"See a future with him, pretend to move on... but when it's time to become a bride, it'll be for me. You can hate me all you want, but my name will be in your fate." The monitor backstage buzzed with Swaraj Malhotra's voice, slick with self-satisfaction. "Dhananjay Singhania ke paas na toh bahu hai, na hi bahumat." I almost pitied them. Almost. "Sir?" my aide whispered. "We're live in two." I smiled, not the charming kind they use for posters, the other one . the kind that didn't reach my eyes. The kind that meant someone was about to regret underestimating me. The one that makes my team nervous. Because they know when I smile like that, it means I'm about to ruin someone's perfectly planned day. I walked up to the stage, every step measured. The anthem played. Composure is a crown, and I wear mine well. The Chief Justice handed me the Constitution, his expression solemn. "Repeat after me." as he gestured me forward, the Constitution opened before him. I raised my right hand. "Main Dhananjay Singhania..." My voice echoed back through the hall, too calm, too rehearsed. I could already imagine Swaraj watching this on his fancy LED, smug and proud of his own line. "Main Dhananjay Singhania, shapat leta hoon ki main apne pad ke kartavya..." The words droned on, heavy and holy. Every syllable was a performance loyalty, integrity, service. Funny. Everyone in this room had sold those words long ago. And then I saw her. Front row. White saree. Minimal makeup. Hair tied loose. Sitting right in front , her father's daughter, my rival's pride. I forgot the cameras. The promises. The Politics. "Bahumat toh mil gayi..." I said into the microphone, pausing deliberately. The Chief Justice froze. The crowd murmured. My security chief mouthed something that looked suspiciously like "sir please don't-" Too late. "Ab bas bahu ki kami thi." In one sentence, I did two things - proposed to my rival's daughter and declared a war.

My phone rings for the nth time as I try to climb up the stairs as fast as I can, out of all days the elevator had to be out of service TODAY, wearing the heavy lehenga seems to add to the misery, I open the door to the hall and see my whole family standing there, 5 years and nothing has changed Everything was good till I hear Vyara shout out loud and say "there's my sister" I feel everyone coming to a stop and look at me, I feel my cheeks redden at the stunt my sister just pulled... My eyes roam around in search of my brother but comes to a stop as it notices someone else, the world comes to stop, the people disappear as he lifts up his head to look at me... what is HE doing here? What happens when you let him go, but fate has other plans for you?

✫ 𝐁𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐓𝐡𝐫𝐞𝐞 𝐈𝐧 𝐑𝐚𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐆𝐞𝐧'𝐬 𝐋𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐒𝐚𝐠𝐚 𝐒𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬 ᕯᕯᕯᕯᕯᕯ She walks like royalty. He moves like a storm. She commands courtrooms with fire. He rules boardrooms in silence. She hides pain behind sharp words. He buries his behind calm eyes. She trusts no one. He lets no one close. She is rage wrapped in grace. He is restraint edged with danger. She used to laugh. He used to be the reason. . . . . RITIKA SINGH RATHORE Born into Rajasthan's most powerful royal family, Ritika is the pampered princess. But she is a Queen of her own world by strength and sheer will. A fierce lawyer feared in courtrooms, her silence is sharper than most screams. But behind that cold brilliance is a past steeped in blood and betrayal. She used to be the third-in-command of the Indian underworld, but now she doesn't even look at that direction. ADWAIT SINGHANIA A self-made billionaire forged by pain, Adwait rose from the ashes of a brutal past. He thinks like a strategist, moves like a soldier and trusts no one with his heart. He is only cheerful around his family and for others, he is nothing more than a silent storm. Once the second-in-command of India's deadliest crime syndicate, he has now cut ties with the crime world. Reason? No one knows. They were once each other's biggest supporter and secret keeper. Until one night shattered it all. Yet, years later, fate throws them together again. Not as friends. Not as enemies. But as two people bound by a past that refuses to die. Because the past isn't done with them yet. Enemies are watching. Alliances are shifting. And every heartbeat draws them deeper into a war they thought they had left behind. This isn't just a second chance. It's a collision course. This is not a love story, not yet. This is a battlefield and their hearts are the most dangerous weapons of all. ✫✫✫✫✫✫✫✫✫✫✫✫✫✫

WATTYS WINNER 2020 Two interconnected murders, 64 years apart. One woman's search for truth and identity. Readers' comments: 'a masterpiece', 'impeccably written', 'amazing', 'superbly crafted page-turner', 'hauntingly beautiful', 'tremendous plot and character development', 'one of a kind', 'fantastic story telling', 'loved this book', 'a wonderful read", 'absolutely beautiful', 'brought tears to my eyes' and many more Wattys judging panel: 'This is VERY good. We were HOOKED from the beginning, and the writing and plot hold up throughout. This is a very unique, polished, well-written and well-researched piece.' Plot Set partly in rural England, partly on the sun-kissed coast of southerm Italy, The Painted Altar is a murder mystery mixed with romantic and historical elements (World War Two). Given away at two days old, Mary Rice has spent her life in the shadows. When discovering the suspicious circumstances surrounding her biological mother's death, she embarks on a journey which will shine a light not only on the truth but also on her own identity. Brief extract Suddenly, the door had inched open, half a wrinkled face visible behind the tautened chain. "Hello. Who is it?" The words I was going to say had of course been well-rehearsed, repeated over and over in my mind like a mantra, but now that the moment had arrived I found myself struggling to remember them. "Mrs Harvey... I think that you might... well, that you might be..." The door closed, then slowly opened once more, the chain this time unlatched. And there she was before me - half a metre away, within arm's reach. Thin lips gradually crooking upwards at each corner like the slow beatific kindling of a summer's dawn. "Oh yes love, I know who you are." Length: 70,000 words About the author: Originally from England but for the last 16 years I've been living in Italy. I hope therefore that the Italian aspects of the novel will have a certain gloss of authenticity.

When The Lycan King, Ezekiel, goes on a killing spree, the pairer grants him a she-wolf General, Celeste, as his mate to distract him but the plan backfires as he rejects her and the two of them grow to hate each other. But the gods wouldn't stop at any cost. As the two of them are made to unite after years to fight in a war, the two of them start to grow closer until Celeste finds out the god's plan. Heartbroken to know that this was all under the influence of the gods, she leaves The Lycan King, not knowing that his feelings were true. As the Lycan King goes back to his killing spree, adding the gods to the top of his list this time, would the fates dare to unite them again? the end chapters are available on Inkitt for free. the link is in my bio.