CHAPTER 3 : FATE TOOK A TURN

Dhruv looked at her as she walked away toward the garden table where Nayantara Dhariya was waiting.

His brows narrowed slightly.

Who even was this girl?

A strange creature who had the audacity to threaten him, call him a secretary, and walk away without fear.

Nobody spoke to Dhruv Dhariya like that.

Nobody touched his ego and left untouched themselves.

Yet she had done it so casually that it left him irritated… and confused.

“Sir.”

His secretary’s voice pulled him back.

“The car is ready.”

Dhruv finally looked away from her and adjusted the sleeve of his black suit.

Then, without taking another step, he asked,

“Who is that girl?”

The secretary glanced toward the garden table.

“I think she’s the girl chosen for Mr. Rushan,” he replied carefully. “Maybe his future fiancée.”

Dhruv’s eyes shifted slightly.

“Rushan is getting engaged?”

“Maybe,” the secretary answered. “Could be his parents’ move to strengthen his position in the family. People already compare him to you. Maybe they want him to look more responsible.”

Dhruv gave no reaction.

Then the secretary added carefully,

“I think even you should start thinking about marriage, sir. You’re twenty-one now. But you’ve never taken any girl seriously.”

Dhruv looked at him coldly.

“Stop talking nonsense. I’m getting late.”

The secretary immediately lowered his head and opened the door of the black Mercedes.

Before sitting inside, Dhruv gave one final glance toward the garden.

Toward her.

Then he entered the car.

And the Mercedes disappeared through the gates of the mansion.

---

Darika sat quietly across from Nayantara Dhariya.

The older woman looked calm as she lifted her teacup.

“How was the date?”

Darika stayed silent for a moment.

Then she closed her eyes briefly and took a deep breath.

“I know you gave me a huge opportunity,” she said softly. “And thank you for that… really.”

Her fingers tightened together.

“But I don’t belong here.

Grandmother stayed silent, listening.

Darika continued slowly,

“I come from a very poor family. I don’t understand luxury or rich people or this world. I’m not capable of fitting into this family.”

Her voice trembled slightly.

“And I’m not greedy. I don’t need crores or big things. I just need enough money to survive. I’m not a gold digger.”

She looked down.

“Your grandson already has a girlfriend. He rejected me and insulted me in our very first meeting. How can I stay with someone who already hates me?”

A pause.

“So… all I need from you now is permission to leave.”

Grandmother’s eyes narrowed slightly.

“My grandson has a girlfriend?”

Darika froze slightly.

“…Yes.”

Now she felt scared again.

Maybe he had secretly confessed about his relationship to his grandmother already.

Maybe she had ruined everything.

“He told me himself,” she added quietly. “That he’ll never leave her for me.”

Grandmother leaned back slightly, still calm.

“And if you leave from here… what will you do?”

Darika blinked.

“What?”

“Your parents won’t accept you properly. You have nowhere stable to go. What exactly is your plan?”

Darika opened her mouth, then stopped.

For the first time, she realized she truly had nowhere.

“Maybe… I’ll stay at a friend’s house,” she said uncertainly. “Then maybe I’ll rent a small room and do some jobs…”

Even she knew she sounded unsure.

Grandmother took a sip of tea.

Then she spoke.

“I’ll give you another opportunity.”

Darika’s stomach tightened immediately.

Something inside her already knew this conversation was about to change direction again.

Grandmother placed the cup down carefully.

“Maybe my eldest grandson… Dhruv… will make you like this place.”

Darika immediately shook her head.

“No… no, I don’t think that’s right. What if he also has another woman? What if he insults me too?”

Grandmother replied calmly,

“Dhruv has never been with any woman.”

Darika looked genuinely shocked.

Never?

Her mind instantly started creating explanations.

Maybe he wasn’t attractive.

Maybe women only wanted his money and he knew it.

Maybe nobody ever truly loved him.

Or maybe… he simply hated people.

“I still don’t think this is right,” she whispered.

Without another word, Nayantara placed a file on the table.

A contract.

“Nine months,” she said calmly. “Stay in this house. During those nine months, I’ll support you completely. Whatever happens in this family, you can come to me.”

Darika stayed silent.

“I’m not doing this out of pity,” grandmother continued. “And this is not mercy.”

Her eyes hardened slightly.

“My family is broken. My children only care about power, status, and money. Sometimes I feel they could destroy each other for this empire.”

A pause.

“But you… you cared for a stranger without expecting anything in return.”

Darika lowered her eyes.

“You should find someone better,” she said softly. “Someone who can actually care for your family.”

Grandmother pushed the contract closer.

“You have fifteen minutes.”

Then she stood up slowly with the help of her stick.

“If you sign it, hand it to the man standing there and return to your guest room.”

“And if you don’t want this life… I won’t force you. My driver will take you wherever you want.”

And with that, Nayantara Dhariya walked away.

--

Darika sat there alone.

The contract rested in front of her.

Her vision blurred slowly as tears filled her eyes again.

She cried silently this time.

Not loudly like yesterday.

Just tired tears.

After some time, she stood up.

And started walking toward the exit of the mansion.

Maybe leaving was the right thing.

Maybe she never belonged here.

But as she walked, reality started catching up with her.

She had no close friends who would let her stay permanently.

No money for hotels.

No future waiting outside those gates.

Only uncertainty.

Slowly, her steps stopped.

Then she turned around.

Walked back to the table.

Picked up the pen.

And signed the contract.

As her name appeared on the paper, something strange moved inside her chest

Like a new chapter of her life had just been written without asking her permission.

---

At the same time, Nayantara Dhariya walked straight into Rushan’s room.

Without knocking.

Rushan was sprawled across the bed, half asleep, still suffering from last night’s hangover.

Hearing the door open, he groaned irritably.

“The fuck, man… can’t I even sleep peacefully?”

Then—

The sharp sound of a stick hitting the floor echoed through the room.

Rushan’s eyes widened instantly.

He sat up immediately.

“Grandma—”

Now fully awake.

He quickly stood up from the bed. He was only wearing boxers and a sleeveless jersey vest.

“Good morning,” he said awkwardly. “What are you doing here? Did something happen?”

Grandmother stared at him coldly.

“You have a girlfriend.”

Rushan’s heart dropped.

That bitch told her.

Darika’s face flashed in his mind immediately.

“What? No,” he lied instantly. “I don’t have any girlfriend.”

“Then why did you tell her that?”

Rushan rolled his eyes slightly.

“I didn’t like her. She looked boring.”

Still half drunk, still careless.

“And her long hair was annoying. You know I like girls with short hair.”

The slap came instantly.

Sharp.

Hard enough to completely wake him up.

His head turned slightly from the impact.

Reality crashed back into him immediately.

At the same moment, Hrithik Dhariya entered the room.

“Mom!” he rushed forward. “What are you doing? Don’t slap my son.”

“Shut up,” grandmother snapped.

Her voice echoed heavily in the room.

“No one in this family is as spoiled as your son.”

She pointed at Rushan.

“He drinks, parties, wastes his life, and behaves like a complete failure.”

Hrithik immediately went silent.

Even Rushan lowered his head slightly.

Then grandmother spoke again.

“Whoever this girlfriend is… I want to meet her tomorrow.”

And without another word, she walked out.

---

The room stayed silent after she left.

Then Hrithik turned toward his son.

“What are you doing with your life, Rushan?”

Rushan sighed tiredly.

“Dad, not again.”

“You think this is a joke?” Hrithik snapped. “Dhruv is already working inside the empire at your age. And you? Clubs? Alcohol? Girls?”

Rushan smirked slightly.

“The empire is mine too. Let him work for now.”

Hrithik stared at him in disbelief.

“If you continue like this, you won’t even get a single thing from this empire.”

Rushan simply dropped back onto the bed lazily.

“Relax, Dad. Your son is lucky.”

Hrithik rubbed his forehead in frustration.

“Who even is this girlfriend now? Sonia? Kajal?”

Rushan grinned slightly.

“Niharika.”

Hrithik paused.

“Niharika? The daughter of the PGN Group?”

“Yeah.”

For the first time, Hrithik looked satisfied.

“That’s actually a good match.”

Rushan smirked confidently.

“I know. Don’t worry. I won’t let that son of a bitch Dhruv take over everything.

Hrithik sighed.

“Your mother is angry. Go convince her later.”

“Yeah, yeah.”

Rushan waved him away lazily.

“You can go now, Dad. And close the door while leaving.”

Hrithik gave him one last disappointed look before leaving the room.

--

Back in the garden, Darika handed the signed papers to the servant standing nearby.

Then she sat back down at the same table.

She didn’t want to walk back alone.

The mansion was too huge.

Too unfamiliar.

So she waited for the maid to return.

One hour passed.

Then another half.

Darika wandered slowly through the garden, trying to get signal on her phone.

But there was no network.

No internet.

Nothing.

While walking distractedly, she almost collided with a black Mercedes entering through the driveway.

She stumbled and fell slightly.

Immediately, Dhruv’s secretary stepped out and helped her up.

“Are you okay, ma’am?”

“Yes,” she said quickly, dusting off her clothes.

Inside the car, Dhruv looked up.

It was her again.

The same girl.

The secretary girl.

Dhruv stepped out of the Mercedes slowly.

He had returned early after finishing a meeting.

And somehow… she was still here.

Darika was busy cleaning the dust off her clothes when his voice came.

“Are you the gardener here?”

She froze.

Then looked up angrily.

Gardener?

A bitter laugh escaped her lips.

“You know what?” she snapped. “I’m going to marry someone named Dhruv Dhariya. The future head of this family.”

She pointed at the mansion proudly.

“I’m literally going to become the owner of this empire and you’re calling me a gardener?”

Dhruv stared at her silently.

She continued confidently,

“I won’t ask Dhruv to fire you because honestly, you seem like a very hardworking secretary.”

His secretary almost choked.

“But I’ll definitely ask him to punish you.”

She crossed her arms.

“You just called Dhruv’s future wife a gardener.”

Then she picked up her bag dramatically.

“And just because I dress casually doesn’t mean I’m poor.”

A pause.

“I’m the future lady of this house. Mind your tongue next time.”

At that exact moment, the maid arrived.

“Ma’am, I’ll take you to the guest room.”

Darika immediately turned toward her.

“Yes please. This mansion is so huge, I don’t even know where to go.”

The maid tried hard not to laugh.

“Come with me, ma’am.”

And Darika walked away proudly.

The second she disappeared—

Dhruv’s secretary burst out laughing.

“She’s the future lady of the house?”

“And she called you a secretary twice?”

Dhruv stood there silently.

Annoyed.

Confused.

And strangely disturbed.

Because according to everything he knew…

That girl was supposed to marry Rushan.

Then why the hell was she introducing herself as Dhruv Dhariya’s future wife?

The secretary stood there for a moment, unable to hold himself back, and then burst into laughter. It was uncontrollable at first—sharp, almost disrespectful in its honesty.

But the moment Dhruv turned and looked at him, the laughter died instantly.

His expression changed in a second.

He lowered his gaze, pressing his lips together, trying very hard to compose himself, but the amusement still lingered in his eyes like something he couldn’t fully erase.

Before the silence could settle properly, his phone buzzed.

He checked it once and straightened slightly.

“Sir,” the secretary said carefully, “Grandmother wants to see you.”

Dhruv’s eyes narrowed faintly.

“Why?”

There was a brief hesitation.

“…Maybe because of your new lady.”

The words landed lightly—but enough to earn him a cold glance.

“Sorry, sir,” the secretary muttered quickly, stepping back.

Without another word, Dhruv walked past him.

The mansion doors opened as he entered. Servants lined the corridor immediately, bowing their heads as he passed. The air inside was heavy with silence, respect, and something far more suffocating—expectation.

He did not acknowledge anyone.

His footsteps carried him directly toward the ground floor, where his grandmother’s room stood near the living hall.

He stopped at the door and knocked once.

“Come in,” came the calm voice from inside.

He entered.

Nayantara Dhariya was already waiting.

“Sit,” she said simply. “I need to talk to you.”

Dhruv obeyed, taking his seat across from her.

For a moment, there was only silence between them.

Then she spoke.

“Years ago… your grandfather and I went to the countryside for some work. A factory matter. That was where I first met your mother.”

A pause.

Her voice softened slightly—not weak, but distant, as though she were looking at a memory instead of the present.

“She was… extraordinary. Not just in appearance, but in the way she carried herself. In her heart. In her silence. She had eyes like yours. Cold. Deep. As if they had already seen too much for their age.”

Dhruv’s jaw tightened slightly at the mention of his mother.

“I knew the moment I saw her,” Nayantara continued, “that she would become part of this family. My daughter-in-law. And she did.”

Another pause lingered in the air.

“And if she were here today,” she added quietly, “she would want you to settle your life as well.”

Dhruv looked away for a moment.

The mention of her always did that—pulled him into a space he refused to stay in for long.

He did not speak.

Only nodded once, stiffly.

Nayantara observed him for a second longer, then continued.

“There is a girl.”

At that, Dhruv’s eyes lifted slightly.

“She helped me today,” she said. “In the washroom. Everyone around was… unpleasant. Judging. Whispering. But she did not hesitate. She helped me without expecting anything in return.”

A faint, knowing calm entered her tone.

“And in that moment, I knew she was the one who belongs in this house.”

Dhruv exhaled lightly through his nose.

“So because she helped you once,” he said coldly, “she becomes the perfect match for me?”

He leaned back slightly.

“How exactly does that define her suitability for this family?”

Nayantara met his gaze without flinching.

“I do not judge people in five minutes, Dhruv. I have lived seventy-five years. I have seen enough of human nature to recognize it quickly. And I have never been wrong.”

A beat.

Dhruv’s voice was quieter now, but sharper.

“What if you are wrong this time?”

Nayantara’s expression did not change.

“I am not.”

A pause.

“You will not be marrying her immediately. Nor will there be an engagement right away. She will stay in this house for nine months. You will both decide the outcome yourselves. If it does not work, she will leave. No obligations.”

Dhruv’s patience cracked slightly.

“I will not marry someone like her,” he said firmly. “She is inexperienced. She does not understand this world. She does not belong here.”

He paused, eyes narrowing.

“She cannot handle this family.”

Nayantara’s voice turned colder.

“This family does not need more people like us.”

That sentence lingered in the air.

Then she added, almost casually—

“If you refuse, I can always consider Tia instead.”

The effect was immediate.

Dhruv’s expression changed.

For the first time, something unsettled crossed his face.

“Tia?” he repeated.

The name carried weight—history, discomfort, and something far more complicated than dislike.

He exhaled sharply.

“No,” he said immediately. “Not her.”

A faint, almost satisfied smile appeared on Nayantara’s lips.

“So you accept the other girl then.”

Dhruv frowned.

“That is not what I said.”

But she had already decided the conversation’s direction.

“Good,” she said simply.

Then, without giving him a chance to continue, she added—

“Are you in love with someone else?”

The question struck like a sudden interruption in silence

Dhruv stiffened slightly.

“No,” he answered quickly. “That’s not—”

“Then it is settled.”

His voice rose slightly. “Grandma—”

But she was already standing.

“I have made my decision. You will meet her properly. That is final.”

He took a step forward.

“That girl is not suitable—”

Nayantara looked at him then.

A calm, steady gaze that did not allow interruption.

“Dhruv.”

Just his name.

Nothing more.

And he stopped.

She turned away.

“I know what is right for this house.”

Then, as she reached the door, she added without looking back—

“And so will you.”

She left.

The door closed softly behind her.

And Dhruv remained standing in the silence, alone in the room that suddenly felt smaller than before—his thoughts heavier than they had been a moment ago, and for reasons he could not yet explain… slightly disturbed by a name he had not even learned properly.

---