The bathroom light flickered again, the weak yellow glow trembling against the damp tiles as the notification on Anu’s screen turned a solid blue.

Sent.

For a moment, the world inside that tiny bathroom stopped breathing.

The air in her lungs vanished completely.

That photo—the reckless, blurred one where her hair had fallen wildly over her shoulders, where her cheeks burned with an emotion she could barely name, and where the deep crimson mark on her neck glowed like a forbidden secret—was now sitting in his phone.

In Aryavardhan’s hands.

Her fingers trembled violently around the device.

Before she could even think of deleting the message, the phone in her palm suddenly came alive.

It didn’t just vibrate.

It pulsed.

The screen lit up, flashing the name that made her stomach twist.

Arya Sir is calling…

Her heart slammed wildly against her ribs.

Outside the door, the latch rattled again.

“Anu? Kya hua? Roashni kyu chamki?” Pushpa ji’s voice sounded closer now, threaded with curiosity.

Anu fumbled with the phone, silencing the ringtone with shaking fingers. But the vibration continued—soft, insistent, like a pulse against her skin.

She stared at the screen as if it were something dangerous.

She shouldn’t answer.

She was standing in a cramped bathroom with her parents barely a few feet away.

But the thought of his voice—

after seeing that picture—

pulled at her stronger than fear.

Slowly, she pressed the phone to her ear.

Her voice barely existed.

“S…sir…”

Across the city, the Aryavardhan mansion stood silent and shadowed.

Inside the vast master suite, Arya stood beside the tall window overlooking the city lights. His tie had been discarded somewhere, his shirt half unbuttoned.

The tablet resting on the bed still displayed the photo.

Her photo.

The moment he had seen it, something inside him had shifted.

She looked completely undone.

Hair loose.

Eyes shimmering with something dangerously close to longing.

And the mark he had left on her neck standing out vividly against her skin.

His breathing had slowed, but the intensity in his chest hadn’t faded.

When he finally spoke into the phone, his voice dropped low—roughened by something deeper than amusement.

“Anu…”

The way he said her name traveled through the line like a quiet caress.

On the other side of the call, Anu’s knees nearly gave way.

“Tumhe andaza bhi hai,” he continued softly, “tumne kya kiya hai?”

Her fingers tightened around the phone.

“Sir… vo galti se…”

“Galti?” he interrupted.

A low chuckle followed—dark and restrained.

“Tumhare chehre par jo rang hai…” he murmured slowly, “wo galti nahi hai. Wo meri saza ka asar hai.”

Anu slid down the wall until she was sitting on the cold bathroom floor, her back pressed against the damp tiles.

Her heart refused to slow down.

For a moment there was silence.

Then she heard the faint rustle of fabric from his side of the call, as if he had leaned back somewhere, studying that photo again.

When he spoke again, his voice had changed.

Calmer.

Possessive.

“Ab suno,” he said quietly.

Her breath caught.

“Kal jab tum office aaogi… toh ye dupatta nahi hoga.”

Her eyes widened instantly.

“Sir—”

“I want to see that mark,” he continued steadily.

“Jab tum meri taraf dekhogi… mujhe pata hona chahiye ki tumhe yaad hai maine kya kiya.”

The words made warmth rush through her again despite the panic rising in her chest.

“Sir… Meera ma’am… sab dekh lenge,” she whispered helplessly.

On the other end of the call, Arya looked out at the city lights.

“Let them look,” he murmured.

“Let them see that the horizon isn’t as far as they think.”

His voice softened slightly.

“So jao, Anu.”

Her fingers tightened on the phone.

“Sapno mein bhi wahi nishaan dekhna…”

He paused.

“…kyunki kal, main ise mitaane nahi… gehra karne wala hoon.”

The line disconnected.

The quiet that followed rang loudly in her ears.

Anu remained sitting there for a few seconds, staring at the dark screen.

Her skin still burned where his mark rested.

Finally she took a shaky breath, tucked the phone into the waistband of her salwar, and pushed herself up.

She quickly rearranged the dupatta around her neck, making sure every inch of skin was covered.

Then she opened the door.

Pushpa ji stood right outside, arms folded, her eyes narrowing slightly as she examined her daughter.

“Itni der?” she asked. “Aur tera chehra itna laal kyu hai?”

For a fraction of a second, Anu’s mind went completely blank.

Then she forced a small smile.

“Bas mummy… garam paani se naha liya isliye.”

Pushpa looked unconvinced but stepped aside.

Anu walked past her, trying to keep her steps steady.

She moved toward the thin mattress spread on the floor where dinner had been laid out.

Gopal had already sat down, waiting patiently beside the steel plates filled with steaming rajma and rice.

“Chal aa ja,” he said warmly. “Tera favourite bana hai.”

Anu lowered herself onto the mattress.

Her hands rested quietly in her lap.

But beneath the tightly wrapped dupatta, the mark on her neck burned like a secret flame.

And somewhere across the city—

Aryavardhan was still looking at the photograph she had accidentally sent him.

______

In the velvet silence of his master suite, Aryavardhan wasn't merely standing still-there was a restless energy running through him, something sharp and untamed that refused to settle.

The tablet lying on his bed glowed softly in the dim light of the room.

And his eyes kept returning to it.

He was a man who controlled negotiations worth millions, who could quiet an entire boardroom with nothing more than a measured glance. Control had always been his greatest strength.

But that single, accidental photograph had cracked something open.

He moved slowly toward the bed, his polished shoes sinking soundlessly into the thick carpet. The suite around him-usually a calm sanctuary of cool marble and muted lights-felt strangely smaller tonight.

Because his thoughts refused to leave her.

He picked up the tablet again.

The screen lit his face as the image reappeared.

Anu.

Her hair had fallen loose over her shoulders like a dark cascade, strands slightly disheveled as if she had run her hands through them in nervous frustration. Her cheeks carried a deep flush, and her eyes-half startled, half overwhelmed-held an intensity that made his chest tighten.

And then there was the mark.

The deep crimson imprint against the softness of her neck.

His mark.

Arya's thumb hovered over the screen, tracing the outline of it lightly, as if he could feel the warmth of her skin through the glass.

A slow breath left him.

The memory of that moment returned with dangerous clarity-her breath catching, the way her fingers had curled into his hair, the quiet sound she had made when he had refused to pull away.

He closed his eyes briefly.

When they opened again, the calm CEO had vanished.

Something darker flickered in his gaze now.

He placed the tablet back on the bed and walked toward the large mirror across the room.

The reflection staring back at him looked composed at first glance-but his eyes told a different story.

They were darker than usual.

Focused.

Almost predatory.

He loosened the final buttons of his shirt slowly, shrugging out of the expensive fabric and letting it fall carelessly to the floor. The cool air brushed against his skin, but it did little to calm the restless energy simmering beneath.

His gaze shifted to his shoulder.

The faint redness where her fingers had gripped him earlier was still visible.

A subtle reminder.

His lips curved into a quiet, dangerous smile.

"Stubborn girl..." he murmured under his breath.

He reached for his phone.

For a moment he simply looked at the screen, as if debating something with himself.

He picked up his phone, the screen illuminating his bare chest. He adjusted the light, casting sharp shadows over the powerful definition of his muscles, the V-line that disappeared into his waistband. He took a photo-not a careful, staged portrait, but a raw, unfiltered glimpse into his own intensity. It was lethally hot, a silent declaration of war against the distance that separated them.

He looked at the photo briefly.

Then tapped her name.

The message window opened.

For a second, the memory of her nervous whisper on the phone echoed in his mind.

Sir... Mummy-Papa bahar hi hain...

His smile deepened faintly.

Without overthinking it, he pressed send.

The notification sound was quiet but distinct in the silent room.

A single tick appeared.

Then-

Delivered.

Arya lowered the phone slowly, leaning back against the edge of the table.

Somewhere across the city, in a tiny house in Chandni Chowk, Anu would see that message.

And when she did-

He knew exactly what would happen.

Because the game between them had already crossed the line between teasing and something far more dangerous.

Tonight, they were separated by an entire city.

But if the fire burning through his veins was any indication-

Distance wasn't going to protect either of them for very long.

____

Across the city, in the cramped warmth of the Chandni Chowk house, Anu sat cross-legged on the thin mattress spread on the floor. The steel plate in front of her was filled with steaming rajma and rice, the aroma rich and comforting.

Normally, this was her favorite meal.

Tonight she could barely taste it.

Pushpa ji sat opposite her, carefully tearing a roti while keeping a watchful eye on her daughter. Gopal adjusted the small table fan beside him, the blades rattling as they pushed warm air around the room.

"Anu, chawal aur du?" he asked casually.

"Haan... thoda sa," she replied automatically.

But her attention wasn't on the food.

It was on the phone tucked quietly beneath the fold of her dupatta in her lap.

Her mind replayed Arya's voice again and again.

Kal jab tum office aaogi... toh ye dupatta nahi hoga.

Her fingers tightened slightly over the fabric.

Her parents were talking about something-electricity bills, the rising vegetable prices-but the words blurred around her.

Then-

buzz.

The phone vibrated against her thigh.

Her entire body stiffened.

Pushpa immediately looked up.

"Kya hua?"

"K...kuch nahi," Anu said quickly, picking up a glass of water to hide the sudden heat rushing to her face.

Her heart pounded as she slowly slid the phone from her lap, shielding it behind the edge of her plate.

The notification was already open.

A message from him.

Her breath caught.

For a moment she hesitated.

Then she tapped it open.

The photo loaded slowly.

And the moment it appeared-

Anu nearly dropped the phone.

Arya stood in dim lighting, the shadows of the room tracing the powerful lines of his shoulders and chest. His shirt was gone, his expression calm but dangerously intense, as if he were looking directly through the screen at her.

The image wasn't posed.

It was raw.

Unfiltered.

And devastatingly intimate.

Her pulse exploded in her ears.

Heat rushed up her neck, spreading across her cheeks instantly.

"Anu?" Pushpa said again, suspicious now. "Phone pe kya dekh rahi hai?"

"Office ka message hai," Anu replied too quickly, locking the screen and sliding the phone back into her lap.

But her breathing had changed.

Because beneath the photo was a single line.

"Ab barabari ho gayi."

Her heart skipped.

Another message appeared immediately after.

"Ab tum samajh sakti ho na... kal ka intezar kyun mushkil hai."

Anu swallowed hard.

Across the room, Pushpa frowned slightly.

"Aaj tu bohot chup hai," she said, studying her daughter's flushed face. "Office mein sab theek hai na?"

"Haan mummy... bas thodi thak gayi hoon," Anu murmured.

But under the dupatta in her lap, her fingers trembled around the phone.

Because she knows one thing now.

Arya hadn't just seen her secret.

He had answered it.

And somewhere inside the quiet luxury of his mansion-

he was waiting to see what she would do next.

Meanwhile, in the master suite, Arya was still standing by the window.

The city lights shimmered below him like scattered sparks.

His phone remained in his hand.

He watched the screen carefully.

Waiting.

Because he knew Anu well enough to predict exactly what she would be doing right now-

sitting on the floor between her parents...

trying desperately to pretend nothing had changed.

A slow smile touched his lips.

"Meri Miss Chandni Chowk..." he murmured softly to himself.

Then the screen lit up.

Anu typing...

And for the first time that night-

Aryavardhan leaned forward slightly.

Interested.

Because whatever she was about to say next...

would decide how dangerous tomorrow was going to become.

Anu kept her gaze lowered toward her plate, pretending to mix the rajma with her rice while the small table fan hummed loudly beside her. Pushpa and Gopal had resumed their conversation, their voices rising and falling in the comforting rhythm of home.

But under the fold of her dupatta, her fingers were flying across the screen.

She typed quickly.

Anu: "Sir this is not fair."

Across the city, Arya was still leaning against the edge of the window, the night lights of Delhi flickering behind him. His phone buzzed softly in his hand.

The moment he read the message, a slow smile spread across his face.

He replied without hesitation.

Arya: "Everything is fair in love and war, my love."

Back in Chandni Chowk, Anu paused.

Her eyebrows lifted slightly as she read the message.

A tiny spark of mischief lit in her eyes.

For the first time that night, the nervous girl hiding in the bathroom disappeared... and the bold woman who had kissed him during the meeting surfaced again.

Her thumbs moved again.

Anu: "Accha aisa hai? Then Mr. South Delhi... let's play a fair game now."

Arya's eyes narrowed slightly with interest when the next notification appeared.

Arya: "Matlab?"

Anu bit her lower lip, glancing briefly at her parents to make sure they weren't looking. Pushpa was busy serving more rice to Gopal.

Perfect.

She typed again.

Anu: "Matlab... see you at the office tomorrow."

Arya straightened slightly, curiosity flickering through his expression.

He replied immediately.

Arya: "Khabardar nishaan chupaya toh."

The words made Anu's heart flutter wildly.

She lifted the corner of her dupatta for a moment, touching the warm mark on her neck with her fingertips.

Then she typed slowly, carefully.

Anu: "Your wish is my command, sir... Don't worry, nishaan nahi chupega... lekin..."

Arya's gaze sharpened at the screen.

Arya: "Lekin kya?"

Anu's lips curved into a small, secret smile.

Her fingers typed the final message.

Anu: "Vo aap ko kal pata chal jayega."

"Good night... my love."

She sent it before she could lose her nerve.

Across the city, Arya stared at the screen for a long moment after reading the message.

The words echoed in his mind.

Good night... my love.

His jaw tightened slightly, but the smile on his lips deepened.

"Ye Miss Chandni Chowk..." he murmured softly.

"Game khelna chahti ho."

He placed the phone on the bedside table and glanced once more at the photo she had sent earlier, still glowing on the tablet screen.

"Kal dekhte hain..."

Meanwhile, in the small house in Chandni Chowk, Anu quietly slid the phone away and picked up another bite of rice.

Pushpa looked at her curiously.

"Ab thoda theek lag rahi hai," she said. "Abhi tak toh pata nahi kahan khoi hui thi."

Anu lowered her eyes, hiding the tiny smile threatening to appear.

Because somewhere in South Delhi-

Aryavardhan was already waiting for tomorrow.

And tomorrow...

she was about to surprise him.

____

The early morning sun spread a soft golden glow over the rooftops of Chandni Chowk. The narrow terraces were already alive with everyday life-clothes fluttering on wires, the distant whistle of a pressure cooker, and the faint chatter of neighbors beginning their day.

Fresh from her shower, Anu stepped onto the terrace with a towel wrapped around her damp hair. Tiny droplets of water slid down her neck as she loosened the towel and began gently drying her long strands, letting the warm sunlight do the rest.

The morning breeze brushed against her skin, lifting a few loose strands around her face.

She closed her eyes for a moment.

But the moment she did, a familiar memory surfaced-the warmth of Arya's breath near her neck, the quiet promise in his voice from the night before.

Her fingers unconsciously brushed the mark on her neck.

A shy warmth spread across her cheeks.

"Oye hoyee!"

Anu jumped slightly and turned.

Simran was climbing the last step of the staircase, arms folded and eyes sparkling with mischief.

She stopped a few feet away and gave Anu a long, exaggerated look from head to toe.

"Kya baat hai..." Simran said slowly, raising her eyebrows.

"Aaj toh badi khili khili lag rahi hai madam. Arya sir ne kiss-viss toh nahi kar diya?"

Anu's cheeks instantly turned pink.

"Chup kar pagal!" she said quickly, giving Simran a light smack on the shoulder.

"Kuch bhi bolti rehti hai."

Simran only grinned wider.

But then-

her gaze paused.

Right on Anu's neck.

Her grin slowly turned into a wicked smile.

"Accha... mai kuch bhi bolti rehti hu?" Simran said, leaning closer.

Anu stiffened.

Simran tilted her head, pointing a finger toward the faint crimson mark peeking just above Anu's collar.

"Toh phir ye teri gardan alag se kyu sharma rahi hai?"

Anu's eyes widened in panic.

Her hand instantly flew to her neck.

"Shh!" she hissed quickly, glancing nervously toward the staircase.

"Koi sun lega!"

Simran burst into a quiet laugh.

"Are haa haa theekh hai!" she said dramatically, raising both hands in surrender.

"Par ab toh tujhe mujhe sab kuch batana padega... yaane sab kuch."

Anu groaned softly, running a hand through her damp hair.

There was no escaping Simran once she got into this mood.

"Fine..." Anu muttered.

The two girls sat down on the low terrace wall.

And slowly-hesitantly at first-Anu began telling her everything.

From the hotel incident...

to the moment Arya had held her pallu.

Then the strange "saza".

The cafeteria confrontation with Meera.

The meeting room tension.

Even the accidental photo she had sent him the night before.

Simran listened with widening eyes.

Her mouth fell open by the time Anu finished.

"What?!"

Anu nodded helplessly.

"Haa."

Simran blinked twice.

Then leaned closer, lowering her voice dramatically.

"Madam... open challenge to de diya."

She pointed toward Anu's neck.

"Par ye tu karegi kaise?"

Anu sighed deeply, resting her chin in her palm.

"Vahi toh samjh nahi aa raha hai Simmu..."

The morning breeze rustled through the clotheslines as both of them sat silently for a moment.

Then suddenly-

Simran's eyes lit up.

"OHHH!"

Anu looked up instantly.

"Kya?"

Simran leaned closer, whispering something quickly into her ear.

Anu's eyes widened.

"Pagal hai kya?!"

Simran only grinned mischievously.

"Trust me. Arya sir ka reaction dekhne layak hoga."

Anu stared at her for a long moment.

A slow, nervous smile began to appear on her lips.

"Sach mein?"

Simran nodded confidently.

"Bilkul."

The two girls exchanged a conspiratorial look.

Somewhere across the city, Aryavardhan was preparing for another day at the office-

completely unaware of the little plan that was about to turn his challenge into something far more dangerous.

And whatever Simran had just suggested...

was going to make today very Interesting.

____

Aryavardhan reached the office earlier than usual that morning.

The glass walls of his cabin reflected the pale morning light, and the entire floor was still unusually quiet. Employees had just begun arriving, but the corridor outside his cabin remained almost empty.

Arya sat in his chair, one hand resting on the armrest, the other slowly flipping through a file.

But his mind wasn't on the numbers in front of him.

It was on her.

On the challenge from last night.

A faint smile tugged at the corner of his lips.

He was waiting.

Waiting to see what Miss Chandni Chowk had planned.

Just then-

Knock. Knock.

Arya didn't even bother looking up.

The smile on his face deepened slightly.

He was sure it was Anu.

"Come in," he said calmly.

The door opened.

But instead of the familiar soft presence he was expecting-

Meera walked in.

The smile disappeared from Arya's face instantly.

Meera closed the door behind her and spoke politely,

"May I come in, sir?"

Arya slowly lifted his gaze toward her.

His expression turned cold.

"You are already in, Meera." he said flatly.

His eyes returned to the file again.

"Itne basic manners toh school ke bachon ko bhi aate hain... ki darwaze ke peeche se puchna hota hai."

Meera's jaw tightened slightly.

She crossed her arms.

"Meri jagah yahan Anu hoti... kya tab bhi aap yahi kehte, sir?"

This time Arya looked up.

His gaze was sharp and direct.

"Pehli baat..." he said slowly,

"Tumhari jagah agar Anu hoti... toh use yeh basic baat batani nahi padti."

Meera's fingers curled slightly.

Arya leaned back in his chair.

"And secondly..."

His voice turned calm but firm.

"Tum mein aur Anu mein fark hai."

A brief pause.

"Tum meri sirf ek employee ho..."

Then he finished without hesitation.

"Aur Anu... is very special."

The words hit Meera like a slap.

For a moment her face froze.

The jealousy she had been trying to hide surfaced in her eyes.

But she quickly composed herself.

Arya closed the file.

"Anyways," he said casually.

"Kya kaam tha?"

Meera walked further inside the cabin now.

Her heels clicked sharply on the floor.

"Sir... kuch batana tha aapko."

Arya picked up another file without looking at her.

"Go on."

Meera inhaled slowly.

"Kya aapko pata hai sir aaj kal office mein chal kya raha hai?"

Arya's hand paused for a moment on the paper.

Then he replied coolly,

"Of course pata hai."

He leaned back slightly.

"Mera office hai... aur mujhe patte patte ki khabar hoti hai."

Meera stepped closer to the desk.

Her voice dropped slightly.

"So you know it... ki log aapke aur Anu ke baare mein baat kar rahe hain."

Arya remained silent.

"Baatein bana rahe hain..." she continued.

"Aur sabse important... aap jo aaj kal Anu ke saath kar rahe hain... uske baare mein gossip ho rahi hai."

Arya looked at her again.

His expression is unreadable.

"So?"

Meera blinked in disbelief.

"What do you mean by 'so'?"

Her tone grew sharper.

"You must stop this."

Arya's eyes hardened instantly.

"And who are you to say that?"

The question was quiet.

But it carried authority.

Meera faltered for a moment.

"Sir... you can't j-"

Arya cut her off immediately.

"No one except a professional employee."

His voice is cold now.

"Then be professional... and stay out of my personal matters."

"Sir lekin-"

Arya's patience snapped.

He pointed toward the door without even looking at it.

One single word.

"Leave."

The command echoed sharply in the silent cabin.

Meera stood there for a moment, her face burning with humiliation and anger.

Her nails dug into her palm.

But she knew better than to argue further.

Without another word, she turned and walked out.

The door shut behind her with a soft click.

Silence returned.

Arya leaned back in his chair again.

His gaze slowly drifted toward the cabin door.

The faint smirk returned to his lips.

Because he was still waiting.

Waiting to see what Anu's answer to his challenge would be.

And somewhere in the corridor outside-

footsteps were approaching his cabin.

____

The corridor outside Aryavardhan's cabin had slowly begun filling with the quiet rhythm of the workday-keyboards clicking, hushed conversations, phones ringing occasionally.

But suddenly...

those sounds began fading.

One by one, heads turned toward the entrance of the floor.

Because Anu had just walked in.

She wasn't dressed the way she usually was.

No simple kurta.

No neatly pinned dupatta.

Today-

Anu wore a deep red silk saree, the rich fabric catching the morning light as it moved around her like liquid fire. The saree was draped with an effortless grace, the pallu falling over her shoulder in a soft cascade.

Her blouse had a slightly deeper neckline than usual, elegant yet bold enough to command attention.

Her hair was left open-dark waves falling freely down her back.

A small crimson bindi rested perfectly at the center of her forehead, enhancing the natural glow of her face.

And as she walked-

the soft ringing of her silver payal echoed gently with every step she took.

Chhan... chhan...

The sound was delicate.

Hypnotic.

People stopped mid-sentence.

Some employees lowered their voices.

Others simply stared.

Whispers began circulating instantly.

"Yeh... Anu hai?"

"Today she looks completely different..."

"Wow..."

But Anu didn't stop.

She didn't even glance at anyone.

Her heart was pounding violently in her chest, but her expression remained calm as she continued walking straight toward Arya's cabin.

The red silk brushed against her ankles.

The Payal chimed softly.

And beneath the delicate fall of her hair-

the mark on her neck was clearly visible.

Not hidden.

Not covered.

Just as she had promised.

Inside the cabin, Aryavardhan was leaning back in his chair, absently flipping through a file, though his mind wasn't focused on a single word.

He sensed the sudden shift outside.

The murmurs.

The strange silence that had fallen across the floor.

His brows knit slightly.

Then-

through the glass wall of his cabin-

he saw her.

For a moment...

Aryavardhan completely forgot to breathe.

Anu was walking toward his cabin.

But she didn't look like the slightly nervous girl from Chandni Chowk.

She looked like something dangerously beautiful.

The red saree.

The open hair.

The bindi.

The soft confidence in her walk.

And then-

his gaze dropped to her neck.

The mark.

His mark.

Completely visible.

Completely unapologetic.

Arya's hand froze mid-air.

The file slipped slightly in his fingers.

For the first time in a long time-

Aryavardhan was stunned.

A slow, disbelieving smile spread across his lips as he leaned back in his chair, one hand unconsciously brushing across his mouth.

"Damn..." he murmured under his breath.

He had expected rebellion.

He had expected hesitation.

But this?

This was a challenge.

Outside, Anu reached his cabin door.

For a second, she paused.

Her fingers tightened slightly around the file she was holding.

Then she knocked softly.

Knock... Knock.

Inside, Arya's eyes darkened with something far more intense than surprise.

"Come in," he said slowly.

The door opened.

Anu stepped inside.

The soft sound of her payal echoed in the silent cabin.

And as Arya looked at her again-

really looked-

his gaze moved from her eyes...

to the bindi...

to the red silk wrapped around her figure...

and finally stopped at the mark on her neck.

A slow, dangerous smile curved on his lips.

He leaned back in his chair, folding his arms.

"Miss Chandni Chowk..." he said quietly.

His voice had dropped an octave.

"Lagta hai tumne... meri warning ko challenge samajh liya."

The cabin door closed behind Anu with a soft click.

For a brief second, the room fell into complete silence.

Aryavardhan's gaze travelled slowly over her again-the red silk draped around her like a quiet flame, the delicate anklets still chiming faintly from her steps, the loose strands of hair framing her face... and most dangerously of all-

the mark on her neck.

His mark.

Completely visible.

Completely deliberate.

Anu walked toward his desk with calm, measured steps.

"Kisi ne kaha tha..." she said softly, tilting her head a little as she stopped in front of him,

"that everything is fair in love and war."

Her eyes met his with quiet defiance.

"I'm just playing my fair part."

Arya leaned back slowly in his chair.

One eyebrow rose.

"Is it?"

His gaze darkened with interest.

"Then..."

He leaned forward slightly, his hand lifting toward her waist-instinctively, almost possessively.

But before his fingers could reach her-

Anu caught his wrist.

Firm.

Controlled.

"Ah ah..." she murmured softly.

Her lips curved into a teasing smile.

"Not so soon, sir."

Arya's brows lifted slightly at the unexpected resistance.

Instead of stepping back, Anu leaned forward just enough to place a file into his hand.

He glanced down at it.

Then back at her.

"Ye kya hai?"

Anu folded her arms casually.

"Bhool gaye?"

Her eyes sparkled with mischief.

"Ye vahi file hai... jo aapne mujhe complete karne di thi."

Arya flipped the file open briefly, then shut it again.

A slow smirk appeared.

"Ohh..."

He stood up from his chair now, stepping closer to her.

"So ma'am is playing games now."

His hand lifted again, this time moving toward her cheek-his fingertip almost brushing the soft curve of her face.

But once again-

Anu caught his hand.

Only this time-

she didn't stop there.

With a surprising push, she pinned his hand against the desk, forcing Arya to lean slightly backward against it.

For a split second-

even Aryavardhan looked taken aback.

Her other hand moved slowly to his chest.

The soft silk of his shirt rustled beneath her fingers.

"Games toh..." she murmured, her voice dropping to a low whisper,

"ab main khelungi, sir."

Arya's eyes darkened instantly.

"Anu... ye-"

But her finger had already begun sliding upward.

From the center of his chest...

slowly tracing the line of his collarbone...

moving up along his throat.

His breath hitched very slightly.

Her fingertip finally reached his lips.

She pressed it gently against them.

"Shhh..."

Anu leaned closer.

So close that their breaths brushed against each other.

Her face stopped just inches from his.

Her eyes locked with his-playful, fearless, and burning with the thrill of the challenge.

"Just wait... and watch."

Then-

with the faintest smile-

she lightly tapped his lips with the finger trapped between them.

A teasing, almost mocking peck of contact.

Before Arya could react-

Anu stepped back.

Her payal chimed softly again as she turned.

Without another word, she walked toward the door.

Aryavardhan remained exactly where he was-

one hand still pinned against the desk where she had held it seconds ago.

The door opened.

Closed.

The cabin door closed behind Anu with a soft, decisive click.

For several seconds, Aryavardhan didn't move.

The air in the room still carried the faint fragrance of her shampoo... the whisper of her red silk saree... the echo of those chiming anklets that had walked out with a confidence he had never seen in her before.

His hand slowly slid off the desk where she had pinned it moments ago.

A quiet breath escaped him.

He tilted his head slightly, replaying every second that had just happened.

The way she had stopped his hand.

The way she had pushed him back.

The way her fingers had traced his chest... climbed his throat... and silenced him with a single "Shhh."

Aryavardhan ran his thumb slowly across his lower lip.

Right where her finger had touched.

A slow smile appeared on his face.

But it wasn't amused anymore.

It was dangerous.

"Game..." he murmured to himself.

He walked toward the massive glass window of his cabin and looked down at the busy office floor below.

Employees moving.

Phones ringing.

Normal life continuing.

But his eyes were searching only for one person.

And there she was.

Anu had just stepped out of his cabin and was walking across the floor toward her desk.

Every step confident.

Every movement calm.

The red silk of her saree catching the light like a living flame.

The soft sound of her payal reaching him even through the glass.

People were staring.

Whispering.

Watching.

And still-

she walked without hesitation.

Without covering the mark on her neck.

Without lowering her eyes.

Arya folded his arms slowly.

His gaze narrowed slightly as he watched her sit down at her desk, open her laptop, and begin working as if nothing had happened.

As if she hadn't just walked into the lion's den and provoked the lion himself.

A quiet chuckle escaped him.

"You have no idea what game you've started, Miss Chandni Chowk..."

He said it softly.

Almost like a warning.

But across the floor-

Anu suddenly paused.

As if she had felt his gaze.

She slowly lifted her eyes.

Through the glass wall of the cabin-

their gazes met.

For a moment the entire office seemed to disappear.

Just the two of them.

Across the glass.

Across the challenge.

Anu's lips curved slightly.

Not shy.

Not nervous.

But knowingly.

Because unlike what Aryavardhan believed-

She wasn't walking blindly into this game.

She wasn't unaware of the fire she had ignited.

She had seen the hunger in his eyes.

Felt the power in his touch.

Understood the storm she had just provoked.

And still-

she had chosen to provoke him again.

Her fingers casually brushed the mark on her neck before returning to her keyboard.

A silent reminder.

A silent claim.

A silent dare.

Inside the cabin, Aryavardhan's smile slowly widened.

Because suddenly-

he realized something.

This wasn't a one-sided chase anymore.

This wasn't just his saza.

This was a war of temptation.

A battle of control.

And the girl from Chandni Chowk had just stepped onto the battlefield willingly.

Because the truth was-

She knew exactly what game she had started.