THE OTHER MAN

"Hi, this is Austin Luna. Sahera's friend."

His voice was smooth. Too smooth.

"Hi, Aastin ke saanp."

A beat of silence.

"What?"

"Nothing," Kabir said lightly. "Nice to meet you, Austin."

He smiled-but there was something sharp beneath it. Sarcastic. Dangerous.

"Leave me...!!"

"I won't."

"Why?"

"First, give me my kiss back."

Her breath hitched.

"You wanted to break up, right, Sahera?" Austin's voice dropped, turning cold. "Then give me back everything. My kisses. My love. My nights. My everything."

"Austin... this isn't how it works."

She turned away, hiding the tears burning her eyes.

"Why not?!"

Crash.

Glass shattered against the floor.

"I am marrying you," she said firmly. "That doesn't mean I love you."

Kabir smiled, slow and knowing. "The feeling is mutual, Flower."

"Stop calling me that!"

"I won't." He leaned closer. "Unless... I get something in return."

His gaze flickered to her lips.

Sahera's eyes widened as she covered her mouth with her hands.

"You'll never have her heart, Kabir," Austin snapped. "You may have her body. You may steal her first kiss. You may even have her tonight. But her soul-that belongs only to me."

Kabir lifted his wine glass calmly. "Austin... how was the food?"

"Stop the bullshit and-"

"I asked how the food was," Kabir interrupted, sipping the wine. "And I'm not talking about food."

"You bastard!"

Austin lunged forward-but Kabir's bodyguard stopped him cold.

"Look at the mess you've created, Flower," Kabir said softly. "Look at this."

"No... I didn't do this!" Sahera cried. "This is you!"

Her voice trembled.

The room smelled of broken glass, wine, and ruined promises.

And this...
This was only the beginning.