I hadn't meant to stop.
Hell, I hadn't even planned to take this route.
I was just driving to a nearby cafe, trying to clear my head after another long, mind-numbing day at the office, when I saw her. At first, I thought my eyes were playing tricks on me.
Avni Rajput.
Sitting under a tree, a book in her hand, a soft breeze playing with the loose strands of her hair.
I slowed the car almost instinctively, my grip tightening on the wheel as I took in the sight in front of me.
She looked... different.
Not in a way that was drasticâshe was still Avni, still had that sharpness in her posture, that quiet intensity in her presenceâbut here, in this moment, she seemed lighter.
Her expression wasn't guarded, her brows weren't furrowed in focus or irritation, and for once, she wasn't arguing with someone.
She was just there. Existing. Effortlessly.
For a second, I just watched. She flipped a page, her lips twitching in what I could only assume was amusement at whatever she was reading. The corners of her eyes crinkled slightly, and thenâ
She smiled. A real one. Not the sarcastic, challenging smirk she reserved for me. Not the polite, business-like curve of her lips that she gave to everyone else.
This smile was different. It was soft. Genuine. I didn't think I had ever seen it before. And for some reason, it made my chest feel a little too tight.
My gaze flickered to the kids playing nearby, the ones she occasionally glanced up to watch, and something clicked into place. This was Avni Rajput without the weight of the world on her shoulders.
Without boardrooms, contracts, expectations. Just her.
It was unsettling how different she looked in this setting. Like I had stumbled upon a version of her that wasn't meant to be seen by anyone. Especially not me.
Maybe I should have kept driving. Maybe I should have ignored whatever curiosityâor whatever the hell this wasâpulling at me. But before I could think better of it, I was already stepping out of the car.
Already walking towards her. Already crossing a line I wasn't sure I wanted to cross.
She didn't notice me at first. Too caught up in her book, too lost in her own little world.
And I let myself stare a little longer than I probably should have.
The way the golden sunlight filtered through the leaves, casting dappled patterns across her skin. The way her lips parted slightly as she read, like she was mouthing the words.
She was beautiful.
Not in the way I had thought before, when she was standing in high heels, throwing threats my way like they were second nature.
This was a different kind of beauty. A quiet, unintentional kind. The kind that made you stop without realizing why.
And then, as if sensing me, she looked up. Her expression shifted instantly, her features tightening the second she registered who was standing in front of her. "The hell are you doing here?"
I smirked, shoving my hands into my pockets. "Relax, Ms Rajput. Didn't know this park was yours."Â Her eyes narrowed. "It's not. But you being here feels like an invasion of privacy."
I chuckled. There she is.  I glanced at the book in her hands, tilting my head slightly. "Didn't expect you as the type to sit under trees and read books." She arched a brow. "And what exactly did you expect me as?"
My gaze flickered over her, noting the way the evening breeze played with the strands of her hair. "Someone who's always working. Or threatening to throw something at me."
Her lips twitched, like she was debating whether or not to actually throw her book at my face. "Tempting."
I took another step forward, studying her carefully. "Didn't expect to see you here either."Â She shrugged, looking away. "I needed air."
Something about the way she said it made me pause. Like she was escaping something. I didn't push.
Instead, I let my gaze drift back to the little kids playing in the distance, the ones she had been watching. One of themâa tiny girl with pigtailsâcame running toward her, tripping slightly. Without hesitation, Avni reached out, steadying her before she could fall.
Her voice was softer when she spoke to the kid. Gentle. Warm. And when the little girl giggled and ran off, Avni actually smiled again.
For some reason, I felt like I had just seen something I wasn't supposed to. Something private. Something that made her seem human in a way I had never considered before.
I must have been staring too long, because she suddenly turned back to me, her brows furrowing. "You're staring again." I blinked, forcing the smirk back onto my face. "What can I say? You're fascinating, Ms Rajput."
She rolled her eyes, shoving her book into her bag and getting up. "Well, this fascinating person has had enough of your presence." I chuckled. "Running away?"
She shot me a glare. "I don't run." No, she didn't. That's what made this so interesting.
I watched as she walked away, something in my chest tightening for reasons I didn't want to think about.
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Is it boring when I update chapters from both's pov?
By the way thanks a lot for reading .
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