Chapter 8: The Game Has Just Begun

A Shadow From the Past

Diya's feet froze.

Tara Vaidya.

The female lead of the story. The one meant to be with Abeer Rathore.

She wasn't supposed to be here. Not yet. Not like this.

Tara stood at the dorm entrance, her sharp hazel eyes scanning the crowd, her posture rigid, tense—like a lioness waiting to pounce.

This wasn't the sweet, naive heroine Diya had written.

This version of Tara looked... dangerous.

What changed?

And why did she feel like the one being hunted?

Diya quickly turned, walking away before Tara could see her.

Not my problem. Not my story anymore.

But fate had other plans.

A strong hand grabbed her wrist.

Diya's heart skipped. For a second, she thought—Abeer.

But it wasn't.

Rudra.

"Where are you running off to, troublemaker?" he teased, his grip light but firm.

Diya forced a laugh. "Uh... just remembered I forgot my—uh—project in my room!"

Rudra raised an eyebrow. "Sia, you don't even take that class."

Shit.

"Listen, I just—"

And then she saw it.

Tara had spotted her.

Their eyes locked.

A flicker of recognition crossed Tara's face.

No.

Diya yanked her wrist from Rudra's grip. "I have to go."

She bolted.

Diya barely made it to her dorm room before locking the door behind her.

She pressed her back against it, panting.

What is happening?!

This wasn't how the book went. Tara was never supposed to be this intense.

Had her presence in this world already changed things?

A sharp knock.

Diya's breath caught.

Then—

"Open the door, Sia."

A chill ran down her spine.

Because it wasn't Tara.

It was Abeer.

For a second, Diya froze.

How? How was he here?!

She had blocked his number. Ignored him for months.

She wasn't ready for this.

Abeer knocked again, this time harder.

"Don't make me break this door down, Sia."

A threat. A promise.

Diya exhaled sharply, straightening her shoulders. He couldn't control her. Not anymore.

She unlocked the door and swung it open. "What the hell are you doing here?!"

Abeer leaned against the doorframe, calm, composed, dangerous.

"Nice to see you too," he said smoothly.

Diya crossed her arms. "I told you, I want nothing to do with you."

Abeer's eyes darkened slightly. "Funny, considering you still exist in my world."

That wasn't a statement. It was a warning.

Diya clenched her fists. "Get to the point, Abeer. What do you want?"

Abeer studied her for a long moment, his gaze sweeping over her like he was assessing her every move.

Then, he smirked. "I wanted to see if you still had that fire."

Diya narrowed her eyes. "And?"

His smirk widened, but his voice turned low, commanding. "And now I'm sure. You're not going anywhere."

Diya's breath hitched.

Not again. Not this time.

"You don't control me," she said, her voice steady. "I don't care about you. I don't love you. I never did."

Abeer's smirk didn't falter.

But something in his eyes flickered.

Something cold.

"Love?" he mused, taking a slow step forward. "Who said anything about love, Sia?"

Diya's heart pounded. Shit.

Abeer leaned in, his voice dropping to a whisper.

"I own you."

Her blood ran cold.

His dark gaze held hers, unblinking. "You can delete my number. Avoid me all you want. But the moment I decide you're mine—"

His fingers brushed her wrist, feather-light, but enough to make her breath hitch.

"—there's no running, Sia."

Enough.

Diya jerked her arm back, stepping away. "I'm not yours. I never will be."

Abeer tilted his head, his smirk turning into something sharper. "We'll see about that."

He turned, walking away like he had already won.

Diya's nails dug into her palms.

She needed to leave. Now.

Before Abeer really decided to keep her.

Next Chapter Preview:Diya plans her final escape, but something—or someone—keeps interfering.Tara Vaidya approaches her with shocking information.A confrontation between Abeer and Tara—what is really happening?And the biggest twist yet: What if Abeer already knows Diya isn't really Sia?