Devil's Bride

The Challenge of love

The moonlight poured softly through the window, casting a silver glow across the room as Maya sat on her bed, her phone in hand. It was nearly midnight, and the village was still, the only sounds being the occasional rustle of leaves in the cool night breeze. She had been thinking about Ayaan all day, missing him more than she cared to admit.

With a smile, she opened their chat window, her fingers hovering over the screen. The conversation had been light, but she wanted to tease him, to see if he was as serious about her as he seemed to be.

“If you truly love me, Ayaan, you’ll be here before dawn.”

Her message was playful, full of childlike innocence. She knew it was impossible. After all, she was in a small village on the outskirts of Chennai, and he was in Mumbai, the fast-paced city where he had built his empire. There was no way he could be here in time, no way he would take her words seriously.

But Ayaan was never one to shy away from a challenge. A message pinged through almost immediately, his response as confident as ever.

“Challenge accepted. I’ll be there before you know it. Wait for me, Maya.”

Maya's heart skipped a beat. She quickly typed back.

“Ayaan, you’re crazy. Don’t waste your time, it’s just a silly challenge.”

But Ayaan didn’t respond. She couldn’t shake off the feeling that he was serious, that he really meant it. The thought made her smile despite herself, her heart racing at the idea of seeing him again, even if it was just a playful challenge.

As soon as Ayaan read her message, something inside him stirred. His heart, which had been restless for days, beat a little faster. He was used to challenges, to winning no matter the odds. But this wasn’t just a challenge to him—it was a chance to prove something. To her, to himself.

Without a second thought, he picked up the phone and made a call.

"Arrange for my jet to be ready in thirty minutes. I’ll need to be in Chennai in two hours."

His assistant on the other end of the line didn’t even question him, simply acknowledging the request. Ayaan wasn’t one to back down, especially when it came to Maya.

As the clock ticked closer to 2 AM, Maya stood by the window, gazing out at the quiet village street, her heart inexplicably racing. She couldn’t believe it—could Ayaan really be coming? Was he truly serious about this?

Her phone buzzed again, and she quickly glanced down at the screen. It was a notification for a flight tracker app she hadn’t downloaded.

The message simply read:
"Jet Departure: Mumbai to Chennai."

Maya’s breath caught in her throat. She couldn’t believe it. She hadn’t told Ayaan about her little challenge, but here he was, taking it to a whole new level.

The minutes dragged by, but it wasn’t until she heard a faint hum in the distance that the reality of the situation set in. Her heart pounded as she slipped away from her bed and quietly made her way to the window, her pulse quickening.

She pulled the curtains slightly apart, her eyes scanning the dark street outside her home.

At exactly 2 AM, a sleek black SUV pulled up in front of the small house. The headlights dimmed, and the engine turned off. Maya’s breath caught in her throat as she recognized the figure stepping out of the car. Ayaan.

There he was, standing in front of her house, just as he had promised.

But then a wave of panic rushed over her. Her father. He could wake up at any moment, and if he saw Ayaan here, if he knew what was going on... Maya couldn’t even begin to think about it. This wasn’t something she could explain, not yet. She wasn’t ready for her father to know about her feelings for Ayaan, not with everything still so uncertain.

She quickly pulled back from the window, her mind racing. She couldn’t let him see her. But she couldn’t ignore the ache in her heart, the longing to see him, to talk to him.

Maya took a deep breath, making a decision. She had to go, even if it meant sneaking out for just a few minutes.

Quietly, she grabbed her shawl and slipped out of the back door, careful not to make a sound. The cool night air hit her skin, and for a moment, she paused to calm her nerves.

There he was, standing under the faint light of the streetlamp, looking up at her window. His gaze locked with hers, and his lips curved into a soft smile.

Without saying a word, Maya stepped towards him, her feet barely making a sound on the grass beneath her. She couldn’t believe she was doing this, sneaking out in the dead of night to meet him, but here she was.

Ayaan saw her approaching and took a step toward her, his eyes softening as he saw her. “I told you, I would be here.”

Maya didn’t know what to say. Her heart was racing, her emotions a tangled mess. She wanted to run into his arms, but she couldn’t. Not yet. Not with the consequences of this moment looming over her.

She looked at him, her voice barely a whisper. “Ayaan, what are you doing here? You—”

He stepped closer, his gaze never leaving hers. “For you, Maya, I would cross any distance. And nothing—no one—can stop me from keeping my promises.” He paused, his eyes searching hers. “I came because you asked me to. Because you’re the most important person in my life now.”

Maya felt her heart flutter at his words, but the reality of her situation hit her again. She could hear her father stirring inside the house.

“I have to go back, Ayaan. My father—he’ll wake up. He can’t know about this,” Maya said, her voice trembling slightly as she took a step back.

Ayaan didn’t move. His eyes were filled with a fierce determination. He reached out, catching her wrist gently but firmly. “Not so fast,” he said, his voice soft but intense. “You’ve made me cross half a country for you, Maya. You’ve made me break every rule I’ve ever had. The least you can do is give me a kiss. Just a little one. For all the hardship I’ve been through to get here.”

Maya’s breath hitched. She had never expected this, but now, as she stood there, feeling the pull of his presence so close, she couldn’t deny the way her heart raced. She opened her mouth to protest, but Ayaan was already leaning down, his hand coming up to tuck a stray lock of hair behind her ear.

“Please, Maya,” he whispered. “Just this once. Give me something to hold onto until I see you again.”

Maya hesitated for a moment, her cheeks flushed, her heart pounding in her chest. Then, against all logic, she gave in, standing on tiptoe to press a soft, hesitant kiss to his lips.

Ayaan’s heart soared as he kissed her back, his hand cupping her face as he deepened the kiss, showing her how much he had longed for this moment. The world around them disappeared, and for a few seconds, there was only the two of them, wrapped in their own little bubble of affection.

When they finally pulled away, both of them were breathless. Ayaan smiled, a satisfied glint in his eyes. “That wasn’t so bad, was it?”

Maya, her face still flushed, shook her head. “Ayaan, we can’t... This isn’t right. I have to go back inside.”

Ayaan nodded, his gaze softening. “I know. But remember this, Maya. No matter where you are, no matter what happens, I will always be here for you.”

With one last lingering glance, Maya slipped back into the shadows of her house, her heart full of emotions she didn’t know how to process. But one thing was clear: Ayaan wasn’t just a man she admired from afar anymore. He was hers, and she was his.