The afternoon light filtered softly through the room window as Aara sat on her bed, knees pulled close to her chest. Kavya was beside her, scrolling through her phone, but her attention kept drifting back to Aara's unusually quiet demeanor.
"You've been silent since morning," Kavya finally said, locking her phone and turning toward her. "That's not normal for you. Did something happen… or should I ask who happened?"
Aara exhaled slowly. "Kabir," she said, the name leaving her lips heavier than she expected.
Kavya stiffened. "I knew it."
Aara looked up. "Knew what?"
"That he's not just a businessman with intense eyes and a scary reputation. There's something… off about him," Kavya said carefully. "And before you say I'm overthinking—tell me honestly. Does he scare you?"
Aara hesitated. "Not exactly. It's more like… he makes me feel watched. Protected. Trapped. All at the same time."
Kavya's expression hardened. "That's not romantic, Aara. That's dangerous."
"I know," Aara whispered. "But I can't ignore him. And I can't understand him either."
---
Elsewhere, in the quiet parking lot of the office building, Rahul leaned against his car as Kavya approached. The tension between them was unspoken but familiar.
"You wanted to talk?" Kavya asked, folding her arms.
Rahul nodded. "About Kabir."
Kavya scoffed. "Of course."
"He's not the kind of man you think he is," Rahul said slowly. "And neither is this situation."
Kavya narrowed her eyes. "Then why don't you stop him? Or warn Aara clearly instead of speaking in riddles?"
Rahul's jaw tightened. "Because if I say too much, I'll put her in more danger."
That answer unsettled Kavya more than silence ever could.
---
Later that evening, Aara found herself standing outside Kabir's office cabin. Her heart raced—not with excitement, but with determination. She knocked.
"Come in," Kabir's deep voice called.
He looked up when she entered, surprise flickering briefly across his face before being replaced with calm control.
"You wanted to see me?" he asked.
"Yes," Aara said, standing her ground. "I need answers."
Kabir leaned back in his chair, studying her. "About what?"
"About you," she said plainly. "You're always there when something goes wrong. You know things you shouldn't. People here are scared of you. And sometimes… I feel like you're hiding something big."
Silence stretched between them.
Kabir stood up slowly, closing the distance just enough to make her breath hitch—but he stopped.
"You should stop asking these questions, Aara," he said quietly. "For your own good."
Her eyes widened. "That's not an answer."
"It's a warning," he replied, voice low but controlled. "Some truths don't bring peace. They destroy it."
Aara swallowed. "Are you dangerous?"
Kabir's jaw tightened. For a moment, the mask cracked.
"Only to those who try to hurt what's mine," he said.
That word—mine—echoed in her head long after she walked out.
---
That night, Rahul stood in Kabir's private study, arms crossed, frustration evident.
"You're losing control," Rahul said bluntly. "She's asking questions now."
Kabir poured himself a drink, unbothered. "I expected that."
"Then why let her get this close?" Rahul snapped. "You know what happens when innocent people step into our world."
Kabir turned, eyes dark. "She was never meant to step into it. But the world doesn't ask permission."
Rahul sighed. "This obsession will cost you."
Kabir's voice dropped dangerously low. "She's not an obsession."
Rahul met his gaze. "Then why are you afraid of losing her?"
Kabir said nothing. Because the truth was simple—and terrifying.
Aara wasn't just someone he liked.
She was the one weakness he never saw coming.
And weaknesses, in Kabir Rathod's world, were never spared