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“Intense,” Mrs. Bhalla finished for her, fanning herself dramatically. “Beta, I have lived in this community for fifteen years, andnever everhave I seen an argument this… electrifying.”

“Did you see how close he got?” Mahira, one of the younger women, giggled, nudging her friend. “For a second, I thought he was going to kiss her just to shut her up.”

Nandini’s eyes widened in horror as the room burst into laughter.

“What?” she snapped. “That man is impossible! Annoying! Arrogant! Completely full of himself!”

Priya raised a brow. “And yet, you’re the one standing here, looking completely flustered.”

Nandini’s cheeks flamed. “I am not flustered. I am fuming.”

Mrs. Mehra chuckled knowingly. “Beta, fuming and flustered often look the same.”

Another wave of laughter erupted as Nandini crossed her arms and huffed.

What was wrong with these women?Were they all so blinded by his ridiculously sexy body that they failed to see what a menace he was?

“You all do realise he was half-naked, right?” Nandini hissed.

“Oh, we realised,” Priya smirked. “Trust me, we realised.”

Nandini groaned, rubbing her temples.

It was her first day back, and she had already declared war on the most desired man in Serene Meadows.

And worst of all? Somewhere in the back of her mind, no matter how hard she tried to fight it, she couldn’t stop reliving the image of him—fresh out from the swimming pool, muscles taut, water trickling down his chest… and that damn towel draped low around his waist.

Nandini exhaled sharply. She needed to purge these thoughts.Immediately.

CHAPTER 3

Next Day

Evening had settled over Serene Meadows.

Nandini stood in her garden, watering the plants, humming along to the old Kishore Kumar song playing on the radio, a prized possession of her grandfather. She had always loved the charm of old Bollywood classics, their lyrics dipped in romance and longing.

But as soon as the next song began to play, her hands froze over the garden hose.

“Mere saamne waali khidki mein ek chaand ka tukda rehta hai…” (In the window across from me… A piece of the moon lives.)

Her eyes widened in realisation as the song from the movie ‘Padosan’ played on the radio.

Oh God. Of all the songs to play, it had to be this one.

Her gaze instinctively drifted toward Villa No. 11, where her grumpy neighbour, Mr. Always-Ukhda-Ukhda, lived. The lyrics of the song… they were too apt.

A handsome neighbour? Check.

An ongoing love-hate dynamic? Check.

Except… this Chand Ka Tukda (piece of moon) came with a perpetual scowl and a talent for ruining her grandfather’s peace.

As she let out a soft chuckle at the irony, a movement from the corner of her eye caught her attention.

Her amusement vanished the moment she saw him.

Shaurya had stepped out of his villa, his eyes flicking toward her radio, probably drawn outside by the song that was playing loud and clear. Nandini swallowed, suddenly hyper-aware of her surroundings.