CHAPTER 1: A DEADLY WEDDING
Location: Udaipur
Time: Midnight
The night felt wrong.
Not quiet.
Not peaceful.
Wrong.
Dark storm clouds covered the sky above Udaipur like an enormous shadow swallowing the city whole. Heavy rain crashed against rooftops without mercy. Lightning ripped through the darkness every few seconds, turning the night white before throwing it back into darkness again.
Thunder rolled through the sky, deep and violent, as if nature itself was warning someone.
The cold wind moved wildly through empty roads, carrying fallen leaves and dust into the air. Tall trees bent beneath its force, their branches scraping against walls and windows with an unsettling sound.
The city slept.
But one place remained awake.
A royal haveli stood proudly at the edge of the city.
Old. Powerful. Beautiful.
And dangerous.
White marble walls glowed beneath golden lights. Massive crystal chandeliers illuminated every corner like stars trapped inside glass. Imported red and white roses decorated the grand staircases and royal corridors. Hundreds of candles burned softly, their flames trembling whenever the storm outside grew stronger.
Rainwater slid slowly down the enormous glass windows.
Tap. Tap. Tap.
The sound mixed with distant violin music floating through the haveli.
Beautiful.
Yet strangely haunting.
Servants moved quickly through the long hallways carrying drinks and decorations. Luxury cars stood outside in perfect rows while security guards watched every corner carefully.
Because tonight...
This was not just a wedding.
This was the wedding.
The wedding of Avyukt Agnihotri.
The most feared heir of the Agnihotri Empire.
A man powerful enough to make businessmen nervous.
A man dangerous enough to make enemies disappear.
That was why tonight's guest list carried names that controlled power.
Billionaires.
Politicians.
Foreign investors.
Influential families.
And people who hid their real faces behind elegant masks.
Because tonight was no ordinary celebration.
Tonight...
was a Mask Wedding.
Black masks.
Silver masks.
Golden masks.
Smiles hidden.
Secrets protected.
Lies protected even more carefully.
No one truly knew who stood beside them.
And perhaps...
that was the biggest mistake.
Lightning flashed outside again.
For one second, the giant haveli looked less like a wedding venue and more like a palace waiting for something terrible to happen.
Because before this night ended, someone's life would change forever.
Someone would lose everything.
And someone...
would not survive.
---
TOP FLOOR β EAST WING
A cold breeze entered through the slightly open balcony doors.
Standing near the balcony was Zevian Agnihotri.
White shirt. Black waistcoat. Sleeves folded carelessly near his elbows.
His sharp brown eyes moved across the crowd below.
Normally, Zevian was the kind of person who never took life seriously.
Funny.
Careless.
Annoying.
The man who could crack a joke in the middle of a family argument and somehow make things worse.
But tonight, there was no smile on his face.
His eyes moved slowly through the massive hall.
Guest after guest.
Face after face.
Searching.
Observing.
Calculating.
As if he expected something bad to happen.
Or someone dangerous to appear.
Thunder exploded outside.
A deep voice came from behind him.
"Zevian."
Without turning around, Zevian smirked.
"Look who finally arrived."
He slowly turned.
"The great mature CEO himself."
Walking toward him was Rivaan Agnihotri.
Black three-piece suit. Perfect posture. Calm expression.
The eldest Agnihotri brother.
The kind of man people respected before he even said a word.
He stopped beside Zevian.
"What are you looking at?"
Zevian looked back toward the hall.
"Extra guests."
Rivaan's expression immediately changed.
"Extra?"
"There are more people here than the invitation list allows."
Rivaan looked downstairs.
"You sure?"
Zevian gave him a serious look.
"Very."
Rivaan studied the crowd.
"How many?"
"Enough to make me uncomfortable."
Rivaan glanced at him.
"You? Uncomfortable?"
Zevian gave a dry laugh.
"Main mazaak karta hoon iska matlab yeh nahi ki mujhe kuch dikhta nahi."
[Just because I joke around doesn't mean I don't notice things.]
Rivaan's expression remained serious.
Zevian's eyes returned to the hall.
"Bhai..." he said quietly. "Something feels wrong tonight."
Rivaan looked at him for a long moment.
Then his voice dropped.
"Trust no one tonight."
Zevian frowned.
"Even family?"
Rivaan didn't answer.
Instead, he looked toward the crowded hall.
"You know who has come here."
Businessmen.
Politicians.
Foreign investors.
People with power.
People with secrets.
People capable of destroying lives.
Rivaan finally looked back at his brother.
"Bas aankhein khuli rakhna."
[Just keep your eyes open.]
Zevian nodded slowly.
The brothers exchanged a silent look.
No explanation was needed.
No questions were asked.
Then soft anklet sounds echoed behind them.
They turned.
And there she stood.
Anaira Agnihotri.
Green saree decorated with diamond embroidery. Elegant. Graceful. Calm.
Rivaan's wife.
And probably the only person in the family who could argue with both brothers without being intimidated.
She crossed her arms.
"You two are seriously standing here?"
Zevian blinked.
"Kya hua?"
[What happened?]
Anaira raised an eyebrow.
"Avyukt bhai ki shaadi hai. Aur tum dono aise khade ho jaise kisi aur ki shaadi mein aaye ho."
[It's Avyukt's wedding, and you two are standing here like you've come to someone else's wedding.]
Zevian placed a hand dramatically over his chest.
"Main toh emotional support de raha hoon."
[I'm just providing emotional support.]
Anaira stared at him.
"No. You are emotional damage."
For the first time that night, Rivaan almost smiled.
Zevian looked offended.
"Bhabhi, dil tod diya aapne."
[Bhabhi, you've broken my heart.]
"Good."
"At least a little sympathy?"
"Not even a little."
Anaira shook her head.
"Come downstairs. And Zevian..."
She pointed at him.
"Please don't fight anyone."
Zevian looked genuinely offended.
"Main? Fight? Bhabhi, main bahut peaceful insaan hoon."
[Me? Fight? Bhabhi, I'm a very peaceful person.]
Rivaan immediately replied,
"Yesterday you hit someone with a flower vase."
Zevian paused.
"Self-defense."
"He didn't even touch you."
"Bad intentions."
Anaira burst out laughing.
Rivaan shook his head.
"You're unbelievable."
Zevian smiled proudly.
"Thank you."
For a moment, the tension disappeared.
Only for a moment.
Because storms always return.
The three of them walked toward the grand staircase.
---
THE ROYAL HALL
Downstairs, the royal hall glowed beneath golden chandeliers.
Crystal lights sparkled above hundreds of masked guests. Luxury perfumes mixed with fresh flowers. Live orchestra music floated through the hall.
Expensive laughter.
Hidden secrets.
Beautiful lies.
And among all that luxury, one man stood near the dessert table.
Completely unbothered.
Reyvik Malhotra.
Messy hair. White shirt. Black blazer.
One hand inside his pocket.
The other holding a pastry.
Everyone around him looked powerful, dangerous and influential.
Meanwhile, Reyvik looked emotionally attached to dessert.
A waiter passed nearby.
"Excuse me, sir."
Reyvik lifted his hand.
"Ek minute."
[One minute.]
The waiter stopped.
"Yes, sir?"
Reyvik pointed toward the dessert table.
"Woh chocolate pastry."
[That chocolate pastry.]
The waiter handed him a plate.
Reyvik took one bite.
He closed his eyes.
Silence.
Pure emotion.
"Oh my God..."
A nearby guest looked at him strangely.
Reyvik opened one eye.
"Kya?"
[What?]
The man immediately looked away.
Reyvik smiled.
"Logon ko love at first sight samajh aata hai... mujhe love at first bite ho gaya."
[People understand love at first sight... I found love at first bite.]
The man quietly walked away.
Reyvik chuckled.
But behind that careless smile, his eyes moved carefully around the hall.
He wasn't here for dessert.
He was waiting.
For someone.
Or something.
---
WEST HALL ENTRANCE
Near the grand entrance of the West Hall, the heavy royal doors slowly opened.
A cold gust of wind entered along with a man whose presence alone seemed capable of changing the atmosphere of the room.
Aviransh Rathore.
Dressed in a perfectly fitted black suit, he walked inside with calm, commanding steps.
His sharp jawline looked even more intimidating beneath the dim golden lighting.
Cold eyes silently observed the surroundings.
Powerful.
Controlled.
Dangerous.
Some guests automatically moved aside.
No one said anything.
They simply did.
Because some people demanded attention.
Others demanded fear.
Aviransh carried both.
His eyes slowly scanned the enormous hall filled with masked faces and expensive smiles.
Then suddenly...
His gaze stopped.
Near one side of the hall stood a girl.
Simple.
Elegant.
Impossible to ignore.
A black eye mask covered part of her face. A light maroon saree draped gracefully around her. Minimal makeup. No effort to attract attention.
Yet somehow...
she stole it effortlessly.
For a brief second, Aviransh forgot the noise.
Forgot the storm.
Forgot everything.
Thenβ
"Bhaaaai!"
Reality returned.
A playful voice interrupted the moment.
Tvesha Rathore appeared beside him almost dramatically.
Black western dress. Bright eyes. Dangerous levels of energy.
The type of person capable of creating chaos anywhere.
She immediately grabbed his arm.
"Where are you lost?"
"Nowhere."
Tvesha narrowed her eyes.
Then slowly followed the direction of his gaze.
A smile immediately appeared on her face.
"Oh."
Aviransh sighed.
"No."
"Oh yes."
"Tvesha."
She leaned closer.
"Ek ladki."
[A girl.]
"Shut up."
"Pretty ladki."
[Pretty girl.]
"Tvesha."
"Bhai..." She grinned. "Tum blush kar rahe ho?"
[Brother... are you blushing?]
Aviransh looked at her silently.
A dangerous look.
A warning.
A challenge.
Tvesha's smile widened.
"Oh my God."
Aviransh shook his head.
"Bas."
[Enough.]
"Okay, okay."
She raised both hands innocently.
"Main kuch nahi bolungi."
[I won't say anything.]
Aviransh looked unconvinced.
Then he said firmly,
"This isn't home. You are not leaving my side tonight."
Tvesha rolled her eyes.
"Overprotective much?"
"Completely."
"And food?"
"Safety first."
She thought for a second.
"Safety ke baad food?"
[Food after safety?]
Aviransh closed his eyes for one second.
"You are impossible."
Tvesha smiled.
"Thank you."
Thunder exploded outside.
The siblings slowly moved deeper into the hall.
Neither of them noticed that far above...
another storm had already begun.
---
SECOND FLOOR β BRIDAL ROOM
The bridal room looked beautiful enough to belong in a dream.
Soft candlelight flickered against elegant walls. Red roses decorated every corner. Heavy curtains moved gently because of the wind entering through a slightly open window.
Luxury perfume filled the room softly.
Standing in front of the mirror was Eshvika.
Dressed in a breathtaking red bridal lehenga, she looked exactly like a bride should.
Beautiful.
Perfect.
Yet her eyes carried something else.
Uneasiness.
Fear.
Something felt wrong.
Thunder shook the sky violently.
Eshvika slowly moved closer to the mirror.
Lost in her thoughts.
Lost in silence.
Then suddenly, her hand accidentally touched something hidden beside the frame.
Click.
Her eyes widened.
Slowly, the giant mirror moved sideways.
A secret compartment appeared behind it.
Eshvika froze.
Inside were files.
Black files.
Dozens of them.
Her confusion slowly turned into concern.
Then one name caught her attention.
LOTUS PROJECT.
Her heartbeat immediately increased.
She opened the file.
Page after page.
Orphan children.
Illegal experiments.
Human trafficking.
Blood reports.
Deaths.
Darkness hidden behind official documents.
Her fingers began trembling.
"No..."
She turned another page.
"No... yeh nahi ho sakta."
[No... this can't be happening.]
Her eyes moved rapidly across the papers.
Then she noticed something else.
A pendrive.
She picked it up.
Her hands were shaking now.
She inserted it into her laptop.
The screen turned on.
A video began playing.
And within seconds...
her world shattered.
Shock.
Pain.
Disbelief.
Tears slowly filled her eyes.
"Avi..."
Her voice broke.
She stared at the screen.
The person she trusted.
The person she was about to marry.
The person she thought she knew.
Something inside her changed.
The tears remained.
But the softness disappeared.
Her expression slowly hardened.
"Agar yeh sach hai..."
[If this is true...]
She wiped her tears.
"...toh main tumhe kabhi maaf nahi karungi."
[...then I'll never forgive you.]
Revenge had replaced everything else.
---
THE MANDAP
The storm outside had become merciless.
Rain lashed against the enormous glass walls of the haveli while thunder rolled endlessly through the night.
Downstairs, the wedding ceremony had already begun.
The grand mandap stood beneath magnificent crystal chandeliers. Sacred fire flickered softly at the center while flowers covered every corner with royal elegance.
Priests recited holy mantras.
Guests watched with admiration.
To them, this was history.
One of the grandest weddings Udaipur would ever witness.
Standing near the sacred fire was Avyukt Agnihotri.
Dressed in a royal red and gold sherwani, he carried himself with quiet authority.
His half-mask hid part of his face, but nothing could hide the powerful aura surrounding him.
Yet tonight, his attention was nowhere else.
His eyes remained fixed toward the staircase.
Waiting.
For her.
Thunder shook the haveli again.
And then...
she appeared.
Eshvika.
The entire hall seemed to freeze.
Conversations stopped.
Music faded.
Every eye turned toward her.
Her red bridal lehenga flowed gracefully as she descended the grand staircase.
She looked breathtaking.
Perfect.
Beautiful.
Like every bride was expected to look.
But something felt wrong.
Terribly wrong.
Her eyes no longer carried warmth.
No nervous happiness.
No bridal softness.
Only something cold.
Something broken.
Something dangerous.
Avyukt immediately noticed.
"Eshvika..."
She kept walking.
Slow.
Steady.
Unstoppable.
Thunder exploded outside.
She finally stopped before him.
For a few seconds, neither spoke.
The enormous hall stood silent.
Eshvika slowly looked up.
Her eyes glistened with tears.
Not with happiness.
With pain.
"Avi..."
Something inside Avyukt shifted.
The voice sounded wrong.
Too empty.
Too distant.
"Kya hua? Tum theek ho?" he asked quietly.
[What happened? Are you okay?]
She stared at him.
"I loved you."
Avyukt frowned.
"Eshvika, what's wrong?"
She swallowed hard.
"But tumne mujhse jhoot bola."
[But you lied to me.]
His expression changed instantly.
"Main? Eshvika, tum kya keh rahi ho?"
[Me? Eshvika, what are you talking about?]
Her lips trembled.
"I hate you."
The words shattered the silence.
Avyukt stared at her.
"Eshvika..."
"I hate you."
This time her voice was louder.
"Tumne mujhe dhokha diya."
[You betrayed me.]
Avyukt took a step toward her.
"Listen to me. Jo bhi tumne dekha hai, wohβ"
[Listen to me. Whatever you saw, thatβ]
She immediately stepped back.
"Bas."
[Enough.]
The word stopped him.
Her tears finally slipped down her cheeks.
"I trusted you."
Avyukt's voice softened.
"Eshvika, meri baat suno. Please."
[Eshvika, listen to me. Please.]
She shook her head.
"Ab kuch sunna nahi hai mujhe."
[I don't want to hear anything anymore.]
A priest nervously stepped forward, holding the wedding garland.
For a second, it looked like things might return to normal.
Like maybe this storm would pass.
Then Eshvika grabbed the garland.
And threw it away.
Hard.
The flowers crashed onto the marble floor.
Silence.
Pure silence.
Anaira stood frozen.
Rivaan stared without moving.
Even Zevian had no words.
Tvesha looked completely confused.
Reyvik forgot about the pastry still in his hand.
Aviransh watched everything carefully.
Observing.
Calculating.
Something wasn't right.
Something much bigger was happening.
Avyukt stood motionless.
"Eshvika..."
She didn't look at him.
Instead, she turned toward the crowd.
Her voice echoed through the massive hall.
"Yeh shaadi nahi hogi."
[This wedding will not happen.]
Gasps filled the room.
Whispers spread through the crowd.
"What?"
"Did she justβ?"
"What's happening?"
Avyukt's face hardened.
"Eshvika, stop this."
She finally looked at him.
"No."
Her voice was calm now.
Almost frighteningly calm.
"Main tumse shaadi nahi karungi."
[I will not marry you.]
Avyukt stepped closer.
"At least tell me what happened."
Eshvika stared into his eyes.
"Tumhe sach mein nahi pata?"
[You really don't know?]
Avyukt remained silent.
Her expression hardened.
"Toh phir... aaj sabke saamne pata chalega."
[Then... you'll find out in front of everyone today.]
Lightning tore through the sky.
The entire hall fell silent.
Eshvika took a breath.
Then looked directly at Avyukt.
"Tumne meri zindagi barbaad ki hai, Avi."
[You have ruined my life, Avi.]
Avyukt's expression changed.
"Eshvikaβ"
"Ab meri baari hai."
[Now it's my turn.]
Thunder exploded so loudly that even the chandeliers trembled.
And somewhere within the crowd...
someone smiled.
Because this was exactly what they had been waiting for.
TO BE CONTINUED...
---
NEXT CHAPTER COMING SOON
What do you think is actually hidden inside the Lotus Project?
Is Avyukt really behind it...
or is someone else playing a much bigger game?
And who is the mysterious girl Aviransh noticed?
Drop your theories in the comments! π
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Because of that, chapters here might be updated a little slowly, but I'll still try my best to post as quickly as I can.
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