It was midnight, but Swara's eyes were wide awake, her mind consumed by thoughts of Sanskar. She couldn't shake off the feeling that he was drifting away from her. Lately, he'd been acting strange - coming late to the office and leaving early.

Swara's anger simmered as she thought about the change in Sanskar's behavior. "Before, he wouldn't miss a chance to flirt with me, but now he doesn't even have time to look at me. Who does he think he is?" she huffed, her cheeks flushing a deep shade of pink.

But then she caught herself, her thoughts taking a sharp turn. "Why am I thinking about him? No, Swara, remember, you hate him. He blackmailed you into getting engaged to him." Her inner turmoil was palpable, her emotions in a tangled mess.

Swara's concern for Sanskar's well-being got the better of her. "But why didn't he come to the office today? He's never taken a leave in three years... is he alright?" She reached for her phone to call him, but then hesitated.

"No, if I call him, he'll think I've developed feelings for him," she thought, putting the phone back on the bed. But her concern lingered, and she rationalized, "But what if he needs someone? I'm calling him for humanity's sake, nothing else." She picked up the phone again and dialed his number.

Sanskar emerged from the bathroom, fresh from a long, relaxing hot shower. A towel hung loosely around his neck as he rubbed his hair, water droplets trickling down his chiseled chest. He wore only comfortable track pants, showcasing his toned physique. The phone's ringtone, flashing "Jungli Billi" broke the silence.

Sanskar answered the phone with a chuckle, "Hello, Jungli Billi! Finally, you've remembered me." He teased, "Missed me?"

Swara's response was laced with sarcasm, "No need to cook up khayali pulav." She claimed, "I called to discuss a file."

Sanskar's tone turned serious, "Okay, ask away. What do you want to know? But make it quick, I'm a bit busy with someone special." Knowing very well that it is just a excuse

Swara's curiosity got the better of her, and she asked hurriedly, "Busy? With whom? Aren't you at home?" Her questions betrayed a hint of jealousy, revealing more than she intended.

"Are you jealous?" he asked with a smirk.

"In your dreams, Mr. Maheshwari," she retorted.

He leaned in, his voice low and husky. "In my dreams, you do many things, my wildcat."

Her cheeks flushed as she bit her lower lip, trying to composed herself. "You shameless creature!" she exclaimed, her voice rising.

He laughed, a deep, rich sound that caught her off guard. Swara's eyes widened as she listened, mesmerized by the melodious tone that seemed to echo in her mind like ringing bells.

Breaking the spell, she said, "Tomorrow, you have a meeting with Mr. Mehta," her tone professional, indirectly probing whether he'd come to the office.

"Mmm, I forgot," he said, feigning ignorance.

Swara raised an eyebrow. "How could you forget? Didn't your first wife inform you about the meeting?" she asked, making a face.

Under her breath, she muttered, "He's always stuck to you," her tone laced with subtle sarcasm.

Sanskar was amused hearing her whisper but acted like didn't hear "cancel the meeting, I'm little busy tomorrow won't be coming to office" said keeping laptop on his lap to work

"You're busy with someone special?" Swara asked, her tone sugary sweet but laced with an undercurrent of possessiveness that he couldn't miss.

He smirked. "Mmm, yes. Why don't you join us for lunch at my place?"

Swara's mind reeled as she processed the invitation, her thoughts screaming, "She's in his home?" She dug her nails into the pillow to keep her anger in check. "No, sir, I'm busy," she replied, feigning normalcy.

"Okay, then. Good night, my wildcat," he said, his voice low and husky.

"Good night," she replied curtly before disconnecting the call.

"Aaahhh you cheater, lier, santre k chilke, katta nimbu. First you forced me into relations and now spending time with someone else huh... I will kill that chudail, and Mr Maheshwari how dare you to bring other girl to MY HOUSE" She screamed tearing the pillow.

Her eyes welled up with angry tears, but her face betrayed a deeper emotion - possessiveness towards the man who was supposed to be her fiancé, a union forced upon her.

Meanwhile Sanskar's heart flutter sensing her possessiveness for him first time "so my jungli billi starting feeling for me" he smirked "no one can escape from my charm" he praised himself.

He gazed at her photo on the laptop screen, mesmerized by her stunning beauty. She wore a black shimmering gown that accentuated her curves, her curly hair cascading down her back. Her eyes sparkled with dramatic flair, thanks to the bold black eyeliner, and her lips were painted a deep, alluring red. Silver earrings dangled from her lobes, complementing the simple yet elegant necklace and bracelet. She exuded majesty and beauty, captivating him completely.

"I still remembers our first encounter," he chuckled taking a sip from glass of finest drink.

*Flashback*

Swara cruised along on her scooter, feeling carefree and exhilarated. She was dressed in a stunning white anarkali with a vibrant red shimmering dupatta flowing behind her, complemented by elegant silver jhumka's. As she rode, the wind whipped through her hair, adding to her joy. When she stopped at a signal, a sleek black Mercedes pulled up behind her. As she fiddled with her dupatta, which was getting tangled in the scooter's handle, she decided to tie it up. Just as she unpinned it, a gust of wind swept it away, and it landed on the car behind her.

As Swara pulled over and stepped off her scooter, she walked towards her dupatta, which had landed on the black Mercedes behind her. Meanwhile, Sanskar, sitting in the car, caught a blurred glimpse of her reflection in the dupatta, which had settled on the front windshield.

As Swara reached for her dupatta, Sanskar's gaze met hers, and he was struck by the mesmerizing depth of her green emerald eyes, which seemed to hold the vastness of the ocean. Her long, black hair cascaded down her back like a magnificent crown, framing her face with elegance.

*Flashback ends*

"Back then, I had no idea you'd become my obsession, my desire," he murmured, his eyes fixed on the screen displaying her photo. "But those green emerald eyes... how could I ever forget them? They left an indelible mark on my mind."

*Flashback*

Sanskar's intense focus on the meeting was disrupted when a sudden splash of water hit his face. His eyes blazed with rage as he turned to shout at the culprit, but his anger froze in its tracks. Before him stood the very same woman whose piercing green emerald eyes had been haunting him, refusing to let him sleep or concentrate on work. Those eyes now sparkled with mischief, captivating him once again.

Swara's anger boiled over as Rahul, Sanskar's PA, shouted at her, "How dare you? Do you know who he is?"

Sanskar intervened, his eyes locked on Swara's. "Yes, I know him," she retorted, her voice venomous. "A cheater who gets girls pregnant and takes pleasure in ruining innocent lives."

Sanskar's expression turned icy. "Do you have any proof? You can't just slander me without evidence."

Swara's rage intensified. "After what you did to my friend, you have the audacity to ask for proof? You're shameless."

Her hand flew towards him, but Sanskar caught her wrist, his grip firm. "Your hand is so delicate, so soft," he whispered, his breath caressing her skin as he pulled her closer, his eyes locked on hers.

Swara's eyes widened as she felt his warm breath on her skin, her heart racing like a wild animal. It was her first time being this close to a man, and her body betrayed her, sweat forming on her forehead as she felt the hardness of his toned chest against her.

But her nervousness quickly turned to anger, and with a surge of adrenaline, she kicked his knees.

"Ouch!" Sanskar grunted, his hold loosening.

Swara seized the opportunity to break free and stepped back, her finger pointed accusingly at him. "Don't you dare touch me again."

Sanskar's eyes flashed with warning as he glared at her pointed finger. "And you don't dare hit me again, you wildcat," he retorted, his voice low and menacing.

The air was thick with tension as Sanskar and Swara glared at each other, their anger palpable. Rahul stood frozen, shocked by his boss's behavior. "Is this really my boss? The same man who would have crushed anyone who dared to cross him?" he thought, bewildered.

As he watched the scene unfold, Rahul's expression transformed into a sly smile. "Looks like I'll soon be busy with arrangements for my boss's wedding," he thought, mentally dancing with excitement. "Finally, I might get some respite from his workaholic tendencies."

"Swara....." Swara, Sanskar and Rahul looks at source of voice.

"Swara's triumphant expression faltered as Ragini's puzzled gaze landed on her. "Caught whom? And who is he?" Ragini asked, confusion etched on her face.

Swara's eyes still flashed with anger as she replied, "Isn't he the guy who ditched you?"

Ragini's eyes widened in shock. "What? No! He just left here with his new girlfriend."

Swara's face fell as she sneaked a glance at Sanskar, her mind racing. "Swara, run... what have you done?" she mentally cried, her heart sinking.

"Thinking of making a run for it, Miss Wildcat?" Sanskar smirked, clearly amused by her pale face. Swara shot back,

Still it's your fault, who told you to wear black three piece suit, and look handsome? I got confused. So don't blame me" With that, she turned and walked away with Ragini, leaving Sanskar in her wake.

Rahul's laughter abruptly stopped as he caught Sanskar's icy glare, his eyes flashing with a warning that seemed to say, "be ready to get fired"

*Flashback ends*

"I was surprised by myself, and then by you, my wildcat," he whispered, his fingers delicately tracing the contours of her photo as if he were touching her skin. His touch was gentle, as if fearful of causing her harm.

"How did I let you go so easily that day?" he mused. "I destroy anyone who dares to cross me, yet you disrespected me, accused me, and I did nothing. In fact, I enjoyed it," he chuckled, a cold glint in his eyes.

"For the first time in a long while, I felt my heart stir. You melted the icy walls I built around it, just with those emerald eyes of yours." His gaze lingered on her photo, his expression a mix of fascination and intrigue.

"I don't love you; that word is forbidden in my life," he declared, his dark, mysterious tone resonating through the room. "The words I live by are control and power."

His voice dripped with intensity as he continued, "And I will control you, wildcat. Soon, you'll grow accustomed to it. Don't worry, you'll learn to surrender." The air seemed to thicken with anticipation, his words hanging like a promise.

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Nandini clutched her parents' photo tightly, tears streaming down her face as she whispered, "I hate you, Sanskar Maheshwari." Her voice trembled with rage and pain. "You took my parents away from me, destroyed my happy life. I'll never accept you as my brother."

As she gazed at the photo, memories flooded her mind. "I'll never forget the fear in my parents' eyes when you forced me to leave with you," she thought, determination burning within her. "But I'll make you pay; I'll force you to send me back to them."

Her eyes, red-rimmed from crying, blazed with hatred as she whispered, "You'll pay for what you've done."

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Manik trudged into his room, exhausted from a long meeting. He glanced at the clock, sighing at the late hour - 12:30 AM. "Chipkali must be sleeping by now," he murmured, feeling a pang of loneliness. It had been three days since they'd last chatted, and his busy schedule had left him missing her terribly.

As he gazed at her photo, a tender smile spread across his face. "I miss your smile, your mischief, your lavender scent, your chubby cheeks, my baby doll," he whispered, his voice filled with longing. His lips brushed against the picture, where a 15-year-old Manik was giving a 9-year-old Nandini a piggy ride, capturing a moment of pure joy and innocence.

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