Chapter 4 — Shadows of Betrayal

Tashi Gupta

The scent of jasmine enveloped me as I sat alone in my room at the Raizada Estate, the pendant my mother had given me resting against my chest like a shield against the memories that threatened to overwhelm me. The room, with its polished marble floors and stark, minimalist furnishings, was a luxurious prison, its opulence a stark contrast to the turmoil within. I traced the delicate vial with my fingers, the essence inside a reminder of home, of a life before Rishab's betrayal shattered everything.