AUTHOR P.O.V

Shivanshi stood in front of the mirror gazing at her reflection, lost in her thoughts, the girl on the other side was in simple attire which originally belonged to her beloved mother, she still has saved some of her accessories from her stepfamily when they burned the most of them, and see the" beautiful reality", her father was the one who lit the fire for it, the man who once told her mother that he loved her till no end, thinking about this a sarcastic chuckle escaped her, how illogical one sense becomes when in love, that every logic, every reason becomes unreasonable to them, her father just deceived her mother in name of love.

AND now she stands here getting ready to please him, only some days her new life to start, will end like her mother with no love only deception?, will he ever care for her?, he says he fancies her, BUT, there is a difference between love and liking someone, to like someone oneself always sees the quality of other and starts adoring it WHILE for loving someone it always without any reason, it's always madness beyond understanding; she understands that whether she likes it or not, she has to surrender to her circumstances rest all is GOD'S will.

Her trance of thought broke when she heard the footstep that was hurriedly echoing near her room, it was the message for his arrival. " let do this Shivanshi, you know you can, AND you will " she muttered to herself and took her step to the living hall.

On reaching the hall, she was greeted by the lovely figure of his" beloved" stepmother and father, and then him who sat on the chair like he owned the damn place, with one leg folded across the other with his large lethal hand resting leisurely on the side of the sofa and his predatory eyes monitoring her every move.

Soniya Raichand dismissively scoffed at her seeing her dressing style with her beloved husband who to followed her lead. But she could care less about them, all her attention was to THE KING now, the one who will be with her in every step of life from now on, she was ready to give chance to this relationship, ready to break the wall she built in years after

Afterall she was also a human who required love and care, a shoulder at end of the day to rest her head on, someone to say that he always has her back, someone would solely belong to her for love and cherishing, someone would return it in equal amount as well

But only if she knew how much she will loathe this dissection in a matter of some days.

" Sir, if I may ask where are we heading to ?" she asked feeling extremely conscious in his presence, the way the air was tense in the car, only she can describe how calculatingly she was breathing.

" Well have patience dear, first we are heading to a place of my preference and then we can move to one of your choices, well if that's okay with you " he replied as softly as he can, after all in the game of love and revenge you should be extra cautious.

" okay.." was the mere reply it was the first time in years when someone has asked her preference, her heartfelt happiness at it, at least for some matter, she can still have her preference. It was eight in the night and they were heading to some " suprised" place according to him, she spent wholly in his office but he had not let her get bored he asked her if she was okay with learning some business tricks and strategies, she was more than okay, she was elevated, it was an honor to learn even if for some time, but from such high ranked business tycoon, to say she was surprised would have been an understatement then, she ecstatic; never have been in years after her mother's death

One word to describe his ways of managing would be " magnificent", the way he managed a huge bundle of the pile in 50 files in an hour was a site to admire his efficiency, for a business -management nerd like her, the way he handled his strictness, and live up to the aura of being a "KING" was appreciable, she knew somewhere in her heart he has already gotten a soft corner for himself, and being with this type of person wasn't that bad? , now would it be?

On the "BEAST" side he was controlling his rage all day long to not snap her neck in pieces, he was with the person he loathed the most, and yet he could do nothing, and still with that he had to help with her curiosity for business, have lunch with her, What an irony? , but her "pain " would be worth his all sacrifice, well he enjoyed when his employ passed judgemental looks on her cloth, he will be her best friend before the wedding but after it her most dreadful nightmare.

They were at the entrance gate at cites most expensive and classy hotel " THE ROYAL DINE", she could not understand why out of the all places he has chosen this, at least he should have informed beforehand she would have least managed, somehow to be in presentable clothing, all the high dignitaries around the country with foreign media personalities come here to dine. What it would feel like to roam around here among them with such simple cloth, not that she was complaining about her mother's clothes, but before she thought it would be an only small talk at some places and neither she has gone to some date earlier nor have any knowledge about it in practice.

He handed the keys to the velvet, took the stride toward the inside in one of his many hotels, sliding his other hand around her waist, he nudged her with "gentle" force to walk in, she gulped and marched toward the foyer, and what the marvelous interior it was, she lo and behold by the site of it, was pristine, adorned with beautiful chandelier, with royal blue walls giving the whole area simple yet classy look, sure it dose lived to the name of Royalty, but what questioned her mind was that manager himself was there to welcome them at escorted them to their chairs also with serving the food.

" Don't worry it's only us tonight, whenever I come here it's only me with the serene surrounding" he answered the questions which were moving back and forth in her brain. She understood that he is the real owner of this area, if not for that who would have the power to book the whole place of 30 floors. Even the high ranking elite class, for reserving the table would have booked at least 1 month before, and here this date was planned some days before.

" Tell me some of your likings, let's get to know each other more," he asked not out of curiosity to know things of his to -be -wife BUT for using her likings against her in near future.

"Umm..mm like, what, if you like we can play 10 questions to do as your wish, " she asked with sudden excitement, after a leap of years, someone was initiating to know her, maybe she can have him as her talk bearer, her one, and only friend.

" Okay, sure ask me, and then I can do the same with you" he answered after a long, by the time she thoughts it was a mistake to for implying the idea.

........................

They were returning to their abode, after talking freely in years, she felt revealed, not that she can not make friends but whoever she had was only there with her, for some benefit, and rest ignored her given her status, for in her school or college no one was acquainted with the fact that she belonged to Raichand household; thanks to her stepmother - sister duo they both were hell-bent on fact to not to associate her name with her sister as it may bring shame and embarrassment to her as they were in the same college with her there studying with her father's money and Shivanshi under the scholarship, it sometimes hurts her, yet with following with years she learned to bottle up with feelings and move on.

The car came to halt breaking her trance of thoughts, she looked outside of the car mirror only to find she was at the entrance gate of the Raichand mansion.

" I appreciate, what you had helped me to learn and of course for delicious food as well ." She thanked with sincerity with no ounce was of hidden benefits behind it, as it was her nature no matter how hard time she had she grateful to lord for all he has given.

But it was not the case with the beast as he was sensing or more like self implying that there is her some hidden motive behind it, what it is was not easy, rather typical for pointing out,

But he is also a business magnate he loves the challenge and she was the most unique one he is not going to solve but to break.

" Can we be friends, you know we had talked today too much more than a formal acquaintance, already in a matter of days we will be bound together, so for better starts, let's have a deal?" he asked with sudden playfulness in is tone, with mask trap for her and initiated his hand for shaking.

AUTHOR

PLS do like and support, I am losing my mind, as I am already in mids of my exam, I need your support, you may or may not know but your small word of appreciation lights up the day.