Author's POV :
The engagement was finally over. One by one, guests began to leave — smiles exchanged, blessings shared, and the grand Rathore Mansion slowly returned to silence. The celebration, filled with lights and laughter, faded into the soft hush of the night.
Back inside, in the quiet of her room, Aadhya changed into something comfortable, but her thoughts weren't letting her rest. Why does his face feel so... familiar? she wondered. The way he looked at her, the way her heart raced — it wasn't normal. There was something in Shivaay Khandelwal's eyes... something that mirrored her own chaos.
On the other side of the city, Shivaay sat alone on his balcony, staring into the darkness. He had always been calm, cold, and unbothered. But ever since he bumped into her — that girl with fire in her eyes and boldness in her voice — something stirred in him. A strange ache in his heart. An echo from somewhere he couldn't place. And that guy with her... Shivaay clenched his jaw. He didn't like the way he smiled at her. He didn't like the way she smiled back.
"Who is she?" he asked himself. And why does her voice sound like something I lost long ago?
Restless, Shivaay picked up his phone.
For the first time in years, he hesitated before texting.
But then, he did.
"Miss Rathore, we need to discuss the project. Let's meet. Tomorrow. 11 AM. The Haven Café."
He didn't want to talk business at a family function. But maybe, just maybe... it was more than just business now.
The next morning, soft rays of sunlight streamed through the curtains, gently waking Aadhya, who still had sleep in her eyes. She sat up slowly, stretching, until a sudden thought snapped her awake—he had called her.
Shivaay Khandelwal.
The name alone made her frown with irritation.
"Ugh, no. I'm not meeting him," she mumbled to herself.
Getting out of bed, she began thinking. I'll talk to Papa. I don't want to work on this project. There are plenty of things I can do in the company—why him, of all people?
She got ready quickly and made her way downstairs. But the moment she entered the dining area, she sensed something was off. The atmosphere was heavy. Everyone sat in silence. Her mother, Shalini, looked at her helplessly. Aarav sat quietly, clearly upset, and her father, Suket Rathore, looked tense and stern.
Aadhya took a seat and asked cautiously, "What happened? Why is everyone so serious?"
Her mother leaned in and whispered, "Papa and Aarav fought again. Your father wants him to join the business, but Aarav refused."
Aarav, without making eye contact, said sharply, "I've already started my own venture. I'm not interested in taking over Papa's business. Why is that so hard to accept?"
Suket's voice boomed across the table, "Because I didn't build this empire for outsiders! I built it for my children. Look at Shivaay Khandelwal—he's your age and not only managing his own business but also supporting his father's!"
Just hearing that name made Aadhya's temper rise. Before she could stop herself, she blurted, "Papa, please! Aarav is doing really well. It's his life, let him choose his own path. And about Shivaay Khandelwal—I don't want to work with him!"
The room fell silent.
Suket turned toward her slowly, his expression darkening. His voice was colder now.
"Enough. You will do this project. I don't want to hear any more excuses. Shivaay called me personally, and I told him you'd handle it. This is your responsibility."
Aadhya stared at him, stunned. Her father rarely spoke to her in this tone.
"You and Aarav are both starting to fly a little too high. Aarav doesn't listen anymore—and now you too? No. You're going to meet Shivaay and give me updates. That's final."
Without saying a word, Aadhya stood up. Her face was unreadable, but inside, her emotions churned. She hated comparisons—especially to him.
And now, she had no choice but to meet the one person she had no intention of seeing again.
But little did she know…
Destiny had already started weaving a new chapter.
After leaving the house, Aadhya didn't want to meet Shivaay, but she had no choice. Her father had made it clear—and this time, there was no escaping.
Meanwhile, in a different part of the city, Shivaay Khandelwal was also getting ready. He wore a crisp black formal shirt, his look sharp as ever, but his mind was somewhere else. I don't know why this meeting feels different. It's just business. He shook the thought away and left for the venue.
The meeting was set in one of Jaipur's most luxurious places—The Oberoi Rajvilas. Royal, elegant, and peaceful—just the kind of place chosen for high-level business talks. As her car pulled up to the grand entrance, Aadhya took a deep breath. Calm down. Be professional. Just finish the meeting and leave.
She entered the lounge area where Shivaay was already seated, his expression unreadable. She walked up to the table confidently. Their eyes met. For a second, there was a silence—not uncomfortable, but heavy.
"Miss Rathore," Shivaay said calmly, standing up with a slight nod.
"Mr. Khandelwal," she replied, sitting down across from him.
They exchanged some basic greetings, and soon got into the actual work.
"So, The Haveli project," Shivaay began, sliding a file across the table, "This place has immense potential. If we renovate and turn it into a heritage hotel, the profits can be huge. Tourists love that royal, rustic vibe."
Aadhya opened the file and skimmed through. "The location is solid. The structure is ancient, but it still has strength. We'd have to preserve the heritage look."
Shivaay nodded. "Exactly. We won't touch the soul of the place—just enhance it. Add luxury, preserve history."
Aadhya added, "And we'll need government clearance. The property is old. The heritage department will get involved."
Shivaay was impressed. He leaned back slightly and said, "You've done your homework."
"I always do," she replied, without breaking eye contact.
There was a pause. Neither of them wanted to admit it, but something about this interaction felt... different. Strange. Like a pull. A familiarity. But neither brought it up.
And both ignored it.
Just like that, the two sat across the table—speaking of plans, budgets, timelines—but somewhere deep down, there was something else going on. A silent layer that even they weren't ready to understand yet.
But destiny? It was already watching closely.