Chapter 12

4 months ago

Anushkaa

@nushhkiee

Chapter 12 -

The night was thick with tension, the kind that lingered in the air and settled in your chest like a weight you couldn’t shake off. Geet had just finished speaking with her father, reassuring him that they would find a way out of this mess together. Despite her resolve, a storm brewed within her. She had convinced herself that she was done with Maan. She had walked away from him once and had sworn she wouldn’t return to that dark, twisted place where he held all the power. But now, as the time came to face him again, everything seemed more complicated than she had imagined.

Maan’s call earlier that day had left her with no choice. He had made it clear...either she returned to him, or he would make sure her father’s debt was never paid. He was no longer the man who had promised to clear her family’s name with a single night; now, he was a puppet master, pulling all the strings and expecting Geet to dance to his tune. But this time, she would not comply.

---

Next day it was late afternoon when Geet finally found herself at the imposing gates of Maan’s mansion again. The world outside seemed to hold its breath as she walked toward the door. She could feel her heart racing in her chest, each step heavier than the last. The mansion loomed above her like a fortress, its cold, glass windows staring down at her as though judging her every move.

She knew this was where everything had started. Where Maan had offered her the choice...the twisted, impossible bargain that had trapped her in a web of desire, lies, and emotions she never wanted to feel. And now, standing on his doorstep, she was ready to put an end to it all.

Her hand hesitated before knocking on the door. The moment she made contact with the cold wood, she felt the weight of all that had transpired...the confusion, the pain, the desperation. The door swung open, and there he was.

Maan.

The man who had once made her feel as though she was the most important thing in his world. The man who had broken her heart time and time again without even a second thought. His eyes were dark and unreadable, his usual coldness now tempered with a tinge of something else...a flicker of impatience.

“Geet...” he said, his voice low, almost emotionless. But beneath it, she could hear the edge of frustration that she had never heard before. “I knew you’d come.”

Geet’s stomach churned as she stepped inside. The same marble floors, the grand furniture, the cold elegance...it all felt like a distant memory. She had lived here once, under the illusion that this was where she belonged. But now, all she could see was a prison.

“I’m not here to stay” she said, the words slipping out more bitterly than she intended. “I came because you forced me to. But not for what you think.”

Maan studied her with his sharp gaze, those calculating eyes sweeping over her as if he were trying to read her, to find the cracks in her resolve. His lips curved into a slight smirk, though it didn’t reach his eyes. “You’ve come this far, Geet. You think you can just walk away after everything?”

Her throat tightened, but she refused to back down. “I’m not going to offer myself to you again, Maan” she said, her voice firm. “Not for you, not for anyone. You’ve had your chance, and I’ve had enough.”

Maan’s face darkened, the flicker of irritation growing more obvious. He took a step toward her, his presence overwhelming, the air between them charged with an intensity that seemed to crackle. “You think you have a choice, Geet?” His voice dropped to a dangerous whisper. “You think you can walk away from me after everything I’ve done for you? Your father’s debt...do you really believe I’ll let you off the hook that easily?”

Geet lifted her chin, her eyes unwavering. “You’ve made it clear what you think of me. You’ve made it clear what I mean to you. And I won’t be your pawn anymore.”

Maan’s gaze hardened. For a moment, she saw a flicker of something in his eyes...something that was almost... regret? But just as quickly, it was gone, replaced by the familiar mask of indifference. He turned away, running a hand through his hair as though trying to shake off the emotions that had threatened to surface.

“You’re making a mistake” he said, his voice thick with an emotion she couldn’t quite place. “You think this is about love, Geet? It’s not. This is about power. And I will make you see that sooner or later.”

Her heart clenched, but she stood her ground. “I don’t need your power, Maan. I don’t need you. What I need is to rebuild my life. I don’t need your control, your games, your manipulation.”

He didn’t say anything for a long moment. Instead, he turned back toward her, his expression unreadable. Geet could see the flicker of something beneath the surface...something that might have been disappointment, or maybe even confusion.

For the first time since this whole mess had begun, she saw Maan...really saw him. The walls he had built around himself, the coldness, the emotional distance...it was all just a mask. A mask that he wore so well, no one could see the cracks forming beneath it.

“I thought you were different” he muttered, his voice barely audible.

Geet swallowed, her chest tightening. She didn’t know what to say to that. She had thought he was different too. But she had been wrong. She had fallen for the idea of him...the man who could do anything, fix anything. But now, she realized, he wasn’t a man who cared about fixing anything. He only cared about control. And Geet couldn’t be a part of that anymore.

“I don’t want you, Maan” she said quietly, her voice firm despite the chaos in her chest. “I can’t keep doing this. I can’t keep lying to myself, pretending this... this was ever real. I’m walking away, and I’m not coming back.”

For a moment, Maan stood still, silent, his jaw clenched, as though he was struggling with the weight of her rejection. His eyes flashed, anger simmering beneath the surface, but his voice was cold as he spoke.

“You’ll regret this, Geet. You’ll regret walking away from me.”

Geet turned to leave, her heart aching, but her resolve solid. She wouldn’t let him control her anymore. Not with his power, not with his money, and definitely not with his empty promises.

As she reached the door, she paused. She didn’t look back, but she could feel Maan’s gaze burning into her back. She knew this wasn’t over. But she was done. She had made her choice.

And this time, there was no turning back.

---

Maan’s Perspective

Maan stood there in the silence of the grand hallway, his hands clenched into fists at his sides. Her words echoed in his mind...“I’m not coming back.”

He had tried to keep his distance from her. He had tried to stay in control. But the more he pushed her away, the more he realized...he didn’t want her to go.

She was right. He wasn’t the man she needed. And maybe that was the hardest truth to face.

He had thought that with power, with control, he could bend her to his will. He had believed that one night, one night with her, would be enough to get her out of his system. But it wasn’t. Nothing was ever enough with Geet.

As she walked out the door, Maan knew one thing for certain... He had lost her. And for the first time in his life, he didn’t know what to do about it.

---

The night had fallen silent, but the weight of the day seemed to press harder as the hours stretched on. Geet stood in the small living room of their modest house, her fingers gripping the edges of the table as though they could anchor her to the ground. Her father sat across from her, his face pale, his hands trembling slightly as he sifted through the papers that had been delivered earlier...papers that marked the beginning of their worst nightmare.

The email from Maan Singh Khurana had left them no room for doubt. The terms of the deal were clear: one night in exchange for her father's freedom from the debt he owed. But it wasn’t the email’s content that kept her awake at night. It was the realization that, somehow, despite all her defiance, she might still be tied to Maan's world in ways she never imagined.

Her father spoke first, his voice raw with worry. “Geet, I’ve tried everything. You know that. I’ve asked for time, I’ve sold whatever I could… but this... this is different. Maan Singh Khurana is not a man who forgets his debts. He’s not someone you can just walk away from.”

Geet closed her eyes, biting down on the inside of her cheek to keep the tears at bay. She had been trying so hard to shield her father from the truth, to protect him from the burden of their reality. She couldn't tell him the truth...he will be shaken. Too much hurt.

“I don't know what to do, Papa...can't we file a case or something?” Geet whispered, almost desperately.

Her father looked at her, his face softening with the same helplessness she saw in his eyes every time the weight of their financial struggles became too much. “I know, Geet. But we don’t have a choice. We can’t afford to turn him away. Not now. I’ll find a way, even if I have to beg. I’ll do anything for our family”

Geet fought to keep her composure. The promise her father had made to her was something she cherished above all else, but she couldn’t bear to think of what he was willing to do to protect her.

“I’m looking for a job” she said, the words escaping her like a faint whisper. “I will. I’ll work hard. We’ll get through this. We don’t need him.”

Her father’s shoulders sagged as he nodded slowly. “If you think so. But Maan’s reach is wide, and I can’t risk him going after us. If I have to pay him back, I will. But I can’t let him hurt you or our family.”

Geet’s heart tightened. She knew her father would sacrifice anything for, but this was a line she refused to cross. She didn’t care about the consequences...Maan’s twisted terms wouldn’t claim her again.

But as the night wore on, and Geet finally lay in bed, the weight of their situation came crashing down on her. She hadn’t seen a way out, and neither had her father. They couldn’t afford to lose everything they had left, but even more, she couldn’t stand the thought of Maan’s power continuing to hover over their lives.

Meanwhile, across the city, in the cold, pristine office of Maan Singh Khurana, the wheels of a far more sinister plan were already in motion.