KABIR'S POV :

I wasn't in the mood for the party, but I had to show up. Kartik had been insisting all week, and we both knew how important it was to maintain the connections. Kartik was more than just a right-hand man to me—he was family. We'd started working in the business together, and we'd worked our asses off to get to where we were. So, I made the effort.

The venue was typical for a high-end event—flashy lights, loud music, people in their finest attire, all trying to outdo one another with their social status. But none of that mattered to me. I had no interest in mingling with the crowd or making small talk. My thoughts were constantly pulled back to the numbers, the deals, and the next project that needed my attention.

As I walked in, I scanned the room quickly, checking for any familiar faces. Kartik was already deep in conversation with a few other business contacts, as expected. He had a gift for making people feel at ease. Me? Not so much. I preferred to keep to myself, letting the world move around me.

But then, my eyes landed on her.

She walked in with Isha, her presence filling the room in a way I hadn't expected. The way she carried herself was... captivating. She wasn't trying to command attention, yet somehow, she did. The dress she wore clung to her figure in the most subtle yet striking way. She was graceful, confident, but there was a certain innocence in her expression that intrigued me. She wasn't trying to impress anyone, and that, I realized, was what made her stand out.

I felt a shift in the air. My gaze followed her across the room as she laughed, her eyes lighting up with each word spoken to her friend. Her smile—it was something so genuine, so real. The type of smile that made you forget where you were. It was effortless. I couldn't stop watching.

As the music pulsed around me, I found myself caught in that strange moment, unable to pull my eyes away. I was used to controlling everything in my life—every detail, every movement—but something about her unsettled me. There was no reason for me to feel this drawn to a woman I didn't even know, but here I was, unable to look away.

Kartik noticed my gaze and raised an eyebrow, a knowing smirk forming on his face. "I see you've noticed her," he said casually, though there was a hint of amusement in his voice.

I looked at Kartik briefly, nodding. "Who is she?"

"Shanaya," he replied. "She's my sister. Haven't you met her yet?"

I shook my head, still watching her from across the room. "No," I said, my voice quieter than I intended. "But I think I'd like to."

Kartik chuckled, clearly enjoying my reaction. "Don't get distracted, Kabir. "

I tore my gaze away from Shanaya, though I didn't want to. For a moment, it felt like time had slowed, and everything around me faded into the background. It was just her, standing there in the crowd, with that effortless grace that somehow made her stand out from everyone else.

I took a deep breath, reminding myself that this was just another night, just another event. But in the back of my mind, I couldn't shake the thought of her. Something about Shanaya had gotten under my skin, and I couldn't figure out why.

Kartik nudged me again, his tone light but knowing. "Careful, man. You don't usually fall for anyone so easily."

I ignored him, my mind still focused on Shanaya. She was out of my league, no doubt. But for the first time in a long while, I found myself wanting to know more about someone, someone who didn't fit into the perfect, polished world I was used to.

I couldn't explain it, but something told me that tonight, things were going to change.

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I couldn't stop myself. There was something magnetic about her—something I hadn't experienced in a long time. It was a strange pull, like the universe was drawing me toward her, and I didn't know how to resist. She wasn't like the women I usually encountered—polished, poised, and always playing some game of appearances. No, Shanaya seemed different. There was an authenticity about her that was almost disarming.

As she moved through the room, talking to friends, laughing, the kind of effortless beauty she carried made everything else fade away. I could hear the conversations around me, the clinking of glasses, the soft thrum of the bass in the background, but it all felt like a distant hum compared to the pull she had on me.

Her laughter was light and genuine, the kind that made you want to join in, even if you had no idea what was so funny. And when she smiled—damn—it was as if the entire room brightened. For a second, I forgot where I was. I forgot about the deals, the meetings, the relentless pace of my life. It was just her, moving through the crowd like she belonged there, and I couldn't help but follow her with my gaze.

Kartik noticed. Of course, he did.

He leaned over, his voice a bit more teasing than usual. "You know, you're staring at her like you've never seen a woman before."

I didn't even respond at first. I was too busy fighting the thoughts swirling in my mind. I had no reason to be this distracted. I was Kabir singhania—business mogul, control freak, someone who never let anything or anyone pull him out of his zone. But right now, Shanaya was doing just that.

"She's different," I muttered, more to myself than to Kartik.

Kartik chuckled. "I figured that much. But be careful, man. You're not exactly the 'falling for someone' type."

I scoffed, still watching her, though I was acutely aware of Kartik's knowing stare. "I'm not falling for anyone."

But even as I said the words, I knew they weren't true. There was something about her that made me question everything I thought I knew about myself. She wasn't just another beautiful face in the crowd. There was an energy about her, a quiet confidence that seemed to demand your attention without trying.

As if on cue, she turned, and our eyes met.

I don't know what it was—whether it was the way her eyes locked onto mine, or the fact that I hadn't expected her to notice me—but for a brief moment, time seemed to stop. The music, the laughter, the chatter—they all faded away. It was just me and her, standing across the room from each other, a connection I couldn't explain hanging in the air between us.

She held my gaze for a second longer than most people would have, then, just as quickly, she turned back to her friends, as if nothing had happened. But I felt it. The pull. The electricity.

I didn't know if she had noticed the way I had been watching her, but I couldn't shake the feeling that something had shifted between us in that brief, fleeting moment.

"Are you going to talk to her?" Kartik asked, his voice back to that teasing tone.

I shook my head, trying to push the thoughts of Shanaya out of my mind. "Not tonight."

But as I said the words, I realized they didn't really feel right. I wasn't sure why, but I knew I would have to talk to her eventually. There was something about her that made me want to know more, something that made the world around me blur into insignificance.

I turned my attention back to the conversation in front of me, but my mind was still on her. How could I not be? I couldn't remember the last time someone had affected me this much, this quickly.

Kartik gave me a knowing look. "You're already thinking about it."

I didn't respond, but deep down, I knew he was right.

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So, i think Mr.Singhania is already in love with her, isn't he??😏😏

Thankyouu Everyone for taking your precious time out and reading the chapter xxx