𝐀𝐟𝐬𝐚𝐚𝐧𝐞 | 𝟏𝟖+

"Let me get this straight," Danish's voice is sharp, his disbelief barely masked. "You want me to pretend to be in love with you?"

Kiara tilts her head, the ghost of a smirk playing on her lips. "No, Malhotra. I want you to pretend you never stopped."

For as long as Kiara Oberoi could remember, life had been a race she was never allowed to lose. And standing in her way at every turn? Danish Malhotra.
Her biggest rival. Her greatest weakness. The boy who knew exactly how to ruin her.

They spent their years locked in battle-academic rankings, debate championships, internships, and scholarships-neither willing to give the other an inch.

They fought in front of the whole world.
They fought when no one was watching.
And somewhere in between all those fights, between the sharp words and long stares-
they fell.

It started with a project that forced them together.
Forced them to see past the rivalry, past the competition, past the carefully built walls.
Forced them to face the fact that they understood each other in ways no one else ever had.
They fought for years-until one night, she gave him everything.
And the next day? She destroyed him.

"I could never love someone who doesn't even know his own origins."

And then, she left.
No warnings. No explanations. Just silence.
Now, she's back.
Same fire. Same hunger. Same boy she left behind-only now, he's colder, crueler, untouchable.

And this time, they aren't just academic rivals.
They're business enemies. And she needs him to fake date her.
She isn't leaving without him this time.

She says it's to win a war.
He knows it's to win him back.
But some fires never die-
And this time, they might burn for real.