The sun had barely begun its descent when the Kashyap mansion, usually alive with chatter and warmth, fell into a hush. The scent of sandalwood lingered in the air, carried by the flickering diyas that lined the grand hall. But beneath the golden glow, a quiet storm was brewing.
Sia Kashyap stood by the window, her back ramrod straight, her slender fingers gripping the carved wooden frame as if it could anchor her in place. Outside, the sky was painted in hues of crimson and gold—beautiful, but mocking in its calm.
She had spent the last five years learning the ropes of her family’s business, refusing to let the weight of tradition or betrayal suffocate her dreams. She had stumbled, made mistakes, but each misstep had become a lesson. She was no expert—not yet—but she had enough fire to challenge any man who thought he could break her.
A sigh slipped past her lips, carrying memories she refused to let show. That farewell night still lingered in the shadows of her mind—Kabir’s laughter with his friends, the easy, callous words that had shattered her illusions about him. She had left then, disgust and heartbreak coiling in her chest like a living thing. In her mind, he had become a symbol of everything she vowed to fight.
She turned, her dupatta catching on the brass handle of the window. Even her clothes seemed to be ensnared—like her heart, once tangled with memories she had tried so hard to forget.
The door creaked open. Sia’s younger brother, Rohan, entered with a stack of files and weary eyes.
“Didi,” he said softly, “the deal… it’s the only way. Kabir’s family has agreed, but on one condition—”
She raised a hand, cutting him off.
“I know the condition,” she said, her voice measured, controlled. “I’m to be the price for our salvation.”
Rohan’s face fell, guilt shadowing his features. She could see the lines of worry etched into his young face—the same lines she bore in her soul.
“I’m sorry, Didi… but without this, everything Baba built will be gone.”
For a moment, Sia closed her eyes, steadying the storm inside her. The betrayal she felt wasn’t new—it was a legacy she carried. Her lips curved into a wry smile, not bitter, just resigned.
“Then let it be,” she said quietly. “If this is the price, I’ll pay it. But don’t mistake my silence for surrender, Rohan. I’ll do this… but I won’t be a pawn in anyone’s game
The next day dawned with a brittle chill. Sia dressed in a pale blue saree, the color of a stormy sky, her hair swept up in a no-nonsense bun. She walked into the Kashyap office, each step echoing her silent promise: I won’t bend, no matter how much they try to break me.
The conference room was already occupied. Kabir Malhotra sat at the head of the polished mahogany table, his fingers drumming against the leather folder in front of him. His sharp profile was as familiar as it was infuriating—those eyes that had once held laughter, now only indifference.
He looked up as she entered, his expression unreadable, but she caught the flicker of surprise in his gaze. She wondered if he even remembered the sting of that night, or if she was just another name in his endless roster of deals and alliances.
“Sia Kashyap,” he said, his tone smooth but laced with an edge. “Finally decided to show up?”
Sia took her seat opposite him, folding her hands in her lap with deliberate calm.
“Let’s not waste time, Mr. Malhotra,” she said, her voice steady, hiding the quake of old wounds beneath it. “We both know why we’re here.”
Kabir’s lips twitched, a hint of a smirk playing at the corners.
“Straight to the point. Impressive.”
He slid the contract across the table. “It’s all here. The terms are non-negotiable.”
Sia leaned forward, scanning the papers with a cool, practiced eye. She was no pro, not like Kabir who had been born and bred in boardrooms, but she had learned enough to see the cracks—to see the way power could be wrapped in pretty words and hidden threats.
She tapped one clause with her index finger.
“This clause,” she said softly, her eyes hard as glass, “gives your family far too much control over my father’s legacy. Are you in the business of saving us or owning us, Mr. Malhotra?”
For a brief moment, Kabir’s expression flickered—surprise, then amusement. But she saw the flicker of something else, too—something almost like regret. Almost.
“You have spirit, I’ll give you that,” he murmured.
“I have more than that,” she replied coldly. “I have stakes in this game. I may not be a seasoned businessman like you, but I know how to protect what’s mine.”
Their eyes locked—a silent battle of wills sparking between them. In that moment, the ghosts of the past—the laughter he’d shared with his friends that night, the casual cruelty she’d heard—hung between them like a blade.
Kabir’s smirk faded, replaced by a look of quiet appraisal.
“You’re playing a dangerous game, Sia,” he said finally, his voice low.
“So are you,” she shot back.
For a long moment, neither of them spoke. The ticking of the antique clock on the wall was the only sound in the room. Finally, Kabir leaned back in his chair, his fingers steepled beneath his chin.
“Fine,” he said slowly. “I’ll have my lawyers amend the clause. But remember—this marriage, this deal… it’s a pact written in necessity, not sentiment. Don’t forget that.”
Sia rose from her seat, gathering the contract in her hands. She could feel the anger burning beneath her calm, the betrayal she had never spoken aloud.
“I don’t need sentiment from you, Kabir,” she said, her voice calm, almost gentle. “I only need you to keep your word.”
She turned and walked out of the room, each step measured, each breath a quiet act of defiance. Outside, the air was cool and sharp, carrying with it the faint scent of jasmine from the garden below.
Sia paused at the top of the marble staircase, her heart pounding with a mixture of pain and resolve. She could feel Kabir’s eyes on her back, even from behind the closed doors.
“Nafrat se likhhi mohabbat,” she thought, her fingers tightening around the contract.
“This is how it begins—with power, with pride, with wounds that never quite heal. Let’s see how long the lines between hate and love will stay unblurred.”
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