Cont.
But Instead of stepping back, she smiled wider, completely misreading the situation.
"I thought you might want some company." she purred, her fingers still tracing his chest, but her voice faltered slightly under the weight of his dark stare. She leaned in closer, attempting to press her advantage, but it was a colossal mistake.
Arjunâs expression hardened, his anger bubbling just beneath the surface.
His thoughts were still on Meera, and the fact that Suhana thought she could step into that space only enraged him further.
His hand shot up, grabbing Suhanaâs wrist, stopping her touch immediately.
"Company?" he spat, his voice low but filled with venom. "You think I want your company?"
Suhanaâs smile faltered, her eyes widening slightly as she finally realized how deeply she had misjudged the situation.
"Arjun, Iâ"
"Get your hands off me." he snarled, pushing her hand away from his chest with a force that sent her stumbling back a few steps.
His entire body radiated with barely restrained violence, his chest heaving with each breath as he loomed over her.
"But Arjun, I just thoughtâ" Suhana stammered, her voice shaking as she struggled to regain her composure.
"You thought wrong." Arjun interrupted, his voice sharp and unforgiving.
"Get. Out." His eyes blazed with a fire that made Suhana's skin crawl. His patience was gone, replaced with a dark, simmering rage that she was now at the center of.
Suhanaâs heart pounded in her chest, and for the first time, she truly understood the danger she was in.
"Butâ"
"OUT!" he roared, his voice booming across the room as he took a menacing step toward her.
Suhana flinched, her breath catching in her throat as she hurriedly backed away, her usual flirtatious confidence completely shattered.
She had seen Arjun angry before, but thisâthis was different. He wasnât just mad. He was furious in a way that scared her to her core.
Without another word, Suhana hurried to the door, her heels clicking nervously against the floor as she rushed to escape his wrath.
She glanced over her shoulder one last time, but Arjun was already turning away from her, his back rigid, his mind clearly elsewhere. He didnât care about herâhe never did.
As the door clicked shut behind her, the room fell back into heavy silence.
Arjun stood in the middle of his darkened room, his chest still heaving, his fists clenched at his sides. The anger that had erupted inside him was now boiling just beneath the surface, simmering dangerously.
He ran a hand through his messy hair, his thoughts immediately returning to Meera.
Nothing made sense anymore. His mind was consumed with her, and the more he thought about her, the more frustrated he became.
She was slipping away from him, and the fact that she didnât see him the way he saw herâthat she ran from himâwas something he couldnât accept.
He stormed back toward the glass doors, his reflection in the window barely recognizable.
The man staring back at him wasnât the composed, in-control Arjun everyone feared. No, this man was wild, angry, desperate.
And he wasnât going to let Meera go.
***
"I've told you beforeâdon't provoke him or cross lines you shouldn't. But you never listen, do you?" Siddharthaâs voice was calm, cutting through the tense air as Suhana stormed down the stairs to the livingroom. She turned sharply, her eyes narrowing into a glare.
"I'm his fiancée. I'm not overstepping." she hissed, though her voice wavered slightly, betraying her own uncertainty.
Siddhartha let out a humorless chuckle, a low, dry sound that filled the space between them.
"Like they say, a girl can only dream." he said, his tone biting but not cruel. He glanced up from the couch where his laptop sat in his lap, the light from the screen casting shadows across his face.
Suhanaâs eyes flared with anger, but beneath that, there was a flicker of fear.
"What do you mean by that?" Her voice softened, but the fury was still evident, her emotions teetering on the edge.
Closing his laptop with a deliberate snap, Siddhartha stood up slowly and walked toward her, his every step filled with an unsettling calmness.
His gaze, usually warm and easygoing, was sharp now, cutting through her bravado.
"You can keep a man only as long as he wants to be kept." he said, stopping just in front of her, towering slightly over her. "And a man like my Bhai... he's no different. In fact, he's worse."
Suhanaâs lips parted slightly, her mind racing to find a retort, but the words didnât come.
Her heartbeat quickened, the pit of her stomach twisting with an uneasy realization. She had known Arjun was different, complicated. But Siddhartha's words hit her harder than she expected.
He glanced at her one last time before stepping toward the staircase.
"Here's my advice." he called over his shoulder, a smirk playing on his lips. "Take a break, Suhana. Save yourself the trouble." With that, he disappeared, his footsteps echoing as he ascended the stairs, leaving Suhana standing alone in the dimly lit space.
For a long moment, Suhana just stood there, her breath coming in shallow bursts. Her mind replayed Siddharthaâs words over and over, each repetition chipping away at her resolve. She had always been confident in her position, certain that she could hold Arjunâs attention, his affectionâif thatâs what it was.
But now, doubt seeped in like poison. âTake a breakâ¦â his words echoed in her mind, mocking her.
Her hands balled into fists at her sides, nails digging into her palms as she fought back the tears threatening to spill over.
No. She wouldnât cry, not here, not now. She refused to let Siddharthaâs words shake her belief.
Arjun cared about her. She was sure of it.
"He's just in a bad mood." she muttered to herself, the words falling from her lips like a mantra. She needed to believe it.
"Heâs angry, thatâs all. Heâll come around." But even as she said the words, her heart clenched with doubt.
Suhanaâs heels clicked sharply against the marble floor as she marched toward the front door.
She wasnât going to give in to despairânot tonight. She wasnât going to let Siddhartha plant seeds of doubt in her mind.
Arjun was hers, and she wasnât about to walk away because of one moment of fury. She pushed the door open, stepping out into the cool night air, her mind swirling with thoughts.
As the car pulled up to the front of the house, Suhana paused at the threshold, her eyes narrowing slightly as she took one last look at the grand, imposing estate.
Her chest rose and fell with heavy breaths as she fought to steady herself. Determination set in her features as she strode forward, heels clicking louder with every step.
"No." she whispered again, steeling herself. "Siddhartha is just toying with me." She straightened her spine, lifting her chin with renewed resolve.
"Arjun likes me.." The words were meant to reassure her, to fortify her crumbling confidence.
As she reached the waiting car, Suhana slipped inside, the door closing with a soft thud behind her.
The driver glanced at her through the rearview mirror, but she didnât meet his gaze. Instead, she stared straight ahead, her jaw clenched as if holding herself together by sheer will.
Suhana might have been shaken, but she wasnât defeated. Not yet. Arjun was in a bad mood, yes, but she was determined to win him. She would make him see that she was the best for him, no matter what Siddhartha said.
But as the car sped away from the mansion and into the darkened streets, a cold chill crept up her spine, as the city lights blurred past her window, Suhanaâs thoughts churned, a mix of anger, desperation, and something far more dangerousâfear.
*
*
*
The Next Day.
The incident still lingered in Meeraâs mind like a stubborn shadow she couldnât shake off. It gnawed at her constantly, leaving her quieter than usual.
Though Meera was naturally soft-spoken, this silence felt differentâheavier. She moved through the day as if she were on autopilot, her thoughts consumed by memories she couldnât escape.
Jiya, her best friend, had known Meera long enough to recognize that something was deeply wrong.
Throughout their morning lectures, Jiya kept glancing over at her.
Meera sat there, staring at her notebook but barely taking any notes. She wasnât even paying attention to the professor.
Normally, Meera was the most focused one, but today her mind seemed somewhere far away.
When their classes ended, they headed to the library to grab textbooks for an assessment given.
As they roamed through the shelves, Jiya couldn't ignore the tension radiating from her friend.
She had given Meera some space, hoping that she would eventually open up on her own. But the more the day went on, the more concerned Jiya became.
"Meera? Is everything okay?â Jiyaâs voice was soft but concerned as she stood next to her, both of them browsing through the shelves of the school library.
The silence of the place was comforting to Meera, a welcome contrast to the chaos in her mind. She reached for a textbook, avoiding Jiyaâs probing eyes.
"Iâm fine, Jiya." Meera muttered, trying to brush off the question as if it was nothing, hoping her best friend would let it go.
She could feel Jiya watching her closely, waiting for a real answer, but Meera wasnât ready to share. Not now.
As Meera picked up the last book she needed, she made a quick move to walk past Jiya, hoping to escape further interrogation. But Jiya, being the persistent friend that she was, quickly stepped in front of her, blocking her path with crossed arms and a determined look.
"Meera, no. Youâre not fine." Jiya said firmly, her eyes narrowing.
"I know my best friend, and the girl standing in front of me right now is not okay. You look troubled, and more importantly, youâre hiding something from me."
Meera blinked in surprise, taken aback by Jiyaâs boldness. She should have known better than to think she could keep her thoughts hidden.
Jiya had always been able to read her like an open book, and Meera couldnât help but feel a pang of guilt for trying to shut her out.
She sighed, her shoulders sagging slightly. Jiya could be annoyingly persistent when she wanted to be. There was no escaping her once she had her mind set on something.
"Alright, fine." Meera conceded, her voice low. "But not now, Jiya. We need to finish this assignment first. Then, Iâll tell you everything. I promise."
Jiyaâs face softened, a small smile tugging at the corners of her lips.
"Good. Thatâs all I wanted to hear." She paused, studying Meera for a moment. "Now, smile. Iâve been dying all day to see that."
Meera shook her head, a small smile creeping onto her own face. "Youâre impossible and crazy, you know that?"
"I know, You need a crazy friend in every friendship." Jiya grinned, looping her arm through Meeraâs as they started walking toward the libraryâs checkout counter. "But you need an impossible, crazy friend in every friendship. Keeps life interesting."
Meera laughed softly, the sound light and sweet, but there was still a lingering sadness in her eyes that Jiya couldnât ignore.
As they walked out of the library, Jiya squeezed Meeraâs arm gently, silently letting her know that she was there, ready to listen when the time came.
Meera appreciated the gesture more than she could say. The weight of everything that had happened felt a little lighter in that moment.
For now, sheâd try to focus on their assignment.
****
Arjunâs fingers tapped impatiently on the table, his eyes darting from the hologram display in front of him to the clock hanging on the wall. The meeting room was full, with senior associates discussing the details of the new construction site Arjun had recently acquired.
Yet, despite the importance of the project, his mind was elsewhere, consumed by thoughts of Meera.
Every second that passed felt like an eternity. He couldnât stop wondering what she was doing at that very moment, how she was feeling, and most importantly, He could not wait to see her again.
The mere thought of her brought a subtle, almost imperceptible smile to his face.
"...Ah! I love the idea." his fatherâs voice broke through his thoughts, pulling Arjun back to the present.
He blinked and glanced up at the hologram where the architectural plans for the new project were displayed.
"What do you say, son?" his father asked, his voice steady but laced with expectation.
Arjunâs eyes swept over the design, his mind barely processing the details.
âWe can start the project.â he replied curtly, his voice devoid of interest.
"Very good, sir." one of the men presenting the design said, clearly relieved at Arjun's approval.
Without a word, Arjun stood up abruptly, his towering presence causing a ripple of unease in the room. He didnât bother acknowledging the others, including his father, as he made his way to the door.
Behind him, his father exchanged a knowing look with Siddhartha, who shrugged. They both understood that Arjun wasnât himself today.
âExcuse me, gentlemen.â his father said, standing up and following Arjun out of the room. He left Siddhartha to smooth things over with the business associates.
Arjun stalked down the hallway and into his office, the door slamming shut behind him. The room was large, adorned with dark wood and expensive artwork, but today it felt smaller, more confining.
His mind raced, frustration bubbling beneath the surface as he ran a hand through his hair, disheveling it even more. He pulled out his phone and dialed a number.
The phone rang twice before the line disconnected.
He cursed under his breath, his frustration growing. He dialed again, only for the call to drop once more. His temper flared, and with a clenched jaw, he slammed the phone down on his desk, breathing heavily.
Just as he was about to lose his temper completely, a familiar voice cut through the silence.
âThis girlâs really messed with your brain, hasnât she?â
Arjunâs head snapped up, his eyes narrowing as he turned to see his father standing in the doorway, arms crossed, a slight smirk on his face.
Arjun scowled, his patience already worn thin. âDonât start.â he warned, his voice low and dangerous.
âIâm just stating the obvious.â his father continued, stepping into the office and closing the door behind him.
âI saw the way you were in that meeting. You werenât paying attention to a word anyone said.â
Arjun turned away, looking out the floor-to-ceiling window that overlooked the city. His fatherâs words stung because they were true.
Ever since Meera had come into his life, she had occupied his thoughts more than anyone or anything else. It was unsettling for a man like him, who was used to being in control of everythingâincluding his emotions.
âThis girl.â his father began, walking over to stand beside him, âsheâs got you acting like a fool. You canât let your feelings get in the way of business, Arjun.â
Arjun clenched his fists, his frustration rising. âItâs none of your business.â he growled.
Arjunâs father chuckled softly, his voice cutting through the tension like a knife.
"Anyways, Congratulations on the new site and the title that's coming your way." he said, his tone casual, though his eyes held something darker beneath the surface.
Arjunâs gaze was anything but light. It was dark, hard, and unwavering, locking onto his fatherâs with a look that could freeze most men in their tracks.
"Iâve told you before, and Iâll tell you again. I donât want Suhana." His voice was low, laced with finality.
The smile on his fatherâs face vanished, replaced by a cold, calculating look. âMeera is notââ
âI donât care.â Arjun growled, his patience wearing thin. His fingers twitched, aching to end this conversation.
His father sighed deeply, a sound that spoke of years of navigating his sonâs stubbornness.
âAh, youâre just as strong-willed as you were when you were young.â He studied Arjun for a moment, as if measuring him, wondering just how far he could push. âYou really want Meera?â
âFar more than anything else in this life.â Arjun answered without hesitation.
His voice was steady, but the intensity in his eyes was raw, almost frightening. It wasnât just wantâit was need. The kind of need that consumes everything else.
His father paused, caught by the sheer force of his sonâs determination.
âSometimes, I think this girl brings bad luck for me.â he muttered, shaking his head. âLetting a multi-billion-dollar company slip through my handsâ¦â His voice trailed off, and for a moment, it seemed as though he might say no.
But then his eyes gleamed with menace, a twisted smile creeping back onto his face.
âOkay, Son, if you want her, you can have her. But on one condition.â
Arjunâs jaw tightened. âWhat condition?â
âI want 70% of the shares bought from the Agarwals and 60% from the Khans.â his father said, his tone light but his eyes predatory.
Arjunâs expression hardened. His father was never one to let anything come easy.
But Arjun didnât flinch. âDone.â he said, his voice cold and resolute.
The wide grin that spread across his fatherâs face was unnerving. He chuckled, the sound low and satisfied.
âMaybe sheâs good luck after all.â he mused.
âSo! When can I meet my beautiful daughter-in-law again?â There was a glint of humor in his eyes, but Arjun remained stone-faced, unmoved.
Just then, Siddhartha entered the room, his timing impeccable as always.
âWhat daughter-in-law? Suhana?â he asked, a hint of confusion in his voice.
âOh, Siddhartha, my boy, not the Agarwals' daughter. â his father replied, sounding almost jovial now.
âThe Ahujas' daughter. Meera.â He smiled as if it were the most natural thing in the world, but Siddharthaâs eyes widened, shocked by the sudden revelation.
âWhat?â Siddhartha turned to Arjun, his face a mixture of disbelief and concern.
âFather, I thoughtââ
âWell, whatever Arjun wants, he gets, right?â his father interrupted with a careless wave of his hand. âSo why stop him now?â
Siddharthaâs face twisted in worry. He knew his brother too wellâwhen Arjun set his sights on something, he became relentless, dangerous even.
But this⦠Meera didnât belong in their world. âBhai, you canât do this.â Siddhartha pleaded, his voice filled with urgency.
âMeera wonât fit into your world. It will hurt her more than anything. Father, say something!â He turned desperately toward their father, hoping for some reason, some logic.
But his father merely shrugged.
âOh, come now, Siddhartha. Meera will be fortunate to be part of the Madhav family. Besides, your mother already adores her. Thinks sheâs a goddess because of her beauty.â He chuckled, clearly entertained by the situation.
With that, he turned toward the door, his demeanor entirely too casual for what had just transpired.
âDonât forget our deal, Son.â he called back over his shoulder before leaving the room, the door clicking shut behind him.
The silence that followed was heavy. Siddhartha stared at Arjun, his heart pounding in his chest. âBhaiââ
âMeera will be mine.â Arjun cut him off, his voice low and menacing. His dark eyes bore into Siddharthaâs, leaving no room for argument.
âNo one, not you, not Father, no one will stop me. Iâll eliminate anyone or anything that stands in my way.â
There was something cold, almost inhuman, in his tone, and it sent a chill down Siddharthaâs spine.
He had seen his brother ruthless before, but never like this. There was a dangerous obsession in his voice, something that couldnât be reasoned with.
âBhai, please.â Siddhartha said, his voice barely above a whisper. âYou donât have to do this. Meera⦠sheâs not like us. She doesnât deserve this life. Sheâll only suffer.â
Arjunâs expression didnât soften. His gaze remained sharp, unyielding. âI want her. At all costs.â
The finality in those words hung in the air like a death sentence.
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