➥MALICIOUS~ (18+) By Author OD

- GODDESS -

" Titli by Chinmayee "

Arnav's POV:

The temple was bustling with people-devotees rushing to complete their prayers, priests chanting mantras..and devotees are humming them, the scent of fragrance filling the air. I walked in with my family, keeping my distance as usual, my face an impassive mask.

This was their domain, not mine. I wasn't one for rituals, but here I was, standing in the middle of it all, playing my part.

My eyes scanned the crowd quickly, more out of habit than curiosity. That's when I saw her.

A girl was standing a few feet ahead, dressed in a simple yet elegant traditional suit. Her frame was delicate, almost fragile. Her hands were clasped together in a prayer position, her head bowed, her eyes closed, her long hairs were swaying softly over her waist, The sunlight streaming through the temple's windows seemed to wrap around her, making her look almost ethereal.

" Goddess " the beautiful words slipped off my tongue which never uttered for any female before.

Something about her felt... different. She wasn't like the loud, flashy crowd around her. She was lost in her own world, drowning in her thoughts as if she had brought her entire heart to the gods, as if she was talking to the gods.

My gaze lingered, and for the first time in what felt like forever, I couldn't look away. I hated how much attention I was giving to a stranger, but there was something so composing about her that it annoyed and intrigued me at the same time.

I took a step closer, pretending to focus on the idol, but my eyes betrayed me, constantly flickering and diverting back to her. She was oblivious, too consumed in her prayer to notice me-or anything else.

I clenched my jaw, forcing myself to turn away. What's wrong with me? I wasn't the type to get distracted, especially not by someone I didn't even know. Yet here I was, standing still in a crowded temple, my thoughts tangled around a girl who hadn't even opened her eyes.

In business, I thrived on precision and control. My decisions were calculated, my actions swift, and my words sharp enough to cut through the noise. People respected me-or feared me-but they rarely dared to challenge me. I preferred it that way. Relationships, attachments, emotions-they were just not going to happen in my book.

And yet, here I was, in a crowded temple of all places, tripping over a random girl like some naive fool.

I tried to focus, to remind myself of who I was and what I stood for. But my eyes betrayed me, pulling me back to her again and again. She was still there, standing with her hands clasped in prayer.

It was infuriating. The way my usually disciplined mind kept straying. The way my heart-a muscle I barely acknowledged, was acting up, restless and unsteady.

She wasn't even doing anything extraordinary. Just standing there, quiet and composed, her thoughts clearly miles away. And yet, it felt like she was dragging me into her world, shaking the foundations of the cold, detached persona I had spent years perfecting.

I clenched my fists, trying to ground myself, but the harder I resisted, the more restless I became. It was absurd. Ridiculous. I didn't believe in fairytales, soulmates, or whatever nonsense people attributed to moments like these.

But watching her, I felt... exposed. Vulnerable. Like she had unknowingly touched a part of me I'd buried long ago.

I hated it. I hated the lack of control. The way she, a complete stranger, had turned my world upside down without even glancing in my direction.

It was maddening. She was maddening. And for the first time in years, I felt completely out of my depth.

She turned her back to leave, my eyes stopped at her eyes more beautiful than I ever could imagine,she wore glasses..still I could sense the pearly eyes under it.

The spell broke abruptly when a small boy came running through the temple, giggling as he accidentally crashed into her. The prashad plate in her hands tipped over, scattering flowers and offerings across the floor.

Without thinking, I moved. My usual detached self would've just watched from a distance, but something about her hesitation as she knelt down to pick up the mess pulled me in.

I bent down beside her, reaching for the scattered items. She looked startled, her delicate brows furrowing slightly as her eyes met mine. There was a flicker of hesitation in her gaze, like she wasn't sure if she'd inconvenienced me or if I was simply someone who didn't mind lending a hand.

"Please, I can manage," she said softly, her voice like honey-gentle, warm, and annoyingly disarming.

But I pretended not to hear her, my hands methodically gathering the scattered flowers and sweets. Her voice, sweet as it was, wasn't going to stop me.

She hesitated again before joining me in picking up the plate, her fingers brushing against mine briefly as we worked. That small contact, insignificant as it seemed, sent an unexpected jolt through me-like the world had decided to throw me off balance for the second time today.

She glanced at me, her brows still slightly wrinkled, as if trying to figure out why I was helping her. The look on her face made it clear she wasn't used to this kind of attention, and for some reason, that thought unsettled me even more.

Once the plate was back in order, she straightened up and turned to me, clutching the edge of the plate as if it was a lifeline.

"Thank you," she said softly, almost in a whisper. Then, after a beat,

she added, "And... sorry for bothering you."

Her words caught me off guard. Bothering me? Did she not see that I was the one who chose to help, that it was her presence throwing me into this spiral of confusion?I shook my head slightly, as if to clear the thought.

"It's fine," I said, my voice was colder than intended. The habit of keeping emotions locked away was hard to shake, even now.

But as she nodded and stepped back, her eyes lingering on mine for just a moment longer,

" Tina beta. " A old woman called her personifying her as Tina...I see her name is Tina..she moved to the woman's direction asking me to excuse her, smilling at me softly she went away..

Butterfly..that came showed her ethereal features made me mesmerized by her beauty, at the end flew away..
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