Same Night
Author's POV
Rudra's phone rang in the otherwise silent room.
For a second, he just stared at the screen.
Then he inhaled slowly, wiped away the tear that had escaped earlier, cleared his throat-
and forced his voice to sound normal.
"Hello."
From the other end, Ayansh spoke carefully.
"Rudra... Pri-"
"Don't." Rudra cut him off, sharp and cold.
"Don't say her name. I don't want to hear it. Not even once."
A pause followed.
"But bhai," Ayansh tried again, "I have all the details now-"
"Burn them," Rudra snapped.
"I don't want to know anything about that girl. Nothing."
His jaw tightened.
"And focus on the remaining projects.
Forget her. And for God's sake-
let me forget her too."
Before Ayansh could say another word, the call disconnected.
The silence returned.
Heavier than before.
Ayansh's Room
Author's POV
Ayansh stood frozen for a moment, phone still in his hand.
Then he slowly sank onto the sofa.
Files were scattered across the table.
Documents. Reports.
And among them-
photographs of Priyanshi.
Ayansh leaned back, rubbing his face tiredly.
Ayansh's POV
Bhai... if only you had listened.
Just one hug.
One hug in that café shattered you this badly.
Today, you said you don't even want to hear her name.
You told me to burn her details.
But Rudra...
I know you.
One day, you'll come to me yourself-
asking for every single detail about her.
Because I know how deeply...
how intensely...
you've fallen.
And now that I know everything about her-
her past, her present, every hidden scar-
I realise something terrifying.
She isn't just your type.
She's not even close to that.
It feels like God made her only for you.
I thought she was just a strong, independent woman.
She is strong.
She is independent.
But she's so much more.
Her past...
Her present...
Both are darker and more complicated than anyone can imagine.
The world has no idea who she really is.
You think you're dangerous, Rudra?
She's a mystery even danger would hesitate to touch.
You don't see it-but after your mother's death,
you've been alone for years.
And without even realising it,
she walked into your life
and made your heart beat again.
But you misunderstood everything.
You saw Ravi hug her
and decided he was her boyfriend.
Honestly...
even I thought the same at first.
But now I know the truth.
Ravi Maheshwari isn't her boyfriend.
He's her childhood friend.
Her secretary.
Her safe place.
If only I could tell you this...
But you won't listen.
You say love isn't for you.
You've never approached a woman.
Girls chase you like madness,
but to you-they're just distractions.
And now, when your heart finally chose someone...
you're refusing to accept it.
You say you'll forget her.
Hmm.
I'd like to see you try.
Because Priyanshi Singh Rajput
is not someone who can be forgotten.
And the man who hurt her in the past-
what he did to her...
Even I feel like killing him.
But death would be too easy.
When Rudra finds out the truth-
he won't kill him.
He'll make sure that man lives long enough
to regret every breath he ever took.
Cut to...
Verma House 🏡
Author POV
Aarav dialed his elder brother's number, a wide smile playing on his lips.
"Bhaiya," he said the moment the call connected, "I'm coming to India tomorrow. I'll be home by 4:00 p.m."
On the other end, his brother froze for a second-
then literally jumped off his bed.
"WHAT?! Aarav is coming?!"
He started jumping around the room like an excited child.
His wife, Ritika, looked at him in confusion.
"What happened? Why are you jumping like this?"
He grinned.
"Aarav aa raha hai!"
Ritika's eyes widened.
She screamed in excitement and immediately started jumping with him.
"ARRRE! RIYA KO BATAYA YA NAHI?! Main abhi jaa rahi hoon batane-"
Suddenly, Aarav's voice came sharply through the phone.
"Bhabhi-STOP!"
Ritika froze at the door.
Aarav continued, serious but playful,
"Riya ko kuch bhi mat batana. Surprise hai."
Ritika slowly turned around, smiling.
"Okay okay, nahi batana hai, devar ji."
Then she narrowed her eyes teasingly.
"But... koi plan banaya hai ya nahi?"
Aarav smirked on the other side.
"Plan poora ready hai. Suno-
aap usko kal office jaane mat dena.
Aur bolna pink colour ki saree pehne.
Pink bangles, pink bindi, pink earrings-sab pink."
Ritika cleared her throat dramatically.
"Ahem... ahem."
"Hmm?" Aarav asked, suspicious.
Ritika raised an eyebrow.
"Kya iraada hai, devar ji?"
Aarav laughed nervously.
"Arey yaar bhabhi, kal aane ke baad sab log mandir chalenge na. Isliye bol raha hoon."
Ritika burst out laughing.
"Haai haai!
Shaam ko saree pehnegi...
aur raat ko tum uss saree ko utaar doge 🌚🤣💀"
She winked.
"Mandir toh bas bahana hai, devar ji. Sab samajh aa raha hai."
"Bhabhi yaar-" Aarav groaned.
"Arrey arrey," Ritika said, still teasing.
"Koi baat nahi. Itne din baad aa rahe ho, itna toh banta hai."
Then she asked softly,
"Waise kab tak aa jaoge?"
Aarav's voice turned excited again.
"4:00 p.m. tak ghar ho jaunga.
Par Riya ko surprise dena hai, isliye main seedha ghar nahi aaunga."
"Hmm?" Ritika leaned in, listening.
"5:00 p.m. par aap sab ISKCON ke liye nikalna," Aarav explained.
"Main pehle hi wahan pahunch jaunga.
Radha-Krishna ke darshan kar lunga, phir kahin chup jaunga."
He paused for effect.
"Aur jab aap log darshan karke neeche aayenge-
tab main achanak saamne aa kar Riya aur mummy dono ko surprise dunga."
He added firmly,
"Ye baat kisi ko bhi nahi batani.
Sirf aap dono ko pata hai. Okay?"
Ritika smiled warmly.
"Don't worry, devar ji.
Surprise bilkul perfect hoga."
The call ended.
And somewhere in Verma House...
a surprise was quietly waiting to change everything.