THE SEED HE PLANT

The car hummed softly as it rolled through the dimly lit streets. Arya leaned her head against

the window, her face pale but serene. Her eyes fluttered closed as the cool evening breeze

brushed against her skin. Shiv noticed her slight movement and, without a word, reached for

the window controls, lowering it just enough for her to feel the wind more freely. The faint,

earthy scent of impending rain hung in the air, the sky painted with shades of gray.

Shiv’s grip on the steering wheel tightened. His mind, however, was elsewhere—dangerously

circling thoughts he had been trying to suppress. Every glance at Arya, every fleeting

moment of softness he had allowed himself, was like a stone chipping away at his carefully

built armor.

When they finally reached Meera’s house, Shiv parked and stepped out quickly. He opened

Arya’s door with a deliberate, calculated gentleness that he immediately regretted.

“Careful,” he murmured, his voice low as he offered his hand to help her out. Arya didn’t

respond, but she leaned on him slightly as she stepped onto the curb.

Meera bustled around, grabbing their bags and trying to lighten the mood with her usual

chatter. Shiv remained silent, his inner turmoil brewing beneath his stoic exterior. His

thoughts turned darker, harsher. What are you doing? This isn’t who you are. You’re being

weak.

As Arya disappeared into the house, Shiv lingered near the door

Shiv stood by the car for a moment longer, staring at the door. His jaw clenched as he fought

the gnawing guilt and the poisonous whispers in his mind. This is an opportunity. Her

vulnerability is your leverage.

He shoved the thought away violently, but it clawed its way back, relentless. By the time he

sat back in the driver’s seat, the rain had begun to fall, soft at first, then heavier, the storm

echoing the turmoil in his chest.

Shiv stared through the windshield, the raindrops blurring the streetlights. His mind was a

battlefield, torn between the man he wanted to be and the man his circumstances had shaped

him into.

Power is the only thing that matters. If she’s in your grasp now, why not tighten the hold?

He closed his eyes briefly, gripping the steering wheel until his knuckles turned white. The

rain intensified, a sharp clap of thunder shaking the quiet street. Shiv inhaled deeply, his

resolve teetering on the edge.

And then, as if driven by an unseen force, he turned the car around. The tires splashed against

the wet road, and his destination was clear.

Meera’s house came back into view just as the storm unleashed its full fury. He parked

outside, the headlights casting eerie shadows on the closed door. Shiv stepped out into the

rain, letting it drench him as he approached the house.

For a moment, he hesitated, his hand hovering near the doorbell. The voice in his mind was

louder than ever, cruel and persuasive.

You’ve made your choice. Take control.Shiv stood motionless on the doorstep, rain dripping

from his hair and clothes as if the storm itself was trying to wash away the conflict raging

within him. He didn’t care. The cold water soaked through his shirt, but his gaze was fixed

ahead, sharp and unwavering.

Suddenly, the door creaked open, and there she was—Arya. Her eyes widened when she saw

him, drenched and standing like a ghost under the stormy sky. Without a second thought, she

grabbed an umbrella and rushed toward him.

“Shiv!” she called out, her voice cutting through the thunder’s roar. “What are you doing?

You’ll catch a cold!”

Her tone was filled with genuine worry, and for a fleeting second, something inside him

stirred—something softer, almost foreign. She reached him, fumbling to open the umbrella,

her hands trembling from the cold. The worry in her eyes was unmistakable, unguarded.

“Are you completely out of your mind?” Arya scolded, holding the umbrella above them,

shielding him from the relentless rain. Her clothes began to soak as she tilted the umbrella

toward him, ignoring her own discomfort.

Shiv didn’t say a word at first. He just looked at her—deeply, intensely. The way her wet

strands clung to her face, the way her brows knitted in frustration, and the way she cared for

him without hesitation. His lips curled into a faint smirk.

Then, without preamble, he spoke, his voice deep and deliberate:

“Marry me.”

The words hit Arya like the thunder cracking in the distance. She froze, her breath hitching as

her mind scrambled to process what he’d just said.

“What?” she managed to whisper, her voice almost swallowed by the storm.

Shiv stepped closer, the intensity in his eyes never wavering. His tone was calm, yet

commanding, leaving no room for argument.

“You heard me. I want you to marry me.”

Arya’s mouth opened to speak, but no words came out. She stared at him, searching his face

for a trace of humor, a hint that this was some kind of cruel joke. But Shiv was dead serious.

“You have 24 hours to decide,” he continued, his voice cutting through the rain like a blade.

“I expect a ‘yes.’”

Arya’s lips parted in shock, but before she could protest, Shiv leaned forward slightly, his

gaze locking onto hers. His smirk deepened. “And you know I don’t take ‘no’ for an answer.”

With that, he grabbed the umbrella from her hands and let it fall to the ground, forgotten. The

rain poured down on them once more, but Shiv didn’t flinch. He turned on his heel and strode

to his car, leaving Arya standing in the storm, drenched, bewildered, and utterly speechless.

As he slid into the driver’s seat, the storm raged harder. Shiv adjusted his rearview mirror, his

gaze lingering on Arya, who was still standing in the rain, her figure trembling with shock.

The smirk returned to his face, more pronounced this time. The voice in his head, dark and

triumphant, whispered its approval. Perfect. You’ve set the stage. Now watch her dance to

your tune.

Shiv drove off, the rain pounding against the car, the thunder echoing his inner turmoil. But

his resolve was unwavering, and as he disappeared into the night, he knew he’d planted a

seed that would grow exactly as he intended

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