Chapter Two Hundred and Seventy Three.

Chapter Two Hundred and Seventy Three.
Her words cut through the air, sharp, but she never finished.

"Is she nut? Fight over me? Exciting??" Meera speculate..

Meera’s fury surged, burning through the fear and dizziness. Without thinking, she slapped Suhana hard across the face.

“I’m not like you!” Meera thought bitterly as Suhana recoiled.

Suhana’s face twisted, the sting of the slap fueling her rage.

Her eyes burned as she stared at Meera, who now held herself taller, shoulders squared, anger radiating from every movement.

Meera’s earlier dizziness had vanished, replaced by a steely determination. “Don’t you dare say foul words about me..” she said, voice unwavering. “That’s what you do. I never asked those men to come after me. Unlike you, I know what dignity and worth mean. I was raised with morals, trained to value myself. Practice that sometime, maybe then, you won’t have to rely on men chasing you to feel important.”

Suhana’s lips parted in disbelief. “Sharp tongue… and confidence too? Staying close to Arjun must’ve really… helped you, huh?” she spat, her voice heavy with mockery.

Meera didn’t flinch. Her glare pierced Suhana’s, unwavering, a silent storm.

Suhana’s eyes narrowed. “Besides… look who’s talking about morals. Didn’t you know? Arjun and I—we were getting married.”

Meera’s head tilted slightly, her eyes steady. “The last time I checked, he was a single man when i accepted him.” she replied calmly, each word measured but dripping with quiet fire.

Suhana’s fury ignited. “Arjun loved me! And then you came, bewitched him! Took everything from me! He ended the engagement because of you… ruined my family… all because of you!” Her voice cracked with anger, every syllable shaking with hate.

Meera inhaled sharply. “I’ve known Arjun long enough to say this: he wouldn’t harm you just to ruin you, unless you planned to ruin him first. Or unless you already have.”

Suhana’s teeth clenched so hard her jaw ached. Her hands curled into fists, and her dark eyes glimmered with the promise of retaliation.

Meera had found her courage and Suhana, for the first time, realized she might not have the upper hand she had counted on.

Just then, Suhana lunged toward Meera with a snarl.

Meera’s eyes widened in shock, her body reacting faster than her mind.

She tried to move out of the way, but the heavy layers of her attire betrayed her, her feet slipped, and she tumbled to the floor.

Suhana groaned, furious, and bent down, grabbing Meera by the hair.

Pain shot through Meera’s scalp, and a hiss escaped her lips.

Summoning every ounce of strength left in her, Meera swung her elbow upward, hitting Suhana square in the stomach.

Suhana gasped, stumbling backward to one knee, momentarily stunned.

Meera scrambled to her feet, chest heaving, heart pounding with adrenaline.

Suhana’s eyes blazed with rage. She snatched a decorative vase from a nearby table and hurled it at Meera.

The vase shattered against the wall with a deafening crash, shards scattering across the floor.

“You bitch!” Suhana shrieked, racing to a massive table at the side of the room.

Her hands rattled as she yanked open the drawer, revealing a gun. With deadly intent, she pointed it at Meera.

Meera froze, eyes wide, heart hammering against her ribcage.

Suhana squeezed the trigger, Meera barely rolled to the side in time, the bullet grazing past her shoulder. Panic surged through her, and she screamed bolting toward the door.

But Suhana was relentless. Her eyes burned with a terrifying, unhinged fury.

She lunged after Meera and slammed her with brutal force against the back of her head.

Pain exploded through Meera’s skull; she staggered, breath ragged, knees trembling.

“I hate you so much..” Suhana hissed, her voice low, venomous.

She dropped the gun and snatched up ropes and duct tape.

Meera struggled, gasping, as Suhana bound her hands behind her back and secured her mouth with the tape.

Hands tied, mouth gagged, Meera tried to free herself, but her strength was sapped and she was so weak now.

Suhana snatched the gun again, a triumphant, wicked grin curling her lips.

"Now to get you out of here and kill–"

Then the door swung open. Suhana froze.

Her smirk widened, first at the sight of Shaurya stepping in, then even more when her gaze landed on Arjun.

●●●

Back to present...

“Let her go, Suhana. You want to take revenge? Take it on me. Leave Meera alone.” Arjun’s voice was steady, but the rage beneath it was palpable.

His eyes never left hers, piercing through the madness in her expression.

Suhana tilted her head, bored, almost amused.

“This…” Shaurya started, his voice tense, “this isn’t what we agreed on.”

Suhana laughed, loud and sharp.

“You whipped fool..” she said, eyes glinting with cruel satisfaction. “Of course this isn’t the deal. I knew it would be far too easy to get you hooked on Meera, that’s why I set everything up.”

Shaurya blinked, confusion clouding his sharp features.

“What… what?” he stammered.

“Oh, come on. The day at the restaurant, you met Meera?” Suhana smirked, her voice dripping with triumph. “Yeah. I planned it all. The drink, the stain, someone ‘helping’ you to the restroom… all my doing. I studied you, you know. You hate women who are gold diggers, who are cheap. Meera? She was perfect. She drew men in like a magnet, and you… you weren’t any different.”

Meera’s eyes went wide. Her heart pounded in her chest.

'It was her all along? This girl… she’s insane…'

“You’re nuts, Suhana!” Arjun snapped, fury rolling off him in waves, but she just shrugged, calm and unbothered.

“You ruined my family..” she said, voice soft but poisonous. “So I get to ruin you. I’m just… killing two birds with one stone. But in my case…” Her grin widened, maniacal. “Three.”

Arjun’s jaw clenched. “Wait… you’re also behind Ranveer and Mahira?” he demanded..

Suhana’s grin only grew. “Took you long enough to figure that out..” she said, eyes glinting with wicked pride.

“You snake!” Shaurya lunged forward, teeth bared, but Suhana’s gun rose in one fluid motion, trained on Meera.

“One step.” she hissed, deadly and precise, “and I will pull the trigger.”

They froze. Even Shaurya’s bravado faltered under the sharp, unflinching gaze of the weapon.

Meera swallowed hard, heart hammering in her chest. Fear and adrenaline churned inside her, but she refused to look away.

The room was charged, every breath heavy with tension. Meera shifted slightly, eyes darting between Arjun, and Shaurya.

She need to do something, if they can't move closer then, she have to be the one to hit Suhana.