TW :: drug and alcohol abuse

• author •

Vansh was the eye candy the party.

Looking extremely dapper in his signature business suit, his polished shoes reflecting the bright party lights, he strode into the hall. Men gulped, overthrown by his radiating power and women drooled at his handsome features. Murmurs erupted in the hall, excitement brewing the air as everyone hesitated to approach the formidable tycoon.

-- -- -- --

Vansh's Outfit.

Vansh's Looks

-- -- -- --

"Ah, Mr. Rai Singhania," Arjun Mehta, the host of the party, approached him, his hand out for a shake. "I'm so glad you came for the party."

Vansh gave him a tight lipped smile, his eyes roaming over the crowd in the party. He pushed his hands into his pockets, forcing Arjun to lower his hand in embarrassment. "Sorry," he whispered, his eyes lowered in disgrace.

"Hmm," Vansh hummed in disinterest. "Have they all come? What's the status of tonight's event?"

Arjun's eyes roamed over the guests, and then lowered as he turned towards Vansh. "A few are yet to arrive, sir." He spoke in a low tone.

Vansh checked his watch, "There's time. No need to rush." Arjun nodded in agreement, "Yes, boss."

"Show me the guest list,"

"Boss," Angre handed the list to Vansh. He flipped through the pages, and then stopped at a particular name, his jaw clenching in anger.

"What the - " Vansh growled, checking it again to make sure he wasn't hallucinating. "Arjun!" He glared at the older man who was trembling in fear. Vansh showed him the name. "I told you to keep her name off the list. This is not a place for her."

"I - but, sir," he tried to clear up, "she is Maya Raizada. You ordered to keep Mayura off the list."

"Dammit!" Vansh cursed, throwing the list away. He opened his gallery and showed it to old man, Mayura's picture visible on the screen.

"Yes, sir. She is Maya Raizada," Arjun spoke, confused with Vansh's sudden irritation. Vansh sighed, "Yeh aakhri baar hai. Aage se isko koi bhi AISI parties mein kabhi invite nahi karega. Samajh gaye? Blacklist the family." He spoke through grit teeth, his body trembling with suppressed rage. "And remember, until she leaves the party, don't start the events."

"I'm sorry, sir," Arjun apologised as he told his assistant to blacklist Maya from all their special events. These events were different. They looked ordinary on the top, but in reality it was a playground for illegal activities.

With Vansh being the ring master. Mixed with his ruthless and elusive nature, the party was also popularly known as The Phantom Circus - a playground for everything criminal and illegal.

Vansh sighed, leaning back on the couch. A flute of champagne balanced between his fingers. He swirled the glass, the bubbling liquid dancing to his tunes.

The lively party was now tense, the atmosphere heavy and tight.

"Boss, Mayura di ko toh parties attend karna pasand hi nahi. Woh aayegi nahi. Phir aap itne pareshan kyun hai?" Angre whispered, his honey-brown orbs glistening with confusion.

"Mayura ko parties attend karna pasand nahi. Par Maya Raizada ko toh karna padega. Formality ke liye hi sahi." Vansh answered. "As the head of the Raizada Empire, usko attend karna hi padega."

Angre nodded, pursing his lips into a thin line. Why not tell her that the party got cancelled? Even as a lie - he thought. Then he remembered. Such parties cannot be cancelled until something serious happens.

"Boss, mein woh Arjun ke pair par goli maar doon? Party cancel ho jayegi apne aap. Waise bhi yeh saari uski galti hai," He suggested, putting his palm over his waist where his gun was hidden. Vansh shook his head in disagreement. "Rehne do. Police involve ho jayegi."

Angre pout, taking his hand away from his gun. Arjun ko toh mein sabak sikha kar rahunga. Uski wajah se boss ka kaam ruk gaya hai.

"Angre, ensure that nothing illegal appears until bunny is here." He ordered, glaring at the bar tenders who hid the packet of drugs under the table. "I won't tolerate any mistakes when she's around."

"Yes boss," Angre obeyed, "Mein sab sambhal lunga,"

✎

A man stared at Vansh, who was drinking his champagne, in contempt. His hands held a packet tightly, squeezing the life out of the contents. His eyes were red in rage, jaws clenched as his grit his teeth.

"Vansh. Rai. Singhania." He whispered to himself, his voice thick with hate. "I will fuck your life. You ruined my life, and I will, yours. I will strike you at the most unexpected moment." He spat, slamming a glass on the counter.

The loud thud was drowned in the loud music, so no one paid attention to it. He opened a bottle of champagne, putting it on the table.

Opening the packet in his hand, he emptied the powder in the cup and filled it with the bubbling liquid.

A crooked smile formed on his lips as he watched the bubbles in the liquid flowing up. "You love surprises, don't you, bastard. I will be your most unexpected and dangerous surprise. I will make you beg, beg for your life just like you and your family made everyone beg."

The yellow liquid turned violet. The man shook the glass, the colour disappearing.

"I will get your filthy bloodline," he smirked, stepping back from the drink.

This time, the color didn't change.

✎

Mayura arrived half an hour later.

She leaned against the car, observing the kaleidoscope of colours in the sky. A small smile appeared on her lips, making her reluctance of attending the party disappear slightly.

"Maya ma'am, shall we?" Divya, her assistant, asked passing her a small velvet box. Mayura sighed her heart twisting as she opened the box to reveal a ring of gold, the letters RZ shining brightly.

Her eyes fell on the envelope which was held by Divya. The recipient's name making her blood boil.

Maya Raizada.

The name she hated with everything. A part of her that she wished to just rip apart and destroy. A part of her that she wished had never existed. The name that gave her only nightmares.

Mayura grit her teeth as she pushed the ring up the ring finger of her right hand. "You look like a true Raizada now!" She chirped, her words piercing Mayura's heart.

Taking a deep breath, she composed herself. This is temporary. Don't think too much. - she repeated mentally.

-- -- -- --

Mayura's outfit.

-- -- -- --

Her heart raced in anticipation, a familiar fear flowing through her veins as they got closer to the party hall. What if Vansh or Angre are in this party? - she gulped, fidgeting with the cuffs of her sleeves. Maya Raizada doesn't exist for them. What will they think of me? Ugh! I should've asked Vansh once about his business meeting. - she groaned in frustration.

They stood at the entrance of the party, a big mahogany door with gold outlines separating them.

"Twenty minutes into the party," she told Divya stoically, masking all her emotions.

The guards pushed the door open and she stepped in. The room on the otherside was loud and lively, business people of various financial statuses mingling with each other. The glasses clinked, the loud music filling the room.

Mayura's heart beat in sync with the beats of the music. Her hands began to tremble, her breathing short and laboured. Realising that no one had noticed her yet, she took her coat from Divya. From its pocket, she pulled out a small box and popped a pill on her shaky palm. Closing the box, she swiftly swallowed the pill, glad that no one had noticed her.

With a relieved sigh, she slipped her anxiety medicines into her pant pocket. The medicines effect began quite immediately and her hands stopped trembling. Her breathing was easy and her heart beats calmed down.

"Good evening, Ms. Raizada." Arjun Mehta greeted her politely. He could feel Vansh's gaze on him, burning holes in his back. "I'm so glad you came to the party. Uh, but, due to certain reasons, I - "

"Mr. Rai Singhania wants to talk to her," Angre interrupted, appearing from behind a confused Arjun. His tone was cold, but his eyes were warm, with a speck of mischievous.

"Yes, yes, please. Please go to Mr. Vansh Rai Singhania, the host of this party," he blabbered, his palms sweaty. He was rooted in his spot, his legs heavy from fear.

Angre pushed past him and stood face-to-face with her. He pursed his lips, gesturing with his arm in the direction they should go. Mayura could see Vansh at the end, sitting on the couch with a glass of champagne.

"This way, Miss,"

"Ms. Maya Raizada," Divya answered, stepping behind Mayura.

Angre cocked a brow, "Ms. Maya Raizada," he repeated, the words feeling like ash on his tongue.

At he led them towards Vansh, he felt very strange. That one name made the person he knew a complete stranger. The older sister he loved to tease and annoy didn't exist.

A monkey, no matter how well dressed, is a monkey - he had repeated these lines many times after she had stepped in, wanting to irritate her. He didn't want to admit that his monkey sister was actually looking beautiful. And strong.

But this woman wasn't his sister. She wasn't the carefree Mayura with kind eyes and a warm smile. She was Maya Raizada, a businesswoman with a calculative gaze and an unfriendly smile.

Angre's heart dropped to his stomach.

"Boss, Ms. Maya Raizada," Angre told Vansh, the words feeling foreign on his tongue. Vansh nodded. Angre noticed that unlike him, Vansh wasn't surprised by her name change.

Did boss know all along? Why didn't he tell me till date? Everytime she acts strange, I ask boss if I can look into it and he refuses. - he thought, his mind a complete mess.

"Angre," Vansh's sharp voice snapped him out of his thoughts.

He looked at Vansh with an accusatory glance, who gestured him to occupy the empty chair beside him. Angre sighed, taking the empty chair beside Vansh, sitting face-to-face with Divya.

Vansh and Maya exchanged a few pleasantries. They spoke about their business, the professionalism feeling awkward for both of them. The pauses between their conversation, usually calming, felt suffocating and they tried hard to pull up a topic.

"Sir, madam. Drinks," A waiter said, placing two glasses of champagne for them on the table. Maya took the flute, swirling the liquid and watching the bubbles float. She glanced at Vansh who was worried. "You shouldn't drink that," he whispered, well-aware that alcoholics were off the shelf for her.

"I can handle a glass," she whispered back, giving him a confident smile. They toasted, gulping down their drinks completely.

The man at the bar counter smirked secretly as he watched Vansh drink down the poisonous drink. "I will fuck you up completely, Vansh Rai Singhania. I will destroy you."

✎

Maya felt her insides burn after she drank the champagne. Keeping a straight face, she continued to converse with Vansh, their conversation slightly pleasant now.

"Ma'am," Divya interrupted exactly twenty minutes later. "There's a call from the office. It's urgent. We should leave,"

Vansh and Angre smirked, understanding her tactic to leave the party. After all, Divya hadn't even touched her phone for the last twenty minutes, then how did she get a call? And she was so calm for someone giving a bad news.

"Okay," Maya turned to Vansh, "I will have to leave now, Mr. Rai Singhania. Thank you for inviting me."

"The pleasure is all mine, Ms. Raizada." He smiled. "Before we part ways, can I talk to you in private?"

Maya exchanged glances with Divya, gesturing the latter to wait for her in the car. Angre stepped back, his eyes on them and ears on every movement in the party. "Please speak, Mr. Rai Singhania,"

"It's Rai, for you, bunny." He whispered angrily, dropping all the formalities. "Anyways, I have a bet for you."

"A bet?"

"Yes. In the next six months, I want you to take over the entire state with your business." He stated. Vansh knew Mayura was the one to play safe and never take risks. But he wanted her to take risks, to grow and make a bigger name. "And in return, I'll give a position."

"A position?" She scoffed. "I have an entire company, Vansh. What will a position give me?"

"Wrong. Maya Raizada has an entire company, not you. I'll give you the position of being the co-owner in my new business. Deal?"

Mayura leaned back, weighing her options. "What if I fail?"

Vansh stood up and Mayura followed as he escorted her to the door. "I don't make deals with failures, Mayura." He tucked a strand of her loose hair behind her ear. "I know you'll do it, that's why I made the bet."

"Six months, right?"

"Absolutely," he affirmed, crossing his arms against his chest. "Fine!" She accepted, "See you in six months, business partner."

Mayura left the party.

✎

"Let the party begin." Vansh ordered, sitting back on his couch. The packets of drugs were out, distributed among everyone except Vansh and Angre. Bottles of alcohol were corked open, the music and lights dimmed to not attract attention.

Vansh and Angre watched as people became slaves to the intoxicants; their senses blinded by the high.

Time ticked by.

They watched as people fought themselves for more; burned their pockets to get a small quantity of drugs. They dropped to the floor like dead bodies, their eyes rolled back in their heads for pleasure.

One corner of the room was thick with the smoke of special cigars that were enjoyed by the older men.

"What do you bid?" Vansh heard the auctioneer say to a desperate man. He hair was messy, his shirt tucked out. His coat was thrown away over a pool of alcohol on the floor. His tie was loose and his buttons open.

"Everything," he slurred. He was kneeling on the floor, using the table to stay upright. The auctioneer looked down on him, his arrogance clearly visible in his eyes.

"Every-thing?"

"My business. My family. My assets. Take everything. Just give me a taste of that," he added. "You'll get 34 lakhs from everything. I don't care what you do to my family. Just give me the damn thing!" He screamed in desperation.

Vansh scoffed. He stood up and straightened the creases on his coat. Angre cleared the path, kicking away the addicts. They walked towards the stage, enjoying the beautiful canvas of suffering and addiction.

They parted ways, Angre disappearing into the shadows as Vansh stood up on the dias, his eyes dark with desire.

"Hello, my dear customers!" He spoke, his voice echoing in the hall. "I hope you have enjoyed the starters. Shall we talk business now?" He spoke in a baritone.

One-by-one they all sat up on the chairs. They were a complete messy - physically and emotionally. They took in deep breaths.

Vansh revealed his plan of drug smuggling to them, promising a fair share to all those who helped him. It was a tempting offer that none could resist, and they agreed.

"The base will be Raizada Hotels. But be wary of the owner. She's not one of us. If we get caught," he warned, letting them understand the silence left behind in his incomplete sentence.

The guests began to leave, feeling elated to be a part of his organisation. Unknown to them, they were just wound in his trap, where he'd spend his life sucking them dry.

"Angre,"

Rohan, the man who poisoned Vansh's drink, slid to Vansh's feet. His body was red and purple with bruises. Tears rolled down his eyes as Angre appeared from the shadow.

Vansh strided towards him with the grace of a panther, his eyes dark with bloodlust. "Tumhe pata hai beete hue wakt aur tum jaise logon mein kya similarity hai?"

Rohan shook his head, wincing in pain as Vansh gripped his chin tightly. "Ek se zyada baar woh aate nahi." Vansh's voice dropped an octave as he locked eyes with Rohan. "Aur unhe ek se zyada baar aana bhi nahi chaiye. Tum past mein the mere. Mere present mein aakar tumne aapna future khatam kar diya hai," he pushed him, his last words slow and punctuated.

Rohan lay back, eyes wide in fear. He stared at Vansh, waiting for his next move, his heart beating in his chest. A small smile appeared on his lips and he started to laugh.

"Future? Future toh mene tumhara kharab Kiya hai, Vansh Rai Singhania. Woh, woh drink tumhari. Koi mamuli drink nahi thi. Usme tumhara... nahi, tumhare judwa Bhai, Vihaan ka favourite ingredient tha. Guess karna chahte ho? Karo," He laughed, egging him on. Vansh and Angre raised a brow staring at him stoically.

Not many people knew about Vihaan, except for them, Mayura, and Vyom. The others who dared to know, like the journalist, and Rohan, would not live to tell the truth.

"Zeher. Slow poison," he laughed, throwing his head back on the ground. He hiccuped, trying to breath and laugh together. He sat up, remembering something. "Dheere dheere, tadap tadap kar maroge tum, Vansh Rai Singhania." He started laughing again. "Aur koi tumhe bacha nahi payega. Pata hai kyun?"

Irked, Vansh took out his gun and shot him twice. Rohan slumped on the ground, blood pooling around him. He coughed, the crooked smile intact on his lips. "Antidote nahi hai... zeher ka," he revealed.

Vansh kneeled beside his body, "Plan sahi tha tumhara. Bas ek chuk ho gayi thi tumse. Woh joh zeher ka glass tha na, woh mujh tak kabhi pahuncha hi nahi. Plan. Flop. Mission. Flop."

"Na..." Rohan's words trailed off as he stopped breathing.

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