UNIVERSITY ARC
I felt relieved that my confrontation with Geetha was finally over; it had been tense, humiliating, and testing in ways I hadn't expected. But now, I was left with a strange calm—like the quiet before a storm.
Even though I could have destroyed her with a few words or gestures, I chose restraint. Not out of weakness, but because I knew the value of timing. One day, she would learn. And when she did, it would leave a mark far deeper than tonight's shallow insults.
But that wasn't the only thing gnawing at my mind.
There had been too many influential guests at the party—business families, socialites, maybe even board members from our company's extended network. If even one of them recognized me, even by accident, it could throw everything into chaos. I wasn't ready for that—not yet.
In just a few days, I was expected to meet the company's top executives. If any whispers from this party reached them… No. I had to believe my mask held strong.
I had to vanish into the background again.
Starting today, I'd be more cautious than ever. Fame came with a price, and I wasn't about to pay it at the cost of my friends' safety or my plans. I'd learned the hard way—being remembered often led to being targeted.
Lying on my bed, the silence of the night pressed against me. I stared at the ceiling, thoughts crashing in waves. I couldn't afford to trust the wrong person. Not again.
My phone buzzed.
A message from the one person I could rely on.
"Sir, the arrangements are made. You can access your gold card now."
A quiet exhale escaped me. Finally it's time.
I typed back quickly: "Good. Proceed."
The reply came almost instantly: "Confirmed, sir."
That was it. The gate was unlocked.
Now, I had the power to move. Quietly. Efficiently. Strategically.
As I lay on my bed, staring at the ceiling, the glow of the phone screen still lit up the room faintly. The message confirming access to the gold card.
This card wasn't just a key to wealth—it was a lifeline. A symbol of my identity as the rightful heir to the Vardhan Group. And now, I could access it again without raising suspicion.
I clutched the phone tightly, thinking back to the boy who once swept café floors to pay for a single meal. And now—now I could buy the very building that the café stood in. But wealth without wisdom was just noise. I had seen what power did to people—Rahul, Geetha. I would not walk their path.
I looked over at my friends. Ramu was already snoring softly. Suresh had an earbud in, probably dreaming of chicken. Keshava still lay turned away, silent, his pride wounded on my behalf.
I couldn't allow myself to become reckless. I couldn't forget the people who mattered—my friends, the ones who stood by me when I had nothing.
"I won't let this power change me."
I whispered into the night. And so, I made a silent promise to myself: I would never misuse this power. I would protect them.
And one day… I would rewrite every wrong—starting with the ones that put me here.
– – – –
The next morning, I woke up early. Sleep had been light—my mind was too busy preparing for what came next. I dressed in the same simple clothes I always wore. Nothing that would suggest I was the gold card holder. That anonymity was my armor.
I hailed a taxi and arrived at the main branch—Nexus Silicon Bank: central city Division.
Nexus Silicon, it wasn't just a financial institution—it was a legend. Known across continents and hidden behind layers of encrypted systems and elite gates, it operated in over sixty countries, with private vaults embedded beneath skyscrapers and government buildings alike. With over $1.5 trillion in assets, it sat quietly among the world's top banking titans—but unlike them, Nexus thrived in the shadows. Its true wealth wasn't just in numbers—it was in secrecy.
The bank served a rare breed of clients: royal dynasties, tech giants, oil empires, and old-money families whose names never appeared on Forbes lists—because they owned the lists. Transactions here weren't limited to currency; artifacts, data, stocks, and sovereign bonds changed hands in coded whispers. Rumors said Nexus had once delayed a global recession—simply by shifting gold between three private accounts.
But to me, it was more than a myth.
It was part of my inheritance.
My father had established a secured lineage account under my name when I was just nine years old—one that could only be accessed when I proved my identity, power, and readiness. That account wasn't just a bank ledger. It was a gateway to my legacy, a symbol of who I was born to be: Manoj Vardhan, heir to a hidden empire.
Inside those vaults were not only funds, but also documents, legal controls, confidential projects, and tools I could one day use to rebuild what we had lost. But unlocking that door meant stepping into a dangerous game—one filled with eyes, power plays, and enemies who wouldn't want me back in the picture.
Now, standing at the entrance of this fortress disguised as a bank, I knew: this was no ordinary visit. It was the start of reclaiming everything they tried to strip away from me.
...
The building was a towering marvel of steel and glass, its architecture blending modern minimalism with intimidating security. The entry process alone was tighter than anything I'd ever faced—full-body scans, biometric verification, encrypted access codes.
Once inside, it didn't feel like a bank. It felt like a luxury hotel crossed with a private intelligence agency. Everything gleamed—floors polished like mirrors, walls lined with silent security cameras, and clients escorted by attendants in tailored suits. People walked with purpose, every movement precise. Even the air smelled expensive.
They all looked at me like I didn't belong.
And I loved that.
If only they knew.
I walked past the regular queues and headed for the V.I.P. Gold Card Section. Only authorized elite clients were allowed access. I was about to enter when I heard a familiar voice.
"Hey Manoj? What are you doing here?"
I froze.
Deepika.
A classmate. Sharp. Judgmental. Always floating in the upper circles of campus gossip. Of all people…
She stood in shock, eyes wide with disbelief. Her voice dropped into a harsh whisper.
"For your own sake, get out of here. If anyone sees you, you'll lose your dignity."
For a second, I didn't know how to respond. My heart thudded. Part of me wanted to laugh for my worst timing. The other part knew I had to act fast—before things spiraled.
She had no idea who she was speaking to.
But what would I do next?
I took a deep breath and decided to stay calm.
"Hey Deepika, I'm just here for some... uh... personal banking stuff. Ha yes…some personal banking stuff. You know how it is."
I tried to sound casual, but even I could hear the awkwardness in my voice. Personal banking stuff? What have I just said? It's deepika, man!
Deepika raised an eyebrow, her gaze lingering. I know she was looking for an answer.
"Personal banking stuff? In the VIP section?" Deepika folded her arms. "Cut the act, Manoj. What are you really doing here?"
Her tone was firm, not hostile—just sharp enough to make me nervous.