A Stranger Changes Everything
On the Road:
“Aaaaaaaaaa!”
A blood-curdling scream pierces the air as a chubby man clutches his thigh in agony. The geometric divider, still lodged in his muscle, taunts him with every twitch.
Passersby stop and stare, their faces twisted in a mix of horror and fascination.
A young college girl’s eyes widen in fear as she steps back from the man, then turns and flees.
“Aaah… uff… uff…” His voice drops to a whisper, but he still doesn’t dare remove the divider from his thigh.
Her fear deepens under the weight of judgmental gazes, she feels like a sinner. What no one knows: she’s the one who had driven the divider into his thigh, a desperate act of self-defence against his unwanted advances.
But just a few steps later, she stops, spins around, and rushes back to the man, her gaze fixed on the divider.
The onlookers’ eyes soften; they assume she’s returning to apologize.
The girl gathers her courage.
“It’s mine,”
she says, eyeing the divider still stuck in his flesh.
With a deep breath, she grabs it and yanks it out.
“Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaargh!” The man screams, writhing in agony as she pulls the divider free and bolts away, disappearing into the distance.
The onlookers’ faces tighten with tension, stunned by the unexpected turn.
The man collapses to the ground, crying uncontrollably as tears stream down his face.
She had indeed come back for her divider! leaving everyone in shock. The moment sparks a flurry of mixed reactions from the crowd.
Inside the Luxurious Home:
Rishabh’s eyes narrow as he contemplates his next move, his voice barely above a whisper. “Money isn’t enough to rule the world; I need superpower.”
A knock interrupts his thoughts. He gestures for his assistant to enter.
“What’s the update?”
he asks curtly.
The assistant’s words spark a calculating glint in Rishabh’s eye.
“It’s time to act, boss. We can execute the plan.”
Rishabh’s face remains stern, his mind racing with the stakes.
“We can’t afford to wait. She’s a teenager now. If we don’t control her soon, it’ll be too late.”
With a nod, Rishabh gives the green light.
The assistant swiftly makes a call, relaying instructions before hanging up.
Rishabh shifts focus to another concern, brow furrowing. “What’s the situation with our opponent?”
The assistant hesitates. “He’s a genius, sir. His responses have won over the public.”
Rishabh’s lips purse in disapproval. “It doesn’t matter who he is in reality. Use our PR team to defame him. People only see what they’re shown.”
The assistant still seems unsure. “But… boss, he’s already overcome the current crisis. What if he wins again?”
Rishabh’s confidence is unwavering. “Keep him busy defending himself…drain his energy. By the end of his term, he’ll be done. He’ll lose the people’s confidence for failing to do his real job.” A sinister smile spreads across his face. “And if one allegation sticks, the rest will follow. He’ll be finished.”
The assistant’s jaw drops, once again stunned by Rishabh’s cunning. He’s consistently amazed by his boss’s ingenious strategies, which always seem to outmanoeuvre expectations.
He gazes at Rishabh with admiration, voice dripping with sincerity. “Boss, one day you’ll sit on the throne. You’ll be the king.”
Rishabh’s smirk hints at a deeper truth, a knowing glint in his eye. “You know very well... I don’t need the throne. The ruler is already dancing to my tune.”
With a subtle gesture, he signals his assistant to leave, his attention drifting to his mobile phone. Dia’s photo stares back at him, her innocent face a stark contrast to the calculating intensity that burns within him.
“Dazzling beauty,”
he whispers, tracing the contours of her face on the screen.
“But for now, she’s just a photo. Will I ever get to touch her?” His sigh is a blend of longing and calculation.
Rishabh’s thoughts turn to Dia’s hidden potential. Her energy signature is unusual: a dormant power waiting to awaken. Many had mastered the ancient arts of awakening powers, but ordinary people couldn’t tap into that kind of power.
His eyes gleam with ambition as he thinks about Dia. She is unaware of her abilities and Rishabh sees an opportunity to seize control.
The question remains: would he use charm or coercion? The future would reveal its secrets.
At the College Gate:
“Dia… come here!”
A girl yells from the college campus gate as Dia dashes past them, breathless and determined. Her footsteps echo against the concrete, her heart racing like she’s running from something…or someone.
“Did we scare her off already? Was yesterday’s ragging too much?”
The girl wonders aloud, a trace of mischief in her voice.
Beside her, a boy grins.
“Your fiery eyes might’ve done the job. You’re dangerous, darling,”
he says, admiring her without shame.
She is Mouni, the infamous leader of the college bully gang. Laughter erupts from the small group gathered around them, five girls and two boys, each feeding off Mouni’s chaotic charm.
With a sly smirk, Mouni turns to the boy.
“Roy, you want to kiss me?”
Roy blinks, surprised but amused.
“What?”
“You just earned yourself an award,”
she says playfully, patting his cheek.
Mouni thrives on praise, not love, not kindness - just unfiltered adoration. Any attempt to suggest she change for the better? She won’t stand it.
Roy doesn’t reply.
The group starts moving, eyes locked on Dia’s trail. They’re not letting her escape, not without giving her the usual torment.
But then, wailing sirens pierce the air. A police car screeches through the college gates, heading straight for the main office.
Students pause. Heads turn. Whispers ripple through the crowd.
Dia has already reached her classroom. But the police don’t wait. They march straight inside, brushing past the guard and ignoring the principal, moving with urgency.
“Dia, you’re under arrest for killing a man on the road earlier!”
“Killing?”
Dia gasps, sweat trickling down her forehead. Her hands tremble as she holds up a blood-stained geometric divider.
“But I only pricked him… it was self-defence!”
“Oh, we’ll record your statement later…for assaulting the victim before burning him to death,” the policeman says, slipping cold handcuffs onto her wrists.
“No… no!”
Dia stammers, her chest rising and falling rapidly. She hasn’t even caught her breath since sprinting from the bus stand. Panic clouds her mind as she looks around, searching for something… anything.
A female officer grabs her firmly and begins dragging her out of the classroom.
Mouni and her gang arrive just in time to witness the chaos. Their mouths hang open.
“Whoa! She’s a murderer?”
Mouni blurts.
“All this time, she acted all innocent and helpless! What a snake.”
Disgust twists their faces as they glare at Dia.
Down at the reception area, a newly joined young professor watches as the police escort Dia through the hallway. Without hesitation, he steps forward and places a hand over hers.
The officer narrows his eyes.
“Sir, what do you think you’re doing?”
But the professor remains calm and composed. He looks straight into Dia’s eyes, his voice soft but unwavering. “Wait for me. Don’t say anything until I arrive.”
Dia stares at him, confused. Why is this stranger comforting her?
The female officer yanks Dia forward.
“Ah!”
Dia flinches in pain as the cuffs bite her wrists.
“Stay calm. No matter what happens, don’t let your emotions take over,”
the professor says gently, placing a reassuring hand on her shoulder before stepping back.
As she’s dragged away, Dia turns and glances at the man one last time.
Who is he? she wonders.
She tries to remember… his touch had sent an icy calm through her… like a memory buried too deep to name.
His gaze is familiar. His presence… reassuring. It feels like they’ve known each other forever. But she can’t recall anything.
The police car disappears from the campus, leaving silence behind.
The young professor watches, his expression unreadable. “I just hope she keeps her emotions in check. If not…” He clenches his jaw.
“Was I too late? Should I have arrived sooner?”
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