28.

Mira's POV

"Are you Mira?" the girl asked her eyes shining with curiosity as she smiled at me.

I returned her smile politely. "Yes, I'm Mira" I said, my voice calm.

Her smile widened with excitement. "I saw the news about you and Mr. Rajvansh! It looked like you both were dating or something" she said eagerly.

I blinked at her, my expression shifting into an Are you serious? look. Had people still not moved on from that?

"It has been more than three months since that news came out and it was just a rumor," I replied, shaking my head slightly.

She nodded quickly. "I'm really sorry to disturb you. It’s just… I have a huge crush on Mr. Rajvansh, so I wanted to ask about that" she explained, her voice filled with admiration.

A strange feeling settled in my chest at her words. A pang of something sharp and unwelcome. My man. She was talking about my man.

She left after that, completely unaware of the storm she had stirred within me. I let out a quiet sigh and turned toward Jiya. The moment I looked at her, I caught the way she was biting her lip, trying to hold back a laugh. Her eyes sparkled mischievously as she stared at me.

I leaned in closer to her, lowering my voice so only she could hear. "I’ll also laugh like this when someone shows their love for Dev" I whispered.

Her expression changed in an instant. She looked away from me so fast that I almost laughed myself. A smirk formed on my lips as I watched her trying to act indifferent.

Just then, a deep, commanding voice echoed through the hall.

"Welcome to the party, ladies and gentlemen."

I turned immediately, my eyes locking onto the man standing confidently on the stage. My man.

Abhiraj Singh Rajvansh stood tall, dressed in a sharp black suit that fit him perfectly. His presence alone demanded attention. The place went silent as everyone focused on him.

"This party is organized to celebrate our new launch" he announced, his deep voice filled with authority. His sharp eyes scanned the audience. "Thank you so much to all of you who put your hard work into this project. Enjoy the evening."

The moment he finished speaking, the room erupted into applause. People clapped, congratulated one another and the atmosphere became even livelier.

Abhiraj handed the mic to Varun as his business partners surrounded him, offering their congratulations. But my eyes stayed fixed on him. A soft smile played on my lips as I watched him interact with everyone, his usual composed and confident self.

And then… I don’t know what came over me.

I winked at him.

For a second, I thought he didn’t catch it. But then, his movements faltered. His Adam’s apple bobbed as he swallowed hard and his ears....oh, his ears turned red.

I bit my lip, suppressing a giggle. So, Mr. Rajvansh gets flustered too huh?Satisfied with his reaction, I turned back to my colleagues, a triumphant smile on my face.

"Look at the lady beside Dev" I whisper into Jiya’s ear, keeping my voice low and teasing.

The moment she hears me, she immediately turns her head to look in Dev’s direction. I bite my lip, struggling to control my laughter. Because… there is no lady beside him.

Jiya blinks in confusion, then slowly turns back to me. The moment our eyes meet, her expression changes into a sharp glare.

I can’t hold back anymore...I let out a small giggle. She just got fooled and her reaction is priceless.

Jiya's POV

I shift my attention from Mira and look around the party and my eyes land on Sahil. He is talking and laughing so freely. But something feels off. He is talking to everyone… except me and Mira.

I frown. What’s going on?

I nudge Mira’s hand lightly, grabbing her attention. She looks at me with questioning eyes.

"We have to talk to him" I whisper, my voice serious. Mira nods without hesitation. She understands something is wrong too.

"Let’s eat something" I suddenly announce, standing up from my chair. It’s just an excuse. I want to get Sahil alone.

Everyone around us agrees and starts heading toward the food section. But as we walk, I subtly grab Sahil’s arm and pull him with me to a corner.

He stumbles slightly, looking at me and Mira in surprise. "What happened?" he asks, his eyebrows furrowed in confusion.

I cross my arms over my chest, narrowing my eyes at him. "That’s what we should be asking. What happened to you? Why aren’t you talking to us?"

Sahil looks down at the floor, avoiding our eyes. That’s when Mira speaks, her voice softer but filled with concern.

"Sahil is everything all right? Did we do something wrong? Please tell us" she asks gently.

Her words make Sahil’s eyes flicker with emotion but he still doesn’t meet our gaze.

"The way you are ignoring Jiya and me… it's not something we expect from you" Mira continues. "You used to talk to only us so freely and now you’re talking to everyone except us."

Sahil sighs and finally looks up at us. "I’m not mad at you both" he says, his voice sincere. "You both still have the same place in my heart."

His words feel genuine and for a second I feel relieved. But then suddenly, his eyes shift past us and his entire body tenses up. He swallows hard, his Adam’s apple bobbing.

Mira and I follow his gaze.

Wait…

He’s looking straight at Dev. My eyebrows scrunch together. Why is he staring at Dev like that?

"Did Dev do something?" I blurt out, my suspicion growing.

Sahil’s reaction makes my heart race......he nods! But his eyes stay glued to Dev, who is busy talking to someone.

But then, as if realizing something, Sahil suddenly shakes his head. "No no, I mean… you know…" he stammers struggling to form words.

I raise my palm, cutting him off. "Enough with the excuses. Now tell me the truth. No lies or you’ll see the real Jiya Rao" I threaten, my tone sharp.

Sahil looks at me nervously. He swallows again, then......finally......he spills everything.

The moment the words leave his mouth, my jaw drops. I turn to Mira in pure shock. She looks just as stunned.

Dev… really kidnapped him… out of jealousy?!

Mira quickly steps forward. "We are really sorry for his behavior" she says sincerely. But Sahil just shakes his head.

"It's okay don't say sorry" he says politely, giving us a small smile.

Mira and I exchange a glance before I let out a sigh. My eyes shift to my bag and without wasting a second, I take out my phone. My fingers move swiftly as I dial Dev’s number.

The moment his phone rings, his sharp eyes land on me. He watches me for a second before picking up the call, moving slightly away from the people around him.

"Why did you threaten him?" I ask my voice low but dangerously firm.

Dev’s jaw tightens. "I didn’t" he replies, his tone calm but I don’t miss the slight hesitation.

I narrow my eyes at him, giving him a look that clearly says I know everything.

"If you ever do anything like this again…" I pause for a second, letting my words sink in. "Then I'll kill you"

Without waiting for a response, I cut the call.

I don’t need to hear his excuses. When I glance at him again, his eyes are already on me, silently saying sorry. But I ignore him and put my phone away.

I turn back to Sahil and offer him a reassuring look. "Look, now he won’t trouble you anymore. And… I’m really sorry. You came to help me and you had to face all this because of me" I say sincerely.

Sahil smiles, shaking his head slightly. "It's okay But I must say… he loves you a lot"

My breath hitches.

My heart, which was beating at a normal pace just seconds ago, suddenly starts racing.

Everyone says this. Everyone sees it. Everyone knows it.

Except him.

Or maybe… he knows too but he just won’t say it.

I huff quietly, crossing my arms. I think I'll get old while waiting for him to propose to me.

But then my eyes automatically drift toward him again. My lips part slightly as I take in the sight in front of me.

He’s wearing the brooch I gave him. And trust me it’s doing something to my heart.

He looks both pookie and dangerous at the same time. A deadly combination.

But what catches my attention the most is the way he has placed the brooch. It’s pinned exactly where his heart is.

Something warm spreads through me.

We both know we have feelings for each other. It’s not a secret.....not to me, not to him.

But still… I’m waiting. Waiting for him to confess.

"I'm really sorry for ignoring you both" Sahil suddenly says, pulling me out of my thoughts.

I roll my eyes and playfully hit his back.

"This time we forgive you" I say pretending to be strict.

He chuckles and Mira smiles beside me.

With that, we start walking back toward the food section. But as I take a few steps, something clicks in my mind.

I slow down, quickly unlocking my phone and opening Dev’s number. Without a second thought I type a message.

"He is like my brother and a good friend. And he didn’t tell me anything....I made him spit everything out. I dare you to do anything to him"

Hitting send, I slide my phone back into my bag and continue walking toward Mira and Sahil.

Let’s see if he dares.

Dev’s POV

I pout, staring at her message.

She is angry with me.

But I didn’t harm that guy, Sahil. I just… threatened him a little. That’s it. Nothing serious.

I lift my eyes and glance in her direction. She’s ignoring me.

Dev, good job.

"Dev, we are outside. Stop pouting" I hear Abhi’s voice, snapping me out of my thoughts.

I quickly school my expression back to my usual cold and unreadable look.

Abhi gives me a knowing smirk. "What have you done to get a threat like this from my sister?"

I let out a sigh, running a hand through my hair. There’s no use hiding it. So I tell him everything.

The moment I finish, Abhi leans back, crossing his arms. His smirk widens. "Great job Mr. Malhotra" His voice drips with sarcasm.

Before I can respond, I hear a loud roaring laugh.

I look down and see Zar showing his sharp teeth, laughing at me like I’m the funniest thing he’s ever seen. His father joins him, laughing at my situation.

My eyes narrow.

"You’re laughing at me huh?" I say crossing my arms. "Just wait tiger and tiger’s father. I’ll also laugh when Mira gets angry at both of you. Just like she did in the evening when you two couldn’t select a dress for her"

Abhi immediately stops laughing and glares at me. Zar, on the other hand changes his strategy.

Instead of laughing, he rubs his big furry face against my legs, looking up at me with the most innocent expression he can manage.

I scoff. "Oh, now you want to act cute?" Zar blinks at me, pretending he has done nothing wrong.

"Go to your father and laugh at me from there" I say, stepping back.

Zar shakes his head.

This little devil.

Before I can say anything else, a deep formal voice interrupts us.

"Hello, Mr. Rajvansh and Mr. Malhotra" Abhi and I turn toward the voice.

An old man stands in front of us, dressed in an elegant suit. I immediately recognize him.

"Hello, Mr. Dixit" I say shaking hands with him.

"Congratulations on your new launch" he says, looking at Abhi.

As expected Abhi, being Abhi, simply nods his head, saying nothing.

Mr. Dixit lets out a small chuckle. "You both share a really powerful bond, I see"

I give a small smirk. "Of course we do."

Mr. Dixit clears his throat. "When are you both getting married?"

Before I can say a word Abhi as usual, keeps it short and direct.

"It’s our personal thing" he says casually taking a sip of his juice.

Mr. Dixit lets out an awkward laugh clearly not expecting that response. But he doesn’t give up.

"By the way, meet my family" he says, signaling them to come closer. His family walks toward us.

"This is my wife" he says, gesturing toward the elegantly dressed woman beside him. "And these are my daughters"

I already know where this is going.

"My daughters are really smart, intelligent… and single too" Mr. Dixit says, his voice carrying a clear suggestion. The moment he finishes his sentence

ROAR.

Zar lets out a deep, threatening roar, his sharp eyes locked onto Mr. Dixit.

Mr. Dixit visibly shivers, his face losing color.

Abhi smirks, shaking his head. "He doesn’t like any woman around Dev and me. So, better be careful" he says casually.

With that, we walk away, leaving Mr. Dixit frozen in place. As we move Abhi suddenly speaks again.

"Zar, look at your aunt" he says. But I know exactly what he means. He’s telling me to look at her. I turn my head. And my jaw clenches.

Jiya.

She’s standing close to Sahil… wiping something off his face.

My fingers twitch. My chest feels tight. I loosen my tie slightly, trying to keep my emotions in check.

But then, I notice something else. And a smirk tugs at my lips.

"Zar, look at your mumma" I say, using the same teasing tone as Abhi.

Zar tilts his head in confusion but Abhi immediately follows my gaze.

Mira.

She’s holding a spoon, forwarding a bite toward Sahil.

I don’t even have to look at Abhi to know what he’s feeling right now. His entire body tenses. His hands curl into fists.

"Don’t do anything to him" I warn in a low voice. "He’s a good man. And he’s very close to Mira and Jiya"

Abhi takes a deep breath, forcing himself to relax. But I know he’s barely holding back. Before anything can escalate, a voice calls out to us.

"Hey Abhiraj! Dev!"

We both turn toward the familiar voice.

A smile crosses my face. "Hey, dude" I say, pulling Siddharth into a quick hug.

Siddharth—our old college friend.

Back in those days, we weren’t that close but we always had a mutual understanding. Now he’s a businessman like us.

"Congratulations, Abhiraj for your new launch" he says giving Abhi a nod.

Abhi gives him a small, acknowledging smile.

With that, we start talking, the previous tension momentarily fading into the background.

Abhiraj's POV

I glance toward my baby. She’s talking to her colleagues, completely unaware of how badly she’s testing my patience.

That wink she gave me a few minutes ago? Hot as hell. She’s pushing my limits but not for long. Soon, I’ll let my beast come out.

To be honest, this party is boring. I just want to go home, wrap my arms around her and spend time with my sweetheart.

She looks stunning tonight. The dress hugs her body perfectly, highlighting every curve. Her minimal makeup enhances her natural beauty and her open hair? Just the cherry on top.

My gaze shifts to Jiya. She’s fixing Mira’s hair, adjusting a loose strand behind her ear.

I admire their bond. My baby and my sister together...what more could a man ask for?

"Abhi," Dev's voice cuts through my thoughts. I blink and turn to him.

"I think you’re lost in your thoughts" he comments, smirking slightly.

Before I can respond, a familiar voice reaches my ears.

"Congratulations Mr. Rajvansh" an old business partner greets me.

I recognize him instantly. A man I rejected because of his fraudulent activities.

Like always, I give a small nod acknowledging his presence.

But then....

He suddenly pulls out a gun. And points it straight at my head.

Screams erupt around us. People panic running in all directions. But I don’t move. I stand still, calm, unbothered.

"You ruined my business! My entire life! And now I'll end you!" he shouts his hand trembling slightly, yet his rage burning through.

My guards react instantly. Within seconds, they aim their guns directly at his head. Tension crackles in the air.

He pulls the hammer back, ready to fire....

But before he can even think of pulling the trigger..... A blur of black and white flashes in front of me.

ROAR.

A deafening, bone chilling roar shakes the night sky.

Zar.

He lunges.

With lightning speed, he leaps through the air, his powerful muscles flexing as he crashes onto the man, pinning him down with a thunderous impact.

A blood curdling scream follows. Zar’s massive claws slash through the bastard’s skin, tearing through flesh like it’s paper.

His jaws part...sharp fangs gleaming under the party lights....before sinking deep into the man’s arm.

The gun clatters to the ground, useless now. The man thrashes, trying to escape but Zar is merciless.

Another ferocious roar rips through his throat as he drags the man across the floor. The weight of his massive paws crushes bones underneath, the sheer force enough to paralyze him in agony.

Blood pools beneath him. His screams turn into weak gasps.

I smirk, watching the scene unfold. Everyone should know who they’re messing with.

"Zar" I call out, my voice steady. Instantly, he stops.

With one final growl, he lifts his head blood staining his white fur. His sharp, piercing eyes lock onto mine.

Then, he releases the man and walks back to me.

"Take him away" I order my guards. They nod dragging the half dead body away from the scene.

And just like that, people start talking normally again, as if nothing just happened.

Most of them have seen this before.

But then, I realize.....

Mira hasn’t.

I turn to where she was standing.She’s still there. Her eyes are wide. Shock is written all over her face as she stares at Zar, frozen in place.

"Zar, your mumma" I say nudging him slightly.

Zar follows my gaze, looking at Mira And the moment he sees her expression....

He immediately hides behind me. I smirk. He is the same beast tiger who just half killed a man without mercy and now he's hiding behind me because he's scared of his mumma's anger.

God save Zar from his mumma now.

Mira's POV

We are coming back home after the party. My mind is still stuck on what I saw tonight. I always knew Zar was dangerous but I had never seen him like that before. The way he attacked that man… it was terrifying. A thought creeps into my mind, making my heart race. What if one day something happens between me and Abhiraj? Will Zar attack me too?

No, no, Mira! What nonsense are you thinking? Zar loves me. He would never do anything like that to me. I shake my head, pushing away the ridiculous thought.

Jiya, sitting beside me, is busy watching the video of that moment on her phone. Her eyes are wide with amusement. "Our Zar is really something" she says, shaking her head in disbelief.

I glance at her my stomach twisting in worry. "Jiya what if one day he attacks you like that?" I ask my voice barely above a whisper.

She looks at me for a second before bursting into laughter. "Oh Miru let me tell you a secret" she says, leaning in as if sharing a conspiracy. Her eyes shine mischievously. "I’m secretly training him. If anything ever happens between me and Dev, Zar should take my side, not his"

My mouth falls open in shock. "Jiya, you are really something" I mutter, shaking my head at her craziness.

She grins, flashing all thirty two of her teeth like she’s the smartest person alive.

I sigh and look down at my hands. Even though Zar’s attack was brutal, he did the right thing. That man was going to shoot Abhiraj. Zar protected his father. A small smile tugs at my lips. He really is Abhiraj’s shield.

We finally reach the mansion and I notice that Abhiraj and Dev’s car is already parked outside. Stepping inside, my eyes instantly land on them. Both are sitting on the couch, looking relaxed.

But my attention shifts when I see Zar. He is trying to hide from me, peeking from behind a pillar like a guilty child. He thinks I’m angry at him. How can I be angry at my baby? I was just shocked to see that side of him for the first time.

Jiya and I walk towards the couch and sit down. Before I can say anything, Dev looks at us and asks "Did you both enjoy the party?"

Before I can even open my mouth, Jiya speaks up, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "Yes we did. Because we didn’t threaten people there"

Her taunt is sharp, clearly aimed at Dev. It takes me a second to realize....she’s talking about Sahil’s accident. Dev looks down instantly his face clouding with guilt.

I sigh. Poor Dev. He better be ready because Jiya will keep taunting him about this until the day he dies.

"Zar why are you hiding there baby?" Jiya asks, her voice playful.

Zar looks down at the floor, avoiding eye contact. Trust me, he looks so cute right now. His innocent face doesn’t match his beasty body at all. Looking at him like this, no one would believe what he did today.

"Actually, he is afraid of his mumma" Dev says glancing at Jiya.

Jiya smirks. "It’s okay baby. Don’t be afraid. At least you didn’t threaten innocent people" she says clearly taking a dig at Dev.

I press my lips together to stop my laugh but Dev sighs and looks at Jiya. "Sorry" he mumbles.

Jiya stands up from her place and stretches. "I’m going to sleep. I’m really tired and I have to threaten innocent people in my dreams" she says, rolling her eyes before walking upstairs to our room.

The moment she disappears, Abhiraj and I burst out laughing. Dev shoots me a betrayed look, as if I should have defended him but I quickly control my smile.

I turn my attention back to Zar. "Zar come here" I say gently.

He looks at me, his blue eyes filled with hesitation. He isn’t sure if I’m still mad at him or not. But after a moment, he slowly walks towards me and sits beside me on the couch.

His white fur is now clean earlier, it was covered in blood. I lift my hand and gently caress his head. The moment my fingers run through his fur, he melts into my touch, pressing his head against my palm like a big baby.

"My boy is really brave" I say softly.

A loud gasp echoes in the room. I glance up and see both Abhiraj and Dev staring at me in shock.

Zar, on the other hand, looks up at me with wide, excited blue eyes, his tail wagging slightly.

"Don’t be afraid baby. Mumma is not angry with you. You just saved your Dadda, nothing else And if anyone is at fault here, it's your Dadda" I whisper and place a soft kiss on his head.

Abhiraj scoffs from beside me "How am I at fault here?" he asks, sounding offended.

I turn to him, raising an eyebrow. "He was your enemy right? So it was your fault" I say matter of factly. "And don’t make my son like you"

I stand up and from the corner of my eye, I see Dev trying to hide his laughter while Abhiraj glares at him.

I smirk to myself and turn to Zar. "Let’s go. You’ll sleep with your Mumma and Aunty tonight" I say sweetly.

The moment he hears that, he jumps up happily, his tail wagging as he walks beside me.

As we leave, I hear Dev and Abhiraj speaking at the same time. "Zar is luckier than us" they grumble together.

A small smile tugs at my lips. Yes he really is.

I'm sorry for not replying to all your comments. I'll reply soon. I'm really busy these days which is why I haven't been responding.

Love you ❤️🌎.