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“Challenge accepted. That day will come soon.”

The call ended, but Nandini sat there for a moment longer, staring at the now dark screen. She let out a long, weary sigh. Hearing his voice, seeing his face… it didn’t fix everything. But it had helped. The ache in her chest had eased, even if just a little.

She wasn’t whole yet, not even close. The fight for their love had only just begun. And now, she was ready to fight too.

CHAPTER 23

Shaurya’s Villa

It had been nearly a week since that disastrous Valentine’s night, when Shaurya had last stood face-to-face with Nandini. And every day since then had felt like a punishment he couldn’t escape.

They barely kept in touch. A few brief video calls, the occasional heartfelt text messages, and stolen glances from their respective balconies… just enough to remind each other that they were still holding on. But not enough to ease the ache within them.

Sometimes, they didn’t even speak. They just stared at each other through their screens, trying to draw comfort from a digital presence that could never replace the real thing. Every time Nandini thought of sneaking out to meet him, the looming presence of her grandpa inside the house stopped her cold. And she’d also made it clear to Shaurya that he couldn’t come near Raichand Villa. Not yet. Not with Grandpa’s blood pressure still dangerously unstable after that night. She couldn’t risk making it worse. Her guilt ran deep. Deeper than her desire to see Shaurya. For now.

Shaurya, however, was losing it.

He’d tried everything. The first few mornings, he stood by the mango tree on his side of the property, holding a coffee mug henever drank from. Waiting. Hoping for a glimpse of Grandpa. A moment with him. A window to talk.

But every time the old man stepped out and noticed him, his face would harden, and he’d turn back towards the house without a word. The message was loud and clear: You’re not welcome here.

On the third day, desperate, Shaurya waited until he saw Grandpa sitting on the veranda, flipping through an old newspaper. Shaurya walked towards him slowly. He barely got five steps in when Grandpa stood up abruptly and went inside, slamming the glass door shut behind him.

The next attempt was even worse.

On the fifth day, he had even made it to their doorstep. Lakshmi answered the door with panic written all over her face. From inside, Grandpa’s voice barked out a warning loud enough to carry through the house:If Shaurya didn’t leave immediately, he’d call the police and report him for harassment.

That same day, Shaurya discovered that Grandpa had blocked his number.

There was no way in. Not unless the old man himself opened a door. And that, more than anything, was driving Shaurya mad.

Meanwhile, Nandini was caught in the middle. Every evening at dinner, she tried to reason with her grandfather. Softly at first. Calmly. But when that didn’t work, she pleaded. She even raised her voice once. But Grandpa refused to budge.

“I’m saving you from a mistake you’ll regret for the rest of your life,” he’d said one night, pushing his plate away untouched.

“He’s not a mistake,” she’d shot back.

“Then stop calling him behind my back. Stop crying for a man who’s already broken his promises once.”

That night, Nandini walked out of the dining room with tears in her eyes. That was the sixth day.

By the seventh day, Shaurya was barely sleeping. His work had taken a backseat. Emails left unanswered, meetings skipped, deadlines forgotten. None of it seemed to matter anymore. His world had narrowed down to one problem: Getting through to Keshav Raichand.

Varun had been visiting Shaurya frequently for the past few days, trying to calm him down, trying to help. But even he was running out of hope.

“You need to understand something,” Varun said over coffee that morning. “Your girlfriend’s grandfather isn’t just stubborn.He’s legendary. Ask anyone in Serene Meadows. His decisions are final. Set in stone. Priya’s told me several stories she heard from her parents. Once he sets his mind on something, no one, not even his family can change it.”

Shaurya set his coffee mug down with a thud. “Are you here to help me or to scare the hell out of me?”

Varun chuckled. “I’m just saying. You need to know what you’re walking into. This isn’t a love story anymore. This is war.”

Shaurya was fuming quietly when Varun paused, then added, almost hesitantly, “Also… in the middle of all this chaos, I forgot to tell you something.”

Shaurya looked at him. “What?”

Varun rubbed the back of his neck, looking almost sheepish. “Priya spoke to her parents about us. The day after Valentine’s.”

Shaurya’s eyes widened. “And?”