Third POV

“Samiksha, from now on just shut your mouth for at least one week, okay? He was a nice man. He only kicked us out of his car if it was someone else, God knows what would’ve happened,” Arjun said, dragging her by the hand, clearly exhausted from handling her nonstop drama.

“Yes, Arjun is right. Samiksha, you really need to think before speaking. We’re lucky nothing worse happened,” Janhvi added, rushing up from behind and matching their pace, her voice softer but equally serious.

“He fucking kicked us out of his car, and you idiots are thanking him? Are you both insane or what?!” Samiksha yelled at the top of her lungs, stopping abruptly, making both Arjun and Janhvi facepalm at the same time.

“Accha miss Samiksha, toh kya karte hum?” Arjun snapped, crossing his arms. “Tu ne jo bola usko… aur upar se kick bhi maara. Uska body dekha tha? Ek minute mein nark ka rasta dikha deta tujhe agar usne wapas kiya hota.”

( Oh really, Miss Samiksha, what should we have done? The way you spoke to him… and on top of that, you kicked him. Did you even see his body? He could’ve shown you the gates of hell in one minute if he reacted.)

“I didn’t kick him, okay?! I kicked the seat,” Samiksha shot back instantly, hands on her waist, eyes blazing. “And I’m damn sure he was some thief. Who the hell hides their face like that?”

“And should I remind you how you almost murdered him?” Arjun said, stepping closer.

That was enough.

Samiksha’s face went pale for a second as the memory flashed in her mind.

“Great,” she scoffed, crossing her arms again. “So we just met the first man of this village who thinks women are nothing in front of them.”

“Samiksha, shut up. Are you crazy? He was literally helping us,” Arjun hissed into her ear, trying to keep his voice low.

She just rolled her eyes and brushed past him.

“So what if he helped? Matlab kuch bhi bolega? Zyada uski side lega na, maar maar ke bharta bana dungi. Chup chaap side mein baith ja,” she snapped, glaring at him.

( So what if he helped? Does that mean he can say anything? If you support him more, I’ll beat you into pulp. Just sit quietly to the side.)

Arjun immediately raised both his hands in surrender and quietly moved aside, muttering something under his breath.

Just then

“Ke bera tanne? Itni zor zor te kyun chillave se? Dekhan mein toh padhi likhi lage se, par harkat teri bilkul gawaran aali se.”

( What’s wrong with you? Why are you shouting so loudly? You look educated, but your behavior is completely like an illiterate village girl.)

The man’s voice came again deep, calm, yet laced with irritation.

And he still didn’t turn back.

Which somehow made it worse.

“Arjun! Samjha le isko, warna isko bhi maar dungi. Ye mujhe apni language mein gaali de raha hai!” Samiksha snapped angrily, turning toward Arjun, while Janhvi started fanning her with both hands like she might explode any second.

“Abey abhi bola chup rehne ko, fir bol rahi hai,” Arjun groaned. “Aur tujhe gaali nahi di… tujhe ‘padhi likhi jahil’ bola hai.”

( You literally just told me to stay quiet and you’re still calling me . And he didn’t abuse you… he called you an ‘educated illiterate’.)

Samiksha’s head snapped toward him so fast it almost gave him whiplash.

Arjun instantly shifted back in fear.

“How dare he?!” she snapped, pointing her finger toward the man’s back. “Khud hoga jahil! Tera baap jahil, uska baap jahil, aur uska bhi baap jahil! Tumhare ghar ke saare mard jahil bada aaya!”

( He himself must be illiterate! Your father is illiterate, his father is illiterate, and his father too! All the men in your family are illiterate who he thinks he is! )

There was a pause.

A beat of silence.

And then

“Wah… aapko kaise pata ki humara pura khandan jahil hai? Padhi likhi ladki ki pehchaan hai ye toh,” the man on the driving seat said, his voice carrying an amusement,

( Wow… how do you know my entire family is illiterate? Quite the identity of an educated girl, I must say.)

For a moment, everything went still. Arjun and Janhvi stared at him in complete shock, their earlier confidence gone as regret slowly settled in. Samiksha, however, sat frozen for a second, her anger still burning but now mixed with a strange hesitation she didn’t quite understand.

“Bhaisahab… thoda sa chutiya ho kya aap? Last baar bol rahi hoon, sorry bolo… warna main—” Samiksha stepped forward again, pointing straight at him, her voice louder this time, echoing slightly in the empty space around them.

( Excuse me… are you a bit stupid? I’m saying this for the last time—say sorry… or I )

She never got to complete her sentence.

Because this time, the man turned slowly, deliberately as if he wasn’t in any hurry at all. His sharp, dark eyes landed directly on her, and though the rest of his face remained partially hidden, the intensity in his gaze alone was enough to make the air feel heavier.

For the first time, Samiksha’s confidence wavered, just slightly, as those eyes held hers without blinking.

“Arre chhori, tanne lagge se tu koi badi toofan se? Jitna muh chalave se na, utna dimaag bhi chalaya kar kabhi,” he said, his voice low and steady, each word carrying a quiet authority wrapped in Haryanvi bluntness.

(!Girl, do you think you’re some big storm? The way you run your mouth, maybe try using your brain that much too.)

Samiksha blinked once, then twice, her brows knitting in confusion as she didn’t fully understand the words, but the tone the way he said it was more than enough to tell her it wasn’t anything good. That single realization was enough to bring her anger rushing back, stronger than before.

“Arjun…” she gritted out, her jaw tightening as she tore her gaze away from him for a second, her patience hanging by the thinnest thread, ready to snap any moment.

Before things could escalate, Arjun quickly stepped in between them, forcing out a nervous laugh while raising his hands slightly, as if physically trying to block the situation from exploding.

“Bhai dekh le… ye thodi si tej hai, par dil ki buri nahi hai. Galti ho gayi, aap tension mat lo,” he said quickly, his tone respectful yet hurried, clearly trying to smooth things over before it went too far.

( Brother, look… she’s a bit sharp, but she’s not bad at heart. She made a mistake, don’t take tension.)

“Tej?” the man repeated, a faint scoff escaping him as he tilted his head slightly, his gaze still locked on Samiksha with an unreadable expression. “Isne tej bole se tu? Yo toh seedha bawli se… bina soche samjhe bakbak kare ja se.”

( Sharp? You call this sharp? She’s straight-up crazy… keeps talking without thinking.)

Janhvi slowly covered her face with both hands, already anticipating the disaster about to unfold, while Arjun shut his eyes for a brief second like he was mentally preparing for impact.

And Samiksha

She sat there, staring at him, her fists clenching at her sides, her anger now dangerously close to exploding into something far worse than just words.

Arjun shot Samiksha a sharp warning look, silently telling her to stop before things got worse, then quickly turned back toward the man, forcing calm into his expression even though panic was clearly creeping in.

“Bhai, dekh na… gaam naya se, tension mein se sab. Tu bas chhod de baat ne,” The other man said, his tone softer , almost requesting, trying to settle the situation before it completely slipped out of control.

( Brother, look… the place is new, everyone’s stressed. Just let it go.)

The man didn’t respond immediately. His eyes moved slowly over all three of them observing, measuring, as if deciding something silently. Then, after a brief pause, a faint smirk formed on his lips, subtle but noticeable.

“Chhod diya… par isne samjha le,” he said finally, jerking his chin slightly toward Samiksha. “Agle baar kisi galat aadmi te panga le liya na… fer na bachegi.”

( I’m letting it go… but control her. Next time, if she messes with the wrong man… she won’t be spared.)

This time

Silence settled heavily between them.

Even Samiksha didn’t react instantly, her usual sharp comeback missing for the first time. The tone didn’t sound like mockery anymore; it sounded real, like something that didn’t need to be repeated twice.

Janhvi quietly stepped closer to her, her hand gently wrapping around Samiksha’s arm, grounding her, silently asking her not to push further.

But Samiksha just stood there, staring at him.

Her anger was still there—

Burning.

But now, something else has mixed into it.

Something unfamiliar. And just when it felt like things might calm down. She spoke again.

“Main kisi se nahi darti… samjhe aap?” she said, her voice lower this time, but steady, firm, still carrying that same challenge.

( I’m not scared of anyone… understand?)

The man let out a low chuckle, the sound quiet but filled with amusement, as if her words didn’t surprise him at all.

“Darna bhi na chahiye… par samajh honi chahiye,” he replied calmly, already turning away again, as if the conversation was beneath his attention now.

( You shouldn’t be scared… but you should have sense.)

For a brief second, it felt like the tension had finally settled.

Like everything would end there.

But—Before anyone could even relax

Samiksha suddenly lashed out, her foot striking the back of his seat in frustration, the impact loud and sharp in the otherwise silent space.

Everyone froze.

Arjun and Janhvi stared at her in complete shock, their expressions turning from relief to horror in a matter of seconds. The man, however, didn’t react immediately, his stillness more dangerous than anger, as if he was holding himself back.

“Samiksha, pagal hai kya? Abey ruk! Ruk, pagal aurat!” Arjun snapped, grabbing her wrist quickly, trying to pull her back before she made things worse.

( Samiksha, are you crazy? Stop! Stop, you mad woman!)

But something had snapped inside her.

She pulled her hand back slightly, her breathing heavy, her chest rising and falling as anger completely took over, drowning out whatever little sense was left.

“You think I don’t have sense? Haan, nahi hai! Main senseless hoon… aur ye uska example hai. Aur dekhna hai?” she shot back, her voice shaking slightly with intensity as she brushed her messy hair away from her face.

( You think I don’t have sense? Yes, I don’t! I’m senseless… and this is an example of it. Want to see more?)

The air turned heavy again.

And this time. Even Arjun didn’t know how to fix it.

“Stop the fucking car—now!” The man suddenly roared, his voice slicing through the silence of the dark road, making Samiksha, Arjun, and Janhvi flinch instantly, their bodies reacting before their minds could even process what was happening.

The driver slammed the brakes without a second thought, and before anyone could speak, the man stepped out of the car with controlled anger, walking straight toward Samiksha’s side and pulling the door open in one sharp motion.

For the first time, Samiksha truly noticed him—his height towering over her, his broad frame, the silent dominance in his stance. A lump formed in her throat, but she forced her expression to stay the same, refusing to show even a hint of fear.

“Hai kya hai?” she said sharply while stepping out, trying to hold onto her attitude despite the sudden shift in atmosphere around her.

( What is it? What do you want?)

The door slammed shut behind her with force, the sound echoing slightly, making her flinch before she masked it quickly.

“Are you mad or what?. Didn’t your parents teach you any manners?” the man said, his tone filled with irritation, his gaze fixed on her as if already done tolerating her behavior.

By then, Arjun and Janhvi had stepped out too, quickly moving beside Samiksha, their concern evident as they tried to read the situation before it escalated further.

“Hey! Don’t you dare talk about my parents,” Samiksha snapped, stepping forward with her finger pointed at him, her anger blazing stronger now as if she had something to prove.

“And what will you do if I do, huh?” the man replied without hesitation, stepping forward as well, mirroring her stance, his tone calm yet provoking.

“So I will—” she started, but instead of finishing, she grabbed his finger and twisted it suddenly, trying to assert control in the only way she knew.

But it didn’t work.

He didn’t even react.

Instead, a slow smirk appeared on his lips as he looked down at her, clearly amused by her attempt, noticing how small she looked in front of him.

“You think this will scare me, huh?” he said calmly before reversing the hold in one swift motion, turning her around and pinning her hand behind her back, her back pressed against his chest.

The grip wasn’t harsh enough to hurt but it was firm enough to make one thing very clear.

He was in control.

“And you think this will scare me, jahil aadmi?” Samiksha snapped back, struggling against him, refusing to let her voice shake even when her position said otherwise.

( you illiterate man?)

“You know what…” he leaned closer, his voice dropping dangerously low near her ear, his breath brushing against her skin. “I know how to break this attitude of yours. Should I?”

A shiver ran down her spine despite herself, her eyes shutting for a brief second as the unfamiliar proximity unsettled her more than she wanted to admit.

“Hey! Leave her, I’m sorry on her behalf please!” Arjun rushed forward, panic clear in his voice as he tried to step in, his eyes darting between both of them. “You… tell him to leave her!”

“Sala meri kismat… aise aise kaam mein kyun phas jaata hoon,” he muttered under his breath, frustration clearly breaking through.

( Damn my luck… why do I always get stuck in situations like this?)

“Chhod denge… pehle isse bol sorry bole bhai sahab ko,” the other man said calmly, watching everything unfold as if it was just another normal scene.

(He’ll let her go… first tell her to say sorry to brother.)

There was a pause, heavy and tense, as if everything was hanging by a thread.

And then suddenly

A sharp groan broke through the silence.

“Sorry? Sorry bole mere sasur ji!” Samiksha snapped as she stepped away, flipping her hair back, her expression filled with defiance after delivering a precise kick.

( Sorry? my father-in-law says sorry)

The man immediately let go, his body reacting to the sudden pain, his control breaking for the first time as he bent slightly, holding himself.

“Kisne kaha mard ko dard nahi hota? Sahi jagah maaro toh amma-bapu ji yaad aa jaate hain,” she added sweetly, a mocking smile playing on her lips as she looked at him.

( Who said men don’t feel pain? Hit the right spot and they remember their parents instantly.)

“You how dare—” he hissed, looking up at her with a dark expression, his patience finally snapping.

“Yes, I dare and you—” she started again, but before she could continue, Arjun quickly covered her mouth with his hand, cutting her off mid-sentence.

“Hey sorry bhai! She’s stupid sorry, sorry!” Arjun said hurriedly, not wasting a second as he grabbed her wrist and started pulling her away from there.

Janhvi followed immediately, throwing one last nervous glance back before hurrying after them, her heart still racing from everything that had just happened.

After gaining some distance, Samiksha pulled her hand free, shooting both of them a look as her confidence returned, even though the memory of those sharp eyes still lingered somewhere in her mind.

“Are toh ab kya kar sakte hain? Wo mujhe chhod hi nahi raha tha… zyada mardangi dikha raha tha,” she muttered defensively while walking ahead, trying to justify her actions.

( What else was I supposed to do? He wasn’t letting go… acting too macho.)

“Accha? Toh tu uski mard rehne ki nishani hi chheen legi?” Arjun snapped dramatically, stepping in front of her, disbelief written all over his face.

( Oh really? So you decided to take away his manhood completely?)

Samiksha rolled her eyes at him, clearly unfazed, brushing off his reaction like it was nothing important.

“Of course. And are you guys dumb? You left all our suitcases in that idiot’s car. Now what are we going to wear?” she shot back, quickly changing the topic before they could drag her again.

“Kapde tab kaam aate jab zinda rehte, right?” Janhvi said, her voice still trembling slightly as the fear hadn’t fully left her yet. “Didn’t you see? That driver had a gun!”

Samiksha simply rolled her eyes again, completely dismissing her concern as she adjusted her sleeves, her expression turning serious in a different way now.

“Shut up yaar… and relax. We’ve reached Haryana now. Forget that man and focus on our mission,” she said firmly, rolling up her sleeves as if preparing for something much bigger.

Arjun and Janhvi looked at her for a second.

And then

Facepalmed again.

___________________________________

On the other hand, the car stopped in front of a massive haveli, its grand structure glowing faintly under the dark sky, standing tall like it owned the silence around it.

The door opened, and he stepped out around 6’5, broad and built, his black kurta sitting sharply on his frame. Every step he took was steady, controlled, yet carried an unspoken danger.

His jaw was tight, his expression hard, and his black eyes burned with restrained anger like he was barely holding himself back from unleashing it on someone.

This was Adhrit Choudhary, the sarpanch of Haryana, known not for mercy but for his cruelty and the kind of rage people feared more than they understood.

“Bhai sahab… aap theek toh hain? Zyada chot toh nahi—” the man behind him spoke hesitantly, his voice unsure.

But Adhrit stopped him mid-sentence, raising his hand slightly without even turning back enough to silence him instantly.

“Pata lagao… kaun thi woh,” he said coldly, continuing to walk toward the haveli, his tone leaving no space for delay.

(Find out who she was.)

“Kyun aayi hai… aur Haryana mein kahan ruk rahi hai,” he added without pause, his voice low but firm, as if the answer was already expected.

(Why she came… and where she is staying in Haryana.)

He didn’t wait for a reply and walked straight inside as the heavy doors opened for him, his presence alone commanding obedience without a second thought.

Because everyone there knew when Adhrit Choudhary gave an order, it wasn’t a choice.

It was something that would be done.

The heavy doors shut behind him with a dull thud, the sound echoing through the vast halls of the haveli as if even the walls acknowledged his return and the mood he carried with him.

Servants instantly lowered their gazes and stepped aside, no one daring to speak or even breathe too loudly as Adhrit walked past them, his presence alone enough to silence everything.

He didn’t stop, didn’t look at anyone, yet everyone felt it the sharp edge of his anger, controlled but far from gone, lingering in every step he took.

He pushed open the door of his study and walked in, the dim lighting casting long shadows across the room, matching the storm quietly building inside him.

For a moment, he stood still, his hand flexing slightly as if remembering something: her resistance, her grip, and then that sudden, unexpected kick.

A sharp breath left him, almost a scoff, as his jaw tightened again and he ran his tongue over his teeth, irritation flickering across his face.

“Pagal ladki…” he muttered under his breath, though the words carried more than just annoyance, something unfamiliar slipping in between.

He walked toward the table, pouring himself a drink, the glass clinking softly as the liquid swirled, his mind replaying the entire scene again, slower this time.

The way she looked at him with no fear, no hesitation, even when he had complete control, her defiance standing stronger than her sense.

That bothered him.

Because people usually reacted in only two ways around him—fear or submission, and she had chosen neither.

His grip on the glass tightened slightly as a faint, dangerous smirk appeared on his lips, his thoughts settling into something more deliberate now.

“Galat aadmi se panga liya hai…” he murmured, his voice low but certain.

(She picked a fight with the wrong man.)

He leaned back, finishing his drink in one go, his eyes darkening as the decision formed clearly in his mind.

“Ab dekhte hain… kitni himmat hai,” he added calmly, though his tone carried a quiet threat beneath it.

( Now let’s see… how much courage she really has.)

Outside, footsteps moved quickly, voices low but urgent, as instructions began spreading without delay.

Because in this haveli, nothing stayed hidden for long and neither would she.

Happy reading 💞