NINE

Hey my beautiful readers! ✨

Chapter's out now - go dive in! 📖

Your votes & comments mean the world to me 🌍💖

So don't forget to shower some love!

~ Happy reading, love you all endlessly❣️🫶

___________________________

HER POV

Kairav Uncle stepped forward and embraced dad with genuine warmth in his eyes. "Thank you so much for coming," He said his voice filled with gratitude.

The atmosphere instantly turned warmer as everyone began greeting one another with smiles, and affectionate hugs. I walked over to his dadu and respectfully bent down to touch his feet. With a soft, affectionate smile, he placed his hand on my head, blessing me silently.

Shivanya Aunty walked over to me with a warm smile on her face. She gently held my face in her hands, her eyes filled with affection, and said sweetly, " Bohot pyaari lag rhi ho"

Without waiting for a reply, she pulled me into a loving hug, wrapping me in her comforting presence as if we had known each other forever. Her gesture made me feel special and truly welcomed.

Kairav uncle placed his hand gently on my head and said with a warm chuckle "Arey pyaari to lagegi hi na humari beti jo hai"

{"Of course she'll look lovely, after all she's our daughter!" }

His voice held pride and affection, the kind that instantly melted hearts and made everything feel just a little more special.

I smiled and said " Thank you uncle - aunty aap dono bhi bohot pyaare lag rhe hai "

{ "Thank you, Uncle – Aunty, you both are also looking very lovely!" }

Dadu said " arey bhyiii ab darwaze par hi khade rehne ka irada hai "

{Arey bhaiii, do you plan to just stand at the door forever?}

As everyone started walking towards the hall, Isha followed quietly, her steps hesitant yet graceful. The moment she stepped inside, her eyes instinctively scanned the entire space.

The hall was nothing short of breathtaking - grand and luxurious in every possible way. Ornate chandeliers hung from the ceiling, casting a golden glow across the room. Every corner seemed to glimmer with elegance.

Expensive art pieces adorned the walls, and the marble flooring beneath her feet gleamed like a mirror. From the plush velvet curtains to the intricately carved furniture, everything whispered wealth and power. Isha couldn't help but feel a strange mix of awe and nervousness as she took it all in.

Everyone settled down on the luxurious sofas arranged neatly around the hall, their conversations gradually filling the grand space with a soft hum. Isha, still slightly overwhelmed by the lavish surroundings, quietly made her way toward one of the couches.

She gently sat down beside Ruhi, grateful to have at least one familiar face in the sea of strangers. As she adjusted her dupatta and folded her hands neatly in her lap, she tried to still the nervous flutter in her chest.

Being next to Ruhi brought a quiet comfort, like a soft barrier between her and the countless unfamiliar gazes.

Everyone began to engage in conversation, and soon, the servants appeared with trays, One of the servant, balancing a tray in her hands, slowly walked towards the table, her eyes focused on the task at hand.

Just as she was about to place the coffee on the surface, her foot caught slightly, throwing off her balance.

In that split second, a glass of juice from the tray tipped over, and before anyone could react, it hit the floor with a soft thud, splashing a small amount of juice onto Isha's delicate outfit.

The room fell silent for a moment, as everyone's attention shifted towards isha , her face a mixture of surprise and mild embarrassment.

She slowly stood up , the servant, visibly flustered, apologized profusely, but Isha simply smiled, assuring her that it was no trouble at all.

Shivanya aunty suddenly stood up, her eyes wide in disbelief.“Hey bhagwan, Ye kya kiya aapne?” She exclaimed, her voice laced with shock and emotion as her hands flew to her forehead in dramatic disbelief.

{Oh God, what have you done!}

" Isha ke kapde kharab kar diye, aapse ek kaam theek se nhi hota " She added her voice cold

{You ruined Isha’s clothes, you can’t even do one thing properly! }

" It's okay aunty inse galti se hogyi m-me saaf kar lungi ise " i said

{"It’s okay, Aunty... it happened by mistake. I-I’ll clean it myself."}

Dadu quickly stood up, concern etched deeply on his face.

"Beta, Aap theek to hai? Khi lagi to nahi" he asked, his voice filled with worry as his eyes scanned her from head to toe, making sure she was truly okay.

{ Are you okay? Did you get hurt anywhere?}

"Jiii Dadu, Me bilkul theek hai" I replied with a small, reassuring smile, trying to ease the worry in his eyes as I gently nodded my head.

{Yes, Dadu, I’m absolutely fine.}

"Arey Shivanya ji, Aap shant ho jaiye itni koi badi baat nahi hai — Aapne yuhi servant ko daat diya" my mom said gently, trying to ease the tension in the room with a composed voice and a polite smile.

{Oh Shivanya ji, please calm down. It’s not such a big issue—you scolded the servant for no reason.}

"Badi baat hai," Shivanya aunty said, her voice laced with genuine concern.

"Aap log pehli baar humare ghar aaye hai or ye sab hogaya..." she added, shaking her head slightly, clearly upset that things hadn’t gone as smoothly as she had hoped.

{It is a big deal—you came to our house for the first time, and all this happened!}

She walked towards me, her steps hesitant, still visibly embarrassed by the accident. As she reached my side, she softly said, "I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to—" Her voice trailed off.

" Please aunty sorry mat kahiye " i said holding her hands, she smiled

{ Please aunty.....Don't apologise}

" Acha tum jaldi se upar jao or right side me first room me jaakar ise saaf kar lo " she said and I nodded like an obedient child

{Alright, you quickly go upstairs and clean it in the first room on the right side.}

I walked towards the stairs, my steps quickening as I ascended. As I reached the top, I paused for a moment, glancing at both sides. The view from up here was calm, but my mind was still preoccupied with the events downstairs. I took a deep breath, trying to clear my thoughts as I scanned the surroundings, taking in the stillness of the upper floor.

"Aunty ne left side bola tha" I murmured softly, almost as if trying to make sense of the confusion myself, glancing around to see where things might have gone wrong.

{"Aunty said it was on the left side."}

After a brief moment of thought, I decided to head towards the left side, trusting my instincts. As I moved in that direction, I felt a sense of uncertainty, but also a strange curiosity about what awaited me.

I reached the left side and stood near the first room, stopping right by the gate.

I slowly pushed open the gate, As I stepped inside, I was immediately struck by the thick darkness that surrounded me. The lack of light made the room feel suffocating, and for a moment, a shiver ran down my spine. I felt a rush of fear creep in, my heart beating a little faster as I stood still, The silence in the room was almost unnerving, .

I took a cautious step forward, my body tense as I tried to peer into the darkness. My eyes strained, eager to see something, anything, that would give me a sense of what was inside. But the pitch-black darkness was relentless, and despite my best efforts, I couldn't make out a single thing. There was a sound coming from inside the room-a faint, that was barely audible. I held my breath,

Suddenly, a sharp sound echoed through the room, and I jumped in the fright, my body jolting with the unexpected noise. My eyes widened in fear, unable to adjust to the dark surroundings, and for a moment, I froze in place.

Before I could even react, the lights in the room flickered on, blinding me for a second as they illuminated every corner. The sudden burst of light made the room look completely different, no longer a place of shadows, but a clear, well-lit space. Yet, my heart still raced from the fear that had gripped me moments ago.

I slowly let my eyes wander across the entire room, taking in every detail—the elegant decor, the flickering candles, the soft murmur of conversations blending with distant laughter. Each corner seemed unfamiliar, yet the air carried a weight of expectations. A strange mix of warmth and tension settled in my chest as I tried to steady my breath, grounding myself in the unfamiliar space.

And then-suddenly-My eyes stopped. My gaze froze at one particular spot, and in that instant, my eyes widened in shock. It felt like the air had been knocked out of my lungs. My heart, which had been racing just moments ago, came to a sudden halt. For a few seconds, everything else disappeared-

There, standing under the soft glow of the room's light, was VEER-looking devilishly handsome, his presence as commanding as ever. But what made my breath catch in my throat wasn't just his intense gaze or sculpted features-it was the fact that he was shirtless, with nothing but a towel casually wrapped around his waist. Drops of water still clung to his chest, trailing down slowly, hinting he had just stepped out of the shower.

I snapped back to my senses, and just as I opened my mouth to scream, he moved-swiftly, without warning. In a heartbeat, Veer closed the distance between us and covered my mouth with his hand, silencing me.

Before I could react, he gently but firmly pinned me against the wall, his touch commanding yet controlled. My back met the cold surface of the wall as his intense eyes locked onto mine, a storm brewing in them that made it impossible to look away. The air between us thickened, and my breath hitched-not from fear, but from the sheer closeness, the tension that now pulsed in the space where words had no place.

I stared at him with my wide, startled eyes, unable to look away. My chest rose and fell rapidly, still catching my breath, while his hand remained gently pressed over my mouth. My gaze searched his face-his wet hair, the sharpness in his jaw, the quiet fire in his eyes. I didn't know whether it was fear, shock, or something far more dangerous stirring inside me, but I couldn't stop looking at him. It was as if the world had narrowed down to just the space between us... and the silence that held more weight than any words ever could.

Suddenly, I heard his voice-cold, intense, and dangerously calm. It cut through the silence like a blade, sending a shiver down my spine. " if you try to scream again, i swear I'll kiss you here right now" "he whispered, his tone low intense but filled with authority.

My heart, which had just started beating again, skipped once more, caught between panic and something I couldn't quite name. His breath was steady, but his eyes... they burned into mine, making it impossible to move, impossible to think. The air between us grew heavier, charged with an emotion I wasn't ready to understand.

I nodded my head slowly, my gaze locked with his. There was a strange intensity between us—an unspoken conversation unfolding in silence, heavier than words could ever be.

___________________________

That's it for today's chapter! ✨

And don't forget to like & vote this chapter 💖🥹

Don't forget to drop a comment and let me know, how you like the chapter

Byee loveees!! 💕

Stay safe & keep reading! 📚🌸___________________________

___________________________