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Shaurya drove in silence, the car slicing through the dimly-lit, quiet streets. Besides him, Nandini sat equally silent, her mind replaying everything that had just transpired.

Her future business venture—the one she’d nurtured with months of sleepless nights and relentless determination, was suddenly tangled with Shaurya’s past marriage. It felt like a red flag she couldn’t ignore.

It wasn’t until Shaurya brought the car to a gentle halt that Nandini realised they were back at Serene Meadows. As agreed, he had parked discreetly, just short of the Raichand Villa gates. No one could know they had been out together on Valentine’s night.

The night that should’ve ended in laughter and passionate kisses under the stars had instead twisted into something hurtful and uncertain.

Before she could open her car door, Shaurya had already come around and pulled it open for her. She stepped out, catching a glimpse of him under the streetlight. Gone was the man who had smiled at her just hours ago, with his eyes full of love and promise. Now, his features were taut, as if a storm was brewing behind his eyes. Yet beneath all that anger, she could also see that he was trying to stay grounded.For her.

“Shaurya…” she said, her voice quivering. “I didn’t know she was your—”

He cut her off, grasping her shoulders with urgency. “She means nothing to me, Nandini. Whatever existed between us is over. Long over.”

His hands dropped as he exhaled sharply, raking his fingers through his hair. “I can’t believe she just walked back into our lives like this. Of all people… becoming the investor for your startup? That doesn’t feel like a coincidence to me.”

Nandini stood frozen, her mind processing his words, trying to catch up with his suspicions.

“She’s definitely watching me this time,” he said, his voice tight. “It’s like she knows exactly when to reappear, just to get under my skin. All because I snatched her dream villa from her.”

He exhaled, his voice bitter. “I told you we still move in the same circles. Same friends, same events. She always finds a way to cross my path, to show up, looking like she’s thriving. Like her life is a picture of peace and perfection. As if to remind me of everything I couldn’t be. And she succeeds, Nandini. Every f*cking time. I’m sure she found out about us… about us being neighbours... about us being in love.”

Nandini swallowed, seeing the anger blazing in his eyes as he tried connecting the dots. He reached for her again, this time gently holding her hands.

“It’s not that I care about what she does anymore. I don’t. But if she’s here with some twisted motive… if she’s planning to wedge herself into your world just to get back at me... if she dares mess with something you’ve poured your head and heart into, your dream, your brand—I swear, I won’t let that happen.”

Moved by his protectiveness, his conviction in her dreams, Nandini stepped closer. Her hands moved on instinct, resting on his chest, her fingers clutching the fabric of his shirt.

“Calm down,” she whispered. “Just breathe.”

Her fingers moved in slow, soothing circles, and slowly, she felt the rise and fall of his breath begin to steady beneath her touch.

Shaurya shut his eyes at her touch, letting her warmth seep into the storm inside him. When he finally opened them again, his gaze had softened, the fire dimming just a little.

“I’ve been thinking only about myself,” he said quietly.

He cupped her face, his thumbs brushing tenderly against her cheeks. “But I know this must have shaken you too. Finding out that your potential investor… is her. I can only imagine what you must be feeling right now. If I were in your place, I’d be furious at how unfair all this is.”

Nandini looked down, then nodded slowly. “I was shaken,” she admitted. “I wasn’t prepared for it. I mean… I knew about you and Rhea. I knew there was bitterness between you two, that the past wasn’t exactly perfect. But seeing it all with my own eyes, seeing you two argue like that… it hit different. It felt like something I would never truly be able to understand.”

She stepped even closer now, her eyes finding his. “I didn’t know what to feel. Watching her stand in front of you, realising, knowing she already had what ismine now… it made something twist inside me.”

Shaurya didn’t let her finish. He pulled her into him, wrapping his arms around her firmly, protectively.

“I can’t erase the past,” he said. “Or the fact that she is my ex-wife. She’s been part of my life for long. Longer than you and I have shared time, space, or memories. But listen to me carefully, Nandini…”

He pulled back just enough to look into her eyes.

“I will never let my past into our present. Or our future. It’s you now. Only you. And it’s always going to be you.”

Nandini looked down, unable to speak. The shock of it all still pulsed in her chest, and the uncertainty about what to do next gnawed at her. She was clueless.

Shaurya watched her closely, reading the hesitation in her eyes. He tilted her chin up, urging her to meet his gaze.

“I can’t be selfish here,” he said softly. “I don’t want to stand in the way of your goals, Nandini. Because I love you, and love isn’t about holding someone back. Love is about lifting each other, supporting them, and pushing your partner forward to achieve their dreams.”

She blinked, a single tear slipping down her cheek.

“If this is really just a coincidence,” Shaurya added, gently wiping her tear away, “if Rhea is here purely for your business… then don’t let my past cloud your judgement. You have nothing to worry about. I know Rhea is brilliant at what she does. She’s a super smart businesswoman. Her team has built some of the strongest brands in the market. If she plays fair, your dream—everything you’ve worked so hard for—would be in capable hands.”