After some time, Siya walked into the room. She threw her dupatta aside and sat on the chair, lost in her thoughts.

A few moments later, Aarav entered the room. He noticed her sitting there quietly and a small smile appeared on his face.

She didn’t even look at him.

Then suddenly she realized something and looked around.

Her dupatta.

Aarav smirked slightly holding her dupatta and said, “Looking for this?”

She looked at him and nodded.

He walked toward her, holding the dupatta. “So… today the cousins saw us.”

Siya sighed. “Yes. They are everywhere.”

He chuckled softly. “But really… you were looking very beautiful today.”

Siya gulped and said quickly, “Just give me my dupatta.”

He was about to hand it to her but suddenly pulled his hand back.

She frowned. “What? Give it.”

Before she could react, he placed both his hands on the armrests of her chair, trapping her between them.

Siya leaned back against the chair to create distance, but her heart started pounding loudly.

“What are you doing?” she asked nervously.

Aarav looked straight into her eyes.

“You feel it… don’t you? You feel something.”

Siya immediately replied, “I don’t. I don’t feel anything.”

Aarav leaned a little closer.

“Then why does your heartbeat rise whenever I come close to you why you always get nervous?”

Siya lowered her eyes, breathing heavily.

“Answer me,” he whispered.

Just then, the door was open.

Paakhi was walking toward the room to called siya.

“Bhabhi—”

But Paakhi froze at the door when she saw how close they were.

Siya looked at her instantly.

Paakhi panicked. “Sorry! Sorry!”

And Paakhi ran away quickly.

Siya looked back at Aarav.

“Leave me. She saw us like this.”

But he leaned even closer.

“I don’t care,” Aarav said quietly. “Answer me.”which made her heart skip.

Siya didn’t say anything.

He leaned even closer, their faces only inches apart.

Her eyes slowly closed because of their closeness.

But suddenly reality hit her — how close they actually were.

Just as Aarav was about to kiss her, she pushed him away and stood up.

“How dare you! Don’t do this again.”

Her heartbeat was echoing loudly in her ears.

Siya snatched her dupatta from his hand and quickly walked out of the room.

Aarav stood there for a moment.

His eyes were still intense, but slowly a faint smile appeared on his lips.

He shook his head slightly.

“You can deny it all you want, Siya… but you feel it too.”

Outside the room, Siya’s heart was still pounding.

She took a deep breath and shook her head slightly.

“No… my only mission is the end of the Mittals,” she whispered to herself. “And I will do this.”

Veer’s face flashed in her mind.

Then her father’s.

Her eyes lowered, pain flickering across her face.

“They took my loved ones away from me,” siya murmured softly. “Now they have to suffer the same.”

She started walking down the corridor.

Paakhi came running toward her.

“Bhabhi!”

Siya sighed tiredly.

Paakhi looked at her curiously. “So… bhabhi… tell me, did anything—”

“Shut up, Paakhi,” Siya said quickly.

Paakhi blinked.

Siya turned her face away and spoke more softly, “Leave me alone for some time. I need space.”

Paakhi’s smile slowly faded.

“Fine, bhabhi,” paakhi said quietly and walked away.

Later that night.

Siya changed her clothes and walked into the bedroom.

Aarav was already lying on the bed.

He looked at her and casually said, “Come. Let’s sleep.”

She sighed, picked up a pillow, and walked toward the couch.

Aarav smirked slightly and said

“Don’t worry Siya I won't do anything.”

“I’ll sleep on the couch,” she replied firmly.

He raised an eyebrow. “Scared, Mrs. Goenka?”

“Yes,” she said immediately. “And I’m happy about it .”

She lay down on the couch and turned away.

Within a few minutes, exhaustion pulled her into sleep.

Aarav quietly watched her for a moment.

A faint smile appeared on his lips.

“How long will you keep running from me, Siya?” he murmured softly.

He knew her well enough.

He knew she was affected by him.

But he also knew something else.

Her ego…

And her stubbornness…

were just as strong.

Finally, he closed his eyes and drifted to sleep.

The next morning, Siya woke up early.

She quietly got ready and changed her dress. Today they were leaving.

And right now, all she wanted was to reach her house.

For some reason, her mind kept telling her something.

Maybe… just maybe… my house holds secrets about my family that I never knew.

The thought stayed with her.

After coming outside, she greeted everyone politely.

Aarav was standing nearby, watching her.

But Siya deliberately turned her face away.

He noticed it and sighed softly, lowering his gaze.

A few minutes later, Siya looked at her phone and typed a short message.

Tomorrow we will meet.

She sent it quickly.

Meanwhile, Aarav was driving the car as they headed back.

Suddenly his phone buzzed.

It was a message from his secretary, Reshabh.

Aarav picked up the call.

“Fine. I’m coming,” Aarav said briefly and ended it.

Siya paused.

Her mind immediately connected the dots.

So it means… the Mittals have made their first move or something.

A slight tension filled her chest.

Now what will happen?

Aarav continued driving calmly, his expression unreadable.

Siya quietly looked at him.

Aarav glanced at her through the rearview mirror.

Their eyes met for a second.

Her eyes were saying far more than she had spoken aloud.

They reached the Goenka mansion.

As soon as the car stopped, Aarav stepped out without saying anything. He walked straight to his car and drove away.

Siya watched him leave and sighed before heading to her room.

But something in her mind kept whispering that the real storm had already begun.

Meanwhile, Aarav reached his office.

He walked in calmly and sat down in his chair. A few moments later, his secretary Reshabh entered the cabin.

“Sir,” Reshabh said seriously, placing a file on the table, “just as we predicted… the Mittals have made their first move.”

Aarav leaned back in his chair, completely calm.

Reshabh continued, “Three of our major partners have broken their contracts with us overnight. News is spreading in the market, and our share price has already started dropping.”

For a moment, the room went silent.

Then Aarav smirked and said.

“Good.”

Reshabh looked confused. “Sir?”

Aarav picked up the file and glanced at it casually, as if the situation didn’t bother him at all.

“Did you really think they would start with something small?” he said calmly. “This was expected.”

Reshabh hesitated. “But sir… if the share price keeps falling, the market might panic.”

Aarav’s eyes turned sharp and he said

“Let them panic.”

He closed the file and placed it on the desk.

“Mittals think they have weakened us by breaking three partners.”

Aarav leaned slightly forward, his voice low but dangerous.

“They don’t realize those three partners were never our strength.”

Reshabh looked stunned.

Aarav continued, a confident smile appearing on his face.

“Now the market will watch carefully.”

He stood up and walked toward the window.

“And when they do…”

He looked at the city skyline with calm authority.

“We will make our move.”

Reshabh straightened immediately. “Yes, sir.”

Aarav’s smirk returned.

“Mittals started the game.”

His eyes hardened.

“But they have no idea who they are playing against.”

Aarav said just do what I said

Reshabh nodded and said sure sir .

The war has begun now and the powers were going to be collide.