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Rudrakansh sat at the bar, gripping his whiskey glass so tightly that his knuckles turned white, his frustration simmering just beneath the surface.
He could still see Kabir's hand brushing back Isha's hair, the way she'd laughed with him, that soft smile on her face, all infront of his eyes.
It was innocent, he knew that, but his possessive streak had flared the moment he saw someone—anyone—touching her like that. Kabir might be his friend, but when it came to Isha, Rudrakansh drew a hard line. No one got that close to her, no matter who they were.
Taking a steadying breath, he rolled up his sleeves further, feeling the cool air on his forearms, trying to focus on something—anything—other than the annoying scene replaying in his mind.
But as he took a sip, he sensed someone sliding onto the barstool beside him. He glanced sideways and frowned, immediately recognizing the unmistakable mischief in Payal's eyes.
"Bhai!" she chirped with a teasing grin, nudging him lightly. "You look like you're ready to burn the whole place down. What happened?"
He shot her a sidelong glare, clearly not in the mood. "Payal, not now," he muttered, his tone clipped.
But Payal, undeterred, only leaned in closer with a mischievous smile. "Oooh, someone's in a terrible mood. Come on, share your troubles. Who do I need to beat up for you, huh?"
Rudrakansh let out an annoyed huff and rolled his eyes, looking back at his glass. "You think this is funny, don't you?"
"Actually," she smirked, "I do.I haven't seen you this grumpy in a long time. Who got on your nerves this time?"
Ignoring her, he signaled to the bartender for another drink, something even stronger. Payal's eyes widened slightly as she watched him, sensing that he wasn't merely irritated—something was truly bothering him.
As soon as the drink arrived, Payal quickly snatched it away, cradling the glass protectively between her hands. "Alright, that's enough for you, Mr. Grumpy. One more drink, and you'll start scaring the guests."
"Payal," he said, his voice low and edged with warning. "Give it back. I'm not in the mood for your games."
She grinned cheekily, ignoring the stern tone. "Well, tough luck. I'm here to save you from yourself tonight. Honestly, Bhai, what's going on? You look like you're ready to explode."
He clenched his jaw, his eyes narrowing. "You really want to know what's going on?"
"Obviously," she said, crossing her arms with a smirk. "Come on, spill. Or are you going to keep sulking like a teenager?"
Rudrakansh let out a frustrated sigh, running a hand through his hair. "If you must know, your dear Kabir thought it would be a good idea to get... too close to Isha."
