They Don't Know about Us

Chapter 30 - Breathless dances & Sinful touches

Chapter 30 – Breathless dances & sinful touches
🚨 Slight mature content advisory 🚨

When the last plate was cleared and conversations drifted into laughter, the music inside the hall changed — softer, gentler, a melody that wrapped around the crowd like velvet.

Guests began drifting toward the center again as the lights dimmed, leaving only the chandeliers glowing.

The emcee had announced a couple dance and couples were already pairing up. Rahul tugged Muskaan. Anjali dragged Atul. Viren extended his hand to Jeevika with a bow.

Riddhima stood on the edge, breath steady but heart racing. This was it. You'll see, she had told him. Now was the time to think about her idea. Her moment.

She pretended to look around for a partner — until she heard a voice from behind.

"Riddhima?" She turned around to see Abhi smiling politely at her.

"Just for a dance?" he asked warmly, extending out his hand. She looked at his hand, and looked away at Armaan who was looking at her, but looked away instantly, paying attention to some guest was talking to him.

Riddhima could feel the subtle stiffening in the air. Abhi sensed her hesitation and said "just as friends!" Riddhima looked at him warmly, puttong her hand in his and he led them to the dance floor where the couples were already swaying. She glanced again at Armaan and this time he was being pulled onto the dance floor by Sneha.

He didn't look her way. Didn't frown. Didn't even blink.

But she saw the way his fingers curled slightly at his side.

The couples swayed slowly and rhythmically. The hall glowed warm and golden. Abhi held her at a respectable distance. She gave him a smile as she twirled her, her eyes catching Armaan's mid-twirl.

Then came the switch.A little chaotic — intentionally so. People laughing, twirling away from one partner, drifting to another. Hands catching hands.

Anjali had twirled out of Atul's arms and into a cousin', Muskaan had twirled out of Rahul's and into Atul's and the circle carried on.

Riddhima's pulse quickened. Now. She slipped out of Abhi's hold as the music swelled and moved through the crowd, letting bodies blur around her. The lights dipped lower, the chandeliers dimming in favor of the fairy lights near the outer wall.

The dance floor rippled like water. Armaan felt a sudden tug at his wrist. Not a polite brush. Not an accidental bump.

A firm, insistent pull.

He turned—

but the lights flickered low, the hall twisting into shadows and silhouettes. The music grew louder as laughter rose behind him.

He couldn't see the face — only the outline of a woman slipping away, tugging him toward the open doorway. Not only the outline of her shimmery lehngha, but it was her touch that give her away.

Riddhima.

His heartbeat kicked. He followed without hesitation.

The moment they crossed into the courtyard, the world shifted.

The noise softened into a distant hum. Moonlight spilled silver across the marble. Fairy lights glowed like soft constellations above them. The jasmine vines trembled in the night breeze, perfuming the air.

And she finally turned to face him. His breath left him in a quiet, stunned whisper.

"Riddhima..."

Her lehenga shimmered faintly, a soft halo in the dim light.