Richa thought that was the end of it.

Just a random rude man. A smoker with an attitude. Someone she would probably never see again.

She was wrong.

Very wrong.

The next day, the same corridor felt… different.

Her friends were talking, laughing, but Richa’s eyes subconsciously drifted toward the entrance again and again.

Why?

She didn’t know.

Maybe because of the way he looked at her yesterday.

Like she wasn’t just a girl.

Like she was something he had already decided to keep.

“Richa!” her friend Neha nudged her. “Where are you lost?”

“Nowhere,” she brushed it off quickly.

But just then—

The chatter around them suddenly dropped.

Whispers spread.

“He’s here again…”

“Who is he?”

“I heard he’s someone powerful…”

Richa’s heartbeat… paused.

And then she saw him.

Aryaman

Walking through the corridor like he owned it. Black shirt, sleeves rolled up, eyes scanning lazily—

Until they stopped.

On her.

Again.

This time, he didn’t look away.

He walked straight toward her.

Each step slow… deliberate… dangerous.

Her friends stiffened.

Neha grabbed her arm slightly. “Richa… do you know him?”

Richa didn’t answer.

Because now he was standing right in front of her.

Too close.

Again.

“You didn’t say sorry,” he said calmly.

Richa blinked. “For what?”

“For throwing my cigarette yesterday.”

Her brows furrowed. “Oh please, you should be thanking me.”

A faint smirk appeared.

God, that smirk.

“And if I don’t?”

“Then don’t,” she shrugged. “I’m not scared.”

His eyes darkened at that.

Not anger.

Interest.

Deep, consuming interest.

“You should be,” he said softly.

Richa took a step forward instead of back.

“And you should stop thinking everyone is.”

Silence.

Tension

Behind him, a few boys who clearly knew who Aryaman was stood frozen, not daring to interrupt.

He leaned slightly closer, his voice dropping lower—

“You talk like you have nothing to lose.”

“And you talk like you have everything,” she replied instantly.

That hit something.

For a second, something unreadable flickered in his eyes.

Then—

A slow clap echoed behind.

His sister, Anika, walked toward them, annoyed.

“Bhai! What are you doing here again?”

Richa blinked.

Bhai?

Her eyes snapped back to him.

Aryaman Singhania.

Her friend’s brother?

Oh.

Oh no.

Anika grabbed Richa’s hand. “Ignore him, okay? He thinks he’s some don or something.”

Richa almost laughed.

Almost.

Because Aryaman was still looking at her.

Not at his sister.

Not at anyone else.

Just her.

“I’ll pick you up in five minutes,” he said casually to Anika.

But his eyes never left Richa.

Then he added, low enough for only her to hear—

“Stay.”

Richa’s breath hitched.

Not a request.

A command.

She frowned instantly. “Excuse me?”

But he had already stepped back, turning away like he had all the time in the world.

Like he knew she would stay.

“Richa…” Anika whispered nervously. “Just don’t argue with him, okay? He’s… different.”

“Different how?” Richa asked, eyes still fixed on him.

Anika hesitated. “Just… don’t.”

But Richa wasn’t scared.

She was annoyed.

Curious.

And something else she didn’t want to admit—

Aware.

Too aware of his presence.

Five minutes later, students began leaving.

Richa picked up her bag.

“I’m going,” she said.

But just as she stepped forward—

A hand blocked her way.

Aryaman

Again.

“You didn’t stay,” he said, tone calm… but dangerous underneath.

Richa looked straight into his eyes.

“And I don’t take orders.”

A pause.

Then suddenly—

He smiled.

Not soft.

Not kind.

Possessive.

“I like disobedience,” he murmured.

Her heart skipped.

“I don’t like control,” she shot back.

His gaze dropped briefly to her lips.

Then back to her eyes.

“Good,” he said. “Because I don’t control…”

A slight lean closer.

“I take over.”

Her breath caught.

For the first time—

A flicker of unease ran through her.

Not fear.

But something deeper.

Something that whispered—

This man won’t leave you alone.

As he moved aside, letting her pass, his voice followed her like a shadow—

“See you tomorrow, Richa.”

She stopped.

Turned slightly.

“I didn’t say I’ll be here.”

He smirked.

“You will.”

And for the rest of the day…

She couldn’t stop thinking about him,And somewhere far darker than this simple college life—

Aryaman sat in his car, lighting another cigarette.

But this time…

He didn’t take a puff.

He just watched the flame.

And murmured—

“She’s mine.”

CH 3- DARK SIDE

Richa wasn’t supposed to be here.

She had only come because her friend—his sister—had forgotten her book. It was a simple favor. Drop it off and leave.

Nothing more.

She barely even knew him.

Just one memory—

A college corridor.

Him, leaning against the wall, about to light a cigarette…

And her, without thinking twice, snatching it from his fingers and throwing it into the dustbin.

“Smoking kills,” she had scolded.

And he had just… looked at her.

Amused. Interested. Dangerous in a way she didn’t understand back then.

That was it,That was all she knew about Aryaman.

Or at least… what she thought she knew.

The house felt unusually silent today.

“Hello?” she called softly, stepping inside.

No response.

She frowned slightly, walking deeper inside to find his sister—but instead—

Voices.

From the back.

Low. Harsh. Threatening.

Her steps slowed.

Something felt… wrong.

“I warned you once.”

That voice.

Her heart skipped.

Aryaman.

But this… wasn’t the same tone she remembered.

This one was cold. Cruel.

Unfamiliar.

Drawn by something she couldn’t explain, Richa moved closer… her fingers tightening around the notebook.

And then—She saw it.

Her breath stopped.

Aryaman stood there, his back slightly turned, sleeves rolled up, veins visible on his arms…blood traced on his knuckles ,his fist gripping a man’s collar.

The man looked half-dead already.

Bleeding. Broken.

“Please… I swear I won’t—”

A punch.

Hard. Brutal.

Richa flinched as the sound echoed.

“I don’t give second chances,” Aryaman said calmly, as if he hadn’t just nearly killed someone.

Her hands started trembling.

This wasn’t real.

This couldn’t be the same man.

The same one who had quietly let her scold him.

The same one who had looked at her like—Her foot shifted slightly.

A small sound.

But enough.

Aryaman froze.

Then slowly turned.

And their eyes met.

Time stopped.

For him—

Shock.

His gaze softened instantly, like a switch had been flipped.

“Richa…”

He said her name like he knew her. Like she mattered.

But she stumbled back as if burned.

“N-no…”Her voice trembled.

Fear

And that—

That expression on her face—

It hit him harder than anything.

“I can explain—” he stepped forward.

“Don’t!” she cried, raising her hand, her whole body shaking. “Don’t come near me!”

He stopped immediately.

Like her words had power over him.

“I won’t hurt you,” he said, his voice suddenly gentle… almost careful. “You don’t need to be scared of me.”

But she had seen it.

That violence.

“You… you almost killed him…” her voice cracked.

Aryaman didn’t reply,Because there was nothing to deny.

Tears filled her eyes as she shook her head.

“I thought you were just…” she whispered, unable to even finish her sentence.

Normal human.

Safe.

But this?

This was something else entirely.

“I’m not what you think,” he said quietly.

She laughed weakly, tears slipping down her cheeks.

“That’s exactly the problem… I don’t know what to think anymore.”

He took one slow step closer.

She froze.

“I would never hurt you,” he repeated softly.

But fear had already taken over her senses.

And in that moment—

She didn’t see the man trying to reach out to her.

She only saw the monster she had just witnessed.

Before he could say anything more—

*Slap.*

The sound echoed in the silent space.

Aryaman’s face turned slightly with the impact.

Neither of them moved for a second.

Richa’s hand trembled… her breathing uneven.

“Stay away from me…” she whispered, her voice breaking. “I don’t even know who you are.”

And that,That hurt.

More than the slap ever could.

Aryaman didn’t stop her.

Didn’t try to hold her back.

He just stood there—

As she turned and ran.

Running away from him.

From the truth.

And for the first time—

Aryaman felt something unfamiliar settle in his chest.

Not anger.

But fear.

Because the one girl who had dared to snatch a cigarette from his hand without hesitation…

Had just looked at him—

Like he was something to be afraid of.

Ch 4- KISS

The House is filled with noises

Relatives. Smiles. Tea being served.

But none of it felt real to Richa.

Her fingers clutched the edge of her dupatta as she stood near the doorway, her heart pounding against her chest.

“Richa beta,” her father called gently, “come sit.”

She walked in slowly… mechanically.

And then—Her eyes landed on him.

Aryaman.

Sitting comfortably like he belonged there.

Like this was normal.

Like *he* was normal.

Her breath hitched.

The same man,The same eyes.

The same hands that she had seen covered in blood.

And now… those same hands rested calmly on his knee as he spoke to her father with quiet confidence.

As if nothing had ever happened.

As if *she* hadn’t seen everything.

Her pulse quickened.

*What is he doing here…?*

“Richa,” her mother smiled nervously, “they’ve come with a proposal.”

Her world stopped.

“A… what?” her voice barely came out.

Her father cleared his throat, avoiding her gaze.

“Aryaman is a very… well-established man. His family is respected. This is a good alliance.”

Good alliance?

Her eyes snapped back to Aryaman.

He was already looking at her.

Not blinking.

Not looking away.

That same intense gaze.

But this time—

There was something darker in it.

Something… possessive.

The room felt suffocating.

“I need to talk to you,” Richa said suddenly, her voice shaking but firm enough.

Before anyone could react, she turned and walked out.

She didn’t need to look back.

She *knew* he would follow.

And he did.

The moment they were alone in the corridor—

She turned sharply.

“Have you lost your mind?!” she snapped, her fear now turning into anger. “What are you doing in my house? What is all this?!”

Aryaman stood there, unfazed.

Calm.

Controlled.

“As you heard,” he said simply. “A proposal.”

Her eyes widened in disbelief.

“A proposal?” she laughed bitterly. “You think you can just walk into my life after what I saw and—what? Marry me like nothing happened?!”

His jaw tightened slightly.

“You weren’t supposed to see that.”

Her anger flared.

“Oh, I’m sorry,” she shot back, “next time I’ll make sure to knock before when you beat someone to death!”

Silence.

Heavy.

He stepped closer.

And this time—

She didn’t step back.

Even though every instinct inside her screamed to.

“Your father’s business,” he said quietly, his voice dropping to something cold. “It’s doing well.”

Her brows furrowed.

“What does that have to do with anything?”

His eyes locked onto hers.

“I can destroy it.”

The words landed like a slap.

Richa’s face went pale.

“You wouldn’t—”

“I already started.”

Her heart dropped.

“You… what?”

“A few deals… blocked. A few people… convinced,” he said calmly. “It won’t take long for everything to fall apart.”

Tears welled up in her eyes.

“You’re blackmailing my family?” her voice broke.

“I’m ensuring this marriage happens.”

Her chest tightened.

“You’re insane…” she whispered.

“No,” he said, stepping even closer. “I’m very clear about what I want.”

“And what is that?” she asked, her voice trembling.

His gaze softened for just a second—

“You.”

That one word made her stomach twist.

“This isn’t love,” she said, shaking her head. “This is obsession… control… madness!”

“Call it whatever you want,” he replied coldly. “You’re still going to marry me.”

“No!” she snapped immediately. “I will never—”

Before she could finish—

He grabbed her wrist.

Pulled her toward him.

And crashed his lips onto hers.

For a second—

Her mind went blank.

Shock.

She struggled instantly, pushing against his chest, trying to free herself—but his grip tightened.

The kiss wasn’t gentle.

It wasn’t soft.

It was forceful.

Like he was trying to prove something.

Like he was claiming something.

Her.

Tears slipped down her cheeks as she finally managed to push him away—

*SLAP.*

The sound echoed again.

Her hand stung.

His face turned slightly.

Heavy breathing filled the space between them.

“You don’t get to touch me!” she shouted, her voice shaking with rage and hurt. “You don’t get to force yourself into my life like this!”

Aryaman slowly turned his face back toward her.

His eyes darker than before.

But not angry.

Something worse.

Something deeper.

“You slapped me twice now,I will make sure you will regret these slaps on our wedding night,” he said quietly.

She glared at him, her chest rising and falling rapidly.

She froze.

His voice dropped, intense and unwavering—

“But it won’t change anything.”

He stepped closer again, slower this time.

“Run from me… hate me… fear me…” he murmured, his gaze locked onto her trembling form. “It doesn’t matter.”

Her breath caught.

“Because in the end,” he whispered,

“You’re still going to be mine.”

A tear rolled down her cheek.

“I would rather die.”

For a moment—

Silence.

And then he smiled.

Not warmly.

But like a man who had already decided her fate.

“You won’t,” he said calmly. “Because you love your family too much.”

Her weakness.

“I can ruin them in a day, Richa,” he continued softly. “Or I can protect them for a lifetime.”

Her eyes shut tightly.

“Just say yes.”

Tears slipped out.

Her voice barely came out—

“…I hate you.”

He didn’t flinch.

Didn’t react.

Instead, he leaned slightly closer, his voice almost a whisper—

“Get used to me.”

And with that—He walked away.

Leaving her standing there…

Shattered.

Because deep down—

She knew.

This wasn’t a proposal.

This was a cage.