The sunlight filtered through the curtains of Veer's bedroom, casting soft shadows on the room's luxurious decor. Bani was carefully moving her belongings from the guest room to the main bedroom, clearly irritated. Veer leaned casually against the doorframe, watching her with an amused expression.Veer has informed Bani about his  friends coming to stay for some days due to some business purpose.Well this was his plan to shift Bani to his room that he made last night.

“Kya zarurat hai itne gusse ki? I can help you, you know,” Veer said, his voice dripping with playful charm.

Bani shot him a sharp glance. “Main khud kar sakti hoon. Tumhare help ki koi zarurat nahi hai.”

Veer chuckled and walked over to her side, deliberately ignoring her protest. “Mujhe lagta hai tumhara gussa thoda zyada ho gaya hai. After all, you're going to be staying here now, with me,” he said, his voice teasing.

Bani’s hands tightened around the suitcase handle. “Aur yeh tumhara plan tha, right? Bringing your friends so I’d have no choice but to stay here.”

Veer raised an eyebrow, faking innocence. “Arre, waise toh yeh mera plan nahi tha, lekin tumhare first day pe mujhe aur mere family ko saaf-safai karwana, woh intentional tha na?” He laughed lightly.

Bani glared at him. “Tumhe lagta hai yeh sab mazak hai?”

Veer’s smile didn’t falter. “Nahi, but tumhari planning toh kamal ki thi. I'll admit, I didn't see that coming.”

Bani rolled her eyes, exasperated. “Tumhe sab kuch funny lagta hai, Veer. But this isn’t some joke.”

Veer, moving closer, lowered his voice, his expression softening. “Joke nahi, Bani. Tum toh jaanti ho ke... main tumhare saath seriously hoon.” His eyes searched hers, the playful mask slipping slightly.

Bani felt her heart skip a beat but quickly composed herself, turning away from him. “Seriously? Tumhare actions kabhi waise dikhte nahi.”

Veer stepped closer, his voice dropping to a murmur. “Aur tum? Tum toh har waqt mujhse door bhaagti ho, lekin sach yeh hai ki tum bhi yeh cheez feel karti ho, don’t you?”

Bani stood still for a moment, his words lingering in the air. She could feel Veer’s presence behind her, his warmth, but she ignored it .

“Tum khud se yeh sab soch sakte ho. Main tumhare liye kuch feel nahi karti,” she said coldly, brushing past him.

Veer caught her wrist gently, stopping her in her tracks. “Phir kyun tumhe itna farak padta hai? Agar main itna meaningless hoon tumhare liye, toh yeh gussa kyun?”

Bani jerked her hand away, her jaw clenched. “Because you... you never take anything seriously. Har waqt tumhaari flirting aur games, mujhe yeh sab bilkul pasand nahi.”

Veer sighed, shaking his head slightly. “Yeh game nahi hai, Bani. You know that. You mean more to me than anyone else ever has.”

Bani hesitated, sensing the sincerity in his words, but she quickly hardened her expression again. “Mujhe tumhare baaton se koi farak nahi padta. Tumhara jo bhi plan ho, I’m not playing along.”

Veer stepped back, giving her space, though the intensity in his eyes never wavered. “Main yeh jaan gaya hoon, Bani. Tumhe jitna bhi door bhaagna hai, bhaag lo. But you’re not leaving this behind. Hum dono ke beech jo hai, woh tum chaahe ya naa chaahe, rahega.”

Without waiting for her response, he turned and walked out  towards the balcony, leaving Bani standing in the middle of the room, her emotions conflicted.

*******************************

After Bani moved into Veer’s room, she found herself wandering through the mansion, choosing solitude over interaction. As she passed by the study, where Veer was sitting with Nitesh and Mayuri,his guests or friends, Mayuri caught a glimpse of her.

"Who's that?" Mayuri asked with curiosity.

Veer glanced briefly in Bani’s direction before replying, a smile playing on his lips. "That’s Bani."

Mayuri raised an eyebrow "And who exactly is Bani?"

Veer’s gaze softened as he looked toward the direction where Bani had gone. His voice was casual, yet carried weight. "Meri wife."

Mayuri said trying to show suprise "Wife?When did this happen? What happened to the bachelor life, Veer? Didn’t you just waste it on marriage?"

Veer’s lips curved into a smirk, his eyes gleaming with amusement. "Kuch bhi nahi waste kiya, Mayuri. If anything, I got lucky. Jab pyaar ho jaata hai, toh kuch bhi waste nahi lagta."

Mayuri’s playful expression faltered for a moment, but she quickly recovered. "Well, I didn’t take you for the settling-down type, Veer."

Veer leaned back in his chair, his fingers casually tapping on the armrest. "Let’s just say, I found something worth settling down for."

Nitesh chuckled, sensing the shift in the air. "Looks like the great Veer Singhania has been tamed."

Veer’s smile widened, his eyes reflecting something deeper as he glanced again toward where Bani had disappeared. "Tamed? Hardly. Maybe I just found my match."

Mayuri, clearly intrigued but slightly unsettled by the shift in the conversation, tried to lighten the mood. "Well, I guess congratulations."

Veer didn’t reply, but the look in his eyes said more than words ever could. His bachelor life may have ended, but in his mind, it was no loss—just the beginning of something far more meaningful.

************************************
Later that night ,

Bani stood at the edge of the room, her eyes scanning the space. The room was a reflection of Veer—rich, dark, and suffocatingly elegant. She could feel his presence behind her, the energy between them almost crackling in the air. Her pulse quickened, but she refused to show it. She had promised herself that no matter what, she would not let him see the turmoil swirling inside her.

“Bani,” Veer’s voice was soft, almost teasing, as if he knew the effect his presence had on her. “Kya tumhe lagta hai ke main tumhe kuch karunga? Don’t worry, I’ll stay on my side. Promise.”

She turned slightly, her arms folded across her chest, giving him a look that was both challenging and defensive. “Tum pe bharosa karna? Kabhi nahi,” she shot back, her voice sharp.

Veer chuckled, moving closer, but still maintaining his distance. “Tum itna gussa kyun rehti ho? I’m not the bad guy here, Bani.”

Her jaw tightened, the memories of their past too fresh, too painful to ignore. “Tumhare bare mein kya sochun Veer? Every time I think I have you figured out, you do something else… unpredictable.”

His eyes softened as he took a step closer, the distance between them shrinking. “Main tumhare liye unpredictable hi rahunga. Isn’t that what you love about me?”

Bani’s heart stilled for a moment. Love? No. She couldn’t allow herself to feel that. Not after everything. “I don’t love you,” she whispered, though her voice wavered.

Veer smirked but didn’t push. He knew her well enough to understand that pressing her wouldn’t get him anywhere. Instead, he shifted the mood with his signature playfulness. “Acha, fine. Don’t love me. But admit it tumhe acha lagta hai jab main paas hota hoon.”

She turned away, trying to escape his gaze, but the warmth in his voice lingered, wrapping around her like a silent confession. “Main so rahi hoon,” she said abruptly, her back still to him.

Veer watched her with amusement as she settled on the bed, pulling the blanket over herself with a stubborn resolve. “Tum jo chahti ho, Bani,” he murmured as he walked over to the other side of the bed. But even in the silence, he couldn’t resist one last quip. “But remember… I’m just a few inches away. Agar tumhe kabhi thodi warmth chahiye toh"

“Shut up, Veer,” she snapped, though she could feel the corners of her mouth twitch in the darkness.

Veer grinned, knowing he had managed to break through her walls, even if just a little. He settled in beside her, though careful not to cross the invisible line she had drawn. “Goodnight, Bani.”

She didn’t reply, but in the quiet of the night, her mind was anything but still. As much as she hated it, she was painfully aware of him of his proximity .She in her life of 25 years has felt lonely always but why was heart suddenly not feeling all alone like she always felt .Her first day at Singhania Mansion was actually adventures but why did the end of the day felt soothing like she has never felt so much of what can she name it ...peace or a warm feeling but why??
Crazy...thought Bani to herself. She left all those thoughts and warm feelings behind to visit the land of dreams and slept off.

Veer closed his eyes, a smile playing on his lips. He didn’t need her to say anything. He could feel it too—the pull between them. And for now, that was enough.

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