Nitya's POV
"Excuse me? Maybe you should look up from your pedestal once in a while," I had snapped at the arrogant stranger who had bumped into me, spilling my champagne.
He was tall, with an air of regal authority that seemed out of place in his surroundings. His presence exuded an aura of power and authority.
His cold, calculating gaze softened momentarily as he looked at her, but his dark eyes flashed with surprise and amusement at my words.
Although I wanted to remove that smirk from his face, I stopped after seeing his handsome face.
"It seemed like you're lost in your world." he took a step closer, "A word of advice: humility goes a long way."
Before I could respond, that man walked away, leaving me fuming.
Who did he think he was, lecturing me on humility? I had worked tirelessly to earn this recognition. The nerve of that man!
Author's POV
As he moved away, Rudransh's gaze held something deep. There was something about her that drew him in.
"Who is she?" His voice was low, yet sharp.
Arjun, his younger brother, was standing beside him. He followed his elder brother's gaze and his expression stiffened.
"Bhai..." Arjun started but stopped. Seeing that Rudransh turned his gaze towards him.
After seeing Arjun reluctance, Rudransh got more intrigued.
"You know her right?" Rudransh asked, raising his left eyebrow. His tone was laced with a mixture of expectation and irritation.
Arjun swallowed hard. He wanted to avoid that conversation as he knew that revealing Nitya's identity would lead to complications. But he couldn't defy Rudransh also.
After taking a deep breath he mumbled, "Yes, I know her."
His voice was low. "She is Nitya Maheshwari."
There was an instant indescribable change in Rudransh's expression. It seemed like his interest deepened at the mention of Maheshwari.
"Maheshwari?" he repeated his tone almost a growl. "As in, the sister of Aditya Maheshwari?"
Arjun nodded slowly. "Yes. She's the only sister of Aditya Maheshwari and the princess of Hyderabad. Their family has been rivals to ours for years."
The realisation hit Rudransh like a thunderclap. Aditya Maheshwari was not just any rival; he was his sister's husband.
The fact that Nitya was connected to Aditya fueled Rudransh's intrigue.
"So, she is Aditya Maheshwari's sole weakness, how interesting!" Rudransh smirked.
At that time, Rudransh's gaze itself returned to Nitya, who was now engaged in animated conversation with a group of guests.
Her laughter, though soft and refined, seemed to pierce through the loudness of the party.
Rudransh's eyes hardened as he coined the pros and cons of that situation.
Nitya Maheshwari was more than just a rival's sister; she was a potential pawn in his intricate game of power.
"Finally! I can make you feel the same when I see my sister by your side," Rudransh whispered under his breath. "Now I will tell you how it feels when your sister is a wife to your enemy, Aditya Maheshwari."
At that moment, he realised that Arjun was still standing there.
"You seem hesitant," Rudransh said, turning back to Arjun. "Is there something more I should know about her?"
Arjun hesitated again, his eyes darting between his brother and Nitya.
"She's innocent, bhai. She avoids the limelight. That's the reason you never met her before. She doesn't have an interest in the family's affairs. She's not involved in the rivalries."
Arjun knew how pure Nitya was. He didn't want Rudransh to make a wrong decision.
Rudransh's expression darkened, a mix of disdain and determination crossing his face.
"She's part of the Maheshwari family, isn't she? And if she's as innocent as you claim, then she has nothing to worry about. She can simply enjoy the fact that soon she will be Nitya Rudransh Singh Rathore."
The words struck Arjun like a blow. He could barely process what he had just heard. "You're serious? You intend to-"
"Yes," Rudransh interrupted smoothly, stepping closer to Arjun.
"I will make her my wife. She will be part of my world, whether she likes it or not."
Arjun's face was pale, and his eyes were wide with shock.
"Bhai, you can't be serious!" he exclaimed, trying to keep his voice steady
Rudransh turned to face Arjun, his expression unchanging. "I'm very serious, Arjun. Now Aditya will feel the same. He will think twice about doing something against Rudransh Singh Rathore when his sister will be under my claws."
Arjun's heart pounded. He knew his brother's determination and his ruthless nature.
"Bhai, please," Arjun pleaded, his voice trembling. "Nitya is innocent. She has nothing to do with our families' rivalries. She doesn't deserve to be dragged into this."
Rudransh's eyes flickered with irritation. "She's a Maheshwari. That's enough."
Arjun took a deep breath, gathering his courage. "Our sister's life is at stake here. You know how much Aditya loves his sister, Nitya. It will put our sister, Meera at stake."
Rudransh's expression hardened. "You think I don't know that? But Nitya's innocence makes her the perfect target. She'll have no choice but to accept her fate. Don't worry about Meera, Aditya loves her too."
Arjun's hands clenched into fists. "But not more than he loves his sister. You're putting our sister's happiness at risk. She's your sister too. Think about what you're doing."
Rudransh stepped closer to Arjun, his voice dropping to a menacing whisper. "I am thinking, Arjun. I'm thinking about our family, our legacy. Nitya will become a part of our world, and she will learn to live with it."
Arjun's eyes filled with desperation. "Please, bhai. Don't do this. Find another way. Don't use Nitya to settle our families' scores."
Rudransh stared at Arjun for a long moment, his face unreadable. Then he turned away, his decision made. "It's done, Arjun. Nitya will be mine."
To be continued...
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Purva Narang
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