𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐝𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞

1| 𝐀 𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐫 𝐨𝐟 𝐝𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬

Ruhi's POV:

I was sprawled on my bed, lazily flipping through a fashion magazine, trying to ignore the stack of project files looming on my desk. The knock on my door was the first sign of trouble.

"Ruhi, we have a dinner invitation," my mother announced, breezing into my room with an air of excitement that immediately put me on edge.

I raised an eyebrow, barely glancing up from my magazine. "Dinner invitation? From whom?"

"The Singhanias," she said, as if she were announcing we had won the lottery. And here we go, the trouble.

My heart sank. Ayaansh and his insufferable family? This couldn't be good. And that annoying smirk of his, I can see it from miles away.

"Why on earth are we having dinner with them?" I asked, my annoyance bubbling to the surface.

"It's good for our families to stay close," she replied, her tone leaving no room for argument. "Now, get dressed. We're leaving in an hour." Yeah sure. It's not like I have any other option.

Groaning internally, I dragged myself off the bed and rummaged through my closet. Dinner invitations never bring good news, especially when it involves the Singhanias. I settled on a simple yet elegant dress, hoping to strike a balance between looking respectable and not giving Ayaansh any reason to think I was trying too hard. Ofcourse, no one can imagine what goes though that self obsessed jerk's mind.

The Singhania mansion loomed ahead, a sprawling estate with perfectly manicured gardens and an imposing facade. The sheer grandeur of it always made me feel a mix of amusement and excitement. But our mansion is nothing less than their's humph.

My father parked the car, and we made our way to the entrance, where we were greeted by Mr. and Mrs. Singhania. Their smiles were warm, but I couldn't shake the feeling that something was off.

"Welcome," Mrs. Singhania said warmly, her eyes lingering on me. Today, I can sense a different kind of glow on her face. It's not like she was not nice before but, today it feels a lot extra. "We're so glad you could join us."

I forced a smile, but my eyes were already scanning the room for Ayaansh. I could feel his presence even before I saw him, his smirk already getting on my nerves.

The dining room was a sight to behold, filled with the rest of the Singhania family: Ayaansh's parents, his uncle and aunt, his cousins, and his twin sister Anaya, who also happened to be my best friend. The table was laden with an array of dishes that looked like they belonged in a five-star restaurant.

As I took my seat, my eyes met Ayaansh's across the table. He was lounging casually, looking completely unbothered. Typical.

"Ruh!" Anaya called out, rushing over to hug me. "I'm so glad you're here!"

I smiled genuinely for the first time that evening. "Me too, Anaya."

Just then, Ayaansh sauntered over, his smirk firmly in place.

"Ruhi," he said in that infuriatingly smooth voice of his. "Glad you could make it."

I rolled my eyes. "Couldn't miss it for the world."

Dinner began smoothly enough, with polite conversation and laughter. We talked a little more, and the dinner went smoothly. Just as the dessert was being served, Mr. Singhania cleared his throat, drawing everyone's attention.

"We have an important announcement to make," he began, his voice steady. "Our families have decided that Ruhi and Ayaansh will be getting married."

I choked on my saliva, my eyes widening in disbelief. I stared at my parents, then at Ayaansh, who looked equally stunned, his fork frozen midway to his mouth.