Aarvi pov:

The sun barely peeked through the curtains when I sat across from Papa in his study, my hands clenched together. Today was the day. No turning back.

"Some wars are fought with swords. Others, with silence."

I sat across from Papa in his study, my nails digging into my palms beneath the table. The weight of my secret pressed against my chest, but I refused to crumble under it. Today, I would tell him. Today, I would claim my independence.

"Papa, I need to talk to you," I said, my voice steady but my heart racing.

He glanced up from his newspaper, his sharp eyes locking onto mine. "Go on."

This was it. No turning back now.

The sound of my own heartbeat filled my ears.

I had rehearsed this conversation a hundred times, whispering the words to my reflection, convincing myself that I was ready.

He looked up from his newspaper, raising an eyebrow. "What is it, Aarvi?"

I took a deep breath. "I’ve started my own business. A startup. It’s small now, but I’ve been working on it for over a year. And I’m serious about it." I said in one go.

The silence that followed was deafening. His expression didn’t change at first, but the way he set the newspaper down sent a wave of unease through me.

"A business?" His voice was calm—too calm.

"Yes," I said firmly, bracing myself. "I don’t want to marry into wealth or live under anyone’s shadow. I want to build something of my own."

His fingers tapped against the table, his sharp eyes studying me. "And when exactly were you planning to tell me this?"

I swallowed. "Today."

Papa exhaled sharply, shaking his head. "You’re playing with things you don’t understand, princess.  Business is not a game."

A flicker of frustration burned in my chest, but I kept my voice steady. "I know it’s not a game, Papa. That’s why I’ve worked hard for this. I’ve built it from scratch. I’ve studied, planned, invested—"

"You invested?" His voice sharpened, his gaze narrowing.

I hesitated, but only for a second. "Yes. I used the savings I had. And I found an investor."

The air in the room shifted. My father leaned forward, his expression unreadable. "Who?"

I swallowed. "It doesn’t matter—"

"It matters." His voice was dangerously quiet now. "Who gave you the money, Aarvi?"

My throat went dry. I had planned everything—except for this moment. Telling him would only make things worse, but lying wasn’t an option.

I clenched my fists, forcing myself to speak.

"Shaurya Singh Rathore."

A heavy silence fell over the room, thick and suffocating. My father’s expression turned unreadable, but my brother—who had just stepped inside—froze in place.

"What did you just say?" My brother’s voice was sharp, almost lethal.

I met his gaze, standing my ground. "Shaurya Singh Rathore invested in my business."

My father exhaled slowly, his eyes dark as a storm. "Do you have any idea what you've done?"

I lifted my chin. "I’ve secured my future."

"No, Aarvi." His voice was deathly quiet. "You’ve just sold your soul to the devil.

I squared my shoulders, meeting my father’s sharp gaze. "I know what I have done, Papa. But no one knows this is my company. Shaurya is just an investor—he doesn’t have equity. Though he’s the biggest investor right now, the majority of my company’s shares belong to me. And I can handle it."

Papa exhaled sharply, running a hand through his hair. "You think business is just about numbers and contracts?" His voice was laced with frustration. "Aarvi, you don’t know what men like Shaurya Singh Rathore are capable of."

A bitter laugh almost escaped my lips. "So, because I’m your daughter, I’m incapable of handling this? Papa, I built this company from the ground up. I have spent nights planning every detail, securing every deal, and making sure I don’t get exploited. You taught me everything I know about business, and now you’re doubting me?"

Bhai scoffed, stepping forward. His face was tight with controlled anger. "Doubt isn’t the problem, princess . The problem is him. Do you even know what kind of man he is?"

I clenched my jaw. "I know enough."

"No, you don’t," Bhai snapped. "Shaurya Singh Rathore doesn’t do anything without a price. If he invested in you, it’s because he sees something he can take from you. And trust me, he will."

My stomach twisted at his words, but I kept my expression unreadable. "I have a legal agreement with him, Bhai. He doesn’t control anything. And even if he tries, I know how to fight back."

Papa shook his head, his voice heavy with something deeper than anger—fear. "You don’t understand, beta. He doesn’t play fair."

Silence stretched between us.

I held my ground, refusing to let their words shake me. "Then I guess we’ll see, won’t we?"

Papa let out a slow breath, his expression hardening. "Fine," he said, his voice dangerously low. "But remember this, Aarvi—when the time comes, when you realize what you’ve done, don’t expect me to save you."

Something inside me cracked, but I didn’t let it show. Instead, I nodded. "I won’t need saving."

I turned on my heel and walked out of the study, my heart pounding in my chest.

But as I reached the hallway, my phone buzzed.

Unknown Number: We need to talk. Now.

I stared at the message, my breath hitching.

Shaurya.

I stared at the message, my fingers trembling as I held my phone. How does he know? I hadn’t even mentioned my company to anyone, let alone my involvement in it. My mind scrambled, trying to make sense of it all. Could he have found out through a leak? But I was careful—so careful. I made sure to keep my identity hidden. No one knew it was me running the show. So how?

Was Shaurya watching me? The thought made my stomach churn.

I ran my fingers through my hair, looking back at the phone, the words staring at me. He knows about me. About my company.

I had to figure this out. There had to be a logical explanation. Maybe he knew something I didn’t. But how? How did he connect me to the company? My heart thudded in my chest as my thoughts spiraled.

I couldn’t sit still. My legs started moving before I even realized it. I needed air, I needed space to think. I grabbed my bag and rushed towards the door. I couldn’t let my father see my panic. He’d already warned me—told me I was playing with fire. If he knew what was happening, he’d stop me, and I couldn’t afford that.

The door swung open, and Bhai appeared, his gaze immediately falling on the phone in my hand. “What’s wrong, princess?”

His eyes flickered with concern. I couldn't hide it anymore. “It’s a message from Shaurya,” I muttered, my voice barely above a whisper. “He knows...”

“Knows what?” Bhai’s face turned serious.

“About me. About my company. He knows it’s mine.” I could hear the panic creeping into my voice.

He stood frozen for a moment, disbelief flashing across his face. “That’s impossible.”

“I know!” I snapped, frustration bubbling up. “But he knows. How? I never told anyone!”

Bhai stepped closer, his brow furrowing. “Are you sure?”

I nodded, biting my lip. “I never told anyone. I’ve kept everything under wraps. He’s just an investor. Nothing more.” I shook my head, not sure if I was trying to convince myself or him.

“He can’t know,” Bhai said, more to himself than to me.

“But he does,” I whispered, my mind spinning. “He knows, and I don’t know how.”

I felt my breath quicken, my heartbeat accelerating. Was he watching me? Was he tracking me all this time, waiting for the right moment to expose me? It wasn’t supposed to be like this.

“I have to go,” I said suddenly, panic making my voice rise. “I need to figure this out.”

Bhai didn’t protest, but his concern was clear. “You’ll be careful, right?”

I barely heard him as I rushed out the door. My feet were moving on their own, but my thoughts were scattered. Shaurya’s knowledge about me—it didn’t make sense.

How did he find out? And what did he want from me?

I didn’t know what I was walking into, but I knew one thing for sure: things were about to get a lot more complicated.

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I was in full panic mode the moment I left the house. My mind was spinning, chaotic thoughts colliding with each other, and I couldn’t breathe through the storm inside my head. I needed to calm down, to stop my thoughts from spiraling out of control. But there was only one way I knew to find some peace in this mess—Evara Oberoi.

She was my troublemaker, the one who always knew how to turn my world upside down, yet somehow, in her madness, she was the calm in my chaos. She always understood me in a way no one else did, and right now, I needed her more than ever.

Without thinking twice, I drove to her place, gripping the steering wheel so tightly my knuckles turned white. The familiar route to her house didn’t seem so comforting now. My heart raced, my mind still tangled in a thousand questions.

But the thought of Evara was a lifeline I couldn’t ignore.

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I pulled up in front of her house, the city lights flickering around me. Taking a deep breath, I stepped out of the car and made my way up to her door. I knocked—hard, with no patience left for pleasantries.

The door opened almost immediately, and there she was—Evara Oberoi, my best friend, always ready with her wild smile and sharp wit. She took one look at me and raised an eyebrow, her gaze flickering with concern.

"Well, well, look who finally decided to show up. You look like you’re about to implode, Aarvi." She stepped aside, motioning for me to come in.

I didn’t say a word, just walked past her into her room, sinking into the bed, too exhausted to even pretend I was fine. She sat next to me, her eyes scanning me carefully.

"So, spill," she said, voice calm but firm. "What’s got you all worked up? And don’t even try to tell me you’re okay because I know you’re not."

I sighed, running my fingers through my hair. How was I supposed to explain everything? The confusion about Shaurya, the pressure from my family, the weight of my own decisions... it all felt like it was closing in on me.

"Ev, everything is falling apart," I finally muttered. "I’ve been trying to keep it together, but I don’t know how to fix this. Shaurya... he knows. He knows about my company, and I don’t even know how or why. He’s not just some investor. He’s... he's got his fingers in places I didn’t even know existed."

Evara studied me for a long moment, her eyes narrowing as she processed my words. She leaned forward, placing her hands on mine, her touch grounding me.

"You know what? It sounds like you're dealing with someone who plays chess while you’re still figuring out how to move your pawns," she said, her voice serious for once. "But let me tell you this: you’re not alone in this. You don’t have to fix everything right now. You have options. And you are in control, Aarvi. Don’t let anyone make you feel otherwise."

I looked up at her, her words slowly sinking in. She wasn’t panicking. She wasn’t lost. Maybe, just maybe, I could take a page from her book and not let this situation control me.

"Thanks, Ev," I whispered, feeling a little lighter. "I needed that."

Ev smirked, her usual playful grin returning. "Of course you did, idiot. Now get some rest. Tomorrow’s a new day. And remember, I’ve got your back. Always."

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The evening passed in a blur of gossip, laughter, and the familiar comfort of Evara’s company. We watched her favorite rom-com, the one she claimed had the power to fix anything, and for a while, it worked. The lighthearted jokes, the quirky characters—it was like I could breathe again, even if only for a moment.

Evara was right, the movie did ease up the tension, but that peace was short-lived.

Just as the credits rolled, my phone buzzed, pulling me back into the chaos. I glanced at the screen, my heart instantly skipping a beat as I saw the name flashing at the top—Shaurya Singh Rathore.

I hesitated, the weight of the message sinking into my chest. I opened it slowly, and there it was:

"Let's meet, Aarvi Singhaniya. Tomorrow, sharp 11 AM at Moon Café."

I blinked, my thoughts halting in their tracks. My stomach flipped. Of all the people, why him? Why now?

I set the phone down, trying to stay calm, but I could feel the rush of panic creeping up my throat. How did he know to contact me? What did he want? And, more importantly... why did he sound so certain?

"Everything okay?" Evara’s voice cut through the fog in my mind, and I realized I hadn’t said anything for a while.

I forced a smile, picking up my phone again and glancing at the message. "It’s nothing. Just... something I need to take care of tomorrow."

Evara arched an eyebrow, but she didn’t press. She knew better than anyone when I needed space. "Alright, well, you know where to find me if you need anything."

I nodded, appreciating her understanding. "Thanks, Ev."

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Now, I’m back in my bed, staring at the ceiling, the message from Shaurya playing over and over in my head. Tomorrow, 11 AM.

Why did he want to meet? The whole thing was... off. It wasn’t like him to be direct like this. And the more I thought about it, the more confused I became. Was he going to try to manipulate me? Was this his way of warning me? My hands trembled as I thought of his words earlier, the way he’d touched me at the party. You are mine.

I could still feel the imprint of his touch, his gaze—a promise, a threat. It was so hard to tell with him, to know if he was playing a game or if he actually meant it. My mind whirled in circles, trying to come up with a reason why he’d want to meet me now, of all times.

But the answer didn’t come.

And so, I lay there, restless, my body tangled in the sheets, my mind caught between fear and curiosity. I couldn’t stop thinking about it.

What did Shaurya want from me?

I stared at the time on my phone—nearly midnight. Tomorrow would come too soon.

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This was chapter 2 guys, what are yoyr thoughts about evara and also what Shaurya wants are you excited for their meet?????

Lets catch up in next chapter please do not forget to vote. Thanku so much

Happy reading sunshine's