SHIDDAT ◇THE PASSION◇

Chapter 1 (1 minute)

One minute. One minute is all it takes to change your entire life. Sometimes life can surprise you, and sometimes it can shock you.

​Well, for me, it was a shock.

◇1 hour ago◇

The glass-walled conference room on the 40th floor of the highland Towers overlooked the sprawling city of Mumbai, but Aditya Singhania had no eyes for the view. His gaze was locked onto the board of directors.

Ashmit leaned back, a smirk playing on his lips. "Aditya, let's not waste time. My blueprints are already approved. This project is a formality."

​Aditya didn't look at him. He tapped his remote, and the screen behind him flickered to life. "Formalities are for those who play by the book, Ashmit. I'm here to change the game."

​He started his presentation. His voice was steady, rhythmic. He spoke about sustainable architecture, about integrating the city's heritage with modern functionality. He wasn't just selling a building; he was selling a legacy. He pulled up the structural cost analysis, highlighting the efficiency of his proposed materials.

​"The 'Skyline Pinnacle' project isn't just about steel and concrete, gentlemen," Aditya said, his voice smooth, resonant, and devoid of nerves. He clicked his remote, and a holographic architectural model shimmered into existence in the center of the table. "It's about endurance. Ashmit Sahni's proposal relies on outsourced materials that haven't been stress-tested for coastal humidity. Mine? It utilizes self-healing concrete composites and localized labor, reducing the budget by 15% while increasing the structural lifespan by three decades."

​Across the table, Ashmit Sahni sat with his jaw tight, his knuckles white against the mahogany surface. He had been the frontrunner for six months. He had the connections. But he didn't have the vision.

​Aditya walked to the head of the table, his suit perfectly tailored, his presence commanding. "You want a monument, Sahni? You're building a grave. I'm building the future of this city's skyline."

​The Chairman looked at the files, then up at Ashmit, whose face had gone pale. "Aditya, the board is impressed. The contract is yours. We expect work to begin by Monday."

​Aditya offered a faint, shark-like smile. He didn't gloat; he didn't need to. He simply nodded, closed his laptop, and walked out.

​Twenty minutes later, the cool air of the underground garage felt like a relief. Ishan, Aditya's childhood friend and COO, was already in the passenger seat of the black Mercedes-Maybach.

​Aditya slid into the driver's seat and floored it, the engine roaring to life. As they glided out of the city center, Ishan chuckled, shaking his head. "You destroyed him, Adi. Did you see his face? He looked like he wanted to jump out of the window."

​"He was sloppy, Ishan. He thought money could buy the board. He forgot that the board values legacy more than margins."

​Ishan leaned back, clicking his seatbelt. "Speaking of legacy, are you still planning on that trip to Mussoorie next week? You haven't visited them in months. And the mountains will do you good, and honestly, you need a break before the construction starts."

​Aditya gripped the steering wheel, his eyes fixed on the road ahead. "Construction starts on Monday, Ishan. I don't have time for mountains."

​"Adi, the team can handle the initial paperwork. Just a few days-"

​"I said no," Aditya interrupted, his tone sharp. He turned the music up, effectively ending the conversation. He didn't want to talk about Mussoorie. He didn't want to think about anything other than the steel and glass that would define his career.

​They were forty kilometers outside the city limits, driving through the winding, desolate stretch of the highway that cut through the old industrial district. The sun was dipping below the horizon, casting long, bruised shadows across the pavement.

​"Adi," Ishan said, looking at the side mirror. "Is that a black SUV?"

​Aditya glanced up. A heavy, matte-black Range Rover was tailing them, closing the distance at a dangerous speed.

​"Probably just a reckless driver," Aditya muttered, but his grip tightened.

​Suddenly, the SUV accelerated, ramming into the rear bumper of the Maybach. The car swerved violently. Aditya fought the steering wheel, his heart hammering against his ribs.

​"They're trying to run us off the road!" Ishan yelled.

​Aditya floored the gas, trying to gain distance, but the SUV rammed them again-harder this time, sending the Maybach spinning into the gravel shoulder. The car skidded to a halt in a cloud of dust.

​Before the dust had even settled, two men stepped out of the SUV. Ashmit Sahni, his expensive suit rumpled, and his brother, Shubham, who carried a heavy steel wrench.

​Aditya stepped out, his face a mask of calm fury. He gestured for Ishan to stay back. "I knew you were a sore loser, Sahni, but this is pathetic."

​Ashmit laughed, a jagged, hollow sound. "You think you can walk into there and take my legacy? You think you can humiliate me in front of the board and walk away?"

​"The board chose better, Ashmit. Accept it."

​"I don't accept failure," Ashmit hissed, moving forward.

​Shubham swung the wrench, but Aditya was faster. He ducked, landing a sharp jab to Shubham's ribs, followed by a kick that sent the younger brother staggering back. Ishan leaped into the fray, tackling Shubham just as he tried to regain his footing.

​Aditya turned back to Ashmit, but Ashmit wasn't looking for a fistfight anymore. His hand dipped into his inner jacket pocket.

​The moonlight caught the cold, metallic glint of a handgun.

​"Adi, look out!" Ishan screamed.

​Aditya froze. The barrel was pointed directly at his chest. Ashmit's eyes were wide, bloodshot, fueled by a mixture of rage and desperation.

​"This is for the contract, Singhania," Ashmit growled, his finger tightening on the trigger.

​The sound of the shot was deafening in the silence of the highway.

​But it didn't hit Aditya.

​In a blur of motion, a figure had sprinted from the darkness of the roadside trees, throwing herself directly into the line of fire.

​The bullet struck the girl's forehead with a sickening thud. She gasped, her body jerking backward, her momentum carrying her toward the pavement.

​Aditya's world tilted. He lunged forward, catching her before she hit the ground. She was light, fragile, and sinking into his arms. He looked down, his heart stopping in his chest. Her face was pale, her eyes flickering.

​"Diya?" he whispered, his voice cracking, raw with a terror he hadn't felt in a lifetime. "Diya, stay with me! Look at me!"

​But the girl, the ghost from his past he thought he had buried, simply went limp in his embrace.

In a single minute, his life changed.