Anand slipped into Rajni Bua’s private wing as dawn’s gray light seeped through ornate lattices. The hush of carved marble was broken only by the clink of his glass on the ebony console. He tapped a secure line: “Activate Protocol Saffron. Bring Haveli Lotus to its knees.” Beneath his polished calm lay a storm—each promise of obedience now twisted into obsession. His gaze settled on a framed portrait of three sisters he had never known, and the ghost of jealousy ignited a cold resolve.