Navya’s Pov
It’s been a week since we got back from the farmhouse, and honestly, life has been a whirlwind. I’m currently camped out in my flat near the hospital. It started as an investment, but lately, it’s become my hideout. And the reason? Well, I haven’t exactly told Papa about my suspension from the hospital. The authorities are claiming I made a mistake during surgery that led to the patient’s death. But I know it’s not my fault—it's foul play, orchestrated by my cheater ex-boyfriend, Aditya, along with some hospital authorities who, for reasons I still don’t know, seem to have it out for me.
Aditya thinks that by ruining my career, I’ll come crawling back to him. Newsflash: that’s never going to happen.
I haven’t told Papa about any of it, though. His health has been bad lately, and the last thing he needs is more stress. Besides, the investigation is still ongoing, and I know they won’t find any evidence against me. It’s just a waiting game at this point.
On top of everything, Aadya has been crashing at my flat too. She had one of her epic fights with her dad—again. Honestly, those two are more alike than they’d admit—both are short-tempered, smart, and impulsive. Though I’d say Aadya takes impulsiveness to a whole new level.
But I know her dad well. After all, the four of us practically grew up together until the 10th grade. Those were the good old days. We were inseparable—always moving between each other’s homes, like one big family. It was like having four homes.
Ever since we got back from the farmhouse, Aadya and I have fallen into this little routine. We wake up, study, chat, eat, sleep, and repeat. She’s been here since her fight with her dad, and honestly, it’s nice having her around. Roohi’s busy running her company, and Ishaani is handling some big client, so it’s just the two of us. Navigating life, as usual.
As I was setting the table for lunch, I called out, “Aadya, come on, lunch is ready.”
She strolled in, took one look at the table, and grinned. “Wow, this looks good, Chef Navya! Should I hire you full-time?”
I laughed, doing a little mock bow. “Thank you, ma’am. I accept payments in compliments and gossip.”
We both sat down, and as we started eating, I decided to stir the pot. “By the way, do you have your smugface’s number? He’s got some of the photos from the farmhouse.”
Aadya froze for a second before muttering, “No.”
Now, that was surprising. Usually, just the mention of Shivansh’s name would trigger one of her epic rants—about how arrogant, insufferable, and, as she puts it, “entitled” he is. But today? Nothing. Crickets.
I raised an eyebrow. “You sure everything’s good between you two? I mean, you guys didn’t even argue at the farmhouse. Shivansh was acting weird too, like he was avoiding you.”
Aadya sighed dramatically. “Alright, fine. I wasn’t gonna say anything because I knew you’d pin it on me, but I can’t keep it in anymore. I snapped at him, okay?”
I blinked. “You? Snapped at him? I’m shocked.” My voice dripped with sarcasm.
She shot me a look. “Yeah, yeah, laugh it up. But it was stupid, alright? He just mentioned that he’s also a lawyer, and I… well, I kind of bit his head off.”
“Wait, you snapped because you found out he’s a lawyer?” I asked, confused.
She sighed, running her hands through her hair. “It wasn’t that, Navya. I don’t even know why I did it. But he looked… hurt, you know? His face just changed.”
Now that was unexpected. Aadya, feeling bad about Shivansh? The Aadya I knew usually delivered savage comebacks with pride. But here she was, actually feeling guilty.
“So... why do you care? I mean, usually you’d be celebrating if you made him mad,” I teased, a sly grin forming on my face.
Aadya shifted uncomfortably. “I don’t know, okay? He just seemed genuinely disappointed, and for some reason, I felt bad. Maybe I shouldn’t have snapped.”
I couldn’t help but laugh a little. “Aadya, you never regret snapping at people. Ever. Are you sure you’ve moved on from Shivansh?”
She started coughing like I’d just hit her with a bombshell. I got up, rubbing her back and handing her some water, still smirking.
“Are you mad, Navya? Moved on? From what? That was just… teenage hormones! Everyone likes someone in high school—he was handsome, intelligent, popular, and all that. It was nothing serious.”
I leaned back in my chair, grinning. “Uh-huh, sure. You never defend yourself this hard, you know that? Plus, I find it hard to believe someone like you—Miss ‘I-Don’t-Need-No-Man’—never dated anyone after that.”
She groaned. “Navya, shut up, yaar.”
Laughing, I raised my hands in surrender. “Okay, okay, sorry. But seriously, what happened with you three musketeers? You used to tell us all the time how your ‘musketeers’ squad was the second-best thing that ever happened to you after our Powerpuff Girl group. And then, you lost contact. What’s the story there?”
Aadya paused, Not softening for the first time in this whole conversation. “I don’t know, Navya. Maybe kisi ki nazar lag gayi…”
I smirked, sensing some juicy, unresolved drama. "Nazar, huh? Or maybe... Shivansh happened?"
She glared at me, the typical Aadya fire returning to her eyes. “Navya!”
I just laughed, knowing that deep down, there was more to this story. Whatever she said, whatever excuses she made about high school crushes and hormones, something about Shivansh still lingered beneath the surface. And I had a feeling it was only a matter of time before those buried feelings came crashing into the present.
Okay sorry , now tell me what happened, I asked.
Aadya's Pov
"I don’t know, Navya," I said, sighing. "Maybe trust is the most important thing in any friendship or relationship... but I think I lacked it."
Navya raised her eyebrows, unimpressed. "Aadya, stop with the vague statements. Spill it already. What exactly happened?"
Flashback
Back in 11th grade, I met Shivansh and Vivaan when they saved me from some bullies. It wasn’t that I wasn’t capable of defending myself, but their help meant a lot. Ever since that day, the three of us became inseparable. For six months, I don’t remember having a single lunch alone in the canteen. The canteen became our spot—our daily hangout. It was honestly the best part of the day for me. We’d laugh, joke around, and tease each other endlessly.
“Is he late again?” I asked Vivaan, settling into my chair.
Vivaan glanced at me, a mischievous smile playing on his lips. “Maybe stuck with his fan club. You know how it is with The Great Shivansh.”
I couldn’t help but laugh. “Where are your fan girls? Busy giving you the cold shoulder?”
We both burst into laughter just as Shivansh arrived, plopping down beside us. “I’m on time, guys,” he said, already knowing we were about to call him out for being late.
“Sure you are,” Vivaan snickered.
Before we could start teasing him, Yash, Shivansh and Vivaan’s classmate, strolled over and joined us. It wasn’t unusual—sometimes their friends would sit with us, sometimes mine. Today, though, was different. Shanaya, my classmate, suddenly appeared. There wasn’t much space left at the table, but she dragged a chair from another table and squeezed it between Shivansh and Yash. I scooted over slightly, but to my surprise, she wedged herself closer to Shivansh.
I didn’t mind at first, but the awkwardness lingered as everyone else seemed to notice too. We began eating, and, like always, I moved my cucumbers onto Shivansh’s plate. It had become our thing, and he didn’t mind.
“You want this brownie, Princess?” Shivansh asked, holding it out with a knowing smile. He was well aware of my love for brownies.
Before I could answer, Shanaya chimed in, “I want it!” She batted her eyelashes, and Shivansh glanced Onen me and her before placing it on her plate.
“Sure, Shanaya,” I muttered, trying not to feel irritated.
As we continued eating, I noticed Shanaya was really clinging to Shivansh. I mean, was there really a need to rest her hand on his chest? Shivansh, to his credit, looked uncomfortable but wasn’t saying anything. That’s when I’d had enough. I stood up, and everyone turned to look at me.
With the sweetest voice I could muster, I said, “Shiv, if you’re done, could you come with me for a second?”
Both Vivaan and Shivansh stared at me, stunned. They were used to my usual sarcasm, not this sugary tone. Shanaya, of course, shot me a dirty look, but I didn’t care. Shivansh followed me out to the corridor, a look of concern on his face.
“What’s wrong, Princess?” he asked softly.
I rolled my eyes. Oh, great. What now? I hadn’t thought this through. I blurted, “Nothing. I forgot what I wanted to say.”
I turned to walk away when Shivansh teased, “Are you jealous, Princess?”
I froze. My heart skipped a beat, and I closed my eyes briefly before spinning around to deny it. “In your dreams, smug face!” I shot back.
“Shiv sounds better than ‘smug face’, don’t you think, Princess?” he teased further.
“Bye, Shiv. I actually have things to do unlike someone,” I huffed, walking away, regretting everything.
The next day, Vivaan and I were chilling during my free period, sitting in the playground while he oversaw the field cleanup as the sports captain. We were chatting about random things when, out of nowhere, he said, “Why don’t you just tell him?”
I blinked, surprised. “Tell who what?”
“Shivansh,” he said, with a knowing grin. “About your feelings.”
I nearly choked on my water. “What feelings? It’s not like that, Vivaan.”
“Please. I’ve seen how jealous you get whenever a girl gets too close to him. Just don’t regret it later,” he said, eyes twinkling.
I sighed. Maybe he was right. But was I even ready to admit that to myself? I just nodded, and we continued talking about something else.
A week later, I was having lunch alone since everyone was late. I wasn’t expecting any drama, but Shanaya decided to grace me with her presence. I passed her the soup bowl when she asked, but instead of taking it, she tilted my hand, causing the soup to spill on her.
“What is wrong with you, Aadya?!” Shanaya screeched. “Why do you hate me so much?”
I stared at her in disbelief. What a drama queen.
Just then, Shivansh arrived, and as expected, she clung to him, whining, “Shivansh baby, look what Aadya did!”
Oh God, here we go.
Shivansh sighed. “Aadya, I know you didn’t mean to, but just apologize…”
I snapped. “Are you kidding me, Shiv? That soup wasn’t even hot!” To prove my point, I dipped my hand into the bowl, regretting it immediately—it was hotter than I thought. But I kept my cool, pretending it didn’t hurt.
“If your Shanaya is so sensitive, why don’t you carry her around like the baby she is?” I shot back before storming out of the canteen.
Later, I sat on the playground, staring at my slightly burned hand when Shivansh appeared with a food tray and a glass of ice. He gently dipped my hand into the cup. “You’re so impulsive, Princess,” he said, shaking his head.
“She’s the one who started it,” I mumbled, pouting.
He chuckled softly. “I know.”
I smiled, feeling relieved. Then I added, “Don’t worry. It’s just a little burn.”
He smirked. “Her hand’s probably worse than yours.”
I snorted. “Go take care of her then.”
Shivansh laughed and replied, “Serves her right. She did it to herself, so she can deal with it.” He glanced at my hand again. “Now, let’s eat. I’m starving.”
We ate together, and Shanaya continued her over-the-top antics for the next few weeks, but I had something bigger on my mind. I’d finally made up my mind—I was going to confess my feelings to Shivansh at the school fest.
On the day of the fest, I decided to tell Shivansh how I felt. I bought a silver ring for him—well, that was what I could afford as an 11th-grade student. I know it wasn’t like me to be a hopeless romantic, but what could I do? I just wanted him to know how fond I was of him.
The day of the fest arrived. I was wearing a white dress for my group dance performance, which, thankfully, went perfectly. After the dance, I spotted Shivansh and Vivaan waiting for me at the back.
“You look like a real princess in that dress,” Shivansh said, making me blush.
“Thanks,” I mumbled, while Vivaan waggled his eyebrows teasingly.
Shivansh even showed me some pictures he’d taken of me during my performance. I was admiring the shots when Shanaya suddenly appeared and wrapped her arms around Shivansh. “Did you like my performance, Shivansh baby?” she cooed.
“It was… nice,” he replied, awkwardly stepping away from her.
I couldn’t help but smile, thinking, That’s a good boy.
You know that moment when you’re on top of the world? Like, you just nailed your dance performance, your hair’s perfect, your outfit’s on point, and everyone’s showering you with compliments? Well, that was me. Aadya Mittal—I’m not a great dancer, but I am fine, the star of the school fest, feeling like a total queen.
But today, today was different. I had a plan.
Confess my feelings.
Yes, you heard that right. Me, Aadya Mittal, about to do the thing they write in cheesy rom-coms. I was finally going to tell Shivansh how I feel for him. I know I never imagined myself liking his smug face.
Just as I was working up the nerve to go up to him, I overheard Shanaya’s annoying voice. Ugh, she’s like the human version of nails on a chalkboard.
“You know, Yash, I think Shivansh might finally be noticing me.” She giggled, and I could feel my eyes rolling to the back of my head. “We’ve been spending so much time together. I think he’s moving on from Aadya.”
Excuse me?! Moving on from me? There was nothing to “move on” from in the first place! I mean… right? Right?!
And Yash? He just smirked. That smarmy, know-it-all smirk that made me want to throw a stone at his face. “Yeah, I’ve noticed. You two make a good pair, Shanaya.”
Him and Shanaya make a good pair, nice joke.
Okay, now I’m spiraling. I tried to shake it off, telling myself they were just talking nonsense. Breathe, Aadya. Focus. Shivansh was waiting for me, and I was going to tell him exactly how I felt.
By evening, I was so nervous I could practically hear my heartbeat in my ears. I spotted Yash lounging by the snack table, stuffing his face with samosas like he had no care in the world. He saw me approach and said, “Hey, Aadya, looking for Shivansh?”
I nodded, trying not to sound desperate. Cool, calm, collected.
“He’s with Shanaya. They’re... you know, probably still talking.”
Why are they together and what are they talking about? Okay, Aadya, relax. They might be talking about something.
Something in his voice made my stomach flip for all the wrong reasons. But like the idiot I am, I followed him. He led me straight to where Shivansh and Shanaya were.
And what did I see? Shanaya was practically draping herself over Shivansh, and I looked like they were making out. I couldn’t see anything as his back was facing me.
I felt like someone punched me in the gut.
My mind was racing. Was this it? Was Yash right? Was he... into Shanaya?
I didn’t say a word. Nope. I just spun on my heel and ran. Yes, ran like a character in one of those over-the-top Bollywood movies where they dramatically run away from their feelings. Classic.
Of course, Shivansh noticed. He caught up with me, confusion all over his stupidly perfect face. “Hey, Princess, what’s wrong? Are you okay?”
Okay? Oh, you sweet, oblivious idiot.
I glared at him, words spilling out before I could stop them. “I hate her, Shivansh. I hate Shanaya!”
Now, after this, whatever I said—I don't know why I said it. It was just my impulsive behavior, but then what is done is done.
Shivansh blinked. “What? Why? What did she do now?”
“Are you seriously asking me that?!” I snapped, feeling the heat rise to my face. “She’s been hanging all over you like you’re some prize to be won!”
He raised an eyebrow, clearly confused. “I don’t even like Shanaya like that. I was just…”
“Just what, huh? Just using you to boost her stupid ego!” I crossed my arms, trying to keep from screaming. “And you just let her!”
Shivansh tilted his head, his signature smirk starting to form. “Princess, what are you even talking about? She’s not my type. You know that.”
Oh, now I was boiling. “You never stop her! And I’m supposed to stand there and watch while she—” I stopped myself before I said something too revealing.
“What are you trying to say?” he asked, his voice softer now. He was genuinely confused, but all I could see was the scene from earlier playing in my head.
I tried to keep it cool, but my heart had other plans. “Maybe we shouldn’t even be friends anymore.”
His eyes widened. “Wait, what? You’re breaking our friendship over Shanaya? Seriously?”
I nodded, trying to look firm even though my insides were crumbling. “Yes. It’s better this way.”
Shivansh stared at me like I’d just told him the sky was green. “Are you serious right now? You’re ending our friendship because of this?”
I couldn’t explain it to him. How could I? How could I tell him I was breaking our friendship to protect myself from falling any deeper in love with him?
So I did what I do best. I pretended it didn’t matter.
“Yes,” I said, trying to sound like I didn’t care. “It’s better for both of us.”
And just like that, we stopped being friends. Shivansh didn’t stop me. He looked hurt, sure, but he didn’t fight it. Not that I blamed him. I mean, I was the one who’d acted like a complete lunatic. And about Vivaan—well, he used to talk to me sometimes, but then he also got busy with his studies as boards were coming.
For the next two months, it was like the school had turned into a battlefield. We couldn’t go one week without fighting. The canteen? Oh, don’t even get me started. Every time I saw him, we’d end up bickering about the dumbest things, and Vivaan became the mediator. Once, we fought over who got to sit in the better seat. Yeah, it was that bad.
The whole school noticed. We became the enemies, the two people who couldn’t stand each other. It was like we were in a bad teen drama.
Shivansh and Vivaan’s 12th-grade year ended, and they both went off to college. And me? I just... let it happen. We drifted apart, just like that.
Back to Present
Navya looked at me, wide-eyed. "Wait, so you never told him how you really felt?"
I shook my head, feeling a mix of regret and anger bubbling up. "Nope. And after that, we just argued every time we saw each other."
“You’re such an idiot,” Navya laughed, shaking her head. “You could’ve had the ultimate Bollywood love story, and instead, you turned it into a full-blown drama.”
“Yeah, yeah, rub it in,” I muttered, rolling my eyes. But deep down, I knew she was right. Maybe things could’ve been different... if only I hadn’t let my jealousy and anger get the best of me.
Navya’s POV
"Yaar, Navya, you’re such a sleepyhead. You woke up late, and now you’re taking forever to get ready!" Aadya complained.
"Wait a sec," I said, fumbling with my watch. "Let’s go!"
She raised an eyebrow. "Did you book the table?"
Oh no. I froze. Why am I so forgetful? Now this woman is going to kill me.
"Oh... that! No need, it’s only busy on weekends. It’s Monday, we’ll be fine," I quickly covered up.
As we settled in the car, Aadya gave me a hard look. "Navya, you didn’t book the table, did you? I told you this afternoon I’d do it, but you insisted! And now, I’m starving."
I shot her a grin. "Relax, trust me, there’ll be a table."
Aadya groaned. "How do you handle your patients with that memory of yours?"
We arrived at the restaurant, and I told her to go inside while I parked. As I walked toward the entrance, I saw Aadya talking to two guys. They were tall, but their backs were to me, so I couldn’t see their faces.
What’s going on? I hurried closer. Just as I reached them, both guys turned at the same time.
Oh no.
Is this some kind of movie? Why do I keep running into him like this?
My clutch slipped from my hand as I stared at Reeyansh and Shivansh standing with Aadya.
Aadya sighed dramatically. "See? The table’s not available. Now what are we going to do? I’m famished."
"We’ll find another place," I said, bending down to retrieve my clutch. Before I could grab it, Reeyansh crouched at the same time, picked it up, and handed it to me.
"Thanks..." I muttered, trying not to meet his eyes.
Shivansh suddenly spoke up. "Why don’t you take our table? We’re not eating here anyway."
"No, no, it’s fine. Don’t trouble yourselves," I said quickly, hoping to escape the awkward situation.
Shivansh shrugged. "No trouble. We were leaving. We just stopped when we saw her talking to the manager."
So that’s why Aadya was standing with them.
The manager came over and suggested, "If you’re all friends, why not share the table? There’s enough space for four."
Aadya lit up. "Sounds good! Why don’t you guys join us?"
Before I could say anything, Shivansh started, "No th—"
But Reeyansh cut him off. "Sure, let’s go."
"Excuse me?" Shivansh and I both said in unison, but we were ignored as they headed toward the table.
Great. I knew what Aadya was up to. She wanted to apologize to Shivansh, and this was her golden chance. But what about me?
Shivansh walked beside me and muttered, "Looks like our opinions don’t matter."
I smiled slightly. "Apparently not."
We sat at a round table, me between Reeyansh and Aadya, while Shivansh sat across from me. There was an awkward tension in the air. Aadya kept sneaking glances at Shivansh, but he was pointedly ignoring her. Meanwhile, Reeyansh was unusually quiet, busy on his phone. Something was definitely up.
The waiter came, and to my surprise, Reeyansh ordered for all of us, specifically asking, "No nuts."
I was confused. Why no nuts? Just then, Aadya muttered under her breath, "Oh, he still has that allergy."
Ah, Shivansh’s allergy. That made sense now.
Trying to break the ice, I turned to Shivansh. "So, you’re a lawyer, right?"
He shot me a smile, but I could sense the taunt in his eyes as he glanced at Aadya. "Yes, I specialize in commercial law."
Oh. Now I understood the look. Aadya was a criminal lawyer. It was a subtle dig.
"And you?" Shivansh asked, turning the conversation back to me. "I know you’re a doctor, but what kind?"
"I’m a cardiothoracic surgeon," I replied.
Just then, Reeyansh spoke up. "So, why aren’t you at the hospital?"
I blinked. "Excuse me?"
He shrugged. "I mean, surgeons are usually really busy, right?"
Was he playing games with me? Before I could answer, the starters arrived, and the conversation turned to work. It became less awkward as we discussed business, though it felt like Shivansh and I were doing most of the talking. Reeyansh and Aadya only chimed in occasionally.
Shivansh, to my surprise, was sweet and easy to talk to. Just as I was checking a message on my phone, I felt something cold splash onto my lap.
Juice.
And I didn’t even need to look up to know who the culprit was.
"Reeyansh!" I exclaimed, glaring at him.
He gave me an innocent look. "Sorry."
Aadya offered, "Come on, I’ll help you get it cleaned."
"No, no, it’s alright," I sighed, excusing myself to go to the washroom. Why does he do this? Is it on purpose?
As I walked out of the washroom, still cursing Reeyansh under my breath, I saw him standing in the corridor. I opened my mouth to speak, but before I could, he grabbed my hand and gently pulled me toward the back of the hotel, where there was a small garden area.
"What is wrong with you?!" I snapped. "Have you hit your head?"
He turned to me, his eyes dark, his tone serious. "You tell me, Navya. What’s wrong with you?"
"Me?" I crossed my arms. "You spilled juice on me on purpose!"
He shook his head. "No, I didn’t. But let’s talk about something else. Why aren’t you at the hospital?"
"Excuse me?" I asked, incredulous. "Who are you to ask?"
"I’m the man you love."
I froze. "You know what, this is pointless. For your information, I have a boyfriend."
That wiped the smirk off his face. His eyes darkened with anger.
As I tried to walk away, I felt him pull me back, pinning me to his chest. My one hand was pinned behind my back, the other pressed against his chest as I tried to push him away. He was too strong.
His voice was low, almost dangerous. "I will kill him."
Shivers ran down my spine. I knew he meant it.
I tilted my chin up defiantly. "You think I’m afraid of you?"
He brushed a strand of hair from my face, his touch gentle despite the tension. "No, I know you’re not. You don’t even need to be."
I sighed, exasperated. "Reeyansh, we’re over. Why don’t you understand that?"
For a moment, I saw something in his eyes—hurt. His grip tightened slightly, and he whispered, "Why? Why did you leave me, Navya? What did I do wrong?"
My heart clenched. Why did he still care so much?
He continued, his voice breaking. "When I saw you with that bastard Aditya... when I saw his ring on your finger... it killed me. But now, your finger’s bare. And soon, it’ll have the ring I give you."
My breath caught in my throat as he added, "And don’t worry. I know you’re not responsible for that patient’s death. I’ll clear your name, even if you won’t tell me the truth."
Tears welled in my eyes. How could he trust me like this, after everything? Even my closest friends had their doubts, but him?
"I love you, Navya, and I know you love me. Whatever you say or do won’t change that." His voice softened. "I’ll love you till my last bre—"
Before he could finish, I crashed my lips against his, standing on my toes to reach him. His body stiffened for a second before he kissed me back, passionately, as if we’d both been waiting for this moment for years.
Forgetting the world around us, I pulled him closer, losing myself in him. After a few moments, we broke apart, breathless. Just as we did, he bit my lower lip gently, a possessive gesture I knew well. He always did it when he was jealous.
Before I could process what had just happened, we heard a loud gasp.
Turning, we saw Shivansh and Aadya standing there, mouths wide open.
I tried to get away from him after seeing them but this man kept holding my waist.
Oh no.
What have I done?
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