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ARYAN'S POV:

I parked the car a little away from the mansion and then I saw Inayat walking towards the car. But she actually looked genuinely sad and her forehead was also bleeding. This was all supposed to be an act, so why does she look so troubled? 

She reached the car and got inside. There were tear marks on her cheeks. I held her shoulder, turning her towards me, and asked, "What happened, Inu? Why do you look so worried, and how did you get this injury?" 

Saying this, I took out my handkerchief and pressed it against her forehead where the blood was coming from.

 The wound wasn't too deep, so we could wait until we got home, and I didn't have any first aid with me. 

I asked her, but she didn't reply. She was lost somewhere. Then I shook her a little and asked her again what happened. This time she turned and tears started falling from her eyes.

 She wrapped her hands around my shoulders, hugging me and crying badly. 

Now I started to suspect Shivansh, wondering if he did something wrong again. And If he has done anything wrong this time, I am going to kill him for sure.

I panicked and asked her again and again what happened, but she didn't reply anything. I was caressing her hair when she finally broke the hug after calming down a bit. I held her palm, caressing it, and asked, "What happened? Tell me." 

So she said with hiccups, "Whatever happened there was so intense that it felt real to me, so that's why I started crying. And this injury," she continued, "happened because I got so indulged in my role that I ended up hurting myself by overacting a bit." 

Saying this, she bit her tongue and made a face.

 I chuckled and said, patting her head, "It's nothing like that. It's all just an act. We would never let anything like that happen to you. And I believe you would never let anything like that happen to you either. 

So forget about all this drama and be happy that we are one step closer to our target." She smiled a bit, and then I started the car.

We were halfway there when she asked again, "Bhaiya, was Ayesha Shivansh's ex?" Listening to her, I looked at her, then back at the road, frowning as I tried to remember someone with that name but couldn't recall anything. 

So I said, "No, Shivansh has never had a girlfriend." She nodded at me and looked out the window.

 After some time, she asked again, "What was Shivansh like during college? I mean, was he involved with any girls?" 

Hearing this, I laughed and said, "What kind of questions are you asking? And as for Shivansh, besides his sister, I don't think he's ever held another girl's hand."

 She nodded again and mumbled something I couldn't catch, then started looking outside again. After a while, we finally arrived.

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INAYAT'S POV: 

I knew that it was all a drama but still what Shivansh said hurted me. He said the thing that wasn't in the script. This means he ended up telling the truth in the flow of the moment.

 Hearing Ayesha's name and the line about "FUCKED MANY GIRLS," the little bit of my heart that was still holding on shattered completely. I got so emotional that I broke down in front of Aryan bhaiya. 

But somehow, I managed without telling him the truth. When I asked him about Ayesha and other girls, he said that Shivansh hadn't even touched a girl, let alone had a girlfriend. 

What a terrible person he is, hiding things even from his best friend. 

But why do I feel bad? I've moved on, right? 

Actually, he's the bad one; otherwise, who doesn't tell their friend everything about themselves? 

I told Rhea everything—oh wait, I forgot to tell her about Vedant. Tomorrow, the first thing I will do is meet her and tell her everything.

Finally, we reached Aryan bhaiya's friend's apartment, which is empty for now. He said staying here wouldn't raise any suspicions, so I agreed. 

Now I'll have to be alone for a few days. Anyway, Aryan bhaiya opened the door, and we went inside. He showed me all the essentials, and after some time, he left. 

I went inside the bedroom, and as soon as I entered, I remembered Shivansh's bedroom.

After learning that Vikrant was plotting to separate us, we all devised a clever plan. We decided to give Vikrant exactly what he wanted. Shivansh and I would pretend to separate.

 Our plan was to act like we were reconciling and growing closer whenever we were in sight of the cameras.

Shivansh insisted I move into his room, which made me uneasy. But Rhea convinced me it was necessary, and I eventually agreed. 

With Shivansh's help, I moved my belongings while Rhea and Advay Bhai got busy with the project. I reluctantly found myself sharing a room with Mr. Shivansh Kapoor.

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FLASHBACK TO A WEEK BACK:

I decided that if we were to share a room, there had to be some ground rules. I wrote down my terms and conditions on a blank sheet of paper, signed it, and approached Shivansh, who was resting on the couch with head leaned back and his eyes closed.

 He looked exhausted from the move and his office work. Not wanting to disturb him but knowing this was important, I gently placed the paper on his face.

He jerked awake, standing up with a look of confusion. I stood silently, arms crossed, staring at him with a firm expression. He asked, furrowing his brows, "What is this, Ina...?" I glared at him, silently commanding him to complete my name.

"Inayat—INAYAT," he corrected himself quickly.

"My terms and conditions, Mr. Kapoor," I replied dryly. He arched an eyebrow and began reading the list, a smirk playing on his lips:

1. You will not come near me. Stay at least six feet away.

2. We will not share the same bed. One of us will sleep on the couch.

3. You will not speak to me unnecessarily.

4. You will not interfere in my personal life.

5. Stick to the script.

"If you're done reading," I handed him the pen, "sign it."

He tilted his head, the smirk widening. Confused, I prompted, "What? C'mon, sign it."

He began walking towards me slowly, a mischievous glint in his eyes. 

Confused and uneasy, I backed away until I crashed into the bed and sat down, trying to avoid his contact further I laid down on the bed. 

He climbed over me, trapping me under his arms. His spicy cologne was intoxicating, and I shut my eyes, overwhelmed by his closeness.

Even with my eyes closed, I could feel his heated gaze and his warm breath on my face. When I opened my eyes, our noses were nearly touching, and our eyes locked. 

His face was so close that I could see the tiny flecks of gold in his brown eyes. Slowly, he moved away and settled on my right side, kissing my cheek softly. 

The touch of his lips sent electric sensations through my body, and I felt a warmth spread through me.

Then, he moved to kiss my other cheek, the soft contact sending more shivers down my spine. Each kiss was deliberate, intimate, and full of unspoken emotions. His proximity, his scent, his touch—all of it was intoxicating.

But he wasn't done. He leaned closer, his lips hovering near my neck. He whispered in a low, husky voice, "Inayat, do you know what you do to me?"

Before I could respond, he pressed his lips to my neck, kissing it with a mix of tenderness and intensity. The sensation was electrifying, sending shivers down my spine.

 His lips moved with deliberate slowness, the kiss lingering, making my heart race and my breath hitch.

 The intimacy and intensity of the moment were overwhelming, and I could feel the heat radiating from his body.

Suddenly, there was a knock at the door. Embarrassed by our position, I pushed him away, making him fall back on bed. 

I ran to open the door, finding Shivansh already beside me. Advay Bhaiya stood there, announcing dinner was ready. 

He stopped and was confused by Shivansh's glare, and Shivansh said, "Thodi der baad nahi aa sakta tha??" (Couldn't you have come a little later?)

 By gritting his teeth and tight smile, confused Advay bhai asked, "kyu? Kya hua bhai?"

(Why? What happened?)

Interrupting, I said, "Let's go," and rushed downstairs. Shivansh followed me, and we joined the others for dinner, the tension between us palpable.

FLASHBACK ENDS:

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SHIVANSH'S POV:

I went inside my room, cursing myself. I was feeling so guilty. I had only given her a slight push; I don't know how she got hurt.

 I just hope it's not deep enough. I entered my room, and suddenly, all the memories of the last week when we were together flashed before me. 

On the first day, after our intimate moment in the bedroom, when we went to the dining room, it was so fun watching her.

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FLASHBACK:

 The dinner table was a battlefield of emotions, with Inayat's face a perfect picture of tension and nervousness. 

She tried her best to maintain composure, but each flicker of anxiety made her even more endearing to me. 

The memory of our intimate moment was still fresh, and the craving for her touch was becoming unbearable.

 Her skin had felt so soft, and the way she hadn't pulled away when I kissed her had sent shivers down my spine. This was the first time we had been this close, and I savored every second of it.

Throughout dinner, I couldn't take my eyes off her. Despite her best efforts to ignore me, I caught her stealing glances, each one making my heart race faster. 

This plan to trap Vikrant was proving to be more advantageous than I had imagined, bringing me closer to Inayat in ways I hadn't anticipated. 

It was a classic case of "ek teer se do nishane," and I was thoroughly enjoying it.

After dinner, I retreated to my room to finish some office work while Inayat helped Rhea in the kitchen. 

She eventually slipped into the room, avoiding eye contact, and hurried to the washroom. I finished my work just as she emerged in her nightdress.

 I was about to get into bed when she stopped me.

"Stop, Mr. Kapoor. Did you forget about the second point of our terms and conditions?" she asked, her voice tinged with hesitation and a hint of defiance.

I raised an eyebrow. "No, I didn't forget, Inayat. What's wrong? You'll sleep on the couch, and I'll sleep on the bed. That's what you wanted, right?"

She furrowed her brows and pointed to herself, then to the couch. "I'll sleep... on the couch?"

A smirk played on my lips as I replied, "It was your idea, wasn't it? So, the one who gave the idea should sleep there." I imitated her gesture, pointing to the couch.

She gave me a forced smile and nodded tightly before snatching a pillow and blanket, stomping over to the couch in frustration. I was just teasing her, loving how cute she looked when she was mad.

Inayat tried her best to get comfortable, but the couch was obviously not conducive to sleep. She huffed and shifted in irritation before finally drifting into an uneasy slumber. 

Her face was still furrowed, and she continued to shift restlessly, her discomfort evident.

After some time, I got up from the bed and walked over to her. Making sure she was in a deep sleep, I carefully lifted her into my arms.

 She felt so delicate, so light, and a wave of protectiveness washed over me. I laid her gently beside me on the bed, gingerly placing the blanket over her. 

As I settled in next to her, I couldn't help but watch her peaceful face. She looked so angelic, like a sleeping baby, and I was overwhelmed with affection.

Without thinking, I wrapped my arms around her waist, pulling her close. Her warmth seeped into me, and I could feel the steady rhythm of her breathing against my chest.

 It was an intimate, tender moment that I wanted to last forever. I stroked her hair softly, marveling at how serene she looked. Eventually, I too drifted off to sleep, content with her by my side.

The morning sun filtered through the curtains, casting a soft glow over the room. I woke up to find Inayat still nestled against me, her head resting on my chest and her hair spread out like a silken halo.

 My hands were securely around her waist, holding her close. It felt so natural, so right, and I tightened my grip slightly, not wanting to let go.

Inayat stirred, her eyelashes fluttering as she slowly woke up. She looked up at me with a mix of surprise and confusion. Our faces were inches apart, and I could feel her breath on my skin.

"Good morning," I whispered, my voice husky with sleep.

She blinked rapidly, clearly flustered. "Good morning," she replied softly, her voice barely audible. She glanced around, avoiding my gaze, her cheeks flushing a deep red.

As reality dawned on her, her eyes widened with shock, and she quickly pulled away, sitting up and creating a distance between us. 

Then, with a sudden spark of realization, she frowned. "How did I get onto the bed?" she asked, her tone sharp and accusatory. "And why was I beside you?"

I took a deep breath, choosing my words carefully. "You weren't comfortable on the couch. You were tossing and turning, so I thought it would be better if you slept on the bed," 

I explained softly. "I didn't want you to suffer."

Her eyes narrowed, and her lips pressed into a thin line. "You don't have to give me favors, Mr. Kapoor. I can manage by myself," she snapped, her voice laced with anger and frustration.

Her words stung, and I felt a pang of sadness. I hadn't meant to upset her, but it seemed my attempt to help had backfired. "I wasn't trying to do you a favor, Inayat," I said quietly. 

"I just wanted you to be comfortable."

She didn't respond, instead getting up from the bed and heading toward the washroom, her movements hurried and stiff.

 As she closed the door behind her, I lay back on the bed, feeling a mix of emotions. Despite the awkwardness and her anger, I couldn't help but feel a glimmer of happiness. 

Last night, we had shared a moment of closeness, however fleeting it might have been.

I hoped that, in time, we could navigate through this awkwardness and find a way to embrace the connection we had.

 For now, I was left to cherish the fleeting moments of intimacy and the hope that they would lead to something more.

 Over the next few days, we continued the charade. Inayat and I portrayed a couple working on repairing our relationship whenever the cameras focused on us. 

In private, we stuck rigorously to the boundaries she had set but now also everytime I used to carry her to bed and wake up before she wakes up and again lay her down on the couch or else she would have ate me raw. She is quiet a deep sleeper. 

But I couldn't ignore how the tension between us seemed to escalate. 

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FLASHBACK ENDS:

The closeness we shared during those staged moments, the stolen glances, the accidental brushes of our hands—they all became increasingly difficult for me to push aside.

Now until I see Inayat and make sure she's okay, I can't sit still. Now I have to go to her. Thinking this, I took the car keys and went out of my room. 

As soon as I reached the hall, I started to act very angry. I put on a furious face, and as I was going, I threw a vase on the ground, breaking it for some extra effect.

 Then, I opened the main door and closed it with a loud thud, got in my car, and started driving very roughly, finally leaving the mansion to go to MY INAYAT.

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