Chahe kuch na kehna, bhale chup tu rehna

Mujhe hai pata tere pyaar ka

khamosh chehra, aankhon pe pehre

khud hai gawaah tere pyaar ka

Teri jhuki nazar, teri har ada

Mujhe keh raha hai ye daastaan

Koi shakhs hai jo ki in dino

Tere zehen-o-dil pe hai chhaa gaya

Teri jhuki nazar, teri har ada

Mujhe keh rahi hai ye daastaan

(Hey, yeah)..........................

~Teri Jhuki Nazar

A new day with a new beginning......

Next Day....

The news of Aadhvik Raichand’s engagement spread like a wildfire.

What had begun as a private family matter ..... within a matter of hours it became the biggest topic of discussion in the entire business world .

By evening, every major business magazine, news portal, and social media platform seemed to be carrying the same headline.

“RAICHAND GROUP’S CEO AADHVIK RAICHAND IS GETTING ENGAGED SOON.”

The announcement sent shockwaves through out the corporate world.

People were stunned and amazed.

Aadhvik Raichand, Rajveer Raichand's Eldest son....is getting engaged.....

The name alone was enough to command attention.

At only twenty-eight, he had already established himself as one of the most influential young business tycoons in the country. The ruthless CEO of Raichand Group was known for his sharp decisions, intimidating presence, and an almost impossible ability to keep his personal life away from the public eye.

He was a man who rarely attended social gatherings unless business demanded it.

A man who avoided unnecessary media attention.

A man who had rejected countless marriage proposals from some of the most powerful families in the country without giving anyone a proper explanation.

For years, the same question had circulated through high-society parties and corporate circles.

Why wasn't Aadhvik Raichand getting married?

There had been endless speculations.

Some believed he was too devoted to his career.

Others claimed he simply had no interest in marriage.

There were even rumors that he had already fallen in love with someone but had deliberately kept her away from the public eye.

Yet Aadhvik had never bothered to clarify anything.

He simply continued living his life exactly as he wanted.

Until now.

One announcement had changed everything.

The man who had spent years turning down marriage proposals was suddenly preparing to get married.

And naturally, the entire business world wanted to know one thing.

Who was the woman?

Behind the cold demour, who could possibly tempt the cold beast?

Who was the woman that caught his attention!!

The business world was shocked and stunned...

Aadhvik Raichand, the man who had rejected countless marriage proposals and avoided the spotlight outside business, was finally getting married.

But no one knew the truth behind the announcement .....it was just an arranged marriage but to the outside world it was far more complicated...

No one knew that the bride was a twenty-one-year-old college student who was still trying to understand how her ordinary life had suddenly changed and took a U turn.

Meanwhile,

Aarna sat quietly in a corner of the college library, her phone resting between her hands as she stared blankly at the off screen.

It hadn't stopped buzzing for the past twenty minutes.

One notification disappeared, only to be replaced by another.

Then another.

And another.

She finally unlocked her phone.

The messages were endless.

“Aarna, is that you in the news?”

“Wait… are you really getting married?”

“Aarna, you're marrying Aadhvik Raichand?!”

“Since when were you engaged?”

“Why didn't you tell us?”

“Oh my God, you're going to be a Raichand!”

She stared at the messages for a few seconds before slowly placing her phone back on the table, facing down wards..

Silence.

Absolute silence.

At least, the silence around her felt easier than the noise coming from her phone.

She had expected people to talk.

Of course she had , because she knew they would talk, discuss and honestly they would judge her..no matter what!!!..

The moment the news had become public, she had known questions would follow.

But she hadn't expected it to feel so overwhelming at once .

It was as though her entire life had suddenly become public property.

People who barely knew her were suddenly discussing her future.

People who had never even spoken to her were suddenly asking about her marriage.

And somehow, everyone seemed to know something about her life that she was still struggling to understand herself.

Aarna exhaled slowly and rubbed her temples.

She glanced towards her laptop that was lying beside her phone....

The same news article was still open.

The headline stared back at her.

RAICHAND GROUP'S CEO AADHVIK RAICHAND IS GETTING ENGAGED SOON.

She swallowed her saliva hard...

Even after reading it a dozen times, it still didn't feel real.

“Aarna?”

She looked up and saw her best friend

Riya stood a few feet away, holding two coffee cups.

A small smile tugged at Aarna's lips.

“I knew I'd find you hiding here.”

“I’m not hiding.”

Riya raised an eyebrow.

Oh ! Really..

“You literally came to the library instead of the cafeteria.”

Aarna opened her mouth to argue.

Then closed it.

Because, unfortunately, Riya had a point.

Riya walked over and dropped into the chair beside her, placing one of the coffees in front of Aarna.

“Here.”

Aarna looked at it.

“Coffee?”

"Yes! Your black coffee with no sugar...What else do you think I brought?

A marriage counselor?”

Despite over thinking , Aarna let out a small laugh.

Riya smiled.

“There. At least you're still capable of smiling.”

Aarna wrapped both hands around the coffee cup, letting its warmth seep into her fingers.

For a few moments, neither of them spoke.

Then Riya's expression softened.

“Are you okay?”

Aarna's smile disappeared instantly.

She looked back at her laptop.

A photograph of Aadhvik Raichand filled the screen.

He was dressed in a perfectly tailored suit, his expression calm and unreadable. The photograph captured exactly what the world expected him to be—

powerful.

Successful.

Untouchable.

The billionaire everyone admired.

The man whose name appeared on business covers and financial reports.

The man everyone seemed to know.

Except her.

Aarna stared at his photograph for a long moment.

“Everyone sees him as Aadhvik Raichand,” she finally whispered.

Riya listened quietly.

“The successful businessman.

The CEO.

The billionaire.

The man who built an empire at a young age .”

Her fingers tightened slightly around the coffee cup.

“But no one knows .”

She paused.

“They don't know what I'm thinking. They don't know whether I'm ready for this. They don't know how suddenly everything happened.”

Her voice grew quieter.

“They only know me as a headline.”

Riya's eyes softened.

For once, she didn't make a joke.

She simply reached across the table and placed her warm hand over Aarna's cold hand.

“Aarna…”

Aarna looked at her.

“Then don't let a headline decide who you are.”

The words were simple.

But somehow, they reached deeper than all the questions Aarna had been carrying since morning.

Riya squeezed her hand gently.

“You're still Aarna. You're still my best friend. You're still the girl who complains about assignments, steals my fries, and disappears into the library whenever life gets too loud.”

Aarna's lips curved into a genuine smile.

“And you're still the girl who refuses to let me have peace.”

“Exactly.”

Aarna laughed softly.

For the first time that day, the weight on her chest seemed a little lighter.

Maybe the entire world knew her as Aadhvik Raichand's future wife.

Maybe the newspapers would keep printing her name.

Maybe strangers would continue speculating about her life.

But sitting there in that quiet library, with Riya beside her, Aarna remembered something important.

She was still herself.

She was still the same Aarna..

And perhaps, for now, that was enough.

Because no matter what the world called her tomorrow—

Riya would still call her Aarna.

and that's the reason she needed Riya the most cause she was always the one who was with her in every situation.

Back at the Raichand Group headquarters

The moment Aadhvik Raichand stepped through the glass entrance, conversations across the lobby seemed to quiet for a brief second.

Employees straightened instinctively.

Heads turned.

Whispers followed him as he walked toward the private elevators.

“Good morning, sir.”

“Good morning, Mr. Raichand.”

“Congratulations, sir.”

Aadhvik acknowledged each greeting with nothing more than a brief nod.

His expression remained unreadable.

Calm.

Composed.

As if the biggest piece of personal news about him hadn't become the talk of the entire country overnight.

But the whispers didn't stop.

In fact, they seemed louder than usual.

“Did you see the news this morning?”

“It's everywhere.”

“Apparently, the engagement is happening soon.”

“Do you know who the girl is?”

“No one knows yet.”

Aadhvik's jaw tightened almost imperceptibly.

He continued walking.

He had spent years building a reputation around one simple rule—

his personal life stayed personal.

He didn't discuss his relationships.

He didn't entertain rumors.

And he certainly didn't enjoy becoming the center of attention for something that had nothing to do with business.

Yet today, every corridor seemed to remind him that his carefully guarded privacy had been breached.

As he reached the executive floor, his assistant hurried toward him with a tablet in hand.

“Sir, congratulations.”

Aadhvik glanced at him.

“Hmm"

The answer was simple.

Brief.

Final.

His assistant hesitated before adding, “The media has been calling since morning. Several business channels are requesting a statement regarding the engagement.”

Aadhvik's expression hardened.

“Decline them.”

“Yes, sir.”

“And no personal questions in today's meetings.”

“Understood.”

Aadhvik walked towards his private office situated on the top floor of the Raichand Group and pushed open the glass door, and entered inside without another word.

The door closed behind him.

Finally—

silence.

He placed his phone on the desk and loosened his cufflinks slightly before looking through the floor-to-ceiling windows.

The city stretched endlessly beneath him.

Usually, the sight calmed him.

Today, it didn't.

His eyes fell on the reflection in the glass.

The man everyone was talking about.

The successful CEO.

The billionaire.

The soon-to-be fiancé.

Aadhvik exhaled slowly.

He hated unnecessary attention.

He hated people discussing his personal life even more.

And yet, there was one thing he hated most—

having absolutely no control over what came next.

For the first time in years, the future he'd carefully planned seemed to belong to someone else too.

And that someone was a girl he barely knew.

Aarna Kapoor.

He stared at the city for another moment.

Then his phone buzzed.

Another message.

Another reminder.

The entire world might already be celebrating his engagement.

But Aadhvik Raichand wasn't celebrating anything.

Not yet.

A few minutes later, Aadhvik's assistant entered his office carrying a thick black file.

“Sir.”

Aadhvik looked up from his laptop.

The assistant approached his desk and carefully placed the file in front of him.

“The official engagement event details have been finalized.”

Aadhvik glanced at the file before picking it up.

He opened it.

The first page contained the venue.

A five-star hotel.

The next pages listed the guest count.

Hundreds of guests.

Business associates.

Politicians.

Family friends.

Influential personalities.

Then came the media arrangements.

Exclusive coverage.

Photographers.

Press access.

Security arrangements.

A lavish stage.

An elaborate decoration plan.

Everything had been planned down to the smallest detail.

Everything that came with being a Raichand.

Aadhvik continued turning the pages, his expression remaining impassive.

Until he stopped.

His eyes narrowed slightly.

He went back a page.

Then another.

He scanned the entire file once more.

Something was missing.

Not a minor detail.

Not a forgotten arrangement.

Something far more important.

The bride.

There was not a single section mentioning her preferences.

Not her choice of venue.

Not her guest list.

Not her outfit.

Not even her opinion regarding the event itself.

It was as though the engagement was being planned entirely around the Raichand family.

Aadhvik slowly closed the file.

“Call off the arrangements.”

His assistant blinked.

“Sir?”

Aadhvik picked up the phone on his desk and pressed the intercom.

“Cancel everything.”

The assistant stared at him, clearly caught off guard.

“But, sir… the family has already approved the arrangements. The invitations are being prepared, and the venue—”

“I said cancel it.”

His voice wasn't loud.

There was no anger in it.

No frustration.

Just the quiet firmness that made people listen the first time.

The assistant immediately straightened.

“Yes, sir.”

Aadhvik opened the file again and tapped his finger against the page.

“Make a new plan.”

The assistant hesitated.

“But the Raichand family has already finalized most of~”

“A new plan.”

This time, there was no room for argument.

Aadhvik leaned back in his chair.

“The engagement isn't only mine.”

His gaze moved toward the file.

“It concerns two people.”

He paused.

“Two families.”

His expression softened almost imperceptibly.

“The event should represent both families, not just mine.”

The assistant remained silent.

Aadhvik continued,

“Speak to the Kapoor family. Find out what they want. And more importantly…”

He stopped for a moment.

“…find out what she wants.”

“Ma'am Aarna?”

Aadhvik gave a brief nod.

“Yes.”

His assistant finally understood.

“Of course, sir.”

He picked up the file.

But before leaving, he looked back.

“Sir?”

Aadhvik raised his eyes.

“Should I inform the family that the arrangements are being changed?”

Aadhvik's answer came without hesitation.

“Tell them the truth.”

“The event is about to begin a new chapter for both families.”

His gaze returned to the city beyond the glass windows.

“So it should feel like it belongs to both of them.”

The assistant nodded.

“Yes, sir.”

He turned and walked out.

The door closed quietly behind him.

Aadhvik remained alone.

For a moment, he looked at the file again.

The engagement had been planned as if it were another corporate event.

Efficient.

Grand.

Perfect.

But there was one thing he refused to let anyone forget.

Aarna wasn't a name being added to the Raichand family.

She was a person.

And if she was going to stand beside him, then her voice deserved to be heard too.

That evening,

Aarna arrived at the Raichand mansion for the engagement preparations.

The moment the car stopped in front of the grand entrance, she looked up at the sprawling mansion.

Everything about the place seemed intimidating.

The towering gates.

The perfectly manicured gardens.

The enormous facade illuminated by the warm fairy lights.

Even the silence around the mansion felt expensive.

Aarna took a slow breath before stepping out of the car.

She had been here before, but tonight it felt different.

Tonight, she wasn't simply a guest.

She was the girl everyone was preparing to welcome into the Raichand family.

And somehow, that thought made her even more nervous.

She adjusted the edge of her dupatta and walked inside.

As expected, everything was formal.

Staff moved around carrying trays and decorations.

Family members discussed arrangements.

Someone was speaking about the guest list.

Someone else was checking the floral decorations.

Everywhere she looked, there seemed to be another reminder that her life had suddenly become part of something much bigger than herself.

Aarna stood quietly near the entrance, wondering whom she was supposed to speak to first.

She had barely taken another step when a voice suddenly rang through the hall.

“Finally!”

Aarna turned around.

A young man was walking toward her with an unmistakably mischievous smile.

She blinked.

“Finally?”

He stopped in front of her and grinned.

“Yes. Finally!”

Aarna looked at him uncertainly.

The stranger extended his hand.

“Aarush.”

She hesitated for half a second before shaking it.

“Aarna.”

“I know.”

She raised an eyebrow.

Aarush smiled wider.

“My brother's future wife has arrived.”

Aarna immediately felt her cheeks warm.

Aarush noticed.

“Oh, don't worry. You'll get used to it.”

“I'm not sure I will.”

“Neither am I.”

Aarna couldn't help smiling.

Aarush leaned closer conspiratorially.

“Honestly, I was beginning to think my brother scared you away.”

Aarna glanced around.

“Does he scare everyone?”

Aarush nodded with an exaggeratedly serious expression.

“Yes.”

Aarna tried to suppress a laugh.

Aarush continued,

“Employees? "

"Terrified.”

“Business rivals?”

“Absolutely terrified.”

“Family?”

He paused dramatically.

“Sometimes.”

Aarna laughed softly.

“And you?”

Aarush placed a hand over his heart.

“Me?”

He looked offended.

“Never.”

Aarna raised an eyebrow.

Aarush immediately lowered his voice.

“Okay… sometimes.”

She covered her smile with her hand.

For the first time since the proposal, the tension she'd been carrying around seemed to loosen.

The mansion no longer felt quite as intimidating.

At least, not with Aarush around.

He glanced toward the staircase before whispering,

“Just one piece of advice.”

Aarna looked at him.

“What?”

“If you ever see my brother in one of his serious moods…”

He paused.

“…run.”

Aarna laughed.

“Aarush!”

“What? I'm trying to help.”

She shook her head, smiling.

And for the first time since her life had been turned upside down, Aarna felt something she hadn't expected to feel inside the Raichand mansion.

Comfort.

Maybe she still didn't know what the future held.

Maybe the engagement still felt strange.

Maybe the thought of becoming Aadhvik Raichand's wife still frightened her sometimes.

But standing there with Aarush, laughing over something so simple, she realised one thing.

Perhaps entering the Raichand family wouldn't be as terrifying as she had imagined.

At least she had found one person who could make her smile.

And, apparently, one person who was more than willing to keep her updated about just how terrifying his elder brother could be.

A few minutes later, the atmosphere in the room shifted.

The sound of approaching footsteps drew Aarush's attention towards the doorway.

Aadhvik entered.

Dressed in a perfect black shirt, he carried the same calm, composed presence that seemed to follow him everywhere.

Yet his hair was a total mess....

He was exhausted...

But the moment he entered the hallway

His eyes instantly moved across the coach..

And stopped.

On Aarna.

She was laughing.

Not the polite smile people usually offered him out of respect.

Not the carefully composed expression everyone seemed to wear around him.

A genuine laugh.

Unrestrained.

Warm.

For some reason, Aadhvik noticed.

His gaze lingered for a second longer than it should have.

Aarush noticed it too.

His eyes moved from Aadhvik to Aarna, then back to his brother.

A mischievous smile slowly appeared on his face.

“Well,” he announced, taking a deliberate step backward, “I'll leave before the silent staring competition begins.”

Aarna's laughter immediately died.

She looked away the moment their eyes met.

“I wasn't staring.”

Aadhvik raised an eyebrow.

“Neither was I.”

Aarush pressed his lips together, clearly trying not to laugh.

“Of course.”

He walked away before either of them could respond.

Silence settled between them.

Aarna suddenly became very interested in adjusting the edge of her dupatta.

Aadhvik stood a few feet away, watching her quietly.

The silence wasn't exactly uncomfortable.

Just… unfamiliar.

Finally, Aarna looked up.

A small smile played on her lips.

“You always have an answer, don't you?”

Aadhvik's expression remained composed.

“Usually.”

Aarna tilted her head.

“That must be exhausting.”

He looked at her.

“Being honest?”

She smiled.

“Being so serious.”

For a moment, Aadhvik simply stared at her.

Then something almost imperceptible changed in his expression.

The slightest curve appeared at the corner of his lips.

Almost a smile.

Almost.

Aarna noticed it immediately.

Her eyes widened slightly.

“Did you just smile?”

The almost-smile disappeared.

“No.”

Aarna's lips curved into a teasing grin.

“You did.”

“I didn't.”

“You definitely did.”

Aadhvik looked away, his expression returning to its usual calm.

“You're imagining things.”

Aarna laughed softly.

And this time, Aadhvik didn't look away.

He simply watched her.

Perhaps Aarush had been right about one thing.

Something had changed the moment she walked into the room.

He just wasn't sure what it was yet.

As the evening progressed, the engagement preparations continued around them.

The mansion grew busier with every passing minute.

Staff moved around carrying trays and decorations. Family members discussed arrangements, florists made last-minute adjustments, and everyone seemed to have something to say about the upcoming ceremony.

Aarna stood quietly for a moment, taking it all in.

And then she noticed something.

Everyone treated Aadhvik differently.

There was an invisible distance around him.

People approached him carefully.

Employees spoke to him with respect.

Even relatives seemed to think twice before interrupting him.

It was almost as if he existed behind an invisible wall.

Untouchable.

Unapproachable.

Aarna had noticed it before.

But tonight, she began noticing something else too.

Little things.

Things most people probably overlooked.

A staff member approached him with a question about the decorations.

Aadhvik listened without interrupting.

When the man finished explaining, Aadhvik simply nodded.

“Thank you. Please take care of it.”

The worker looked almost surprised by the simple acknowledgment before smiling and walking away.

Later, his mother mentioned that she wanted a particular arrangement changed.

Aadhvik didn't dismiss her suggestion.

He listened.

Actually listened.

Then he quietly instructed the staff to make the changes she wanted.

And when someone brought up the engagement arrangements, his attention shifted towards Aarna.

“What do you prefer?”

Aarna blinked.

“Me?”

“Yes.”

She glanced around.

Everyone else seemed surprised by the question.

Aadhvik didn't seem to notice.

Or perhaps he simply didn't care.

“What would you like?” he asked again.

Aarna hesitated before giving her opinion.

And he listened.

No interruption.

No judgment.

No attempt to impose his own decision.

He simply listened.

As the preparations continued, Aarna found herself watching him more carefully.

Maybe the world had misunderstood him.

Or maybe she had.

Everyone called him cold.

A man without emotions.

Someone who was impossible to approach.

But she was beginning to notice the cracks in that image.

The quiet thank - you's

The way he listened to his mother.

The way he noticed whether the staff needed anything.

The way he made sure her preferences were considered without making a show of it.

He didn't express warmth in grand gestures.

He didn't speak unnecessarily.

He didn't wear his emotions openly.

But perhaps that didn't mean he didn't have them.

Aarna lowered her gaze, a faint smile touching her lips.

Maybe Aadhvik Raichand wasn't cold after all.

Maybe he was simply someone who had never learned how to show warmth.

And somehow, that realisation made him seem a little less intimidating.

A little more human.

For the first time, Aarna wondered what kind of person existed behind that perfectly controlled expression.

The man the world knew…

and the man she was slowly beginning to notice.

They might not be the same person at all.

.

.

.

.

The very next night,

The Raichand mansion was transformed into a spectacle of lights, flowers, and celebration.

What had begun as a simple announcement had now become an official engagement ceremony.

The grand hall glittered beneath hundreds of crystal lights. White and pastel flowers adorned every corner, while elegant decorations stretched across the venue.

Guests from both families filled the mansion, along with close friends, business associates, and a select number of media representatives.

The news had already spread across the country.

And tonight, the world would finally get its first official glimpse of the couple everyone had been talking about.

Aarna stood backstage, nervously adjusting the delicate fabric of her outfit.

Her heart was beating faster than usual.

She had barely had time to process everything.

Just days ago, she had been an ordinary twenty-one-year-old college student.

And now—

she was standing in one of the most prestigious mansions in the entire city, dressed for her engagement to one of the country's most powerful businessmen.

Her life had changed so quickly that sometimes she wondered if she was still living her own life or someone else's.

Arana's Engagement look....

Aadhvik's Engagement look ........

Across the hall, Aadhvik stood surrounded by his family.

He looked exactly as the world expected him to.

Calm.

Composed.

Impeccably dressed.

Completely unaffected by the attention surrounding him.

But beneath that controlled exterior, even he knew tonight was different.

This wasn't a business meeting.

There was no contract to negotiate.

No merger to approve.

No decision he could reverse with a signature.

This was personal.

And for once, his personal life was no longer something he could keep behind closed doors.

The lights dimmed slightly.

The conversations gradually faded.

Then the announcement came.

“Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome the soon-to-be engaged couple…”

The cameras immediately began flashing.

Aadhvik stepped forward.

Aarna followed.

For a moment, their eyes met across the distance.

Aadhvik offered her a small, reassuring nod and offered his hand.....

Aarna took a quiet breath and walked towards him hand in hand

The cameras flashed even faster.

Click.

Click.

Click.

Photographers called their names.

“Mr. Raichand, look this way!”

“Ma'am, one picture together!”

“A little closer, please!”

The world was watching.

And in that moment, they looked exactly like the perfect couple.

A powerful businessman and an elegant young woman.

Two families standing proudly behind them.

Two worlds coming together.

A picture-perfect beginning.

But only Aadhvik and Aarna knew the truth.

They weren't a couple who had spent years dreaming of this moment.

They weren't childhood sweethearts.

They weren't two people who had slowly fallen in love.

They were, in many ways, still strangers.

Two people who had been brought together by circumstances neither of them had planned.

And yet, tonight, they were standing side by side at the beginning of something neither could predict.

The ring ceremony began.

Aarna looked down at the ring resting in the small velvet box.

For a second, she hesitated.

Not because she wanted to run.

But because the weight of the moment suddenly felt real.

Aadhvik noticed.

Without saying anything, he extended his hand toward her.

A silent reassurance.

Aarna looked at him.

Then, slowly, she smiled.

She took the ring.

And slipped it onto his finger.

The hall erupted into applause.

Cameras flashed again.

Aadhvik looked down at the ring.

A simple band.

Yet somehow, it felt heavier than any business decision he had ever made.

Then it was his turn.

He picked up Aarna's ring.

His fingers paused for the briefest moment before he gently took her hand.

Aarna looked at him.

Their eyes met.

Neither said anything.

He slipped the ring onto her finger.

More applause.

More flashes.

More congratulations.

Someone behind them laughed.

Their families smiled.

The cameras captured every angle.

And within minutes, photographs of the newly engaged couple were already beginning to circulate.

The world saw perfection.

Aadhvik Raichand looked every bit like the powerful fiancé everyone had imagined.

Aarna stood beside him, graceful and composed.

Together, they looked like they belonged in the pages of a magazine.

But beneath the lights and smiles, they were still trying to understand what had just happened.

Aadhvik glanced down at the ring on his finger.

Then he looked at Aarna.

She was doing the same.

Her eyes were fixed on the ring that now symbolised a future she had never imagined.

Neither of them knew when it had happened.

There had been no grand confession.

No dramatic declaration.

No sudden realisation that they were meant for each other.

Nothing like that.

Just small moments.

A conversation.

A shared smile.

A quiet understanding.

A little teasing.

A few thoughtful gestures.

And somewhere between the promises they had made, the silences they had shared, and the moments neither of them had thought much about…

something had begun to form.

Something small.

Something fragile.

Something neither of them was ready to name.

Perhaps it wasn't love.

Not yet.

Perhaps it was simply the beginning of understanding.

The beginning of curiosity.

The beginning of a connection neither had expected.

Aadhvik looked at Aarna once more.

She caught his gaze.

For a moment, neither looked away.

Then the cameras flashed again.

And they turned towards the crowd.

Smiling for the world.

But somewhere beneath those carefully practiced smiles, something had changed.

They had entered this engagement as two strangers.

___________________________________________________________

Thank you so much Adhys.....

.

.Do lemme know the reviews

.

.Hope you guys liked this chapter...

To be continued.......