𝓣𝔀𝓲𝓼𝓽𝓮𝓭 𝓣𝓲𝓮𝓼 : 𝒯𝒽ℯ 𝒯𝒶𝓁ℯ 𝓞𝓯 𝓜𝓪𝓵𝓱𝓸𝓽𝓻𝓪'𝓼

◕⁠◕[24]◕◕

He sighed while leaning on the couch.a girl was massaging his right hand while he was laying like a lazy.

“Think carefully. One headline ruined you. Another can redeem you. Marry mahir. Align your name with his family, and all those whispers will vanish. People will forget the scandal, they’ll only remember that Ishita verma became mahir malhotra wife ”

Ishita shot up from her chair, disbelief flooding her.“Marriage? You want me to cover your lies by tying me to mahir? I’d rather burn everything I built with my own hands!”

Manav chuckled, patient, like a spider waiting for the fly to exhaust itself.“You think you have a choice? Look around,.Your empire is crumbling. Clients dropping you. Police circling you. Media branding you a fraud. No one will stand by you. Now only name of mahir can  save you”

Ishita throat tightened, her anger warring with despair.she knows how much power mahir holds in buisness world.

“You’re blackmailing me.”

“No. I’m offering you survival. With mahir name, your brand will revive overnight. All suspicions will vanish. Society forgives quickly when a powerful family is involved.”

Silence stretched, broken only by Ishita unsteady breathing.

“And if I refuse?”

Manav’s tone turned colder, sharper, the mask slipping“Then the investigation won’t just end with your license being revoked. It’ll end with you in prison. And shivaay with you.”

Ishita froze, her blood running cold. He wasn’t just after her anymore—he was threatening shivaay too.shivaay is just a diamond dealer he have nothing to do with delay in delivery.

Manav’s voice softened again, as if offering mercy.“Think, Ishita. I’m not your enemy. I’m your only way out. Mahir is waiting. Don’t make me force your hand.”

"Why only he?why you wants me to marry him?"she asked while clenching her jaw.his smirk widened "because only he have that power to save you....i can't save you now"

The line went dead.

Ishita sank into her chair, tears stinging her eyes. She hated him—hated his manipulation, his smug cruelty. Yet for the first time, she felt the walls closing in with no escape.

Her eyes glistened with tears and hands trembled.her buisness —she spent nights to make her designs popular, avoid her twins for some days so that she can win the best buisness women award but what now?

And outside, on his balcony, Manav sipped his drink, smiling at the thought of the queen jeweller trapped in his checkmate.

Pari sat motionless after the call, her hand trembling around the phone. She thought it was over. But within minutes, her phone buzzed again—another call from Manav.

Her throat tightened as she answered.

“I already told you no. Stop this nonsense, Manav.”

“Oh,  You think this is about you? No. This is about shivaay”

Ishita breath hitched in her throat.she clenched her jaw harshly “Leave him out of this!”

Manav chuckled darkly.
“Why should I? Everyone believes he’s your partner in crime. One push from me, and his name will be blacklisted internationally. No more diamond deals. No more clients. His career finished before he even blinks.”

Ishita gripped the edge of her desk, her knuckles white.

“You wouldn’t dare—”

Manav (cutting her off, sharp):
“I already did. Tomorrow, the headlines will not only scream ‘Fraud Jeweller Ishita verma’—they’ll scream ‘Diamond Dealer shivaay rathore Involved in Scam.’ Do you know what that means,  Interpol inquiries. Raids. He won’t just lose his business… he’ll lose his freedom.”