Chapter four: The Watcher Of The Shadows
Krish arrived in Dwarka, a city where myths and reality blurred.
Dwarka welcomed him with the scent of the sea and the echo of temple bells. The city, bathed in golden twilight, felt untouched by time.
But Krish had no time for its beauty— He was here to watch someone who had no idea her life was being measured in quiet moments like this.
Krish had followed countless people before. Politicians, rivals, traitors—he had tracked them all with precision. But this was different. This wasn't just a mission.
This was Aarohi.
His eyes flicked up to the third-floor balcony. Aarohi.
She stood by the railing, one hand gripping a mug, the other tucked into the oversized sweater she wore. Her hair was loose, swaying gently in the night breeze. She wasn't doing anything suspicious. Just existing.
Krish had seen too many people meet their end for simply existing.
His fingers tapped against his knee. What was Dravid's interest in her?
She wasn't the first woman in Dravid's world. Was she an old lover? A debt left unpaid? Or was she something more?
For now, she was just a name.
And yet, something about her presence unsettled him.
The first day, he made sure to remain unseen as he observed her. Unlike the world he knew—the chaos of the underworld, the unspoken rules of crime—her life followed a quiet, predictable rhythm.
At 5 AM, Aarohi jogged through the park, her ponytail bouncing with each step. Krish, seated on a bench, sipped his coffee and observed. She didn't seek attention, yet people noticed her.
By 7 AM, she was at the Dwarkadhish Temple, offering prasad with a soft, sincere smile. Krish watched from the temple steps.
Compassion. That was the first thing he noticed.
By 9 AM, she entered the college. Students greeted her warmly—with respect, with admiration.
Not out of fear.
She belonged in this world, not in Dravid's. Not in his.
By 3 PM, she was at the dance academy, tying her ghungroos. When she danced, she wasn't just moving—she was telling a story.
Krish clenched his fists.
She was happy here. But Dravid's shadow loomed.
For days, Krish followed her routine, memorizing every detail. She seemed like a simple girl, trapped in a dangerous world.
But Krish didn't believe in simple things.
Then he noticed him.
A man—not one of Dravid's.
Rishi.
At first, it seemed casual. A few conversations. Coincidental meetings.
But the way Rishi looked at her, the way he lingered—Krish felt it.
There was something there.
He just didn't know what yet.