𝗛𝗶 𝗖𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗲𝘀 ♡

𝗧𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗸 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘄𝗮𝗹𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗷𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗻𝗲𝘆 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗺𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗺𝘆 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀｡❀

𝙳𝚘𝚗'𝚝 𝚏𝚘𝚛𝚐𝚎𝚝 𝚝𝚘 𝚟𝚘𝚝𝚎, 𝚕𝚒𝚔𝚎, 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚜𝚑𝚊𝚛𝚎 𝚢𝚘𝚞𝚛 𝚝𝚑𝚘𝚞𝚐𝚑𝚝𝚜. 𝚃𝚑𝚎𝚢 𝚝𝚛𝚞𝚕𝚢 𝚖𝚎𝚊𝚗 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚠𝚘𝚛𝚕𝚍 𝚝𝚘 𝚖𝚎.

The venue buzzed with conversations, soft laughter, and whispered excitement.

Guests continued arriving one after another, greeting familiar faces while waiting for the ceremony to begin.

The stage still stood empty.

Waiting... For the one person everyone had gathered to see.

There were still almost thirty minutes left before the workshop officially began.

The first row was already occupied by several distinguished guests.

Among them sat the King of Rajasthan.

Shaurya Singh Suryavanshi.

Beside him was his closest friend, Rehaan.

On the other side sat Samriddhi and Sumedh, quietly taking in the lively atmosphere surrounding them.

More than once, curious eyes drifted toward Shaurya.

Several young women discreetly tried to steal a glance at the King, whispering among themselves whenever he unknowingly looked in their direction.

And then... His phone rang.

Without creating the slightest disturbance, Shaurya rose gracefully from his seat.

"Hum thodi der mein aate hain."
(I'll be back in a little while.)

His deep voice remained as calm as ever.

The three of them simply nodded in understanding.

With measured, unhurried steps, he walked out of the venue.

For a brief moment... The entire crowd seemed to fall silent.

Their eyes instinctively followed the King's retreating figure.

There was something about his presence—

Quiet... Composed... Yet impossible to ignore.

Only after the doors closed behind him did the hall slowly return to life.

Rehaan watched the disappearing figure before shaking his head in amusement.

"Kabhi kabhi lagta hai ki yeh Raja nahi... Shehenshah hai."
(Sometimes I feel like he isn't just a king... he's an emperor.)

The moment the words left his mouth... Samriddhi and Sumedh burst into laughter.

"Kya Rehaan Bhai... aap bhi na."
(Oh, Rehaan Bhai... honestly.)

Samriddhi said, trying her best to control her laughter.

Meanwhile...

Shaurya walked through the quiet corridor, his attention fixed on the phone screen in his hand.

A message from Josh.

The piece secured.

A faint... Almost invisible...

A smirk tugged at the corner of his lips.

"Haath lag hi gaya... itne mahino ke baad."
(Finally got our hands on it... after all these months.)

The words escaped in nothing more than a whisper.

But before another thought could cross his mind—

Thud.

He collided with someone.

Without even looking up, he spoke in his usual cold tone.

"Dekh ke nahi chal sakte?"
(Can't you watch where you're going?)

Only then did he lift his gaze.

Hazel eyes met a pair of calm, light-brown ones.

Eyes that weren't intimidated. Nor impressed.

Instead... They looked at him with quiet judgment.

Nandini.

She stood only a few steps away.

Behind her stood Ranjiv, maintaining his usual respectful silence.

For a brief second... Neither of them spoke.

"Humein lagta hai galat fehmi kisi aur ko hui hai."
(I think someone else is mistaken.)

Her voice remained calm. Firm. Completely unshaken.

Shaurya continued looking at her with the same unreadable expression.

Not a single emotion surfaced on his face.

Seeing his silence, she continued,

"Agar aapke pairon ko yaad ho... chal toh aap hi rahe the."
(If your feet remember correctly... you were the one walking.)

For the very first time... Shaurya's brows twitched ever so slightly.

Someone... Had mocked him.

And that too... Without the slightest hesitation.

Slowly, he slipped his phone back into his pocket, his gaze never leaving her face.

The silence between them stretched for another moment.

Then Nandini drew in a slow breath.

"Agli baar... zara apne pairon ka dhyan rakhiyega."
(Next time... perhaps pay a little more attention to where you're walking.)

Her tone remained perfectly polite. Yet every word carried a quiet edge.

Without waiting for a reply, she calmly walked past him.

The faint fragrance of her oud lingered in the corridor for a fleeting moment.

Ranjiv quietly followed behind her.

As he crossed Shaurya, he respectfully lowered his head ever so slightly before continuing ahead.

Shaurya remained exactly where he was.

His gaze unconsciously followed the retreating figure.

She was considerably shorter than him. Her slender frame carried itself with effortless confidence.

A timeless black dress hugged her silhouette with understated elegance.

The signature red-bottom heels echoed softly against the polished marble floor.

Her hair was gathered into a neat bun, exposing the graceful line of her neck.

She never looked back. Not even once.

Walking beside her, Ranjiv spoke softly,

"Princess... woh Rajasthan ke King the."
(Princess... that was the King of Rajasthan.)

Nandini merely gave a small nod.

No surprise crossed her face. No curiosity. No regret.

She simply continued walking ahead as though nothing significant had happened.

Within moments...

The two of them reached the entrance of the venue.

And just as they stepped inside...

Three figures were already standing there, waiting.

"Good morning, Ms Nandini."

Mr Anurag Goenka, a professor at Gandhi National University in his late sixties, greeted her with a warm smile.

Extending his hand toward her, he introduced himself politely.

She returned the handshake with a courteous smile.

"Good morning..."

And just like that... She forgot his name.

Nothing unusual, really.

Nandini had an oddly selective memory. She remembered the names of only those she genuinely wished to remember.

The rest... Her mind discarded them almost instantly.

"Anurag Goenka."

Ranjiv quietly reminded her, leaning in just enough for only her to hear.

Before she could respond, the man standing beside Professor Goenka stepped forward and stretched out his hand.

"Main Rahul Malhotra, assistant professor."
(My name is Rahul Malhotra. I'm an assistant professor.)

He introduced himself with a practised smile.

For reasons she couldn't quite explain... Something about him immediately unsettled her.

His smile looked polite. His eyes didn't.

Instead of accepting the handshake herself, Ranjiv stepped forward and shook Rahul's hand on her behalf.

Rahul's gaze lingered over her far longer than necessary.

It travelled over her with an unsettling familiarity.

She noticed. Every single second of it.

A flicker of disappointment crossed Rahul's face before he slowly withdrew his hand.

Professor Goenka, seemingly oblivious to the silent exchange, gestured toward the auditorium.

"Please..."

Nandini simply nodded.

Although she had noticed everything... She chose silence... For now.

The moment she stepped inside the venue...

An unusual hush settled over the entire auditorium. Hundreds of conversations came to an abrupt halt.

Almost instinctively...

Every pair of eyes followed her until she gracefully climbed onto the stage.

"Good afternoon, people."

Her voice echoed clearly through the hall.

The microphone had already been fitted moments before she entered.

The instant she greeted the audience... Thunderous applause erupted throughout the venue.

Smiling politely, she waited for the excitement to settle before beginning the workshop.

The next one and a half hours passed remarkably smoothly.

The auditorium lights remained dimmed, allowing only the elegant stage lights to illuminate the platform.

Every word she spoke carried confidence. Every answer reflected experience. Every smile appeared effortless.

Among the countless faces watching her...

One particular pair of hazel eyes never drifted away.

Shaurya observed everything. Her confidence. Her composure.

The way she addressed every question with remarkable patience.

Even the smallest curve of her lips whenever someone asked an interesting question...

Nothing escaped his notice.

"Bhai Sa, workshop khatam hone ke baad hum Ms Nandini se milne chalenge."
(Bhai Sa, after the workshop ends, let's go meet Ms Nandini.)

Riddhi said hopefully, looking at Shaurya with bright, expectant eyes.

Drawing in a quiet breath... He gave a single nod.

That was enough.

Little did any of them realise... Within the next few minutes...

A single conversation would quietly begin altering the course of two destinies.

As the final round of applause echoed through the auditorium, Professor Goenka walked back onto the stage.

"Thank you, everyone, for joining today's workshop. Before we conclude the session, a few members of the press will be joining us for a brief interaction."

As he spoke, he gestured toward one of his colleagues, signalling them to escort the journalists inside.

Nandini had already been informed about the media interaction beforehand.

She had no objections.

The audience applauded once again while several journalists quickly entered the hall.

Within minutes, cameras, microphones, and recording equipment had been arranged.

A comfortable sofa was placed at the centre of the stage for Nandini.

She took her seat with the same composed elegance she had carried throughout the afternoon.

"Good afternoon, Ms Nandini."

One of the journalists greeted her respectfully.

She acknowledged him with a small nod. Nothing more.

She had never particularly enjoyed interacting with the media.

Experience had taught her one simple lesson— Opinions changed as quickly as the headlines did.

"Aap log apne sawaal shuru kar sakte hain... lekin ek-ek karke."
(You may begin asking your questions... but one at a time.)

Ranjiv announced firmly while standing beside her.

His expression remained calm. Professional. Alert.

Everything appeared perfectly ordinary.

Until one question shattered the atmosphere.

"Ms Nandini... rumours hain ki Augustus Barone sirf duniya ko dikhane ke liye aapke bhai hain."
(Ms. Nandini... there are rumours that Augustus Barone is your brother only for the sake of public appearance.)

The entire auditorium fell silent. Even the camera shutters seemed to stop.

Nandini slowly lifted her gaze toward the journalist.

She didn't blink. She didn't react. She simply looked at her.

A quiet... Unmoving... Dangerously calm stare.

The kind that silently declared—

You have just chosen your own destruction.

"Kar diya bera gard."
(She's completely ruined herself.)

Rehaan muttered beneath his breath.

His whisper was soft... But it was enough for Shaurya to hear.

Shaurya slowly turned his head toward him.

"Kya matlab?"
(What do you mean?)

He asked quietly.

Without taking his eyes off the stage, Rehaan gave the faintest shake of his head.

"Pata chal jayega... dekhte raho."
(You'll find out... just keep watching.)

But reluctantly... his gaze drifted back to the stage.

To Nandini.

He noticed how composed she remained despite having been asked such an absurd question.

Not a flicker of irritation. Not a trace of panic.

Nandini glanced briefly at Ranjiv. A single nod was all it took.

Understanding immediately, he quietly made his way behind the stage.

An uneasy silence settled over the venue. No one understood what was happening.

But everyone was certain of one thing—

Nothing good was about to happen for that journalist.

After all... The sibling duo was known for being fiercely protective of one another.

Nearly five minutes passed before Ranjiv returned, wearing the same calm, professional expression he always carried.

Nandini rose gracefully from her seat and took two measured steps forward.

"I'd request everyone not to record or photograph anything inside this venue for the next five to ten minutes. Thank you."

It sounded like a request.

Yet her tone made it abundantly clear— No one should even think about refusing.

One after another... Every journalist slowly lowered their cameras.

The massive LED screen behind her suddenly came to life.

A photograph of the same female journalist appeared across it.

Nandini looked at her for a brief moment.

"Ms. Sehgal... right?"

By now... Every trace of colour had drained from the journalist's face.

"Personal Secretary to the CEO of Mehta Business Industries."

Her words echoed through the silent hall.

Meanwhile... Shaurya watched everything unfold with undisguised interest.

The journalist instinctively stumbled two steps backwards.

Nandini smiled politely.

"Don't try."

She paused.

"You won't be leaving until I answer the question you were so eager to ask."

Her voice remained gentle. Soft. Almost pleasant.

Yet somehow... It sounded exactly like the calm before a storm.

Moments later... Several photographs and video clips began appearing across the giant screen.

Nothing inappropriate. Nothing explicit.

Yet every image revealed enough about the fake journalist's relationship with the CEO to destroy both reputations at once.

The venue remained eerily silent.

When the screen finally turned black once again...

Nandini calmly resumed her seat before speaking.

"So... to answer your concern—"

She looked directly at the journalist.

"As you yourself said, it was merely a rumour."

A faint smile curved her lips.

"I don't mind clearing rumours."

She paused.

"But unlike some people...I choose to respect another person's privacy...unless someone decides to invade mine first."

A flash of anger crossed the journalist's face.

Unable to control herself any longer, she completely forgot where she was.

"Respect?"

She laughed bitterly.

"Jo aurat kabhi kisi insaan ke saamne izzat se sar nahi jhuka sakti, woh mujhe respect ka gyaan de rahi hai?"
(The woman who cannot bow her head before another human being out of respect... is lecturing me about respect?)

Her voice echoed across the hall.

Yet... Nandini remained exactly as she was.

Calm. Relaxed. Almost amused.

A small smile lingered on her lips as she answered in the same gentle tone.

"Humare liye har insaan barabar hai."
(For me, every human being is equal.)

She paused briefly.

"Aur rahi baat kisi ke saamne sar jhukane ki..."
(And as for bowing my head before someone...)

Her eyes remained unwavering.

"...toh woh Maa Kali ke siwa kisi aur ke saamne kabhi nahi jhukega."
(...it will never bow before anyone except Maa Kali.)

The entire hall erupted into applause once again.

Nandini simply raised one hand. Silence immediately followed.

Another figure soon entered the venue.

Dressed in a perfectly tailored black suit, with a leather briefcase in hand.

A lawyer. Walking directly toward the journalist, he handed over a neatly arranged file.

Nandini looked at her once more.

"I've already sent an identical copy to your CEO."

A faint smile returned.

"But this file contains a few documents prepared specifically for you."

Without another word... She looked toward the lawyer and gave him a small nod.

Then quietly walked out of the venue.

Mr Goenka hurried after her.

"I'm truly sorry, Ms Nandini."

He sighed apologetically.

"I should've made sure none of this happened."

Nandini stopped walking and turned toward him.

Her smile remained warm.

"Please don't apologise."

She spoke gently.

"It wasn't your mistake."

A brief pause followed.

"And honestly...There wasn't any mess to begin with."

Mr Goenka simply looked at her.

For a moment... He couldn't find a single word to say.

Behind her, Ranjiv leaned slightly closer and whispered something into her ear.

Nandini nodded once.

"Thank you for inviting me."

She smiled politely.

"I'll take my leave now."

Without waiting for a reply... She turned gracefully and walked away.

A few minutes later...

She reached the lobby on the ground floor.

"Ms Nandini."

An unfamiliar voice called out softly from behind.

Both Nandini and Ranjiv stopped before looking back.

The Suryavanshi siblings were walking toward them.

Shaurya. Samriddhi. Sumedh. Along with Dhruv and Rehaan.

A few steps away... They stopped.

Samriddhi smiled brightly before extending her hand.

"Hi! I'm Samriddhi Suryavanshi."

Nandini returned her signature business smile before shaking it.

"Hi."

Her voice was soft. Gentle.

"Can we take a few pictures?"

Samriddhi asked excitedly, almost as though she feared Nandini might disappear the very next second.

Nandini couldn't help smiling. With a small nod, she agreed.

A few photographs were clicked with the twins.

Once they were done... Dhruv stepped forward.

"Hi, I'm Dhruv."

He smiled professionally.

"Personal Assistant to the King."

As he introduced himself, he subtly gestured toward Shaurya, who stood exactly as he always did—

Tall. Composed. Unreadable.

Nandini's eyes briefly met Shaurya's before shifting back to Dhruv.

Before anyone else could speak...

Ranjiv smoothly took over.

"And I'm Ranjiv."

He introduced himself with the same professional courtesy.

"Nice meeting you, Ms Nandini."

For the first time since arriving... Shaurya finally spoke.

Every pair of eyes immediately shifted toward him.

Nandini folded her arms lightly. A teasing smile appeared.

"Good to see you..."

She paused deliberately.

"...for the second time."

The unmistakable hint of mockery in her voice made everyone's heads turn back toward her as though watching a tennis match.

Four confused faces stared at her simultaneously.

Only Ranjiv pressed his lips together, trying very hard not to laugh.

"Second time?"

Rehaan asked curiously.

Realising he hadn't introduced himself, he immediately corrected his mistake.

"Oh!"

He smiled.

"I'm Rehaan Verma. Shaurya's friend and business partner."

Nandini nodded politely.

"Yes."

She looked toward Shaurya.

"The King seems to have forgotten accusing me this morning after he bumped into me."

Rehaan looked at Shaurya before bursting into laughter.

The way she said it... Completely straight-faced... Made it even funnier.

The others looked toward Shaurya as well.

And then...

The impossible happened.

"I'm sorry..."

Shaurya spoke calmly.

"...about this morning."

Silence. Absolute silence.

Four pairs of eyes widened as though the world had just ended.

Samriddhi and Rehaan dramatically covered their mouths.

Even Dhruv looked momentarily frozen.

Meanwhile... Nandini simply looked at him without saying a word.

Her expression remained impossible to read.

After a brief pause... She smiled politely.

"I should get going."

Her eyes shifted toward the twins.

"Thank you for your time."

The twins happily nodded.

With one final smile... Nandini turned around and walked away.

The moment she disappeared from sight...

Rehaan marched straight toward Shaurya and placed both hands firmly on his shoulders.

"Bhai... tune afeem chaat li hai kya?"
(Brother... have you started eating opium or something?)

Shaurya immediately frowned.

"Kya faltu baatein kar rahe ho?"
(What kind of nonsense are you talking?)

Removing Rehaan's hands from his shoulders, he brushed the imaginary creases from his blazer with complete composure.

Without giving anyone another glance... He simply walked toward the exit.

Leaving behind four utterly stunned faces...

Still trying to process the fact that the King of Rajasthan had actually apologised.

None of them realised that what had seemed like an ordinary workshop had quietly become the beginning of a story neither the King nor the CEO had ever planned to write.

Somewhere between a collision, a challenge, and an apology...

Fate had already taken its first step.

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