Taksh was deeply engrossed in reading the details of one of his projects when suddenly his phone rang. Without any delay, he picked it up.

"Yes…"

"Sir, you had asked me to gather complete information about this girl, Jheel Maheshwari. I’ve managed to find out a few things. This girl is from Ajmer city in Rajasthan. She used to live with her maternal grandparents. After their death, she was left completely alone. They used to receive a small pension, which somehow kept the household running. Following their demise, she found herself with minimal resources. She cleared a scholarship exam and came here to pursue her studies. She doesn't have any friends or family in this city. Also, as per your instructions, I looked into the chawl where she’s staying. Sir, as you already know, that chawl is one of the cheapest in the area, but there’s absolutely no security. It’s said that just last night, someone kept knocking on her door for a long time after getting drunk. She didn’t open the door, but you can imagine what she must have gone through.”

Listening to everything in silence, Taksh slowly kept the phone aside and sat there lost in deep thought. Then, a faint smile played on his lips as he whispered to himself:

“If you have to face any trouble despite my presence in this world, then what is even the point of me being here? Very soon, I will wrap you in my arms and never let anyone trouble you again…”

Without wasting another moment, he stood up, changed his clothes swiftly, grabbed his bike, and rode straight to her chawl. The door to her room was closed, but he could clearly see several men sitting nearby, drinking alcohol openly. Some were even fighting. The sight filled his heart with dread and concern for her safety. Just then, he noticed that Jheel stepped outside, causing him to quickly hide. She walked away from the chawl, and Taksh immediately began following her. She got into an auto-rickshaw, and he followed her closely without delay.

As they reached near a club, Jheel entered the place, leaving Taksh utterly stunned. He pulled out his phone at once and called his assistant.

"Jheel has entered the Devil Club! Had you checked this place out before?"

"Sir, what are you saying? That club is infamous—known for drugs. Drugs are sold openly there and in large quantities. Every day, waitresses who work there either go missing forever or end up becoming permanent fixtures inside. What is such an innocent-looking girl doing in a place like that?"

As soon as he heard this, Taksh disconnected the call immediately and began walking briskly toward the club. Ahead of him, a group of young boys reached the bouncer and said,

“DEVIL ROCKS…”

It was a secret code used by those who wanted access to drugs. The bouncer handed them masks and allowed them in easily, without a second glance—he didn’t care about their age or identity. Taksh noted all of those details carefully. As he looked at the mask being handed out, he realized its purpose: to make sure no one could recognize anyone inside. In a place like this, people from all walks of life, from the highest to the lowest, could be present, and recognizing each other could create serious problems. He stepped forward, his voice calm and composed.

“DEVIL ROCKS…”

The bouncer immediately handed him a mask and let him in without a second thought. Taksh wore the mask and quietly found a spot to sit, his eyes scanning the crowd, searching only for Jheel.

Jheel stared at the dress in her hand. It barely reached her thighs and was deep black in color. The neckline plunged so low that her cleavage was prominently visible. Looking at the outfit made her uncomfortable, even a little ashamed, but she reminded herself that in such clubs, girls were made to wear even cheaper and more revealing clothes.

For a moment, she remained motionless, holding her breath. Then, glancing down at the mask in her hand, she muttered softly to herself:

"Who’s even going to talk about me? I don’t have anyone. I have to handle everything on my own. Yes, the dress is bad… But it’s not the worst. All the other girls are wearing similar things too. It will only take two hours—just two hours—and then I’ll receive the money. Then I won’t have to worry for a month. I can make arrangements during that time. Jheel, you can do this.”

Her eyes moved toward the other girls already in the room. Some of them had already worn their outfits. She looked down at their legs—so clean and smooth—and then her gaze unintentionally drifted up to their chests. Their curves were clearly visible through this deep neck, it's like nothing is here to hide. The sight made her throat dry. She looked back at her dress, conflicted from within. A war raged inside her—part of her wanting to run away, another part pushing her forward. Just then, a girl nearby noticed her hesitation, walked up to her, and said gently,

“Having trouble wearing the dress? I did too, at first. But then I had one thought, if I wear this, I’ll be able to get in quickly, and once I’m in, I can start earning fast. Right now, money is everything. It is our responsibility to determine how we keep ourselves safe in a place like this. We’re just here to work, and maybe this is the uniform we have to wear for that. Sometimes, life puts us in situations where we have to make hard choices. Maybe we’re doing this now so we don’t have to be helpless in the future.”

Jheel stared at the girl quietly, studying her face, but said nothing in return. The girl gave her a kind smile and walked away. Jheel then quickly opened her purse and checked its contents. She only had ₹700 left.

Ever since she had arrived in the city, that money had gone into paying her chawl rent, her college travel, and her basic living needs. And yet, she hadn’t found a decent job. She knew very well how difficult it would be to balance college and work. She needed to be smart about choosing the right job, and that wasn’t going to happen overnight. For now, she had to earn something, no matter how small. Taking a deep breath and closing her eyes, she whispered to herself:

“Exactly… You need to work. And every job comes with its rules. If wearing this dress is a rule here, then you’ll follow it. You can do this.”

Without further hesitation, she stepped into the changing room and quickly changed into the outfit. As she stood before the mirror, she tried her best to tug the dress down, attempting to make it look a little more modest. But doing so only pulled the neckline even lower, exposing more of her cleavage. She sighed and tried to adjust the top instead.

Just then, a knock echoed on the door. She composed herself and stepped out. Another girl was standing outside, waiting.

"All the girls are being called by the manager. Put on your masks quickly. He’s strictly said no one is to reveal their face. And if someone misbehaves too much, just walk away."

Hearing this, Jheel felt a wave of nervousness rush through her, but still, she followed the girl. As they reached the room, the manager stood there, carefully observing each of the girls before handing small packets to them one by one.

"The cost of this tiny packet is ₹20,000. For each one you successfully distribute, you’ll get ₹2,000. Every girl here has 20 packets. So, besides the ₹10,000 you’ll receive instantly, you also have a chance to earn another ₹40,000 tonight."

All the girls turned to look at him with wide eyes. Jheel, too, stared at him in disbelief as he continued explaining.

"Each girl will carry 20 packets. All transactions will be logged and settled at the end of the night. Every rupee will be accounted for; you’ll get your full payment. That much I can guarantee. But remember one thing—if any client misbehaves with you or tries something beyond boundaries, it’s your lookout how you handle it. Any rude behavior from your side toward a customer won’t be tolerated. If you’re not comfortable with any of this, you can leave now—but forget about the money. Whether you want to go to a client or not is entirely up to you. Whatever happens inside this club is my responsibility. No one will dare cross a line because my bouncer team is always alert. But yes, clients here are extremely important, and some of them can be excessively inappropriate. We can’t stop them because they’re very influential. I’ve said all that needed to be said. Now take your packets. The trays filled with alcohol are placed outside. Please pick them up and begin serving.

The girls lined up to take their packets. Slowly, they began to enter the club. It was overcrowded, far beyond what any of them expected. Some smiled, encouraged by the potential earnings, while others visibly panicked. The crowd was overwhelming.

When it was finally Jheel’s turn to go in, she hesitantly stepped into the club. What she saw shocked her—most of the people inside were young, barely out of their teens. For a moment, she turned around, thinking of leaving. But before she could move, the manager blocked her path.

"There’s no turning back now. Since you’ve come in, finish your job. Only then can you leave."

Jheel stood frozen, staring at him in fear. Her hands trembled. The glasses on the tray she carried clinked against each other with soft, eerie sounds. But the manager didn’t care; he simply walked away. She stood there motionless, staring at the sea of people. She didn’t have the courage to step forward and offer drinks, let alone hand over those suspicious packets. She pulled one out and examined it closely.

"These… these are the kind of drugs they show in movies—the ones people get addicted to. And that addiction is never good. Then why do so many people take it? Why are so many here? I don’t think I can do this. But how do I leave now?"

What she didn’t know was that despite the mask covering her face, someone’s eyes were watching her intently—eyes that had recognized her instantly, Taksh. His gaze locked onto her form the moment she entered. His jaw clenched tightly as he saw her outfit, anger surging within him.

"You need a punishment..."

He muttered under his breath. He stood up abruptly and began walking toward her. Fury burned inside him. Why had she come here? Why had she put herself in danger? As he reached her, Jheel looked at him, her lashes trembling. Something in his eyes seemed strangely familiar. Her fear softened for a second. Taksh extended his hand.

"I want a packet. How many do you have?"

Jheel just stared at him, too stunned to speak. Her heartbeat raced. Taksh leaned closer, his voice low but commanding, his eyes locking with hers.

"I want all of them. Right now."

Jheel, dazed by the music, lights, fear, and confusion, still couldn’t comprehend anything. Just then, another girl approached. Jheel quickly looked between the masked man and the girl, her hands shaking. The man spoke again.

"Packet..."

Barely understanding, Jheel placed all the packets in his hands. The girl who came along began counting them. Once the transaction was verified, she turned to Jheel and said.

“Go inside and bring more.”

“I want to leave...”

The fear in her voice was unmistakable, Taksh could feel every trembling note of it. The girl hesitated, then nodded and took her by the hand, leading her inside. Taksh didn’t take his eyes off Jheel for a second.

Inside, the girl brought her face-to-face with the manager again. He tried convincing her to stay, but Jheel kept shaking her head, refusing. Furious, the manager finally waved her off and told her to leave—without paying her a single rupee. Jheel didn’t argue. She just walked out quickly.

Taksh, watching all this, knew he had to get her out now. He looked down at the packets in his hand and, without hesitation, threw them into the crowd, scattering them everywhere.

Then he stepped outside and waited for her. His mind raced, unsure how to approach her but knowing he couldn’t let her leave alone. Moments later, she came running out of the building, having changed back into her clothes. She looked around, frantic for transport, but nothing was in sight.

Panicked, she started walking fast, hoping to find something on the way. Taksh followed, furious. How could she have come to such a place? What was she thinking? Jheel felt someone behind her. She turned once, but due to the darkness and the scarf around his face, she couldn’t see anything clearly. Still frightened, she picked up her pace. But the sound of footsteps grew louder, closer. Before she could scream again or run, a hand grabbed her, pulling her into a shadowed alley. She cried out.

“Leave me… Help me … Please...”

But the club’s music was blaring so loudly that even half a kilometer away, it drowned out her cries. No one could hear her. Taksh dragged her into the darkness and sat down roughly on a stone, pulling her across his lap, and with a harsh motion—spanked her.

"You foolish girl…. You came here all alone…. Do you even realize what could’ve happened? Have you completely lost your mind?!"

Jheel was so terrified she didn’t even know what was happening or why. A second slap, harder than the first, landed on her butt; she felt suddenly numb. He is mad with anger and screaming in his mind.

How dare you put yourself in danger…

She screamed in pain, but Taksh didn’t stop. After two more hits, he growled and harshly pulled to stand.

"I'm a police officer. I was here for a raid. If you want to save your life, leave immediately and never come to a place like this again. I just don’t understand why girls like you walk into hell with open eyes. You look like a decent person.”

She feels so relieved. She is with the police, and he is punishing her for her stupidity. She quickly told him everything.

“Sir, I needed money badly. I thought I’d earn a little here, but it turned out to be something else. I swear... I’ll never come here again. Never, ever again,” Jheel cried, her voice shaking.

He quickly held her hand and helped her come back on the road, as it is very dark here. By the time they stepped out onto the street, Taksh had already made arrangements. Holding her trembling hand, he led her to a waiting car. Opening the door, he said to the driver:

“Drop her wherever she wants to go.”

Jheel was still so shaken she didn’t even glance back at him. She simply sat inside, trying to hold back her tears, silently wishing to feel safe again. The car drove off into the night.

Taksh followed in his own vehicle. When the car finally reached the chawl and stopped, Jheel rushed out, ran up the stairs to her room, and slammed the door shut behind her. Taksh stood there for a moment, staring in her direction with emotion burning in his chest.

"You have no idea how bad things could’ve happened with you tonight... but I swear on everything I have, I’ll never let anything bad happen to you again. That’s my promise—to myself."