“Tumhe bhoolun kaise main?
Meri pehli khata tum ho.”
NEW YORK| A Month Later
T A R A J I N D A L
“W-what are you doing?”
My voice trembled as the man in front of me captured both my wrists in one hand, lifting them effortlessly above my head.
He bent slightly over me, closing the distance until his breath mingled with mine.
A shiver cascaded down my spine, goosebumps rising beneath his proximity.
His dark blue eyes, familiar, were as serene as the ocean, calm on the surface, yet hiding unfathomable mysteries beneath.
My gaze wandered slowly across his devilishly handsome face before settling 'helplessly' on his dangerously kissable lips.
Fuck! I'm done.
Yahan main pighal gayi.
(Here I melted)
My tongue darted out to wet my lower lip, betraying my nerves.
He leaned closer, so close his lips almost grazed mine, and his low voice wrapped around me.
“Don't,” he warned, “Those pretty lips are mine.”
His voice came so sinister, so deep that my entire body shivered in response.
“L-listen, Mr. Handsome... you can't kiss me like this,” I whispered, though my voice lacked any 'real' resistance.
Of course you can kiss me wherever you want.
Ugh, I hate my mind.
"Who said I'll kiss you?" he breathed, his mouth barely a whisper away from mine.
His other hand shifted lower, beneath my skirt, and I stiffened instantly.
"Then?" I asked, my voice small, feigning innocence.
He smirked.
"I'll eat you."
And suddenly, I wasn't the one in control anymore.
TRRRRNNNNG! TRRRRNNNNG! TRRRRNNNNG!
My eyes shot open.
What the actual fucking-fuck?
It was again a fucking dream!
'Why God, just why?'
My mind screamed, I wasn't some delulu girl, Then why did these dreams keep sucking me.
And why was it always the dark-blue-eyed man?
Why couldn't I just get him out of my head?
One month was enough.
My eyes dropped to the faint mark near my pulse, a little above my cleavage. It still haunted me. Because that night wasn't just about losing my virginity. It was about losing something I wasn't ready to let go of.
I wanted to forget every single moment of it.
But I couldn't.
Somehow... I just couldn't.
On the surface, everything was normal.
My routine. My days. My world.
But something felt off.
Something invisible... shifting quietly in the background.
I couldn't see it.
I haven't told anyone about that night.
Not even Alie.
I don't even know what I'm supposed to feel.
Regret? Anger? Longing?
Who was he? Will I ever see him again?
And the question that scares me the most-
Do I even want to?
Maybe I should just stop being dramatic and accept it.
Yes! One more sin.
Added to my imaginary karma notebook.
And move on like a mature adult.
(Which I clearly am not.)
I'll deal with it in my next life or something.
TRRRRNNNNG! TRRRRNNNNG! TRRRRNNNNG!
As if my life wasn't chaotic enough, the irritating alarm decided to scream at me again.
I rolled over and smacked the pillow.
Shut up, you dumbo I'm awake!
"Fuck you, Tara," I muttered under my breath the second my eyes landed on the time flashing on the alarm clock.
It was almost two o'clock.
Two o'clock.
BRO'S BOXING MATCH!
I shot upright in bed, all traces of sleep vanishing instantly.
"But-wait... How can I fuck myself?" I shook my head at my own stupidity. "You dumb, Tara!"
I glanced at the vintage clock on the wall.
Oh no!
The match must have already started by now.
'God, how could I forget?' I mentally yelled, rushing to get ready.
Ten minutes later, I was dressed in my coffee-brown tube top and mini skirt, adjusting the hem slightly before facing the mirror.
A little mascara. Lip gloss. Hair brushed into soft waves.
Not to exaggerate... but I looked pretty, and hot of course.
Yes! I'm self obsessed.
After admiring myself for a few more seconds, I finally tore my eyes away from the mirror and stepped out of my room.
I took the elevator down to the ground floor, my heels echoing softly as the doors slid open.
Just as I was about to step out of the mansion, I froze.
Daddy was walking straight toward me.
My father, Dhairya Jindal, one of the world's biggest diamond magnates and the former CEO of Jindal Diamonds, a name that carried weight in every major market.
Now, the empire is in the hands of my brother, Arsh Jindal.
From the moment I became aware of the world, these two men have been my ideals.
They shielded me from every shadow of evil
and molded me into who I am today.
"Why the rush, Princess?"
His voice was calm and smooth, carrying that familiar gentleness he reserved only for me.
"I'm going to Bhai's boxing club. I'll talk to you later."
With that, I rushed out of the mansion as fast as I could.
AJ! AJ! AJ!
The crowd roared his name, the sound echoing through the arena.
I couldn't stop myself from grinning, pride and excitement bubbling inside me.
Of course it had to be like this.
My brother is one of the best boxers in New York, after all.
People are crazy about him.
Especially the girls.
My gaze drifted to the man collapsed on the floor, barely conscious, yet still daring to glare at my brother who stood inches away from him, towering and indifferent, as though he'd seen a thousand such stares before.
That man- Daniel Rodriguez.
The so-called toughest boxer in the USA who had challenged him a while ago...
and was now lying at his feet.
I shifted my gaze from that bastard to my brother. His wet hair fell messily over his forehead. His chocolate-brown eyes were slightly red, but calm. A bruise marked the corner of his lips, a thin line of blood trickling down.
My fists clenched.
No way I was letting that idiot walk free after daring to ruin my brother's perfectly handsome face.
"Come on, Daniel. I thought you said you were going to beat the shit out of me."
Bro's face showed no emotion, but his voice was hard, his jaw set tight enough to crack bone.
"Be a man of your words."
He wiped the blood from his split lip with his thumb.
"Get up."
He wasn't the typical hot-headed, angry young man. He knew exactly how to control his anger, and use it against his enemies, mindfully and strategically.
And that's exactly what he was doing at that moment.
Playing with Daniel's mind.
Well, Daniel suddenly caught his hand and forced himself up.
The second he stood upright, the crowd went wild.
Cheers, screams, chants-
"AJ! AJ! AJ!"
The madness in the arena ignited like wildfire.
"Hey, you khamine, go get some popcorn," Alie ordered one of her many boyfriends, who was standing right beside me.
The guy nodded like an obedient puppy and ran off.
Honestly, not surprising.
But how dare she enjoy this?
Here I was, losing my goddamn mind.
I shook my head and turned my attention back to the boxing ring, where Daniel was struggling to keep up with my brother, who was quite literally beating the hell out of him.
"Bro! Punch him on his ass!"
I shouted without thinking, and instantly felt dozens of eyes turn in my direction.
Wait... did I just say something wrong?
But-whatever!
"Why don't you punch me yourself, baby girl?"
Even while lying there, barely conscious, the bastard, Daniel, had the audacity to smirk at me.
Alie and I looked at each other at the same time, then shifted our gaze to the ring.
I swear to God, this man was going to get his balls squashed today!
"May his soul rest in hell," Alie said dryly, staring at the ring as Daniel shamelessly flashed a grin.
And at the very next moment, an unexpected silence fell over the entire ring as Daniel collapsed to the floor once again.
This time, he passed out.
Every part of his body was bruised and drenched in blood. I wasn't even sure if he was still alive, but it felt like half his bones had to be broken.
Well, he deserved it.
My brother is a gentleman, no doubt.
But when it comes to me, that gentleness fades, and only the man in him remains.
"Bloody motherfucker."
He looked down at Daniel's still body, then wiped the blood from his lip with the back of his hand, calm, but lethal.
"Fuck, he's insanely hot!" the girl next to me breathed, completely mesmerized.
And people wonder why I say girls lose their minds over him.
The moment Bro stepped out of the ring, I rushed toward him. Security closed in around him, holding the crowd back.
But no one dared to stop me.
No one even tried.
As his eyes landed on me, the hardness in them melted away.
"Weren't you supposed to be at college, Princess?" He arched a brow, his voice impossibly soft as he wiped the blood and sweat from his face.
"No," I smiled. "I was supposed to be here to cheer you on."
"So, enough cheering for today, hmm?" he said, his tone lightly taunting as he took my hand and led me out of the boxing club.
I glanced over my shoulder at his fangirls.
They were still chanting his name like he was some untouchable god.
And then we walked out.
"So, when are you planning to get married, young man?" Dad asked casually.
Bro continued eating, completely unfazed by his words.
"Raya has been waiting for three years now. I believe it's time we made this official," He added, his voice firm.
Raya D'Crouz- my brother's so-called fiancée.
The daughter of Dad's good friend, Richale D'Crouz. I didn't like her. Not because of this.
But because of the kind of person she was.
I looked at their faces. Both of them were unusually serious.
The dining hall was where their serious conversations- or rather, arguments, usually took place.
"Dad, I haven't refused to marry her. I just need some time to settle a few things," Bro said calmly.
"I don't understand why you need time. What exactly do you need to settle? Raya is a capable girl. She's perfect in every way. And most importantly, she's my friend's daughter."
Dad's voice rose slightly this time.
I could feel the tension in the air.
God. Before this turns into World War Three, I need to calm them down.
"Exactly, Dad. I'm marrying her only because she's your so-called friend's daughter. You very well know I don't believe in things like marriage." His tone remained calm. Serious.
"Will you guys stop arguing?" I said, looking between them and trying to sound serious.
And just like that, both my obedient men went quiet.
"Okay, so-"
I froze.
That irritating voice.
"Hey, everyone."
Of course she had to show up right now.
It was Raya!
"Hey, sweetheart. We were just talking about you. Come join us for dinner," Dad said with a smile.
Brother remained unaffected by her arrival.
And without hesitation, she slipped into the chair beside him.
The conversation began.
While, I watched Raya's every move.
She kept brushing against my brother, clearly trying to get his attention.
Wait-was she seriously trying to seduce him?
Oh, not happening!
Not while I was here.
After a few minutes, Dad rose from his chair.
"I believe you two need to talk."
He turned to me, "Princess, we should give them some space."
"Yeah, sure," I muttered, standing up despite every instinct telling me to stay.
Before leaving, I turned and looked at Raya, who was still staring at my brother.
I wished I could save him from this seductive woman.
AUTHOR
After Dhairya and Tara left, Arsh stood up from his chair. But before he could leave, Raya grabbed his hand.
"You can't ignore me like this, AJ. I'm your fiancée, damn it."
Arsh's cold gaze fell to her hand around his wrist.
Then he looked up at her. "How many times do I need to clarify this, Raya?"
With that, he freed his hand from her hold.
"What?" Raya said, her voice trembling slightly.
Arsh exhaled, clearly not interested in her dramatic reaction.
"This is just a professional relationship, so you should stay professional. Don't interfere in my personal life," he said, his voice stiff.
"And take this as a warning, Raya," he added coldly.
"And what about my love for you?"
Tears filled Raya's eyes as she spoke.
"Oh, is it?" Arsh's lips curved into a mocking smile. "Then where were you last night? Dark Heaven Hotel- Room 423. Am I wrong?"
Raya's eyes widened in shock, as if her darkest secret had just been revealed.
Silence settled for a long moment.
Then, Arsh spoke.
"Just because I don't react doesn't mean I don't know anything. And I don't give a fuck about your personal life. Same goes for you- stay within your limits. Otherwise, I very well know how to show you your fucking limits."
Saying that, Arsh left the place, leaving Raya in shock.
At the racing ground, a black Bugatti was running at an insane speed. Smoke was coming out from the tires, as if the car was about to lose control any second.
The other cars were chasing it, but none of them could even come close. It kept speeding ahead like it was in a league of its own.
Thousands of people were gathered there, shouting and screaming for the black Bugatti.
"Who's there in that black car?" a girl asked one of the guys standing nearby.
"No idea, babe, but that guy is seriously on fire. He's killing it." Saying that, he started shouting and cheering again.
The man driving the Bugatti wore a black leather jacket. His dark blue eyes were locked on the rearview mirror, watching the car behind him struggle to keep up.
This man was none other than Aayansh!
A devilish smirk curved on his lips as the man in the car behind him pulled out a gun and aimed directly at his car's tire.
Aayansh suddenly slowed down his car and took a sharp turn in the opposite direction, completely throwing the man behind him off.
He began chasing Aayansh's car. Within minutes, their cars were moving side by side.
The man kept glancing at Aayansh, clearly confused, trying to figure out his next move.
"Enjoy, motherfucker."
Aayansh smirked and took a U-turn the very next moment.
While the man's car crashed into the electric-wired wall behind him.
As soon as Aayansh's car crossed the winning boundary, the crowd went crazy. No one had ever won this race before, because the route was long and extremely dangerous.
After an hour, Aayansh was standing, leaning against the bonnet of his car, when a voice reached his ears.
"Hey, honey. Do you want something?"
He didn't even bother turning to glance at her.
The girl stood there, staring at him with obvious lust in her eyes, wearing barely anything, just pieces of net-like fabric covering her body.
But his expression darkened the moment she walked toward him.
"Dare take to another step closer" he warned in a dangerous voice without turning around, "and I'll rip your soul out without a second thought."
The girl froze.
And then, she didn't waste another second and ran away.
Aayansh closed his eyes, and Tara's face flashed before him.
A small, sadistic smirk slowly formed on his lips, his face lacked any emotions.
After a long long moment, he opened his eyes and looked at the dark sky above him.
"Being loved is a blessing," he muttered, his smirk deepening. "Being obsessed is a curse. And I will be both your blessing and your curse."
"The wait is ending tomorrow. You will be standing in front of me... And I will make sure this is the most painful and shocking surprise of your life."
He tilted his head, staring at the moon as if it held secrets only he understood.
To be continued~
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