Veer and Bani collide. She had beautiful eyes, to be precise the eye of an angel who could even make the devil want to get into heaven. Veer turns and Bani ends up in his arms. She freezes in shock.

Veer- Tum...?

Vivaan - Sir!
(Vivaan catches Veer and Bani’s attention. They both turn in his direction and Bani stumbles out of Veer’s arms.)

Veer - Yes Vivaan...

As Veer looks at Vivaan, Bani picks her bag up and starts leaving. Before stepping out she gives him a last glance thinking it to be their first and last meeting.
If only she knew how this was just the beginning...

Vivaan- Sir, ek ladki ko bheja tha consignment deliver karne, humne usse pakad liya par uske bag se sirf kapde nikle hein.

Veer - This isn't possible! I think that girl was just a bait for us. What was the colour of the bag?

Vivaan - Red sir.

Veer - Red... (And that’s when Veer realises something, he had just seen the girl he collided with, carrying a red bag. But...but her eyes were so innocent...How could she...? His heart somehow felt like it was a deception, that she was innocent. He turned back to see her again but she had already left.)

Vivaan - Sir...?

Veer(in mind) - Nahi Veer, tu janta hai iss duniya main sab fareebi hein aur love...love is just another illusion. Aur illusion ka tutna toh tay hein hi. Woh toh hum hi nadan hote hain jo iss miraaz mein apne dil ko bhi tutne dete hai.

Veer - Uss ladki ko jaane mat do...Catch her before she leaves! And make sure there isn’t even a single scratch on her. I mean it.

Veer (in mind)- Nobody can mess with Veer Singhania and get away so easily sweetheart. (He smirks)

(Bani was leaving and somehow she was still thinking about the encounter. That’s when a few people come up from behind her and grab her hand, snatching her bag away.)

Bani- Kon ho tum log...Mujhe kyun pakda hein...?! What is going on!! (She says struggling to break out of their grip)

Goon 1 - Chup raho ladki!

Goon 2- Ab tumhare sath kya karna hein woh boss decide karenge.

(Bani immediately jerks her hand out from one of their grips and pulls out a pepper spray from her bag. She sprays it in the eyes of one of the goons. The goons are left in shock. She frees their hold from her other hand, hitting one of them right onto their weak point.)

Bani - Sabse badi galati hoti hein samne wale ko kamzor samjhna, par shayad tumhare boss ne woh tumhe sikhaya nahi.

(That's when a guy from the back turned her around and was about to slap her in rage. Bani couldn't retaliate due to the sudden reflex. She shuts her eyes in panic and shrinks backward. That's when somebody grabs the guy’s hand, who was about to hit her, and casts it to the other side.)

(She opens her eyes and spots the same guy she had encountered earlier. She could see that the guy looked at the goon with a murderous gaze. The goon looked terrorized.)

Veer-  You dare defy my order! Kaafi himmat wale lagte ho huh?

Goon - Sir...yeh ladki...

Veer - WHAT DID I TELL YOU!!? EK KHAROCH BHI NAHI MATLAB EK KHAROCH BHI NAHI!

(Bani flinches and clenches the side of Veer's shirt. Veer, for a second, calms down by her touch.)

Goon-Boss! Ple... Please 

(The goon blurts out and Bani leaves her grip on his shirt. She realizes that the person she thought was her saviour was actually the one who had sent the goons behind her. Veer sees the flicker of disappointment on her face and that somehow affects him but the thought of her helping his rivals comes to his mind and his anger takes over.)

Bani-Who the hell are you?!

Veer-(chucking) Acting innocent I see, but you are playing with fire sweetheart.

Bani- Don’t. Do not call me that. And by the way, I have no idea what the hell it is you are talking about!

Veer - Don't talk to me like that.

Bani- Exactly! Don't talk to me like that either. Respect paane ke liye respect deni padti hein. Par lagta hai aapka toh iss word se shayad dur dur tak koi naata nahi.

Veer - Iss pure shehar mein sabse zyada izzat log kisi ki karte hein toh woh meri hai.

Bani- Ha! You are mistaken Mr. “boss”(she says air quoting the word boss.)
I don't know about your reputation in this city but yes, itna toh jaan chuki hoon ki un logon ke darr ko tumne izzat ka naam de diya hai.
(Veer was beginning to get infuriated now.)

Veer - Izzat ki baat tum jaisi ladki na hi karo toh behtar hoga!

Bani- What do you mean?

Veer - Tum jaisi ladkiyaan paiso ke liye kuch bhi kar sakti hein, na koi iman hota hai tumhara aur na hi koi izzat aur na hi koj pehchan. Bas paiso ke liye zindagi jeeti ho tum. Toh batao kitna diya VR's ne tumhe?

Bani - BAS!! Bohot ho gaya! (She picks up a knife from the ground, that had been tossed down earlier and points it on Veer's neck. Vivaan and the other goons try stepping in but Veer stops them)

Veer - Impressive... I must say tum pehli ho sweetheart jisne Veer Singhania ke gale par hathiyar dala hai, jo Veer Singhania ke itne pass aa pai ho. Aag se mat khelo sweetheart... jal jaogi.

Bani- Aag kitni bhi bhayanak kyun na ho, pani ki boondein usse bujha hi deti hein mister. Basic science toh padhi hi hogi tumne.

(That's when Veer pulls her closer by holding her waist and turns her around. Now his one hand was on her waist while the other was holding her wrist. The tables had turned and now the knife was pointed towards her.)

Veer (whispering in her ear) - Hum pani mai bhi aag lagane walon mein se hein sweetheart.

(He moves the knife closer to her neck. Their faces were dangerously close. She could feel his breath. Veer also had a strange feeling in his heart. But his right to feel anything had been taken away long back. Long back when he had taken over this business. He could feel her heartbeat. He loosened his grip and let her go.)

Veer - Batao, ye sab kiske kehne par kiya?

Bani- Paheliyon main baat karna band karoge, I don't even know you!

Veer - Vivaan! Now!

(Vivaan unzips the bag. To Bani’s shock, it was filled with all sorts of weapons. She stands there clueless and dumbfounded.)

Veer - Abb bolo sweetheart... Mujhe pehchanti nahi par mera consignment chura rahi thi?

Bani- Ye... Yeee... Ye mera bag nahi...nahi hain...

Veer - Dar lag raha hai? Sach jo samne aa gaya haina.

Bani- Main tumse nahi darti. Aur ye, ye bag mera nahi hai.

Veer - Can you just stop acting! Look, don't force me to do something I don't want to. Just tell me who it was. Muh mange paise main dene ko tayyar hu. Just tell me already!

Bani (grabbing his collar) - Tum samjhte kya ho apne aap ko???! Mere pass tumhare jitne paise bhale na ho par meri izzat, meri khuddari, meri punji hein, meri daulat hein. Isiliye, apni bakwas band karo. Samajh nahi aata yeh mera nahi hai!

(Veer had a feeling that she wasn't lying but he didn't want his emotions to cloud his judgement. That’s when he hears her saying something. Something that triggers him, taking him back to that time 2 years ago.)

Bani- Pata hein tum jaise log paise toh  kama lete hein par apne liye choti si muskurahat tak nahi la pate. Aur mohabbat, uske liye toh dil chahiye! Par afsos, tum jaise logon ke seene mai toh pathar hota hein, pathar!

*Flashback*

Khushi- Paise toh tumne kama liye par apne liye choti si muskurahat tak nahi la paye. Aur mohabbat, uske liye dil chahiye! Par afsos, tumhare seene mai toh pathar hein!

*Flashback ends*

(Veer clenches his fist and grits his teeth. This girl in front of him had reminded him of her. Someone he hated from the core of his heart. She had just slashed open his wounds and now it was impossible to stop.)

Veer - VIVAAN!!

Vivaan - Yes sir.

Veer -Uss officer...Karan ko phone lagao aur yahan bulao. Abhi!

Vivaan - Sir, par woh Karan, woh toh humara dushman hein. Aap jante hein woh naa jaane kab se aap ko fasana chahta hein.

Veer -Haan Vivaan, mujhe pata hai. Par apne ek dushman ko dusre dushman ke hathon saza dilane mein hi toh maza aayega! (He smirks)

Vivaan - Par sir, uski wajah se humara consignment bhi seal hojayega.

Veer - I don't care Vivaan! Hum losses ko bridge karlenge par ye ladki aur iski akad dono mujhe salakhon ke peeche chahiye. Now!

( Karan reaches the place after a while.)

Karan- Veer Singhania, matlab aaj tumhe apni best friend ki yaad kaise aai?

Veer - Tumhara humor na bilkul tumhari akal aur shakal ki tarah hai, E grade. Toh please, uska istemal na hi karo toh behtar hoga.

Karan - Aur tumhari fitrat bhi bilkul tumhare kaam ki tarah kali hein, iss andhere se bahar aao warna kahin roshni ki ek kiran hi tumhe khatam na karde.

(Both of them glare at each other with a murderous gaze.)

Vivaan - Officer... It's better ki aap sir ko nahi balki usko pakde jo gunehgaar hein.

Karan - Hum sab jaante hain yahan tumhare sir se bada gunda aur gunhegaar aur koi nahi hein.

Veer - Tumhe pata hai, tum na uss category main aate ho. Woh kya kehte hain... garajte badal baraste nahi type. Abb hogaya ho tumhara to mudde par aaye.

Vivaan - Ye ladki, humein ye hathiyaar iske bag se mie hein. Arrest karo isko.

Karan - Tumne iss ladki ko pakad kar kyun rakha hein??

Veer - Tum behere ho kya? Hume iske paas se ye weapons mile hain. Ek accha aur sacha desh ka naagrik hone ki wajah se main apna farz nibha raha hoon aur kanoon ki madad kar raha hu.

Karan - Ab tum masumom ko bhi fasane lage ho... Uske muh se kapda hatao.
(Veer directs them to remove the piece of cloth from Bani's mouth.)

Bani- Sir, ye jhoot bol raha hein. Main iss sab ke baare mein kuch nahi janti... ye bag... I really don't know...

(She says, glaring at Veer in such a way, it felt like she was throwing daggers at him. He felt very uncomfortable. Something inside him was telling him that whatever was doing was wrong. But why? Why was he feeling that way? If it would be someone else in her place, messing with him, they would be half dead by now. But this girl... she made him feel a lot of emotions, leaving his mind and heart in conflict with each other.)

Karan - I know ye jhooth bol raha hai Miss.... Par, meri majboori hein... Mujhe aapko arrest karna padega...

Veer - That's like a good boy. Chalo, chalo now take her...(he claps his hands.)
(Our work is done here. Let's leave Vivaan.)

Vivaan - Yes sir.

(Before leaving, he looks at Bani one last time. Those tear stained cheeks and the anger in her eyes was  affecting him. His heart was filled with an unsettling feeling but he tried not to pay any heed to it. His heart and his emotions had always destroyed him and his loved ones. He in no way was going to repeat those mistakes again.)

Bani - Sir, main pehli baar yahan aayi hu... Meri job, sab kuch haath se nikal jaayega agar main inn sab ke beech phas gayi. Please samajhne ki koshish kijiye. Please.

Karan - I know miss, par aapko bureau toh aana hi hoga... Aapka naam?

Bani - Bani Sharma.
(Veer hears her name and enters the car.)

Vivaan - Sir, sab jante hain ki aap second chances main believe nahi karte, aur dhoke se toh aap ko sakht nafrat hein, toh phir iss ladki ko itni aasani se kyun jane diya. Ye saza toh kuch bhi nahi.
(Veer ignores his question and continues)

Veer - Mujhe kal tak sari information chahiye Vivaan.

Vivaan(pauses) - Kiske baare main sir?

Veer - Bani Sharma (her name rolls out of his mouth)
***
(He reaches the Singhania mansion and sits on the couch, holding his head. Arnav was sitting in the corner of the living room, drawing something.)

Arnav -Veeer!

Veer - Haan bhai?

Arnav -Ye dekho! Meri drawing!
(It was a drawing of an angel.)

Veer-Aapne ye kyun banaya hein bhai?

Arnav - Arey abb jaldi batana kaisi  hein!? (He says acting all nervous.Veer chuckles looking at his cute antics)

Veer - Bohot acchi hein, abb batayenge aapne ye kyun banaya hein bhai?

Arnav -Kyunki, mujhe bhi angel se milna hein. Tum kabhi mile ho kisi angel se?
(Suddenly two faces flash in front of his eyes. One was his mom’s and the other. It was her. Bani.)

Veer(in mind) - What the hell? Why am I even thinking about that girl right now!!

Arnav - Veer!!

Veer - Ha.. Haan Bhai...

Arnav - Bolo na!!

Veer - Haan mila hu na... Mom se!
(Arnav smiles.)

Arnav - Aur koi?

Veer - Aur koi nahi hein bhai. Iss zamane main acchai aur wafa dhundhna, zeher ki shishi main dawa dhundhne ke barabar hein. Bohot badi bhool.

Arnav- Teri batein na mujhe kabhi samjh nahi aati.

Veer - Bhai aap painting kijiye... Main fresh hokar aata hu.
(Veer starts leaving.)

Veer (in mind) - Abb kaise batau bhai aapko mujhe toh aaj kal apne jazbaat bhi samajh mein  nahi aa rahe hain.
***
*The next morning*

(Veer was in the gym boxing and venting out his anger. He couldn't sleep the whole of last night. All he could think of was the girl, her innocent eyes, her ferocious claims and the fire in her.
Did he commit a mistake... but she had the bag, she had to be the one at fault. He didn't know why he couldn't get the girl off his mind. )

Veer(in mind) - Kyun! Kyun! Kyun main baar baar uss ladki ke barein main soch raha hu. Kyun aesa lagta hein manlo uss mein ek roshni hein... Par bhul mat Veer ki ye jo Roshni hein jo logon ko itni khubsurat lagti hein.Ye Roshni  jisse hum iss duniya ko dekhte hein. Iss duniya ki chamak, woh hawa se behte patein, sadak par chalti woh choti choti chitiyan, aasamaan main bikhre rang, aur humein pyar karne wale ke chehre par muskurahat. Uss roshni ki buniyaad kya hein.Iss sabki buniyad hein Andhera.

Andhera, shayad hi koi hoga jisse andhera se mohabbat ho. Andhera yani thehrav, andhera yani shunya. Andhera,yani khalipan. Andhera ek aesi dagar hein , ek aesa rasta hein jo humein bandh leta hein. Humein gumraah kar deta hein. Humse jeene ki umeed cheen leta hein. Aur mere hisse humesha ye andhera hi aaya tha.

(That's when Vivaan enters)

Vivaan - Sir, Bani Sharma ke baare mein information mil gayi hai.
(Veer stops and Vivaan continues.)

Vivaan - Bani Sharma ek middle class ladki hai. Parents ki ek accident main death hogayi. Apne mama ki family ke sath rehti hein. Filhaal yahan ek job ke liye aai hein, apne cousin Mahir Sehgal ke pass and sir... Woh...

Veer - Woh kya Vivaan...?

Vivaan - Sir uss hotel se cctv footage bhi nikali hein... And...

Veer - Haan, aur?

Vivaan- Sir woh…

Veer- VIVAAN! Tell me Goddammit!

Vivaan - Sir woh ladki sach keh rahi thi, uska bag galti se exchange ho gaya tha uss ladki ke saath jisse humne pehele pakda tha. She isn't at fault. She is not guilty (Vivaan says in one go)

(Veer felt the ground slipping under his feet.)

Veer -Ohh shit...What have I done!!!!

***
Galatfahami se hui hein jinki kahani ki shuruaat, kya woh Mohabbat ki dehleez tak kabhi pauch paayenge?

Hey guys!
So how was the chapter?

Did you guys like Vani's first meet?
What do you think veer will do next now that he realized his mistake?
Why do you think veer hates even mentioning khushi?

Also Thank you so much guys for 100 followers 🥺❤! Still feel like it was just yesterday when I started my journey as a writer on Wattpad! You guys are my support system and my continuous source of inspiration!! Love you all!

Stay tuned ;)