Under His Watchful Eyes
RIVAL HEARTS
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The sun had begun to set, casting golden hues across the villa, but Aashna barely registered it. She was exhausted, her mind clouded with too many thoughts, too many memories clawing their way to the surface. Ever since Nishant had walked back into her life, her body refused to rest. Every interaction, every glance he threw her way felt suffocating. She hated how it was affecting her, hated how it made her feel weak.
The others were outside, busy with their usual nonsenseâSia and Manan were arguing over something ridiculous, Raj and Advait were taking turns to roast them, and Dhruvin had gone to grab more drinks from the storage room. For once, she found herself alone in the quiet of the villa. Maybe she could use this moment to breathe, to just exist without being on edge.
But the peace didnât last.
A voice she had hoped never to hear again interrupted the silence. "Didnât expect to see you here, Aashna."
Her entire body stiffened.
Nishant leaned against the doorway, watching her with an unsettling smirk.
She didn't respond. She couldnât. Her mind screamed at her to run, to get away, but her feet remained planted.
He took a slow step toward her. "You left school so suddenly. Never got the chance to say goodbye."
Aashna's breathing grew erratic. Her hands clenched into fists. She knew better than to engage, but her silence only seemed to encourage him.
"I looked for you, you know? Wanted to catch up. Imagine my surprise when I found you here..." He let his gaze drag over her, his tone laced with something sinister. "And as Dhruvinâs girlfriend, no less. Didnât peg you for someone who'd settle for a bad boy."
Aashna felt a lump rise in her throat. The walls were closing in. The air felt too thick, her chest too tight. Her breathing turned shallow. She could hear the blood rushing in her ears. Panic clawed at her, pulling her under.
Her hands trembled, her knees threatening to give out.
Nishant must have noticed, because he took another step closer, pretending to feign concern. "Oh? Whatâs wrong? Still scared of me?" He chuckled lowly, dark amusement dancing in his eyes.
She wanted to scream, to yell at him to stay away, but her voice refused to work. Her vision blurred at the edges. The room spun. Her body gave up, her mind spiraling into panic, reliving every moment of torment he had put her through in school.
And thenâ
Footsteps. Heavy, fast, approaching.
"Aashu?" Dhruvinâs voice cut through the fog of her panic.
She barely registered him before he was there, his hands cupping her face, tilting her chin up so she could look at him.
"Hey, hey, Babba, look at me. Breathe." His voice was firm but gentle, laced with worry. "Youâre okay. Iâm right here."
Aashna gasped for air, struggling to ground herself.
"Inhale... exhale... thatâs it." Dhruvin's thumbs traced soothing circles on her cheeks. His touch, his warmthâit was the only thing anchoring her back.
When she finally managed a shaky breath, his eyes scanned her face with a sharp intensity. "What happened?" His gaze flickered to the doorway, but Nishant was long gone.
Aashna swallowed hard, forcing herself to regain composure. She shook her head, her voice barely above a whisper. "Nothing. I think I just got overwhelmed with all the chaos."
Dhruvinâs brows furrowed. He wasnât convinced. "Aashu, are you sure?" His voice was softer now, but she could hear the concern woven in between his words. "You were shaking when I walked in."
She nodded quickly, forcing a small smile. "I swear, Iâm fine. Just too much going on. Needed a moment."
Dhruvin exhaled, still not looking satisfied, but he didn't push her. Instead, he wrapped his arms around her, pulling her into his chest. She melted into his embrace, her heartbeat finally slowing down.
He pressed a kiss to her hair. "You donât have to pretend with me, you know."
She squeezed her eyes shut, wishing she could tell him everythingâabout Nishant, about the past, about why she still felt like a scared little girl when he was around. But she couldnât. Not yet.
So instead, she just held onto him tighter, hoping that, for now, it was enough.
Little did she know, Dhruvin had already made a silent vow to himselfâhe was going to find out what was wrong. And whoever was responsible for putting that fear in her eyes was going to regret it.
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Authorâs Note
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