Page 12 of Shattered

I roll my eyes at him. “If you are telling that just to fish for compliments for yourself, then I am not in the mood to stroke your ego. I am still mad at you for forcing me to accompany you to this stupid party.”

He throws his head back and laughs. “You’ll get over it. And I wasn’t fishing for compliments. I genuinely meant you look good, though I wouldn’t mind a little boost to my ego.”

“Well, in that case, thank you for the compliment. You do look handsome yourself,” I say. No matter how mad I am at him,I can’t deny that Akash is rocking his black three-piece suit with a sophisticated charmand is lookingeffortlesslydashing.

“Thank you, princess,” he says, giving a slight bow in my direction.

We then slip into a light-hearted conversation for the rest of the drive, the earlier frustration settling down as we chat.

My heart picks up speed as Akash pulls up at the five-star hotel.The flashing cameras, the paparazzi, and elegantly dressed guests stepping out of luxury cars leave me momentarily speechless.So much so that Idon’t even notice when Akash comes to my side and opens the door for me. He extends his hand to me, and I take it, giving it a gentle squeeze.He places a reassuring hand on my back, guiding me as we step into the venue.

My breathcatches in my throat the moment we enter the huge banquet hall. The sheer grandeur of it all is overwhelming—the elegant lighting, exquisite flower arrangements, soft music, and luxurious silk drapes create a truly magical ambience.

We’re about to make our way further inside to greet the host when Akash’s phone rings. Pulling it out of his pocket, he glances at the screen and curses softly. Then, he looks at me apologetically. “Sorry, Kavya, I need to take this call. Will you be okay for a few minutes?”

Reluctantly, I give a nod as he promises to be quick and steps out.

With a deep sigh, I look around, suddenly feeling alone amid the lively party.This isn’t where I belong. I’ll never fit inhere. It’s just not my world.Words that always linger at the back of my mind resurface once more.

Chapter 6

Reyansh

“Happy Anniversary, Uncle and Aunty,” I wish Aditya’s parents, pressing kisses to their cheeks before stepping back to allow my parents to congratulate them with hugs.

“Congratulations to both of you on cracking the deal,” Aditya’s dad, Ram Thakur, says, his eyes twinkling with pride. Dressed sharply in a well-tailored suit, he radiates an aura of authority andsophistication. His weathered face and bald head only add to hisdistinguishedappearance, a true reflection of his wealth and experience.

“Thank you,” Aditya and I reply simultaneously.

“Now that you boys have settled well in your business, when will you two slow down and decide to get married?” Aditya’s mom, Seema Thakur, pitches in, her gentle gaze fixed on Aditya and me. Herflowing black hair, streaked with silver, cascades loosely over her shoulders, perfectly complementing her elegant saree, adding to her grace and sophistication.

“Mom, not this again,” Adityagroans, but my heart skips a beat, and an image of a beautiful face flashes across my mind at the mere mention of the word marriage.

“Aditya, it’s about time you considered settling down,” Aditya’s mom says in a stern voice, then looks at me. “What do you say, Reyansh? Don’t you think your friend here needs to find himself a nice woman? Or do you both intend to stay single for the rest of your life?”

I open my mouth to reply,but a sudden tingling sensation at the back of my neck halts me. I sense a familiar presence and instinctively glance toward the entrance. My breath hitches.There she is—the woman who seems to have stepped right out of my thoughts.Damn fate.

“Reyansh, Seema Aunty is waiting for your reply,” my mom’s voicenudges me back to reality, pulling my attention away from the woman who has been dominating my thoughts since the moment I first laid eyes on her.

“Sorry, Aunty, can we table this conversation for another day? I need to go meet someone,” I say, shoving my hands into the pockets of my black trousers.

“Finding an escape, huh?” Dad jokes, but I just grin at him andmake my way towardthe woman who has been messing with my head and heart.

My heart races wildly with each step I take toward her. She continues to stand by the entrance, engrossed in her mobile,completely unaware that my entire focus is on her. I don’t know what it is about her, but I feel a strong magnetic pull toward her, an intensity that defies reason, yet feels impossible to resist.Ever since our chance encounter at the coffee shop, she’s had this unshakable hold on me. Every emotion feels raw—from the flutter in my chest when our eyes first met, to the rush of adrenaline when she looked at me with those nervous eyes after dropping her coffee on me, to the smile that crept onto my face whenshe seemed so offended by my suggestion that she could repay me in some other way.But most of all, it’s that innocentsmile and her sweet voice when we sat down for a conversation that made my heart soar.

I hated it when she had to leave early. I didn’t want our time together to end and even wanted to ask for her number. But she seemed too pure, too good for someone like me.A part of me was terrified that if I got too close, I might break her, and that, in turn, would destroy me. So, I held myself back and let her go. But now, seeing her again, I can’t restrain myself. The intensity and immediacy are unlike anything I’ve ever felt before. I am torn between my overwhelming desire to be with her and the fear of hurting her. Yet, deep down, my heart urges me to take the risk and get to know her, ignoring all logical thoughts of keeping my distance.

“We meet again,”I say, stopping right in front of her, her sweet fragrance filling my senses. Startled, she looks up from her mobile, and it slips from her hand, landing near my feet. Her brown eyes widen in surprise, and she freezes. When she doesn’t move to pick it up, I crouch down and retrieve her phone for her.As I stand back up, I can’t help but admire how her navy-blue dress accentuates her captivating figure.Her long brown hair falls in soft curls around her shoulders, and her naturally pink lips and light touch of eyeliner enhance her already radiant complexion. She is simply breathtaking.

Once I am back on my feet, I hold out her phone. She takes a few deep breaths to regain her composure before taking it from my hand. Her cheeks flush a delicate pink,and a smile tugs at my lips.

“Hi,” she says softly, her hands fidgeting nervously with the mobile.

“Are you here looking for someone?” I can’t resist asking, my curiosity piqued. I’ve attended all of Aditya’s parties, but I’ve never seen her before. There’s no way I could have forgotten a beautiful face like hers if she happened to be in our social circle.

“I am here with—” she begins to say, but her sentence is cut short when a good-looking guy wraps his hands around her waist and states, “She’s with me.”

That single statement feels like a punch to my gut. She has a boyfriend. Despite knowing I should turn and walk away, my mind refuses to cooperate. I remain rooted to the spot, my heart pounding in my chest as I watch her smile at him. I try to rally myself—she’s not yours. She’s already committed to someone else. Repeating this over and over in my mind, I do my best to regain control of my emotions. But I just can’t. All I can think about is what I can do to win her over, to leave that jerk of her boyfriend and give me a chance. Fuck, I can’t believe I am behaving like an irrational asshole. A complete selfish bastard.

---