𝐇𝐈𝐒 𝐃𝐀𝐑𝐊𝐄𝐒𝐓 𝐎𝐁𝐒𝐄𝐒𝐒𝐈𝐎𝐍

Chapter 35

I swear, sometimes she's just the cutest chaos in a five-foot package.

We were sitting in the hidden corner of the library, far from curious eyes, and Maya was going off.

"No seriously, Rudra! My Bua has lost it! She's sending my pictures to some random professor guy without even asking me!"

I nodded, trying to keep a straight face, though the corners of my mouth kept twitching. "Hmm... sounds serious. A professor, huh?"

"Ugh! Yes!" she groaned, throwing her head back dramatically. "Like who even wants to marry a professor? All serious and grumpy and always correcting people."

I smirked, raising a brow. "So you mean... someone exactly like me?"

She froze. I could literally see the moment her brain caught up to her mouth.

Her eyes widened. "No—I mean—you're different! You're my—I mean—ugh, shut up!"

I laughed quietly, finally letting it out.

She narrowed her eyes, poking my arm. "Why are you laughing like that? You better not be imagining this rishta guy as yourself!"

"Oh? But what if I am the professor your Bua is matchmaking you with?"

Her jaw dropped. "Don't joke like that!"

I leaned in slightly, resting my elbow on the table and my chin in my hand. "What if it's not a joke?"

"Rudra—" she warned, but her voice cracked a little, and her cheeks were turning a warm pink.

God, she was adorable when flustered.

I bit my cheek to stop myself from grinning wider. "Imagine the irony. All those stolen glances, secret pecks, hiding from your brother... and your Bua hands you to me on a silver plate."

She covered her face with both hands. "This is a nightmare."

I gently tugged her hands down and whispered, "No, angel. This is fate... doing what it does best—bringing you to me."

She blinked, caught off guard, heart clearly racing.

And mine?

Already gone.

She tried to speak, but all she managed was, "I hate you."

I chuckled. "You adore me."

"Shut up, Rudra."

"Yes, future Mrs. Professor."

She gasped and smacked my arm while I burst into full-blown laughter.

If she thought I was letting this go soon...

She clearly didn't know how dangerous it was to give me ammunition.

She was still fuming, pacing back and forth like a storm in a teacup. And God, I was enjoying every second of it.

"I'm telling you, Rudra, I'm going to lose it. What was Bua even thinking?" she rambled, hands flailing. "I don't even like professors like that!"

I leaned back in my seat, arms crossed, pretending to be the calm to her storm. "So... you don't like professors?"

She paused. "You don't count. You're—different."

I raised an eyebrow. "How so?"

"You just... are!" she huffed, plopping onto the seat next to me. "You don't wear boring shirts, you don't talk like a walking textbook, and you don't—ugh—you're hot! Okay?"

That made my lips twitch with a smirk. "So if this professor your Bua picked turns out to be hot too, would that be a problem?"

She turned to glare at me. "Rudra!"

"What?" I said innocently, trying not to laugh. "All I'm saying is... maybe you should just meet the guy once. Maybe he's not as bad as you think."

She blinked. "You're... suggesting I meet him?"

I shrugged. "What's the harm? It's just a meeting. No one said you're signing the marriage papers."

She narrowed her eyes at me. "Why are you being so chill about this?"

I leaned closer, looking into her eyes. "Because I trust you. And maybe... I'm just curious how you'll react when you see him."

She tilted her head, suspicious. "You know something."

I raised my hands. "I know nothing. I'm just saying, keep an open mind."

She studied me for a long moment, then sighed dramatically. "Fine. I'll meet this 'mystery professor' and prove to Bua that he's not my type."

I nodded slowly, biting back a grin. "I'm sure he'll be exactly your type."

She narrowed her eyes again. "I swear Rudra, if you're hiding something..."

I smirked, standing up and ruffling her hair. "Me? Never."

She huffed, fixing her messed-up hair as I walked away—my heart light, a mischievous spark in my chest.

She had no idea what was coming.

And honestly? I couldn't wait to see the look on her face when she realized...

I was the mystery professor all along.

"Buaaaa! I'm only coming down because you threatened to take away my WiFi!" I yelled from upstairs as I tucked my dupatta over my shoulder.

What a day. A random rishta meeting. A boring professor I didn't even want to meet. And Bua wouldn't stop raving about how "perfect" he is.

"Bas do minute mil lo, beta," she had said.

("Just meet him for two minutes, dear.")

So, to keep myself sane, I decided to spice things up. Quite literally.

Before heading upstairs, I had personally handed over samosas to the guests. Well, his samosa had an extra special ingredient—two teaspoons of red chilli powder hidden perfectly in the stuffing. That ought to scare the serious, uptight professor away.

And now, here I was, rolling my eyes as I made my way down the stairs with the fakest smile I could manage.

"Namaste," I said sweetly, finally looking up.

And froze.

No... freaking... way.

There, sitting calmly on my living room sofa, legs crossed like he owned the place, was none other than Rudra.

My Rudra.

Mr. Khadoos.

The love of my life and also the man I've been secretly dating for weeks.

Chewing... on the samosa.

The samosa.

The one loaded with nuclear-grade red chilli powder.

And he wasn't even flinching.

My jaw hit the floor. "YOU?!"

He looked up at me, calm as ever, a faint smirk playing on his lips. "Hello, Ms. Raichand," he said in his Professor Voice. "Pleasure to finally meet you for this... rishta meeting."

My eyes went wide. "You—You're the rishta guy?!"

Rudra took another bite, nodding. "Mmm. Lovely samosa. Has a... fiery touch. Just like someone I know."

I gasped. "You knew?! And you ate it anyway?!"

He leaned forward, wiping his fingers with the napkin like a gentleman. "Of course I knew. The way you smiled sweetly at everyone else and handed me mine like a Bond villain gave it away."

I covered my face in horror. "Oh god..."

"And yet," he continued, "I ate it. Without complaint."

"Why?" I asked, half mortified, half amused.

He looked straight into my eyes. "Because I'd eat the spiciest samosa on the planet if it meant getting to marry you."

My breath caught.

Bua clapped her hands in excitement, completely unaware of the backstory. "Dekha? Kitne sanskari ladka hai! (See? Such a cultured boy!)"

Rudra looked at me, full-on smug now.

I narrowed my eyes. "This isn't over."

He whispered as I walked past him, "Neither is the samosa war."

I had just been outplayed. And worst of all?

I loved every second of it.

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