The weekend arrived faster than Ruhi expected, and with it came an unease she couldn't shake off. She had spent the past few days pretending she didn't care about Abhi's meeting with Ishika, brushing off any mention of it with casual remarks and forced indifference. But today, as she sat with her friends in the college café, her fingers drummed against the table, her mind elsewhere.
"He hasn't messaged you all day?" Meera asked, stirring her milkshake.
Ruhi shrugged. "Why would he? It's not like I'm his fiancée or anything."
Her tone was light, but the bitterness beneath it was hard to miss.
Meera exchanged a glance with Anika before saying, "Ruhi... you do realize you're acting jealous, right?"
Ruhi rolled her eyes. "Please. Jealousy is for insecure people."
Meera smirked. "And yet, you haven't stopped checking your phone since we got here."
Ruhi huffed and shoved her phone into her bag, ignoring the knowing looks from her friends. "I couldn't care less about his stupid dinner."
But deep down, she knew that was a lie.
---
Meanwhile, in an exclusive five-star restaurant across the city, Abhi sat opposite Ishika Malhotra.
She was everything people said she was-graceful, poised, and effortlessly elegant. Dressed in a sleek navy-blue dress, she exuded confidence without arrogance. Her presence demanded attention, but not in a loud, overbearing way. It was the quiet kind of power, the kind that didn't need to be announced.
"So, Abhimanyu," she said, her voice smooth, "should I take it as a compliment that you look like you'd rather be anywhere but here?"
Abhi, who had been absentmindedly swirling his drink, looked up and smirked. "You caught that, huh?"
Ishika raised a perfectly shaped brow. "I'm not blind."
He chuckled. "Well, no offense, but I'm not exactly thrilled about being forced into a dinner with someone I don't know."
Ishika leaned back, tilting her head. "Fair. But if it helps, I'm not thrilled either."
Abhi's smirk widened slightly. "Really? And here I thought girls like you dream of finding the perfect match."
Ishika laughed-a soft, genuine sound. "Girls like me?"
"You know-rich, successful, raised to be flawless."
She held his gaze for a moment before saying, "And boys like you-rich, charming, adored by everyone-don't have their own set of expectations to meet?"
Abhi blinked, momentarily thrown off. He hadn't expected that.
Ishika smiled knowingly. "You see, Abhimanyu, we're not as different as you think."
For the first time that evening, Abhi found himself genuinely intrigued.
---
Back at the café, Ruhi finally gave in and checked her phone again.
Still nothing.
She scowled, telling herself she didn't care.
But when she heard a group of students whispering about how perfect Abhi and Ishika looked together, a bitter taste filled her mouth.
And for the first time, she wondered-was she really as irreplaceable as she thought?
....to be continued....
Author's Note:
Ah, jealousy—such a messy, delicious thing, isn't it? Ruhi might pretend she's untouchable, but even queens bleed when love pulls away.
This chapter marks a turning point. Abhi and Ishika's dinner wasn't just a formal setup—it was the spark of something real. Mutual understanding. Respect. Maybe even… curiosity?
And Ruhi? For the first time, she's not the center of his world—and she feels it.
Tell me—do you still root for Ruhi, or is Ishika starting to win you over too?
More drama, more heartache, and more delicious tension coming soon.
— Always writing,
Your author