Rhea Malik had never imagined that her life could shatter in a single night.
Her wedding was just 24 hours away. The house was filled with the scent of mehndi, laughter, and cheerful chatter. Every corner of the lounge sparkled with flowers and fairy lights, and her friends were busy capturing every moment for Instagram. To anyone watching, it was perfect.
But Rhea's heart beat for just one person—Arhaan, her fiancé. She thought he was her perfect match, the one she could trust completely. Her eyes sparkled with dreams, and her heart felt full.
Little did she know, fate had other plans.
The First Crack
Rhea was checking her phone when a strange notification popped up:
"Unknown Folder Synced: Private Files."
She frowned. Perhaps her phone had accidentally synced with Arhaan's cloud. Curious, she opened the folder—and froze.
Inside were pictures, screenshots, and voice recordings. All of them were from Arhaan. All of them were about her… but not in the way she had expected.
Her trembling fingers played the first recording.
Arhaan's voice was calm, calculated, and chilling:
"Once I get her father's signatures, I'm done with this girl. She's too innocent to even understand she's being used."
Rhea's heart stopped. Her mind refused to process the words.
The second recording played.
"Malik saab, sign the deal, and I'm done. That girl is just a ticket. A dumb, emotional ticket."
The phone slipped from Rhea's hands and fell to the floor.
Her lips barely whispered a word:
"No…"
Her eyes welled up with tears. The mehndi on her hands, the elaborate wedding preparations, the dream she had cherished—it all seemed like a cruel joke now. Arhaan, the man she had trusted the most, had been deceiving her from the start.
A Stranger Appears
The room was silent, except for the soft tapping of her tears against the floor.
Then, a voice. Deep. Cold. Unnervingly calm.
"Don't be too shocked, Miss Malik."
Rhea's heart skipped a beat. She turned slowly.
In the corner of the doorway stood a tall, broad-shouldered man in a black suit. His hair was dark, his posture perfect, and his presence… commanding. His grey eyes fixed on her, piercing straight through her soul.
"W-who… who are you? " she stammered, stepping back.
He smiled faintly, but it wasn't a friendly smile. It was a warning.
"I'm the one here to save your life."
Rhea shook her head.
"Save… me? How do you know what's happening?"
He took a step closer, each movement deliberate and controlled.
"Arhaan Ahmed isn't just after your heart. He's after your father's business. And if you marry him tomorrow… your life will be ruined."
Rhea's mind was spinning.
"How do you know all this? Who are you?"
He removed his gloves slowly, revealing an intricate tattoo on his hand, a symbol she didn't recognize but instinctively feared.
"Adrian Knight," he said simply.
"Knight Industries."
Rhea's breath caught. Knight Industries? The world-renowned, secretive billionaire company? And this man was… him?
The Dangerous Proposal
Adrian took another step closer. Now she could smell the sharp, woody scent of his cologne—a dangerous, intoxicating aroma.
"You have only one choice left," he said calmly.
Rhea swallowed hard.
"What… choice?"
"Marry me," he said.
Her jaw dropped.
"I—I don't even know you! Are you insane?"
He didn't flinch.
"One year. A contract marriage. That's all. In return, I will destroy anyone who threatens you, and restore everything Arhaan tried to take."
Rhea's mind raced. This man was terrifying, mysterious, and far too powerful. And yet… he was offering her a way out.
"Why me?" she whispered, almost to herself.
His grey eyes softened for a fraction of a second.
"Because no one else can protect you. And maybe… because you're the one who can break the rules I've lived by for years."
Rhea's heart pounded in her chest. She didn't know whether to scream, cry, or run.
"You're asking me to marry a stranger… just to survive?"
Adrian's voice dropped to a dangerous whisper:
"Yes. And if you refuse… your life will end exactly as Arhaan has planned."
Rhea's mind raced. Her options were disappearing fast.
A Step Into the Unknown
Adrian placed a card on her table.
"Decide by midnight. If you say yes… I promise your life will never be the same again."
He turned to leave but paused. His gaze returned, cold and intense.
"Remember this, Rhea. I am as dangerous as I am powerful. And once you step into my world… there's no going back."
And just like that, the man who might be her only hope for survival disappeared into the shadows.
Rhea was left alone in the room, trembling, her life shattered, and her heart… inexplicably drawn toward the man who was both her savior and her greatest danger.