Meera’s POV

The moment I stepped inside the Kapoor mansion, I knew rich people had a different definition of “simple gathering.”

Everything looked expensive.

The giant chandeliers hanging from the ceiling.

The fresh roses floating in crystal bowls.

The soft live music echoing through the marble hall.

Even the air smelled rich.

I adjusted the pallu of my emerald saree nervously and looked around carefully.

Then I made the mistake of looking at Arjun.

Because the idiot was already staring at me.

Again.

I sighed.

“Can you stop looking at me like that?”

A slow grin appeared on his face.

“Like what?”

“Like I’m the only person here.”

He stepped slightly closer.

“You are.”

I immediately looked away before he noticed my cheeks turning warm.

Three years together.

And somehow he still managed to flirt like this effortlessly.

Kabir suddenly appeared between us holding two juice glasses dramatically.

“Can you both behave normally for five minutes?”

Arjun frowned.

“Why are you everywhere?”

Kabir placed one hand on his chest.

“Because God sent me to protect society from disgusting couples.”

I burst out laughing.

Arjun looked offended.

“We are not disgusting.”

Kabir pointed at us accusingly.

“You looked at each other for fourteen seconds without blinking.”

“You counted?” I asked.

“I suffer professionally.”

I shook my head while smiling.

Moments like this felt easy.

Warm.

Safe.

That’s what loving Arjun felt like.

Not dramatic.

Not complicated.

Just… home.

Before I could say anything else, I suddenly felt someone staring.

I turned instinctively.

A woman stood near the staircase upstairs.

Wine-colored lehenga.

Sharp eyes.

Beautiful face.

But there was something intense about the way she looked at Arjun.

Not admiration.

Not curiosity.

Something else.

Something deeper.

For a second, uneasiness touched my chest.

Then I ignored it.

Because I trusted Arjun more than my own unnecessary overthinking.

A few minutes later, an elderly woman approached us warmly.

Savitri Kapoor.

Owner of the mansion.

Arjun immediately bent respectfully.

“Namaste, Dadi.”

Her face softened instantly.

“Such good manners.”

Then she looked at me lovingly.

“And this must be Meera.

I smiled politely.

“Namaste.”

She held my hand gently.

“Beautiful girl.”

Kabir interrupted dramatically.

“What about me, Dadi?”

She gave him a tired look.

“You eat too much.”

I nearly choked laughing.

That’s when the same woman from upstairs finally walked toward us.

Gracefully.

Slowly.

Almost too calmly.

Savitri Dadi smiled proudly.

“Aanya, come meet them.”

So her name was Aanya.

She folded her hands politely.

“Hello.”

Arjun nodded respectfully.

“Hi.”

For one second, their eyes met.

And strangely…

Something uncomfortable moved inside my chest again.

Tiny.

Almost invisible.

Still there.

Kabir noticed the silence immediately.

Of course he did.

“Arjun bhai,” he whispered dramatically, “two Kapoor sisters are staring at you now. Congratulations.”

I laughed.

Arjun rolled his eyes.

But Aanya didn’t laugh.

She simply looked away quietly.

And somehow that silence felt louder than Kabir’s joke.

Aanya’s POV

I didn’t believe in love at first sight.

I believed attraction existed.

Curiosity existed.

But love?

No.

Love was something weak people invented to survive loneliness.

At least that’s what I believed before I saw him.

The moment Arjun Malhotra walked into our mansion beside his girlfriend…

Everything became strangely quiet inside my head.

He wasn’t the most handsome man I had ever seen.

But there was something dangerous about him.

The calmness in his eyes.

The way he listened when others spoke.

The way he instinctively stayed close to Meera like protecting her without trying.

And worst of all—

The way he looked at her.

Like she mattered more than everyone else in the room.

I hated how much that affected me instantly.

Rhea noticed me staring.

Obviously.

My sister noticed everything.

“Didi?”

I looked away briefly.

“Who is he?”

She followed my gaze.

“Arjun Malhotra. Dad invited him for the Jaipur hotel project.”

Then casually—

“And the girl beside him is his girlfriend. Meera.”

Girlfriend.

The word felt strangely unpleasant.

I didn’t understand why.

Because he was nobody to me.

A stranger.

Still…

I couldn’t stop looking at him.

When Dadi introduced us downstairs, I forced myself to stay calm.

“Hello.”

His voice was softer than I expected.

“Hi.”

Then our eyes met.

Only for a second.

Yet something inside me shifted painfully.

It was ridiculous.

Completely ridiculous.

Still, I felt it.

And when Kabir joked about women staring at Arjun, I looked away immediately.

Because the embarrassing part was—

He wasn’t wrong.

Later during dinner, I watched them from a distance.

Meera laughed easily around him.

Arjun looked at her constantly.

Their relationship felt natural.

Real.

Like two people who already belonged together.

I should have looked away.

Instead, I kept watching.

Then suddenly the lights flickered.

A loud sound echoed outside.

Meera slipped backward slightly.

And before anyone else reacted—

Arjun caught her instantly.

One arm around her waist.

The other protecting her head.

His face filled with panic immediately.

“Are you okay?”

She nodded softly.

But I couldn’t breathe for one second.

Because no one had ever looked at me with that kind of fear.

That kind of love.

And suddenly jealousy entered my heart so quietly…

I didn’t even notice it arriving.

Arjun’s POV

Business parties exhausted me.

Too many fake smiles.

Too many boring conversations.

Too many men trying to prove they were important.

The only reason I agreed to come tonight was Meera.

She loved dressing up occasionally, and honestly…

Watching her walk into the mansion in that emerald saree made the entire trip worth it.

Kabir elbowed me while smirking.

“Stop staring before someone notices.”

I ignored him.

Because unfortunately, he was right.

I couldn’t stop looking at her.

Meera looked beautiful when she laughed.

Beautiful when she argued.

Beautiful even when she threatened me over gulab jamuns.

And tonight she looked unreal.

While talking to guests, I noticed a woman standing upstairs watching us.

At first I ignored it.

But later Dadi introduced her.

Aanya Kapoor.

Elegant.

Quiet.

Very observant.

There was something guarded about her expression.

Like someone who spent more time hiding emotions than expressing them.

When Meera stepped away to answer a call later, I ended up standing beside Aanya near the balcony.

Awkward silence.

Then I asked casually,

“You don’t enjoy parties much, do you?”

She looked surprised.

“How did you know?”

I shrugged.

“You observe more than you participate.”

For a second, something vulnerable flashed through her eyes.

Then disappeared immediately.

Interesting.

Not attractive.

Just… interesting.

I smiled lightly.

“Honestly, I hate these parties too.”

A small laugh escaped her unexpectedly.

Before the conversation could continue, Meera returned.

And naturally, automatically—

I moved closer to her again.

Because that’s where I belonged.

Simple.

Easy.

Certain.

The rest of the night passed quickly.

By midnight, guests slowly started leaving.

Outside the mansion, cold wind moved through the gardens while drivers brought cars forward.

Meera hugged Dadi goodbye while Kabir complained about being hungry again.

I opened the car door for Meera.

Then I looked back once.

Aanya still stood near the entrance stairs.

Watching us silently.

Not smiling.

Not angry.

Just watching.

For some reason, the expression in her eyes felt sad.

Like she had already lost something.

I didn’t think much about it afterward.

Because at that moment…