Anaya tried to absorb everything Ria had shared with her. The more she learned about Rudra, the more her thoughts became entangled in a web of curiosity and unease. His secretive and rude demeanor intrigued her, yet she felt an underlying fear. Why was he marrying a woman his family despised? Did he love her, or was something darker at play?
Anaya resolved to keep her distance from Rudra, to avoid any entanglements. She expressed her gratitude to Ria for the temporary shelter and mentioned she'd find a new place soon. Ria hugged her, assuring her that she could stay as long as she needed, welcoming her friendship with open arms.
Manshi's voice broke the tension. "Come on, girls, let's go shopping! We need to look stunning for the wedding and the party."
Ria clapped her hands with excitement. "I love shopping with you, Manshi. You always know what looks best."
Anaya, though hesitant, felt a warmth from their invitation. "Thank you for inviting me, Manshi. Your kindness means a lot."
Manshi gave her a reassuring smile. "You're like a sister to us, Anaya. Don't let Rudra's gruff exterior bother you. Beneath it, he's not as cold as he seems."
Anaya forced a smile. "I hope his girlfriend makes him happy."
Manshi's eyes darkened. "I'm not so sure about that. She's... difficult. She's more interested in what Rudra can give her than who he is."
Ria nodded, her face twisting in disdain. "She's a gold digger, plain and simple. Rudra deserves better, but he's too stubborn to see it."
Anaya's curiosity deepened. "If he doesn't love her, why is he marrying her?"
Manshi shrugged, a flicker of pity in her eyes. "Rudra's always done what's expected of him. But sometimes, duty blinds you to what you really want."
Ria, with a sly grin, leaned closer. "Maybe he just needs the right person to show him what he's missing. Someone who gets him, makes him laugh… Someone like you, Anaya."
Anaya felt her heart skip a beat. "Me? What are you saying, Ria?"
Ria exchanged a look with Manshi. "Just think about it. You and Rudra might have more in common than you realize."
Manshi glanced at the clock. "We need to go, or the shops will close. But don't worry, Anaya. We'll figure this out together. Who knows? You might be the one to melt Rudra's icy heart."
The day passed in a blur of shopping and chatter, but Anaya's thoughts kept circling back to Rudra. He was a puzzle, one she wasn't sure she wanted to solve. The next morning, she was sipping coffee on the balcony when a shadow caught her eye—a figure cloaked in black, moving with eerie stealth toward the third floor.
Alarmed, Anaya followed, her pulse quickening with every step. The figure seemed to be searching for something, and Anaya's mind raced with possibilities. Was he a thief? A spy? Her instincts told her to back away, but curiosity propelled her forward.
The man entered Rudra's room. Anaya hesitated, recalling Ria's warning not to invade Rudra's private space. But something pushed her onward—a need to know what lay behind his cold exterior.
As she stepped into Rudra's room, the man turned, a glint of steel in his hand. Anaya's breath caught in her throat as he lunged at her with the knife. But before she could scream, a strong hand gripped the man's arm, twisting it back with brutal force.
Rudra emerged from the shadows, his face a mask of fury. With a swift, calculated move, he disarmed the attacker, sending him crashing into a wall. The knife grazed Anaya's hand, blood seeping from the wound. Pain shot through her, and darkness claimed her vision as she fainted.
When Anaya awoke, she found herself lying on a soft bed, her hand bandaged. Rudra was sitting across the room, his eyes cold and distant, watching her with an unreadable expression. The room was empty, save for the two of them.
Rudra didn't speak, didn't move. He simply observed, his gaze never leaving her face. Anaya tried to piece together what had happened, her mind foggy with fear and confusion. She glanced at the file on the floor, the one the intruder had dropped. Rudra's name and a company logo were emblazoned on the cover, but before she could ask about it, Ria and her mother burst into the room.
Ria rushed to Anaya's side, tears streaming down her face. "I'm so sorry, Anaya! I never should have brought you here. This is all my fault!"
Rakhi, Ria's mother, embraced her daughter, soothing her with soft words. "It's okay, Ria. Anaya is safe now. She just needs to rest."
Rudra remained silent, his eyes locked on Anaya as if she were a riddle he couldn't solve. He made no move to comfort Ria, no effort to explain. His presence was like a shadow, cold and imposing, filling the room with a sense of unease.
As Ria and her mother left the room, Rudra stayed behind, his expression inscrutable. He watched Anaya for a long moment, then leaned back in his chair, his gaze never softening.
Anaya wanted to thank him, to break the silence, but something in his eyes made her hesitate. It was as if he were a storm barely held in check, and she didn't want to be the one to unleash it. Instead, she closed her eyes, trying to block out the image of Rudra's cold, calculating stare.
When she opened them again, he was still there, watching her with that same dark intensity. He didn't speak, didn't touch her, but his presence was overpowering. The room seemed to shrink around them, filled with unspoken words and hidden emotions.
Rudra's cold exterior revealed nothing, but Anaya couldn't shake the feeling that something had shifted between them. The man who had saved her was not the same man who now sat across from her, his face a mask of indifference.
As the night wore on, Rudra remained a silent sentinel by her side. He never once let his guard down, never once let her see what lay beneath his icy demeanor. And in the darkness, Anaya couldn't help but wonder what kind of man Rudra truly was, and what secrets he was hiding behind those cold, dark eyes.
***
Anaya spent the next few days recovering, but the wound on her hand wasn't the only thing that ached. Her mind was a storm of questions and emotions, all centered on Rudra. Despite his cold demeanor, she couldn't forget how he had saved her. His actions spoke louder than any words he had never said.
But Rudra remained as distant as ever. He avoided any unnecessary interaction, and when their paths did cross, his eyes barely met hers. His silence was more piercing than any words could have been. Anaya knew better than to ask him about that night—about the file, the attacker, or even his motives for rescuing her. Something told her that Rudra wasn't a man who offered explanations.
Ria, on the other hand, was full of guilt and concern. She checked on Anaya constantly, fussing over her every need. Anaya appreciated the kindness, but there was a heaviness in her chest that Ria's care couldn't ease. The more she tried to push Rudra out of her thoughts, the more he lingered, like a shadow that refused to fade.
The wedding day finally arrived, filling the Singhaniya mansion with a flurry of activity. Guests swarmed the halls, dressed in vibrant colors, their voices a cacophony of excitement and celebration. Anaya tried to blend into the background, avoiding the spotlight, but it seemed impossible. Everywhere she turned, she felt eyes on her—some filled with curiosity, others with speculation.
She noticed that Rudra, despite being the brother of the bride, was conspicuously absent from most of the festivities. Whenever someone asked about him, Ria or Manshi would give a vague answer, brushing off the concern with a practiced smile. But Anaya could see the tension in their eyes. They were worried about Rudra, too, even if they didn't say it aloud.
Later that evening, the wedding party moved to the reception hall, where music and laughter filled the air. Anaya stood by the edge of the room, feeling out of place amidst the joy and celebration. Her thoughts kept drifting to Rudra, and she wondered if he was somewhere in the mansion, hiding from the world like he always did.
Then, as if summoned by her thoughts, she saw him. Rudra stood near the entrance, his tall figure cutting a striking silhouette against the soft glow of the lights. He was dressed impeccably, but his expression was as cold as ever, his eyes scanning the room with a look that bordered on disdain. He seemed untouched by the happiness that surrounded him, as if it were an annoyance he had to endure.
Anaya watched as he moved through the crowd, his presence commanding attention despite his evident disinterest. People greeted him, but Rudra only offered curt nods in return, his interactions brief and mechanical. He was like a ghost among the living, present but not truly there.
Rudra's gaze eventually found Anaya, and for a moment, their eyes locked. There was no warmth in his expression, no recognition of the connection they had shared during that fateful night. His face was a mask of indifference, and yet, Anaya couldn't shake the feeling that there was something more behind those dark, brooding eyes—something he refused to let anyone see.
As the night wore on, Anaya couldn't resist the pull of her curiosity. She followed Rudra out to the garden, where the sound of the party faded into the background. He stood by a fountain, the water's gentle trickle the only sound in the cool night air.
Anaya approached him cautiously, her heart pounding in her chest. She wasn't sure what she hoped to achieve by confronting him, but the words escaped her lips before she could stop them.
"Why did you save me that night?"
Rudra didn't turn to face her. He remained as still as a statue, his gaze fixed on the rippling water. When he finally spoke, his voice was as cold as the night air.
"You were in danger. It was nothing more than that."
"But why?" Anaya pressed, her frustration bubbling to the surface. "You don't even know me. Why would you put yourself at risk?"
Rudra's jaw tightened, but he still didn't look at her. "Don't read too much into it. Anyone would have done the same."
Anaya took a step closer, searching his face for any sign of emotion. "That's not true, and you know it. You could have ignored me, let that man do whatever he wanted, but you didn't. Why?"
For a long moment, Rudra was silent, his eyes never leaving the fountain. Then, finally, he turned to her, his expression hard and unreadable.
"You're Ria's friend," he said, his tone devoid of any warmth. "I couldn't let anything happen to you. But that's all it was, Anaya. Don't make it into something it's not."
His words stung, more than she expected them to. Anaya had hoped, foolishly perhaps, that there was more to his actions—that behind his cold exterior, Rudra had a heart capable of kindness, of warmth. But the man standing before her seemed determined to prove otherwise.
"Is that really all it was?" Anaya asked softly, her voice barely above a whisper.
Rudra's eyes bore into hers, his gaze as cold as ever. "Yes."
Anaya swallowed the lump in her throat, nodding slowly. She had her answer, even if it wasn't the one she wanted. Without another word, she turned and walked away, leaving Rudra alone in the darkness.
As she rejoined the party, Anaya forced herself to smile, to laugh along with the others. But inside, she couldn't shake the emptiness that Rudra's words had left behind. She had seen a glimpse of something in him—a flicker of warmth, of humanity—but it was gone now, buried beneath layers of cold indifference.
Rudra watched her go, his expression unreadable as he turned back to the fountain. The water continued to ripple in the moonlight, its surface undisturbed by the turmoil beneath. And just like the fountain, Rudra remained unmoved, his emotions hidden deep below the surface, where no one could reach them.
Anaya may have been willing to see beyond his cold exterior, but Rudra wasn't ready to let anyone in. Not now. Not ever.
**To be continue**