Abhir stormed into the Poddar Law Firm, his patience worn thin.
He didn't need an appointment. He didn't care for formalities.
He wanted answers, and he wanted them now.
The receptionist barely had time to greet him before he brushed past her, heading straight for the glass-walled cabin where Charu was seated.
She was lost in her case files, her expression calm and focused, completely unaware of the storm heading her way.
Abhir pushed open the door without knocking, the sharp thud making Charu's head snap up.
Her brows furrowed as she saw him.
Abhir stormed in like a tempest, his presence sucking the air out of the room.
His sharp, whiskey-brown eyes locked onto her with barely restrained fury.
But before she could utter a word.
"You've got some nerve, Bansal, to take up a case against me" he growled, throwing the legal notice onto her desk.
Charu was taken aback seeing the notice she hadn't sent it to him.
"Drop the damn case," he snapped.
She folded her arms in annoyance "No."
Leaning back in her chair, unimpressed by his theatrics. "Abhir, I don't see how this concerns you. I'm doing my job."
Abhir let out a dry laugh, running a hand through his hair. "Your job? Seriously, Charu? "
"You've got to be kidding me," he said, his voice dangerously low. "Of all the cases, this is the one you decided to take up?"
Charu rolled her eyes.
His jaw clenched. "You know this is a fabricated case. They're twisting facts."
"I get to decide that Abhir. I don't take baseless cases," she shot back.
"The organizers provided evidence. They suffered financial loss because of your delay."
Abhir let out a bitter laugh. "So you're just going to blindly believe them?"
Something momentarily flickered in charu's gaze.
He leaned forward, placing his palms flat on her desk. "You know I wasn't at fault. I informed them I was running late. They made the call to cancel the show, not me."
Charu folded her arms across her chest. "Maybe you should have been more punctual. These events aren't just about you, Abhir. People invest money, time, and effort into organizing them. Your delay cost them losses, and they have every right to take legal action."
His eyes darkened.
"Is this just another one of your ways to get under my skin?" He challenged
"I'm going to do my job," Charu corrected, her voice firm. "And if you have a problem with that, take it up in court."
His eyes darkened, his entire body vibrating with tension. "You really hate me that much?"
Charu's breath hitched, but she didn't let it show. "This isn't about personal feelings, Abhir. This is business."
Abhir scoffed. "Right. So, no personal bias at all? Just pure legal ethics?"
She didn't flinch. "Exactly."
His anger flared. "Bullshit."
Her jaw clenched, but she didn't let his words affect her. "You're overreacting. If you really have no dirt on you, then prove it in court."
Abhir exhaled sharply, shaking his head. "Unbelievable."
Silence stretched between them, thick and charged.
Abhir took a step closer, his voice lower but no less dangerous. "Fine. If you want war, Charu, I'll give you one."
She didn't blink. "Good. I look forward to winning."
With a smirk that didn't quite reach his eyes, Abhir turned and walked out, slamming the door behind him.
Charu exhaled slowly, gripping the edge of her desk.
This wasn't just another case.
And she wasn't sure if she had just declared war on Abhir Sharma... or on her own heart.
She rubbed her temples, trying to shake off the unease that settled deep in her chest.
Damn it. This wasnât how she had intended things to go.
Her gaze flickered to the legal notice he had slammed on her desk.
She hadnât even sent it.
She was still reviewing the case, trying to understand the facts, wanting to speak with the organizers herself before making a decision.
But now she knew exactly who had bypassed her authority and done it for herâher father.
Sanjay Bansal.
Her fingers curled into fists as anger simmered inside her.
She had told him she needed time to assess the case, that she wanted to go through every detail before deciding whether to take it.
But of course, Sanjay Bansal didnât believe in waiting. He had taken matters into his own hands and sent the noticeâwithout her consentâbecause for him, this wasnât just about the organizer.
It was personal.
He wasnât just pursuing justiceâhe was settling a personal score against Abhir.
And what had she done?
Instead of standing her ground and questioning her father, she had let herself be provoked by Abhirâs anger.
What the hell is wrong with me?
She was a lawyer, not a judge. It wasnât her place to automatically write Abhir off as an offender without hearing the full truth. But noâher temper, her damn defensiveness around him, had taken over the moment he walked in.
And to be fair, it wasnât entirely her fault, how was she supposed to think rationally when that psycho angry bird did nothing but push her buttons?
Could he not have come and spoken like a normal human being?
Could he not have calmly explained his side instead of barging in like a storm and throwing threats around?
But no, he had to make a grand entrance, radiating attitude, barking accusations, as if she was personally out to ruin his life.
Charu exhaled sharply, gripping the edge of her desk.
This was getting out of control.
She needed to clear her head, and more importantlyâshe needed to figure out what to do about this damn case.
------
Abhir slumped onto his couch, raking a frustrated hand through his hair as he stared at the mess he had made.
Shattered glass, overturned furniture, and broken décor lay scattered across his apartmentâa reflection of the storm raging inside him.
Sira had tried to calm him down. Aakash had taken her away, knowing well enough that there was no stopping Abhir when he was like this. He could still hear Aakashâs words in his head:
"Heâs like a tornado when heâs angry. Heâll stop only when the destruction is complete."
And it was true.
Except this time, it wasnât just objects he wanted to destroy.
"I hate her," he had shouted in rage, his hands trembling as he punched the wall, clueless to why was she even affecting her so much.
But the moment his phone rang and "Abhira" flashed across the screen, all his anger stilled.
Reality sank in.
Taking a deep breath, he answered, forcing calm into his voice.
"AB!" came the usual cheerful shriek, instantly making him smile.
"Hi, Abhira," he greeted, clearing his throat.
"Kya hua? Gala kharaab hai aapka? Tabiyat theek nahi hai?" she asked, concern laced in her voice, and he heard the faint clatter of utensils in the background.
"Nahi, theek hoon, meri maa⦠And yaad rakh, main ek singer hoon, apne gale ka khaas khayal rakhna aata hai mujhe. Tu bata, tune iss waqt mujhe kaise call kiya?" he teased, trying to steer the conversation away from himself.
"Matlab mujhe ab appointment lena hoga apne AB se baat karne ke liye?" she huffed in fake anger.
Abhir chuckled, shaking his head. "Nautanki! Maine aisa kab kaha?"
"Acha suno naa⦠main aapka favourite puran poli bana rahi thi. Aaj shaam ko ghar aaoge agar free ho toh?" she asked hopefully.
Abhir stilled for a moment.
The legal notice flashed in his mind. The case. Charu.
Offc! Abhira didnât know anything yet. And neither did the rest of the family.
Shouldnât Charu have considered their family ties before taking up this case?
Was humiliating him so important that she threw personal equations out the window?
Abhira would be furious if she found out.
He knew how protective his sisters were. Ruhi, despite being calm and diplomatic, wouldnât sit quietly when it comes to him.
And Abhira? She was a firecrackerâjust like him. She wouldn't spare anyone who tried to hurt him.
But he couldnât tell her. Not yet.
Charu wouldnât dare go around telling them after the way she had spoken to him today, so at least he had time to handle it himself.
"Bhai!" Abhiraâs impatient voice snapped him out of his thoughts.
"Nahi bro, aaj nahi aa sakta. Kaafi busy hoon, recordings bhi hain," he lied smoothly.
"Acha, koi baat nahi. Mujhe aur Armaan ko shaam ko ek party mein jaana tha. Main aate waqt aapke apartment pe drop kar dungi," she offered.
Abhirâs eyes widened in panic. He looked around at the disaster zone his apartment had become.
"No way!" he shouted.
"Kya CRH?" she asked, suspicious.
"Kuch nahi, chupa raha hoon, meri maa," he groaned.
"Toh?"
"Ah! Bas ghar mein pest control karwaya hai. Yahan mat aa. Main kal aa jaunga, okay?" He quickly made up an excuse.
"Toh aap kaha so rahe ho aaj raat?" she interrogated.
"Main Aakash ke saath adjust kar lunga. Tu jaa na, apni party enjoy kar. For once, stop thinking about me," he said, hoping sheâd drop the topic.
Before she could question him further, he quickly said, "Bye, Abhira!" and ended the call.
Abhir exhaled, staring at the phone in his hands.
His fingers hovered over his contacts.
He needed to talk to someone who could distract him, someone who could lighten his mood.
His lips curled into a small smirk as he scrolled and pressed the dial button.
The screen flashed: "Ruhi Chuhiâ¤ï¸".