𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐝𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞

𝐏𝐑𝐎𝐋𝐎𝐆𝐔𝐄

Ruhi's POV:

Securing this project was supposed to be my triumph. Weeks of sleepless nights and countless hours refining every detail had brought me here. I was ready, confident, and determined to prove my worth in the cutthroat world of business. As I stepped into the boardroom, my heart pounded with excitement.

The moment I walked in, I scanned the room, giving a little nod to myself. "Alright, Ruhi, you got this," I thought, straightening my blazer. But then, my eyes landed on the one person who could ruin my day. Ayaansh Singhania. That jerk. Can't he leave me alone for a second? Ugh, I hate him so much! But Of course he'd be here, looking infuriatingly perfect in his tailored suit, that smug smile plastered on his face. He didn't need to work hard for anything. Everything came easy to him. I took a deep breath, steeling myself. I wouldn't let him ruin this for me.

I strutted to the front of the room, confidence oozing from every pore. "Let's show them what perfection looks like," I thought. Of course, it's destined to be perfect. After all, it's made by the perfectionist herself. All hail to Ruhi fucking Malhotra.

The presentation started, and I was on fire. Every point hit the mark, every slide was perfect. I could see the nods of approval, the impressed looks. But then, just as I was about to wrap up, Ayaansh stood up.

"Excuse me," he began, flashing that infuriating smile. The audacity of him to cut me off in the middle. "While Miss Malhotra's proposal is impressive, there are a few critical aspects that need reconsideration." He smoothly pointed out minor flaws, twisting my words, and somehow made his own proposal sound like the only logical choice. With a few well-placed words and that charming demeanor, he swayed the decision-makers effortlessly. By the end of the meeting, the project was his. Leaving me; dumbfounded.

I stood there, humiliated and seething. I could feel the heat of rage rising in my cheeks as he walked past me, whispering, "Better luck next time, sweetheart."

Better luck? Oh, I'll show you luck, you self-obsessed jerk.

Later that evening, I found myself in the parking lot, staring at his prized possession-his sleek, black motorcycle. His favourite one haha. The symbol of his arrogance, the toy of the man who thought he could get away with anything. And before I knew it.

I set his bike on fire.

Followed by a dramatic devilish laugh.

Flames roared to life, consuming the motorcycle in a fiery embrace. I stepped back, the heat of the fire matching the fury in my chest. The satisfaction was immediate and exhilarating. I started to walk away, my heart pounding with adrenaline, when I heard footsteps behind me.

"What the fuck, Ruhi?" Ayaansh's voice cut through the crackling of the flames.

I turned to see him standing there, eyes wide with shock and anger. His perfect world was going up in flames, quite literally. "Consider it payback," I said, my voice as cold as I could make it. "You took what was mine, so I took something of yours."

He rushed towards the blazing bike, but it was too late. The damage was done. He turned back to me, his face a mask of fury. "You're fucking insane," he spat.

"Maybe," I replied, crossing my arms. "But at least I don't pretend to be perfect while screwing everyone over."

The tension between us crackled, almost as intense as the fire. There was hatred, sure, but something else too, something neither of us was ready to acknowledge. I could see it in his eyes, the flicker of something unspoken.

"This is war, Ruhi," he said, his voice low and dangerous.

"Oh, Ayaansh," I replied, a smirk playing on my lips. "It's been war for a long time. You just didn't realize it."

As I walked away, leaving him to deal with the ruins of his bike, I knew one thing for certain: this was just the beginning.

**************

So, that's the prologue lovelies! 💗

I hope you all liked it.... I have put a lot of effort into this book, so I hope you all will like it. 🌷

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Until I update the next chapter byee and take care of yourselves.