Dark Love

CHAPTER-1. HER

AUTHOR POV:

Mumbai's evening roads are crowded with traffic and people. It's a bustling atmosphere of chat stalls, bright lights, horning vehicles, and crowded spaces, beautiful and exciting for outsiders.

While walking down a busy city street, a girl named Meera Sharma passes by. She is listening to music through her headphones and wearing a beautiful light blue kurta set, silver jhumka earrings, bangles on her left hand, and a silver watch on her right. Her honey-brown eyes, dark black eyebrows, long lashes, and black bindi on her forehead complement her beautiful appearance. Her lips have light reddish lip balm on them, and she has kajal on her eyes. Her dark black hair is flowing freely behind her, and she carries a brown leather bag on her right shoulder. Her outfit perfectly matches her personality.

Meera is kind and sweet with a touch of innocence, just like her name suggests. Despite being 23 years old and employed at a marketing company for two years, she is a bit clumsy and childlike at times. She comes from a middle-class background and finds joy in simple things like cotton candy. In fact, food and sleep are the two most important things in her life.

When she is with her friends, Meera is strong and active, and even a bit naughty at times. But overall, she is a force to be reckoned with - a beautiful and unique individual standing out in the busy crowd of Mumbai.

MEERA'S POV:

I live very close to my workplace, so I usually walk home. But today, I'm really exhausted and just want to sleep. My mind is a mess after a busy day in the office, and I can't wait to get to my apartment.

As soon as I entered my apartment, I put my bag on the tea table next to the couch and headed to my room to freshen up. After changing into a white t-shirt and black night pants, I climbed into bed and pulled the blanket over me, hoping for a good night's sleep.

Unfortunately, my peaceful slumber was interrupted by my phone ringing a few hours later, causing me to wake up from my dreamland. My phone began ringing loudly on the nightstand next to me. In my drowsy state, I answered the call without noticing the name on my phone screen.

"Hello...who is this?" I asked.

"Teri pardaadi gadhiiii,"( your great grandmother you dumb) 

I heard a loud voice on the other side, and then I realized it was my best friend Nidhi. I looked at my phone screen to confirm, and then I heard her voice again.

"Areee ...uthjaa meri maa.... I just sent an email about the project we're working on. Did you see it yet?" she said.

( hey, wake up)

Afterwards, I remembered to check my emails and messages. "Oh, yes, I forgot. Sorry, sorry. I'll check it right now," I said.

 After responding to some important emails and messages, I closed my laptop and got out of bed. Then, I went to the kitchen to have my dinner which I had already prepared in the morning. After finishing all of my routine work, I returned to bed to get some more sleep.

I woke up to the sound of my alarm ringing, feeling quite disturbed and groggy. In my half-asleep state, I got irritated and turned off the alarm. After lying in bed for about 5 minutes, I forced myself to get up and start my daily routine. It began with taking a shower and ended with cooking my breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

After packing all of my belongings, I headed towards the office. It took me about 20 minutes to reach my destination. I scanned my ID and passed through the entry gate of the office. Now, I am waiting for the elevator to take me up to my work floor.

When I entered the office this morning, I noticed that everyone was in a rush. Even though it was only 8 a.m. and there weren't many people around, all of the employees and workers were frantically going about their tasks. I ignored the commotion and began scrolling through my phone. Just then, the elevator doors opened and I stepped inside.

As the elevator doors were closing, three men entered. Suddenly, the atmosphere in the elevator became cold and tense. I tried to look up and see who had entered, but my nervousness was heightened by the cold and arrogant aura of one of the men. However, I did manage to notice that two men were standing in front of me, facing the door. The one on the left was wearing a black uniform and looked dangerous from behind, with his muscular and broad body. The one on the right was wearing a formal suit and appeared normal. Then, I looked towards the front and saw the person standing in the middle of them.

He is wearing a white shirt that folds up to his elbows, along with black pants and leather shoes. His black hair is neatly styled with gel, and his broad shoulders make him very attractive. I think he is around 5.12 to 6 feet tall and his hands are resting in his pockets. His style and personality exude dominance and a strong aura, which makes me nervous to be standing near him.

I cannot see his face as his back is towards me, but I am certain that he is equally handsome from the front as his body features are sharp and muscular. When I was busy observing him, some red spot on his sleeve caught my attention. When I tried to see more clearly, then I realized that they were not red spots, but actually blood spots. I was stunned in my place, in shock. After realizing this, I couldn't even breathe.

As the lift door opened with a sound, I snapped out of my thoughts and rushed towards my desk without any delay. After settling down on my chair, I rested my head on the desk for a few minutes and then drank some water to relax. Finally, I started working to forget about the scene from the lift.

But middle of these the reality hit me - not all beautiful faces are beautiful on the inside. Sometimes their faces may seem angelic, but their thoughts and actions can be devilish.