Foreword ------------------------------------------- ix

Preface ------------------------------------------- xi

Acknowledgements ------------------------------------------- xiii

About the Author ------------------------------------------- xiv

PART I ------------------------------------------- 1

chapter 1: Blood in the Penthouse ------------------------------------------- 3

chapter 2: The Arrival of Priti Verma ------------------------------------------- 11

chapter 3: A Star is Born ------------------------------------------- 20

chapter 4: Arman Malik and The Hidden Network ------------------------------------------- 26

chapter 5: Sitara-Gaurav Joint Venture ------------------------------------------- 34

chapter 6: Priti Varma—The Reluctant Guardian of Secrets ------------------------------------------- 46

PART 2 ------------------------------------------- 63

chapter 7: Shadows of Tomorrow ------------------------------------------- 64

chapter 8: The Digital Web Tightens ------------------------------------------- 76

chapter 9: The Informer’s Silence ------------------------------------------- 86

chapter 10: The Deception Game ------------------------------------------- 94

chapter 11: The Dubai Connection ------------------------------------------- 102

chapter 12: Whispers and Wires ------------------------------------------- 109

chapter 13: The Confession ------------------------------------------- 116

chapter 14: The Trap and the Key ------------------------------------------- 121

PART 3 ------------------------------------------- 129

chapter 15: Bollywood Calling—The Maya Story ------------------------------------------- 130

chapter 16: The Man Who Knew Too Much ------------------------------------------- 141

viii Contents

chapter 17: The Code of the Dead ------------------------------------------- 155

chapter 18: Mirage of Power ------------------------------------------- 165

chapter 19: The Eye of the Storm ------------------------------------------- 173

chapter 20: Queen’s Gambit ------------------------------------------- 180

chapter 21: The Cracks Begin to Show ------------------------------------------- 193

PART 4 ------------------------------------------- 205

chapter 22: The Vanishing of Maya Kapoor ------------------------------------------- 206

chapter 23: The Enemy Tightens Its Grip ------------------------------------------- 213

chapter 24: ShadowLedger Strikes Back ------------------------------------------- 220

chapter 25: A Crack in the Throne ------------------------------------------- 227

PART 5 ------------------------------------------- 231

chapter 26: The Empire of Illusions ------------------------------------------- 232

chapter 27: The Escape ------------------------------------------- 236

chapter 28: The Great Escape ------------------------------------------- 240

chapter 29: The Final Scene—The Phoenix Never Dies ------------------------------------------- 248

chapter 30: Epilogue: The Mirage Never Fades ------------------------------------------- 252

Seshadri is a seasoned engineer with 35 years of leadership experience in public and private steel mills in India and abroad. After an illustrious career, he transitioned into consulting and found a renewed passion for storytelling. In just three years, he has authored seven captivating books, including Stranger Moments, Eclipsed-Darker Moments Revealed, Earth Reimagined, Mystique, Vikram & Betal in a Futuristic World, and Verse by Verse, a profound collection of poetry. He also regularly contributes to several online platforms, sharing his creativity with an ever-growing audience.

An award-winning artist, he brings the same depth of emotion to his literary works as his visual art. His stories and poems reflect a unique blend of realism and abstraction, capturing life's joys, challenges, and mysteries.

Residing in Mumbai, Seshadri continues to inspire through his writing, art, and enduring passion for creativity. Connect with him at seshadri90@gmail.com to explore the world he vividly brings to life.