𝐀𝐧𝐮𝐬𝐞𝐞𝐧𝐚 : 𝐸𝑐ℎ𝑜𝑒𝑠 𝑜𝑓 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝐷𝑎𝑟𝑘𝑛𝑒𝑠𝑠

~🥀 Beneath his Claim 🥀~

Let's continue....

The next morning, Haseena stood at the bustling station, her bags neatly packed. The city seemed to move in slow motion as she bid goodbye to city and boarded the train back to Madhubani with her teammates. The rhythmic sound of the wheels against the tracks provided a strange comfort, but unease still clung to her, like an unseen shadow. She glanced out the window, the fleeting thought of being watched making her heart race. She dismissed it, convincing herself it was just the lingering aura of the city.

By the time she reached Madhubani, the warmth of her small town wrapped around her, a stark contrast to the grandeur she had just left behind. The familiar streets and kind smiles of her neighbors offered a sense of normalcy. Resuming her college routine gave her solace, but the feeling of being watched never truly left her. At times, she would catch herself turning around, scanning the crowd, only to find nothing but empty air.

Meanwhile, back in his grand office, Anubhav sat at his massive mahogany desk, a sleek file open before him. His guards had done their job well. The neatly compiled dossier on Haseena lay in front of him. Each page brought a new piece of information, and one in particular caught his attention—a detail that made his smirk widen.

Haseena’s mother, Noor Jahan, worked as a chef in his company’s canteen. A single mother who had raised her daughter with pride and resilience. Anubhav leaned back in his chair, the wheels in his mind turning. The connection between him and Haseena felt closer now, like a thread he could tug at any moment.

“Interesting,” he muttered, his deep voice reverberating in the silent room. “Let’s see how fate plays this out.”

His next move was already taking shape. He would tread carefully, weaving his presence into her world without alarming her, while keeping her close enough to ensure she remained within his reach.

____________

Haseena quickly fell back into her routine in Madhubani. College classes, assignments, and the occasional chai break with her friends kept her busy. Yet, a strange sense of discomfort lingered, like she was being followed by a presence she couldn’t see.

Stranger still were the little coincidences that began to unfold. One evening, she had been browsing through her phone, looking at a specific book on Indian miniature art she needed for a project. It was rare, almost impossible to find in Madhubani, and she sighed in frustration before shutting her phone. But the next morning, she found a neatly wrapped parcel at her doorstep. Inside was the exact book she had been searching for.

At first, she thought it was a coincidence, a kind gesture from someone in her family or a friend who had overheard her needs. But it didn’t stop there. Another day, she searched for a specific shade of paint for an upcoming art exhibit—something that wasn’t available in local stores. The very next day, it arrived in pristine condition, as if someone had read her mind.

She mentioned it to Anuradha during a call, laughing nervously. “It’s probably nothing,” she said, brushing off the unease. “Just someone being kind.” But deep down, she wasn’t convinced.

Meanwhile, miles away, Anubhav sat in his dimly lit study, going through updates from his guards and team. Every search she made, every whispered desire she had, was meticulously tracked and fulfilled under his command. He relished the thought of her confusion, her quiet unease. For him, this was just the beginning of pulling her into his world, one thoughtful move at a time.

“Let her wonder,” he mused, leaning back in his chair with a glass of whiskey in hand. His sharp gaze fell on the report in front of him. It detailed her daily routine—college hours, market visits, even the time she spent practicing her art.