Twin Inferno

32.keep playing? or stop?

Rudra's POV

The reception hall was buzzing with chatter, laughter, and the soft clinking of glasses. Guests floated around in expensive clothes, dressed to the nines, while the evening sun dipped below the horizon, casting a golden glow through the massive glass windows. It should have been a perfect evening, one where I could finally breathe and let go of everything-but the tension in the air was suffocating.

**Especially with Ehaan around.**

I saw him across the room, laughing with a group of people, his eyes flickering toward me every now and then with that infuriating smirk plastered on his face. He was waiting for the perfect moment to strike.

And I knew it was coming.

I wasn't in the mood to deal with him or his arrogance tonight, but avoiding him wasn't an option. We were in this game together, even if we were constantly playing against each other.

I grabbed a glass of champagne, making my way through the crowd when I heard his voice behind me.

"Rudra."

I turned around, and there he was, that cocky grin never leaving his face. Ehaan stood with an air of casual superiority, as if the world revolved around him. The guy couldn't walk into a room without needing to assert his dominance over someone, and tonight, it looked like I was his target.

"Enjoying the reception?" he asked, his tone dripping with mockery.

I shrugged, raising my glass slightly. "It's a party. Why not?"

Ehaan chuckled, but there was no warmth behind it. "I've got to hand it to you, Rudra. You've managed to keep up appearances pretty well, despite everything falling apart around you."

There it was-the jab I had been waiting for.

I took a sip of my drink, not giving him the satisfaction of a reaction. "I wouldn't say everything's falling apart."

Ehaan raised an eyebrow, his smirk deepening. "Oh, really? From where I'm standing, it looks like you're just holding onto scraps. Siya's moved on, and now you're stuck in a mess with Esha."

His words stung, but I wasn't about to let him see that. I could feel the burn of his insults, but I was good at keeping my composure. This wasn't the first time Ehaan had tried to get under my skin, and it wouldn't be the last.

Before I could respond, though, I saw **her**.

Esha, gliding through the crowd like she owned the room, her eyes locking onto us. She was stunning, as always, but there was something different in the way she moved tonight-more determined, more... human.

The conversation from earlier that morning flashed in my mind. **The way she'd spoken, the vulnerability in her voice.** It had caught me off guard, seeing her like that. **The real Esha, not the ice queen who wore a mask.**

She reached us, her eyes flicking between me and Ehaan, and for a split second, I saw a flicker of something in her gaze. Annoyance? Anger? Amusement? Whatever it was, it was clear she had something to say.

"Well, if it isn't the great Rudra and his endless troubles," Esha said, her voice sweet but laced with sarcasm. She shot me a look, her lips curling into a smirk. "Having a tough time, darling?"

Ehaan chuckled beside her, obviously enjoying the show. "It seems Rudra's having trouble keeping his life together these days. Isn't that right, Rudra?"

The two of them were ganging up on me now, and I should've been pissed, but oddly enough, I wasn't. There was something almost entertaining about watching Esha mock me.

I leaned against the bar, setting my glass down. "If that's what you two want to believe, then go ahead. I'm just here for the free drinks."

Ehaan rolled his eyes. "Come on, Rudra, admit it. You've lost. Siya doesn't want you, and now you're stuck in some half-baked arrangement with Esha, pretending everything's fine."

Esha snorted, and I could feel her eyes on me. "Yeah, Rudra. How does it feel to be stuck with me?"

Her words were sharp, but there was something playful in her tone, as if she was testing me, waiting for me to crack. But I wouldn't give her that satisfaction. Not yet.

"Stuck with you?" I replied smoothly, glancing at her. "Trust me, sweetheart, I could do worse."

That seemed to catch her off guard for a second. She blinked, and I could see the slight shift in her expression-**nervousness.**

Good.

I smirked, letting the silence hang between us for a beat too long. **Esha mocking me was fun, but making her nervous? That was something else.**

I could see her trying to compose herself, her confidence faltering just slightly. The way she was biting the inside of her cheek, the way her gaze flickered to the floor for a split second-it was a dead giveaway.

It reminded me of yesterday, how human she had seemed for the first time. It wasn't often that Esha let her guard down, but when she did... it was something to behold. For once, the mask had slipped, and I had seen the real her. **The real Esha.**

And now? I couldn't stop thinking about it.

"So, Esha," I continued, leaning in slightly, my voice dropping lower so only she could hear. "Do you want to keep playing this game, or are you going to admit you're nervous?"

Her eyes snapped to mine, and I could see the fire in them. **Good. Let her fight back.**

"I'm not nervous," she shot back, though the slight tremble in her voice betrayed her.

"Sure, you're not," I said, my smirk widening. "You're only biting your cheek because you're absolutely calm."

Ehaan was watching us now, clearly amused by the tension between us, but I didn't care. I was too caught up in the moment, too focused on the way Esha's bravado was starting to crumble just a little.

I had to admit, I enjoyed this-**seeing her like this.** Vulnerable but still trying to hold her ground. It was a side of her that no one else saw, and that made it all the more intoxicating.

"So, what's it going to be?" I asked softly, my voice a challenge. "Are we done here, or do you want to keep pretending?"

Esha narrowed her eyes at me, clearly torn between snapping back or walking away. And as much as I enjoyed this little game, I knew we couldn't keep it up forever.

But for now, I'd savor the moment.