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Naina’s POV

There was something infuriating about Veer Malhotra.

Maybe it was his arrogance, the way he carried himself as if the world bent at his will. Or maybe it was the fact that, lately, he was everywhere.

At first, I thought it was a coincidence. Running into him at the hospital was unavoidable—after all, it was his family’s business. But when I saw him outside the hospital, I realized it was something else entirely.

Like today.

I had planned for a peaceful lunch at my favorite café, away from the stress of the hospital. Yet, the moment I settled at my table, flipping open a book, a shadow loomed over me.

“I didn’t take you for the type who enjoys solitude.”

Her fingers tightened around her coffee cup as she looked up. And there he was. Veer Malhotra, in all his perfectly tailored, annoyingly magnetic presence.

“Are you following me?” she asked, arching an eyebrow.

He slid into the seat across from her, completely uninvited. “Don’t flatter yourself, Dr. Sharma. It seems we just frequent the same places.”

Before she could respond, another voice chimed in. “Oh wow, what a coincidence! The great Veer Malhotra, randomly showing up wherever Naina goes.”

Naina turned to find Dr. Priya Mehta, her best friend, smirking as she placed her coffee on the table. She sat down beside Naina, throwing Veer a teasing glance.

“I have to say, it’s quite amusing,” Priya continued, “seeing you here. I mean, this café is hardly your style, Mr. Malhotra.”

Veer gave her an unimpressed look. “And who exactly invited you into this conversation?”

Naina thought ,'So Rude..! hoe can he talk like this to my friend..'

Priya placed a hand on her chest in mock offense. “Oh, I’m just here for moral support. Watching Naina suffer through this unexpected encounter.”

Naina rolled her eyes. “Thank you, Priya. Very helpful.”

Veer smirked and turned back to Naina. “Do you always need an audience, or am I just special?”

“You’re special, alright,” Naina muttered under her breath.

Just as things were getting more heated, another figure approached. “You know, Veer, when you said you were ‘just passing by,’ I didn’t think you meant ‘stalking a doctor on her lunch break.’”

Naina turned to see Aditya Khanna, Veer’s best friend, grinning as he pulled out a chair. “Really, man? This is getting embarrassing.”

Veer shot him a warning look, but Aditya only laughed, leaning back in his seat. “Relax. I’m just here to observe.”

Naina sighed. “Great. Now it’s a full-blown gathering.”

Priya elbowed her playfully. “Admit it. You’re at least a little flattered by all this attention.”

Naina opened her mouth to argue, but the words never came. Because the truth was, Priya wasn’t entirely wrong. And that realization irritated her even more.

Before she could dwell on it, Priya turned her attention to Aditya with a playful smirk. “So, Aditya, do you always tag along to make sure Veer doesn’t get himself in trouble, or do you just enjoy third-wheeling?”

Aditya chuckled, leaning back in his chair. “Oh, I’m more of an unpaid babysitter at this point. Veer just refuses to admit he needs one.”

Priya gasped in mock surprise. “A babysitter? Now that’s interesting. I always imagined Veer as the brooding type who doesn’t need anyone.”

Aditya shot Veer a teasing glance. “Oh, he likes to pretend. But deep down? Helpless.”

Veer rolled his eyes, exasperated. “Are you both done?”

Priya giggled, winking at Aditya. “I don’t know, I think I like this dynamic.”

Naina and Veer exchanged looks before simultaneously rolling their eyes. “Unbelievable,” Naina muttered under her breath.

Veer’s POV

It wasn’t supposed to be like this.

He wasn’t supposed to be drawn to her. And yet, the more she resisted him, the more he found himself wanting to break through those walls.

Maybe it was the fire in her eyes. Or the way she didn’t hesitate to challenge him when most people feared him. Maybe it was the sheer fact that she wasn’t intimidated by his name, his power.

Whatever it was, it was dangerous.

And yet, he found himself unable to stay away.

So when he spotted her leaving the café, he followed—because he needed to know why she unsettled him so much.

She was halfway down the street when he called out, “Wait ,Dr. Sharma.”

She turned, exasperation clear on her face. “Mr. Malhotra, what do you want?”

He hadn’t thought that far. But instead of admitting it, he smirked. “Just making sure you don’t get lost.”

Her eyes narrowed. “You are impossible.”

He stepped closer, just enough to see the way her breath hitched. “And you, Dr. Sharma, are in denial.”

She folded her arms. “About what?”

He studied her, his voice dropping lower. “The fact that I affect you just as much as you affect me.”

Her lips parted, as if ready to argue, but no words came out. And then, in the midst of their silent war, it happened.

A passerby rushed past them, bumping into her, and she stumbled forward—straight into him.

His hands caught her instinctively, steadying her. But he didn’t let go.

Neither did she.

Her fingers clutched at his shirt, their bodies too close, the air between them suddenly charged with something neither of them could ignore.

His breath was warm against her temple, his grip firm yet careful. And for the first time, Veer Malhotra didn’t feel in control.

“Let me go,” she whispered, but even she didn’t sound convinced.

His fingers flexed slightly against her waist. “Are you sure?”

She hesitated. And in that hesitation, he found his answer.

Naina’s POV

I should have pushed him away.

I should have said something, anything, to break the moment.

But I didn’t.

Because for the first time since I met him, I saw something unguarded in his eyes. Something raw. Something that told me this wasn’t just a game to him.

And that scared me more than anything else.

So I did the only thing she could.

I took a step back.

His hands dropped to his sides, but his eyes never left mine. There was something unreadable in them, something that made my pulse race.

Before either of us could say a word, a voice interrupted them.

“Well, isn’t this interesting?”

Naina turned sharply to find Mrs. Malhotra watching them with a knowing smile, her arms folded across her chest.

Her cheeks burned. “I—It’s not what it looks like.”

Mrs. Malhotra arched an elegant brow. “Oh, dear, I think it’s exactly what it looks like.”

Naina opened her mouth to argue, but Veer, the infuriating man, only smirked.“Maa, don’t you have somewhere to be?”

Mrs. Malhotra sighed dramatically. “Oh, I was just passing by. But I must say, I haven’t seen you this invested in someone in a long time, Veer beta”

Aditya, who had just caught up with them, snickered. “Oh, this is gold. Aunty, do go on.”

Priya, standing beside Naina now, nudged her. “See? Even his mother sees it.”

Naina shot her a glare, but her own heart was betraying her.

Whatever this was between them—it had already started.

And stopping it wasn’t an option anymore.

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