The night had become quieter.
Several empty ice cream containers were scattered across the villa steps.
Ishira was happily eating another spoonful while pretending she wasn't.
Meanwhile, Ivaan sat beside her.
Calm.
Silent.
For once not arguing.
Then—
His phone rang.
The screen lit up.
Zyan Calling
Ivaan answered immediately.
"What?"
No greeting.
Typical.
On the other side, Zyan sounded unusually serious.
And that instantly caught Ivaan's attention.
Because Zyan was rarely serious.
"Where are you?"
"Busy."
"I can guess where."
Ivaan's expression darkened.
"Zyan."
The teasing disappeared immediately.
"We have a problem."
Silence.
Ishira noticed the change.
The relaxed posture vanished.
The Devil returned.
"What happened?"
"The invitation arrived."
Ivaan's eyes narrowed.
For several seconds he said nothing.
Then—
"When?"
"Next month."
A dangerous silence followed.
Even Ishira could feel something had changed.
"What location?"
"Dubai."
That answer made Ivaan stand.
Immediately.
His gaze becoming colder.
Far colder.
On the other side, Zyan continued.
"The annual gathering."
The words were simple.
But their meaning wasn't.
Because this wasn't an ordinary meeting.
This was where the most powerful underground kings gathered.
The people who controlled cities.
Empires.
Territories.
Money.
Power.
A single mistake at that gathering could start a war.
And a single alliance could change the balance of the entire world.
"When did it arrive?"
"An hour ago."
Ivaan looked toward Manhattan's skyline.
Thinking.
Calculating.
Already planning.
"Who confirmed attendance?"
Zyan exhaled.
"Almost everyone."
The answer wasn't comforting.
Not at all.
Because "everyone" meant rivals.
Enemies.
Allies.
And dangerous people sitting in the same room.
A rare occurrence.
And a risky one.
Meanwhile, Ishira quietly watched him.
Confused.
Curious.
Wondering what kind of call could change his entire expression within seconds.
On the phone, Zyan spoke again.
"There's one more thing."
Ivaan's jaw tightened.
"Speak."
"The guest list."
A pause.
Then—
"Aryan Sharma is attending."
Silence.
Complete silence.
Even the night seemed to become quieter.
For a brief second, Ivaan's eyes darkened.
Then a faint smirk appeared.
The kind that usually meant trouble.
Serious trouble.
"I'll be there."
The call ended.
Ishira immediately looked up.
"What happened?"
Ivaan slipped his phone back into his pocket.
"Work."
"That's not just work."
"No."
His gaze drifted toward the city lights.
Toward the future.
Toward a meeting that could change everything.
"The Devil has a meeting."
And something in his voice told her—
This wasn't the kind of meeting ordinary people were invited to.
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