Chapter 22: The Delhi Gambit
[System Notification: New Quest — 'The Lion's Den' | Player: Ishaan Malhotra]
Julian hadn't just sent a letter; he had dropped a nuclear bomb on Meera's career. The envelope in the mailbox contained a formal notice from the Architectural Council of India. Because of the "Viral Mud Video" and the "Altitude Therapy" lie, Julian had filed an official complaint claiming Meera was practicing while mentally unfit and providing fraudulent medical documentation to her employer.
Meera was staring at the letter, her face as white as the marble countertops she had just ordered. "He's going to destroy me, Ishaan. My license... my entire life."
Ishaan didn't yell. He didn't pace. He simply reached for his phone and booked a one-way ticket to Delhi, where Julian was currently staying at a luxury five-star hotel for a "consultancy" meeting.
"I'm going," Ishaan said, his voice a flat, terrifying monotone.
"To Delhi? Alone?" I grabbed his arm. "Ishaan, he's a shark. He'll bait you into doing something that gets you arrested. That's what he wants!"
"He wants a fight," Ishaan said, turning to me and cupping my face in his hands. His eyes were no longer the warm amber of the boy-next-door; they were the cold steel of a surgeon about to perform a high-stakes operation. "But he's forgotten one thing. He's playing a game of numbers. I'm protecting my home. He can't win against that."
The Confrontation
[Location: The Imperial Hotel, Delhi | Time: 11:00 PM]
Julian was sitting in the dimly lit hotel bar, swirling a glass of single-malt scotch, when Ishaan pulled up a chair opposite him. Julian didn't look surprised. He looked bored.
"The Doctor arrives," Julian said, not looking up. "I assume you're here to beg for Meera's license? Or perhaps to offer me a bribe to disappear?"
"I'm here to give you a medical diagnosis, Julian," Ishaan said, leaning forward. He didn't touch his glass. He just stared. "You have a chronic condition called 'Delusions of Grandeur.' You think because you have a London bank account, you can treat people like chess pieces."
"I don't think it, Ishaan. I do it. Meera is already being investigated. Ananya is one phone call away from having her mother cut off her funding. I own the board."
Ishaan pulled out a tablet and slid it across the table. On the screen was a PDF document with a red 'CONFIDENTIAL' stamp.
"This is a forensic audit of the joint account you shared with Mrs. Khanna," Ishaan said. "My friend in Cyber-Crime found something interesting. You didn't just 'track' the money, Julian. You rerouted several 'management fees' from her portfolio into a shell company in the Caymans. That's not just stalking. That's embezzlement."
Julian's hand froze on his glass. The smug mask flickered for a micro-second. "You have no proof of that."
"I have the IP logs," Ishaan countered. "And I have the signature of the bank official you bribed to keep the account open after the breakup. In India, we call this 'Financial Fraud.' In Delhi, we call this 'Ten Years in Tihar Jail.'"
The Ultimatum
Ishaan stood up, looking down at the man who had tried to break his world.
"Here is the deal. You withdraw the complaint against Meera tonight. You sign over the remaining rights to Mrs. Khanna's portfolio and never contact her again. And in exchange..."
Ishaan leaned in, his voice a deadly whisper.
"In exchange, I don't hand this tablet to the Economic Offences Wing standing in the lobby. You have five minutes to send the email to the Council. I'll wait."
Julian looked at the lobby. Two men in plain clothes were indeed standing by the entrance, watching the bar. (They were actually Ishaan's medical school buddies, but in their dark suits and stern expressions, they looked exactly like federal agents).
"You're bluffing," Julian hissed.
"Try me," Ishaan replied. "I've spent the last decade watching people fight for their lives. You think I'm afraid of a man in a three-piece suit?"
The Victory (and the Cost)
Ten minutes later, Ishaan's phone buzzed. A copy of the withdrawal email had been sent to the Council, and a full transfer of funds was initiated to Ananya's private account.
Julian stood up, his face twisted in a sneer. "You think you've won? She'll still find out you're a monster, Ishaan. You're just like me. You'll do anything to control the outcome."
"No," Ishaan said, his voice calm as he watched Julian walk away. "I'll do anything to protect the people I love. There's a difference. You just don't have anyone worth protecting."
Ishaan walked out of the hotel into the cold Delhi night. He pulled out his phone and saw three missed calls from Meera. He hesitated. His hands were shaking now—the adrenaline finally wearing off. He had won the war, but he knew that keeping the "Audit" a secret from Meera and Ananya wasn't an option.
[System Notification: Quest Complete — 'The Julian Problem' | New Status: Secret Keeper]
[Author's Corner]
ISHAAN IS A BEAST! 🔥 He used the 'Fake Agents' trope and actually out-played Julian! But wait... did he go too far? Will Meera be upset that he handled it behind her back?
Status Update:
Ishaan: The Victor (with some questionable methods).
Meera: Still at home, worried sick.
Ananya: About to get a very large deposit in her bank account.