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Veer's POV

I turned to leave, shaking off the lingering warmth of Naina's trembling body against mine. My mind was a storm, but I couldn't afford to get caught up in it. Not now.

And of course, as fate would have it, there he was.

Leaning against the wall, arms crossed, smirk in place—Aditya Khanna, my ever-annoying best friend. His eyes glinted with amusement as he watched me like a predator that had just found its prey.

I rolled my eyes, muttering under my breath.
"There he is again..."

I moved past him, intentionally knocking my shoulder against his, but he only chuckled and fell into step beside me.

"So... that was interesting," he drawled.

I didn't respond. I just walked to the bar, signaling for a drink. But Aditya? He never let things slide.

"Didn't peg you for a knight in shining armor, Veer. Or should I say... a very possessive, very ruthless one?"

I exhaled sharply, shaking my head, but didn't bother denying it. He'd just push further.

Grabbing my glass, I took a slow sip, feeling the burn, but it wasn't enough to drown the sensation of her weight in my arms.

And then, as if pulled by an invisible force, my eyes found her again.

Naina.

Sitting with her friends, laughing at something Priya said—but her eyes? They weren't on them. They were searching. Flickering around the club. Looking for something... someone.. Oh fuck it.. Of Course she was looking for me.

A slow smirk ghosted my lips as I leaned against the counter. She's looking for me.

She doesn't even realize it, does she? That subconscious pull. That silent awareness.

And then—her gaze found mine.

For a moment, neither of us moved. The noise of the club dulled, the flashing lights blurred, and there was only this quiet, unspoken exchange between us.

She didn't smile. Didn't look away immediately. Instead, her eyes softened—filled with something unspoken.

Gratitude.

And though I should have just turned away, walked off, left her in the past where she belonged—I didn't.

Instead, I blinked. A slow, deliberate blink.

A silent acknowledgement. I understood.

Her lips parted slightly, as if surprised by the small exchange, and before she could react further, Priya nudged her, pulling her back into conversation.

I remained there, unmoving, watching her for just a few more seconds before draining my drink.

"You're gone, dude," Aditya said beside me, shaking his head, but this time, his tone was softer.

"Shut up, Adi," I muttered, pulling out my phone.

I scrolled through my contacts and dialed a number.

"I want two men following Dr. Naina Sharma and her friend. Make sure they get home safely. Do not make your presence known."

"Yes, sir."

I hung up, slipping my phone back into my pocket, exhaling as I stared at my empty glass.

Aditya let out a quiet laugh, shaking his head again.
"You're ridiculous."

"And you're annoying," I shot back, pushing away from the bar.
"Come on. We're leaving."

With one last glance toward Naina, I made my way out of the club, Aditya walking beside me.

But of course, he wouldn't shut up.

"So, you're personally ordering bodyguards to follow her home now?" he teased, nudging my arm.
"Very subtle, Veer. Very not in love with her."

_"Adi..." I warned, voice low.

" And not only her... if you heard clearly I mentioned her friend also." I surprised him, I knew him. I don't show but I see everything. I noticed how he admires Priya.

He looked at me and pulled me in a manly hug from the side. "Ohh... I thought you don't see other things when Dr. Sharma is around?"

I smirked and gave him a tap on the back of his head.

he smirked and shut up.

The drive back to my place was quiet.

But my mind?

A battlefield.

As soon as I entered my bedroom, my phone chimed.

📩 Message from Security:
"Dr. Sharma and her friend have reached home safely."

I locked my phone, exhaling as I sat on the edge of my bed, elbows on my knees, fingers pressing against my temples.

I should sleep. I should forget about tonight.

But I couldn't.

Instead, my mind drifted back—back to the moment she had run toward me, her small fragile hands fisting my shirt, her body trembling against mine.

That sob.

That quiet, broken sob against my chest.

I clenched my fists, feeling anger surge inside me again. Not just at those bastards—but at myself. Because no matter how much I fought it, no matter how much I told myself to stay away—I couldn't.

The feel of her in my arms... so small, so fragile, so damn precious.

And then—

The nickname.

"Are you okay, Little Dr. Sunshine?"

I jolted upright, a curse slipping from my lips.

'Fuck..What the hell was I thinking?

She would remember that. She would wonder about it.'

My hands fisted and slammed on the bed.

No, no, no. She can't. She shouldn't.

She can't know that despite every wall I've built, every warning I've told myself—she's already in my head.

In my veins.

I don't deserve her.

And I never will.

Naina's POV

The club's neon lights flickered over the crowd as we made our way toward the exit. My friends chattered around me, their laughter and excitement still lingering from the night's energy, but my mind was elsewhere—lost in the remnants of a moment I shouldn't be thinking about.

As we stepped outside into the cool night air, a strange feeling tugged at me. I turned back, my eyes searching—searching for him. But the spot where he had been standing earlier was empty. He was gone.

I didn't know why disappointment pricked at my chest, but I shook it off, forcing myself to focus as Priya pulled me toward my car.

"Come on, Miss Overthinker," she teased, nudging me as she slipped into the driver's seat. "You had your little Cinderella moment inside. Time to get back to reality."

I rolled my eyes, but as soon as we drove off, silence settled between us, thick and charged. Priya kept stealing glances at me, her patience visibly thinning with every passing second.

Finally, she huffed, gripping the steering wheel tighter. "Okay, I can't take this anymore! What is going on with you? You've been weirdly quiet since we left."

I swallowed hard, staring out of the window, debating whether to speak. But Priya was my best friend. If anyone could understand, it was her.

I hesitated for a moment before finally breaking my silence. "Something... happened."

Priya's eyes widened, her grip on the steering wheel tightening. "Something? What kind of something?"

Taking a deep breath, I told her everything—the drunk men, how uncomfortable I had felt, and how he had appeared out of nowhere. I told her about how I had run into Veer's arms, clung to him like a terrified child, how he had held me... how his voice had softened when he told me to wait.

Priya gasped so dramatically, I thought she might crash the car. "OH. MY. GOD."

I groaned, pressing my fingers to my temples. "Priya, keep your eyes on the road!"

She turned her focus back but kept stealing glances at me, her mouth still hanging open. "Wait—wait! You're telling me Veer Malhotra rescued you from a bunch of creeps, and instead of just glaring them to death like he usually does, he held you?"

I bit my lip, nodding.

Priya exhaled in pure shock. "And you ran into his arms willingly?"

I groaned, leaning my head back. "It wasn't a conscious decision, Priya! I was scared, and when I saw him... I just—I don't know, it felt safe."

Priya gave me a knowing look, a smirk tugging at her lips. "Oh honey, I think you do know."

I turned to her, my throat tightening. "Priya..."

"No, listen to me," she said, her voice turning softer. "You keep running away from this. From him. But every time, fate—and let's be real, probably Veer himself—finds a way to pull you right back in."

I shook my head immediately. "No. No, Priya, I can't. You know who he is, what kind of world he belongs to. And me? I'm just—just a middle-class girl. A doctor who still has a long way to go. I have responsibilities. My family worked so hard to get me here. I can't afford to get distracted."

Priya sighed, reaching over to squeeze my hand. "I get it, Naina. I really do. But you're allowed to feel something too, you know? You don't have to have all the answers right now."

Her words chipped away at the walls I had built, but I wasn't ready to let them crumble just yet.

We reached my house, and I was grateful for the excuse to end the conversation. Priya gave me one last knowing look as I stepped out. "Just... think about it, okay?"

I nodded absentmindedly, watching as she drove away before I turned toward my home.

Inside, everything was quiet.

I peeked into my parents' room, finding them fast asleep. Their faces looked peaceful, the years of struggle etched into their features, and my chest ached with guilt.

They had worked so hard, sacrificed so much, to give me this life, to help me become a doctor. I couldn't let them down.

I stepped into my brother's room next, tucking the blanket around him properly before quietly shutting the door.

This was my world. This was where I belonged.

I shouldn't be thinking about a man whose world was so different from mine.

In my bedroom, I changed into my nightclothes, hoping exhaustion would drag me into sleep. But the moment my head hit the pillow, my mind betrayed me.

Veer's voice echoed in my head.

"Are you okay, Little Dr. Sunshine?"

I shot up, pressing my hands to my face.

What the hell was that?!

Little Dr. Sunshine.

Why did that stupid nickname make my stomach flip? Why did I feel like I could still feel the warmth of his hands on my waist, his breath against my skin?

And why—why did it feel like for just a second, he didn't want to let me go?

I clenched the bedsheet in frustration.

If he cared so much... why didn't he show it?

Why did he keep walking away, pretending as if nothing had happened?

Why did he always stare at me like I was something he couldn't figure out?

And why did I want so badly to understand him?

I sighed, lying back down, staring at the ceiling.

No matter how much I tried to fight it, one undeniable truth settled deep in my chest—

I was already too far gone.

Next Morning Veer's Room

The morning sun stretched its golden fingers across the skyline, painting the city in a soft glow, but Veer Malhotra felt none of its warmth. His night had been restless—his mind refusing to erase the feel of Naina's trembling frame against him, the way she had clung to him as if he was her only anchor in a storm.

He had thought about it again and again—her tear-filled eyes, the way his name had almost slipped from her lips, the way she had run away from him the moment she had regained herself.

And then there was that damn nickname.

Little Dr. Sunshine.

He had never meant to say it. It had slipped out as if it belonged to her all along. As if she belonged to him.

But that was impossible.

He had told himself over and over—she was off-limits. She deserved a life untouched by the shadows of his world. And yet, every time he tried to walk away, she found a way to pull him back.

Veer exhaled sharply and ran a hand through his hair as he stepped into the hospital later that morning. Aditya had dragged him into an early meeting, but Veer had barely registered a word. The moment the meeting had ended, his legs had carried him here—where he had no business being anymore.

His mother was already home. He had no reason to be in this hospital.

And yet, here he was.

As he strode toward his usual spot near the café, he suddenly heard a voice that made his steps falter.

She was talking to Priya just around the corner, unaware that he was only a few feet away.

"...I mean, I could never be involved with a man like him, Priya."

Veer's entire body tensed.

"I don't even know why I keep thinking about him. He's just... not someone for me."

His breath left him in a sharp exhale.

He shouldn't have cared.

He shouldn't have given a damn about what she thought of him.

But those words— not someone for me —felt like a slap across his face.

He clenched his jaw, his fingers curling into fists.

Hadn't he been telling himself the same thing? Hadn't he been pushing her away because she was too pure, too untouched by the darkness he carried? Then why the hell did it burn like fire to hear her say it?

Why did it feel like she had just rejected him before he had even given her the chance?

Without another word, Veer turned sharply and walked away, his heart pounding with an anger he didn't fully understand.

Naina on the other side

Naina felt restless all morning, and she hated it.

She had tried to push away the thoughts of last night, but they kept circling back—the moment Veer had saved her, the way she had run into his arms without a second thought .

That had scared her more than anything.

What was she doing? She wasn't some girl who believed in fairytales. She was practical, logical. And she knew better than to let herself get tangled with a man like Veer Malhotra.

A man who walked away from her every single time.

Even if a small part of her ached when he did.

She had brushed off Priya's teasing, telling her friend that she could never be involved with a man like Veer. Because it was true. Their worlds were different, their lives on separate paths.

Naina had buried herself in work the entire morning, focusing on her rounds, her patients, and everything that didn't involve him.

It had been easier than she expected—until fate decided otherwise.

She was reviewing a patient's chart at the nurses' station when she heard footsteps approaching. Heavy. Purposeful. Unmistakable.

Her fingers stilled over the clipboard, her heartbeat picking up before she could stop it.

She knew it was him before she even looked up.

But she didn't.

She kept her eyes fixed on the pages, willing herself to stay indifferent.

The voices of other doctors and staff surrounded her, filling the space with chatter. It wasn't until a nurse standing beside her greeted him that she had no choice but to acknowledge his presence.

"Good morning, Mr. Malhotra," the nurse said politely.

Veer gave a short nod. "Morning." His voice was as smooth as always, but there was something different. A sharp edge.

The nurse then turned to Naina. "Dr. Sharma, do you have those reports for Mr. Malhotra's mother?"

Naina's breath hitched.

She finally looked up.

And that's when she saw it.

The ice in Veer's gaze.

There was no lingering warmth, no teasing smirk, no trace of the man who had held her like she was something fragile the night before.

Nothing.

For a second, she thought she had imagined last night entirely.

"Yes," she finally said, keeping her voice neutral. "I'll send them to his assistant."

Veer's lips pressed into a thin line. "That won't be necessary. Hand them over now."

The sharpness in his tone made her blink.

Wordlessly, she grabbed the file and held it out to him.

His fingers brushed hers for the briefest second as he took it, but there was no hesitation, no lingering touch. He was efficient, mechanical.

Like she was just another doctor handing off a patient's file.

And then, without another word, he turned on his heel and walked away.

Naina stared after him, her fingers curling into fists at her sides.

She told herself she should feel relieved—wasn't this exactly what she wanted?

Then why did it feel like a cold wind had just passed through her chest?

Veer's POV

The rest of the day passed in a blur, but Veer could still feel the weight of Naina's cold indifference sitting heavy on his chest.

He hadn't meant to lash out at her earlier. But when he had looked at her at the hospital, all he could hear was "I could never be involved with a man like him."

Then why did she look so hurt when he walked away?

Why did he feel like he had lost something before he even had it?

By the time he returned home that evening, his frustration had reached its peak. His jaw was locked tight, his muscles tense, and his mind an absolute mess. He loosened his tie roughly and walked straight to the bar in his study, pouring himself a drink.

The alcohol burned his throat, but it did nothing to drown out the chaos inside him.

He didn't understand what the hell was wrong with him.

He had been called worse things in life. He had been hated, feared, and cursed by many.

Then why did those words from her feel like a blade twisting in his chest?

Veer ran a hand down his face, exhaling harshly. The house was quiet, the faint ticking of the clock in the hallway the only sound accompanying his turmoil. He hated this stillness. It gave his mind too much space to think.

And he didn't want to think about her.

Not about the way her small frame had fit against him last night.
Not about how fragile she had felt in his arms.
Not about how right it had felt.

He shook his head and took another sip of whiskey.

But just as he was about to head upstairs, something made him pause.

A soft, familiar voice.

"Veer."

His mother.

He turned toward her room, where the door was slightly ajar. He stepped closer, seeing her lying in bed, eyes barely open but watching him.

He was about to walk away, not wanting to disturb her rest, but her weak voice stopped him.

"Come here, beta."

Veer hesitated for a second before obeying. He stepped inside, walking toward her bed and sitting down on the chair beside her. His mother smiled faintly, reaching out to touch his hand.

"How was your day?" she asked softly.

"Fine," he lied.

She hummed knowingly, her fingers brushing over the back of his hand. "You're a terrible liar, Veer."

His lips twitched slightly, but he said nothing.

"You look tired," she continued. "And... troubled."

"I'm not," he denied, looking away.

A heavy silence stretched between them before she spoke again. "Does this have anything to do with that girl?"

Veer tensed immediately.

His mother had always been too perceptive.

"I don't know what you're talking about," he said, standing up. "You should rest, Maa. I'll check on you later."

But before he could take a step, her next words froze him in place.

"How long are you going to pretend?"

His back stiffened. He turned slightly, his expression blank. "Pretend what?"

His mother smiled knowingly. "That you don't care about her."

His jaw clenched. "I don't."

Mrs. Malhotra sighed, patting the space beside her on the bed. "Come sit, Veer."

He hesitated but eventually did as she asked, sitting down on the edge of the bed, his hands clasped together. His mother studied him for a long moment before speaking.

"Veer, I may be your mother, but I don't need to be a mind reader to know when you're lying to yourself."

Veer remained silent, his gaze fixed on the floor.

"She's different, isn't she?" his mother continued, her voice gentle. "She makes you feel things you thought you were incapable of feeling."

His hands curled into fists.

"You're afraid, Veer," she whispered. "Afraid of what she makes you feel. Afraid of what you might do if you let yourself care too much."

Veer inhaled sharply. His mother's words felt like a punch to the gut.

Because she was right.

He was afraid.

Afraid that if he let himself give in to whatever this was, he wouldn't know how to stop.
Afraid that if he let Naina into his world, she'd never be safe.
Afraid that she would never look at him the same way if she knew the real him.

His mother reached out, gently placing a hand over his. Her touch was warm, comforting—something he hadn't realized he needed until that moment.

"What are you so afraid of, beta?" she asked softly.

Veer didn't answer.

Because the truth was, he didn't even know anymore.

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