Sunlight filtered through the green leaves, casting a warm glow on the tiny water droplets from the previous night's rain.

The sweet songs of birds filled the air. Aditi stood before the mirror, expertly braiding her hair.

"Wah, Aditi, you look stunning!" Avani teased, admiring her Aditi's reflection. "Rohan and I will have to work hard to protect you from all the boys now."

Aditi chuckled, adjusting the dupatta on her shoulder. "Stop it, di..."

Avani grinned mischievously. "Okay, okay... I was just saying..." Aditi playfully rolled her eyes.

"All set, right? Let's go then." Aditi nodded, and the they exited the room.

______________

The massive gate swung open, allowing the car to enter the sprawling campus.

Trees and vibrant flowerbeds dotted the landscape. Students bustled about, hurrying to their classes.

Avani parked the car and turned to Aditi, who gazed out the window. Avani grasped her hand reassuringly. "Don't be nervous, okay? Come on, let's go."

Aditi nodded, and they stepped out of the car. Inside the large hall, they approached the reception area.

"Hello, good morning! I'm Avani, and this is Aditi. We called two days ago," Avani said.

The receptionist smiled, rising from her seat. "Oh, yes! Good morning, ma'am. I remember; you're here for admission, right?"

As they proceeded with the admission process, Avani instructed Aditi, "It'll take a bit longer. Go sit in the waiting area, and I'll call you when you're needed, okay?"

Aditi nodded and made her way to the waiting area. As she sat, a strong perfume wafted through the air, making her wrinkle her nose.

A low voice startled her. "Hi, mind moving your leg a bit so I can walk past you?"

Aditi looked up to find a handsome young man in his early twenties, with a quiet confidence and a fit physique.

"I'm talking to you, Miss Anarkali wearing girl," he said, while chuckling.

Aditi hastily moved her leg, allowing him to pass.

"New admission?" the man asked, sitting beside Aditi. She nodded slightly.

"Me too!" he exclaimed. "I'm Trinay. What's your name?" "I'm Aditi," she replied, meeting his gaze.

Trinay's smile broadened. "A pretty name for a pretty woman."

Aditi's cheeks flushed as she smiled lightly. "Thank you."

"Your name is pretty too," said said, not knowing how to continue the conversation.

"Huh? What? Pretty?" Trinay asked while looking at her.

Aditi's response was hesitant, thinking that she offended him. "I... I mean, your name is nice too."

Trinay chuckled. "Haha, look at you! I was just kidding. Thanks, though."

Aditi's embarrassment deepened, but she smiled, feeling a little more at ease.

As Aditi and Trinay continued their conversation, Aditi found herself growing more comfortable around him.

"Aditi, oh, you've already made a friend," Avani said with a smile, approaching them.

"Good morning, I'm Trinay," he introduced himself, standing up with a smile.

"Good morning, Trinay. I'm Avani, Aditi's sister. New admission?" Avani asked with a smile.

Trinay nodded enthusiastically. "Yes, I'm a new admission. I was in the States, but I just got back. Being a doctor is my dream."

He beamed with excitement, then suddenly looked sheepish. "Oh, sorry, that's too much talking, right?!"

Avani laughed warmly. "No, no, it's okay. Don't be embarrassed."

Avani turned to Aditi. "By the way, we're done with the admission process. You can start tomorrow. We just need your signature on some papers. Come on, I came to call you for that."

Aditi grinned at Trinay. "Oh, okay, di. Bye, Trinay!" She waved at him, and he returned the gesture with a bright smile.

----------------------

Avani stepped into her office, her eyes scanning the room until they landed on Sanvi, her secretary, holding a bouquet of dark, velvety red roses.

"Good morning, Ma'am. Another delivery for you," Sanvi said, her gaze fixed on Avani's face, which was rapidly turning beet red with anger.

Avani took a deep breath, forcing a calm smile onto her face. "Good morning, Sanvi. You may leave now. Thank you for letting me know."

Sanvi's eyes widened as she felt a shiver run down her spine. Avani's smile was more unsettling than her anger.

Sanvi quickly beat a retreat, muttering under her breath, "Ma'am's smile is scarier than her anger. I literally got goosebumps."

Avani's smile vanished as she clutched the bouquet, her eyes scanning the attached note.

"My favorite flowers for my favorite lady." -S

The handwriting was unmistakable - thick, bold, and neat, a signature Siddharth style.

Avani's anger boiled over. "That bastard! I'm going to kill him!" She tore the note into pieces and hurled them into the wastebasket.

Meanwhile, Siddharth sat in his office, a self-satisfied smile spreading across his face. He knew exactly how Avani would react.

"Oh, my cherine, it's just the beginning. There's more to come," he whispered to himself, his eyes glinting with amusement.

Ashwin, lounging on the couch, raised an eyebrow. "Smiling like a creep again."

Ashwin snorted. "Dude, you're delusional. Hope she doesn't file a complain against you."

Siddharth chuckled. "You know Avani won't file a complaint against me."

Siddharth's smile never wavered. "You she won't, deep down, she loves the flowers I sent her, the attention I give her."

Ashwin rolled his eyes. "Dude, you're being ridiculous. The sigma boy Siddharth from college has turned into a lovesick puppy."

Siddharth's gaze turned introspective. "Love can change anyone, Ash. It makes us do things no one can imagine."

Ashwin shuddered. "Dude, stop it. Your smile is giving me the chills."

Siddharth's chuckle was low and husky as he continued to gaze out the window, lost in thought.

------------------------

Aditi stood before the campus entrance, clutching her bag tightly. She took a deep breath to calm her nerves.

"I can do this. I'm here to study and become a doctor. I'll make Maa, Papa, and Didi proud!" she whispered to herself, gazing up at the entrance.

As she stepped inside, the sounds of chatter and shuffling feet enveloped her.

She approached a group of girls and asked, "Excuse me, can you please tell me where the first-year class is?"

One of the girls pointed her in the right direction. "It's on the second floor, second classroom."

Aditi smiled her thanks and made her way to the classroom. She spotted the familiar face of Trinay sitting in one of the seats, scrolling through his phone.

She smiled and walked over to him. "Good morning, Trinay."

Trinay startled, clutching his chest. "Oh, Aditi! You scared me!"

Aditi giggled. "Sorry, sorry."

Just then, the bell rang, and the classroom began to fill with students. The professor entered, and the class fell silent.

As the lecture began, Aditi focused on taking notes. Suddenly, the professor's voice rose in annoyance. "You're late on your first day! Seriously? Now day's kids are..."

Aditi looked up to see a young man, dressed in a denim pants and oversized shirt, standing before the professor, which was against the college dress code.

He was good-looking, with a strong physique, but his expression was unreadable.

The professor's demeanor changed abruptly as a staff member came inside in a hurry and whispered something in his ear.

His eyes widened, and he gulped. "It's okay, it's normal to be late. Traffic is terrible these days. Please, take a seat."

The young man walked silently to an empty seat, his eyes fixed on some point in front of him.

Aditi whispered to Trinay, "Why does the professor look so scared?"

Trinay's eyes sparkled with surprise.  "Because that's Ridhav Singhania son of one of India's richest businessmen, and cousin of Siddharth Singhania, the current CEO of Singhania Enterprises."

Aditi's confusion was evident. "Who are they?"

Trinay's eyes nearly popped out of his head. "Girl, do you live under a rock? Singhania Enterprises is one of the top business groups in the country!" Trinay continues while making a dramatic expression.

"Siddharth Singhania is one of the top business man, and Ridhav well, he's a boxing sensation. But be warned, he's ruthlessly emotionless. But mainly Singhania group is one of the main investers of our college."

Aditi's gaze drifted back to Ridhav, who was staring at the board. "He looks scary."

As if sensing her gaze, Ridhav turned, his piercing eyes locking onto Aditi's. She felt a jolt of electricity and quickly looked away.

"Oh meri Krishna ji, he saw me." Aditi said while looking at Trinay with wide eyes.

Trinay looks at her in terrified face. "Oh girl, you're done." Aditi's eyes widened in alarm. "What do you mean?" Trinay grinned mischievously. "Just kidding, Aditi."

The professor's voice cut through the chatter, silencing the class once more.

As the lecture concluded, Aditi gathered her belongings and followed Trinay out of the classroom. Ridhav's gaze lingered on her, his expression unreadable.

"Those eyes scream innocence....which disgusts me," Ridhav muttered to himself, his eyes never leaving the spot where Aditi had disappeared.

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