Riyansh sat in his CM office, the air thick with the lingering scent of his cigar. The late evening sun cast long shadows across the room, but the true darkness was within him. A strange restlessness had settled over him since his unexpected visit to the Agnihotri mansion. Athira's innocent face and Adhrit's quiet intensity, which felt just like his own, had stirred a protective instinct he hadn't felt in years. Then there was Jeeva. A swaying braid, a familiar jingle, a fleeting glimpse of her back, a silhouette that felt both familiar and utterly unknown, had left him with a gnawing curiosity. A feeling of dread and desperation twisted in his gut. He had to know everything.

He grabbed his phone, called Vikram's number. "Vikram," he said, his voice a low, dangerous growl that cut through the silence of the office.