•||12||•

1.1K 160 31
                                    

The dinner night

Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.

The dinner night

The Rathods and the Oberois. Just two families gathered for an intimate dinner, the kind of evening meant to solidify bonds and celebrate what was to come. But nothing about this dinner felt easy. Not with Niva Joshi in the room.

Her presence wasn’t unusual. She wasn’t just Annika’s best friend; her father and mine had been inseparable for as long as I could remember. Niva had grown up moving through the same circles as me, always close enough to matter but far enough to remain untouchable.

And now, she was sitting across from me, her black saree clinging to her like a challenge, her every move calculated to unsettle.

She hadn’t started the evening here. Before dinner, she and Annika had disappeared, something about checking last-minute details. The excuse had been casual, almost too casual, and I hadn’t missed the way they exchanged a look before slipping away.

When they returned, it was Niva who walked in first, head held high, eyes gleaming with something dangerous. Annika followed moments later, quieter, as though she knew exactly what was about to unfold.

Niva moved through the room with the kind of confidence that could only come from someone who knew exactly how much power they held. She wasn’t just Annika’s best friend tonight. She wasn’t just the wedding planner. She was a storm waiting to strike.

Her father, and My father They were best friends, bonded by a history of loyalty and trust. And yet, their children sat on opposite sides of the table, locked in a silent war neither of them seemed to notice.

Niva finally took her seat, her gaze brushing over me for the briefest moment. The glance was cold, calculated, designed to remind me exactly where we stood.

Once, I might have risen to her bait. Once, I might have said something—anything—to provoke a reaction, to remind her that I wasn’t afraid of her games. But now, I knew better.

“Everything looks wonderful,” she said, her voice smooth and polite. Her fingers traced the edge of her glass as she spoke, the motion casual, almost lazy. “You must be relieved, Mr. Oberoi.”

It was directed at my father, but I could feel the weight of her words pressing against me. She was mocking me without ever looking in my direction.

“Thanks to you, Niva,” my father replied warmly, raising his glass. “You’ve done a brilliant job with the planning. Yash and Annika are lucky to have you.”

Lucky. The word grated against my nerves. There was nothing lucky about having her here.

She smiled at my father, her expression sweet and sincere, but when her eyes flicked to mine, the mask slipped for a fraction of a second. The challenge was there, unmistakable.

I clenched my jaw, forcing myself to remain calm. She wanted a reaction. She wanted me to falter, to let the weight of our history crack my carefully built composure.

You've reached the end of published parts.

⏰ Last updated: Jan 17 ⏰

Add this story to your Library to get notified about new parts!

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐃𝐚𝐳𝐳𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐃𝐚𝐰𝐧'§ ||𝟏𝟖+Where stories live. Discover now