Shaurya’s POV

"Revenge tastes best when served cold."

Tonight, I would take the first step toward destroying the family that had stolen everything from me. I had spent years preparing for this moment, making ruthless decisions to ensure my plan unfolded with precision. The Singhaniyas would fall, piece by piece, until there was nothing left but regret and ruin.

At the center of it all stood Aarvi Singhaniya.

Her name had been nothing more than a target at first—just another pawn in my long game of vengeance. But then, I saw her.

Too soft. Too untouched by the blood-soaked legacy her family carried.

She didn’t belong in this world of darkness, but that didn’t matter. She was my leverage, my weapon, the key to breaking them from the inside.

A slow smirk ghosted my lips as I took a sip of my drink.

She wouldn’t see me coming.

And when she did, it would already be too late.

My thoughts came to a halt when I saw Aarav Singhaniya heading toward me.

Aarav is a man of his words. He is sharp and talented but he won't be able to protect his family from my wrath.

We exchanged words—formal, calculated—but then my gaze drifted. And that’s when I saw her.

She stood there in her lavender dress that hugged her body perfectly, as if it were made just for her. She was breathtaking—delicate yet mesmerizing, like a butterfly caught in a fleeting moment of grace.

Aarav eyes followed mine, and the moment he noticed, his jaw clenched.

He turned slightly, his expression hardening. "Aarvi, meet Shaurya Singh Rathore."

She stepped forward, her presence delicate yet commanding. "Hello," she greeted, her voice soft, almost hesitant.

"Hello."

We shook hands. Soft. That was the first thought I had when I touched her. She was delicate—too delicate for the world she belonged to.

She excused herself after a moment, but I didn’t take my eyes off her. I should have. But I didn’t.

I tried to shake off the strange feeling settling in my chest, but it lingered. My gaze followed her retreating figure, and I knew—her brother noticed it too.

His voice was low, edged with warning. "Stay away from her. Don’t set your sights on Aarvi." His jaw clenched as he spoke.

I smirked, amusement flickering in my eyes. "Too late. She’s already caught them."

His fists tightened, and I leaned in slightly. "She’s too pretty to look away from, don’t you think?"

His anger was palpable. "She’s innocent. Don’t drag her into this."

I chuckled darkly. Innocent? Yes. But that didn’t change anything. She was the only key to my revenge. And I would take it.

I stepped back, turning on my heel. Just before leaving, I glanced at him one last time.

"But what if she likes me?"

That hit a nerve.

Aarav Singhaniya stood there, jaw locked, fists clenched, as I walked away with a smirk playing on my lips.

-----------

I watched her as she excused herself from the crowd and slipped away down the hallway. My eyes never left her as she moved farther from the noise.

Unable to resist, I followed her.

Just as she stumbled, about to fall, I caught her. Her body pressed against mine, the warmth of her skin against my chest. She stood there, too close—close enough that I could feel her breath, soft and shaky. She opened her mouth to speak, but the words barely escaped her lips, a whisper lost in the air.

Before I could stop myself, I pulled her wrist, forcing her to collide with me once again.

She was so close to me, her body pressed against mine. I could hear the rapid beat of her heart, so soft and fragile beneath her chest. She felt like silk in my arms, delicate and unguarded.

"Aarvi," I murmured, my voice low and commanding. "You belong to me now."

The words slipped from my lips before I could stop them, and she stood there, frozen. Confusion flickered in her eyes, as if she couldn’t decide whether it was my actions or my words that left her unsettled.

I quickly adjusted my words, hiding it from her . "Oh, you will fall," I said, my tone cold, laced with a warning she wasn’t ready for.

She pulled herself away from my arms, and for some reason, I didn’t like it. It shouldn’t have felt nice, but it did. There was something about her being in my arms that felt... good. I couldn’t understand why.

"Thank you," she said, her voice soft.

"Welcome"i said in response, my eyes not leaving her. "Nice meeting you, Aarvi Singhaniya."

She turned, her heels clicking against the floor as she moved to walk away. I watched her, the words slipping from my mouth before I could stop them.

"You're mine."

I didn’t know when they left my lips, but I saw her freeze. She stood there, as still as a statue, her back to me, and I was certain she heard me. But I didn’t stay to find out. I turned and left.

This... this experience felt off. Weird. I couldn’t shake the feeling that something was stirring inside me, something I didn’t want to acknowledge. But it felt too real to ignore.

No. It wasn’t anything. I couldn’t let it be. I had to stay focused on my revenge.

I needed to trap her. And now, as the investor in her company, it was time to set my plan into motion.

I would meet her again. She had no idea what was coming, but she would. I was going to destroy her, piece by piece.

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I returned to the party, my thoughts still lingering on Aarvi. But to my surprise, Aarav Singhaniya encountered me once more—this time, with a sharp warning in his eyes.

“Stay away from my sister,” he said, his voice cutting through the air, his tone cold and firm. “This is the first and last warning, Shaurya. She doesn’t belong in this business, and I’d appreciate it if you kept your distance.”

A slow smirk spread across my face. I knew exactly what he was doing—the protective older brother routine. It only fueled the fire within me.

That’s when it hit me. Aarvi wasn’t just leverage—she was the key to everything. The best pawn I could’ve asked for in my game of revenge.

“Are you threatening me?” I asked, my voice dripping with mockery.

Aarav didn’t flinch. “No, it’s not a threat, it’s the truth. Keep an eye on her, and there will be consequences,” he said, his eyes narrowed, his warning clear.

I raised an eyebrow, amused by his audacity. “Well, well. It’s nice meeting you, Mr. Singhaniya.”

I turned on my heel, the words hanging in the air between us, the tension thick enough to suffocate anyone else. But not me. I was already walking away, a smile still tugging at my lips.

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I arrived home and stepped onto my floor, only to find my dad's wife there with food—as always. I ignored her, just like every other day, and walked straight to my room. After changing into something more comfortable, I headed to my study. Sleep was a luxury I had long forgotten; work was my only escape.

I was working—or at least pretending to. My mind was elsewhere, completely consumed by Aarvi. Her face lingered in my thoughts, and I kept replaying our conversation. She was delicate, her voice soft and fragile. I had no idea why I was thinking about her, but I was.

I should be focused on trapping her. That was the plan, after all. And I already knew exactly how to do it.

----------

The night passed quickly. I had barely managed three hours of sleep before leaving for my company. Work awaited, but before reaching out to the Singhania princess, a thought crossed my mind—Shouldn’t we meet first?

Dismissing the thought, I buried myself in work, letting the hours slip by. It wasn’t until evening that I finally texted her.

"Meet me tomorrow. 11 AM. The café."

Now, it was time to set the trap. And I knew exactly how to do it.

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The café was quiet, a stark contrast to the storm brewing inside me.

I stepped in, my eyes instantly finding her.

Aarvi Singhaniya.

She sat by the window, lost in thought, absently stirring her coffee. Delicate. Poised. Completely unaware of the fact that she was walking straight into my trap.

I took my time approaching, watching as she shifted slightly, her body sensing my presence before she even saw me.

Good. She should feel me coming.

I slid into the seat beside her—not across. Close enough that I caught the sharp inhale she tried to suppress.

Her voice was calm, but her shoulders had gone stiff. “Most people prefer to sit in front of the person they’re meeting.”

I smirked. “I’m not most people.”

She exhaled through her nose, fingers tightening around her cup. “Why did you ask me to meet you?”

Straight to the point. I liked that.

I leaned back, studying her. “You’re curious about me.”

She scoffed. “Hardly.”

I tilted my head. “Then why are you here?”

Silence.

Her jaw clenched slightly, but she didn’t answer.

I chuckled, shaking my head. “Exactly.”

She hated that I was right. I could see it in the way her fingers twitched slightly, the way her lips pressed together.

For a moment, I let the silence stretch, let her feel the weight of my presence. Then, I spoke.

“Let’s talk about your company, Butterfly.”

Her head snapped toward me, eyes narrowing.

There it was. That spark.

“I don’t recall giving you permission to call me that,” she said, voice even but laced with annoyance.

I smirked. “Good thing I don’t need your permission.”

She inhaled sharply, probably debating whether to argue. Instead, she chose control. Smart girl.

“What about my company?” she asked.

I took a slow sip of my coffee before answering. “You already know I’m the biggest investor.”

Her expression didn’t change. “And?”

I leaned in, just enough that my voice dropped to something only she could hear. Something dangerous.

“And that means I own a part of it. A part of you.”

Her lips parted slightly, but she caught herself. “You don’t own me.”

I chuckled, slow and dark. “Not yet.”

She held my gaze, searching for something—weakness, hesitation, anything she could use against me.

She wouldn’t find one.

“I don’t make bad investments, Butterfly,” I murmured, dragging out the nickname just to see the irritation flicker in her eyes. “I make calculated ones. And you? You’re either going to be my best decision… or my worst mistake.”

She straightened her back, forcing a smile. “I’ll make sure it’s the latter.”

My smirk deepened. Oh, Butterfly. You have no idea what’s coming.

This was only the beginning.

And she was already caught in my web.

------

Aarvi’s forced smile didn’t fool me. She wanted to appear unaffected, but I could see through the cracks.

She shifted slightly in her seat, putting a fraction of distance between us, as if that could change anything. As if she wasn’t already in my grasp.

I let the silence stretch, let her sit in the tension for a moment. Then, I leaned back, casually stirring my coffee. “Tell me, Butterfly, how’s business treating you?”

Her jaw tightened at the nickname, but she didn’t react otherwise.

“It’s going well,” she said smoothly. “Not that it’s any of your concern.”

I chuckled. “That’s where you’re wrong. It’s entirely my concern.”

Her fingers drummed lightly against the cup. “You may have invested, but that doesn’t mean you get to control everything.”

I smirked, tilting my head. “Doesn’t it?”

Her eyes flashed with something sharp. Anger? Defiance? Good. I wanted her to fight back—I wanted to break that control, piece by piece.

“I have a proposal for you,” I continued, keeping my voice measured, controlled.

Aarvi exhaled, clearly irritated. “I don’t recall asking for one.”

I ignored her. “You’re expanding, aren’t you?”

She went still for a fraction of a second. A small hesitation—but I caught it.

Her voice remained steady. “That’s confidential information.”

I chuckled. “Come on, Butterfly. Nothing about your business is confidential from me. I know the board is pushing for expansion. I also know you’re struggling to get certain clearances.”

Her fingers gripped the handle of her cup a little tighter.

Bingo.

I leaned in, my voice dropping just enough to make her uncomfortable. “I can make those problems disappear.”

Her eyes met mine, unwavering. “And what do you want in return?”

I smirked. “You.”

A slow breath escaped her lips, and for the first time since we sat down, I saw it—uncertainty.

Good.

She shook her head, recovering quickly. “I don’t know what kind of games you’re playing, but I don’t mix business with—”

“This isn’t a game, Butterfly.” My voice turned sharp, cutting through whatever excuse she was about to give me.

I leaned in further, close enough that she could feel my presence. “I want control of your company.”

Her expression hardened. “Absolutely not.”

I chuckled, taking another sip of my coffee. “You will.”

She stood up abruptly, chair scraping against the floor. “I don’t owe you anything, Shaurya. You may be my company’s investor, but you are not my owner.”

I smirked, tilting my head. “Not yet.”

Her fists clenched at her sides, frustration radiating off her. She wanted to argue, to throw something back at me, but she knew I held the power.

So, instead, she turned on her heel.

I let her leave. For now.

I watched as she disappeared through the café doors, my smirk never faltering.

She thought she had a choice.

She’d realize soon enough—she never did.

This was only the beginning.

And Aarvi Singhaniya was already mine.

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Guys this was the first glimpse of Shaurya and his thoughts.

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Happy reading sunshine's