Chapter 4: Lines Drawn in Fire

The engagement party was over, but its effects lingered like the faint scent of expensive cologne in the vast corridors of the Rathore mansion. Ishani had barely managed to escape to her temporary bedroom when she heard a sharp knock at the door.

She didn’t need to ask who it was. Only one man in this house would come to see her at this hour.

“Come in,” she said, her voice steady despite the exhaustion weighing her down.

Veer stepped inside, his sharp eyes assessing her as he shut the door behind him. He had already loosened his tie, his sleeves rolled up, revealing the strong forearms of a man who thrived in control. “You disappeared early.”

“I thought my role for the night was done,” Ishani replied coolly, crossing her arms.

Veer exhaled, shaking his head slightly. “This is just the beginning, Ishani. You need to get used to these events.”

Her fingers tightened against her arms. “Used to being paraded around as your perfect fiancée?”

His gaze darkened, the air between them shifting. “You agreed to this marriage. No one forced you.”

“I didn’t agree to be treated like a pawn in your business empire.”

Veer took a step closer, and Ishani instinctively held her ground. “Then stop acting like one. No one will respect you if you let them walk over you.”

She let out a bitter laugh. “Is that what this is? A lesson in survival from the great Veer Rathore?”

He smirked, but there was no amusement in his eyes. “It’s reality, Ishani. This world isn’t kind to weakness. If you want to survive, you’ll have to fight.”

Her heart pounded, not from fear but from frustration. “Maybe I don’t want to become like you.”

Veer tilted his head, his gaze steady. “Then you’ll lose.”

For a moment, neither of them spoke. The silence was heavy, thick with unspoken challenges and emotions neither was willing to name.

Then, as if realizing the conversation was going nowhere, Veer sighed and turned toward the door. “Get some rest. Tomorrow, we finalize the wedding details.”

She didn’t reply, watching as he walked away. But just as he reached for the handle, she spoke, her voice softer but firm. “I may have agreed to this marriage, Veer, but I won’t lose myself in it.”

He hesitated, then without turning around, he murmured, “We’ll see.”

The door shut behind him, leaving Ishani alone with the weight of his words. And for the first time, she realized—this wasn’t just a battle of circumstances.

This was a war of wills.

And she refused to be the one who surrendered first.

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Sleep did not come easily that night. Ishani lay awake, staring at the ornate ceiling, her mind replaying the night’s events. Every word Veer had spoken lingered like an unsolved puzzle. Was he trying to help her in his own twisted way, or was he merely preparing her for a life under his rule?

Frustrated, she sat up and pushed the heavy silk blanket aside. She needed air. She tiptoed to the balcony, letting the cool night breeze brush against her skin. The view from the Rathore estate was breathtaking—twinkling city lights stretching into the horizon, the distant hum of life continuing as if nothing had changed.

Except, for her, everything had.

A movement behind her made her stiffen. She turned sharply to find Veer standing by the doorway, his hands in his pockets.

“Can’t sleep?” he asked, his voice softer now, stripped of the sharp edges from earlier.

Ishani sighed. “I guess I’m still getting used to the cage.”

He walked forward, stopping just a few feet away from her. “This isn’t a cage, Ishani. But it will be if you let it.”

She scoffed. “And what’s your advice, oh wise one?”

Veer smirked, but there was something almost genuine in his expression. “Play the game on your terms. That’s the only way to win.”

She held his gaze, searching for deception in his words, but found none. And for the first time, a small thought crossed her mind—perhaps Veer Rathore wasn’t just her enemy in this battle.

Perhaps, he was the only one who truly understood the war.

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