CHAPTER-28 After the Storm

Mumbai

The PIN came invalid.

But instead of feeling sad, Piya felt something strange—relief.

It wasn’t Pihu.

For a second, through all the panic, that thought gave her a bitter satisfaction.

But reality hit again.

Her hands were shaking.

Naksh could only see her trying the codes from a distance.

“Miss Basu!” he shouted. “If you attempt the fifth wrong PIN, we’ll be locked here until security comes to check. And you know we don’t even use this lift much. Until they come… I’ll have my ways with you.”

Her heart pounded violently.

He was coming closer.

She quickly typed moon.

Invalid.

Her eyes filled with tears.

Only one chance left.

She closed her eyes and prayed silently.

Her fingers trembled as she typed:

hisonlybutterfly

The screen blinked.

Unlocked.

She didn’t wait a second.

She ran inside and slammed the door shut, locking it from within. Sliding down against the door, she hugged her knees and started crying silently, her body shaking uncontrollably.

Outside, Naksh stared in shock at the unlocked door.

“Piya! Come out, or I’ll break the door! I have the master key!”

Panic rose again.

She forced herself to stand and search the room.

She switched on the lights.

First thing—her phone.

She checked for signal.

There was network.

Without thinking twice, she dialed the contact saved as Moon.

After one year.

The call was picked up on the second ring.

“Butterfly, where the fvck are you?” his voice came out rough and panicked.

She was trembling so hard she couldn’t even cry properly. “He—he… Naksh… ple—please—”

He understood instantly.

“Baby Butterfly, I love you. Did you hear me? I fvcking love you. Just breathe for me. Breathe, baby.”

Tears streamed down her face. “I hate you, Moon.”

“Okay. Hate me. But breathe. Where are you?”

“Naksh… he’s here… Dhruv… he has the master key…” she stuttered, explaining everything in broken words.

The call disconnected.

On the other side, Dhruv’s eyes turned blood red. His jaw clenched so hard it hurt.

He had already been on his way to the office.

Earlier, Ananta had called him. Even if things weren’t perfect between them, their friendship hadn’t broken. He picked up on the first ring.

“Piya never misses informing us if she’s late,” Ananta had said sharply. “Her phone is out of network. Bring her back.”

“Don’t step out of your house,” he had replied immediately. “I’ll find her. Stay inside. I can’t lose another person.”

He had hung up.

He searched everywhere. Called Varsha.

“Did you talk to Piya?” he asked.

“No,” she replied casually.

Just then, he received a notification—someone was trying to access his office cabin.

He understood.

It was Piya.

And he knew she would guess the password.

He tried calling her again.

Switched off.

Security’s numbers were unreachable too.

He knew.

Whatever was happening—

Naksh was behind it.

He sped toward the office.

Inside the cabin, Piya remembered something.

The secret door.

There was a hidden door in Dhruv’s cabin, connected through a bookshelf, leading to a private bedroom.

With trembling hands, she opened it.

The password for that door was—

BabyButterfly.

It unlocked.

She entered and locked it properly from inside.

The room was painted baby pink, filled with books, a small refrigerator, soft lights—everything peaceful. A place untouched by chaos.

She curled up in the corner, shivering violently.

Outside, she heard footsteps.

Then Naksh’s voice.

“Wtf? Where are you, Piya? Are you hiding in the washroom??”

His voice faded.

She closed her eyes tightly and covered her ears, still trembling.

Meanwhile—

Dhruv reached.

He found Naksh.

Without holding back, he beat him brutally and handed him over to his guards.

In a low, dangerous voice, he ordered, “He should not die.”

Then he walked straight to his private bedroom.

Varsha followed behind him, shocked.

In all her years working there, she had never known about a secret room.

When she entered—

She froze.

Piya was there.

Curled up. Shaking. Hiding.

Varsha was stunned.

How did she know about this room?

Dhruv walked toward Piya and knelt down, holding her shoulders gently.

The moment she felt someone touch he—

She reacted.

And slapped him hard across the face.

Piya was still trembling when Dhruv moved closer.

“Please… please Naksh… leave me… I’ll not agree for your one-night stand and all…” she cried in a broken, panicked voice.

The words hit him like fire.

His eyes turned blood red.

“Varsha,” he said in a dangerously calm tone, “bring a water bottle from the fridge.”

Varsha hurried and handed it to him, standing stiffly beside them.

Just then, Pihu rushed in. Dhruv had called both Varsha and Pihu to the office to uncover who had framed Piya earlier.

Pihu gasped seeing her cousin in that state. No matter how much jealousy or misunderstanding existed, no sister wanted to see her elder sister broken like that.

“Di! What happened?” Pihu cried and ran to hug her.

Piya flinched at first, then looked at Pihu. She didn’t like her lately… but right now, she broke down.

“I… I was so scared, Pihu…” she whispered.

“It’s okay, Di. Jiju saved you,” Pihu said softly.

Piya looked up at Dhruv—but immediately hid behind Pihu.

Varsha, however, was stunned.

Jiju?

She thought Pihu wanted Dhruv. What was happening?

The truth was simple. Pihu and Dhruv had always shared a playful jiju-sali relationship. Pihu had only acted clingy to extract the truth from him. She always loved her elder sister and knew how selfless Piya was.

“Pihu, take this water bottle,” Dhruv said.

She obeyed.

Dhruv gently lifted Piya into his arms.

She screamed weakly, “Dhruv Rajvanshi, don’t touch me!”

But he didn’t stop.

He knew she needed grounding.

He sat down with her in his lap while Pihu helped her drink water.

Between hiccups, Piya spoke again, her voice shaking.

“You… you are very mean, Moon. I hate you so much. Just stay away from me. You’re using me again. And Pihu, you also stay away from me. Today you’re calling him jiju… tomorrow you’ll call him babe in front of me. I hate you both. You’ll play with my feelings…”

Her fingers clutched his shirt tightly.

“You both don’t care if I’m jealous, hurt, sad, or happy. No one cares for me. Everyone says I act innocent. That Naksh also said I behave innocent. That I seek attention. Everyone blames me. I don’t want to work here anymore. I won’t come from tomorrow…”

Her voice cracked completely.

Dhruv couldn’t take it anymore.

He cupped her cheeks and kissed her—firm, desperate, trying to silence her spiraling thoughts. It wasn’t about passion; it was frustration, helplessness, fear of losing her again. He held her close, pouring reassurance into that kiss.

Piya froze for a second.

After a year.

Her Moon had touched her.

Overwhelmed, tears streamed down her face as she wrapped her arms around his neck. He supported her waist while she sat in his lap.

Pihu looked at them with wide eyes and whispered, “Awwww…”

Varsha, on the other hand, looked like she might faint.

First shock—Pihu calling him jiju.

Second shock—secret room.

Third shock—him kissing Piya.

Because she never knew.

Piya wasn’t just some ex.

She was his present.

Wait.

Did they ever officially break up?

Exactly.

They never did.

Piya was still his girlfriend.

Piya pulled back breathlessly, hitting his shoulder lightly. “Why do you always make me breathless? What if I di—”

He placed a finger on her lips and rested his forehead against hers.

But the fear hadn’t left her completely. She was still trembling slightly.

Pihu asked curiously, “Di, how did you know there’s a secret room in Jiju’s cabin?”

Piya rested her head on Dhruv’s shoulder while he gently stroked her hair.

“I was the one who designed Chand’s cabin, Pihu,” she murmured softly.

Varsha felt like this was the fourth shock of the night.

“When?” Pihu asked.

“In first year of college. I learned from Shreya and dropped my ideas on paper. He actually built his cabin the same.”

Then Piya looked at Pihu.

“Why are you calling Dhruv jiju?”

Pihu narrowed her eyes playfully. “Of course he’s my jiju. You’re his girlfriend.”

“No,” Piya said firmly. “We broke up a year ago. So he’s not your jiju. Don’t call him that.”

Dhruv felt the sting of her words.

Pihu crossed her arms dramatically. “But I don’t remember Jiju breaking up with you. Or you officially breaking up with Jiju. Jiju, did you officially break up with my Di?”

Dhruv smirked slightly. “Never, Sali Sahiba. Nor did she break up with me. So technically, she’s still my girlfriend.”

Pihu grinned widely.

Varsha looked like her entire reality was collapsing.

Dhruv turned back to Piya.

“Baby Butterfly… why were you here till now?”

Piya tightened her grip on his shirt and glanced at Varsha. Varsha looked nervous.

Piya noticed.

But she simply said, “Naksh said he had important work to finish today. I helped him.”

Varsha sighed in relief.

Dhruv noticed that too.

He said nothing.

For now.

When the time came, he would handle everything.

Without another word, he lifted Piya in his arms and walked out.
As Dhruv was about to take his car, he suddenly turned on his heel. Instead, he walked toward his open Thar, made her sit inside, then took the driver’s seat himself and started driving. His jaw was tight, eyes dark.

He called Ananta and put the phone on speaker.

She spoke immediately, her voice sharp with concern. “Did you find Piya?”

A cold voice answered before Dhruv could — and Piya replied in her petite, trembling voice, “Anu…”

Ananta panicked. “Oh my God, Piya! What happened? Why are you crying??”

The moment she heard Ananta’s voice, Piya broke down again. Her sobs filled the car. Dhruv changed the route — taking a strange, darker, quieter road — while listening to her cries in silence.

After a moment, Piya spoke between hiccups. “You-you know that my project head, the one I was helping him??” she stuttered.

Ananta replied instantly, anger clear in her tone. “Yes, that fvcker Naksh whose eyes you didn’t feel good about. You told me you wanted to complain but because of Diya’s so-called best friend, you never told anyone anything.” She taunted Dhruv indirectly.

Dhruv only shook his head, gripping the steering tighter.

Piya continued, “He… he and Varsha planned, I guess. I don’t know about Varsha completely, but Varsha told me that I have pending work and I need to help Naksh and shouldn’t leave before it finishes. I texted you, but that Naksh kept a jammer and because of that the text didn’t reach you guys. And later… he slapped me.”

Listening to this, Dhruv’s hold on the steering tightened so hard his knuckles turned white.

Ananta shouted, “WTF??? Did he hurt you in any way? And why did he slap you?”

Piya took a shaky breath. “He asked if I had a boyfriend in the past and I said yes. I asked why, so he told he just wanted to know if I was really innocent or not, etc. Later he said, ‘So you’re not a virgin.’ I was confused. I told him it’s so low of you to think like that. Why do people assume relationships are only for lusty desires? There are some people who love the opposite person’s soul genuinely, not the body. And I loved him — his soul — not his fame, name, money, looks, or body. And he never crossed his lines with me. That’s why I still love him. I told him that.”

She paused.

Dhruv listened carefully, something breaking inside him.

Ananta hummed softly, and Piya continued.

“To which he replied saying it’s good for him… which I didn’t understand at the start. But then he even said that’s why Dhruv Rajvanshi left you…”

Her voice shook.

“Because you never satisfied him.”

Ananta spoke firmly, “And after listening to this you went into your overthinking. That’s the truth, right?”

Piya lowered her head and hummed softly.

Dhruv glanced at her, hurt visible in his eyes.

Ananta continued, “Listen, Piya. I know he hurt you. I know he’s ignoring you, being mean to you and all. But ek baat bolu? Itna gira hua nai hai apna Dhruv, so definitely it’s not the thing, okay?”

(“Can I say one thing? Our Dhruv is not that low, so definitely it’s not that kind of thing, okay?”)

Piya huffed lightly. “I know it, Anu. I didn’t think that way about him. But when he told me that, my heart sank. You know right that day I heard Pihu and him—”

Ananta cut her off. “Did you see it with your own eyes?”

“No.”

“That’s it.”

Piya continued softly, “After that I went silent. Then I asked him how is it good for him, to which he replied now he wants to have a one-night stand with me. I said ‘in your dreams.’ I told him I’ll complete the remaining work from home and send a mail to you. As I was leaving, my heart sank because when I went there I got to know it was locked. I was trying to call you, but you know the network problem that happened. Then I went toward the lifts fastly, but he held my wrist. I pushed him hard, to which he slapped me.”

Ananta growled, “Madwarchxd.”

Piya continued, “He slapped me, so I got angry. I held his hand with my left hand — the one that was coming again to slap me — and I slid my mobile into my pocket and I slapped him hard.”

Dhruv was stunned.

Ananta spoke proudly, “Bhai chxddd.”

Piya asked innocently, “Anu, did I do wrong hitting him?”

Ananta replied loudly, “Aaja mera L*vda bro, you nailed it. I love you. And don’t overthink about it. Your energy is less than his so it didn’t hurt him much.”

Piya shyly played with her fingers. “His… his lip corner was bleeding.”

Dhruv snapped his head toward her.

“Maa ki chewww.”

(An angry curse roughly meaning: “I swear to God—”)

Ananta sounded proud. She said to Dhruv, “Dekha chipdey, bandi badal di humney.”

(“See idiot, we transformed the girl.”)

Piya pointed her fingers softly. “And… and I broke a computer which was nearby.”

Ananta sounded disappointed. “Arey, why did you break it unnecessarily?”

Piya lowered her head completely. “On his head. That’s why his head was bleeding.”

Ananta gasped. “And still you were scared of him?”

Piya replied innocently, “He said he won’t leave me. So I ran to Moon’s cabin and the password wasn’t working. I tried DHRUV — it didn’t come. BUTTERFLY — it didn’t come—”

Ananta shouted, “PIHU try karna tha! Aajata!”

(“You should have tried PIHU! It would have worked!”)

Dhruv was stunned listening to that.

But he was even more shocked when Piya said, “Arey woh bhi try kiya maine, nahi aaya. PIHU likhi thi, invalid aaya. And you know I danced in happiness! But then that Naksh said if I did two more wrong attempts then lifts will be off and all the doors will be closed and we’ll be stuck until security comes and checks. And till then I’ll have my ways with you.”

Dhruv’s jaw clenched violently.

“So I typed quickly MOON — that also didn’t come. And finally I typed HISONLYBUTTERFLY… and it opened. I ran inside and searched for the private room. I called Moon quickly and talked, but my mobile died in two minutes.”

Ananta hummed in relief.

“And then Naksh said, ‘Dhruv and Varsha are in a relationship. They love each other. And you don’t know Dhruv even fvcks your sister Pihu and you’re still saying you love him?’”

Piya’s voice changed.

“And I said, ‘You really think you can manipulate me? If you think then sorry. I trust my Moon. He may have hurt me, he may be acting rude to me, but I know he cares for me. He helped complete my work during my periods. He bought my chocolates and sent them with other interns near me. He even stopped the bullying happening to me in the cafeteria. Apni aukaat me rehker baat kar, theek hai. Tameez mat bhulna. Agar bahar nikli na to jaan le lungi agar mere Dhruv ke bare mein kuch bola to.’”

(“Talk within your limits, okay. Don’t forget your manners. If this goes outside, I will kill you if you say anything about my Dhruv.”)

She ended sheepishly.

Ananta said in a bored tone, “I knew it. You were brave enough to kill him only if he talked shit about Dhruv. But when he was behind you, you ran for your life.”

Piya smiled shyly.

By then, they had reached Dhruv’s penthouse.

Piya suddenly squealed in horror. “Where are we?”

Dhruv replied calmly, “Hey chipkali, I’m near my penthouse and she’ll stay with me tonight. Good night, bye.”

He hung up.

He stepped out and lifted Piya again.

“I can walk. Please put me down,” she said innocently.

He did.

And within seconds, thunder roared. A storm broke open. Rain poured heavily.

Piya ran straight into the rain.

Dhruv ran behind her immediately — he knew she would do something like this.

For the first time in days, she looked happy.

She tilted her face up, letting the rain hit her cheeks. She twirled slowly, arms slightly spread, eyes closed. Her laughter mixed with thunder. Her wet hair clung to her face, her dress sticking softly to her frame. She looked alive. Free. Like the trauma hadn’t touched her.

Dhruv stopped a few steps away.

And just watched.

Rain soaked his shirt, but he didn’t move.

She was glowing under the streetlights. The waterdrops on her eyelashes. The way she spun carelessly. The way she smiled without fear.

His butterfly.

His brave, foolish, innocent butterfly.

She had been terrified minutes ago.

And now she was dancing in the rain.

He felt pride. Rage. Love. Possessiveness. All at once.

After some time, he walked forward and lifted her again.

This time—

Her sweetness didn’t work on him.

The storm in the sky had nothing on the storm inside Dhruv Rajvanshi.

He entered the penthouse with her in his arms.

There were a total of seven bedrooms in the penthouse — two on the ground floor, three on the first floor, and the remaining two on the terrace, which had balcony doors connected to the open terrace. He knew he wouldn’t let her know about those terrace rooms — especially now. It was raining, and his baby would definitely run into the rain again.

So he took her straight to his bedroom on the first floor.

When he looked at her closely, he realized she had fainted. He knew she never slept that instantly. Then it hit him — she had cried too much. It often happened with her. If she cried excessively, she fainted.

Piya was never physically strong from childhood. Her immune system had always been weak. There were many complications when she was about to be born — it had been very critical for Priya ji to give birth to her. After that, her mother couldn’t conceive again. Piya had always been fragile and innocent.

Now she had become physically stronger, but her immune system was still delicate. Crying so much and then playing in the rain had exhausted her.

Dhruv had everything prepared for her — her medicines, her clothes, everything.

He walked to the closet with her still in his arms and gently placed her on the sofa. He took a fresh towel, dipped it in warm water, and wiped her face softly. Then he went and changed into track pants.

He took one of his white shirts and carefully began unbuttoning her wet shirt, followed by her jeans — only to remove the soaked clothes so she wouldn’t fall sick. He dried her gently, respectfully, never letting his gaze wander. His focus remained on her face. He lifted her slightly and slid her into his shirt, buttoning it properly.

Piya was 5’5, and Dhruv was 6’6. His shirt completely covered her like a small dress.

He had her own clothes, but since she had fainted, he didn’t want to move her much.

He carried her to the bed for a moment, then went to the kitchen to make something for her to eat. He wasn’t wearing a shirt now — his broad shoulders and muscular build visible — but his focus was only on her.

He made sweet corn soup with ginger for her cold and started preparing white sauce pasta — her favorite.

After some time, Piya woke up.

Not seeing anyone beside her, she got scared. Her breathing turned uneven. She hurried downstairs and saw him in the kitchen. Without thinking twice, she ran to him and hugged him from behind, burying her face against his back.

He immediately turned slightly.

“Baby, what happened, butterfly?”

She started crying again.

“Butterfly, please don’t cry. Your health is not good and it won’t be easy to recover.”

He gently freed himself, turned, and lifted her up. She looked like a small child in his oversized shirt. Her left hand was almost slipping out of the long sleeve. He sighed and wiped her tears, folding her sleeves properly.

In a broken voice she asked, “Who… who changed my clothes?”

“Me.”

She hummed softly in response. She knew her Moon wouldn’t even look at her that way, let alone disrespect her.

He asked gently, “Why were you crying?”

She replied, “Because I thought I lost you again. Last time… that day… I was sleeping and I lost you. I hate sleeping now. I can’t even sleep without pills.”

It hurt him deeply listening to that.

He hugged her tightly.

“I love you, mera baccha.”

(“I love you, my child.”)

She cried softly. “You don’t love me, Dhruv. If you did, why did you leave me like that?”

“I’ll tell you… but not now.”

He lied.

Then he changed the topic quickly. “See, I made soup for you.”

She made a face.

He spoke in a stern tone, “Babe, you should finish this and dinner and even take medicine.”

She made another dramatic face, her eyes filling again. But this time he knew — she was faking it. This girl knew exactly how to play with him.

He didn’t fall for it.

He made her sit on his lap and fed her with his hands. She threw tantrums while drinking the soup and taking medicines, but she happily ate the white sauce pasta — she loved his recipe.

Later, they sat in the balcony. The rain had stopped by then. Piya was wrapped in a comforter — Dhruv wasn’t taking any risk with her health.

“Dhruv… you’ll not leave me again, right?” she asked innocently.

He paused.

“I’m sorry… but we can’t be together, butterfly.”

She stiffened. He felt the tension in her body immediately.

Before she could spiral into overthinking, he changed the topic. “We need to sleep. Tomorrow there’s office. So don’t overthink anything.”

But Piya and not overthinking?

That was out of syllabus.

She lay beside him on the bed. His back was facing her. He sighed deeply, then suddenly turned and hovered slightly over her.

And then Kissed her neck He gently tucked a strand of hair behind her ear , his fingers brushing against her skin and sucked her neck and she moaned in pain as a stinging sensation hit her and he left a hickey on her neck

Then crashed his lips on her Not rushed. Not wild. But intense.and sucked her lower lip and then her upper lip and her he pinched her waist and she gasped and he took hai cure to enter in tounge and explored her mouth tasting her and the kiss deepened gradually, filled with unspoken emotions — fear, possessiveness, love, pain. She responded softly at first, then melted into it. For a moment, she forgot her questions. Forgot her fears making her forget her everything

When she grew breathless, he rested his forehead against hers.

Then he shifted, turning slightly so she ended up lying on his chest. Her head rested over his heart. She listened to its steady rhythm.

“I love you, baby butterfly. Now sleep.”

She closed her eyes.

But Dhruv didn’t sleep.

He stared at the ceiling, thinking deeply. His mind was restless.

Then his phone vibrated.

A text.

His expression changed.

Carefully, without waking her, he slipped out of the bed…

And left.
Paris

Diya’s POV

Life is so unpredictable… so nonchalant. I never thought I would ever kiss my crush. I never imagined we would become this. That I would become this.

All my life, I believed I didn’t deserve love. I thought love was for other people — not for someone as broken as me. But now… here I am, holding my whole world in my arms.

I don’t even know if this is love or just mere attraction. I only know one thing — Viransh Rajvanshi is my whole world. And breathing without him feels impossible.

Being in his arms feels like peace. Like safety. Like home.

I could never sleep properly. I needed sleeping pills. Barely three or four hours of sleep was all I managed. My therapist told me to calm down. So many people tried to pull me out of my trauma… but nothing worked.

Nothing.

And now?

Now I sleep for hours.

All thanks to this tallest, most impossible man.

I giggled at my own thoughts and remembered what happened on the flight while we were traveling to Paris.

As usual, he was busy working. Laptop open. Face serious. CEO mode on.

And I was roaming around the private jet, bored out of my mind.

Today he didn’t even give me his phone.

I huffed.

And the next second—

I was flying.

I gasped as I suddenly felt strong arms lift me into the air. I looked down and realized I was in his arms.

“What's wrong with you, sir??” I snapped.

He raised one eyebrow.

I immediately corrected myself. “Ansh…”

He smirked slightly. “Umm… nothing, Jaan. I was tired of working, so I wanted to spend some time with you, sweetheart.”

I blushed.

The names he calls me… I’m addicted to them.

Sweetheart. angle. Jaan. Baby. Noor.

They do things to my heart.

“By the way… angel.”

“Huh?” I blinked. That was new. Yeh he called me Angle but I noticed it today and that word is magical

He looked at me innocently. “What?”

“Why are you calling me angel?” I asked.

He smiled softly. “Because you’re my angel. Not only with your presence… but with your things too.”

My heart skipped a beat.

It skips with your things as well… like your red dupatta… your hair… maybe your anklet too.”

My eyes widened in pure shock.

“What are you saying, sir?”

And then he revealed it.

“I have your anklet, Miss Kasani.”

My breath hitched.

My eyes instantly turned teary.

He gently cupped my cheek. “Hey, baby… if you cry now, I won’t give your anklet back. Why have you become such a cry baby, sweetheart?”

I sniffed. “You’re very bad. You could have told me earlier that you had my anklet. I missed it so much… it was given by my father.”

His teasing expression softened immediately.

“Awwww… my baby is angry? It’s okay, mera baccha,” he murmured and pulled me into his chest.

But I frowned. “Don’t do that.”

“Do what?” he chuckled.

“That ‘awww’… and baby this, baby that,” I muttered, feeling strangely irritated.

He laughed softly, and I hid my face in the crook of his neck, inhaling his scent.

Maybe life is unpredictable. But for the first time… It feels beautiful.

And then it suddenly hit me.

How does he know about my red dupatta?

I pulled back slightly and called out, “Vir… how do you know about my red dupatta? I never wore a red Anarkali suit in these six months. Then how do you know?”

He smirked.

“Because, angel… you always gained my attention.”

I frowned. “Huh?”

He looked away casually. “Nothing.”

“No, tell me.”

He sighed dramatically. “Fine. That day at the airport, when you were talking to Mumma… I was standing right behind you. I couldn’t see your face clearly. Only your red dupatta flowing in the air.”

My breath slowed.

“And then,” he continued, “you slipped… straight into my arms.”

My eyes widened slightly.

“And before I could even process what happened, you ran like your life depended on it.”

I gasped softly.

“I found your anklet that day,” he said gently. “But the strange thing is… I lost my ring that same day.”

My heart stopped.

“What?” I whispered.

He narrowed his eyes at me. “Why are you looking at me like you’ve seen a ghost?”

Without a word, I pulled the chain from around my neck and showed him the ring hanging from it.

His jaw dropped.

“WHAT THE— Jaan, you had my ring???? All this while?? And you didn’t give it back to me? So bad of you.”

The last line was teasing, but I was already flustered.

“Ansh, shut up! I didn’t know that current wire ka khamba was you that day. Or else I would’ve told you!”

I froze.

He slowly raised an eyebrow.

“Ohhh. I see. So I’m an electric pole now?”

I tried to wiggle out of his arms, embarrassed. “Leave me!”

But he tightened his hold around my waist.

Before I could say anything else—

He pulled me closer and kissed me.

It wasn’t soft.

It wasn’t hesitant.

It was intense. Deep. Overwhelming.

His hand pressed firmly against my waist as he captured my lips, and for a moment, my mind went completely blank. But I taught he was such a good kisser I was loosing my senses and I didn't know what to think.

He kissed me like he was proving a point. Like he was marking something that was already his.

I felt myself melting in his arms.

My fingers clutched his shirt.

Everything disappeared — Paris, the flight, the teasing.

It was just him.

And me. I just remembered that he was sucking my lips as if trying to suck the nectar out of them and he was not even giving me chance to breath I was huffing I didn't wanted to leave him.

And the way my heart was racing against his chest.

I needed air.

I lightly patted his shoulder, but he ignored me for a second longer, as if he enjoyed torturing me.

Finally, he pulled back slowly.

I was breathless.

Completely breathless.

“Why are you like this?” I huffed, trying to control my breathing. “I hate you. You take my breath away, Ansh.”

He smirked softly and leaned closer to my ear.

“Et je t’aime, jaan.”

(You ppl guess it 😼)

I blinked. “What?”

He smiled lazily.

“You’re cursing me in another language, aren’t you?” I said in fake horror.

He chuckled. “Ohhh, my innocent baby.”

I giggled and hugged him tightly.

And somewhere in his arms…

I fell asleep.

--

Now we were in the bedroom.

I was lying on the bed, and he was hugging my waist tightly, his head resting against the valley of my chest.

He looked so different like this.

Soft.

Peaceful.

His breathing was slow and calm. His silky hair — a mix of black and brown — fell gently over his forehead. His sharp features looked relaxed, almost boyish.

I had never seen him sleep before.

The powerful, dominating Viransh Rajvanshi…

Sleeping like this.

Vulnerable, Cute ,Mine.

I couldn’t control the urge.

I leaned down slowly and pressed a soft kiss on his forehead.

And in that quiet Paris night…

For the first time in my life,

I felt safe enough to love without fear.

Paris

Viransh’s POV

I woke up feeling something warm and steady beneath me. For a moment, I didn’t move, thinking I was still dreaming. Then reality slowly settled in as I realized my head was resting on her chest, and my arm was wrapped tightly around her waist like I was afraid she would disappear. I stiffened instantly.

Viransh Rajvanshi — sleeping like this? Completely exposed, completely unguarded? I slowly lifted my head and looked at her. Diya was still asleep, her fingers loosely tangled in my hair as if even in her dreams she didn’t want to let me go. A strange calmness settled inside me, something I wasn’t used to feeling.

I adjusted slightly but didn’t move away from her. Instead, I just watched her. The morning light from Paris filtered softly through the curtains, falling on her face, making her look unreal. She looked peaceful, and somehow that peace felt like my victory.

People say life is unpredictable. But I won’t lie to myself like that. This wasn’t some accidental love story written by fate. I planned this. I noticed her first. I kept my eyes on her. I chose to step closer. I chose her.

And yet, that’s not the whole truth either.......

Author’s Note 🤍

Thank you so much for reading till here. It honestly means a lot to me. If you enjoyed this chapter, please don’t forget to vote and comment on your favourite part. I’d really love to know which scene or line touched you the most.

Your support keeps me motivated to write more, so let’s complete the target and unlock the next chapter together. Thank you for being here and supporting my story 🫶