Chapter 5: 3

Aditya was busy overseeing the preparations—mostly giving orders and throwing out threats to the workers to finish early. Meanwhile, Shivank had finally completed the cake and all the decorations.

Upstairs, Anshika was getting ready.

She wore a simple white dress, the fabric flowing softly around her. Around her neck, she fastened her infinity pendant, a delicate symbol of eternity. On her right wrist, she wore a silver bracelet adorned with pastel pink square stones—elegant yet minimal, just like her. A thin swipe of eyeliner traced her lashes, and she spritzed on her favorite lavender-sweet body mist before applying a coat of chocolate-flavored lip balm.

Slipping into her brother’s oversized footwear—because she always found it cute on her smaller feet—she felt comfortable, safe.

Excited to see the cake, she hurried downstairs. But in her rush, she misstepped—her body tilting forward, gravity pulling her down the stairs.

Before she could fall, strong hands grabbed her, holding her firmly in place.

Shivank.

He pulled her down carefully, his grip protective yet unyielding. Then, the scolding began.

“How can you be so careless, Laddoo?! What if you fell?” His voice was sharp, frustration laced with concern. “And most importantly—you are not wearing those again.”

He pointed at his own oversized footwear on her feet, his tone leaving no room for argument.

Anshika giggled. “Bi, you saved me. Like always.”

Shivank only glared in return.

(Bi = Bhai (B) + Ji (I), meaning ‘brother’ in a loving way.)

While the siblings bickered, someone stood in the distance, fists clenched at his sides, cursing himself.

Aditya.

His breath hitched in his throat, his body rigid. He should have been the one to catch her. He should have been the one to hold her. The mere thought of her getting hurt sent a sharp, unbearable pang through his chest.

But he didn’t turn around.

Because if he did, he would have to face the terror that flickered across her face whenever she saw him. And he wasn’t ready for that. Not yet.

Minutes passed. The doorbell rang.

Before Aditya could react, Shivank flicked off the lights, ensuring that Anshika remained unseen for just a moment longer.

Moving quickly, Shivank went to the kitchen, placing candles on the cake and lighting them.

The front door swung open.

Their parents stepped inside, welcomed by sudden cheers as Anshika appeared, carefully carrying the cake in her hands. Shivank popped the confetti, and together, the three of them beamed with joy.

"Happy anniversary!"

Aditya’s eyes, however, were locked on only one thing.

Her.

Anshika stood there, the soft glow of the candles illuminating her face. She was smiling, eyes shining with pure innocence as she looked at her parents with so much love.

Aditya’s breath caught in his throat.

His thoughts blanked.

His heart pounded.

His body tensed.

He couldn’t look away.

Her lips looked so damn sweet. Her eyes glowed like the purest fucking light in his darkness. Her smile—that smile—made him want to shield her from the world, from every pair of eyes that dared to land on her.

She was wearing white.

Of course, she was.

She always wore white. And he—he always wore black, just like his soul.

But in his secret room, the one no one knew about, everything was white. Only white.

Because white was her.

And every time he thought about her, he found himself in that room, drowning in thoughts of the one thing he could never have.

Yet looking at her now… he knew.

She was fucking ruining him.

His eyes darkened, his jaw clenched.

No one else should see her like this. No one.

She was his.

His to adore.

His to watch.

His to taste.

His to fuck.

His.

And he was waiting for the day he’d finally make her his in every damn way that mattered.

But that didn’t mean she wasn’t his already.

Because she was.

The moment he laid eyes on her.

Back when he was sixteen.

And she was just eleven.

Anshika had no idea. No fucking clue that she was unknowingly feeding his obsession every time she smiled, every time she laughed. She didn’t realize that her natural innocence, her joyful nature—things she had only ever shared with her family—were slowly, mercilessly dragging him into madness.

Because before today, every time he visited Shivank, she had locked herself away in her room. She had hidden from him, evaded him.

But now?

Now, she had stepped into his world.

And Aditya would do anything—anything—to keep her there.