Devil's Bride

Ayaan to the Rescue

The new academic block of the prestigious Mumbai Medical College stood tall, its modern architecture gleaming under the morning sun. Ayaan’s black car rolled up to the campus gates, his presence exuding authority and power. Despite the formal event, his sharp features and tailored suit made him stand out as more than just a businessman. His purpose today wasn’t only the ribbon-cutting ceremony; it was to see her—Maya.

He stepped out, his every move calculated, his eyes scanning the crowd. Students and faculty gathered to witness the event, and amidst the sea of faces, Ayaan’s thoughts were fixated on one: the girl who had unknowingly pulled him into her orbit once again.

Inside the auditorium, the crowd buzzed with excitement. Maya, dressed in a vibrant traditional costume for her classical dance performance, was a picture of grace. Her friends adjusted her jewelry as she prepared backstage, nervous yet thrilled.

As the performance began, the auditorium fell silent. Maya moved to the rhythm, her expressions and movements captivating the audience. Her beauty was ethereal, her presence magnetic. Ayaan, seated among the dignitaries, was entranced.

He leaned back in his chair, his lips curving into a faint smile. The power he wielded, the cities he commanded—all of it paled in comparison to the sheer force of her presence. Her innocence and elegance seemed untouched by the chaos of the world, and in that moment, Ayaan realized he was utterly bewitched.

After her breathtaking performance, Maya slipped away from the crowd to the dressing room to change out of her traditional attire. The corridors were quiet, and the room was dimly lit. She hummed softly to herself, still basking in the applause that had filled the auditorium moments earlier.

But as she unpinned her jewelry, the door creaked open. She turned to see a group of intoxicated students stumble inside, their leering expressions making her heart race.

“Dancer girl,” one of them sneered. “You’ve got everyone’s attention tonight. How about sharing some with us?”

Maya’s breath hitched. “Stay back,” she warned, her voice trembling.

They moved closer, their laughter echoing ominously. Panic took over as Maya turned and bolted out of the room. She sprinted down the hallway, her heart pounding. The sound of their footsteps behind her sent a wave of terror through her.

As she turned a corner, she collided with a solid figure. Startled, she looked up to see Ayaan standing there, his piercing gaze instantly locking onto hers. The relief that washed over her was overwhelming, and without thinking, she clung to him, her hands gripping his coat tightly.

“Ayaan,” she whispered, her voice breaking.

Her trembling frame and the fear in her eyes told him everything he needed to know. His jaw tightened as he gently pushed her behind him, shielding her from the approaching threat.

The intoxicated boys skidded to a stop when they saw Ayaan. His presence was like a thunderstorm—calm but dangerous.

“Who do you think you’re chasing?” he asked coldly, his voice low but deadly.

One of them, emboldened by the alcohol, scoffed. “This isn’t your business—”

Before he could finish, Ayaan moved. His punch landed squarely on the boy’s jaw, sending him crashing to the ground. The others hesitated, but Ayaan’s icy glare rooted them in place.

“You’ve got ten seconds to disappear,” he growled.

They didn’t wait for a second warning. Scrambling to their feet, they fled down the hallway, leaving Ayaan and Maya alone.

Ayaan turned back to Maya, his expression softening as he took in her tear-streaked face. She was still trembling, her wide eyes staring at him with a mix of fear and relief.

“You’re safe now,” he said gently, reaching out to steady her.

Maya clung to his arm, her heart still racing. “Thank you,” she murmured, her voice barely audible.

Ayaan looked at her for a long moment, his usual composed demeanor giving way to something raw and protective. “No one will ever dare touch you again,” he promised, his voice firm.

Ayaan escorted Maya back to her hostel, ensuring she was safe. She walked silently beside him, her mind replaying the moment she had run into his arms. The warmth of his embrace, the strength in his presence—it was something she would never forget.

As they reached the hostel gate, Maya paused, looking up at him. “Ayaan,” she began, her voice hesitant, “I... I don’t know how to thank you.”

He gave her a small, reassuring smile. “You don’t need to,” he said simply. “Just take care of yourself.”

As he turned to leave, Maya’s eyes lingered on him. Her heart, which had been racing with fear earlier, now beat for an entirely different reason.

For Ayaan, walking away was harder than he expected. Her warmth, her trust—it was more than he deserved, but it was all he wanted.

In that moment, both of them felt the unspoken connection between them grow stronger. And though they didn’t say it out loud, they both knew—this wasn’t the end. It was only the beginning.

As Maya sat by the window of her hostel room that night, the city lights twinkling in the distance, her thoughts wandered to places she had never dared explore before. The events of the day had shaken her, yet amidst the fear and chaos, one image lingered in her mind: Ayaan.

Growing up in her small village, Maya had often been teased by her friends for her dreamy nature. She was the girl who believed in fairytales, who admired the moon and thought it carried the secrets of a thousand love stories. Her dreams were simple yet vivid—of finding a love that would make her heart race, a love that would feel as though it was written in the stars.

Back then, love had been nothing more than a distant concept, woven from the romantic tales she read and the stories whispered among the women in the village. To her, love was about companionship, trust, and small acts of care—a boy bringing her flowers, a stolen glance during a village festival, or the promise of forever under the banyan tree.

But now, after meeting Ayaan, her teenage dreams seemed both naïve and strangely prophetic. She had never imagined love could be so intense, so consuming. His presence ignited something within her that both thrilled and terrified her.

Maya’s heart fluttered as she thought of the way he had shielded her today, his arms like a fortress protecting her from the world. For the first time, she realized she had begun to measure every idea of love she had ever known against him. He was her first love—raw, complicated, and entirely unexpected.

But he was also a mystery. Ayaan wasn’t the simple, predictable boy she had imagined in her teenage musings. He was powerful, enigmatic, and carried a darkness that both intrigued and frightened her.

Maya leaned her head against the cool glass of the window, her fingers tracing the bracelet she still wore from her time in the village. She realized her dreams had changed. Once, she had imagined a love that felt safe and steady. But now, she found herself longing for something deeper, something that mirrored the intensity she felt whenever she was near Ayaan.

Yet, with that longing came uncertainty. What did she really know about him? Was he just a fleeting chapter in her life, or was he the beginning of a story that would change everything.

Her cheeks warmed as she remembered his piercing gaze, the way he had looked at her during her dance performance, as though she was the only person in the room. For a moment, she allowed herself to dream—to imagine what it would feel like to walk beside him, to be loved by him.

But reality loomed large. Ayaan was far beyond her reach, a man who belonged to a world she couldn’t even begin to understand. And yet, her heart refused to let go.

As the city lights flickered, Maya made a silent promise to herself. No matter how impossible it seemed, she wouldn’t let go of the feelings that had blossomed in her heart. If love was a journey, she was willing to take the first step, even if it meant navigating unknown roads.