Third person's pov!

"Some paparazzis peeped into my privacy as always, and this time I have no intention of letting them get away with it." Sid said coldly.

"Why? Is it because it involves your latest lover, Parinidhi Vyas."

Siddharth felt his blood boiling at that moment.

He had expected this, but he couldn't contain his fury. The way the reporter said the word lover seemed so dirty. And he couldn't have Nidhi's name said in such a way.

"Parinidhi Vyas is not my lover." Siddharth said out loudly.

For a moment, even Mukul, Ansh, Parth and Bhavna were shocked at that declaration.

There was a moment of silence, before the whispers and murmurs rose.

"Silence.." Sid's voice rose above all the murmurs.

The audience fell silent at his demand. They couldn't go against it even if they wished to.

"As I was saying, Parinidhi Vyas is not my lover, yet." He said, stressing the word yet and once again whispers and murmurs rose.

"And I have no intention of making her my lover either." Sid said and people stared at him, confused at his contradictory statements.

"I have every intention of marrying her as soon as she says yes to my proposal." Siddharth said openly. He didn't feel the need to hide his feelings from anybody. He is so damn in love with Nidhi and he doesn't hesitate to say that aloud.

If someone asks him to scream it from the top of a tower, he would happily do that.

The murmurs and hushed whispers grew louder.

"We got some information that Ms Vyas was employed under your sister, working in your home at the time you were engaged to Ms Chavan and that she feigned friendship and broke your relationship. You were an engaged man while you and Ms Vyas got together." A reporter asked, ignoring the lasers Sid was sending his way.

"As I said, we haven't gotten together yet. I am the one who fell in love with Ms Vyas. I am the one who wants to marry Ms Vyas. I am the one trying to pursue her. And regarding the engagement, I prefer Ms Bhavna Chavan explaining that to you." Sid said and shot a sideways glance at Bhavna.

Bhavna, who got the signal, leaned towards the microphone and stared at the audience in front of her. She was always a bold girl and silly paparazzi never scared her.

"I have been working with Rey Designs since the last five years. And I have been working closely with Sid since the last three years. Sid and I have always shared a platonic relationship. I was just his plus one for business events and parties. It was you people who made me his girlfriend after I attended three events with him." Bhavna said with a chuckle, mixing a few truths and a few lies without any remorse.

"You never once refuted the claims. Did you enjoy being tagged as Mr Raichand's girlfriend, Ms Chavan." An offended reporter asked, rather bitchily.

"The truth is, I never bothered with the silly stunts the paparazzi pulls to raise their TRP." Bhavna said with a chuckle, effectively taunting the whole lot with her single dialogue. When Sid asked for a favour, he had come up with a plan that could protect Nidhi's and hers reputation at the same time and Bhavna was only too happy to help out.

"That's not the story we know, Ms Chavan. We had got information that you had moved into Mr Raichand's house and you people were in a live-in relationship." Another reporter said nastily.

"Well, you people only know Mr Raichand. You people definitely have no idea about any of my family members." Sid said dryly.

"Meaning?"

"I am not a man who likes to discuss my personal or family life. But it is a question of the reputation of the woman I love and this woman who I consider a good friend." Siddharth said.

"My family is very traditional, unlike me. They wanted me to settle down. My sister is pregnant and she had a near fall once, causing the whole family an emotional trauma. During that time, my sister wanted me to get settled. She got so scared of what would happen to me if something were to happen to her. She was scared that I would end up a lonely man. She was too stressed up and that wasn't good for her and the baby. And Bhavna was my best bet to stall them. Bhavna was glad to help out. So, she played the role of a besotted girlfriend for my benefit. I had no intention of reforming to the social norms and getting married to a girl of my family's choice." Sid said.

"And yet you are saying you have every intention of marrying Ms Vyas." A reporter asked sarcastically.

"I do. People change. Their thoughts and beliefs change. Mine too changed." Sid said easily.

"Mr Raichand, we have got insider information that Ms Vyas used to work in Rey Designs and that you have accused her of being a gold digger out to trap rich men like you.." A reporter said and Siddharth clenched his fists, angry at himself for the impulsive and cruel things he had done to Nidhi.

"I have done that and many more cruel things to her. I made her life a hell at Rey Designs and my sister had to come and rescue her from me. That's how she started working under my sister, at my home, away from Rey Designs." Siddharth Singh Raichand declared, shocking many people.

"You just claimed you are in love with her. Why would anyone in love do such a thing?" Another reporter asked sarcastically.

"I wasn't in love with her back then. Or maybe I just didn't realise. All I saw was a woman who didn't fear me. Who didn't hesitate from calling out on my bull. Who didn't hesitate to let me know that I am a mere man and not god. A woman who made me feel things I was too afraid to feel. And whatever she did, didn't settle well with Siddharth Singh Raichand's ego and I reacted." Siddharth admitted.

Nidhi stared at the television screen in shock.

She couldn't believe it was actually Siddharth Singh Raichand.

The most private man to walk on the face of earth.

And that man is sitting in front of a flock of paparazzi and opening up. All for what? To protect her reputation.

Could this guy prove his love any better?

Finally, Nidhi's brain also believed what her heart was always forcing her to believe.

Siddharth Singh Raichand truly loves her as he claims.

But can she ever accept that love? Can she move past the paparazzi drama and form a relationship with him.

She has no idea...

All she knows is that she cannot bring any bad name to her family.

The feelings she had for Siddharth Singh Raichand will have to remain dormant. And moreover, there is Priya, her elder sister. She has to help her family settle Priya's life with a good man. Until then she cannot even think of herself.

But her heart ached when she thought of Sid. The love that she had pushed back into the darkest corner of her heart threatened to come out.

Siddharth Singh Raichand and his love needs to be kept as far away as possible from her...

Is that even possible?

A/n

Couldn't post yesterday guys! I was having a severe headache..

Please do vote and comment...

Love,

SF❤️