advait Raichand entered with a heavy, commanding stride.
Crisp white formal shirt, dark fitted suit, and eyes full of arrogance. His sheer presence seemed to drop the temperature of the entire hall instantly. His cold, fierce gaze scanned the auditorium, as if he hadn't come to deliver a speech, but to inspect his empire.
Advait unbuttoned his coat, placed both hands on the podium, and began to speak in a heavy, deep baritone voice:
"Good morning. I am sure you have been made to sit here so that I can feed you sweet, sugar-coated words like 'passion', 'hard work', and 'follow your dreams'... right?"
A slight, sinister smile appeared on Advait's face.
"But I am not here to sell you any motivational drama. Because the real world doesn't give a damn about your dreams, your emotions, or your feelings."
The students in the auditorium began looking at each other in shock. Sitting in the third row, Pakhi narrowed her brows.
Advait continued
"The corporate world is not a fairy tale. It is a jungle. And the jungle has only one rule The Strong Hunts, and The Weak Gets Hunted."
Advait stepped out from behind the podium and walked toward the edge of the stage.
"Three things never work in business ,mercy, trust, and emotion. If you get emotional while sitting at a deal table, you have already lost. To me, business isn't about maintaining relationships... it's about achieving 100% control over the market. If anyone comes in your way whether it's your competitor, your friend, or your ethics... crush them and move ahead."
A student in the auditorium raised his hand. "But Mr. Raichand! Aren't ethics and Corporate Social Responsibility part of business?"
Advait turned toward the student, his eyes filled with icy disdain as he answered, "Ethics... are a crutch for the weak. When you lack power and money, that's when you hide behind ethics. 'Raichand Industries' doesn't run on ethics; it runs on my decisions. And my decisions rest on only one thing—unlimited profit and absolute power."
Pakhi made a face and murmured softly, "What weird things he talks about!" Sneha whispered back, "Keep quiet!"
Advait walked back to the microphone and pointed a finger toward the hall.
"If you people think that earning a degree from this college will allow you to conquer the world, clear your delusion right now. In the outside world, your worth won't be measured by your humanity, but by your status. So either become the hunter... or be prepared to become someone else's prey."
As soon as Advait finished speaking, an eerie silence engulfed the auditorium. The professors sat uncomfortably in their seats, and many students lowered their gazes before Advait's intimidating aura.
However, Pakhi, sitting in the third row, felt her blood boil. Sneha nervously grabbed Pakhi's hand, "Pakhi, don't be crazy! Sit down..."
Pakhi yanked her hand free from Sneha's grip and stood up straight. All eyes in the hall fixed on Pakhi. Staring directly into the icy eyes of Advait standing at the podium, Pakhi fired her question with absolute fearlessness
"Mr. Advait Raichand! If ethics and emotions are weaknesses... then in your eyes, does 'success' simply mean ripping others apart like a hungry animal to get ahead?"
The professors in the auditorium held their breath. Advait leaned slightly over the podium with his arrogant smile and answered in his heavy baritone voice
"Absolutely, Miss... whatever your name is. Because when you step into the world of business, the person across from you doesn't sign a check looking at your 'humanity'. This world is a race, and those who turn back to pick up others in a race only remain in history ,they don't win trophies."
Silence spread across the auditorium. Sneha tugged at Pakhi's kurta, signaling her to sit, but a sharp smile appeared on Pakhi's face. She instantly retorted
"Even thieves win trophies, Mr. Raichand! The only difference is that the world considers them criminals, not winners. You said the rule of the jungle is The Strong Hunts. But the difference between humans and animals is that humans have the ability to choose between right and wrong. If Raichand Industries becomes number one only by crushing others and destroying ethics, then that isn't your strength... it's a failure that proves you don't even possess the capability to win a fair competition!"
The arrogant smile vanished from Advait's face. His eyebrows furrowed, and his eyes turned stone-cold.
Instead of stopping, Pakhi delivered her final, direct strike
"My only question, Mr. Raichand, is this... if such 'status' is acquired only by selling your ethics and killing your humanity, then at night when you look at yourself in the mirror, do you see a human being... or just a puppet decorated with money?"
The moment the question ended, a silence fell over the auditorium so intense that even a pin drop would have echoed. Sneha shut her eyes out of sheer terror
Advait Raichand stood completely frozen on stage.
He had no answer to Pakhi's sharp question. He gripped the microphone, but not a single word came out. His deep, dark, icy eyes were pinned directly on Pakhi's face in the third row, as if he were permanently etching the image of this fearless girl into his mind.
For ten full seconds, Advait stared at Pakhi without blinking. The suspense in the room reached a fever pitch.
Advait buttoned his coat, leaned slightly toward the microphone, and uttered just two words in a cold, flat tone
"Class... dismissed."
Placing the mic back onto the podium, Advait Raichand turned and walked toward the auditorium doors with his heavy, commanding stride. The entire hall remained dead silent, and as he walked out, Advait's gaze remained fixed on Pakhi until the very last moment.
---
The moment Advait stepped out of the auditorium, the silence broke. Whispers spread among the students.
Sneha frantically grabbed Pakhi's hand and yelled, "Have you gone mad, Pakhi! What was that? Oh god... you shouldn't have spoken to Advait Raichand like that, you idiot! Do you have any idea who he is?"
Pakhi shrugged her shoulders nonchalantly and replied carelessly, "Why are you so scared? What big shot is he anyway? I just asked a question, it's not like I shot an arrow at him!"
Before Pakhi could even finish her sentence, a stern voice came from behind—their professor. "Sneha is absolutely right, Pakhi!"
Looking angrily at Pakhi, the professor scolded, "Do you have any manners on how to talk to such an esteemed guest of the college? Because of your disrespect, Raichand Industries could stop funding our college! Keep this heroism outside of class!"
Pakhi lowered her head under the professor's scolding. As the professor walked away, Sneha immediately stood up from her seat and said, "I... I'll go apologize to him on your behalf right now, otherwise we're all going to be in huge trouble!"
Saying this, Sneha rushed toward the auditorium doors.
"Hey Sneha! Stop... listen to me!" Pakhi ran after her to stop her.
---
Outside the auditorium in the corridor, Advait Raichand was walking swiftly toward the elevator accompanied by his bodyguards. His commanding aura and icy anger were fully evident on his face.
Sneha ran panting behind him, "Sir! Mr. Raichand... please wait!"
Advait stopped in his tracks. He turned around and cast a cold glance at Sneha.
Sneha nervously hurried toward him, "Sir, I want to say sorry on behalf of Pakhi, she—"
Suddenly, Sneha's foot slipped badly on the wet floor tiles of the corridor!
"Ah...!" Sneha lost her balance and fell directly into Advait's chest, landing in his arms.
For a moment, complete silence took over. Sneha's eyes were closed in fear, and her heart was pounding fast.
However, no mercy or gentlemanly warmth crossed Advait Raichand's face. He deeply detested any unknown girl coming close or touching him. An intense fury flared in his eyes.
Without a second's delay, Advait shoved Sneha away from his arms in absolute disgust, throwing her to the floor!
"Ah!" Sneha cried out as she fell hard onto the tough ground.
Running up from behind, Pakhi witnessed this scene, her eyes widening in shock and rage.
Advait's face turned completely rigid. Boundless hatred and disgust floated in his eyes.
"Take your cheap drama somewhere else," Advait's voice was so sharp and toxic that the surrounding people trembled. "This pathetic trick of bumping into me intentionally is old. Know your place!"
Sneha's face flushed red with humiliation, and tears welled up in her eyes.
Pakhi, standing nearby and watching everything, felt her blood boil. She couldn't tolerate this disrespect. Stepping forward immediately, she helped Sneha up and asked, "Are you okay?"
Sneha nodded helplessly.
"Excuse me, Mr. Raichand!" Pakhi locked her sharp, fearless eyes directly onto Advait's dark eyes. "You better mind your language! Who gave you the right to humiliate a girl like this over an accident?"
Advait tilted his neck slightly. A lethal, sinister smile spread across his face as he looked Pakhi up and down.
"Another attention seeker. You pulled all that drama inside just to get my attention too, didn't you?" Advait said in a cold tone. "Girls like you play the hero act really well just to gain fame."
"It's not attention I need, it's your ego that demands it, Mr. Raichand!" Pakhi roared. "Didn't your mother teach you how to speak to women?!"
The moment he heard the word 'mother', the color on Advait's face changed instantly. A feral, brutal fury descended into his eyes.
Advait glared at the crying Sneha standing to the side and gestured with a single finger for everyone to leave. Sneha and the surrounding students fled immediately in fear. The corridor became completely deserted.
---
Without wasting another second, Advait stepped forward and grabbed Pakhi's wrist in a iron grip!
"Let go of me! What are you doing?!" Pakhi struggled.
Advait didn't listen to a word. Dragging Pakhi along, he pulled her into an empty, dark classroom at the end of the corridor. He slammed the door shut and slammed Pakhi forcefully against the wall!
Pakhi's back collided hard with the wall. Before she could regain her balance, Advait pressed his broad, heavy frame entirely against her. His warm, rage-filled breath hit Pakhi's face.
"This is what you wanted, right? This is why you were trying to grab my attention all this while," Advait whispered near her face in a dark, heavy voice. "That's why you were screaming so much? Usually, I avoid cheap girls like you... but right now, I feel like showing you some mercy."
There was no fear in Pakhi's eyes, only fire. She placed her hands on Advait's chest to push him away and shouted furiously, "Get away from me! Or nobody will be worse than me!"
A dark, ferocious smile crept onto Advait's face.
"Really?"
In a single movement, Advait grabbed both of Pakhi's hands, twisted them behind her back, and pinned them securely in his single-handed grip.
Pakhi's chest heaved up and down in helplessness. She couldn't even move.
Advait seized Pakhi's jaw tightly in his fingers, forced her face upward, and without giving her a chance, forcefully pressed his burning, ruthless lips against her plump lips!
Ignoring Pakhi's resistance and struggles, he began kissing her with harsh intensity, leaving his mark of power and dominance on her soul.
Pakhi immediately clamped her lips tightly shut and turned her face away.
But Advait was not going to stop. He bit down mercilessly on Pakhi's lower lip with his sharp teeth.
A sharp cry of pain escaped Pakhi's mouth.
The moment Pakhi's mouth opened slightly from the pain, Advait took advantage without wasting a fraction of a second, crushing her lips under the heavy pressure of his own. He took her lower lip into his mouth, kissing it with such intensity that her lips felt crushed between his firm teeth and lips.
Pakhi began to suffocate. She tried everything to wriggle her body free from his iron grip, but Advait put his entire body weight against her, pinning her completely against the wall.
After nearly five minutes...
As soon as Advait's grip loosened slightly, Pakhi yanked her hand free. There were tears of helplessness in her eyes, but a burning fire in her soul.
Without a second's delay, Pakhi swung her right hand through the air, and
SLAP!
the crisp sound echoed loudly as she landed a hard slap across Advait's cheek!
The slap echoed through the quiet classroom. Advait's face turned to the left. The veins in his neck bulged, and the red marks of Pakhi's fingers appeared on his cheek.
"How dare you?!" Pakhi roared in a trembling yet fierce voice. Sparks of hatred flew from her eyes. "How dare you touch me?! Do you low, degraded men think that just because of money you can claim ownership over any girl?!"
Advait stood completely still for a few seconds. Until today, no one had ever dared to even look directly at Advait Raichand, and today a ordinary girl had slapped him across the face.
Advait's face turned lethal and red with rage. A wild, barbaric storm erupted in his eyes.
In one sudden, ferocious movement, Advait stepped forward and grabbed both of Pakhi's arms in his grip. He pulled her toward himself and slammed her against the wall again so hard that a painful gasp escaped Pakhi's mouth.
Advait's face was barely an inch away from Pakhi's. His heavy, hot breath, full of terrifying rage, scorched her tear-stained cheeks like embers.
"Hey girl... don't forget your place!" Advait growled in a heavy, ruthless whisper. His fingers dug so deep into the soft skin of Pakhi's arms that dark marks began to form.
"Do you have any idea who you're talking to?! Advait Raichand!"
Advait gritted his sharp teeth, the pupils of his eyes contracting with anger.
"I could destroy you right here, right now, in such a way that the world wouldn't even find a single trace of your body... and no one would ever know a thing!"
Advait brought his face near Pakhi's trembling neck and spoke with a sinister smile, "And this slap... that you just landed on Advait Raichand's face today... you will have to pay for it. This slap will cost you very, very dearly. I will crush your pride, your freedom, and your soul under my fingers!"
Pakhi was trembling from the pain and Advait's terrifying grip; her rapid breaths hit his chest, but through her swollen, bloodshot eyes, she continued to stare fearless straight into Advait's icy eyes.
In anger, Advait shoved Pakhi to the side and walked out of the classroom. Sneha, who had been hiding outside, entered the room as soon as Advait left.
Pakhi was standing there furious, her lips swollen. Sneha walked up to her and said, "Pakhi.... all this.... this Advait is such a pathetic man, I..."
Without any expression, Pakhi replied, "Sneha, I want to be alone for a while."
Saying this, Pakhi walked out of the classroom as well.
Write a comment ...