Chapter 21: chapter 21

Layla froze....... Just moments ago, she had been sobbing pitifully in front of the cameras, playing the victim. But now, in the blink of an eye, she was exposed as the mistress who had seduced another woman’s fiancé. In the eyes of the public, she was no different from the desperate newcomers willing to trade dignity for success in the industry.Most importantly, she had no words to defend herself.The reporters exchanged glances, feeling secondhand embarrassment for her."So, these photos are real, aren’t they? One moment you were crying, and the next, you were stealing someone else’s boyfriend," the female reporter’s tone sharpened."N-No…""The photos speak for themselves. Don’t tell me you’re still going to deny it.""No, it’s all fake… This is all part of Inaya Desai’s plan!" Layla stammered, desperation creeping into her voice. "Stop filming! Get out! I don’t want to be interviewed anymore!"The female reporter let out a cold chuckle, disgust flashing in her eyes. "Miss Joshi, even though we work in the entertainment industry, I have to remind you—karma exists. There is justice in this world. Just for the way Inaya stepped forward and took all the blame herself, I will never write anything bad about her again."Layla trembled with fear. The moment the reporters left, she grabbed her phone and frantically dialed Neil’s number."Neil, have you seen the photos? What do we do?""They’re just photos. Why are you panicking? The company is handling it," Neil responded calmly. But beneath his composed exterior, a storm raged. If everything came to light, it wouldn’t just ruin Layla’s reputation—it would drag Nova Entertainment down with her. Worst of all, it would mean losing Inaya forever.After all, he had not only suppressed her career but also betrayed her trust."This has to be Inaya’s doing!" Layla whined."If you hadn’t provoked her, do you think any of this would be happening?" Neil snapped before abruptly hanging up. He exhaled sharply, then found Inaya’s number and dialed it. "It’s ringing. Pick up, Inaya."Somewhere across Mumbai, Inaya sat quietly, her phone buzzing in her hand. She imagined Neil pacing in frustration, desperate to reach her. But she had no intention of answering.She wanted him to suffer.After slipping away from Layla’s hospital room, Inaya had found a secluded corner to wait. She knew Atharv would send someone to pick her up, but to her surprise, he had come in person."Inaya, get in," his deep voice called out.At the sound of his words, all the uneasiness in her heart disappeared. The phone continued to ring, but she simply tossed it into the backseat of Atharv’s car."Not answering?" Atharv glanced at her, his sharp features illuminated by the city lights.Inaya smirked, her confidence returning. "You already know the answer. Let him search for me all night. Let him feel what it’s like to suffer."Atharv’s lips curled slightly at her words. "He’ll regret ever underestimating you."As they drove off into the night, Inaya knew—this was just the beginning.