Page 13 of Shattered

“You kept me waiting for twenty minutes,” she pouts adorably at him, and I clench my fists at my side.

“Sorry, it was one of my important clients. I couldn’t end the call,” he explains, kissing her forehead.

And that’s all it takes for jealousy to flare up inside me.Before I can stop myself, I clear my throat and cut in, unable to hold back any longer.

“Hi, I am Reyansh,” I extend my hand to the jerk.

“Of course, Mr. Kundra, who doesn’t know you. I am Akash,” he replies,shaking my hand while Kavya looks at us, confused. I smile at the cute frown on her face.

“I didn’t realise you knew Kavya,” he says.

“We just met today,” I reply, letting go of his hand.

Akash then turns to Kavya. “You didn’t tell me, sweetheart, that you met Mr. Kundra, the business tycoon,” he says, and Kavya’s eyes widen in surprise.

She bites her lips nervously. “I didn’t know who he was,” she admits, and I can sense the sincerity in her words. When I met her, it was evident that she had no idea about my wealth or status. Perhaps that was another reason that cemented myattraction to her. She genuinely connected with me without anyulteriormotives.

Her gaze flickers in my direction. “I am sorry, I didn’t know,” she says softly.

“Yes, Mr. Kundra, Kavya can really be bad at googling and keeping up with the latest socialite news,” the jerk adds.

“I understand,” I reply with a forced smile, though a hint of envy lingers beneath the surface as I observe his closeness to Kavya. “You’re fortunate to have someone so genuinely humble and grounded by your side. It’s a rare quality in today’s world,” I add, my voice tinged with admiration and bitterness.

“Indeed, I am,” he replies, glancing down and winking at Kavya, who appears nervous, before returning his gaze to me. “I am sorry, Mr. Kundra, but if you could excuse us, we need to meet the host.”

“Of course,” I say, stepping aside as they give me one final smile and head towards Aditya’s parents.

Rooted to my spot, I watch her walk away from me. My heart taunts me for letting her slip through my fingers. I know I should act like a gentleman and back off,but since when have I ever accepted defeat so easily? I inwardly smirk.When I set my sights on something, there’s no turning back, regardless of the cost. I’ll go to any lengths to get what I want, consequences be damned.

???

It’s been an hour, yet I can’t seem to peel my eyes away from Kavya. I’ve tried everything imaginable to distract myself, from mingling with the crowd to downing five shots of whiskey, but nothing has succeeded in diverting my gaze from her.She’s all I can see.Every single thing she did tugged at my heartstrings—whether it was seeing her dance with that jerk, witnessing her radiant smile as he introduced her to others, orjust catching her nervously sipping her mocktail while scanning the room. Even in the crowd, she stood out like a beacon, drawing me in with a possessiveness I couldn’t deny.

Even now, as I stand by the bar sipping my whiskey, I can’t tear my gaze away from Kavya. She’s up on the mezzanine, chatting with a few women, captivating me with every movement. My mom is nearby, laughing with her friends by the stairs, clearly enjoying the evening. Yet, my focus remains solely on Kavya.

My brows furrow when I see Kavya stiffen and her eyes widen in alarm. Instinctively, I follow her gaze. My heart leaps into my throat as I watch the railing beside my mom suddenly give way, snapping without warning, causing her to lose her balance.

“Shit,”I mutter, hastily dropping my drink on the bar table as I race toward them.But just as I am about to reach them, I halt midway, letting out a breath of reliefwhen I see Kavya swiftly reaching out and grabbing my mom’s arm to prevent her from falling. However, my relief is short-lived and my heart plummets when I see Kavya’s own balance falter and she tumbles down the stairs.

“Kavya!” I shout, rushing to heras fast as I can.

My heart pounds in my chest as I drop to my knees, catching her in my arms as she reaches the bottom of the stairs.

“Kavya, are you okay?” I ask, my voice trembling, but she doesn’t reply. Her eyes are closed, and a heavy, dreadful weight sinks into the pit of my stomach, filling me with despair as I see her unconscious, limp body dangling in my arms.

It doesn’t take long for the crowd to gather—my parents, Aditya, his family, and the jerk she’s with—all rush over.

“Kavya,” Akash says, dropping to his knees beside me.He reaches out, trying to take her from my arms,but I give him a death glare and hold her protectively against me, unwilling to let go. I don’t care if he is her boyfriend. Right now, I want her close to me so I can feel her breathingand reassure myself she’s still here with me—that she’s alive and I haven’t lost her.

“Don’t,” I hiss out, my voice strained.

He gives me a questioning look but doesn’t argue. Instead, he says urgently, “We need to take her to the doctor. She’s bleeding.”

My breath quickens, and fear grips my chest as I look down at her and notice the blood staining my hand where I am cradling her head.

“Get the car,” I command, looking at him as I gently lift her into my arms. He nods and quickly rushes towards the exit.

“We’ll come with you,” Aditya says, along with his and my parents, who come to stand next to me, but I shake my head.

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