Dear Readers,

Wishing you and your loved ones a year filled with happiness, good health, and success. May this year bring new opportunities, cherished memories, and countless reasons to smile.

Thank you for being a part of my journey. Here's to a bright and wonderful 2025!

Warm regards,

thegirlnextdoor7781

PUBLISHING IT AGAIN DUE TO A GLITCH!

Please comment you thoughts guys. They mean a lot!🙏🙏

CHAPTER - 2

HER.

~~ Rajveer ~~

The moment this girl stepped into my home, my instincts had flared. The men posted at the gate had let her in was because they had recognised her as Vijay's daughter from the news.

She was disheveled, barefoot and bleeding, her face pale with fear and yet, there was something about her. It was abundantly clear that she did not belong here, not in my world.

I watched her as she stumbled further into the room leaving a trail of blood from her torn feet on the floor.

She was trembling, her chest rising and falling rapidly as though she had outrun a storm but what she hadn't realised yet was that she had walked into another one, just as soon.

My men, stationed near the gates, were already moving to secure the perimeter. Whoever had chased her wouldn't make it past my walls alive. That much, I had ensured.

Vijay was standing right next to me, still unaware about what was happening.

The moment Aadya stumbled inside, I saw Vijay freeze beside me. For a man who had faced bullets for my father and for me, he did not look like he could act on his feet that swift.

"Aadya," he whispered, the name barely leaving his lips.

She did not hear him. Her eyes darted around the room until they landed on me and then I saw that look of recognition. She knew exactly who I was.

Vijay called her name out once again, louder this time, perhaps seeing her wounds and condition and rushed towards her without a thought.

I glanced at him, his face stricken with shock and something that might have been guilt. I knew he hadn't seen his daughter in years, not since the day he'd chosen to stand by my family.

She pulled back, her face full of anger and pain. She yelled at him, her words filled with accusations and hurt. But then, as if everything became too much to bear, her legs gave out, and she collapsed to the floor.

Vijay froze mid-step, his face pale with shock. He hesitated for a moment before rushing to her side, kneeling down to lift her gently.

"She's hurt," he murmured, his voice trembling. "Someone, call for the doctor."

I nodded, signalling to one of my men.

Then, I stepped forward, scooping her into my arms. She was lighter than I expected, her body limp and breathing ,shallow. Up close, I noticed the faint smudges of dirt on her face, the tear against her pale skin, and the slight tremble in her frame even in unconsciousness.

"Move," I said to the men in the way.

The guards instantly stepped aside, and I carried her down the hall. Vijay trailed behind me, still looking as though the ground had shifted beneath his feet.

As I reached the guest room, I pushed the door open with my shoulder. Gently, I laid her down on the mattress, careful not to jostle her further. Her feet were still bleeding.

I stood back, taking in her fragile state. "Get the doctor here." I commanded one of the men who had followed us.

He nodded and left without a word. Vijay stood at the edge of the bed, his hand hovering over hers but not quite touching.

"She looks worse than I imagined," he murmured, his voice filled with regret.

The doctor arrived moments later, his medical bag in hand. He wasted no time, moving quickly to assess her condition.

The doctor arrived within minutes, his bag in hand. He immediately moved to check her vitals before dressing the wounds on her feet.

"She's stable.," the doctor finally said, looking up at me. "The bleeding isn't severe, but she's exhausted. She needs rest, and her feet need proper care or they could become infected. But there is nothing to worry about."

I nodded, dismissing him with a curt gesture. "Stay around in case anything changes."

"Her mother would be worried, I must inform her." Vijay said, referring to his wife and walked out for a minute.

As Vijay stepped out to make the call, I stayed back in the room, my eyes fixed on Aadya. She looked peaceful now, but I couldn't ignore the storm she had brought with her.

I moved toward the window, pulling the curtain back just enough to scan the grounds. My men were patrolling the area. Nobody would get through, but I was not taking any chances.

A few minutes later, Vijay walked back in. His face was drawn, his eyes heavy with worry. He stood near the door for a moment, as though gathering his thoughts before speaking.

"Her mother is on her way, she wants to take her home immediately." He finally said, looking at her.

I gave him a nod, before walking out of there, giving him a moment with his daughter.

I made my way to my office and closed the door behind me. I leaned back in my chair, staring at the ceiling.

There was something about her which left me wanting to know more and more often than not, I get what I want.

This was just information.

Usually this was Vijay's job to find out about people I wanted to know but asking him to get his daughter's life in front of me would be a stretch.

That is why I had to call up Vansh, the in-charge of the security.

"I need information on Aadya Sharma, Vijay's daughter. Everything. Where she's been, who she's been with, and most importantly, why someone would want her dead."

There was a brief pause on the other end. "Understood, sir. I'll have a report for you within the hour."

Aadya Sharma.

The last time I had seen her in person, she was 7. It was my 16th Birthday and dad had invited Vijay's family.

She was a tiny, shy girl back then, clinging to her mother's saree, her hair tied into two little braids. I remember her peeking at me from behind her mother, her wide, curious eyes taking in everything.

I had barely paid her any attention. Why would I? At 16, I was too focused on my world. My training, my responsibilities.

Now, years later, she had walked into my home, not as the quiet child I barely remembered but as a young woman.

Angry. Scared.

I leaned forward, resting my elbows on my desk, trying to piece it all together. What had happened tonight? Why was she being chased?

The way she had recognised me instantly, as if she already knew who I was and had judged me and for the first time in my life, something or someone made me feel unsettled in my skin.

A knock on the door pulled me from my thoughts.

"Come in," I said, my voice steady.

Vansh stepped inside, holding a thin folder. "The initial report, sir," he said, placing it on my desk. "It's incomplete, but there's enough here to give you a picture."

I opened the folder he had left on my desk, flipping through the initial pages. She lived in a rented 3 BHK in Dadar with her mother and younger brother, Aarav.

She was a journalist in one of the popular news channels and tonight, she had exposed a human trafficking racket live.

It made sense now.

Why those men were after her. She had hit dangerous people where it hurt the most, and they weren't going to let it go.

I picked up my phone and called Vansh again. He answered on the first ring.

"Sir," he said.

"I need a team on her," I said, keeping my voice low. "Discreet but thorough. She doesn't find out, and neither does Vijay."

"Yes, sir," Vansh replied. "I'll assign my best men. Should I keep them stationed at her house as well?"

I thought for a moment. "Yes, but at a distance. Make sure they don't attract attention. Keep her and her family safe."

"Understood, sir," he said before hanging up.

I placed the phone back on the desk and sat there for a moment, staring at the dark screen of my computer.

Why was I doing this? This was not my problem, she was not my problem. She was Vijay's daughter, yes, but I did not owe her anything.

And yet, I had just ordered security for her. Quietly, without her or anyone else knowing.

I rubbed a hand over my face, trying to make sense of my own actions.

There was something about her, something I couldn't ignore. Maybe it was the way she had looked at me.

Or maybe it was the fact that she had walked into my home, dragging danger with her.

I sighed, leaning my forehead against the cool glass. This was not about her, I told myself.

It was about control, about making sure nothing in my world spiralled out of order.

I left my office and made my way toward my father's study. The door was slightly ajar, and the faint glow of a lamp spilled into the dimly lit hallway.

My father, the man who had ruled the underworld with an iron fist before passing the reins to me, was sitting in his leather armchair. A cigar rested in his hand, the smoke curling lazily upward. His once black hair had turned silver over the years, but his sharp eyes missed nothing.

He looked up as I entered, his gaze narrowing slightly. "What brings you here at this hour, Rajveer?" he asked, his voice calm but curious.

I closed the door behind me and took a seat across from him. "There's a situation," I said, leaning forward, resting my elbows on my knees. "It involves Vijay."

At the mention of Vijay, his brows rose in mild interest. "Vijay," he repeated, taking a slow puff of his cigar. "One of the most loyal men I've ever known. What's happened?"

"His daughter, Aadya," I began, watching his expression carefully. "She stumbled into the estate tonight, bleeding and terrified. Some men were chasing her."

He leaned back, setting the cigar in the ashtray. "His daughter?" He sounded surprised. "He had mentioned once that she had cut ties with him."

"She's a journalist," I explained. "She exposed a human trafficking racket live on air tonight. That's why they were after her."

He nodded slowly, "A dangerous move," he said. "But one that takes courage. She must have inherited that from Vijay."

I let out a small, humourless chuckle. "She is nothing like him. She yelled at him the moment she saw him, accusing him of abandoning her and her family. She collapsed before she could say much more."

Dad's face hardened slightly. "Vijay made sacrifices for us," he said quietly. "I told him not to, but he insisted. He's a good man, Rajveer, even if his choices weren't easy ones."

I nodded, already knowing that. Vijay had given up his family for the safety and loyalty of ours. It was a choice he never spoke about.

"She is under my protection now," I said, my voice steady. "I have had a doctor tend to her, and I've assigned security to her, discreetly. She will not find out, and Vijay won't either."

My father raised a brow, a small smirk tugging at his lips. "That's unlike you," he said, his tone amused. "You're not one to involve yourself in others' problems."

"She brought her problem to my doorstep," I replied. "I cannot ignore that."

He nodded, his smirk fading. "Vijay's loyalty deserves respect," he said after a pause. "If helping his daughter ensures his peace of mind, then it's the least we can do. But stay careful, Rajveer. The girl might not understand our world, and she might not want to."

I nodded, rising to my feet. "I will handle it." I said simply.

I then left him to himself and stood at the top of the staircase, watching as Vijay walked out of the guest room.

Behind him, Aadya followed, her mother and younger brother on either side of her.

Her feet were bandaged, and every step she took seemed to cost her. Yet, there was no sign of weakness in her expression, something that we were taught to respect from a young age.

Vijay opened the door, holding it for them as they stepped outside. She paused for the briefest moment and glanced over her shoulder, looking up at me. Her eyes found me at once, her gaze sharp and burning with hatred.

It caught me off guard again, that look.

It was not fear or gratitude, emotions I was used to seeing in people when they left this house. No, it was something different entirely.

She looked at me as if I were the enemy, as if I were one of the men chasing her tonight.

Then, without a word, she turned away, gripping her mother's and brother's hands tightly, limping towards the car.

I leaned against the railing, a faint smirk tugging at my lips.

She hated me, there was no doubt about it. That look had said everything.

As the car pulled away, I stayed where I was, watching until the taillights disappeared into the night.

"Interesting," I muttered to myself before heading back to my office.

Hey guys! This is the next chapter. Please tell me your honest reviews. I will really appreciate it. I love you all. Until next time. Bye!!