I hope you accept my heartfelt apology for late updates but trust me it was terrible for me as well. I was really sick, also my exams were going on, but finally I'm done now. So the updates are going to be continuous again🙌🏻
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🤍Happy reading🤍

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AUTHOR'S POV

Nia was seated in an opulent hotel alongside a six-foot-tall individual with an attractive, well-groomed face and a fit, muscular physique, a tattoo of wolf on neck, clad in a black business suit and wearing spectacles. Their glasses clicked together in a cheerful toast, paired with a smirk that didn't bode well. Meanwhile, Sameer stood quietly behind them, his face a mix of disappointment and anxiety. When he attempted to speak, Nia interrupted him abruptly.

"I'm not here to take your suggestions, Just do as I say!" she asserted leaving no room for protest, silencing him as he could only manage a subdued response.

"Sure, ma'am."

The man glanced at Sameer before rising from his seat. He extended his hand for a celebratory handshake.
Nia, who didn't even bother to stand, merely raised an eyebrow in response. Sameer, well aware of her actions, let out a barely perceptible chuckle, though the man sensed a hint of anger in him.
He tried to conceal his irritation before retracting his hand into his pants pocket.

"Never mind. But don't forget your promise, darling!"
He said, to leave the place. A taunting grin on his face reflecting a sense of satisfaction.

However, that expression quickly vanished when Nia's next words fueled his rage and disdain, making him clench his fists as he turned away.

"Nia Veeransh Raghuvanshi never backs down from her words! You better remember that." Her voice steady, each word carefully chosen to unsettle him further.

Standing from her seat, She took a step closer and he mirrored her movement. Looking directly into her eyes, he spoke, his face betraying no emotion.

"Of course darling, but you should also keep one thing clear," he paused, leaning slightly towards her as he finished,

"If Samrat Singh Chaudhary desires something, I will claim it! And won't even give a shit if it already belongs to someone else"

Sameer, who had remained silent until now, was provoked to break his silence by the man's words and demeanor towards Nia.

"Apni aukaat mein reh Chaudhary..."
("Know your place Chaudhary..")

He snapped back, but Nia quickly pulled him back to her side by the sleeve of his blazer.

Sameer's eyes widened in disbelief as Nia stepped back, leveling her gaze at Samrat, delivering a stern warning: "I keep business and personal matters separate, so don't try to overstep! You'll receive the details in an hour."

Without waiting for a response, she donned her sunglasses and stormed out of the room, taking her mask and bag with her. Her presence was a mix of calm and intensity, radiating an air of royal confidence, though her expressions remained inscrutable. The weight of her words was enough to convey her warning.

Sameer shot the man a menacing glare before tucking his pistol back into his waistband and following Nia.

"Aapki Isi adah par toh hum fidah hain, meri Vakeel Sahiba"
A sinister laughter resonated in the room.

("Your allure has ensnared me, my dear Lawyer!")

"And Very soon I shall make you mine...only mine!"

His hand Adjusted his spectacles, his gaze followed her retreating form with unwavering intensity.

As Nia exited the hotel with Sameer, the media descended into a frenzy, bombarding them with questions and flashbulbs , snapping photos relentlessly.
In seconds, Nia's security details deployed by Veeransh swiftly intervened, shielding her, ushering her through the throng towards their waiting car. However, the barrage of questions continued unabated, with reporters shouting ;

"Mrs. Raghuvanshi, what is that dark truth behind your marriage?"

"Mrs. Raghuvanshi, from how long you two had been dating secretively?"

"Ma'am, answer our questions!"

"Did you know Raghuvanshi Family already or there is something you are hiding from the world, by playing this false marriage?!

But Nia seemed unaffected, ignoring every question. The driver opened the door and she stepped in, but her another foot remained froze on land as she heard someone saying.

"Mrs. Raghuvanshi, who were those men attacked on mahal in your wedding? Where did they all go then? Why there is no footage of your wedding on any social media platform!"

Her eyes instinctively moved to the person, through her shades. She briefly glanced at him before shifting her gaze to Sameer. Without giving it much thought, she settled into the vehicle, and Sameer sat next to her. The car sped away, trailed by several other black Scorpios that flanked it on all sides.

. . .

Veeransh stood before a large screen, with around twenty people seated at a massive table in the dark conference hall. All eyes solely fixed on him, attentively absorbing every word he spoke.
The atmosphere charged with tension, and a heavy silence engulfing the room. Despite, his only Voice , posesssing everyone's attention, screaming his dominance and authority.
His usual grumpy demeanor, daring to disturb him and he would be ready to give them the bestest treatment he could muster.

Just as the annoyance etched on his face, a phone rang. Heads turned toward Viaan, who was standing beside the table. Veeransh shot him a death glare as he abruptly pulled out the phone from his pocket and excused himself with a forced smile.

"Hello?"

"I've sent a surprise for you, Raana! Show it to your boss; I hope it doesn't disappoint."

Came a heavy sarcastic voice from the other end. Before he could make sense of the message, the call ended abruptly.

Viaan quickly opened his email, and the sight that greeted him widened his eyes in disbelief. Despite his struggle to remain calm, the chaos that the video could unleash quickened his heartbeat. He considered keeping it from Veeransh, but after weighing the consequences, he moved to him and whispered in his ear.

Veeransh snatched the phone from Viaan's hand and watched the video. With each passing second, his frown deepened. The sincere expression he wore earlier morphed into one of horror; a vein on his forehead bulged, and his face flushed with rage. Even after the video concluded, he continued staring at the screen, his grip tightening, and soon everyone braced for the inevitable.

A loud noise and Veeransh hurled the phone against the wall, shattering it into parts. Everyone present felt the intensity of his fury, making it hard for them to breathe freely as his deep, resonant voice shattered the silence.

"The meeting is over. Leave!"

They exchanged uneasy glances, as Mr. Advert, the wealthiest industrialist from Germany, interjected.
"But Mr. Raghuvanshi..."

His words caught in his throat as Veeransh's blazing gaze bore into his soft soul. Sensing the impending chaos, Viaan quickly suggested everyone to depart.

Within moments, the meeting hall was empty, leaving just the two of them.

"Gaadi Nikalo Raana!"
("Ready the car Raana!")

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Raghuvanshi Mahal
10 P.M....

Everyone had finished dinner and retreated back to their rooms. Nia's steps descending towards their room, but her mind raced with thoughts about what the media person had said.

Suddenly, her phone rang, jolting her from her reverie. She stopped and looked at the screen, which displayed someone's name. A pleasant smile crossed her lips as she answered the call right away.
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And Tadaa!!! Here's a collab with Sparkle_Spirit

Nia- "Sia ki bachi, did you finally remember me?" Nia complained.

Sia- "Tham ja meri maa! Aur haan, yaad unko krte hain jinko bhool gaye hon.." She replied proudly when Nia shot back, leaving her words unfinished

("Relax my mother! And yes, We remember those woho are forgotten..")

Nia- "Oh come on, spare me your two-bit wisdom and keep it to your DSLR!"

Sia- "Excuse me..What's wrong with my DSLR? And please, Mr. Loudspeaker is enough to deep fry my mind, So atleast you don't borrow his job!"

Nia- But Who are you talking about? Wait...Please tell me you don't refer to your ASO that way!"

Sia- So what? He is like this only!

And it was ended enough, Sia was rambling endlessly, but isn't enough for Nia to understand even a word.

"Iss ladki ka kuch nahin ho sakta!"
Nia mumbled in her mind and called out her name, snapping her back from her so called 'ASO's World'

Nia- Siaa! You done with your Mr. loudspeaker, green eyed man, grumpy boss...or whatever?

Sia- Huh? Umm...Yes, I means no. Ugh...Leave it!
Tell me, is everything okay between you two?

Sia's cheerful tone was now laced with concern, while Nia fell silent at the question. Sensing the unease, Sia pressed on.

Sia- Nia, I don't know what went wrong between two of you that made you dislike him so much, but I can assure you that Veeransh jeeju isn't a bad person!

Nia- Sia, I don't want to discuss this. So, Stop defending him or I swear I'll hang up!

Sia- Wow, You call me a kid right? Yet look at yourself, What's this childish behaviour of yours then?

Nia- You also think I'm a bitch right?

Sia- I didn't mean...

Nia- Its okay, It doesn't hurt me anymore, as I have accepted this bitterest truth of my life that I don't deserve someone's love. I am the worst na? The worst daughter, worst daughter in law, worst wife, worst friend and the worst human.

Tears began to stream down her face, her voice growing heavy as she leaned against the corner of the bed, resting her head back.

Sia- No Nia, You are one of the most purest soul I have ever met in my life, And I truly mean it! I know my Nia can never intentionally hurt someone, you must have your reasons.

*Pause*

But I think there's a huge misunderstanding between you and jeeju. Because I know it very well that You love him and..."

Nia- "Sia, watch your words! Never ever spit such words from you mouth again. I hate him! I hate him to the core!"

She shouted, her face flushed with anger. This time, Sia couldn't hold back.

"What else could this be if not love, Nia? You can't even bear the thought of him and yet claim to hate him?"

Nia remained silent, utterly speechless. For the first time, someone's words were deeply stirring her, compelling her to reflect on feelings she had denied since the day she first met him.

Sia- Your yelling won't change the truth, Nia. Sameer told me everything. If you didn't love him, You wouldn't be crying like a madwoman when he was sent to the hospital, you wouldn't have killed that person, who shot him. Yet you put the sindhoor of his name in your maang, or why are you still wearing that Mangalsutra if you don't see him as your husband. Why you screamed his name when he was being attacked by goons in your mandap.
Mar jane deti usse....

Nia- Siaaaaa! How dare you!

Her eyes widened upon hearing that last question. She felt like jawa ran through her blood, and ended up yelling in response without realizing it. But Sia understood this was just Nia's emotional outburst; she was glad to finally hear from her, what needed to be said.

Sia- What else could this be if not love, Nia? You can't even bear the slightest thought of losing him and yet you claim to hate him?

Nia remained silent, utterly speechless. For the first time, someone's words were deeply stirring her, compelling her to reflect on feelings she had denied since the day she first met him.

Sia- "Your silence witnesses the truth Nia! I think there's something big you're overlooking. Give him a chance and acknowledge your feelings; I'm certain he feels the same way."

Nia-"But how can I forget what I saw in that video with my own eyes? How can I forget that..."

She paused, her mind swirling with the memories from that video-the moment she ran out of the hospital and into her office. That day marked the beginning of her deep-seated hatred for him and his family, wishing nothing more than to see them suffer.

Sia- "Don't judge him over that cheap video, Nia. Remember the times he stood by you and just do as your heart says."

Nia- Since when you became too smart, huh? Oh wait, I think its because of your ASO, isn't it?

Trying to lighten the mood, Nia teased her with a forced smile. Sia was taken aback by Nia's quick wit; how adeptly she had turned the tables.

Sia- Main toh paida hi smart huyi thi, woh toh uss pummy ji ke sath kaam karte karte kayi baar mere dimaag ke fuse hi udd jate hain!

("I was born smart. It's just that working with that Pummy ji sometimes burns out the fuse of my brain!")

They both laughed as Sia brightened the atmosphere with her silly jokes. After a while, they noticed the clock showing 11:45, and they decided to end the call.

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VEERANSH'S POV

As I arrived at the mansion, the driver parked the car, and I headed inside. Viaan was not with me as I had assigned him a very crucial task. My mood, which had soured during the meeting, had lifted somewhat. After entering the security code, I found the place dark, as everyone was likely asleep. As I directed my way upstairs, saw a servant approaching with a plate of broken glass, and I called out to him.

"Shyam!"

"Ji bhanwar sa!"
("Yes, Your highness?")

"What are you doing with this broken glass?"

"Oh, This water jar was shattered on the floor, I thought I would hurt someone so I cleared it." Shayam replied, his head bowed the whole time

Something weird striked my mind and my frowns deepened.
I immediately asked him.

"Where it was?"

"Umm.. Outside Bade Thakur's room"

"Did papa returned from USA?" I asked showing no special excitement in my tone.

"Tonight only."

"Hmm, You can leave!"

I was heading to my room, As I unexpectedly heard a peculiar yet familiar sound while passing by and it didn't took me a second to know, It was the tinkling of anklets, her anklets*.

That enchanting melody has been ingrained in my mind ever since I first heard it during the puja today, when she adorned them for the first time.
Yet, her anklets have transformed into the most delightful melody in the world for me.

I turned back when, suddenly, someone collided with me. She was hanging to my arm which instinctively circled around her stomach, her face barely inches from the ground, while her hand gripping my shirt sleeve.

As she lifted her head, her hair partially obscured her face. Before I could brush the strands away, she abruptly pushed me back, creating distance and leaving me utterly bewildered.

With a one swift movement, she tossed her hair back, revealing her face. Nia's face was flushed, covered in sweat and tears, a faint scratch marring her forehead and oozing a trickle of blood.

The sight of even a single tear in her eyes fills me with a desire to shatter the world. Yet, witnessing her in this state sent a surge of anger through me, a sharp pang of pain like a twisted dagger in my heart, recalling the day at her home when I first saw her in such a condition.

But she seemed oblivious to my presence. Without acknowledging me, she glanced behind her, clearly terrified of something, as if fleeing from a threat. Following her gaze, I realized she had emerged from Dad's room, practically vaulting over me.

As she turned back to me, her eyes softened. I hesitate to use this word, but I sensed her tense, frightened expression relax upon seeing me. Her hands roughly wiped away her tears.

In that particular moment, I no longer cared about any promises I'd made to myself; all I wanted was to pull her tightly into my comfortable arms

I had barely taken a step when, ignoring me, she ran towards our room. But this time, I didn't stop her. The thought that, She didn't even felt me worthy of sharing her confidences anymore, had broken me. I recalled the fleeting relief in her eyes when she saw me, yet a moment later, she ran away from me like I am no one to her!

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AUTHOR'S POV

After crying for several minutes, Nia wiped her tears and hushed to open the drawer of the nightstand beside her bed. She searched for a few seconds before finding some medicine pouches. Abruptly, she popped a few tablets into her mouth and swallowed them with a glass of water.

However, her hands were trembling so violently that the glass slipped from her grasp, shattering on the floor. The sound of breaking glass sent a jolt through her, surging the flicker of panick through her. She recoiled as she felt something soft beneath her feet.

Veeransh was kneeling on the floor.
His hands supporting her feet. Nia quickly withdrew her foot from his palms.

"Wh-what were you doing, Mr. Raghuvanshi?" Nia asked, her voice laced with astonishment.

"Agar itna hi shaunk hai kanch par chalne ka toh mujhse keh diya hota, Sare room mein carpets ki jagah wahi rakhwa deta! Veeransh retorted sarcastically, heading towards the dressing room.

("If you had such a strong desire to walk on glass, you could have told me. I would have replaced all the carpets in this room with it!")

Trying to Decode his sarcasm, Nia glanced at the shards of glass she had nearly stepped on. Her fearful eyes fixated on the broken glass before shifting towards the partially open door. The figure outside sent a shiver down her spine, her gaze frozen in place as beads of sweat trickled down her temples.

She clutched the sides of her trousers tightly. A sound from behind caused her to spin around abruptly.

Veeransh had changed into a plain white T-shirt and grey trousers. He glanced at her briefly before grabbing a pillow and blanket and moving away from her side.

He was acutely aware of her every move, having observed her for the past hour, but he feigned indifference, pretending to ignore her.

As he began to leave, her heart thundered against her ribs. She trembled with fear, a flicker of relief at his presence in the room shr felt ,quickly replaced by a growing panic as he moved away.

The moment he passed by, she firmly grasped his wrist with both hands. Seemingly unfazed by her action, Veeransh turned to face her but just the sight of her ;
Head bowed, hairs covering her small face, just like a child standing in front of his mother for punishment.

And his expression softened. Though he fought to conceal it. He was failing to maintain his stony exterior. With a surge of resolve, he pulled his hand from hers and started to walk away, only to be stopped by her grip on his t-shirt, once again.

Before he could speak, she pleaded,

"Matt jao na *pause* please."
("Please don't leave")
She remained frozen in the same position.

"Aur kya main vajah jaan sakta hun?" Veeransh responded, facing her.

("And may I know the reason?")

For once his hands descended, as result of an urge to wipe her tears off but the he failed. He reached into his pocket and withdrew a handkerchief, offering it to her.

Nia raised her head, her eyes meeting his, releasing the tears that had been trapped behind her eyelids.

But she didn't take it. He mentally chastised himself for his foolish gesture. He retracted his hand when she swiftly snatched the handkerchief from him.
Veeransh's eyes lingered on her for some seconds, as a painful smile curving his lips.

"Are you going to tell me, or should I leave?" He asked again.

"Huh? Nahi...Mere matlab hai ki agar kisi ne tumhein bahar sote huye dekh liya, toh sab mujhe hi sunayenge, ki maine unke Rajkumar ko ussi ke kamre se nikal diya...toh tum yahin so jao!"
She replied, avoiding his gaze.

("Huh? No...I mean, if someone sees you sleeping outside, they'll blame me for kicking their prince out of his own room...so you can sleep here!")

"Sari izzat ka faluda toh kal hi karwa chuki ho!" He muttered to himself

("You've already ruined all my reputation yesterday,")

"You said something?" Nia asked.

"Nothing! And I will..."

"P...please?" She croaked down her dru thought, her eyes once again glanced outside.

Without another word, he went to the sofa and sprawled out. Nia locked the door from the inside and shrank back onto the bed, facing him.

His eyes were closed, and she staring at his face. When a wierd shadow casted outside the balcony.

She gnawed on her nails, squinting her eyes and pulling the blanket tightly around herself. But her heart hammered in her chest, she was sweating despite the minus degree temperature.

"Enough! Nia, you're a brave girl. You're not scared of anyone!" she whispered to herself, peeking out from beneath the blanket.

Once again, her eyes caught the shadow outside the open window, swaying in the air.

With a deep sigh, she checked outside the window only to find no one. She swept her shaky hand through her hairs.

Out of nowhere, she stood beside the sofa he was sleeping on. She closed her eyes once opening again. And with deep breaths, she pulled down his blanket and lay beside him (more like on top of him)

Her body trembled violently as she clung to him, finding the warmth radiated by his body soothing her. Her head rested on his chest, her leg curled around his waist, and her hands wrapped around his neck.

If anyone saw them in this position, no one would have believed that they were bound in an unwanted marriage.

Nia, whose eyes had previously blazed with anger whenever she looked at him, who never missed an opportunity to hurt him, was now clinging to him, that too by her own volition and fully conscious. She clutched him, as if she was surrounded by the world's most protective shield, as if she moved even slightly away, someone would snatch her away from him forever.

She herself didn't noticed how effortlessly her body her body melted into the contours of his, surrendering to the comfort and safety he provided. The worries of the day slipped away, and in that tranquil moment, time seemed to stand still as she fell deeper into restful sleep, completely at peace.

The seeds of love have been sought in the hearts, let's see if they flourish or the fierce winds will uproot them✨💞

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To be continued .....

Do you think the new entry will bring the chaos?

Next update around two days:)