chapter 5: The Enemy Within

The air between them was thick with unspoken tension. Aarohi’s mind raced, torn between logic and survival. Siding with Rudra Rathore was madness.

But walking away meant fighting an unseen enemy alone.

She inhaled sharply. "Fine. I’ll accept your deal."

Rudra’s lips curled into a slow, knowing smirk. "Smart choice, detective."

"But," she continued, stepping forward, meeting his gaze head-on, "this doesn’t mean I trust you."

His eyes darkened, amused yet unreadable. "Trust isn’t necessary. But cooperation is."

Aarohi clenched her fists. She was making a deal with the devil. There was no turning back now.

---

THE FIRST CLUE

An hour later, Aarohi sat across from Rudra in his private study. The room felt more like a king’s war chamber than an office. Dark wood, expensive artifacts, and shelves stacked with books that spoke of power, history, and strategy.

Ishaan Kapoor stood by the door, arms crossed, watching her with quiet suspicion.

Rudra leaned back in his chair, fingers drumming lightly on the table. "You suspect someone in your department betrayed you. Who?"

Aarohi hesitated. "It could be Vikram Sharma—my senior officer. He knew I was going to Velvet Noir last night."

Ishaan scoffed. "That’s not enough proof."

She turned to him. "Then there’s Saanvi Dixit, my journalist friend. She was the one who warned me at the last second. What if she knew beforehand and only told me when it was too late?"

Rudra studied her, eyes sharp. "Anyone else?"

Aarohi exhaled. "There’s Kabir Thakur. He’s your biggest rival. He has contacts everywhere. If someone set me up, it could’ve been him pulling the strings."

Rudra’s jaw tightened at the mention of Kabir. A flicker of something dark crossed his features—hatred.

"Thakur wouldn’t betray you like that," Ishaan said suddenly. "If he wanted you dead, detective, you wouldn’t have woken up."

Aarohi swallowed. That was exactly what scared her.

She looked at Rudra. "Then tell me, Rathore, who do you think the real enemy is?"

He smirked. "That’s what we’re going to find out."

---

THE WARNING

Before Aarohi could respond, Rudra’s phone buzzed. He answered, his expression turning stone-cold within seconds.

"Where?" His voice was sharp. Deadly.

A tense silence stretched as he listened, then he ended the call and stood. "Change of plans."

Ishaan’s posture stiffened. "What happened?"

Rudra’s gaze flicked to Aarohi. "You’re coming with me."

Aarohi frowned. "Where?"

"To your house."

A chill ran down her spine. "Why?"

Rudra’s next words sent ice through her veins.

"Because someone broke in."

---

AAROH’S HOME – 30 MINUTES LATER

The police had already arrived by the time they reached her apartment. Aarohi rushed inside, heart hammering in her chest.

The sight that greeted her stole her breath.

Her once-organized living room was destroyed. Papers scattered. Furniture overturned. Someone had been looking for something.

"Whoever did this wasn’t just robbing you," Ishaan murmured. "They were searching for something specific."

Aarohi’s stomach twisted. Her case files.

She dashed to her study, yanking open drawers. Gone.

Every single document she had on Rudra, Kabir, and the Mumbai underworld had vanished.

She turned, panic rising. "They took my files!"

Rudra’s expression darkened. "Then it’s confirmed. Someone in your own circle doesn’t want you to find the truth."

Aarohi’s hands curled into fists. She was being silenced.

Then—her phone buzzed. A blocked number.

Her breath hitched as she answered. "Who is this?"

A voice, distorted and low, whispered through the speaker.

"You should’ve stayed out of this, Detective Mehta. Now, it’s too late."

The call ended.

Aarohi stared at the screen, cold fear slithering down her spine.

Rudra stepped closer, his presence a storm on the horizon. "Welcome to the real game, Aarohi."

Her heart pounded.

She wasn’t the hunter anymore.

She was the hunted.

---

TO BE CONTINUED…

---

***Download NovelToon to enjoy a better reading experience!***