The next morning, sunlight had already filled the room by the time Dhruv opened his eyes.

For a brief second, he looked toward the couch automatically.

Empty.

His brows pulled together faintly.

Then movement near the mirror caught his attention.

Darika was standing there.

Already awake.

Already ready.

She stood in front of the large mirror quietly brushing her hair, long dark strands falling over her shoulders as the comb moved slowly through them. She was wearing simple black pants and a fitted black top, nothing expensive, nothing flashy—yet somehow the simplicity suited her more than anything else could have.

The room was silent except for the soft sound of her comb moving through her hair.

Dhruv watched her for a moment without meaning to.

Not because he wanted to.

Just because she looked… different this morning.

Less nervous.

Less lost.

For the first time since entering this mansion, she looked like someone trying to belong to herself again.

He was about to ask where she was going.

But before the words could leave his mouth—

Knock knock.

The sound interrupted the silence.

Darika immediately turned and walked toward the door.

When she opened it, a maid stood outside respectfully.

“Are you ready, ma’am?” the maid asked politely.

Darika nodded softly.

“Yes. I’m ready. Let’s go.”

Dhruv frowned slightly from the bed, still half-awake.

Go where?

Darika stepped back inside for a moment to pick up her bag from the couch.

Then she looked toward him briefly.

“I’m going shopping,” she said simply.

For a second, it almost sounded like she expected some kind of response.

But Dhruv said nothing.

Not a yes.

Not an okay.

Nothing at all.

His silence filled the room colder than words could have.

Darika’s fingers tightened slightly around the strap of her bag.

Then she looked away first.

“Okay,” she murmured quietly, even though he hadn’t spoken.

And then she left.

The door closed softly behind her.

Dhruv’s eyes remained on the door for a few seconds longer than necessary.

Then finally, he leaned back against the headboard again, running a hand slowly through his hair.

The room suddenly felt strangely quieter after she left.

On the other side of the mansion world, another kind of chaos was already awake.

The Dariya cousins’ group chat—large, noisy, and never truly silent—was always alive, no matter the hour. It wasn’t just one branch of the family. It was every branch stitched together: Nayanthara Darya’s side, her husband’s side, their siblings, their children, and even the younger generation who had grown up with privilege as casually as breathing.

Rich kids. Spoiled kids. Loud opinions. Quick judgments.

And Mia had just dropped a match into dry grass.

> “Guys, Dhruv is getting engaged to a Gauki ladki. Her father runs a small shop and her mother is a teacher.”

For a moment, there was only a second of silence in the chat. And then it exploded.

Messages started pouring in one after another.

“Oh wow… poor Dhruv.”

“What is wrong with his life choices?”

“Seriously? Anyone now?”

“This is actually sad.”

A world that usually spoke in luxury, travel, and designer names had suddenly turned into a courtroom of opinions about someone else’s life.

And Mia wasn’t done.

Another message followed.

> “Also… Rushan rejected her first. Now Dhruv is marrying her. Family drama is getting crazy.”

That was enough. The reactions multiplied instantly, faster than anyone could read properly. Screens lit up. Notifications stacked. Gossip turned into entertainment.

In another room, Rushan’s phone buzzed against the bedside table. Once. Twice. Again and again.

He shifted in his sleep, clearly annoyed, trying to ignore it. But the vibration refused to stop, as if the world itself was impatient for his attention.

With a sharp exhale, he finally reached for the phone, eyes half-open, still carrying sleep in his expression.

The moment he saw the chat, he stopped fully waking up.

His eyes scanned the messages slowly. One by one.

The girl. The engagement. The comments. The jokes disguised as concern.

And his own name dropped casually in between like it was nothing.

Something unreadable passed through his face. Not shock. Not anger. Something quieter. Controlled. Almost detached.

Then he opened the chat. His fingers moved without hurry. And he typed a single message.

> “Nowadays life is really fun, man. Fuck that cocky asshole.”

A pause.

He sent it.

The screen flickered as the message dropped into the group, instantly changing the tone of the conversation for anyone still awake enough to process it.

Rushan stared at the screen for a second longer. No explanation followed. No clarification.

He placed the phone back on the table as if nothing had happened at all.

And just like that, he turned away from the noise he had indirectly stirred, like it no longer belonged to him.

Outside the chat, the gossip kept growing louder.

Inside his room, everything went quiet again.

Today was the day Sasha was supposed to return.

And Rushan knew it the moment his eyes opened.

There was something different in the air that morning—something unsettled, like the mansion itself had been waiting for this day without speaking a word of it aloud.

He got up, went through the routine without thinking, showered, dressed himself in silence, and stepped out like his body knew where to go even before his mind agreed.

Downstairs, the mansion was already awake.

Voices of elders filled the living room, soft but constant, like an ongoing ritual of family life.

And then—

He saw her.

Sasha.

She was standing near the elders, smiling politely, speaking gently, already fitting into conversations like she had never left in the first place. Grandmother sat nearby, watching her with a rare kind of warmth she didn’t offer easily to anyone.

For a moment, Rushan just stopped.

Not because she surprised him.

But because something inside him remembered everything at once.

And his mind, without permission, slipped into something he had always carried silently—

Rushan’s type was very clear. Very fixed. Very strict. Very shallow, if he was being honest. Very fair skin, light eyes, pink lips, skinny body with a beautiful ass, height above average, and absolute perfection. He wanted perfection. And whichever girl he dated, or he was dating, or he had been dating, or he would date in the future—all of them should fit, would fit, and would always fall into this exact criteria of his. Nothing less. Nothing outside it.

That was how he had always believed attraction worked.

Controlled. Measured. Designed.

And Sasha—

Sasha did fit it. She fit each and every part of it. He had been with girls before who also fit this exact criteria, perfectly fulfilling everything he thought he wanted on paper.

But Sasha was different in a way he never knew how to explain.

Because even though she fit the criteria, there was something about her that didn’t belong to any checklist.

Her beauty didn’t feel constructed or measured—it felt like it existed in its own language. Effortless. Natural. Almost untouchable.

The attraction she carried wasn’t just about looks, or standards, or perfection.

It was something higher than that—too overwhelming, too real, too sharp to compare with anyone he had ever been with.

She didn’t compete with other girls.

She existed in a category of her own.

And that was exactly why she stayed in his mind longer than anyone else ever had.

He came down slowly.

And the moment Sasha noticed him, her face lit up instantly.

“Hey.”

That one word.

Simple.

Familiar.

She stepped forward and hugged him without hesitation.

For a second, Rushan froze—then returned it, almost automatically.

Around them, people noticed. Some smiled. Some watched quietly. Some simply went back to their conversations as if nothing important had happened.

Sasha pulled back slightly, still smiling.

“I’m back.”

A pause.

“And I’m not leaving again.”

Rushan let out a short breath, something close to a laugh escaping him.

“Yeah?”

She nodded.

“I’ll trouble you a lot this time.”

That finally made him smile properly.

“Good,” he said. “I’ll trouble you more.”

For a moment, it looked almost normal.

Almost like the past had returned intact.

Almost like nothing had changed.

But then—

A voice called from behind.

And the moment shifted again.

Sasha turned slightly.

“Are you coming for the party tonight? The welcome one.”

Rushan nodded.

“Yeah.”

“Good,” she said lightly. “Then we’ll talk properly there. I have so much to tell you.”

And just like that, she walked away again—back into the house, back into conversations, back into her return.

Rushan stood there for a second longer.

Then exhaled and turned away.

But as he did—

He saw her.

Niharika.

At the entrance of the living room.

Perfect timing.

Or the worst timing possible.

She looked nervous, but determined. Like she had rehearsed this moment too many times and still wasn’t ready for it.

Before Rushan could reach her, she stepped forward on her own.

And in front of everyone—

She spoke.

“I’m Niharika,” she said clearly. “Rushan’s girlfriend.”

Silence hit the room instantly.

Not loud.

But heavy.

Rushan stopped walking.

His hand went up to his forehead slowly, pressing against it like the situation physically hurt.

Because in a single sentence—

Everything had shifted.

The elders reacted first. Curious glances. Whispered confusion. Then attention fully turned.

Grandmother watched calmly, unreadable as always.

And then came the questions.

Niharika didn’t stop.

She kept talking.

Even the family—especially Rushan’s mother—engaged with her, asking how they met, how they fell in love, and how long they had been together. Niharika answered everything without hesitation, as if she had already decided this was her place in their world.

And then—

She changed the tone.

“Okay… okay… family, I need your permission to come here to the mansion anytime,” she said, her voice turning slightly emotional as she looked toward Grandmother. “He is so busy, he rarely meets me. And whenever he comes, he doesn’t stay for long. So please… I need your permission.”

Her eyes stayed on Grandmother as she finished.

Before anyone else could respond—

Rushan’s mother stood up.

She walked over and hugged Niharika warmly.

“You don’t need permission,” she said gently. “It’s your home now. You can come whenever you want… you can even live here if you want.”

That sentence landed like a final stamp on everything.

And for Rushan—

That was it.

No control left.

No pause left.

No undo button.

Just consequences unfolding in real time.

His phone buzzed again in his pocket.

His phone buzzed again and again, cutting through the heavy silence of the mansion like something urgent, something unavoidable. Rushan glanced at it once at first without interest, but the persistent vibration made him finally pick it up. The group chat was already exploding—messages stacking over messages, notifications flooding in one after another. A photo had been posted from upstairs of the living room. Niharika standing there with the family. Smiling. Talking. Sitting in the middle of it all like she already belonged there.

And in a matter of seconds, everything collapsed into noise.

Because now it was not just gossip anymore.

It was public.

Everyone had seen it. Everyone knew.

And somewhere in that same group, Sasha was there too.

Rushan’s grip on the phone loosened slightly as his eyes stayed fixed on the screen, but the words stopped registering properly. It wasn’t just the exposure, not just the embarrassment of it spreading through the cousins and elders. It was the timing. It was the fact that Sasha—after all this time, after everything returning into his life—would see this at the exact moment when everything was already shifting.

The image of Niharika smiling in that photo didn’t even feel real to him anymore. It felt distant, like something that belonged to someone else’s life. Someone else’s decision. Someone else’s mistake that he had somehow gotten trapped inside.

His mind didn’t feel loud.

It felt blank.

But not peaceful.

Blank in a way where too many thoughts exist at the same time and none of them form properly.

Niharika.

Sasha.

The engagement talk.

The family pressure.

The contract she had mentioned.

Everything started overlapping, clashing, breaking into pieces that refused to fit together.

And the strangest part was not the chaos around him—it was the clarity inside it.

Because somewhere deep down, without him even trying to deny it anymore, one truth stayed unchanged.

Sasha was back.

And Niharika… was not what he wanted.

Not really.

Not ever.

But even that realization didn’t bring relief.

It brought confusion.

Because nothing was simple anymore.

Not feelings. Not choices. Not consequences.

The mansion had never felt this restless before.

Something about the air itself had changed—like the walls had absorbed the weight of too many secrets at once and were now quietly holding their breath. It wasn’t loud chaos yet, not the kind that explodes. It was worse. It was the kind that builds slowly, silently, in corners and conversations, in glances that linger a second too long and in words that people stop finishing.

Everyone in the house knew it too.

That this wasn’t going to settle easily.

That the next few days—maybe even weeks—were going to shift everything inside these walls.

By evening, the rhythm of the mansion had already split into two different worlds.

The elder men of the family were mostly out—busy with work, meetings, responsibilities that kept the outer world functioning as if nothing inside the mansion was falling out of place. Only a few of them remained around, including fathers like Rushan’s father and Rajeev, who had stepped out earlier in the day.

But inside, among the women, the mansion was alive in a completely different way.

The ladies of the family had taken over the space, moving through rooms, voices overlapping with soft laughter, discussion, and the constant planning of food and arrangements. The kitchen had become the center of everything—menu decisions, ingredient lists, last-minute changes, and little debates over dishes that somehow mattered more than they should have on a night like this.

Because tonight wasn’t just a normal evening.

It was split into two separate gatherings, two separate moods unfolding under the same roof.

The first was the welcome party for Sasha.

A lighter, younger gathering—cousins, children of the family, close friends, all the younger energy of the house coming together in one space. A celebration meant to feel simple on the surface, but already carrying unspoken weight underneath it, because Sasha’s return itself wasn’t simple for anyone here.

And at the same time, the second event was being prepared quietly in parallel.

A formal family dinner for the elders, arranged because Sasha’s mother had also returned. A gathering meant for respect, for introductions, for appearances, for conversations that carried tradition and expectation more than emotion.

Two events.

Two different worlds.

One mansion trying to hold both at the same time.

And somewhere in between all of it, everyone already knew—no matter how perfectly everything was arranged, tonight was not going to stay calm for long.

Dhruv had just returned from his boxing session when Mia spotted him near the ground floor lounge area.

He looked tired, slightly sweaty, black compression sleeves still wrapped around his forearms as he walked inside with his gym bag hanging from one shoulder.

“Hey, Dhruv,” Mia called casually from the couch. “What’s up?”

Dhruv slowed slightly.

“Nothing much,” he replied calmly. “Just came back from boxing.”

Mia immediately sat straighter.

“Do you even know what’s happening in this house?”

Dhruv frowned faintly.

“What now?”

“Sasha is back,” she said dramatically. “Do you even know?”

For a second, his expression didn’t change.

Then—

“Yeah,” he answered simply. “I know she came back.”

Mia blinked.

“You already know? Did you meet her?”

“No,” he said while placing the water bottle on the table nearby. “I’ve been busy the whole day. Boxing. Office work.”

“Never mind then,” Mia said quickly before pointing at him. “But listen carefully. Today evening at 7:30 we’re hosting a welcome party for Sasha downstairs. You have to come.”

Dhruv looked uninterested already.

“I’ll see.”

“No,” Mia immediately cut him off. “You’re not ‘seeing’ anything. You are coming. And bring your fiancée too. Everyone wants to meet her.”

Dhruv exhaled slowly.

“Fine.”

Satisfied, Mia smiled proudly before leaving the space.

And finally—

Silence.

Dhruv picked up his bag again and walked upstairs toward his room.

But the moment he opened the door—

He stopped.

Shopping bags.

Everywhere.

Dozens of branded bags scattered across the floor, near the couch, beside the table, some half-opened already.

And in the middle of all of it—

Darika.

She was lying sideways on the couch, casually holding her phone while texting someone. The second she noticed him entering, she immediately sat up properly.

“Oh,” she said quickly, “you’re back.”

Dhruv’s eyes moved from her… to the mountain of shopping bags again.

But strangely, he didn’t react much.

Not even surprise.

Just mild exhaustion.

“There’s a welcome party tonight,” he said flatly while placing his gym bag down. “Get ready by seven thirty .”

Darika blinked.

“A party?”

“In the mansion.”

“Oh.”

A small pause.

Then—

“Okay, fine. I’ll come.”

And unfortunately for her—

That was the biggest mistake she could have made.

Because the moment the words left her mouth, reality hit instantly.

She had never attended a party before.

Not this kind.

Not rich family parties.

Not mansion parties.

She didn’t know these people.

Didn’t know how to behave.

Didn’t know what to wear.

Didn’t even know how girls like them talked.

And now she had already agreed.

Meanwhile Dhruv simply grabbed a towel and disappeared into the bathroom without another word.

The second the bathroom door shut, Darika buried her face into her hands dramatically.

“What did I just say yes to…”

Her anxiety immediately started climbing.

What if she embarrassed herself?

What if everyone judged her?

What if she looked stupid standing there alone?

The thoughts kept getting worse until finally she stood up and quickly called for one of the maids passing outside.

The maid stepped inside politely.

“Yes, ma’am?”

Darika looked completely stressed already.

“There’s a welcome party tonight,” she said nervously. “What am I supposed to wear?”

The maid smiled slightly.

“Anything casual is fine.”

“Casual?” Darika repeated helplessly. “Like… what exactly is casual here?”

The maid laughed softly.

“Jeans and a top is enough, ma’am. It’s not a formal event. Just cousins and young people.”

Darika visibly relaxed a little.

“Oh… okay.”

Then the maid hesitated before speaking again.

“If you want… I can help you with makeup too.”

Darika looked at her suspiciously.

“You know makeup?”

The maid instantly smiled proudly.

“I’m actually very good at it.”

Darika stared at her for a second, clearly doubtful.

The maid immediately stepped back awkwardly.

“It’s okay if you don’t trust me—”

“No, no,” Darika interrupted quickly. “I just… I don’t know anything about makeup.”

That part came out embarrassingly honest.

Then after a small pause, she sighed.

“Okay. Help me.”

The maid brightened immediately.

“The party starts at 7:30,” Darika continued. “Come back around seven and help me choose something too.”

“Of course, ma’am.”

And then the maid left.

A few moments later—

The bathroom door suddenly opened.

And unfortunately for Darika—

That somehow created a completely new problem.

Dhruv walked out wearing nothing except a towel wrapped low around his waist, water still dripping slowly from his hair and neck.

Darika’s brain stopped functioning for one solid second.

Her eyes widened instantly before she looked away so fast it physically hurt.

Oh my God.

Was he doing this on purpose?

Was this some kind of torture?

Because the small glimpse she accidentally caught was enough to completely ruin her remaining peace of mind.

And annoyingly—

He looked unfairly attractive.

She immediately turned and escaped toward the balcony before her face exposed how embarrassed she was feeling.

Meanwhile inside the room, Dhruv looked equally uncomfortable.

Because unlike what her overthinking mind believed—

This wasn’t intentional.

He had simply forgotten to take his clothes inside the bathroom.

And now somehow the situation had become awkward for both of them.

A few minutes later, after finally changing properly into fresh clothes, Dhruv walked back into the room.

Darika slowly returned from the balcony too, still refusing to look directly at him.

Then suddenly she remembered something.

“Uh… what’s the Wi-Fi password?”

Dhruv looked up from the file he was holding.

“What?”

“The Wi-Fi,” she repeated awkwardly. “I don’t know the password.”

He stared at her blankly for a second.

“Why do you need it?”

Darika frowned slightly.

“My recharge plan finished,” she admitted honestly. “I only get limited internet.”

Dhruv rubbed his forehead once before finally giving in.

“Fine.”

Then he told her the password.

“65#432158.”

Darika immediately typed it into her phone.

Then after a few seconds of silence—

She spoke again.

“Listen…”

Dhruv looked up again, already mildly irritated.

“I don’t know anyone in this family except you and Grandmother,” she admitted quietly. “And honestly… I’ve never been to a party before.”

The confession came out softer than she intended.

“So if I come tonight…” she continued carefully, “…can you please stay near me?”

Dhruv stayed silent.

Darika looked down at her phone before adding quietly,

“I don’t want to stand alone somewhere while people judge me.”

Then after a pause—

“And if you think I won’t fit in there… or if your cousins will make fun of me… then I’d rather stay here.”

Dhruv looked at her properly this time.

And annoyingly—

The guilt hit.

Because she wasn’t complaining.

Wasn’t demanding.

Wasn’t acting dramatic either.

She genuinely looked nervous.

And somehow that made him feel worse.

Finally he sighed softly.

“It’s fine,” he said. “Come to the party.”

Darika looked up slightly.

“I’ll introduce you to my cousins,” he added calmly. “They’ll meet you eventually anyway.”

That alone relaxed her expression a little.

Then Dhruv picked up a file from the table.

“The party starts at 7:30,” he said while walking toward the door. “I have some work downstairs. I’ll come back later.”

And before she could say anything else—

He left the room.

After finishing his work downstairs, Dhruv finally returned to the room.

The moment he opened the door, his steps slowed slightly.

Darika was standing near the mirror.

Her back was facing him at first, and all he could see was her long wavy hair falling softly down her back while the dim golden lights of the room reflected around her figure quietly.

And then—

She turned.

Something inside him paused unexpectedly.

Just for a second.

His eyes stayed on her longer than they should have.

She was beautiful.

No—

Attractive in a way he hadn’t prepared himself for.

Not loud beauty.

Not the kind that demanded attention.

But something softer.

Something quieter.

Something dangerous precisely because it didn’t try too hard.

And her eyes—

There was something about them.

They spoke without speaking.

Nervousness.

Softness.

Hope.

Fear.

Everything existed there at once.

Dhruv kept staring for one moment too long before his thoughts abruptly snapped back into place.

What are you even doing?

He closed his eyes briefly, forcing himself back to reality.

This arrangement wasn’t supposed to become complicated.

And she definitely wasn’t supposed to affect him.

Then her voice broke the silence softly.

“I’m ready.”

Dhruv looked away almost immediately.

“Yeah,” he said after a pause. “Just give me five minutes. I’ll change.”

He walked toward the wardrobe and changed quickly.

A few minutes later, he stepped out again wearing a black shirt and black pants, his sleeves folded slightly near his wrists while he adjusted his watch calmly.

And somehow—

The second Darika noticed he was wearing black too—

A tiny happiness bloomed inside her instantly.

Small things always affected her heart too easily.

It wasn’t even something important.

Not even worth thinking about.

But still—

The fact that both of them were wearing black together made her quietly happy.

Like they matched in some strange accidental way.

Dhruv wore his watch properly before finally looking toward her again.

“Let’s go.”

Darika nodded softly.

“Yeah.”

She quickly picked up her purse.

Dhruv walked toward the door first and opened it before stepping slightly aside, silently letting her walk out first.

Darika walked outside quietly.

A moment later, he followed behind her.

And then—

The door shut behind them.

The mansion hallway stretched ahead under soft lights while distant music echoed from downstairs.

Dhruv started walking ahead calmly.

And Darika simply followed him silently, praying in her heart that tonight wouldn’t go wrong.

The party had already become louder by the time Dhruv and Darika finally entered downstairs.

Music echoed softly through the massive hall while lights reflected against glass walls and expensive interiors. Cousins, friends, relatives—everywhere Darika looked, people seemed confident, rich, effortless. The kind of people who belonged in places like this naturally.

And she didn’t.

The moment Dhruv entered, a few people immediately noticed him.

But then—

Their eyes shifted toward her.

And suddenly it felt like the entire room had paused.

Darika’s heartbeat became uneven instantly.

She stayed close behind Dhruv unconsciously as if standing near him was the only thing stopping her from completely disappearing under everyone’s stares.

Near one side of the hall, a group of boys sat casually around the couch area laughing loudly over drinks.

The second one of them noticed Dhruv, he stood up immediately.

“Dhruv!”

The boy walked over quickly before pulling him into a half hug.

Darika noticed him instantly.

Tall. Loud. Comfortable.

The kind of person who filled space naturally.

“Where the hell have you been?” he asked dramatically. “You vanished.”

Then his eyes shifted toward Darika.

And paused.

For a second, confusion crossed his face.

Like he was trying to understand why a girl was standing beside Dhruv at all.

Because Dhruv was never seen with girls publicly.

Never.

Dhruv noticed his expression immediately.

“She’s my fiancée.”

Silence.

Complete silence.

The boy blinked once.

Then again.

“What?”

His voice came out so loudly that a few nearby people immediately turned toward them.

“You got engaged?” he almost shouted. “And you are with a girl?”

Several people nearby burst into shocked reactions immediately.

Darika felt every single eye land on her again.

Her fingers tightened nervously around the strap of her purse.

She suddenly wanted to leave.

Immediately.

Right now.

But the boy—Sam—still looked genuinely horrified.

“Bro, what is happening?” he asked Dhruv loudly. “You didn’t even tell me?”

Dhruv grabbed his arm instantly.

“Come here.”

Before Sam could continue shouting nonsense, Dhruv pulled him aside toward the couch area.

Darika awkwardly followed behind them because standing alone felt even worse.

The three of them sat down.

Sam still looked completely betrayed.

“What is wrong with you?” he demanded immediately. “You’re getting engaged and you didn’t think maybe I should know?”

Dhruv looked exhausted already.

“Shut up,” he muttered quietly. “I’ll explain later.”

“No, seriously,” Sam continued dramatically. “How did this even happen? Is this arranged? Did you meet somewhere? Did your grandmother threaten you?”

Dhruv stayed silent.

Jaw tight.

Eyes distant.

He didn’t answer a single question.

Meanwhile Sam kept talking endlessly until finally his attention shifted toward Darika.

“And what’s your name?”

Darika looked slightly nervous before answering softly.

“Darika.”

“Oh,” Sam nodded. “Nice name.”

Then casually—

“So whose daughter are you? I’ve never seen you before.”

Time stopped.

Darika’s heartbeat dropped instantly.

The question itself wasn’t rude.

But somehow it still felt terrifying.

Because she already knew—

Half the people here had probably heard about her background after Mia’s message in the cousins’ group.

The poor girl.

The shopkeeper’s daughter.

The teacher’s daughter.

The girl who somehow ended up engaged to Dhruv Dhariya.

Before she could even think of answering—

Dhruv suddenly spoke coldly.

“Can you shut up for one minute?”

Sam blinked.

“You’ve been talking continuously since I walked in,” Dhruv added flatly. “All you need to know is she’s my fiancée. I’ll explain everything later.”

Sam immediately raised both hands.

“Okay, okay. Damn.”

But the atmosphere had already changed.

And then—

Another shift happened in the room.

People suddenly started whispering.

Phones lifted subtly.

Heads turned toward the entrance.

Darika looked up instinctively.

Rushan had entered the party.

With Niharika.

The atmosphere changed immediately because this was the first time both Dhruv and Rushan were attending the same gathering after everything that had happened.

And everyone knew the story already.

Everyone knew Darika was the girl Rushan had rejected.

Which meant now—

Every movement mattered.

Rushan walked inside casually, one hand resting possessively around Niharika’s waist while she leaned comfortably into him.

Almost like he wanted people to notice.

Like he wanted someone specific to notice.

And unfortunately—

Darika did.

Her chest tightened slightly looking at them together.

So this was the girl.

The girl because of whom she got rejected before even being known properly.

Meanwhile Rushan purposely chose the couch attached right beside theirs.

Almost too close.

Now the seating arrangement itself felt suffocating.

On one side sat Sam.

Beside him Dhruv.

Then Darika.

And right beside her—

Niharika.

With Rushan sitting beside Niharika comfortably.

The closeness felt intentional.

Cruel almost.

Darika could feel people staring continuously now.

Some glanced at her openly before leaning toward each other whispering things she couldn’t hear.

Others pretended not to stare while obviously staring.

Every second made her more uncomfortable.

She didn’t belong here.

That feeling only grew stronger.

And then—

The entrance doors opened again.

This time the reaction was completely different.

Cheers erupted instantly.

People smiled genuinely.

Phones lifted openly now.

“Sasha!”

Darika turned toward the entrance.

And froze.

Because the girl walking inside looked unreal.

Sasha wore a fitted bodycon gown that wrapped perfectly around her slim figure. Her hazel-green eyes caught the lights beautifully while her soft waves framed her face effortlessly.

She didn’t just look beautiful.

She looked like she belonged in magazines.

Or movies.

Or worlds far above Darika’s reach.

The entire room reacted to her naturally.

And then—

Sasha’s eyes found Dhruv immediately.

For one second, everything around her disappeared.

Because she had returned to Bangalore for him.

Even after hearing about his engagement.

Even after knowing she was already too late.

Still—

Her heart reacted to him first.

She greeted a few people quickly while walking forward.

And then headed straight toward the couch.

Dhruv stood up instinctively.

Maybe only to greet her properly.

But the moment she reached him—

Sasha hugged him immediately.

A real hug.

Warm.

Natural.

Close.

Darika’s chest tightened unexpectedly watching it.

Not because she thought Sasha would steal him.

No.

But because suddenly something painful became obvious.

Dhruv wasn’t cold with everyone.

Only with her.

With Sasha, his expression softened slightly.

His hand rested briefly against Sasha’s back before he pulled away slowly.

“Hi,” he said quietly. “How are you?”

Sasha looked at him accusingly.

“You didn’t even come downstairs properly to meet me.”

“I was busy.”

“You’re always busy.”

Rushan watched everything from the couch beside them silently.

But inside—

Jealousy burned violently.

Because he knew.

He knew Sasha loved Dhruv.

And seeing her hug another man like that—

Even if it was Dhruv—

Made something ugly rise inside him.

His grip around Niharika’s waist tightened unconsciously.

So tight that she looked at him briefly in confusion.

Rushan forced himself to stay calm.

But anger sat heavily beneath his skin.

To distract himself, he suddenly leanBecause according to Darika, every rich person in this world was cruel in one way or another.

Cold.

Fake.

Judging.

So when Sasha smiled warmly at her, Darika genuinely didn’t know how to react.

For a second she even thought maybe the girl was making fun of her politely.

Especially after the compliment.

“I love your curves, by the way.”

The sentence caught Darika completely off guard.

She wasn’t skinny like the girls at the party.

But she wasn’t fat either.

She had a naturally slim figure with soft curves, and the thing people noticed most about her body was her fuller chest and feminine shape.

So hearing another girl openly compliment it made her uncomfortable for a second.

She didn’t even say thank you.

Instead she only replied awkwardly,

“Hi… I’m Darika.”

Sasha’s smile widened immediately.

“Wow. Beautiful name.”

And somehow—

She sounded genuine.

But the truth was, Sasha’s attention tonight wasn’t really on the party.

Not on the music.

Not even on the friends she hadn’t seen in years.

Her attention kept returning to one person only.

Darika.

The fiancée of the man she loved.

The girl standing exactly where Sasha had dreamed of standing since childhood.

Because for Sasha, this was never just about competition.

It was deeper than that.

Dhruv was the only man she had ever truly loved.

And now another girl sat beside him wearing the place that Sasha believed belonged to her.

And Sasha had no intention of giving up that easily.

“Wait,” Sasha suddenly said before Darika could look away again.

Darika looked back at her quietly.

“You’re really beautiful, by the way,” Sasha said softly. “And you honestly suit Dhruv so much. You both look really good together.”

Darika didn’t know what to say to that.

So she only smiled awkwardly again.

Then Sasha asked casually,

“How old are you?”

“I’m eighteen.”

“Oh nice,” Sasha smiled. “I’m nineteen.”

Darika nodded lightly.

And then Sasha said something that genuinely surprised her.

“I really like you.”

Darika blinked.

“I mean it,” Sasha continued. “You’re attractive, but not just that… there’s something about you. I don’t know what it is exactly, but you seem really interesting. I’d love to be your friend.”

And for the first time since arriving at this mansion—

Darika felt maybe Sasha wasn’t pretending.

Maybe she was genuinely kind.

“Can I have your number?” Sasha asked.

Darika hesitated for a second before giving it to her.

Meanwhile everyone sitting around them had been silently listening to the entire conversation.

Dhruv.

Rushan.

Sam.

Niharika.

All of them noticed the strange tension hidden beneath the polite smiles.

Then suddenly Mia appeared dramatically beside the couch.

“Enough talking,” she announced. “Come dance.”

She pointed toward Rushan, Niharika and Sasha.

“All three of you. Now.”

Then she looked at Dhruv too.

“And you also.”

Dhruv rejected instantly.

“I’m fine here.”

Sam lifted his drink lazily.

“Same.”

Mia rolled her eyes dramatically.

“Boring people.”

Meanwhile Rushan and Niharika had already gotten up.

Music echoed loudly through the party as lights flashed across the massive hall.

Then Mia grabbed Sasha’s wrist.

“Come on!”

But before leaving, Sasha turned toward Darika again.

“Why don’t you join us?”

Darika shook her head immediately.

“No… I don’t feel very well right now. I don’t think I have energy to dance.”

Sasha’s expression softened.

“Oh. Okay. Take care then.”

And then she left with Mia.

Soon the dance floor became chaotic again.

People dancing.

Laughing.

Drinking.

Taking group selfies.

Expensive perfumes mixing with alcohol and loud music.

Meanwhile on the couch—

Only Darika, Dhruv and Sam remained.

Darika quietly watched everyone around her.

And slowly—

Jealousy settled somewhere inside her chest.

Not hateful jealousy.

Just painful awareness.

These people were so lucky.

They would never understand what poverty felt like.

They would never know what it meant to sleep hungry.

Or use broken phones for years.

Or think ten times before buying something small.

Meanwhile everyone here casually carried expensive phones and cameras worth more than her entire yearly expenses.

And Sasha…

Sasha looked perfect.

Beautiful.

Rich.

Confident.

Loved by everyone.

Surrounded by friends.

Even kind.

Darika found herself thinking—

Dhruv and Sasha actually looked perfect together.

Like they belonged in the same world.

A world she could never fit into.

But she immediately forced herself to stop thinking like that.

Before her thoughts could spiral further—

Sam suddenly returned holding drinks in his hands.

But then Sam suddenly looked toward Darika with a grin and lifted his glass slightly.

“You’re not drinking anything?”

Darika shook her head immediately.

“No… I don’t drink.”

Sam blinked in genuine shock.

“What?”

Then he stared at her properly.

“Wait… how old are you?”

“I turned eighteen last month.”

For one full second Sam just stared at her like she had personally offended him.

“You’re literally a kid.”

Darika didn’t respond.

She just gave a small awkward smile and looked away.

Sam immediately turned toward Dhruv.

“Bro,” he said loudly, “you’re dating a child. She’s like… what? Almost four years younger than you.”

Dhruv didn’t react.

Didn’t deny it either.

He simply took another sip from his drink, calm and unreadable.

Meanwhile Darika quietly shifted a little farther away from him on the couch.

The smell of alcohol was strong now.

Too strong.

She wasn’t used to it.

The movement was small.

Barely noticeable.

But both Sam and Dhruv noticed it instantly.

Sam slowly looked at Dhruv with the most dramatic expression possible.

A look that practically screamed—

Your fiancée is weird.

Dhruv ignored him completely and continued drinking.

The music around them grew louder.

People danced.

Others laughed.

Glasses clinked endlessly.

But eventually, the excitement of the party started fading.

Someone from the crowd suddenly grabbed the mic dramatically.

“This party is getting boring!”

A few people cheered immediately.

The boy grinned.

“So why don’t we do something interesting?”

The crowd got louder instantly.

He raised the mic higher.

“A fight.”

That one word changed the entire atmosphere.

Cheers exploded everywhere.

“AND,” he shouted excitedly, “you guys will choose the opponents!”

The crowd completely lost control.

Names started flying from every direction.

But one thing became obvious almost immediately.

There were only two names people truly wanted.

“DHRUV!”

“RUSHAN!”

“DHRUV!”

“RUSHAN!”

The entire party echoed with it now.

Some people screamed both names together.

Others were already recording videos.

Nobody even suggested anyone else.

Because everyone knew—

If there was real hatred in this mansion…

It existed between those two men.

Sam slowly turned toward Dhruv in disbelief.

“Dude…”

Then he punched his shoulder lightly.

“You’re seriously doing this?”

Dhruv finished the last sip of his drink calmly before placing the glass aside.

“Now I have to.”

He stood up.

“I can’t back out.”

And then—

Without hesitation—

He pulled his black shirt over his head.

The movement was so sudden that the shirt landed directly in Darika’s lap.

Her breath stopped for a second.

Meanwhile the entire crowd completely lost their minds.

Dhruv walked forward without even looking back.

Straight toward Rushan.

The boy holding the mic practically screamed from excitement.

“ALRIGHT EVERYONE!”

Music lowered instantly.

“I need space cleared RIGHT NOW!”

People immediately moved back, dragging couches aside, creating an open circle in the center of the party.

Phones were already recording.

Energy exploded everywhere.

Sasha, Mia, Niharika and a few other girls quickly moved toward the couch near Darika.

Darika still sat there frozen—

Dhruv’s shirt clenched unconsciously in her hands.

Sasha noticed it immediately.

Her eyes shifted from the shirt…

To Darika.

Then she smiled softly at her.

Meanwhile the commentator boy shouted dramatically again—

“ARE YOU GUYS READY FOR THE BIGGEST FIGHT IN DHARIYA HISTORY?”

The crowd screamed.

“But listen carefully—NO LIVE STREAMING!”

Everyone booed jokingly.

“You can record. But nothing goes on social media. Understood?”

“YESSSS!”

“GOOD!”

He pointed toward both men.

“THEN WHAT ARE WE WAITING FOR?”

The crowd immediately joined him.

“ONE!”

Dhruv and Rushan stared at each other like neither intended to stop once this started.

“TWO!”

The tension became unbearable.

“THREE!”

“START!”

And the fight exploded instantly.

No hesitation.

No warning.

The first punch landed so hard the crowd screamed.

At first everyone enjoyed it.

Cheered.

Laughed.

Whistled.

But within minutes—

The atmosphere changed completely.

Because this didn’t feel like entertainment anymore.

It felt personal.

Dangerously personal.

They weren’t fighting for fun.

They were trying to destroy each other.

Punches.

Kicks.

Grabbing collars.

Holding necks.

Violent hits that echoed loudly through the entire party.

The crowd slowly fell quieter.

Because nobody understood how two people could hate each other this much.

Dhruv fought like pure controlled rage.

Rushan fought like something inside him had snapped years ago.

And then—

In the middle of the chaos—

Rushan’s eyes landed on Sasha.

She was cheering for Dhruv.

Smiling nervously every time Dhruv hit back harder.

Supporting him.

And that single moment broke Rushan’s concentration.

Just for one second.

But one second was enough.

Dhruv moved instantly.

One hard hit—

And Rushan crashed onto the ground.

Silence.

Then the crowd erupted.

“DHRUV!”

“DHRUV!”

“DHRUV!”

The noise became deafening.

Dhruv stepped back breathing heavily, chest rising and falling sharply.

There was blood near his lip now.

Bruises already forming across his knuckles.

Red marks along his neck and shoulder.

Sam immediately ran toward him excitedly.

“BRO!”

He grabbed his shoulder dramatically.

“You killed it!”

Dhruv barely reacted.

“You’re literally the strongest man alive,” Sam continued proudly. “Second Bruce Lee. Monster. Animal. Legend.”

Dhruv ignored every single word.

Instead he looked around once.

“Where’s my shirt?”

Sam blinked.

“What?”

“My shirt.”

“Oh.”

Sam pointed toward the girls’ couch.

“I think over there.”

Dhruv walked toward them immediately.

Still shirtless.

Still breathing heavily from the fight.

And somehow—

That made him look even more terrifying.

Darika stood up instantly the moment he approached.

Because honestly—

She was scared now.

The way he fought…

It wasn’t normal.

He had looked violent.

Wild.

The way he grabbed Rushan’s neck.

The punches.

The rage in his eyes.

For the first time since meeting him—

She truly understood how dangerous he could become.

Her fingers trembled slightly as she held his shirt toward him.

And Dhruv noticed that too.ed down and kissed Niharika casually.

Darika accidentally noticed it.

And somehow—

That made her feel worse again.

Everyone here had someone.

Someone who wanted them.

Someone who looked at them like they mattered.

Meanwhile she sat there feeling like an unwanted guest inside someone else’s story.

Then finally Sasha’s attention shifted toward her.

Her eyes softened slightly.

“Is she your fiancée?”

Dhruv glanced briefly toward Darika before nodding once.

Because according to Darika, every rich person in this world was cruel in one way or another.

Cold.

Fake.

Judging.

So when Sasha smiled warmly at her, Darika genuinely didn’t know how to react.

For a second she even thought maybe the girl was making fun of her politely.

Especially after the compliment.

“I love your curves, by the way.”

The sentence caught Darika completely off guard.

She wasn’t skinny like the girls at the party.

But she wasn’t fat either.

She had a naturally slim figure with soft curves, and the thing people noticed most about her body was her fuller chest and feminine shape.

So hearing another girl openly compliment it made her uncomfortable for a second.

She didn’t even say thank you.

Instead she only replied awkwardly,

“Hi… I’m Darika.”

Sasha’s smile widened immediately.

“Wow. Beautiful name.”

And somehow—

She sounded genuine.

But the truth was, Sasha’s attention tonight wasn’t really on the party.

Not on the music.

Not even on the friends she hadn’t seen in years.

Her attention kept returning to one person only.

Darika.

The fiancée of the man she loved.

The girl standing exactly where Sasha had dreamed of standing since childhood.

Because for Sasha, this was never just about competition.

It was deeper than that.

Dhruv was the only man she had ever truly loved.

And now another girl sat beside him wearing the place that Sasha believed belonged to her.

And Sasha had no intention of giving up that easily.

“Wait,” Sasha suddenly said before Darika could look away again.

Darika looked back at her quietly.

“You’re really beautiful, by the way,” Sasha said softly. “And you honestly suit Dhruv so much. You both look really good together.”

Darika didn’t know what to say to that.

So she only smiled awkwardly again.

Then Sasha asked casually,

“How old are you?”

“I’m eighteen.”

“Oh nice,” Sasha smiled. “I’m nineteen.”

Darika nodded lightly.

And then Sasha said something that genuinely surprised her.

“I really like you.”

Darika blinked.

“I mean it,” Sasha continued. “You’re attractive, but not just that… there’s something about you. I don’t know what it is exactly, but you seem really interesting. I’d love to be your friend.”

And for the first time since arriving at this mansion—

Darika felt maybe Sasha wasn’t pretending.

Maybe she was genuinely kind.

“Can I have your number?” Sasha asked.

Darika hesitated for a second before giving it to her.

Meanwhile everyone sitting around them had been silently listening to the entire conversation.

Dhruv.

Rushan.

Sam.

Niharika.

All of them noticed the strange tension hidden beneath the polite smiles.

Then suddenly Mia appeared dramatically beside the couch.

“Enough talking,” she announced. “Come dance.”

She pointed toward Rushan, Niharika and Sasha.

“All three of you. Now.”

Then she looked at Dhruv too.

“And you also.”

Dhruv rejected instantly.

“I’m fine here.”

Sam lifted his drink lazily.

“Same.”

Mia rolled her eyes dramatically.

“Boring people.”

Meanwhile Rushan and Niharika had already gotten up.

Music echoed loudly through the party as lights flashed across the massive hall.

Then Mia grabbed Sasha’s wrist.

“Come on!”

But before leaving, Sasha turned toward Darika again.

“Why don’t you join us?”

Darika shook her head immediately.

“No… I don’t feel very well right now. I don’t think I have energy to dance.”

Sasha’s expression softened.

“Oh. Okay. Take care then.”

And then she left with Mia.

Soon the dance floor became chaotic again.

People dancing.

Laughing.

Drinking.

Taking group selfies.

Expensive perfumes mixing with alcohol and loud music.

Meanwhile on the couch—

Only Darika, Dhruv and Sam remained.

Darika quietly watched everyone around her.

And slowly—

Jealousy settled somewhere inside her chest.

Not hateful jealousy.

Just painful awareness.

These people were so lucky.

They would never understand what poverty felt like.

They would never know what it meant to sleep hungry.

Or use broken phones for years.

Or think ten times before buying something small.

Meanwhile everyone here casually carried expensive phones and cameras worth more than her entire yearly expenses.

And Sasha…

Sasha looked perfect.

Beautiful.

Rich.

Confident.

Loved by everyone.

Surrounded by friends.

Even kind.

Darika found herself thinking—

Dhruv and Sasha actually looked perfect together.

Like they belonged in the same world.

A world she could never fit into.

But she immediately forced herself to stop thinking like that.

Before her thoughts could spiral further—

Sam suddenly returned holding drinks in his hands.

But then Sam suddenly looked toward Darika with a grin and lifted his glass slightly.

“You’re not drinking anything?”

Darika shook her head immediately.

“No… I don’t drink.”

Sam blinked in genuine shock.

“What?”

Then he stared at her properly.

“Wait… how old are you?”

“I turned eighteen last month.”

For one full second Sam just stared at her like she had personally offended him.

“You’re literally a kid.”

Darika didn’t respond.

She just gave a small awkward smile and looked away.

Sam immediately turned toward Dhruv.

“Bro,” he said loudly, “you’re dating a child. She’s like… what? Almost four years younger than you.”

Dhruv didn’t react.

Didn’t deny it either.

He simply took another sip from his drink, calm and unreadable.

Meanwhile Darika quietly shifted a little farther away from him on the couch.

The smell of alcohol was strong now.

Too strong.

She wasn’t used to it.

The movement was small.

Barely noticeable.

But both Sam and Dhruv noticed it instantly.

Sam slowly looked at Dhruv with the most dramatic expression possible.

A look that practically screamed—

Your fiancée is weird.

Dhruv ignored him completely and continued drinking.

The music around them grew louder.

People danced.

Others laughed.

Glasses clinked endlessly.

But eventually, the excitement of the party started fading.

Someone from the crowd suddenly grabbed the mic dramatically.

“This party is getting boring!”

A few people cheered immediately.

The boy grinned.

“So why don’t we do something interesting?”

The crowd got louder instantly.

He raised the mic higher.

“A fight.”

That one word changed the entire atmosphere.

Cheers exploded everywhere.

“AND,” he shouted excitedly, “you guys will choose the opponents!”

The crowd completely lost control.

Names started flying from every direction.

But one thing became obvious almost immediately.

There were only two names people truly wanted.

“DHRUV!”

“RUSHAN!”

“DHRUV!”

“RUSHAN!”

The entire party echoed with it now.

Some people screamed both names together.

Others were already recording videos.

Nobody even suggested anyone else.

Because everyone knew—

If there was real hatred in this mansion…

It existed between those two men.

Sam slowly turned toward Dhruv in disbelief.

“Dude…”

Then he punched his shoulder lightly.

“You’re seriously doing this?”

Dhruv finished the last sip of his drink calmly before placing the glass aside.

“Now I have to.”

He stood up.

“I can’t back out.”

And then—

Without hesitation—

He pulled his black shirt over his head.

The movement was so sudden that the shirt landed directly in Darika’s lap.

Her breath stopped for a second.

Meanwhile the entire crowd completely lost their minds.

Dhruv walked forward without even looking back.

Straight toward Rushan.

The boy holding the mic practically screamed from excitement.

“ALRIGHT EVERYONE!”

Music lowered instantly.

“I need space cleared RIGHT NOW!”

People immediately moved back, dragging couches aside, creating an open circle in the center of the party.

Phones were already recording.

Energy exploded everywhere.

Sasha, Mia, Niharika and a few other girls quickly moved toward the couch near Darika.

Darika still sat there frozen—

Dhruv’s shirt clenched unconsciously in her hands.

Sasha noticed it immediately.

Her eyes shifted from the shirt…

To Darika.

Then she smiled softly at her.

Meanwhile the commentator boy shouted dramatically again—

“ARE YOU GUYS READY FOR THE BIGGEST FIGHT IN DHARIYA HISTORY?”

The crowd screamed.

“But listen carefully—NO LIVE STREAMING!”

Everyone booed jokingly.

“You can record. But nothing goes on social media. Understood?”

“YESSSS!”

“GOOD!”

He pointed toward both men.

“THEN WHAT ARE WE WAITING FOR?”

The crowd immediately joined him.

“ONE!”

Dhruv and Rushan stared at each other like neither intended to stop once this started.

“TWO!”

The tension became unbearable.

“THREE!”

“START!”

And the fight exploded instantly.

No hesitation.

No warning.

The first punch landed so hard the crowd screamed.

At first everyone enjoyed it.

Cheered.

Laughed.

Whistled.

But within minutes—

The atmosphere changed completely.

Because this didn’t feel like entertainment anymore.

It felt personal.

Dangerously personal.

They weren’t fighting for fun.

They were trying to destroy each other.

Punches.

Kicks.

Grabbing collars.

Holding necks.

Violent hits that echoed loudly through the entire party.

The crowd slowly fell quieter.

Because nobody understood how two people could hate each other this much.

Dhruv fought like pure controlled rage.

Rushan fought like something inside him had snapped years ago.

And then—

In the middle of the chaos—

Rushan’s eyes landed on Sasha.

She was cheering for Dhruv.

Smiling nervously every time Dhruv hit back harder.

Supporting him.

And that single moment broke Rushan’s concentration.

Just for one second.

But one second was enough.

Dhruv moved instantly.

One hard hit—

And Rushan crashed onto the ground.

Silence.

Then the crowd erupted.

“DHRUV!”

“DHRUV!”

“DHRUV!”

The noise became deafening.

Dhruv stepped back breathing heavily, chest rising and falling sharply.

There was blood near his lip now.

Bruises already forming across his knuckles.

Red marks along his neck and shoulder.

Sam immediately ran toward him excitedly.

“BRO!”

He grabbed his shoulder dramatically.

“You killed it!”

Dhruv barely reacted.

“You’re literally the strongest man alive,” Sam continued proudly. “Second Bruce Lee. Monster. Animal. Legend.”

Dhruv ignored every single word.

Instead he looked around once.

“Where’s my shirt?”

Sam blinked.

“What?”

“My shirt.”

“Oh.”

Sam pointed toward the girls’ couch.

“I think over there.”

Dhruv walked toward them immediately.

Still shirtless.

Still breathing heavily from the fight.

And somehow—

That made him look even more terrifying.

Darika stood up instantly the moment he approached.

Because honestly—

She was scared now.

The way he fought…

It wasn’t normal.

He had looked violent.

Wild.

The way he grabbed Rushan’s neck.

The punches.

The rage in his eyes.

For the first time since meeting him—

She truly understood how dangerous he could become.

Her fingers trembled slightly as she held his shirt toward him.

And Dhruv noticed that too.