Same day, 12:30 AM

Drishti was walking from the side of the pool with a file in her hands when she collided with Mahima.

She widened her eyes, apologizing while bowing continuously
"I'm so sorry mam I didn't see you I'm so sorry!"

"Oh my God Drishti, chill out. It's fine! By the way, did you had your dinner?"

"No ma'am."

"Yeh Rakshit bhi na! Staffs bhi apne jaise rakta hai. Workaholic."

[Oh this Rakshit. He keeps staffs just like him. Workaholic]

"Just go, eat something and then sleep! We have engagement tomorrow, remember? You have to look after the decorations and all!"

"Yes ma'am, I remember! Surely will eat and sleep in sometime." Drishti smiled.

"I'll see you later then, mam." She bowed and walked away.

She had her dinner and went towards her room to sleep but it was locked.

"Locked? Who locked it knowing I'm going to stay here? Oh god!"

She sighed.

She didn't asked anyone for the keys because it was past 1 AM and everyone was asleep.

She saw a room opposite to hers and it was empty.

"Kanha ji, thank you!" She thanked her Kanha ji before entering into the room.

She kept her suitcase aside and laid down on the bed and someone screamed.

"Aaaaaaa!!" Drishti screamed too and jumped back, turning on the lights just to see Divya there.

"Miss PA what are you doing here in my room!?"

"Look, my room is locked and I cannot disturb anyone else at this time. So I'll sleep here in this room with you."

"WHAT?! NO WAY!!"

"Yahh!! Let me!"

"No no no Miss PA no damn way! Go and sleep on the sofa!"

"Oh shut up, I'm sleeping here and here only!"

"Yah- you know what! Fine!" Divya said and slept on the left side of the bed.

"Hush, finally." Drishti changed into her casuals and slept on the right side. She was so tired that she fell asleep the moment her back touched the soft bed.

━━༻❁༺━━

RAKSHIT'S ROOM

He and his mom are sitting on the bed, having a serious conversation.

"Ma, how can you fix my engagement without even asking me once?"

"Beta, I'm your mom. I know what's the best for you."

"I don't like Lavanya at all. First, you literally FORCED me to get into a relationship with her when I TOLD you I have NO feelings for her! And now, I'll have to marry her and ruin both of our lives!"

"You'll start liking her after marriage."

"I couldn't like her in these 7 years we spent together, I couldn't like her in these 6 months of our so-called "relationship", how will I like her now? You knew we both are just good friends. She likes me, yes. But I don't. Yet you're forcing me to marry her! Why ma?"

"Because you'll turn 26 in 2 weeks, Rakshit! Guruji said you have to get married before your 26th birthday and I couldn't find anyone else besides Lavanya who's good for you."

"Are you serious? You're getting me married to someone I don't even like JUST because of Guruji's weird thoughts?" He recieved a slap by his mother as a response. He kept his hand on his cheek and looked at his mother who was crying.

"Beta, Guruji was never wrong. Your life can be in danger if you don't get married before you turn 26. You might die! Please Rakshit, just for your mother, can't you do this? Please?"

"But-"

"No buts Rakshit. Tu mere liye itna bhi nhi kar sakta? I've never asked you for anything but this is the first and last time I'm asking you. Please. I beg you." She said and was about to hold his legs. [You can't do this for me?]

"MA! WHAT ARE YOU DOING!" He shouted before pulling his mother into a hug.

"Sure, ma. I'll get married soon. Don't worry. I'll do that... just for you..."

His mother looked at him lovingly before saying "Thank you so much, Rakshit beta."

He mentally sighed and closed his eyes.

He didn't wanted to marry Lavanya but he has to because of his mother.

His mother left. He changed into his black tshirt and trousers before falling into a deep slumber with a million thoughts in his mind.

━━༻❁༺━━

NEXT MORNING

Today is Rakshit's engagement day and the whole Shergill house is busy in preparations.

"Yes yes! Keep it this way. Right. It looks good like this." Mahima was guarding the decorators who were assigned to decorate the whole Shergill house.

"Ms. Sud, Mr. Agarwal is visiting us today at 7:30 PM. Take him to the 15th floor whenever he arrives."

"Sure sir!"

Divya, who was roaming in the house saw Rakshit and immediately started drooling over him.

"Haaye mera prince charming! I'll surely make you mine!"
[Oh, my prince charming!]

She mumbled before running towards him while shouting "RAKSHIT!!"

He rolled his eyes annoyingly, and instructed Drishti

"Ms. Sud, your first and foremost work, keep this girl away from me!"

"Yes sir."

He walked in the opposite direction and Divya was about to run towards him when Drishti blocked her way.

"Where are you going Ms. Doctor?"

"To my prince charming! Move from the way now!"

"Oho, prince charming? Your so-called prince charming is getting engaged in a few hours so STAY AWAY!"

"Just shut up Ms. PA! I'll stop this engagement!"

"Oh really?"

"Yes! Now get out of my way!"

"Huh, in your dreams!"

"I challenge you Ms. PA, Aaj engagement nhi hogi!"
[Engagement will not take place today]

"Let's see miss doctor!" She let Divya go when she noticed Rakshit left already.

Divya mumbled angrily "is PA ki bacchi ko toh dekh lungi!"
(I'll see this PA!)

"Kise dekhne ki baat ho rhi?" Akshit stated as he popped out behind divya.

Divya turned, startled by his sudden presence.

"Nothing!" She said, annoyed.

"Why the frown, gorgeous? Someone steal your favorite clothes or did you just find out I'm your new neighbour?" He said with a playful grin.

Her eyes narrow as she sizes him up, clearly unimpressed.

"Great. Just what I needed today-a visit from the house clown." She stated coldly. This is her first time having a conversation with Akshit and he's already getting under her skin.

Akshit chuckled. He seems unfazed by her cold reception, if anything, more intrigued.

"House clown? Ouch, that's harsh. I prefer to think of myself as the house's morale booster." He grinned, keeping a hand on his chest playfully.

"Well, you're not boosting mine. So, if you're done with your comedy act, I've got other things to do." She said, while raising her one eyebrow.

"Come on, Divya, don't be like that. Life's too short to be mad all the time. Let me guess-you need a little excitement to brighten your day?" He said tilting his head.

"Oh, yes, because what I really need is a dose of your ego and bad jokes." She sarcastically said.

"Hey, my jokes aren't that bad. Just misunderstood. But seriously, what's got you in such a bad mood? I thought I was the only thing capable of causing such a strong reaction." He laughed, knowing he was pissing her off in the first meeting.

"You're giving yourself way too much credit. And trust me, you're the last person I want to talk to about my mood." She rolled her eyes again.

"Really? And here I thought I was irresistible." Akshit smirked.

"Ghar me shower hai. Jaake naha lo, galat fehmi dur hojayegi."

"Shower toh leta hoon, par galat fehmi door karni hai toh tumhare saath time spend karna padega." He stated cheekily.

Divya's eyes flashed with irritation. She was facing him directly.

"If you're trying to flirt with me, you're wasting your time. I'm not interested in playing whatever game you think this is."

"Game? No games here. Just a guy trying to make a pretty girl smile." He stated dramatically.

"Well, keep trying. Maybe one day you'll actually be funny." She smiled, sarcastically .

For a moment, there's a tense silence between them. Akshit studies her, noting the way she stands her ground, her eyes flashing with defiance. There's something about her fire and sharp wit that draws him in, more than he expected.

"You know, you're pretty fierce. I like that."

Divya feels a strange flutter in her chest but quickly squashes it down. She doesn't want to feel anything other than annoyance towards him.

"Save the compliments. I'm not falling for them."

Akshit grins, enjoying the challenge she presents. He can see the spark in her eyes, even if she's trying to hide it.

"You know, you should get back to whatever it is you do, and leave me alone."

"Alright, alright. But don't be surprised if you find yourself missing my company."

"Tumhe pta bhi hai tum kitne bade wale dramebaaz ho?" She said, annoyed by his mere presence.

"Oh, mujhe pta hai But then again, har drame me ek hero ki zarurat toh hoti hi hai, right? And I must say, mai woh role bohot acchi tarah play karta hu-especially when the heroine is as captivating as you."

He gives her a playful wink and turns, leaving her alone.

As Akshit walks away, Divya watches him, her frustration boiling over. She can't stand his smug confidence, his easy charm, and the way he acts like he knows her. And yet, there's a small, infuriating part of her that can't shake the way he made her feel seen, even if just for a moment.

She starts walking towards her room, trying to forget whatever happened but her mind keeps drifting back to Akshit's irritatingly confident smile and the strange warmth she felt during their exchange. It's the beginning of a conflict she never wanted but can't seem to avoid.

And while she tells herself she hates him, a tiny voice in her head whispers that she's just getting started.

━━༻❁༺━━

6:30 PM

"Today isn't the right time for engagement. This might cause harm to Rakshit." Guruji spoke after looking at his kundli.

"Now what should we do, Guruji?"

"Shift the engagement to tomorrow. Tomorrow is a great day!"

"Okay, guruji." Mahima sighed.

"Pranaam guruji." Mahima said.

"Jeeti raho." Guruji blessed her before walking away from the Shergill house.

Mahima called Rakshit downstairs after guruji left, informing him about everything.

He came downstairs followed by Drishti.

"What! Ma? Are you being for real? You're shifting the engagement!? But why?!"

"Guruji said so. Tomorrow is a good day for engagement."

"Ma! Guests have been invited, cards have been distributed, we have our engagement in less than half an hour and now this??"

"I don't care about them, Rakshit. I care about you. Getting engaged today might cause you harm, beta."

"Harm harm harm! Am I a kid or something?! For God's sake ma! I fled from Indonesia to Mumbai for this and you're changing the dates!"

"YOU WILL GET ENGAGED TOMORROW AND THAT IS FINAL! DO NOT ARGUE WITH ME ANYMORE!"

The tension in the Shergill house was thick enough to cut with a knife. The argument between Rakshit and his mother had reached a boiling point, voices raised and tempers flaring. His mother stormed out of the room, leaving Rakshit seething with anger.

"GODDAMNIT!" In a fit of frustration, he grabbed a delicate vase from the table and hurled it against the wall. The vase shattered into countless pieces, the noise echoing through the quiet house.

Drishti, who had been standing near the doorway, jumped at the sound. Her eyes widened as she saw the blood trickling from Rakshit's palm, where shards of the vase had cut into his skin. Despite their usual animosity, her instinct to help kicked in. She quickly fetched the first aid kit from a nearby cabinet and approached him.

"Sir, your hand" she said, her voice tinged with concern despite their rocky relationship. She extended the first aid kit towards him, but he turned away, his expression a mixture of anger and pain.

"I don't need your help" he muttered, his voice cold and dismissive.

Ignoring his resistance, Drishti set the first aid kit on a nearby table and gently but firmly placed a hand on his shoulder, guiding him to sit on the sofa. "Sit down" she commanded, her tone leaving no room for argument.

Rakshit sat reluctantly, his eyes still blazing with anger. Drishti knelt in front of him, taking his injured hand into hers. The cuts were deep, and she winced at the sight. "This might sting" she muttered, her voice softer now as she began to clean the wounds.

As she worked, she blew softly on his hand to ease the pain, her breath warm against his skin. Rakshit watched her intently, unable to tear his gaze away. Despite their constant bickering, there was something calming about her presence, something he couldn't quite place.

"Why do you always have to be so stubborn?" she asked, her voice a mix of frustration and genuine concern. "You could've hurt yourself even more."

Rakshit's jaw tightened. "It's none of your business, Ms. Sud" he retorted, but his voice lacked its usual venom.

Drishti glanced up, their eyes locking. "It is when I have to deal with the aftermath" she shot back, her tone sharp. "Now hold still."

She continued to bandage his hand, her fingers slow and gentle. Rakshit found himself mesmerized by her focus, the way her brows furrowed in concentration.

After a few minutes, she finished bandaging his hand and looked up at him again. "You're done" she said, standing up and crossing her arms.

"Try not to break anything else. And take care of your hand."

Rakshit's expression hardened again, but there was a flicker of something softer beneath the surface. "I don't need your pity" he muttered.

Drishti sighed, shaking her head. "It's not pity. It's called being human." She turned to leave but paused at the door, glancing back at him. "Take care of that hand, sir. And next time, try talking instead of breaking things."

She marched towards the exit but a voice refrained her from doing so

"Listen Ms. Sud..." she turned back, confused.

"Get back to work." He said coldly.

She angrily let out a silent gasp "whattt! Yeh barf ki silli ek chhota sa thank you bhi nhi bol sakta! Huh!"

(This ice cube can't even say a small thank you)

With that, she walked out, leaving Rakshit alone with his thoughts. He looked down at his bandaged hand, her words echoing in his mind. For all their differences, there was a strange, unspoken understanding between them. And in that moment, he couldn't help but wonder what lay beneath the surface of their constant clashes.

━━༻❁༺━━

Mr. Agarwal arrived at sharp 7:30 PM.

"A very good evening, sir." Drishti said and guided him to the 15th floor.

The Shergill house is the biggest and most well designed house in Mumbai, with a total of 15 floors. Their company is the leading company of India and earns the highest profit among all the companies.

Its main branch is in Indonesia, but its offices are all around the world.

Mr. Agarwal sat along with Rakshit and they started their discussion.

"I insist we must do a 60-40% profit. 60% belonging to ours and 40% to yours. After all, I'm investing a big sum of money." Mr. Agarwal stated.

Though he was 32, he still looked as young as ever in his dark blue pants, white shirt with a dark blue jacket on top, grey colored eyes and perfectly settled hair.

Rakshit chucked before keeping his right hand on the table. His veins popping out and jaw hardening because of the anger he was experiencing right at this moment.

"We don't do unequal profit deals, Mr. Agarwal. I thought you knew that already. Sure, you're investing a large sum of money. But I hope you know my company alone earns 3x of your investment. It's either we do 50-50% or we call off the deal." He stated, his voice laced with confidence.

Stated, not requested, because Rakshit Shergill is a man who dealt in orders, not requests.

Mr. Agarwal smiled before shaking hands with him. "Sure, Mr. Shergill. I'd love to work with you."

Rakshit shook hands with him before giving his famous I-always-win-I-told-you smirk and Mr. Agarwal walked away with Vinay accompanying him till his car.

They signed a very profitable deal and his new PA just cannot shut up about this.

"Oh my God, sir! We got the deal yayayayaaaa!!!" She said, jumping after Mr. Agarwal left.

Vinay came back just to see her jumping here and there excitedly.

"You're more excited than all of us." He smiled.

"OBVIOUSLY I AM! It's my first deal- I mean our first deal and did you see the smile on his face??? He looked happy!! I just cannot believe it OH MY GOD!!"

She squealed and did a fist bump with Vinay, her joy evident and infectious.

Unbeknownst to her, her laughter cut through Rakshit's defenses like a knife, filling his lungs with a breath of fresh air he didn't realize he needed. It was as if her joy had reached out to him, piercing the armor he wore so tightly around his heart. His chest tightened with a burning sensation, an unfamiliar warmth spreading through him.

As his cold, steely eyes found her soft, gentle gaze, a myriad of emotions washed over him. Her eyes, full of life and warmth, seemed to draw him in, challenging the icy barrier he had built around himself.

Their eyes locked, and for a moment, the world around them faded. Drishti's laughter slowly died down as she became aware of his intense stare. The room seemed to shrink, leaving just the two of them in a bubble of unspoken tension. Rakshit's heart pounded in his chest, each beat echoing the turmoil within him.

Rakshit, feeling exposed, quickly looked away, his mask of indifference slipping back into place. But the impact of that fleeting eye contact lingered, leaving him unsettled.

He cleared his throat, his voice cutting through the tension.

"Stop jumping around like a little squirrel and get back to work, Ms. Sud" he commanded, his tone sharp and authoritative as he slid his right hand inside his pocket.

Drishti let out a dramatic but angry gasp, her eyes narrowing as she processed his words. "Excuse me?" she retorted, her voice laced with indignation. "I was just-"

"Working" he interrupted, raising an eyebrow. "And I expect you to continue doing so."

She huffed, crossing her arms over her chest, but the fire in her eyes didn't dim. "Fine. Mujhe zara sa khush bhi nhi dekh sakta yeah insaan!" (This man can't even see me being a little happy) she muttered, turning back to the table with a dramatic flourish along with Vinay.

As she walked away, Rakshit couldn't help but feel a strange sense of satisfaction. Despite the irritation and the clash of wills, there was something exhilarating about their interactions, something that made him feel more alive than he had in a long time.

Vinay said while laughing "He's not that bad. You'll get to know, don't worry." He left afterwards.

Drishti was now curious about his behavior, his scars, his past, his vulnerable side, why he was the way he was. She was curious about him. Curious about what lied beneath his cold eyes and harsh personality.

━━༻❁༺━━