By Frank Lucasale Ravi was a simple man, or at least, that’s what people thought. Running a small tea stall in the bustling streets of Mumbai, he appeared like just another struggling husband trying to make ends meet. His wife, Meera, once loved him, but poverty had a way of making love feel like a burden.
Then came Arjun—a rich businessman, charming and loaded with money. Meera was drawn to his lavish lifestyle, his expensive suits, and the way he made her feel like a queen. The affair began in secret, stolen nights in luxury hotels while Ravi worked late, sweating in the chaos of the streets. She justified it to herself—she deserved more, didn’t she?
But what Meera didn’t know was that Ravi was not the helpless tea-seller she thought. Long before their marriage, Ravi was a feared name in the underworld, a man who had once controlled a crime syndicate. He had left that life behind for love, but some habits never truly die.
One night, Ravi came home earlier than expected. The scent of a cologne that wasn’t his lingered in the air. The sheets were slightly crumpled. Meera’s guilty face said more than words ever could. Ravi stayed silent, his mind processing everything.
He didn’t confront her immediately. Instead, he followed her. Watched her slip into Arjun’s car. Tracked them to a five-star hotel. He saw everything.
That night, Ravi made a phone call. A favor was needed. The black market had everything—for the right price. By morning, Ravi had a pistol in his hands. Not just any pistol, but a reminder of the life he had once left behind.
The next evening, Meera returned home, humming to herself. She walked in, only to freeze. Ravi was sitting in the dimly lit room, spinning the pistol on the table. His gaze was calm, but his silence was louder than a gunshot.
“You think I didn’t know?” His voice was cold.
Meera’s heart pounded. “Ravi, listen—”
“Did he make you happy?” he asked, tilting his head.
Tears welled up in her eyes. “I… I was tired of being poor.”
Ravi let out a bitter chuckle. “Poor? Do you even know who I am?”
She swallowed hard. “Wh-what do you mean?”
Ravi leaned forward. “I gave up a kingdom for you, Meera. But I guess some people only respect money and power.”
A knock on the door interrupted them. Meera turned to look. Arjun stood outside, oblivious to the storm waiting for him.
Ravi smiled—a dangerous, knowing smile. “Shall we invite him in?”
Meera gasped, stepping back as Ravi loaded the pistol. The night was far from over.
Betrayal in the Shadows (Part 2)
Meera’s breath hitched as Ravi walked towards the door, his fingers grazing the cold steel of the pistol. Arjun, still clueless, knocked again.
Knock. Knock.
“Meera? Are you there?” Arjun’s voice was casual, unaware that Death itself was about to open the door.
Ravi glanced back at Meera, his eyes dark and unreadable. “You invited him into my life. Let’s welcome him properly.”
Before she could protest, Ravi pulled the door open. Arjun smiled at first, but the moment he saw Ravi’s cold stare, the color drained from his face.
“Ravi… uh… I—”
Before he could finish, Ravi grabbed him by the collar and yanked him inside. Arjun stumbled, barely keeping his balance.
“Sit,” Ravi ordered, pointing at the couch.
Arjun hesitated, glancing at Meera, who stood frozen, her face pale.
“I said SIT!” Ravi barked, slamming his pistol onto the table. The sound echoed through the small apartment, making Meera flinch.
Arjun obeyed. “Listen, man, I—I didn’t know she was married—”
Ravi chuckled, shaking his head. “Oh, don’t insult my intelligence. You knew. You just thought a poor man like me couldn’t do anything about it.”
Meera stepped forward. “Ravi, please… whatever you’re thinking, don’t do it. Let’s just talk—”
Ravi turned to her with a look that shut her up instantly.
“Talk? Like how you talked to him in his fancy hotel rooms? Like how you whispered sweet lies while sleeping in my bed? Tell me, Meera—when did you stop loving me?”
Tears streamed down her face. “I… I don’t know.”
Ravi exhaled slowly, then turned back to Arjun. “Let me tell you something interesting,” he said, leaning in close. “Once upon a time, I ran this city’s underworld. I left it all because I wanted a normal life. I wanted love. But it seems love is just a game for people like you.”
Arjun swallowed hard. “Look, man, I—I’ll give you money! As much as you want! Just let me go.”
Ravi grinned. “Money?” He picked up the pistol, weighing it in his hands. “You think I need your money?”
Meera’s heart pounded. “Ravi, please, don’t do this.”
Ravi sighed, then did something unexpected—he tossed the pistol onto the table.
Arjun stared at it, confused. “What…?”
“You want to live?” Ravi asked. “Then prove yourself.”
Arjun’s hands trembled. “W-what do you mean?”
Ravi leaned back, his gaze calculating. “Take the gun. Shoot her.”
Meera gasped. “What?! No! Ravi—”
Arjun’s face went pale. “I—I can’t do that.”
“Why not?” Ravi asked. “She betrayed me. She used you. And now she’ll betray you too. Don’t you see? She only wants your money.”
Meera fell to her knees. “Ravi, please! I made a mistake!”
Arjun’s hands hovered over the pistol, but he didn’t pick it up. His whole body shook. “I—I can’t…”
Ravi smirked. “That’s the difference between you and me. You’re weak.”
Then, in one swift motion, Ravi grabbed the pistol himself, cocked it, and—
BANG!
The bullet didn’t hit Arjun. It didn’t hit Meera.
It shattered the glass window behind them.
Meera screamed. Arjun nearly collapsed in fear.
Ravi stood up, his expression unreadable. “Leave. Both of you. Now.”
Meera sobbed. “You’re letting us go?”
Ravi looked at her one last time, his eyes filled with something even scarier than anger—disgust. “You’re already dead to me.”
Arjun didn’t wait. He grabbed Meera’s hand and bolted for the door. Within seconds, they were gone.
Ravi sat down, staring at the broken glass. He could still hear the echo of the gunshot in his ears.
He wasn’t a poor man. He wasn’t a fool. He wasn’t weak.
He was Ravi—the man who once ruled the shadows. And tonight, he had chosen a fate worse than death for Meera.
She had to live with what she had done.
And she would never find peace again.