Eternal Souls

Chapter Three: Brewing Storms

Pallavi's head throbbed as she sat at the dining table that evening, still fuming over the day's events. Baba sat at the head of the table, reading the newspaper, while Aai served dinner. Her brother-in-law Nikhil was engrossed in a conversation with her Kaka, Milind, about a cricket match. Kaku, Sulochana, and Amruta sat together, quietly chatting about something Pallavi wasn't paying attention to.

She could still see Raghav Rao's smug face, the way he had smirked at her like she was insignificant, and it made her blood boil. She had met plenty of difficult customers in her time managing the shop, but Raghav was on another level. His arrogance was infuriating.

"**Pallavi, eat your food before it gets cold,**" Aai said gently, noticing her silence.

Pallavi blinked and forced a smile. "Sorry, Aai. I was just... thinking about something."

"Thinking about what?" Amruta teased from across the table, a knowing look in her eyes. "Or should I say, who?"

Pallavi shot her a look. "It's not what you think, Amruta."

"Oh? Then why were you fighting in the middle of the street with that handsome man?" Amruta smirked, clearly enjoying herself.

Pallavi groaned, covering her face with her hands. "He's not handsome—he's impossible! He thinks he owns the entire city and can treat people however he wants."

Sulochana raised an eyebrow. "Who are we talking about?"

"Raghav Rao," Pallavi said bitterly. "He crashed into my scooty today."

Mansi, who had been quietly eating, glanced up with wide eyes. "Raghav Rao? The business tycoon?"

"Yes, that one," Pallavi muttered, stabbing her food with her fork. "And he blamed me for the accident. Can you believe it?"

"Of course he did," Amruta chimed in. "Men like him never admit they're wrong. But still, he's rich, successful, and—"

"Arrogant," Pallavi cut her off. "And I don't care how rich he is. He's a terrible person."

Before Amruta could respond, Kaku, who had been listening intently, jumped in. "Pallavi, you really should be careful who you cross paths with. Men like Raghav Rao... they can make life difficult. You don't want to get involved with someone like that."

Pallavi frowned. "I didn't get involved, Kaku. He was the one who caused the accident."

Kaku shook her head, her voice carrying a warning. "Just be careful. People with power can ruin lives if they choose to."

A heavy silence followed her words, and Pallavi sighed. She knew Kaku wasn't wrong—Raghav had the power and influence to make things difficult if he wanted to. But that didn't mean she was going to back down. She wasn't afraid of him, and she wasn't about to let him get away with his arrogance.

"Don't worry, Kaku," Pallavi said quietly. "I'll handle it."

---

Meanwhile, at the Rao mansion, Raghav had locked himself in his private bar. Farhad stood outside, worried. He knew how his Anna was when he was in one of these moods—stubborn, reckless, and dangerous. The sound of glasses clinking and liquid pouring echoed from inside the room.

Farhad sighed, glancing at his phone as he paced the hallway. He could feel the tension in the air, and it wasn't just about the accident. Pallavi Deshmukh had managed to stir something in Raghav, something dangerous.

After what felt like hours, the door finally opened, and Raghav emerged, his steps slightly unsteady. His eyes were dark, filled with a storm of emotions.

"Anna..." Farhad began cautiously. "You should rest. You've been drinking too much."

Raghav waved him off, stumbling over to the living room and collapsing on the couch. His fingers traced the edge of his whiskey glass as he stared into space.

Farhad hesitated, unsure if he should say something or let Raghav stew in his thoughts. Finally, he spoke, "Anna, this thing with Pallavi... maybe it's best to forget about it. It was just an accident."

Raghav's head snapped up, his gaze sharp. "Forget about it? You think I can just forget about her?"

Farhad winced at the intensity in Raghav's voice. "It's not worth it, Anna. She's just... she's not your enemy."

"She is now," Raghav muttered, his voice low. "She's crossed me, Farhad. No one crosses me."

Farhad took a deep breath, trying to reason with him. "Anna, what exactly do you plan to do? You've already had enough enemies. This isn't going to solve anything."

Raghav's jaw clenched, his mind racing with thoughts of revenge. Pallavi's defiance, her refusal to be intimidated by him, gnawed at him. She had no right to talk to him the way she did. No one did.

"I'll make sure she regrets this," Raghav said, his voice cold and determined. "She'll learn not to mess with me."

Farhad sighed, knowing there was no stopping him. Once Raghav had his mind set on something, there was no turning back. But something about this whole situation felt different—like it was personal, even though Raghav barely knew Pallavi.

As Raghav poured himself another drink, Farhad's thoughts drifted to Pallavi. He didn't know much about her, but he had heard enough. She was strong, resilient, and deeply loyal to her family. Messing with someone like her wouldn't end well. But Raghav couldn't see that right now. His pride had been wounded, and there was no reasoning with him when he was like this.

Farhad silently prayed that this storm would pass without too much damage. But deep down, he knew that wasn't how things worked with Raghav Rao.

---

Back at the Deshmukh house, Pallavi lay awake in bed, staring at the ceiling. Her conversation with Raghav replayed in her mind, and despite her best efforts, she couldn't shake the feeling that this wasn't over. His arrogance, the way he had looked at her as if she was beneath him—it had sparked something in her.

But more than that, she had seen something in his eyes—anger, yes, but also pain. What was driving him? Why did he seem so determined to prove himself superior?

Pallavi sighed, turning over in bed. Whatever it was, she wasn't going to back down. She had dealt with enough hardship in her life to let a man like Raghav Rao scare her.

Little did she know, their paths were now irrevocably tangled. And this clash of wills was only the beginning.