Chapter Two.
The Rolls-Royce came to a silent halt at the grand entrance of the Sterling Institute of Arts Letters (SIAL).
Through the tinted windows, the bustling life of the university looked like a different world, one Zaira was desperate to disappear into.
She let out a small, shaky breath of relief as she gripped the strap of her tote bag.
"T...thank you, sir." she whispered, forcing herself to look at him one last time.
She flinched instantly. He was already staring. Those ghostly eyes were fixed on her and that made her heart skip a beat in discomfort and fear
He didn't acknowledge her thanks. He didn't even blink.
Zaira felt the urge to flee, her hand reaching for the door handle, but before her fingers could touch the metal
"You are well aware of the weight the Singhania reputation carries."
His voice was stoic rumble and so deep. Zaira froze, her throat tightening.
"And I would appreciate it if you didn't ruin that reputation.." he continued.
His lip curled slightly, his features twisting into a stern expression, that left Zaira reeling with confusion.
"I... I don't understand.." she stammered.
"Stay away from anything that would cause the Singhania name to be dragged into the mud." he said, his gaze dropping to the phone still clutched in her hand..the phone that held the image of Sunny.
"And that includes buzzing around men."
Zaira blinked, Buzzing around men? She barely left the house except for class. She was a ghost in the city.
The accusation felt wrong.. what men?
"I hope I have made myself clear..." He paused, "...Zaira."
A shiver raced down her spine. In two years, he had never once uttered her name.
Hearing it roll off his tongue felt, weird and...terrifying. This was the most they had ever spoken, and every word felt..odd.
"You are neither deaf nor dumb.." his voice dropped, turning dangerous, his aura changing "Did you hear me?"
"Yes. Yes, I heard you."
She didn't wait for another word. She fumbled with the door, pushing it open and got out.
She slammed the door shut and caught her reflection in the dark tint of the window for a split second.
She turned and hurried toward the university entrance, her heart beating.
Aarvik’s hand reached out to touch the spot on the leather seat where she had just been sitting, his fingers lingering on the fading warmth she left behind, before he took his hand back.
His gaze followed Zaira until she got mixed into the sea of students.
His fist remained tight on his lap, the pulsing of a vein in his temple the only sign of the storm raging inside.
His jaw was clamped so tight the bone felt as if it might break, the line of it carved out on his jawline.
He didn't look at the driver. He simply pulled out his phone, dialing a number that was answered on the first ring.
"Yes, Mr. Singhania.." a voice answered with immediate, trembling respect.
"Jai Kapoor.." Aarvik said.. "The guest professor scheduled for the Sterling Institute today. Cancel the visit. I want him intercepted before he even sees the terminal. Pull all Singhania sponsorships from his tour. I don’t want that man in Mumbai. I don’t even want him in this time zone. Do you understand?"
There was a stunned silence on the other end. "B-but sir, the university–"
"I didn't ask for a list of consequences.." Aarvik cut him off, his eyes darkening as he stared at the entrance where Zaira had gone through, "I gave an order. Make him disappear before he gets to this city."
He hung up without waiting for a reply. He didn't care about the academic loss or the millions in canceled contracts.
He only cared that the light he had seen in Zaira’s eyes when she spoke of that man was extinguished.
It pissed him off.
"Take me back to the estate." he commanded.
The driver didn't hesitate. The engine ignited and the Rolls-Royce drove away from the curb.
~??~
Inside the marble hallways of SIAL, Zaira walked toward the lecture hall, her brow furrowed in a deep, troubled frown.
“Buzzing around men.” The accusation echoed in her mind.
Why would he say that? He barely looked at her, yet he spoke as if he had been judging her every move for years.
She sighed, pushing open the heavy double doors of the auditorium.
The room was buzzing with the energy of students chattering.
Her eyes instinctively roamed the tiers of seats, searching for a familiar face, but they snagged on a different target first.
Sunny.
He was sitting near the front, the blue light of his laptop reflecting off his glasses as he typed with focused intensity.
Zaira felt a familiar, fluttering warmth in her stomach.
He really is drop-dead handsome.. she thought, a shy blush blooming across her cheeks.
As if he could feel the weight of her gaze, Sunny looked up.
His eyes locked onto hers across the crowded room. A slow, genuine smile spread across his face..a look of pure recognition.
Zaira’s heart did a flip. Her face went from pink to a deep, burning crimson.
Panicked by the sudden connection, she jerked her gaze away, her eyes frantically searching for her best friend. She spotted her in the third row, already smirking at the obvious display of affection.
Zaira hurried down the aisle, her head down, trying to hide her burning face.
Sunny watched her go, his smile faltering into a look of quiet, lingering sadness.
He didn't understand why she always look away whenever he look back at her..
"You know, you really need to stop staring at him like you’re trying to memorize his DNA. You’re going to scare the poor boy off.." Mehek smirked, nudging Zaira’s arm as she slid into the seat.
Zaira let out a soft groan and dropped her head onto the desk, her long brown hair spilling over her shoulders like silk.
"Is it that obvious?" she muffled into her sleeves.
"Honey, you’re practically glowing.." Mehek teased. Then, leaning in with a wicked glint in her eyes as she whispered, "But don’t worry. Even if your staring scares him off, I’ll just kidnap him for you. I’ll tie him down in a chair, and you can watch him as much as you want."
Zaira’s head snapped up, her eyes wide with genuine shock.
"Mehek! That is a terrifying thing to do!"
"At least one of you has a functioning brain.." a voice drifted from behind them.
Zaira’s face instantly brightened into a smile, while Mehek playfully rolled her eyes.
They turned to see Anaya standing there, her posture confident as always.
"Hey, Anaya.." Zaira chirped.
Anaya offered a rare small wink. "Sup, gorgeous."
Zaira blushed...a habit she couldn't seem to shake..as Anaya took the seat on her other side.
Anaya was the late addition to their group, having joined in their second year, but she had fit in perfectly.
While Mehek was the heart, Anaya was the shield. She was tough, observant, and fiercely protective of both of them, but mostly...Zaira.
It was as if she could sense the fragility in Zaira and had decided, right then and there, that no one was allowed to touch her.
"I have a brain too, for your information.." Mehek huffed, crossing her arms.
"If you did.." Anaya countered leaning back, "you’d know that kidnapping is a criminal offense that would land you in a cell faster than you can say obsession. Be smarter."
Mehek groaned, "Fine, fine. No kidnapping. Anyway, Zaira, you actually made it on time today. I thought for sure you’d be late with the morning rush."
The mention of her arrival made Zaira’s smile falter.
Her mind flashed back to the chilling sound of her name on Aarvik’s lips, and the cold, baseless accusations.
She let out a long heavy sigh that didn't go unnoticed by Anaya’s eyes.
"Umm..Someone dropped me.." Zaira said vaguely, her voice trailing off as she toyed with the strap of her bag.
"Oww... hehe, so? Who was the mystery chauffeur that got you here so early?." Mehek smirked, her eyes glinting in mischief.
"Um... A... Aarvik.." she whispered.
The effect was instantaneous, the smirk was wiped clean off Mehek’s face, replaced by a look of pure bewilderment.
Beside her, Anaya’s brows shot up. She wasn't exactly surprised..nothing seemed to shock Anaya..but a flicker of deep curiosity lit up her eyes.
"Wait, what?" Mehek sputtered, leaning in so close Zaira could smell her lip gloss.
"Aarvik Singhania? I thought that man was allergic to women!"
Anaya rolled her eyes, leaning back with a sigh.
"Don't be a clown, Mehek. No man is allergic to women. Biologically, that would refer to a hypersensitivity to specific proteins or fluids, not a person's presence. If a man claims he’s allergic to an entire gender, he simply just hates women’s guts. "
"My point is.." Mehek ignored the science lesson, "everyone in this country knows the rule.
. No woman touches Aarvik Singhania. He can't even stand the smell of their perfume. Remember that rumor about the Minister’s daughter?
She tried to hug him at a gala, and he didn't just cut the business alliance with her father.
.he was so disgusted he ripped his suit jacket off right there.
Rumor has it he had the whole outfit burned.
He doesn't let women stay close to him, he doesn't like women touching him. .. or being close to one, period."
Zaira’s frown deepened. She knew he was a fortress of power and stoic, but she had never paid enough attention to his life outside the mansion to know the urban legends surrounding him.
She had always stayed in her lane, trying to be invisible.
But hearing this... it felt odd.
Will he burn the Rolls-Royce just because I sat in it? she wondered..
And Mehek was right about one thing, now that she thought about it..in the two years she’d lived under his roof, she had never seen a woman by his side. Not a girlfriend, not a date, not even a female business partner.
"Honestly?" Mehek whispered, looking around to make sure no one was eavesdropping. "With that level of stay away from me, I’m beginning to think the man is just Gay."
Zaira gasped, her eyes widening as she looked around to make sure no one had heard.
"Mehek! Shh! Don't say things like that!"
"I'm just saying!" Mehek defended herself. "It’s the only thing that makes sense. He’s gorgeous, rich, and powerful. No scandals, no girlfriends, no dates. He’s in his late twenties and living like a monk. Either he’s playing for the other team, or he’s a robot."
"Don't be ridiculous.." Anaya interjected. "Men like that aren't broken. They just have high walls. In fact, psychology suggests that men of his caliber fall the hardest. When they finally find a woman who fits their obsession, they don't just love, they fall madly, dangerously in love."
Zaira’s frown deepened. The idea of Aarvik falling in love felt like a horror movie premise. To her, love was warm and kind.
Aarvik was a storm that destroyed everything in its path.
"Yeah, right.." Mehek scoffed, waving a hand dismissively. "Anaya, I don't think you should use your psychological theories on this one. I doubt a man like Aarvik Singhania even has a heart to fall with."
"You sound as if you’ve actually spent time in a room with him.." Anaya noted, giving Mehek a bored, sideways look.
"I’ve seen him once, and trust me, that was enough!" Mehek whispered, actually shivering as she pulled her sweater tighter.
"His presence is so suffocatingly dangerous... it’s like standing in front of Hades himself.
I honestly don't know how you do it, Zaira.
How do you live in that house with him? The one time I visited the estate, I felt like his eyes were literally tracking my every move, even when he wasn't in the room. It was haunting."
Zaira stayed silent, her heart heavy. She didn't have to imagine it.. she lived it.
"You shouldn't judge someone based solely on an aura or a look in their eyes.." Anaya countered.
"Watch me!" Mehek rolled her eyes. "I will judge anyone who makes me that uncomfortable. The man is a walking red flag– wait, no scratch that– he is a walking terminator."
"Can we please stop talking about... him?" Zaira finally intervened softly but strained.
The name felt like a weight in the air, and she wanted it gone.
She wanted to be a normal college student, thinking about her books and her crush, not the man who had just accused her of buzzing around men while driving her to school.
Before Mehek could retort, the heavy double doors of the hall swung open.
A senior professor walked in.
The lecture hall fell into a sudden silence as students scrambled to open their notebooks.
Zaira tried to focus, but her mind was a mess.
Is that really how the world sees him? she wondered.
She had always known he was cold, but hearing her friend describe him as Hades??
???