Vidha looped her arm around Nalani and pulled her to the side. Nalani was taken aback as she wasn't expecting anyone to pull her. "Woah, why was that?" Vidha took a deep breath. "Hey... Hey... You okay?"

"I think I need to go to the loo." Nalani's eyes widened. "The wine did something and I really need to rush."

"Okay? Do you want me to join you, babe?" Vidha shook her head. "No, but I need you to be with Hridyanshu Bhaiyya." Nalani blinked her eyes in surprise. "Why?"

"The first dance will be done by my parents and we need to join them. Only Atulya has a date." Vidha glanced at her brothers. "I know you came with Vedant Bhaiyya but I'm sure he will be okay dancing with Lia. But Yash will never ask anyone to dance with him and others are scared of him." Vidha licked her lips. "So I need you to ask him for a dance or just pull him towards the dance floor when the first song ends. He is an important person and it would piss me off if the crown prince of Jaipur didn't have a dance at his own family ball."

Nalani was too stunned to say anything. She knew how important the ball was for the Singh family. She had never had a dance with Hridyanshu before. He always had Mitali as his date and, since their breakup, he has never really danced with anyone other than Vidha. "Babe, say something."

"Okay, but you owe me." Vidha smiled brightly. "I love you so much, darling." Nalani chuckled when Vidha kissed her cheek before dashing towards the door. Nalani stood there for a minute trying to process everything. Hridyanshu and her successfully ignored each other's presence for the last three hours.

They shared a few glances but didn't try to start a conversation. Nalani could feel the strange feelings and the awkwardness was clear. For some reason, even Hridyanshu seemed to be in a different world. He wasn't even listening to the conversations, he just kept nodding his head.

Only spoke when his name was mentioned. She could say he didn't want to be present. Her gaze went to Vedant, who was sulking an hour ago now sipping Martinas with Lia. Lia is making him laugh and Nalani is happy.  All of a sudden, her gaze met Hridyanshu's. They held the gaze before Nalani looked away.

The music started, Vrishali and Padmanabh walked to the dance floor and started their first dance. Hridyanshu couldn't help but smile, seeing the distant expression on his dad's face. Probably complaining about how he is feeling awkward with everyone watching them. While his mom tried to make his dad feel comfortable by telling her lame jokes or even spilling some tea, she heard from the women.

"Sure, mum is spilling some tea and it is helping Papa forget about all the attention," Atulya said and Vedant laughed. "For sure they love to gossip while dancing."

"It's their thing, brother," Vedant spoke while looking at Vrishali and Padmanabh. When the first dance was done, everyone started joining the floor. Atulya went with his date while Vedant looked around for Nalani. When he couldn't find her, he turned to Lia who was standing beside him.

"Will you join me on the dance floor, my lady?" Lia smiled, placing her hand on Vedant. "My pleasure." Nalani waited until everyone joined them on the dance floor. She wanted to see if Hridyanshu was planning on dancing with anyone. She would pull him onto the dance floor if he wasn't going to dance with anyone.

Hridyanshu moved away from the dance floor and watched everyone as they slowly danced. His brows frowned in confusion when he couldn't see Vidha on the floor. She was excited about dancing with the French dudes who decided to attend the ball this year.

Suddenly, he felt a presence beside him. He turned his head to see Nalani. He blinked his eyes when she held his hand and pulled him towards the dance floor. His eyes widened. "What are you doing?"

"I want to have a dance with you." Nalani gave a look. "A dance?"

"Yes."

"I haven't said that I want to dance with you nor have you asked me." They positioned themselves and Hridyanshu was taken back and he held Nalani. "I know your answer and I do not like it when someone rejects my hand." 

Hridyanshu raised his brow. "So you pull them to the dance floor without their consent?" A smug smile played on her face. "I have only pulled you onto the dance floor." There was a hidden meaning and Hridyanshu didn't want to think that there is one.

Hridyanshu didn't look at Nalani and Nalani wasn't having it. "I do not want you to disrespect me by not looking at me." He quickly took his gaze onto her.

"I will not break the contact." Nalani smiled as the song changed. They didn't utter a word and kept dancing. To think of it, this would be their first dance together. Nalani had danced with Vedant and Atulya but never with Hridyanshu. Nalani glanced at Hridyanshu's face and she realised that Hridyanshu was strongly built and he was taller than his brothers.

Vedant and Atulya were tall men but she always believed that the Singh brothers were of the same height. Hridyanshu was easily a few inches taller than his brothers. Hridyanshu gulped down the lump as he could feel the warmth spreading onto his hand from Nalani's body. His hand is cold against Nalani's waist.

"I heard that you were going to bring a date?" Nalani whispered. The gap between his brows frowned. "Who mentioned that?" Nalani looked at her side, Louise was dancing with someone. "Vidha." Hridyanshu sighed, "That was their side of the plan and I was not looking forward to having someone beside me when I was not even sure of attending the ball."

Nalani chuckled, "Were you planning to ditch the ball and run away?" A small smile pulled on his face. He gave a slight nod. "That was before I was pulled onto the dance floor." Nalani was surprised. "You were going to run away when everyone joined the dance floor?"

Hridyanshu didn't immediately answer her question when the other couple was near them. When they were at a safe distance, he leaned down. "Yes, that is the time to escape because everyone would be busy staring at the person in their arms." Nalani chuckled. She looked around, finding eyes on them. "Why would you run away when everyone seems to want to have a bit of attention of yours?" Hridyanshu looked around and surely found eyes on them.

"Not the attention that I need." Nalani narrowed her eyes slightly as she looked into Hridyanshu's eyes. "What kind of attention do you need?"

"It is not about the attention." Nalani stayed quiet, even when it was the part where they have to change partners, Nalani didn't let go of Hridyanshu. "Then what is it?" her voice was barely a whisper but Hridyanshu could hear her words perfectly. "Do you not want to be a part of this crowd?"

Nalani's question held weight... A weight that Hridyanshu always questioned himself. "From the way I have been living." His gaze went around. He didn't have any idea why he decided to answer her question, "There's darkness in here, which seemed to be attractive. I do not want to get attracted to it and it would be best if I left the party when I have a chance."

"If you know where the darkness is, you do not have to run away." Hridyanshu spun Nalani gently before bringing her back into his arms. This time they were close. "That is where my weakness lies, I cannot manage to escape when it is near." Nalani understood the underlying meaning.

They are standing among the millionaires of the world. Of course, fortunes and how their business takes off will be the talk among the gentlemen. The darkness is the expectations, the underlying mockery and sarcasm thrown at the young men by the generations.

Nalani could feel Hridyanshu's breath fanning her face. "If you cannot, there will be someone to pull you away when it is near..."

Vedant's brows frowned in confusion as he looked at his brother and Nalani. They were in a deep staring contest. While everyone around them changed their dancing partners, they seemed like they were in their own world. "What's going on between Hridyanshu and Nalani? Are they seeing each other?" Lia asked.

"What? No." Vedant spoke, and Louis chuckled. "I have felt it as well. Something was going on and the tension was too intense to ignore."

"True." The others agreed. Vedant shook his head, he knew the kind of relationship Hridyanshu and Nalani had. Hridyanshu broke eye contact when he felt the intensity of their gazes and breath. Hridyanshu, without uttering a word, unwrapped his arms from Nalani. His breathing was heavy as he walked away from the dance floor... Away from the woman who is looking at him with havoc in her eyes...

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