I advised you to read the previous chapter just to refresh the memory. I hope you like this chapter. Don't forget to vote and comment. Let's get started on this most awaited chapter ✨

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"Preeta..."

One small word that held a lot of power.
One small word that just change the whole destiny of Luthras.
One small word that was said quietly but everyone heard it.

Rakhi, who was still sitting, stood up abruptly when she heard her son saying the name of his first wife.

Preeta didn't say anything instead just stared at everyone's expression; happiness (for some), disbelief, fear, anger, shock, etc.

She then looked at the Mehta's brothers who was smirking triumphantly but still happiness could be seen on their face. The happiness of her being here with them.

Siddhart chuckled and walked towards Preeta. He reached down to touch Preeta's feet shocking the Luthras especially Kareena who might faint with shock.

The Siddhart Mehta, business tycoon, bend down in front of someone that also a woman like Preeta Arora?

"Pranam meri pyaari behna." Sid said, touching her feet.

Preeta stopped him and hugged him tightly instead. She then looked at Sahir who was staring at them with a soft smile.

"Are coming or should I send you a special invitation?" Preeta asked sarcastically.

Siddhart snickered at her sarcasm. Sahir rolled his eyes and joined the hug. Preeta hugged them tightly, her brothers, her whole world.

These two boys came in her life as angels...well it's Kabir and Kavya who came in her life as angels, she was just lucky that she got additional brothers.

Preeta broke the hug and cupped both of their faces.

"You guys have changed so much in just one year. My two brothers are looking as handsome as always."

"Di, I'm always handsome!" Siddhart said smiling smugly.

Sahir rolled his eyes at his brother's self-obsessed nature. He hit Sid in his head while the latter glared at him. Before Sid could say something, Preeta stopped them.

"Nope, no fighting. I came back after so long and I don't want you to fight. Besides don't forget we have an audience."

Preeta said the last part smirking evilly, looking at the Luthras who looked like they have gone in extreme sadma and won't be coming out of it soon.

Her eyes softened a bit when they fell on Shrishti. Her baby sister Shrishti who has now become a mother, who has her own family, who just grew up into a beautiful strong woman.

Preeta took some steps towards her and reached towards her face. Shrishti gasped when she felt the warm hands on her cheeks. She looked at Preeta who was already staring at her with a smile.

"Tum... Tum sachme zinda hu... Mere ankhe mujhe dhoka nahi de rahi hai... Tum sachme mere samne hai ?"

Preeta didn't reply. Instead she wrapped her arms around Shrishti. The latter gasped at the familiar comfort and safety she felt whenever she was in her sister's embrace. Shrishti closed her eyes and hugged Preeta back tightly.

"Maine apko bhot miss kiya di. Where were you all these years? You didn't think to call me, your younger sister. How could you and why are these two boys calling you sister, what's happening here?!"

"That's what we also want to know Preeta Arora." Kareena asked venomously.

"First of all, it's just Preeta...Preeta Arora died 6 years ago...and second thing, it's Miss X for you, Miss Kareena Luthra." Preeta replied in the same tone.

"How dare you girl talk to me in this tone? Don't you have shame? Are you mannerless?" Kareena shouted angrily.

"AWAAS NICHE MISS KAREENA LUTHRA! Else I won't mind sending you on a trip with no return ticket if you know what I mean." Preeta shouted equally before gesturing to the gun in her men's pocket.

"Who are you to threaten Kareena bua! You shameless girl!" Mahira shouted.

Preeta looked at her as if it's now that she was noticing her. Preeta smirked and walked towards her as if Mahira was her prey. Mahira took a step back in fear but then stopped on her place, trying to remain strong.

"Well well well, isn't it my husband's mistress? My god, with time, you're becoming more ugly. What products do you use?" Everyone snickered except for Kareena, Sherlyn, Dadi and Kritika.

"Hey, you can't talk to me like this! Who the hell do you think you are? Karan! Why don't you tell her anything!" Mahira screeched.

"Why are you calling Karan? I'm here in front of you and to answer your question, I'm known as Mr X, a mafia leader. I don't think I need to say more."

"Oh please as if I would believe that you are the fearsome Mr X. Don't pretend to be someone who you are not." Mahira rolled her eyes.

"I may tell you the same thing...Don't pretend to be someone who you aren't." Preeta said back, glancing at Karan and back at her.

"What do you mean? Who am I pretending to be?" Mahira asked angrily.

"Karan's wife obviously! Now I'm back, you know that your marriage won't count because legally, I'm still married to him," Preeta said 'him' in such a bitter voice that even Karan flinched, "unfortunately. So say bye to your dreams of being accepted by Karan as his wife."

"What rubbish! Karan! Why don't you say anything! See how is she talking to me!" Mahira said hysterically to Karan.

"Why are you asking him? He won't say anything nor will he defend you. Yeh uski buri adat hai, he will never take the side of his wife," Karan looked at her a bit guilty.

"Because he never consider you as his wife! He hates you so much! You are nothing to him." Preeta smirked.

"That's not he said when he comes home drunk out of his mind. Not that I care, because frankly I don't. But I'm sure my name is the only thing on his tongue day and night. I'm the only one whom he thought before he fainted. I'm his obsession, not you. You are nothing to him. The proof? He doesn't even let you near him, let alone sleep in the same room as his. You want to know something? I'm sure if I let him, Karan would come running in my arms, not giving any thoughts about you. Because I'm the only thing he want, the only he desire. Only me."

Suddenly Preeta felt a burning sensation on her cheek. She looked at Mahira who was breathing heavily due to anger. At the same moment, Preeta's men and the Mehtas' brothers pulled out their guns and pointed it towards Mahira. The Luthras gulped at the sight of many guns.

"SHUT UP! SHUT UP! STOP TALKING YOU BITCH! KARAN IS MINE! BACK OFF!" Mahira yelled angrily, not realising the numerous guns pointing towards her.

"I never said I wanted him. Why would I want something that had passed in someone's dirty hands. Preeta don't take second-handed thing. It's an insult to me." Preeta smirked, but then her expression turned dangerous, "You have make a grave mistake by slapping me. I'm the only one who is stopping them from putting a bullet in that empty head of yours. So take it as an advice or a warning, the next time you insult me or raise your voice or hand towards me, your mother would receive your dead body. That applies to all of you!" Preeta said, looking at the Luthras.

Preeta snapped her fingers and all the men put down their guns except for her brothers. Preeta looked at them intensely and they put theirs down reluctantly.

"You should have let us put a bullet in her head. One headache less." Siddhart muttered but Preeta heard him.

"Don't worry when her time comes, I will let you do the honors." Preeta said as if they were discussing the weather.

"How dare you talk about killing this house's bahu in front of us as if we are not here. Who do you think you are?" Kareena said angrily.

"Miss Kareena, I think you are becoming deaf with age. I understand, old people have hard-hearing. Let me tell you again, I'm just Preeta, but the world know me as Mr X." Kareena chuckled sarcastically.

"And you think I believe you? You waltzed into my house, claiming that you are Mr X, a mafia leader and I would believe you. Kareena Luthra is not a fool. You are just a liar Preeta Arora. A liar, a cheater and a gold-digger. You just proved them. You didn't even spare death, you managed to cheat it also. How? Tell us your secret. How come you are still alive when it's said that you jumped from that bridge." Preeta smirked.

"You just said it, the mystery behind my 'death'," Kareena looked at her confused, "Damn and I thought you were intelligent Kareena Luthra but you just proved you are as much as an idiot as your entire family...It's said...it's not proven. What proof do you have I jumped?"

"The...the police got your phone and your dupatta next to the bridge. They assumed that you jumped." Shrishti said, remembering that painful day.

"That's the problem with the police, they just assumed things. They arrest anyone only on one person's speech, not wanting to listen to the other people especially if it's the rich against the poor. If they did their work as they should, then today, there might be less crime...and to answer your question, I was saved. Kabir Mehta pulled me back before I fell into the water. I owe my life to him and his wife, Kavya Bhabhi."

Kareena started clapping slowly, realizing something, "Wow Preeta Arora, at last you show your true face. This was part of your plan, right?"

"Beware of your words Kareena Luthra." Preeta said, not liking her tone and what she was insinuating.

"Why should I? Is it because I'm right? You really plan this. Since we throw you out of Karan's life, you were angry and worried that you won't be getting money. So you pretended as if you were suiciding so that Kabir Mehta saved you and you trapped him in your spell, right?" Preeta glared at her dangerously.

"Watch your words carefully Kareena Luthra." Siddhart warned her. He and Sahir's posture had gone rigid.

"Why don't you see? This girl was trying to trap your brother. But since he's married and everyone know how crazy he was about his wife, this girl must have told you a fake sad story so that you take pity on her and then she usurped your properties right under your nose."

"Shut up..." Preeta said lowly but Kareena ignored her.

"Then when she got to know that your brother is the mafia, I'm sure she wanted to take his place. Because mafia people make more money than normal people. Now I think about it, maybe its true that you are Mr X. That what you wanted right? Earning a lot of money."

"Shut up..." Preeta said a bit more loudly but Kareena didn't pay heeds to her.

"You don't know this girl, she is very dangerous. Who knows what she may have done for money. Maybe she is the one who killed your brother to take his place as the mafia leader."

"SHUT UP!" Preeta roared.

"DON'T TELL ME TO SHUT UP! I'm sure you are the one who killed Kabir Mehta just like you tried to kill my brother!"

The next thing happened in such a blink that everyone was too fazed to understand what just took place. But then, everyone looked at Preeta who still had her gun pointed towards Kareena. She had opened her leather jacket and pulled out her gun from her gun-waist strap and fired a bullet that went straight towards Kareena, grazing that old witch's ear and finished into a vase behind her, shattering it to pieces.

"Kareena/Mumma!" Dadi and Kritika shouted, rushing towards her.

Kareena's legs gave out as they held her and made her sit on the sofa. Kritika lightly touched Kareena's ear which was bleeding. Kareena was trembling with fear. A millimeter to the right and that bullet would have gone straight into her head.

The Luthras and Aroras looked at Preeta shockingly and in fear while Sid and Sahir were smirking. Never have they expected her to actually pull the trigger. It was then they are understanding the gravity of the situation... Preeta was right; she is no longer Preeta Arora...She is just Preeta, a mafia leader.

"Preeta! How dare you shoot at my daughter!" Dadi shouted but cowered when Preeta looked at her with cold eyes.

"If you don't want that to happen again then tell your daughter to control her tongue and stop accusing me of things that she doesn't even know! Tell her to stop minding my business else this house will lost a member of their family. Today she was lucky but for how long? One more word against me and she will be shut up forever."

Dadi stared at her with angry tears rolling down her cheeks. Kritika also were sobbing seeing her mother trembling and not responding to her voice. The rest were too stunned to react or say anything. This wasn't the Preeta they knew.

"Do you think we'll believe your words? My Preeta can never kill a soul, let alone her worst enemies. If you think we are scared of your words, then sorry to say, you think wrong." Karan finally spoke up.

Preeta snapped her attention back to him and started laughing loudly, "Omg Mr Karan Luthra! Are you listening to your words right now? 'My Preeta can never kill a soul, let alone her worst enemies.' Since when am I your Preeta? I'm not and I never will be. You are backing from your words, 6 years ago, you believed that I tried to kill your father and now the sudden change of heart? Why? Because you are feeling guilty? Then let me prove you wrong."

Preeta snapped her fingers. One of her man placed a chair behind her. Preeta thanked him and sat down, crossing her legs and leant back. Another person brought her a half-filled glass of whiskey. Preeta took a sip and signed her men to bring him in.

"Since when do you drink?" Karan asked in a surprised voice.

"That's none of your business." Preeta said, finishing her drink.

A moment later, two of her men entered along with a man who had his face covered by a hood. The men made him kneeled down in front of Preeta. The latter removed his hood and smirked as the man started cowering in fear.

"I take it as you know who I am." Preeta said coolly and the man trembled more.

"There has been rumors that said Mr X was a woman but no-one believed it. B-but I believed it! So please let me go, I didn't do anything." The man said fearfully.

"Ouff vahi dialogue! Kya yaar, I get bored listening to the same crappy dialogue. You don't have something new?" Her men and brothers snickered.

"Please jaane do mujhe! I won't tell anyone about you! Please don't kill me." Preeta stood up and removed her jacket, revealing her bra-like top [see photo in previous chapter]. She also took out her knife from her boot and started playing with it.

Karan's breath hitched as he saw Preeta's hot avatar. He shuffled uncomfortably, trying to calm down his raging hormones.

'Not now Karan, it's not the right time to drool over your wife's hot avatar.' Karan gulped and tried to gather his thoughts, concentrating on the scene in front of him.

"You know I have only one rule; Mr X doesn't go after the innocent. I don't pick person at random; I studied someone whom I suspect for a long time before I decide if they are actually innocent or guilty and you, my friend, has been on my radars since some months now.

Now we can do that the simple way or the hard one. Simple one; you are going to confess all your crimes without me having to torture you. The hard one, well I'm itching to know if my knife is sharp enough. "

Preeta eyes ended up on Shrishti was looking at her curiously but some fear could be seen in her eyes. Preeta felt bad; she didn't want her sister to see how she turned out to be. She didn't want her little sister to watch her kill someone.

"Sahir! Take Shrishti and Mehr upstairs and locked them with the children. They shouldn't come back downstairs. You two go with them." Preeta ordered two of her men.

Sahir nodded and took the girls, ignoring Shrishti's pleads to Preeta. Mehr didn't say anything and followed quietly.

Sahir pushed them lightly in the room where Shreya and Samar were sleeping. He locked the door and asked the two men to guard.

"Sahir! You traitor! Let me out now!" Shrishti yelled.

"I'm sorry Shrish but it's di's order. You know she is doing this for your own good." Sahir didn't wait for her reply and went back downstairs.

Preeta looked expectantly at Sahir who just nodded. She then turned her attention back to her abductee. Preeta sat down again on her chair, still playing with her knife.

"So Mr Kashyap, what did you decide? The simple or the hard way?" Mr Kashyap looked at her fearly.

"Please! I'm ready to tell you everything but don't kill me. Please I beg you..." and with that he started confessing his crimes.

Unknown to him, Preeta was recording everything he was saying. When he finished, Preeta took out the recorder and gave it one to her men.

"You know what to do..." The man nodded and took out his laptop, transferring the recorded confession on a pen-drive.

"Why did you record my confession? What are you going to do with this?" Mr Kashyap asked nervously.

"Oh don't worry about that. It's for my own benefits." Preeta unloaded her gun to see how many bullets she had left.

"So am I free to go?" Mr Kashyap asked hopefully.

Preeta nodded with a smile. Mr Kashyap smiled and thanked her. Barely he took a step, he dropped dead on the floor, revealing Preeta behind pointing her gun towards him.

"Free to go from this world I mean. Tch Tch, if you didn't choose the wrong way, today you would have been successful. Anyways," Preeta put her gun back in her waist-strap and turned towards her men, "You know what you have to do. Put these in his pocket." She gave them the pen-drive and the 'X' badges.

Just as they moved the body, other men swept the floor, cleaning any evidence of what just took place. Preeta then turned back towards the Luthra.

Luthras and Sameer stared at Preeta in horror as she shooted the guy without any hesitation. She didn't even look twice, she just pointed the gun towards the head and shooted, the perfect aim... As if she had done this a million times.

Kareena, who was out of her shock due to the second gunshot, looked at Preeta fearfully. She tried hard to hide it but in vain. Everyone who was against Preeta, were looking at her with a scared and traumatic expression. Even Rishabh, Sameer, Karan and Rakhi were nervous.

"I hope you understand very clear now that I'm no longer the old Preeta Arora. Mr X naam hai meri...Ahaha, Miss X, Mumbai ka sabse badi gangster." Preeta said in a powerful tone.

Karan stared in her eyes, trying to find anything but her eyes were as cold as winter. Nothing from her face gave away her feelings, no remorse, no guilt, nothing. Karan could feel dread creeping in him, realizing that he might have just lost his Preeta.

Because this woman standing in front of him like the boss, wasn't his bajarbatti, his babydoll...No

This was just Preeta, the Mafia Queen🔥

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Word count : 3340 (excluding note at the start)
Ouff I hope you liked that chapter because frankly speaking, I enjoyed writing it soo much.
This was long due awaited and I hope I didn't disappoint you all.
Let me know in the comments what you think about it.

Just realise that it's been one year, the 11th of January, since I created this account and we've come a long way. So thank you so much for your support and being with me in this journey. Love you all ❤️

19/01/2022