"Clean that nameplate properly! If there is even one spot left on the brass, the elder Master will take our heads before the guests even arrive."

The senior manager's sharp voice echoed across the sprawling courtyard of the Rathore Mansion.

Every servant, gardener, and attendant moved quickly, polishing the marble staircases and arranging the expansive lawns.

Fixed onto the massive stone pillar at the entrance was a heavy golden nameplate:

RATHORE PARIVAAR

It was barely 7:00 a.m., far too early for a normal corporate household to be this active.

But today was different.

The Rathore family was preparing for the formal arrival of the Malhotra family to finalize the wedding dates for their son, Suyash.

Inside the private prayer room, Mrs. Shwetha Rathore stood before a towering white marble idol of Shiva and Parvati, her hands folded as the fragrance of sandalwood filled the room.

The family's wealth was visible everywhere—from the intricate gold work on the pillars to the silent grandeur of the estate.

As the prayers ended, Shwetha turned toward her eldest daughter-in-law, Arohi, who was arranging the silver platters.

"Arohi, is breakfast ready? Your father-in-law and the boys are already coming down."

"Yes, Maa. Everything is ready," Arohi replied with a warm smile. "The staff has prepared fresh parathas. I'll have them served immediately."

In the massive mahogany dining hall, Pratik Rathore sat at the head of the table, with his two older sons, Shourya and Suyash, seated beside him.

The atmosphere was a mixture of family warmth and business discussions as they talked about the evening's arrangements.

"Where is Shivansh?" Pratik asked, glancing toward the empty chair at the far end of the table.

Before Shwetha could answer, Preetha, the youngest sister, entered the hall with her two children, Piyu and Naksh.

"Where else would he be, Papa? It's past seven. Raat ko bara baje tak his computer monitors are shining like a cartoon show, and then he stays locked inside his cave."

Suyash laughed loudly.

Preetha rolled her eyes.

"Look who is talking! You are the one who spends half the night scrolling through designer catalogues till 2:00 a.m."

"Leave him be, Preetha," Shourya interrupted calmly. "He handles our entire structural defence."

"Still, he could show up for family breakfast on a day like today," Preetha grumbled.

"He is in the gym," Shourya replied. "He has been there since five."

⸻

Basement Gym

Far away from the noise of the mansion, the basement gym was completely silent.

Twenty-nine-year-old Shivansh Singh Rathore was finishing his final set of explosive push-ups.

His powerful back flexed with every controlled movement, his entire focus fixed on the exercise.

To his family, Shivansh was simply the quiet, introverted youngest son who handled the Smart Automation and Cybersecurity division of their massive real-estate empire, SSR Group.

But that was only the public version of him.

Behind the corporate walls, Shivansh designed advanced security systems, biometric networks, private server architectures, and encrypted communication systems for the family's high-value properties.

His elite technical team had been built from people he had personally selected since his college years.

And because of the nature of his work, Shivansh had deliberately kept his face away from the internet. No public photographs. No social-media presence. No unnecessary digital footprint.

There were things about Shivansh Rathore that even his own family didn't completely understand.

He finally finished his workout and stood upright.

Grabbing a towel, he wiped the sweat from his face before heading upstairs.

Within an hour, he had showered and changed into a crisp white shirt beneath a sharp black three-piece suit. A black military-style watch rested against his wrist, while his neatly combed-back hair completed his usual controlled appearance.

When Shivansh entered the dining room, the casual conversation immediately quietened.

Not because anyone was afraid of him.

They simply knew Shivansh.

He was mature, stubborn, intensely private—and had almost no patience for unnecessary drama.

He took his usual seat at the far end of the table.

A staff member immediately placed his black coffee in front of him.

"Beta, kya aaj aap office jaoge?" Shwetha asked, breaking the silence.

Shivansh took a slow sip before answering.

"Ji Maa. Ek important meeting hai. Lunch se pehle khatam ho jayegi. Phir ghar aa jaunga."

Shwetha nodded with satisfaction.

At least he would be home for the family gathering.

After breakfast, everyone dispersed for their respective work.

⸻

SSR Group — Cyber Security Command Center

Two hours later, Shivansh walked through the high-security doors of the SSR Cyber Security Command Center.

The entire floor was restricted to authorized personnel and protected by multiple layers of biometric security.

Unlike the busy corporate departments below, Shivansh's floor felt more like a technological fortress.

Dark glass walls.

Silent air-conditioning.

Wall-to-wall monitors displaying encrypted data streams.

The moment he entered, the specialized tech workers straightened respectfully.

Shivansh barely acknowledged them as he walked toward his private glass office.

Inside, Rahul, his corporate manager, and Vikram, his field analyst, were already waiting.

"Good morning, Boss," Rahul said, handing him a tablet. "The company networks are completely secure."

Shivansh glanced through the report before placing it on the desk.

Then his attention shifted toward Vikram.

Something was wrong.

"Vikram."

His voice was quiet.

Dangerously quiet.

"What happened?"

Rahul immediately understood.

"Sir."

He stepped outside and closed the heavy glass door behind him.

Vikram lowered his voice.

"Boss, our private satellite has picked up an encrypted communication in the mountains."

Shivansh's expression remained unchanged.

"And?"

"We found the location."

Vikram brought up a map on the large screen.

A red marker appeared deep inside the Garhwal hills of Uttarakhand.

"Our intelligence confirms that a trafficking syndicate is holding kidnapped girls inside a hidden warehouse."

For the first time, something shifted in Shivansh's eyes.

Not fear.

Not anger.

Something colder.

"How many?"

"Twenty-five confirmed at this location."

Shivansh leaned back in his chair, studying the map.

"How long have we been tracking them?"

"Long enough to know that they're preparing to move the girls soon."

A slow, controlled smile appeared on Shivansh's face.

"Tell Rahul to keep the private aircraft ready."

Vikram nodded.

"Tonight?"

"Tonight."

Shivansh's fingers tapped once against the armrest.

"Gather our best field team. No unnecessary personnel."

"Yes, Boss."

Vikram turned to leave.

"And Vikram?"

He stopped.

Shivansh's gaze remained fixed on the red marker.

"Not one girl gets left behind."

Vikram gave a sharp nod.

"Understood."

The door closed.

Shivansh remained alone inside the glass office, staring at the map.

To everyone outside, he was still the youngest Rathore son.

A businessman.

A cybersecurity specialist.

A quiet man who preferred machines to people.

But somewhere beneath that polished exterior was another side of Shivansh Rathore.

A side almost nobody knew existed.

And tonight, that side was going back into the field.

⸻

By the time his corporate meeting ended, the sun was already beginning to disappear behind the city skyline.

Shivansh returned home, unwilling to disappoint his mother after seeing how happy she had been that morning.

The Rathore Mansion was already prepared for the Malhotra family's arrival.

He stepped out of his car and handed the keys to his driver before personally checking the arrangements one final time.

Everything was ready.

Soon, the Malhotra family arrived.

Lunch was served in the garden, where both families gathered together.

Suyash and Lavanya kept stealing shy glances at each other whenever they thought nobody was watching.

Shivansh noticed.

He simply shook his head with a faint smile.

His usually serious older brother had apparently forgotten how to behave normally around his fiancée.

After lunch, everyone moved into the living room to finalize the wedding date with the family Panditji.

Both families handed their kundalis to the priest.

The elderly Panditji adjusted his glasses and carefully studied the charts.

The room gradually fell silent.

After several minutes, he finally looked up.

"There are two suitable dates for the marriage. The first is July 21st, and the second is November 5th. Which one would be convenient for everyone?"

"Of course the first one!"

Suyash answered instantly.

The entire room burst into laughter.

Lavanya's cheeks turned bright red.

"Suyash!" she scolded softly.

He immediately lowered his gaze.

"Sorry."

Preetha grinned.

"If we wait till November, Bhai will probably run away with his bride before the wedding."

Her teasing earned her an immediate playful smack from Shwetha.

"Enough!"

Everyone laughed again.

Shivansh watched the scene quietly.

For once, the mansion felt completely peaceful.

Then his encrypted phone vibrated inside his pocket.

His expression changed instantly.

A red security notification flashed across the screen.

Shivansh quietly excused himself and stepped into the corridor.

As soon as he disappeared from sight, Shwetha glanced toward the doorway.

She hesitated.

Then, quietly, she pulled something from inside her outfit.

Shivansh's private kundali.

She placed it into Panditji's hands.

"Panditji," she whispered anxiously. "Please look at this."

The priest frowned.

"This is Shivansh's chart?"

Shwetha nodded.

"He stays so quiet and alone. I want to know what is written in his future."

Panditji adjusted his glasses and began studying the chart.

At first, his expression was neutral.

Then his brows slowly drew together.

He studied the planetary positions again.

And again.

The faint smile disappeared completely from his face.

His fingers tightened around the paper.

"Panditji?"

Shwetha's voice became worried.

The old priest slowly raised his eyes.

There was something deeply unsettled in them.

"His life..."

He paused.

His voice dropped almost to a whisper.

"Iski zindagi bahut jaldi badalne wali hai."

Shwetha stared at him.

"What do you mean?"

Panditji looked back at the kundali.

"A massive storm is approaching him, Shwetha Ji."

His trembling fingers folded the chart carefully.

"Something is coming that will change the course of his life completely."

He looked toward the corridor where Shivansh had disappeared.

"And once it begins..."

His expression darkened.

"No one will be able to stop it."

⸻

What is destiny bringing toward Shivansh?

And why does Panditji look so frightened?

Stay tuned to find out.

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