K.R Mansion

Anvaya had barely stepped out of her room when suddenly someone yanked her backward harshly and pinned her against the nearest wall before clamping a hand tightly over her mouth.

The sudden impact made her squeeze her eyes shut instantly, fear rushing through her body before she could even process what was happening. After everything that had happened recently, her mind immediately jumped to the worst possibility—someone had broken into the mansion again.

“H-h-hey… I-I don’t fear you…” she started blabbering nervously without opening her eyes, trying very hard to sound brave even though her trembling voice completely betrayed her. “Whoever you are, if you dare hurt Ishvika, I will cut your fucking dick and then I will—”

Her threats came out muffled because of the hand pressed over her lips, making the entire situation look far less intimidating than she intended.

But before she could continue, another hand suddenly slid around her waist before pinching her lightly.

A shocked gasp escaped her instantly.

“Shh… scared kitten. You talk too much.”

The familiar whisper near her ear sent goosebumps rising across her skin. Her brows frowned immediately before she slowly opened her eyes and froze.

Aryav stood impossibly close to her, leaning down slightly with a teasing smirk spread across his face. One hand still covered her mouth while the other rested casually around her waist as though he belonged there.

“You how dare you—”

Anvaya snapped angrily the moment he loosened his grip slightly, immediately trying to push him away. But it barely affected him. Aryav was much stronger, and unfortunately for her, he looked highly entertained by her struggle.

“Yes, I dare. So what?” he replied shamelessly with a grin. “I’m a daring man, darling.”

He even winked at her.

Anvaya stared at him in disbelief before glaring harder.

“You bastard,” she hissed. “Wait till I tell Krevansh bhaiya about you. He will—”

She stopped abruptly when Aryav leaned even closer instead of backing away. His long lashes fluttered innocently while his smirk deepened further.

“Go on,” he whispered lazily. “Tell your bhaiya about me. I don’t fear him, scared kitten.”

Before she could react, he suddenly pulled her toward himself, making her collide against his chest. Her breath hitched softly at the sudden closeness while Aryav calmly watched every expression crossing her face.

“Don’t you dare call me that stupid name,” Anvaya snapped immediately, trying to regain control of herself. “And wait— let me tell my bhaiya. He’ll beat the shit out of you.”

This time Aryav only looked amused.

Without warning, Anvaya bit down hard on the palm still pressed near her mouth.

“Hiss—”

Aryav instantly jerked his hand away while glaring at her in shock. Meanwhile Anvaya stepped back proudly, a victorious smirk appearing on her lips.

“Maza aya? Ruk aap.”

(Did you enjoy that? Just wait now.)

She pointed a finger at him dramatically before turning around confidently, clearly planning to complain to her brother immediately.

But Aryav’s next words stopped her mid-step.

“Maza toh ayega hi,” he drawled casually behind her. “You just left your mark on me, little brat.”

Anvaya froze instantly.

“And go on,” he continued lazily. “Tell your brother that the man you kissed at the club was teasing you.”

The words hit her like lightning.

Slowly, she turned around again, staring at him in complete shock. The memory of that night flashed through her head instantly: the club, the stranger, the kiss she had tried very hard to forget.

And now

Aryav stood in front of her smirking like he had just won something.

“What happened, darling?” he asked while slowly walking toward her again. “Go on… tell your brother.”

He stopped directly in front of her once more, tilting his head slightly while watching her speechless face with obvious amusement.

“Hm?”

“What happened, darling? Go on… tell your brother, hmm?”

Aryav said with a lazy smirk as he slowly walked toward her again and stopped directly in front of her. His eyes remained fixed on Anvaya’s stunned face while she stood there staring at him as if her brain had completely stopped working.

The word little brat still echoed inside her head.

And suddenly

Everything came rushing back.

---

Flashback

A week ago…

Aryav had been standing near the bar counter, lazily circling the drink in his hand while scrolling through his phone with complete disinterest. Loud music filled the club, people dancing wildly around him, but none of it held his attention for long. He had arrived in India before Krevansh because of some unfinished work and right now his entire focus remained on completing the task Krevansh had trusted him with.

Then his phone rang.

Krevansh.

Aryav immediately straightened and placed his glass back on the counter before moving toward the quieter exit area to take the call. But the moment he stepped forward

Someone suddenly crashed into him.

Before he could even react properly, soft lips pressed against his.

Aryav froze.

His breath hitched for a second as his eyes widened in complete shock at the sudden contact. The girl in front of him held onto his shirt tightly while keeping her face hidden near him.

A few boys rushed past nearby, scanning the area hurriedly before disappearing toward the dance floor. Only after they were gone did Aryav hear her trembling voice.

“I-is… is it safe? Have they left?”

Before Aryav could answer, the girl instantly pushed herself away from him, making him stumble half a step backward before quickly regaining balance.

“I-I’m sorry,” she said breathlessly while nervously tucking her hair behind her ear. Her cheeks were flushed deep red, embarrassment and panic both visible on her face. “They were following me and I didn’t know what else to do.”

Aryav stayed silent for a moment while looking at her carefully.

She looked tiny in front of him, barely reaching his shoulder. Small. Delicate. Completely out of place in a chaotic place like this. Even in the dim club lights, her innocence stood out dangerously.

Beautiful like an angel.

The moment he stepped slightly closer, she stepped backward instinctively only for her heels to slip.

Before she could fall, Aryav’s arm wrapped firmly around her waist and pulled her directly against him. Her breath hitched sharply at the sudden closeness while his gaze darkened slightly.

“Don’t ever kiss a stranger like that again,” he whispered near her ear slowly. “Do you understand, little brat?”

Her fingers tightened around his shirt immediately.

“Hm?” Aryav murmured softly while pulling her slightly closer. “Do you understand, kitten?”

She nodded quickly with her eyes squeezed shut, her heartbeat so loud that Aryav could practically feel it against his chest.

“Use your words,” he whispered while brushing her hair away from her face.

“O-okay… sir,” she answered nervously, her hands trembling slightly.

A faint smirk appeared on Aryav’s lips.

“Good girl.”

Before he could say anything else, she suddenly pushed him lightly and ran away without even looking back. Aryav stood there staring after her in silence, slightly stunned by what had just happened.

It had been his first kiss.

A stranger had stolen it in less than thirty seconds.

For the world, Aryav Shekhawat might look like a playboy surrounded by girls and meaningless flings, but most of that image had been created by him deliberately. A mask. A distraction. And the real reason behind it was something only Aryav himself knew.

His phone rang again.

Krevansh.

Aryav glanced one last time toward the direction the girl had disappeared, hoping to catch another glimpse of her, but she was already gone.

Then something near the floor caught his attention.

A card.

He bent down and picked it up slowly.

Her photograph.

Her name.

Anvaya Rathore.

Flashback Ends

–

“Seriously? You’re unbelievable,” Anvaya muttered irritably after the memory ended, pushing past him quickly.

She managed barely three steps before abruptly turning back toward him again.

“So you knew from the start?” she demanded through gritted teeth. “That it was me? Then why didn’t you tell me the day you saw me?”

Aryav only shrugged innocently.

“So what?” he replied casually. “Should I tell your bhaiya about our little accidental kiss—”

Before he could finish, Anvaya instantly rushed forward and slammed her palm over his mouth before pinning him lightly against the wall.

Aryav’s eyes widened in genuine shock.

“Shh,” she whispered nervously while looking around. “You talk too loudly, just shut up.”

The sudden closeness finally hit her a second later.

A shiver ran down Anvaya’s spine as she realized what she had done. Her face immediately burned red while her breath became uneven. She tried saying something

But suddenly Aryav softly kissed the center of her palm while looking directly into her eyes.

A shocked gasp escaped her instantly as she jerked her hand back like she had been burned. Every ounce of confidence disappeared from her face as she lowered her gaze quickly, unable to look at him anymore.

Aryav looked at her in open amusement before clicking his tongue softly.

“You weren’t this shy when you kissed me that night, scared kitten,” Aryav teased softly, though his eyes had lost most of their mockery by now. “And look at you now… you can’t even look into my eyes.”

Holding her chin gently between two fingers, he lifted her face toward him. The sudden closeness made Anvaya’s breath falter. His face was inches away from hers, close enough for her to notice the slight parting of his lips, the warmth of his breath, and the strange softness hidden beneath his teasing expression.

Anvaya’s eyes slowly dropped toward his lips before lifting back to his gaze again. Her heartbeat turned uneven under the intensity with which he was looking at her. And before she could stop herself from overthinking, she slowly stood on her toes and pressed a soft kiss against his lips.

Aryav’s eyes widened instantly.

For a second, his mind completely blanked out. Before he could even understand what had happened properly or return the kiss, Anvaya quickly pulled away again and started fidgeting nervously with her fingers while avoiding his gaze completely.

This was the second time she had kissed him.

And somehow, both times had managed to leave him utterly speechless.

Aryav stood frozen in his place, staring at her as if every thought inside his head had suddenly disappeared. His lips remained slightly parted while his wide eyes stayed fixed on her face. Dangerous situations never unsettled him like this. But this girl

This girl somehow managed to shake him with the smallest touch.

Seeing him remain silent for too long, Anvaya slowly looked up again. Panic immediately crossed her face after seeing him stare at her like a statue.

“Mar gaye?” she blurted out dramatically. “Bas ek kiss se?”

(Did you die? From just one kiss?)

“Mujhe jail ho jayegi, Bhagwan!” she continued in horror. “For murdering a man by kissing him without warning? Eww… yeh kaisi baat hui!”

(I’ll go to jail, God! What kind of weird situation is this?)

Aryav blinked once before finally snapping out of his dazed state. A quiet laugh escaped him while he stared at her in disbelief. Only Anvaya Rathore could kiss someone and then immediately worry about accidental murder charges.

“Aryav.”

Krevansh’s voice suddenly echoed from the end of the corridor, breaking the moment instantly.

Both of them turned.

Krevansh stood near the study room entrance, looking toward Aryav impatiently. “I called you. What are you doing here? Fighting with Anvaya again? Come fast.”

The moment Anvaya saw her brother, her face immediately paled.

Without wasting a second, she quickly stepped several feet away from Aryav, creating a very noticeable safe distance between them. Aryav noticed the movement instantly but chose not to comment on it. Instead, amusement flickered quietly across his face.

“Yes, wait, I’m coming,” Aryav replied casually. “Your sister was showing her skills to me, that’s why.”

Krevansh only nodded absentmindedly, completely unaware of the hidden meaning behind those words before turning and walking back inside his study.

The second he disappeared

Anvaya whipped her head toward Aryav in horror.

Aryav only smirked wider.

“See?” he said dramatically. “Your brother is so innocent.”

He slowly started circling around her while speaking, his hands casually tucked inside his pockets. “What will happen if he finds out his sister sneaks out of the mansion at midnight… goes to clubs… and kisses random men, hm?”

Every single word made Anvaya more nervous.

Aryav leaned slightly closer before lowering his voice deliberately. “When Krevansh was younger, he once stabbed a fork into a boy’s hand because he lied to him.”

He paused dramatically before sighing.

“So imagine what he’ll do after finding out his own sister lied to him.” Aryav shook his head sadly. “Poor Krevansh. He’ll be heartbroken.”

The color drained completely from Anvaya’s face.

The last thing she ever wanted was to hurt her brother. Krevansh’s anger was terrifying enough, but his disappointment? She genuinely could not survive that. And unfortunately, her imagination immediately started showing horrifying images of Krevansh ending her existence in at least a hundred different ways.

“Hey.”

Aryav waved a hand in front of her face.

“Come back to Earth.”

Anvaya blinked rapidly before glaring at him with frustration finally breaking through her panic. “Why are you like this?” she burst out. “How are you such a devil?”

Aryav placed a hand dramatically over his chest.

“Jaisa bhi hoon,” he replied shamelessly while walking past her with an attitude, “ab se aapka hoon, jaaneman.”

(However I am… from now on, I’m yours, darling.)

Anvaya stared at his back helplessly before quickly following after him.

“Please,” she said more quietly this time while stepping in front of him again. “Don’t tell bhaiya anything. Please.”

Aryav stopped walking before slowly folding his arms across his chest. Tilting his head slightly, he looked down at her with obvious amusement.

“And what do I get in return, scared kitten?”

Anvaya gulped.

“Whatever you want,” she answered cautiously after a moment.

Aryav’s smirk deepened instantly.

“So you’ll do whatever I say?” he asked while deliberately stepping closer. His tall frame towered over her enough to make her instinctively step backward.

“I-I mean—”

“Yes or no, scared kitten?”

Anvaya sighed softly in defeat.

“Yes,” she muttered. “I’ll do whatever you say. Just don’t tell bhaiya. Deal?”

She slowly extended her hand toward him.

Aryav stared at it for a moment before finally smiling—this time genuinely.

“Deal.”

The moment he shook her hand, something warm settled unexpectedly inside Anvaya’s chest. And for the first time since meeting him

She found herself smiling back too.

______

The study room felt unusually heavy. Dim light from the lamp near the desk spread across the walls, leaving half the room buried in shadows. Aryav suddenly stood from the couch, all traces of his teasing gone now. Concern and tension had completely taken over his face.

“Krevansh, are you serious?” he asked sharply, disbelief clear in his tone. “This isn’t safe. Neither for the family nor for Ishvika.” He dragged a frustrated hand through his hair before continuing, “What if Arvind breaks into the mansion?”

Krevansh remained silent for a moment.

He stood near the large glass window with his back facing Aryav, one hand resting inside his pocket while the garden lights flickered faintly outside. His posture looked calm, but the tightness in his jaw revealed the storm moving beneath his silence.

“No,” he said finally, his voice low and controlled. “It’s not Arvind Thakur I’m worried about.”

Aryav frowned slightly at his words.

“There’s someone else,” Krevansh continued slowly, his eyes narrowing faintly. “Someone hiding in the dark and controlling all of this.” He paused briefly before speaking again. “Arvind wants Ishvika here… with me. A man who chained his daughter in a storeroom for twenty years would never let her stay beside someone willingly.”

He finally turned around.

“There’s something I’m missing.”

The room fell silent again.

Aryav stared at him for a few seconds, trying to process everything. Since yesterday, Krevansh had told him every detail.

Nothing about this situation made sense anymore.

“What?” Aryav asked quietly as he walked toward the study table. “You’re saying there’s another mastermind behind all this?”

“Yes.”

Krevansh’s answer came instantly.

“Someone wants Ishvika back in chains,” he said, his tone darkening slightly. “But Arvind wants the exact opposite.” A humorless smile touched his lips for barely a second. “And I still don’t know why.”

Aryav leaned against the edge of the desk, his expression tense. “Talk to Rajveer uncle,” he suggested quickly. “He knows everything, doesn’t he? He can help us understand this.”

A quiet laugh escaped Krevansh.

“He’s hiding things from me too,” he replied calmly, though irritation flickered in his eyes. “The truth I know right now isn’t even forty percent of the whole story.” He picked up the pen lying on the desk and tapped it slowly against the wood.

“There’s something much bigger between the Rathores and Thakurs than just revenge.”

His gaze darkened further.

“And I intend to find out what it is.”

For a moment Aryav simply watched him silently. Krevansh rarely looked uncertain. Dangerous? Always. Ruthless? Without question. But tonight there was something else inside him.

Restlessness.

And Aryav knew exactly why.

Ishvika.

Since the moment Krevansh brought her into this mansion, something inside him had shifted. He hadn’t admitted it aloud, but it was visible in every action, every decision he made now.

Protecting her had become his priority.

“So what are we going to do now?” Aryav asked suddenly, glancing down at his watch. “Only two hours are left, Krevansh.”

The ticking clock inside the room suddenly felt louder.

Krevansh calmly walked toward the chair behind the desk before sitting down slowly. Leaning his head back against the leather, he closed his eyes as if none of this unsettled him at all.

“Nothing,” he replied.

Aryav blinked immediately.

“We wait.”

“Wait?” Aryav repeated in disbelief. “Are you out of your mind?” Frustration slipped into his voice as he began pacing the room again. “We can’t risk Ishvika like this. Her condition is already weak.”

The moment Ishvika’s name left his mouth, Krevansh opened his eyes.

The atmosphere shifted instantly.

“Nothing will happen to Ishvika.”

His voice was quiet.

Too quiet.

Aryav froze instinctively.

Krevansh slowly lifted his gaze toward him, his dark eyes carrying a dangerous calmness. “I will fucking kill anyone who dares to touch her.”

The intensity in his tone sent a chill through the room. Aryav had seen Krevansh angry countless times before, but this felt different.

This felt personal.

Before Aryav could respond, Krevansh’s phone suddenly rang across the desk. Both their eyes shifted toward it instantly. The screen flashed with an unknown number.

Aryav looked at him cautiously.

Without hesitation, Krevansh picked up the phone and pressed it against his ear.

For a second, only silence answered him.

Then—

“Only two hours are left, Krevansh Rathore.”

Arvind Thakur’s voice echoed coldly through the phone.

“Think carefully,” he continued darkly. “Because I will do anything to free my son and daughter from your grip.”

The moment the word daughter left Arvind’s mouth, something dark flashed across Krevansh’s face. His jaw clenched tightly as anger rushed violently through his veins.

All he could see was Ishvika.

Crying helplessly inside that storeroom.

Chained.

Broken.

Begging for food.

“Don’t you dare call her your daughter,” Krevansh hissed, gripping the phone tightly enough to almost crack it. “Not after what you did to her… not after you found out about—”

“About what, Krevansh?” Arvind interrupted mockingly. “About my son insulting that bitch?” A cruel laugh echoed through the line. “Poor you. That bitch deserved every bit of it.”

Something snapped inside Krevansh instantly.

The pen in his hand shattered beneath the pressure of his grip.

“I didn’t think twice before cutting that bastard’s tongue,” he said in a dangerously low voice. “And I broke both his hands for touching her and speaking filth about her.”

Silence fell from the other side of the call.

A slow smirk formed on Krevansh’s face.

For the first time

Arvind Thakur had gone silent.

“Krevansh Rathore!” Arvind roared suddenly, his voice exploding through the phone. “I will fucking kill you if anything happens to my son! I’ll end your entire bloodline!”

Krevansh calmly pulled the phone slightly away from his ear, clearly unbothered by the screaming.

“Relax, old man,” he said lazily while rubbing his ear casually. “At this rate your blood pressure will kill you before you ever get the chance to kill me.”

Aryav stared at him in disbelief.

Meanwhile Arvind sounded moments away from completely losing control.

“Last warning, Krevansh!” he shouted furiously. “If you don’t release my son, I will—”

“Do whatever you want.”

Krevansh cut him off instantly.

His expression turned completely emotionless.

“I’m not letting that bastard leave this mansion alive,” he said coldly. “Only his dead body walks out of here now.”

And before Arvind could say another word

Krevansh disconnected the call.

The phone landed carelessly across the desk with a dull sound.

Silence returned to the room once again.

But this time

It carried the unmistakable scent of war.

The silence inside the study room had barely settled when the door suddenly opened again. One of the servants hurried inside, visibly out of breath as though he had rushed through the entire mansion.

“Sir… Miss Ishvika—”

Before the man could even finish his sentence, Krevansh straightened instantly from his chair. The calmness on his face disappeared within seconds, replaced by sharp tension.

“What happened to her?” he cut him off immediately, his voice low but dangerous enough to make the servant freeze.

The poor man opened his mouth to answer

But before a single word could leave him, loud music suddenly blasted through the mansion.

The sound echoed violently across the walls, so unexpected and absurdly energetic that both Krevansh and Aryav froze for a second. Heavy beats vibrated through the floor while screaming and loud cheering followed from downstairs.

Aryav blinked slowly.

Krevansh narrowed his eyes.

Both of them looked at each other silently before rushing out of the study room without another word.

The closer they got downstairs, the louder the music became. Bright lights flashed from the living area while random screaming mixed with the song playing at full volume.

Something told Aryav this was going to be bad.

Something told Krevansh it involved Ishvika.

Neither of them was prepared for what they saw next.

The moment they entered the living room, both men stopped abruptly near the staircase.

Complete silence fell from their side.

Because the scene in front of them looked so chaotic that their brains genuinely struggled to process it.

Anvaya was jumping wildly near the center of the room, completely immersed in the music as she danced like her life depended on it. Beside her, Anushka stood on top of the tea table holding a blue shirt dramatically in one hand while performing what looked like an emotional couple dance.

And Ishvika

Krevansh’s eyes immediately found her.

She was standing on top of the couch.

Actually standing on the couch.

A decorative flower vase balanced carefully over her head while she tried to copy Anvaya’s dance steps with complete seriousness. Her long hair moved around her shoulders as soft laughter escaped her lips between her clumsy movements.

“YESSSS ISHUUUU!” Anvaya screamed dramatically while dancing around the couch. “Break generational trauma with dance!”

Aryav looked horrified.

“What the hell is happening?”

Nobody heard him.

Anushka suddenly pointed dramatically toward krevansh as the song changed beats.

“BLUE SHIRT WALE TUJHE DEKH KAR DIL KAHEEEE—”

She nearly lost balance on the tea table.

Aryav almost had a heart attack.

“ANUSHKA! GET DOWN FROM THERE!”

“No negativity in the party zone!” Anushka shouted back instantly before continuing her dance with full confidence.

Meanwhile Ishvika looked completely overwhelmed by everything happening around her. Her movements were awkward and uncertain, but there was something different on her face now.

She was smiling.

Not forcing it.

Not pretending.

Actually smiling.

Krevansh stood near the entrance quietly watching her, and for the first time since bringing her here, he saw something other than fear inside her eyes.

Freedom.

Small and fragile.

But there.

The girl who once apologized for existing too loudly was now dancing terribly on a couch with a flower vase balanced on her head.

It should have looked ridiculous.

Instead

It looked beautiful.

“ISHVIKA!” Aryav suddenly shouted in panic. “Get down before you fall!”

The moment his voice echoed loudly through the hall, Ishvika startled badly. Her body lost balance instantly while the vase tilted dangerously above her head.

Everything happened within seconds.

Krevansh moved before anyone else could react.

He crossed the distance quickly and caught her just as she slipped from the couch. One arm wrapped securely around her waist while the other steadied the falling vase before it crashed to the floor.

A soft gasp escaped Ishvika’s lips.

One moment she was falling.

The next

She was standing in Krevansh’s arms.

The loud music continued in the background, but for a brief second the rest of the room disappeared completely.

Ishvika blinked up at him with wide grey eyes, clearly stunned by the sudden closeness. One of her hands had instinctively gripped his shirt while the other still awkwardly held a fake flower from the vase.

Krevansh stared down at her silently.

Too silently.

“You okay?” he asked finally, his voice much calmer now.

Ishvika nodded immediately.

Then slowly

A tiny smile appeared on her lips.

Small.

Soft.

But real enough to make something shift quietly inside Krevansh’s chest.

Behind them, Anvaya suddenly grabbed Anushka dramatically.

“HAAYEEEEEE.”

Aryav immediately closed his eyes.

“No,” he muttered tiredly. “Don’t start.”

Too late.

“Did you SEE that catch?!” Anvaya whisper-screamed excitedly. “Bollywood heroes found unemployed!”

Anushka placed a hand dramatically over her heart.

“The chemistry,” she whispered emotionally.

“The tension. The accidental embrace. Absolute cinema.”

Meanwhile, Krevansh still hadn’t let go of Ishvika.

And judging by the way his gaze remained fixed on her

He didn’t seem in any hurry to.

_______

Happy reading 💞