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The night in Devgarh Palace was a living thing, draped in a sensual hush, every shadow thick with secrets. It wrapped around Adhira like velvet, cool and intimate, as she wandered through the palace's grand hall. Each step echoed against the ancient marble, the weight of history pressing down on her, mingling with the pressure of what lay just ahead.

Her fingertips brushed along a cold pillar, grounding herself amidst the turmoil in her mind. She should've felt strong, certain. She always was. But here, within these walls, with duty hanging heavy like a chain around her neck, she felt trapped.

Trapped by her obligations. Trapped by him.

And then, without warning, he was there.

Rishabh's presence slipped into the space like a whisper, his heat reaching her long before his words did. It wasn't just his voice, rich and dark, that enveloped her—it was the way the very air seemed to shift in response to him, as if even the shadows bowed to his command.

"You shouldn't be wandering these halls so late," he murmured, his voice a low vibration that slid down her spine, leaving warmth in its wake.

She didn't turn immediately. She let the silence stretch, testing it. Testing him. "Shouldn't I?" she challenged softly. "What else shouldn't I do, Your Highness?"

The title was deliberate—a sharp edge in her otherwise smooth tone.

He stepped closer, his breath now ghosting over the back of her neck, his scent—earth and spice—filling her senses, clouding her thoughts. "For one," he murmured, voice deep with suggestion, "you shouldn't call me that... not when we're alone."

She finally turned, slowly, locking eyes with him. His gaze was searing, yet unreadable, those light eyes holding secrets she wanted—needed—to unravel. "Then what should I call you?" she whispered, her voice trembling, her heart racing as the distance between them disappeared. "A man who won't let me in... yet stands close enough to touch?"

His lips quirked into a small, almost imperceptible smile, a knowing one. "Rishabh," he said, low and soft, "and perhaps... a man who doesn't know how to stay away."

Her breath caught in her throat, her body instinctively leaning toward him, pulled by the tension that vibrated between them. "You speak of staying away," she breathed, barely above a whisper, "but it seems to me that fate has other plans for us... here, now."

His gaze darkened, a flicker of something deeper—a desire he was barely keeping in check—crossed his features as his eyes drifted to her lips, lingering for a beat too long. "Fate," he said softly, his voice laced with gravity, "can be cruel. It brought us here... bound by things we never chose."

Adhira swallowed, her pulse quickening as the truth of his words settled between them. She felt the weight of it, the unspoken promises, the duties that surrounded them like unseen chains. "Do you wish we weren't?" she asked, her voice softer, more vulnerable than she intended.

For a moment, Rishabh said nothing. The tension grew heavy, thick with everything left unsaid. Then his hand, strong and warm, grazed the back of hers—a fleeting touch that sent a shiver of longing through her. "Sometimes," he admitted, his voice thick with something dangerous, "I wish we could forget it all... and just be."

Her breath hitched, her body betraying her as she stepped even closer. His words wrapped around her like a forbidden promise.

Tentatively, she reached out, her fingers finding his jaw, tracing the line of his cheek. Her touch was gentle, searching. "And if we could... what then?" Her voice quivered with a hope she dared not fully entertain.

Rishabh's eyes darkened with a hunger that mirrored her own. His hand found her waist, his thumb tracing the edge of her sari. The way his touch lingered there made her heart race.

"Then," he whispered, his lips so close to hers now she could feel the warmth of his breath, "I'd be a man who wouldn't let go."

Time seemed to freeze as their lips hovered, a hair's breadth apart, the air between them crackling with an almost unbearable tension. But just as she felt his lips brush hers, Rishabh pulled back, the spell broken. His hand slipped from her waist, though his gaze remained locked on hers, still holding her captive.

The moment stretched between them, thick with everything unsaid, everything they couldn't admit.

Adhira's heart pounded, her breath coming faster as she swallowed hard, forcing herself to meet his gaze. "What aren't you telling me?"

A faint, dangerous smile tugged at the corner of his lips, his eyes gleaming with secrets.

"Everything."

Her pulse fluttered at the weight of that word, and she realized—this wasn't an ending.

This was only the beginning.

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Hello gentle readers.
I hope you support the story and enjoy reading it.
Rishabh and Adhira are close to my heart as these characters are based on true events. Their traits, their way of handling everything - them, everything about them - is based on a real life character.

Arranged marriages can be scary - I have been a part of the cycle, but trust me , when you come across that one person you're destined to be with and you both fall in love in the most beautiful way, that is what Rishabh and Adhira are going to serve you.
So if anytime - you feel like you relate to the characters, do reach out - I'd love to hear your stories.

❤️