"So… what did you say again? Love?" Advika stepped closer, her face held a strange restraint. "Care to explain what love means to you?"
Anay's face stiffened, "Love… is my obsession... my passion..."
"And for me, love... is peace. And how can anyone find peace with you? Love is not about possessing someone. Love means—surrendering yourself to the other. Love doesn't involve stubbornness, it demands sacrifice. It doesn't crave to receive, it only wishes to give."
Silence spread between them for a few moments.
Eventually, Anay looked at her, scratched his brow, gave a weary smile, and said:
"Truly... humans are selfish beings. If they like someone, they see no faults. And when they hate, they see no goodness."
Advika turned her face away. Anay stood there silently for a while, then said gently,
"Fine... don't come to the mansion if you don't want to. But at least sit in the car, I'll drop you home."
"I don't need your favor," Advika replied without looking at him.
Anay's patience was still holding, but a trace of anger was rising in his eyes.
"Don't force me again and again... or I'll end up forcing myself too...."
Advika cut him off sharply and turned to face him:
"And don't force me to hate you so much that there's no going back…"
She took a deep breath, swallowed her anger, and then he grabbed her hand. But the very next moment…
"How many times should I say, don't touch me!" Advika jerked her hand away, her eyes blazing red with rage.
Anay looked at her silently for a moment, then softly said,
"Fine... I won't touch you. Just sit in the Jeep."
He looked at Moli and gestured for her to get in as well.
Advika ignored him and stepped ahead, but Anay suddenly grabbed her wrist from behind and pulled her toward him. Her back slammed into his chest. The more she tried to pull away, the tighter his grip became.
"Don't touch me…" Advika said in a trembling, angry voice.
"If you'd just listen the first time, I wouldn't need to force you…"
Saying this, Anay opened the jeep's door.
Advika kept glaring at him, but then silently sat in the jeep. Her eyes still burned with fury. Moli, trembling, went to sit in the back but tripped and fell.
Advika moved quickly to help her, but Anay slammed the door shut and said,
"Stay seated... I'm here."
He went to Moli, extended his hand. Moli looked at him with hesitation and fear in her eyes.
Anay growled in frustration,
"Are you going to take my hand or not?"
Moli immediately grabbed his hand. He helped her up and seated her in the back, then came to the front and started the jeep.
The jeep moved forward.
When Anay finally stopped the jeep outside Advika's house, she got down without a word. Her steps were fast, her face visibly angry. Moli quickly followed her.
Anay sat on the driver's seat, took a deep breath, and held his head in his hands.
"The more I try to get close... the farther she drifts away..."
He put the jeep in reverse and slowly drove off. Advika's burning eyes still floated in his mind.
Inside, as Advika entered the room, her phone vibrated loudly. She pulled it out of her purse in frustration—tons of messages were flashing on the screen. She glanced at them and gritted her teeth:
"Have all the demons of the universe taken shelter in my life or what!"
"Didi..."
Moli called from behind, but without turning, Advika said—
"I want to be alone for a while. I'm going to the terrace… Don't disturb me…"
"But didi…"
Moli wanted to say something, but Advika quickly walked out.
As soon as she reached the terrace, her brows furrowed, Rudransh was standing there. A cigarette between his lips.
"Why did you call me?" Advika asked through clenched teeth.
Rudransh took a long drag, exhaled smoke toward the sky and said—
"You haven't forgotten our deal, have you, Advika?"
"I haven't forgotten your terms, nor my promise…"
Advika replied in a cold but sharp tone.
Rudransh stepped closer,now there was barely any distance between them.
"Good… don't forget, I'm helping you… because you're going to marry me."
"Then you shouldn't even think about anyone else…"
Advika paused for a few seconds, then said—
"I've staked myself in return for your help… but not my heart. That still belongs solely to me… and who it beats for—only I will decide."
Rudransh laughed loudly—
"Talk of the heart sounds too filmy coming from your mouth, Advika... Seems like you've forgotten your real goal."
Advika looked into his eyes,
"I haven't forgotten anything... not a single thing."
Her eyes now blazed like fire.
Rudransh smiled slightly—
"That fire in your eyes… that's what I like, Advika..."
He stepped back a little, crushed the cigarette butt under his foot and said—
"Anyway… the reporter will be here by tomorrow. Are you ready?"
Advika clenched her jaw,
"Any doubt?"
Without blinking, Rudransh said—
"Absolutely not…"
The next morning...
Once again, Advika was climbing the mansion stairs with a tea tray, irritation all over her face. Thakurain had again asked her to take tea to Anay.
"The one I want to avoid always ends up in my path… the whole universe seems hell-bent on pushing me toward him…" she muttered.
Reluctantly, she stopped at Anay's door, took a deep breath and knocked lightly.
"Come in…" came Anay's soft voice from inside.
Advika opened the door.
The room was gently lit by the morning sun and Anay was still deep asleep.
The clock showed 10 a.m.
"Your tea..."
She placed the tray on the table in a flat, emotionless tone.
She was about to turn away when Anay's groggy voice called from behind—
"Close the door on your way out…"
Advika frowned at him, then walked out without a word. She didn't bother shutting the door.
Ten minutes later, she entered the room again—this time with a breakfast plate.
Anay was still sleeping.
The tea had gone cold.
The room was filled with a drowsy silence.
"Thakur sahib…"
Advika called out.
Anay turned over—no reply.
"Are you even listening?"
"No…"
Came his sleepy voice.
"Thakur sahib, it's ten o'clock. Aren't you supposed to go to the mill?"
Anay replied lazily—
"I'm the owner there… not a servant who needs to be on time every day. I'll go if I feel like it…"
Advika took a deep breath and muttered under her breath—
"If he doesn't go to the mill today, everything I've planned will fall apart... No… do something, Advika… you can't give up like this…"
With a sudden move, she yanked the blanket off of Anay.
"What kind of indecency is this!"
Anay sat up angrily.
"What I did is nothing compared to the indecency you do every day!"
Advika snapped.
Anay squinted at her,
"I don't feel like going anywhere. So get out and let me sleep…"
Saying this, he fell back on the bed, turning his back to her.
Advika clenched her fists in rage.
Just then, Thakurain's voice came from outside—
"Lalla…"
The door opened and Thakurain entered.
"What happened? Are you alright? Still asleep at this hour?"
Anay composed himself and said softly—
"Yes, I'm fine… just felt sleepy…"
He sat up on the bed.
Thakurain touched his forehead to check his temperature—
"All right… sleep if you want… Advika, take back the tea and breakfast. Give it to him later."
"Yes..."
Advika nodded lightly, her face still firm.
"No Amma… I won't sleep now…"
Anay said halfheartedly as he got up and walked toward the bathroom.
"I'll bring fresh tea…"
Advika picked up the cup without looking at him and left.
Thakurain smiled and walked out too.
Advika, muttering under her breath, went to the kitchen, made new tea and returned to his room.
As she opened the door, she froze,
Anay stood there in just his lower, drying his wet hair with a toewl.
"Shameless man…"
Advika's lips tightened, and she muttered under her breath.
Let me know if you'd like the next part or need it condensed!
Too be Continued.....