Happy Reading...! get ready for the surprise...

Naina's POV

The hospital hallways felt strangely empty. It had been few days since Mrs. Malhotra was discharged, and while Naina should have been relieved, she wasn't.

She wouldn't admit it, but something was... missing.

Her routine had been the same—morning rounds, back-to-back patients, filling out charts—but there was an odd silence that trailed behind her. A certain brooding presence no longer lingered in the corners of the hospital.

A presence she had unconsciously grown used to.

"Naina," Priya's voice dragged her out of her thoughts. "Are you listening to me?"

Naina blinked. "Yeah... uh, what were you saying?"

Priya folded her arms, giving her a knowing look. "I was saying that you've been restless these past few days. And don't even try to deny it. It's because a certain 'Mr. Grumpy' hasn't been lurking around here, right?"

Naina scoffed. "That's ridiculous."

"Is it?" Priya raised an eyebrow. "Then why were you staring at the entrance like a lost puppy just now?"

Naina opened her mouth to argue but snapped it shut. Was I?

Priya smirked. "Busted."

Naina groaned, rubbing her temples. "You're impossible."

"Not as impossible as the tension between you and Veer Malhotra," Priya shot back. "Anyway, forget him. We're going out tonight."

Naina looked up, surprised. "Out?"

"Yes, as in, a night out. You know, like normal young doctors who don't spend every waking moment buried in patient files?" Priya wiggled her brows. "It's an upscale club, and we are going."

Naina sighed. "Priya, I don't think—"

"No excuses! You need a break, and honestly, you need to stop thinking about him."

"I am not thinking about him."

"Uh-huh, sure," Priya said, dragging her along.

Naina groaned again, but deep down, she knew there was no escape.

Veer's POV

"I don't get why I let you talk me into these things," Veer muttered, adjusting the cuffs of his shirt as he followed Aditya into the club.

Aditya smirked. "Because for once in your ruthless, workaholic life, you need to loosen up."

"I don't need to loosen up," Veer replied coolly. "I'm perfectly fine."

"Really? Then why are you still coming to the hospital every day when your mother has already been discharged?" Aditya gave him a pointed look.

Veer didn't reply. He didn't have an answer.

Instead of pushing further, Aditya grinned. "Come on, one drink, and I won't bother you for the rest of the night."

Veer exhaled sharply but followed him inside.

The club was like any other—loud, dimly lit, filled with people pretending to escape their realities for a few stolen hours. Veer Malhotra didn't belong in places like this. He had long outgrown the thrill of meaningless distractions, of shallow company and mindless indulgence.

He was only here because Aditya had dragged him out, forcing him to "loosen up," whatever that meant.

But the moment his sharp gaze flickered across the crowd, everything else faded into the background.

Because there she was.

Naina.

The air in his lungs stilled.

She was across the room, laughing at something Priya had said, completely oblivious to the effect she had just had on him.

Veer's grip on his drink tightened as his eyes took in the sight before him.

She wasn't wearing her usual modest kurtis, those soft, delicate fabrics that always made her look untouchable, almost otherworldly in her innocence.

No.

Tonight, she was different.

Tonight, she was a contradiction—one that he could not look away from.

The black dress hugged her figure just right, modest yet bold, nothing over-the-top, but just enough to make his control falter for the briefest second. The fabric clung to her curves in ways that made his jaw tighten. It wasn't about revealing too much—it was the sheer fact that he wasn't used to seeing her like this.

Unrestrained.

Unfiltered.

Unapologetically beautiful.

And it infuriated him.

Because he wasn't the only one looking.

Men around her turned their heads, their gazes lingering a second too long. And something dark, something possessive, curled deep in Veer's chest, seething beneath his controlled exterior.

They had no right.

She wasn't for them to look at.

She wasn't meant for their appreciation, for their hungry, fleeting admiration.

She wasn't meant for anyone but him.

The thought struck Veer so suddenly, so forcefully, that he exhaled sharply, masking it with a slow sip of his drink.

Get a grip.

But he couldn't.

Because when she moved, brushing a loose strand of hair behind her ear, a flicker of uncertainty in her eyes, he knew—she wasn't aware of the chaos she had just caused.

Naina had no idea how dangerous she looked tonight.

No idea what kind of thoughts she was stirring inside him.

And that made it worse.

Because if she had been aware—if she had dressed like this for him, knowing exactly what she was doing—he could have played this game differently. He could have found a way to stay detached, to regain control of whatever this was.

But this wasn't calculated.

This was just her.

And for the first time in years, Veer Malhotra felt something dangerously close to unsteady.

Aditya leaned back against the bar, arms crossed, watching Veer with the kind of smug amusement that made Veer want to knock the smirk right off his face.

"Well, well... what do we have here?" Aditya drawled, his voice dripping with mischief. "Veer Malhotra, caught staring?"

Veer exhaled slowly, tearing his gaze away from Naina with the kind of effort it took to walk away from a battlefield still raging. "It's a coincidence."

"A coincidence?" Aditya chuckled, shaking his head. "Right. Just like it was a 'coincidence' that you kept dropping by the hospital even after Aunty was discharged?" He raised an eyebrow. "And now, magically, we end up at the same club as her?"

Veer shot him a warning glare, but Aditya was in no mood to stop.

"I mean, what are the odds?" Aditya mused, tilting his head. "A man who hates clubs, dragged here against his will—only to find himself in the same place as a certain Dr. Sharma? Feels less like fate and more like..." He smirked. "Obsession."

Veer clenched his jaw. "Shut up."

"Oh, no, no. I'm enjoying this way too much." Aditya took a sip of his drink, his eyes gleaming with pure entertainment. "You know, I should place bets on how long you'll last before you end up near her."

Veer's fingers curled around his glass. "Aditya—"

"I give you five minutes," Aditya cut in smoothly. "Ten, if you really try to resist." He smirked again, his eyes flicking toward Naina. "She looks stunning, doesn't she? A little different from the doctor in soft kurtis you're used to."

Veer's jaw ticked. He didn't respond.

Aditya let out a low whistle. "And she doesn't even know the effect she has on you, does she? Damn, that's dangerous, buddy." He nudged Veer's arm. "Come on, admit it. Just this once."

Veer's grip on his glass tightened. "Adiii , I swear I will kill you...!."

Aditya grinned. "I knew it."

Veer finally turned, giving him a sharp glare—the kind that had silenced men in boardrooms and brought rivals to their knees.

Aditya, however, only laughed. "Relax, Bossy Malhotra," he teased. "You're already fighting a losing battle."

Veer didn't reply.

Because deep down, he knew Aditya was right.

Naina's POV

The club was a storm of flashing lights, pulsing music, and a sea of people swaying to the bass-heavy rhythm. The scent of expensive colognes mixed with the sharp sting of alcohol in the air, creating an intoxicating atmosphere that Naina wasn't used to.

She wasn't sure if she liked it.

It wasn't like she had never been to a club before, but the chaotic energy, the dimly lit space with neon strobes, the way bodies pressed too closely together—it wasn't her scene. Still, Priya had practically dragged her here, insisting she needed a break from her exhausting hospital shifts.

Naina sighed, swirling the straw in her mocktail as she sat at a plush VIP table with Priya and a few other colleagues from the hospital. The conversation around her was light, laughter bubbling between drinks as everyone let loose.

But her mind... it wasn't here.

She took another sip of her drink, trying to ignore the restless feeling inside her. Something felt off , but she couldn't place what it was.

Priya, ever the observant one, noticed immediately. "You've been fidgeting for the last ten minutes, Naina."

Naina blinked. "I have?"

Priya smirked, leaning in. "You sure you're not looking for someone?"

Naina frowned. "What are you talking about?"

Priya's smirk widened as she casually tilted her head towards the bar. "Don't turn immediately, but... your favorite brooding businessman is here."

Naina stiffened.

She swallowed and, despite Priya's instruction, turned too quickly —her eyes instinctively searching the crowd.

And there he was.

Veer Malhotra.

Standing near the bar, dressed in a tailored black shirt that hugged his broad frame perfectly, his sleeves rolled up just enough to reveal his strong forearms. A glass of whiskey rested in his hand, but he wasn't paying attention to it.

Because his piercing gaze was locked onto her.

Her breath hitched.

For a moment, just a moment, the world around her blurred. The flashing lights dimmed, the music became distant, and it was just— him. Watching her.

The weight of his stare was almost unbearable, sending an unexplainable warmth creeping up her spine.

Then, she broke the eye contact.

Her heart thudded in her chest as she placed her drink down. "I— I need to use the washroom."

Priya gave her a knowing look. "Do you want me to come with you?"

"No, it's fine, I'll be right back." Naina said quickly, standing up. She needed to clear her head.

As she walked toward the restroom, she felt it. That strange, magnetic pull—like she was being watched.

She didn't dare look back.

But Veer hadn't stopped staring.

And he wasn't the only one.

Veer's POV

Veer wasn't sure what made him notice them first.

Maybe it was the way their movements were too deliberate, too synchronized.

Maybe it was the predatory glint in their eyes as they exchanged silent looks before subtly following Naina toward the hallway leading to the restrooms.

Or maybe it was the sheer instinct roaring through his veins—a gut-deep certainty that something was wrong.

His jaw clenched.

He set his drink down.

And then he moved.

His strides were calm, controlled, but his entire body was tense with something dark and dangerous.

By the time he reached the dimly lit corridor, his worst suspicion was confirmed.

Three men. Drunk. Unapologetically vile.

They had cornered Naina near the restroom door. One of them had leaned in too close, blocking her path, while another chuckled, eyeing her like she was prey.

Naina's body was rigid, her wide eyes darting between them, her fingers trembling as she clutched her purse tightly.

Veer saw red.

His voice was deathly calm when he spoke. "I believe she told you to move."

The men turned, sluggish and careless in their intoxicated state. One of them scoffed. "And who the hell are—"

Veer took a single step forward.

One look at his face, at the sheer ferocity in his dark gaze, and the air shifted.

Their bravado faltered.

But before Veer could speak again, something unexpected happened.

Naina—her eyes finding him amidst her fear— ran straight toward him.

Without hesitation.

Without thinking.

Like he was safe.

She crashed into his chest, her tiny hands clutching onto his shirt, her breath uneven as she buried her face against him.

Veer stumbled slightly, caught off guard.

But then—

Then he felt it.

The way her delicate frame trembled against his. The way her fingers clenched, gripping him as though letting go would mean falling apart.

The soft, muffled sob that escaped her lips, so close to his heart.

Something inside him snapped.

One of his hands instinctively wrapped around her protectively, while the other clenched into a fist so tightly his knuckles turned white.

For the first time in his life, Veer Malhotra wanted to destroy someone with his bare hands.

But first—

He gently pulled Naina back, tilting her face up with the softest touch. His voice, though laced with fury, was tender when he whispered, "Stay here."

She nodded, her eyes still glossy with unshed tears.

And then Veer turned.

The next few moments were a blur of sheer brutality.

One punch. A sickening crunch. Another man hitting the floor.

The third tried to run—Veer grabbed him by the collar, slamming him into the wall with effortless strength.

By the time his bodyguards arrived, he barely acknowledged them, his breathing ragged. "Take them away." His voice was cold, emotionless.

His men obeyed instantly.

And then, he turned back to her.

Naina was still standing there, her arms wrapped around herself, her gaze locked onto him.

Her expression was unreadable.

But her eyes—her beautiful eyes—were shimmering with something he couldn't quite name.

When he took a step toward her, she lowered her gaze.

No one was around them now.

The music from the main club was muffled in the distance, and for a moment, they existed in a space where nothing else mattered.

Veer hesitated for only a second before gently cupping her face in his strong hands.

Her skin was soft, warm beneath his touch.

He leaned down slightly, voice low, rough. "Are you okay... Little Dr. Sunshine ?"

Naina stiffened.

Her eyes snapped up to his in pure shock.

Veer froze, realizing his mistake too late.

The nickname had slipped past his lips like it belonged there, like it had been waiting in his chest to be spoken aloud.

Something shifted between them—something dangerous, something undeniable.

Naina tried to pull back, but the moment she moved, she stumbled.

Veer caught her, his arms encircling her waist effortlessly, pulling her against him.

They were so close.

Her breath fanned against his jaw, her hands resting on his chest.

Veer's grip tightened.

His heart pounded.

And for the first time, he found himself leaning in—just slightly—like the gravity between them was inevitable.

Then—

"Naina?"

Priya's voice.

The moment shattered.

Naina gasped softly, placing her hands on Veer's chest and pushing him away— gently, hesitantly.

Veer clenched his jaw, forcing himself to step back.

Naina turned and hurried toward Priya, her hands trembling as she collided into her best friend.

Priya frowned. "Are you okay? What took you so long?"

"I'm fine," Naina said quickly. But Priya knew something was off. She decided not to push— yet.

As they walked back to their table, Naina hesitated for a second.

She turned—searching.

But Veer was gone.

Yet, later, as she rejoined her friends, she felt it again.

That stare.

She looked toward the bar.

Veer was there.

Sitting. Drinking. Watching her.

Their eyes locked.

And for the first time, Naina let herself thank him —silently, without words.

Veer, ever unreadable, simply blinked.

As if telling her—

I understand. 

~~^~^~~

Thank you for reading ...!

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