[DHRUV]When his eyes opened, Dhruv feared he had slept through the afternoon. The watch on his wrist, however, displayed the time to be ten o’clock. He closed his eyes, breathing in deeply before deciding to begin his day. His body was still trying to adapt to the change. It took most of the night to fall asleep, causing him to wake up much later than he intended to. Alarms had never worked for him, so he did not bother setting them up now either. Standing up on his feet, he wandered around, taking in the emptiness of his room. A bed and a wardrobe were the only pieces of furniture inside. There’s a lot of work that needs to be done, he noted to himself. Dhruv had his old friends from Mumbai hunt for some bungalows while he was still wrapping things up in the U.S. The one he had ended up buying was perfect for him—just as he had pictured.However, everything had been done in haste and there was no housewarming ceremony which aggravated his mother, who was mad in the first place be

“What a pleasant surprise it is meeting you here!” he expressed, his smile widening even more. Shanaya lied, maintaining her fake grin, “Likewise.”“You look very beautiful today.”“Thank you so much,” she said. Her cheeks were starting to ache. Despite her best efforts, she couldn't come up with a polite way to dismiss him. “Are you here all by yourself?” he asked, his eyebrows rising in curiosity. In addition to his voice, Shanaya hated the intrusiveness he exhibited, making her want to get rid of him immediately. Sighing loudly, she replied, “Oh, no. I’m here with a client. Business deal discussion.”“Should’ve expected that. Your grandmother admires your working attitude.”“Does she? I did not expect that.” She chuckled. “Raunak, I think I should go. Keeping your clients waiting too long is not a good work ethic.”“Right. So silly of me to keep you here.” He moved to the side, freeing her path. Shanaya sighed in relief, walking with quick strides. But when she reached her tabl

As the sun started to set, orange and crimson tones began to fill the open sky. Suhala shifted the folds of her pale blue saree once more before clearing her voice. It was difficult to ignore her impatience. Shanaya pulled out her cell phone once again, dialling Ahail’s number. He did not bother picking up this time either. Sighing, she looked at her grandmother who was watching her intently. “When is he coming?” Suhala asked, her voice coarse like sand. “He said he would come.” “I don’t understand why we’re wasting our time here,” Aruna, Neil’s mother, remarked. Folding her arms, she continued, “He never comes to any such events. Let’s just leave, Harish. I don’t want to be late to my son’s art exhibition. It’s an important day for him.” “You’re right, Aruna,” Suhala agreed, fixing her daunting eyes on the woman. “It is indeed an important day for Neil, which is why he asked all of us to be present. Together. As a family.” Aruna had the audacity to scoff, bearing a look on her fa

Shanaya felt betrayed by her own eyes. They wandered of their own accord in an attempt to steal another glance at Dhruv. Their gazes met. Not once, not twice, but three times!She knew she was fidgeting, her words fumbling. Her gaze was unsteady, and her mind was distracted during each conversation. She was aware that it was a dangerous thing. With her family so close, she could not afford to reveal that she had already met Dhruv before; no one could know they had made any attempts at reconciliation. Is that what it was? she asked herself. Reconciliation?The feud between Aroras and Kapoors was common talk a decade ago—it had directly affected the families that depended on their business partnership. People had their speculations. There were several rumors floating about, and while the matter had been resolved publicly, the fire still burned deep inside their hearts. Suhala yawned, her watery eyes coming back to Shanaya’s face. “We should leave now. I’m feeling tired.” She appeared

“You can stay tonight,” the words left Shanaya’s mouth before she could hold back. She bit her tongue then, an inaudible curse rising from her chest. Dhruv’s dark eyes swept to her face in an instant. In them, she found uncertainty and curiosity. She was sure he was wondering what intentions she held. If only she knew herself… As their eyes met, the air stood still for a moment. She heard the sounds of their breath mingle, and her gaze drew to his lips impulsively. Feeling her cheeks heat up, Shanaya looked away. But she knew it was too late. He’d caught her."You don’t have to say please, Shanaya. Not to me. Just promise not to smother me in my sleep. My parents are still holding out for that party," Dhruv said, stepping out of the car. His voice was calm, his steps smooth. However, on the other hand, Shanaya felt like she was losing control of herself, like sand slipping between her fingers. There was no point in even trying. Dhruv walked closely behind her, quiet as a ghost. This