11:00 PM.

As I stepped out of the shower, I slipped into my pajamas and a sweater. It was cold in America this time of the year. The days were warm, but at night, you couldn't step outside in just a half-sleeve t-shirt.

Sitting in front of my dressing table, I scanned my face in the mirror.

"Huh... Pyar? Aur tujhse? Kabhi ho hi nahi sakta. Kya soch ke tu itna bada sapna dekh rahi thi ki tujhe pyar hoga? Aur vo bhi uske saath, jo 'Date me?' kehke gayab ho gaya."

Yes, I didn't go to the café today. I didn't even know if he had shown up, but I couldn't face him. It wasn't like this was the first time a guy had approached me—far from it. Plenty of people had asked me out before, just like he did. But this time, something felt different. Even the way he asked me was different.

For the first time, I didn't want to say no. I wanted to try.

I had never dated anyone before—not because I didn't want to, but because I never had the courage. Relationships, love, all of this—meri toh sitti bitti gul ho jaati hai.

"Ahh, nahi nahi nahi! Mera phone kahaan hai?" I screamed as the lights went out due to the stormy weather.

Even Pumpkin wasn't here. He was at our neighbor's house—he liked their pet. At least someone's love story was working out, if not mine. "Chhodo sab, or dekho Conjuring!"

I sat on my bed, curling my legs up. Because obviously, if I put them down, some ghost would pull me under.

"Jai Hanuman gyan gun sagar, jai kapis—" I paused. "Wait... par yahan ke bhoot ko Hanuman Chalisa aati hi nahi.Main toh gayi."

After two minutes, the lights flickered back on, and I let out a sigh of relief. "Thank God." I slipped off my bed.

A while later, I sat in the living room, eating noodles with a bottle of beer in hand. Yup, I drank. When I worked in law firm, weekend office parties were a must, and refusing a drink in those social settings could bring down your impression. Over time, I got used to it.

The TV played in the background, but my thoughts were stuck on yesterday.

I could say yes to the date... but in America, people break up just as fast as they get together. And on top of that, he was ridiculously good-looking. One glance, and girls would die for him.

What if he just wanted to date for sex?

I wasn't naive about these things anymore. Living here, I'd seen how bold people were—one-night stands, casual relationships, babies before marriage, divorce. It was all normal. And I had no idea what kind of person he was.

I wasn't the kind of girl to chase after a guy either.

I had already made up my mind. Not that I expected him to come back, but if he did, I would ask him all these questions. Yes, I could do this.

I took another sip of my beer, my mind drifting back to my childhood.

Back then, every other couple I saw was unhappy. Men would beat their wives. And after witnessing that for years, I grew terrified. What if the man I chose turned out to be the same?

That's why I never agreed to any relationship. I never believed a "perfect" man existed. A green flag? Please. Even America's flag had red in it.

Note: don't judge. The line just came in my mind I am not saying anything to the flag. Please kindly ignore it.

Just as that thought settled in my mind, the sudden ring of the doorbell startled me.

At this hour?

It must be my neighbor bringing Pumpkin back.

I got up from the sofa and made my way to the door.

I opened the door, but there was no one there. Nothing. I sighed, just about to turn away when a sudden "Hello" made me freeze. i turn around My breath hitched.

He was here.

Why did he always take my breath away like that?

At 10:00 pm..

I let out a sigh as the last board member entered the conference room. Punctuality was a rare virtue among them, reserved only for matters of utmost importance. I scanned their faces, noting the undercurrents of concern, when James broke the silence.

"Did you arrange any security for Shayeli?" he asked, his tone cutting through the room's tension.

His question caught me off guard. Without hesitation, I replied, "I did."

James's expression remained stern as he continued, "Last night, there was an intruder at Shayeli's apartment."

My eyes narrowed, a flicker of alarm coursing through me. He slid a folder across the table; inside were photographs and a detailed report. The images depicted her living room and bathroom, both in disarray, marred by a disturbing amount of blood.

A sudden wave of possessiveness surged within me. My jaw clenched involuntarily as I processed the violation of her sanctuary. The thought of someone threatening Shayeli ignited a protective fury I hadn't anticipated.

I asked, "How did you find out?"

James met my gaze without hesitation. "We've been visiting Shayeli behind your back. But we never told her that we're connected to you."

I let out a humorless chuckle. "I knew you all would do this."

"Who was the one who witnessed it?" I asked calmly, knowing that if it had been something truly urgent, they would have called me immediately.

Luna stepped forward. "I was the one."

I exhaled sharply. "Go on."

She recounted everything about the incident, her voice steady but tinged with unease.

Olivia, clearly curious, asked, "If you arranged security for her, then how was someone able to enter Shayeli's apartment?"

I took a measured pause before responding. "I did arrange security for her, but they were scheduled to start their work tomorrow. I hired the most trusted team, and they needed time to prepare. That's why they weren't there yet."

Everyone nodded in understanding.

Rowan frowned. "But why is someone after Shayeli? We checked her background, and it was clear. So why is this happening?"

Isabel crossed her arms. "Maybe it's one of your rivals, Andrew. That would make sense."

Jaxson said, "And this isn't the work of some random thief. If it were, we would've caught whoever was behind it. But we found nothing. Whoever did this knew exactly what they were doing—they came prepared." My jaw tightened.

"Find out who's behind this. I want every detail. Even if nothing happens after this, I still need to know who had the guts to enter Shayeli's apartment." His voice dropped, laced with authority. "And all of you—stop meeting her for now. You're only increasing the danger for her. You're not ordinary people who can just roam around her freely. Maintain your position."

Everyone nodded. I stood up, not wanting to stay there any longer. Without another word, I walked out, got into my car, and drove to my penthouse.

My grip tightened on the steering wheel as I stole a glance at the passenger seat. The memory was crystal clear—the first time I met her.

Flashback.

I was returning from a mission, heading back to my hotel. The city lights blurred past as I drove through the empty streets, my mind occupied with unfinished business.

Then, out of nowhere, a girl came running into the road.

I slammed the brakes just in time. My heart pounded against my ribs as the car screeched to a halt.

Cursing under my breath, I stepped out, anger surging through me. "Who the hell has a death wish?"

But the moment my eyes landed on her, my frustration wavered.

She lay motionless on the road, her face turned away. Something about the sight sent an unfamiliar jolt through my chest. Frowning, I knelt beside her and carefully turned her over.

And that's when it happened.

A strange, unexplainable pull in my heart. I didn't understand it, but something about her made me pause—made me feel something I couldn't name.

Pushing the thought aside, I scooped her up in my arms and carried her to the passenger seat of my car. Thankfully, she didn't seem badly hurt—just a few bruises. I tried to wake her, gently shaking her shoulder. "Hey. Can you hear me?"

No response.

With no other choice, I decided to take her to the hospital. As I settled into the driver's seat, I stole a glance at her. Her delicate features, her unfamiliar clothing—she wasn't American. I could tell from her face, her skin tone, the way she dressed.

Something long and draped was wrapped around her shoulder. A cloth of some kind, flowing over what seemed to be a full-length dress. I didn't know what it was, but it looked different—foreign.

Shoving my curiosity aside, I focused on the road, driving straight to the hospital. But every few seconds, I found myself glancing at her, trying to understand why I felt this way.

As soon as I arrived, I carried her inside, placing her gently onto a stretcher. The nurses quickly moved her toward a treatment room.

Just as I was about to step back, I felt a tug on my wrist.

Her long piece of cloth—whatever it was—had gotten stuck in my watch. I tried to unclasp it, but it wouldn't budge...

FLASHBACK END.

Thanks for reading.( from now on there will be lot of scenes means lovey dovey scenes between Andrew and Shayeli. So stay tuned. 🫣❤️😜)

thankyou for 500+reads. It's mean a lot.

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