Swara's gaze remained frozen on Sanskar, her eyes locked onto the fleeting smile that had danced on his lips. Though it lasted barely a millisecond, that smile was enough to capture her heart. She felt her chest constrict, her heart racing like she'd just sprinted a marathon. Her hand instinctively rose to her chest, as if to calm the turmoil within. The memory of his smile lingered, a vivid image of beauty and enchantment, like a flower blooming at sunrise - delicate, captivating, and breathtakingly lovely.

Sanskar's gaze shifted from his sister's antics to Swara feeling her intense gaze, standing entranced at the entrance. His eyes, once amused, now burned with a heated intensity. He felt himself drawn to her, as if under a spell. Swara seemed like an enchantress, her presence weaving a magic that captivated his senses. His gaze lingered, refusing to break free, ensnared by the allure of her presence. The air seemed to vibrate with tension as their eyes met, the world around them melting away.

Nandini's cheerful voice echoed through the room as she jumped up from the sofa, "Hi Swara!" But the warmth was short-lived, as Swara's eyes met Sanskar's, and his gaze turned icy cold.

"What are you doing here?" he asked curtly, his tone dripping with disdain. "Kuch aur rah gaya tha bolne ke liye?" (Is there anything else you want to say?)

Swara's eyes faltered, unsure of how to apologize or explain. Before she could gather her thoughts, Sanskar's voice cut through the air, firm and detached.

"It's Mr. Maheshwari or sir for you, Miss Swara." The formal address stung, and Swara felt a pang of hurt. She gulped, her heart aching as she heard the coldness in his voice for the first time.

In the past, she had insulted him, but he had never spoken to her with such rudeness. The contrast between his past patience and present frostiness left her reeling. Swara's eyes dropped, her voice barely above a whisper as she struggled to find the right words.

Ishita raised an eyebrow, disapproving of Sanskar's abrupt manner toward Swara. "Is this a way to talk to a girl?" she thought, her discomfort evident.

Meanwhile, Nandini observed Sanskar's tense demeanor, noticing the effort he put into masking his pain with anger. Despite his seething emotions, Nandini's calm gaze met Swara's uncertain expression.

Sanskar's curt tone cut through the air, "Miss Swara, I don't have any free time to waste on you." But before he could continue, he felt a gentle hand on his arm, calming him. Nandini's soft touch seemed to diffuse some of his tension.

With a composed smile, Nandini turned to Swara and said, "Swara, please come inside." Her calm demeanor was a stark contrast to Sanskar's frostiness, and Swara's eyes flickered toward Nandini, seeking solace in her warm words.

Nandini's cheerful introduction sent shockwaves through the room. "Swara, meet my mumma, Ishita Shekhawat, and my pops, Raman Shekhawat," she said with a smile, before turning to her parents with an added flourish. "And meet Swara, my would-be sister-in-law."

Swara's eyes widened in horror, her face paling as she struggled to process Nandini's words. Sanskar's expression turned thunderous, his anger and shock evident.

The Shekhawat couple exchanged a knowing glance, their heads shaking in unison, likely thinking, "This is going to be interesting." The air was thick with tension as everyone digested Nandini's bombshell introduction.

Sanskar's stern declaration was met with Nandini's unwavering response. "She is just an employee in our auditing department, nothing else," he said firmly.

Nandini's eyes sparkled with mischief as she shot back, "No, she is my would-be sister-in-law, your fiancée." Her casual shrug belied the weight of her words.

Sanskar's face darkened, his anger simmering. "Who the hell said that to you?" he demanded, his voice low and menacing.

Nandini's grin only grew wider, and she replied, "Oh, let's just say I have my sources." Her tone was light, but the implication was clear: she knew something Sanskar didn't want her to know.

Sanskar's sarcasm dripped like venom as he asked, "Didn't your precious source inform you that we broke up?" His tone was biting, laced with irritation.

Nandini's smile never wavered. "That's not important," she said, her voice light and airy, as if swatting away a pesky fly. Her response was a masterclass in nonchalance, leaving Sanskar's jab to wither away, unacknowledged.

Sanskar's logical retort was met with Nandini's playful defiance. "When you don't accept me as your brother, how can she be your sister-in-law?" he asked, his eyebrows raised in skepticism.

Nandini's response was instant. "But you love me like your sister, right? So, yes, she is my bhabhi!" She stuck out her tongue, her eyes sparkling with mischief. Her cheeky gesture and words left Sanskar speechless, unsure how to react to her playful jab.

Raman's words dripped with amusement as he chimed in, "Mr. Maheshwari, just a small advice: you can't win over her in an argument." He smiled knowingly, his eyes twinkling. "She always won debate competitions."

The implication was clear: Nandini was a formidable opponent in verbal sparring, and Sanskar was in for a challenge. Raman's words hung in the air, a gentle warning to Sanskar to tread carefully around his daughter's quick wit and sharp tongue.

Swara watched the exchange with growing amusement, a smile spreading across her face. It was entertaining to see Sanskar, usually unchallenged, being cleverly countered by Nandini. The dynamic between them was palpable, with Nandini's quick wit and sharp tongue leaving Sanskar momentarily speechless.

Swara couldn't help but think that Nandini was a perfect match for Sanskar's stubbornness. She enjoyed watching Sanskar's reactions, his frustration and surprise at being outmaneuvered by someone so much younger. Nandini's confidence and cleverness were traits Swara admired, and she found herself rooting for the young woman.

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The well-built man stood before him, his deep voice a stark contrast to the refined atmosphere of the room. "Boss, we've found her. She's in Mumbai," he reported, his words dripping with an air of accomplishment.

The boss, reclining in his chair, crossed his legs with an air of leisure, one leg resting atop the other. As he sipped his expensive whisky, a smirk spread across his face, his eyes gleaming with satisfaction. The smooth liquor seemed to warm his throat, and the news only added to his pleasure.

"Excellent work," he said, his voice low and approving. The smirk lingered on his lips, hinting at a plan unfolding with precision. His eyes narrowed slightly, lost in thought, as the amber liquid swirled in his glass.

The boss's voice dripped with malevolent intent as he spoke, his tone sending shivers down the spine. "Finally, after searching for 18 years, I've found you," he growled, the words hanging in the air like a death sentence.

His eyes seemed to burn with an inner fire, and the smirk on his face twisted into a sinister grin. The room seemed to darken, as if the very shadows themselves were drawn to his menacing presence. The air grew thick with tension, heavy with the weight of his obsession.

The sound of his whisky glass being placed on the table was like a cold, calculated gesture, a precursor to the storm that was about to unfold. His voice was a low, ominous rumble, promising retribution and vengeance for the years of pursuit.

The boss's voice was firm and commanding, brooking no argument. "I want her here by tomorrow," he ordered, his words slicing through the air like a cold blade.

The well-built man nodded, his face expressionless, but his eyes betraying a flicker of understanding. He knew better than to question the boss's orders. "Consider it done, sir," he replied, his deep voice devoid of emotion.

With a swift nod, he turned to leave, the task ahead of him clear. The boss's gaze lingered on him, his eyes piercing, before he turned back to his whisky, lost in thought. The silence that followed was heavy with anticipation, the clock ticking away the hours until tomorrow.

The boss's evil laugh reverberated through the dark room, the sound waves seeming to crawl across the walls like malevolent tendrils. "Get ready to get doomed," he cackled, the words dripping with malice.

The shadows appeared to deepen, as if darkness itself was feeding off his malevolent energy. The air grew colder, heavier, weighed down by the promise of impending doom. The laugh finally faded, but the ominous silence that followed was even more unsettling, leaving an unsettling sense of foreboding that seemed to cling to everything.

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As Manik stepped out of the airport, the bright Mumbai sunlight caught his chiseled features, and he slipped on his shades, exuding a dashing aura. A mischievous smile played on his lips as he thought about reuniting with his "baby doll" after a long time. His eyes sparkled with anticipation.

With confident strides, he walked towards his car, where his guard stood waiting, door open. Manik slid into the luxurious interior, settling into the plush seats. The guard closed the door behind him, and Manik's smile grew wider as he thought about the reunion ahead. "Let's go," he said, his voice low and smooth, anticipation building with every passing moment.

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Nandini cruised down the road, humming along to the music playing in her car. The rhythm was infectious, and she was lost in the melody. Suddenly, she noticed a black car on either side of her and one trailing behind. Before she could react, one of the cars bumped into hers, the impact jolting her.

Startled, Nandini's eyes darted to the rearview mirror, and she saw the cars matching her speed, sandwiching her in. Panic set in as the cars on either side bumped into hers again, this time more forcefully. Nandini's heart racing, she accelerated, trying to shake them off, but the cars followed suit, their movements eerily synchronized. The music in her car was now replaced by the screeching of tires and the pounding of her heart.

Nandini's mind was racing with questions - "What the hell do they want?" She gripped the steering wheel tightly, her eyes darting between the road and the surrounding cars. With a surge of adrenaline, she skillfully maneuvered her car, dodging and weaving to avoid the other vehicles.

Her driving skills were put to the test as she expertly handled the car, narrowly avoiding collisions. Despite the chaos, Nandini's focus remained sharp, her instincts taking over as she tried to shake off the pursuers. The cars continued to hem her in, their intentions unclear, but Nandini's determination to escape only grew stronger. She floored it, taking a sharp turn, hoping to lose them in the traffic.

Nandini let out a sigh of relief, thinking she'd finally managed to shake off her pursuers. Her eyes scanned the rearview mirror, and for a moment, she saw nothing but empty road behind her. A glimmer of hope flickered - maybe she'd lost them.

But just as she was about to breathe a sigh of relief, a black SUV appeared in her rearview mirror, its tinted windows reflecting the sunlight like a dark mirror. Her heart sank as she realized she wasn't free yet. The SUV was right behind her, its presence ominous and unmistakable. Nandini's instincts screamed warning, and she knew she had to act fast.

Nandini's voice was laced with panic as she screamed into the phone, "Nandu, save yourself, warna no one can save you from your monster!" Her words tumbled out in a frantic rush, her fear and desperation palpable.

She'd always been fiercely independent, fighting tooth and nail against Manik's insistence on assigning her bodyguards. "If I get even a scratch because of your stupid people, I'll vanish your existence!" she'd raged at him, her frustration boiling over.

Now, as she found herself trapped and helpless, those words seemed hollow. The reality of her situation hit her like a ton of bricks, and she realized she might have underestimated the danger lurking around her. With a surge of adrenaline, she tried to think of an escape plan, her mind racing with possibilities.

The sudden appearance of the car in front of her sent Nandini's heart into overdrive. She swerved to avoid it, but her tires screeched in protest as she lost control. The car careened wildly, heading straight for a nearby tree.

Time seemed to slow down as Nandini's world narrowed to the impending impact. She braced herself, her knuckles white on the steering wheel. The crunch of metal and shattering glass filled the air as her car slammed into the tree, the force of the collision jolting her entire body.

The airbags deployed, cushioning her impact, but Nandini's world went dark for a moment. When she came to, she was disoriented, her head spinning. She assessed her surroundings, taking stock of her situation. The car was badly damaged, smoke billowing from the hood. And then, she saw them - the men from the other cars, closing in on her.

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Hey readers! 👋

I'm back with a new chapter! 😊 Missed me? 😁

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What's new with you? Let's dive back into the story.

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frostiness meaning unfriendly demeanor

enchantress meaning a woman who uses magic to put someone or something under a spell

outmaneuvered meaning outsmarted