Prem-Leela Series Book- 01
(Art of seduction)
𝐌𝐫𝐬. 𝐑𝐞𝐠𝐚𝐥 𝐑𝐚𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫𝐞 (𝐀𝐝𝐡𝐢𝐫𝐚𝐣 𝐱 𝐒𝐢𝐲𝐚)
"Marry me, Siya," his voice whispered.
I should have laughed. I should have refused. What place did I have in his grand world of palaces a...
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The sun hung high in the sky, casting a warm glow over Raipur. My responsibilities as Hukum-sa was unending, but it was a role I had embraced wholeheartedly. The people depended on me, and I intended to ensure their needs were met.
After a morning of back-to-back meetings and paperwork, I decided to inspect the outskirts of the city where several new infrastructure projects were underway.
Lunch was a brief respite, a moment to refuel before heading out with Raghav, my trusted company's PA.
Soon, I hopped inside the car. The driver led the car outskirts of the city. It's been an hours since I've engrossed myself in a tab. By the time I finished checking mails, the car was still moving in its speed.
"How much longer will it take for us to reach there?" I asked, closing the tab.
"Just a few more minutes, sir," Raghav replied.
I nodded with a sigh and rolled the window down. Jiffies later, my eyes fell on specific house. My eyes swiftly sweep up, only to frown watching a particular woman standing on a balcony with her hair wet. She was drying it with a towel.
Before I could dart my eyes somewhere else, all of sudden the same woman sway her hair sharply, revealing her face. For a moment, my heart skipped a beat just the way it used to be back in those days.
For years, I had searched for her, haunted by the memories of our time together in college. Seeing her now, after so many years, was like reopening an old wound. I gripped my fist to control the rage burning inside me after seeing her.
"Raghav," I called out steadily.
"Who owns that property?"
Raghav followed my gaze, then quickly checked his tablet.
"Hukum, it belongs to a family that moved in long ago. I can find out more if you like."
"Do it," I replied, not taking my eyes off her.
"And bring her here if it's her property."
Raghav nodded and made a call.
Halting the car, driver opened the door, opening an umbrella to prevent harsh sun rays before it could fall over me.
As I waited, I removed my shades, standing opposite, watching the particular balcony for way too long.
As she dried her hair, a loose strand caught my attention. It clung to her damp skin, and I couldn't help but remember how that same hair used to brush against my face when we were together.
Her eyes instantly went down on Raghav from the balcony as he approached her house. He conveyed something to her before gesturing in my way. Following his lead, her eyes fell on me.
As expected her eyes got widen.
The towel slipped from her hand as she stared back at me. I wondered if she could sense the intensity of my gaze, if she remembered the same moments I did.
"Hukum-sa. She's coming. It is her property," Raghav's voice broke my reverie.
"Good," I said, glancing at my watch and deliberately taking my time.
My eyes traced her figure, as soon as she appeared in-front of me with her wet hair still clung to her shoulders. She approached cautiously, and I greeted her with an exaggerated smile.
"I see you've moved back to Raipur," I said, keeping my tone casual, moving my eyes on the paper handed by my PA about her property. It had Sharma Residence written on it. I chuckled bitterly finding new information. So, she was never an Orphan.
"What brings you here?"
Her eyes flickered with an emotions, but she remained silent, not offering an explanation.
"You left without a word, It's curious to see you back," I continued, carrying a hint of taunt as she looked ahead towards the construction site across her house.
"Life takes us on unexpected journeys."
My hands stopped flipping pages.
She has become mature from bubbly.
"Raipur has a way of bringing people back to their roots. I hope you find what you're looking for."
She gave me a faint smile. Raghav approached with a stoic look, standing beside me, whispering in my ears.
"Hukum, we've received word that Seth's is making a move on the new project. He's trying to stake a claim."
Seth's.
My sole enemy.
His presence was a thorn in my side, constantly trying to undermine my authority and take what was rightfully ours.
"Tell him that the project is ours," I stated firmly. "And add, Raipur has been ruled by the Rathores for generations, and I won't let him disrupt our plans. He can try, but he won't live peacefully here."
Raghav nodded and hurried off to relay the message. I turned back to her, noticing the way her eyes flickered with curiosity, which I ignored completely.
"Give her back," I said, handling papers back to Raghav. Though I know, I could give it to her by my own hands. But I won't do it! At least not when she left me all devastated.
As I prepared to leave, I took one last glance at her. She stare back at me with hurtful expression as if I care. I turned to leave.
My mind still swirled with thoughts of our unexpected reunion. It was then that I heard a small gasp behind me. I spun around just in time to see her stumbling. Instinct took over. I instantly reached out, seizing the moment to catch her before she could fall.
My arm wrapped around her waist, pulling her against me. The sudden closeness caught both of us off guard. Her breath hitched as she steadied herself, and I felt the warmth of her body pressed against mine.
For a moment, I could only focus on was her. Her kurti with its deep neckline, revealed more than she likely intended. My eyes couldn't help but be drawn to the smooth curve of her collarbone and the soft skin just above the fabric. The scent of her hair, still damp from earlier, filled my senses.
"Careful," it came out of my mouth before I could stop my self.
"Thank you," she whispered barely.
I should have let her go immediately, but my hand lingered at her waist for just a moment longer, feeling the rapid beat of her heart against my chest.
"You need to be more careful."
Her gaze flickered down.
"I'm fine," she said, finally stepping back and creating a small but significant distance between us.
"It was just a slip," she added.
I stood there, taking a deep breath to steady myself.
"Thank yo—"
I just turned around and walked away. My heart was literally pounding. The feel of her against, it was all too much. I hadn't expected to feel this way after all these years. The intensity of my reaction took me by surprise, and I knew that this encounter had woken something within me.
As I climbed into my car, I stole one last glance back at her. She was still standing there, watching me leave. Our past was complicated, and our present seemed destined to be even more so.
