𝐈𝐧𝐚𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐚~𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐚𝐬𝐬𝐚𝐜𝐫𝐞 | 𝟐𝟏+

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫|𝐃𝐨 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐬𝐭 !

The golden hues of the late afternoon next day sun bled into Shivaay's chambers, but the warmth did little to thaw the tension that gripped the room. Aadhisha sat on the edge of the wide divan, her body rigid, her gaze fixed on the floor as if it could offer her some escape. Across the room, Shivaay leaned against the ornate desk, arms folded over his chest, his sharp blue eyes locked onto her like a predator studying its prey.

Neither of them spoke at first, the air thick with unspoken words and unrelenting tension. But the silence wasn't empty; it buzzed with electricity, with unacknowledged feelings neither was ready to face.

Finally, Aadhisha broke the quiet. "What now, Shivaay?" she asked, her voice carefully even. "You've made your point. I'm not going anywhere. What more do you want?"

"What do I want?" Shivaay echoed, his voice a low rumble that sent a shiver down her spine. He pushed off the desk and took a step toward her, his presence overpowering. "I want the truth, Aadhisha. I want you to stop playing these games."

She clenched her fists, refusing to let him see how much he affected her. "And what truth is that?" she asked, her tone laced with defiance. "You already think you know everything, don't you?"

Shivaay smirked, but there was no humor in it. "I know enough," he said, his eyes narrowing. "I know you've been lying to me from the start. I know you've been working against me. And I know you're CZarina."

The name hung between them like a loaded weapon, and Aadhisha flinched as if it had struck her. She opened her mouth to deny it, but the words wouldn't come. How could she, when the truth was written so clearly in his eyes?

"Still not going to admit it?" Shivaay asked, his voice softer now, almost teasing. "Fine. Let's see how long you can keep up this charade."

He moved closer, his presence like a storm cloud descending over her. Aadhisha's breath quickened as he stopped just in front of her, his towering form casting a shadow over her. She hated how her body betrayed her, how her heart raced and her skin burned under his scrutiny.

"You think you're so clever, don't you?" he murmured, his voice low and dangerous. "But you're not as untouchable as you think."

Aadhisha tilted her chin up, meeting his gaze with defiance. "And you think you can intimidate me?" she shot back. "You're not as invincible as you think, Shivaay."

He chuckled darkly, the sound sending a thrill down her spine. "Maybe not," he said, leaning in closer, so close she could feel the heat of his breath on her skin. "But I am relentless. And I will have what I want."

"And what is it you want?" she asked, her voice trembling despite her best efforts to keep it steady.

Shivaay didn't answer right away. Instead, he reached out, his hand brushing against her cheek. The touch was light, almost tender, but it sent a jolt of electricity through her. Aadhisha hated herself for the way her body responded, for the way her heart raced and her breath caught in her throat.

"I want you to stop lying," he said finally, his voice a soft murmur that was more dangerous than any shout. "I want you to tell me the truth, Aadhisha. All of it."

She turned her head away, breaking the contact. "You think it's that simple?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper. "You think I can just tell you everything and it'll fix all of this?"

"I don't care about fixing anything," Shivaay said, his tone hardening. "I care about knowing. And I care about you not running from me anymore."

The words hung in the air, heavy with a meaning neither of them wanted to acknowledge. Aadhisha's chest tightened, and she struggled to find the right words, to deny what she felt, but nothing came.

Shivaay sighed, stepping back and running a hand through his hair. "You're impossible, you know that?" he said, his voice laced with frustration. "You make me want to tear my own sanity apart just to figure you out."

She blinked, startled by the admission. "I never asked you to do that," she said softly.

"No, you didn't," he said, his blue eyes locking onto hers. "But you make it impossible not to."

The air between them crackled with tension, and for a moment, Aadhisha thought he might walk away. But instead, he closed the distance between them, his hands gripping the arms of the divan on either side of her, trapping her in place.

"Do you even realize what you do to me?" he asked, his voice low and rough. "Every time you lie, every time you look at me like that, it drives me insane."

Aadhisha's breath hitched, and she struggled to find her voice. "Shivaay, I-"

"No," he said, cutting her off. "You don't get to speak. Not until you tell me the truth."

She swallowed hard, her heart pounding in her chest. "I can't," she whispered. "It's not that simple."

Shivaay's jaw clenched, and for a moment, she thought he might explode. But instead, he leaned in closer, his lips brushing against her ear. "Then make it simple," he murmured.

Aadhisha's resolve wavered, her walls crumbling under the weight of his intensity. But before she could say anything, Shivaay pulled back, his expression unreadable.

"You're not leaving this room until I get the truth," he said, his voice firm. "So you better start talking."

She stared at him, her mind racing. She wanted to tell him everything, to lay it all bare. But the truth was dangerous, and she wasn't sure she could trust him with it.

Instead, she met his gaze with defiance, her chin lifting. "Do your worst, Shivaay," she said, her voice steady despite the fear that gripped her. "I'm not afraid of you."

He smirked, but there was no humor in it. "You should be," he said simply.

And as he stepped back, his eyes never leaving hers, Aadhisha realized that she was. Not of what he might do to her, but of what she might feel for him. Because no matter how much she wanted to deny it, Shivaay had already claimed a part of her she wasn't ready to give.

And he wasn't letting go.

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