Chapter 32 Threads of Power
Rudra sat slumped, bound tightly to a chair with cable ties, unconscious. The air was thick damp concrete, silence humming with tension. Then came the sharp click of boots.
Maya stepped into the room, clad in a sleek black jacket and tight leather boots. Without hesitation, she threw a splash of cold water across his face. Rudra groaned, his eyelids fluttering open, disoriented.
His eyes darted around, trying to comprehend where he was-until they landed on her.
"Kuch yaad aaya?" Maya's voice sliced through the silence. It jolted him more than the water.
[Did you remember something?]
He blinked. Disbelief twisted his features.
"Maya?" was all he could say-staring at the familiar face of Iva's PA, now draped in darkness and danger.
"Yes. Maya. Iva's PA," she said, stepping closer, her voice low and sharp. "Kuch yaad aaya? Just like this you had Iva kidnapped, didn't you?"
She pulled a sleek black pistol from her jacket and pressed the barrel to his jaw. He winced, the cold metal biting into his skin.
"How dare you?" Rudra barked, rage returning with his senses.
"How dare you, Rudra?" Maya snapped, pressing the gun harder. "How dare you touch Iva?"
She yanked at the cable ties of his wrists and he screamed in pain.
"I didn't do anything to her, you bitch!" he snarled.
"You think we're idiots?" she hissed, then slapped him hard. The sound cracked through the basement.
"I swear I'll kill you-"
"Oh please." She rolled her eyes, dragged a chair opposite him, and sat down like she owned the room. "You think you can touch Maya?"
"Too much attitude for a PA," he sneered. "Just one word from me, and your existence will vanish. You have no idea who you're messing with."
"Oh, but I do," she said. "You kidnapped Iva. To use her? Intimidate her? Break her?"
His face twisted. "You don't know anything."
"Really?" Maya leaned in, her voice cool and controlled.
"Late night call. No security for Iva. No Maya.
And you, Rudra Agnivanshi, suddenly leaving her alone in the car?
Then, miraculously, a group appears, rips off her tracker and digital watch, and drags her away.
Perfect precision. Only you could orchestrate that near an Agnivanshi car. "
He stared at her, impressed and unnerved. "You're not just a dumb PA, I'll give you that," he smirked.
"And I thought you were just an idiot," she shot back.
"So what if I did get her kidnapped? Do you have proof?"
She leaned back, smug. "I could plant a few."
That wiped the smirk off his face.
His voice turned cold. "What do you want? Money?"
She chuckled darkly. "Money? Please. I have Iva... and the entire Ambani empire ready to pay me anything. If I asked."
He frowned. "Then what?"
"Why did you do it?" Maya asked bluntly.
"You know why," Rudra muttered. "She wouldn't give in. I wanted her. As my wife. I wanted to scare her just enough to control her."
"She's not yours to control."
"She wouldn't stay at the palace. I tried everything. But she's leaving. I love her, Maya." The lie came smooth, polished.
"Love her?" Maya raised an eyebrow. "For what? bed or business?"
Rudra didn't answer.
She stood, walked to her bag, pulled out a thick file, and dropped it beside his chair.
"I'm going to untie you, Rudra. But before you try anything, read this. Iva doesn't yet know you're behind her kidnapping or the chaos you've caused in business."
He looked confused, then angry.
"That little 'tech glitch' in the company? It wasn't just a bug. The Russian mafia was involved. You tried to double-cross them. They cost you millions. And the Ambanis bled with you."
Rudra's face turned pale.
"What do you think will happen when Virya and Vayu find out their losses were your fault? Or that you're installing the Vēdēnra Grid to cover your ass, costing them billions more?"
She circled him like a predator. "And what if Viren Ambani finds out that the same Russian mafia you tried to double-cross- the ones responsible for kidnapping Iva years ago-are now connected to your business blunders?
Imagine how he'd react knowing the man who once failed to protect her is now the reason her past nearly repeated itself. "
She leaned down. "One whisper from me, and everything goes public. The world will watch the Agnivanshi empire crash. It's all digitized. One scratch on me, and the file spreads like wildfire."
She cut the cable ties. He rubbed his wrists, stunned. Then opened the file.
His eyes widened as he read. His breath caught in his throat.
"This is just a glimpse, Rudra. I know what you are. You've already laid filthy hands on Iva for your sick obsession. Don't you dare try again."
She turned to walk away, then paused.
"I'm merciful, Rudra. But Iva?" Maya smirked. "She doesn't believe in an eye for an eye. She believes in a face for an eye. And yours is pretty enough to ruin."
She walked to the door.
"You're not just her PA," he called after her, shaken. "Who the fuck are you?"
She turned slightly, her voice like silk dipped in steel. "Maya. You know what they call it in English? Illusion. That's what I am."
She vanished through the door, without looking back. Rudra sat frozen, every nerve screaming in silence.
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Iva sat by the window, her fingers curled around a warm cup of coffee, eyes gazing out at the monsoon sky like she was reading secrets in the rain. The café buzzed faintly in the background, but she was still-serene and unreadable.
Then came Maya.
She slid into the seat across from Iva, tossed her bag on the table, and laid her head down like she was carrying the weight of an empire.
"So, how's Rudra?" Iva asked without turning her head, her voice calm, her gaze still lost beyond the glass.
Maya looked up, startled. "How do you know?"
"I know you," Iva replied, finally meeting her eyes. "You wouldn't just sit quietly and let it go."
Jatin, the server, arrived.
"Espresso," Maya muttered, and he nodded before disappearing again.
"He's as much of a fucker as I expected," Maya said dryly, rubbing her temples.
Iva sipped her coffee. "Tell me there's not a single scratch on that pretty face."
"Nope," Maya smirked. "Of course not. I'm saving that honor for you."
She took the espresso from Jatin, then leaned back. "So? What's the plan?"
"Agnivanshi," Iva said simply.
Maya froze mid sip. "Agnivanshi?"
"Agnivanshi Empire," Iva clarified, her tone ice-cold.
Maya nearly dropped her cup. She placed it back on the table like it had turned to glass. "What the fuck..."
She waited for Iva to crack a smile, to make it a joke. But Iva was serious-dead serious.
"Iva, you know what you're talking about, right?" Maya asked cautiously. "I mean... I know you're an Ambani, and your family has power, but these are the Agnivanshis we're talking about. The wealthiest in Asia. They have deep roots with the Russian Mafia. They're... royalty."
"And you think I don't know that?" Iva replied, her eyes narrowing. "You think I'm stupid?"
She set her coffee down and gently cradled her right wrist in her left palm, caressing the red thread tied around it.
Adwait's thread. It was no ordinary talisman.
Tiny charms shimmered under the soft café lights: a peacock feather carved from a blue diamond, a flute inlaid with diamond-pierced holes, and a teacup made of green crystal.
"Let me tell you a story," Iva began, her voice soft, but there was steel beneath it. Maya leaned in, instantly alert.
"Once, Abhay Agnivanshi messed with Adwait. He took Adwait's favorite flute-his most treasured possession and was about to snap it in half. He knew it was his weakness. But before he could break it, Adwait blew up the entire west wing of their palace."
Maya blinked. "What the hell?"
"You know why he did it?" Iva asked, unfazed. "Because that wing was Abhay's favorite place in the world. It was his comfort. His anchor."
Maya raised a brow. "Moral of the story: Adwait's a psychopath."
Iva smirked. "Moral of the story: when someone drags you to your deepest fear, you take them to theirs. So they learn what fear really feels like."
Maya leaned back, finally connecting the dots.
"And Rudra's deepest fear... is the Agnivanshi Empire."
Iva smiled-slow, deliberate. Bingo.
"One cup of coffee at a time," she said, taking another sip.
"I heard you've started drinking tea these days," Maya teased, trying to lighten the mood.
"You were right, Maya. Mumbai is Mayanagari," Iva replied with a wistful amusement, as if the city had finally shown her its true face.
"All set then," Maya said, checking something on her tablet.
Iva's voice cut in again, calm but sharp. "Nakul Rathore is still missing?"
Maya blinked. Does this girl ever miss anything?
"Yep," she admitted. Then whispered, "I think your father has him."
"No," Iva shook her head. "Papa doesn't do hostages. He kills on the spot. This isn't him. Last lead said someone from the Agnivanshi family helped Nakul escape."
She leaned forward, brushing a crumb from the table. "No worries. Kab tak chhupa rahega? Star hai-today or tomorrow, he'll be back in the spotlight. Ask RED to keep hunting."
Maya nodded, making a quick note.
"What did you tell my family about my visit to Café Viraha?" Iva asked, her tone casual, but her eyes sharp. She was really asking: How did you cover up my kidnapping?
Maya leaned back, smirking. "Bit of help from Devaki Aunty. She's soft and easy to sway with the right words. So the Agnivanshis weren't a problem."
She paused, twirling her espresso cup thoughtfully. "Didn't need to say anything to Rudra." She chuckled. "As for your family... well, you know I'm a pro at covering your tracks. Been doing it since forever."
Maya's grin widened, a hint of mischief flashing in her eyes. Then she straightened, smoothing her jacket like a general before war.
"Now," she said briskly, "let's go talk to your family. They're waiting for you. After all, you're about to drop the bomb on them-who's taking the reins of the Ambani empire."
She clapped her hands together, a little too theatrically.
But Iva didn't react. She simply lifted her coffee cup again, eyes fixed ahead-stormy, steady, and unreadable. Like someone who had already seen the future... and wasn't sure whether to burn it down or rule it.
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Virya, Vayu, and Viren Ambani sat in the stately, sunlit cabin, tension humming quietly between them as they awaited the arrival of Iva and Maya. The moment the door opened, Virya sprang to his feet and strode forward, sweeping Iva into a tight embrace.
"Iviiiiii!" Vayu exclaimed, joining the hug with the energy of a younger brother who still remembered every childhood prank.
"And here we thought we'd finally inherited the entire Ambani estate," Virya teased, taking her hand and gently guiding her to sit in his executive chair.
"Estate?" Iva raised an eyebrow, picking up the paperweight from the desk and letting it rest lightly in her palm. "I'm not here for scraps. I'm here to take the entire business under my wings."
Vayu let out a low whistle. "Papa, look at her. All grown up, ready to conquer. And you shook half of Mumbai trying to find her," he said, giving Viren a mock glare.
Virya's expression shifted subtly, assessing her. "Princess... what's really going on?" he asked carefully. "You're not bluffing. You've got the stance of someone about to take over an empire."
Iva's gaze didn't falter. "I'm ready to become CEO."
Silence fell. Vayu blinked and walked up to her, placing the back of his hand on her forehead like he was checking for a fever.
"What now?" Iva asked, amused.
"Something's definitely off with you," Virya declared.
"Yeah," Vayu added. "This can't be our sister. The one who ghosted India, treated this business like a bad ex, and cringed at the word 'responsibility'? Now she's living in Mumbai and wants to be CEO?" He glanced at Virya. "Are they putting something in the coffee at that café?"
"Vayu. Virya." Viren's voice cut through the banter like a command. He turned to Iva, voice softer. "Princess... why now?"
Iva looked at each of them, her voice calm and resolute. "It's not sudden, Papa. I made the decision while you were in the hospital. I left all of you... and this legacy. It's time I take it back. For good."
Her smile was quiet, genuine.
Vayu threw his hands up dramatically. "Finally! Bhagwan ne meri sun li. I can move to the U.S. division in peace."
"And I might finally get some time with Ritika before she leaves me for good," Virya added with exaggerated relief.
Iva chuckled but the weight of their sacrifices hit her for the first time. How much they had taken on because she had stepped away.
Viren blinked, emotion rising. "Meri beti sach mein ghar aagayi?"
["Has my daughter really come home?"]
"Sach mein, Papa," she whispered and walked to him, wrapping her arms around his waist. For a moment, she let herself sink into the familiarity of family of roots.
["Truly, Papa,"]
Maya, standing a little to the side, smiled.
"Maya, you better shift here too," Vayu called out.
She gave a mock salute. "I'm her shadow, remember? Wherever she goes, I follow."
Virya raised an eyebrow. "How much is she paying you for this loyalty, huh?"
"Enough to afford Starbucks every day," Maya shot back, and the room broke into laughter.
Viren straightened, his statesman posture returning. "We're announcing this at a party. Vayu, start planning. This deserves a celebration."
Everyone paused, mildly stunned-Viren Ambani, who avoided parties like scandals, was volunteering to host one?
"Wait, Papa," Iva interjected. "Let's hold off just a bit. I want to finish the renovation of our home first. When it's done we'll celebrate properly. In the new house."
Maya caught the unspoken cue immediately and jotted it into her tablet. Timeline: One month. Interior team-priority.
Everything had changed. And yet, somehow, it all felt... like coming full circle.
Virya and Vayu were still arguing over party themes, and Viren was already on the phone with his protocol team.
Iva leaned back in the chair, looking at the chaos she had just calmly walked into.
She sipped the last of her coffee, set the cup down, and muttered under her breath with a smirk-
And here I thought taking over an empire would be the hard part.
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