～ꗥ❀ 𝐑𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐛𝐡 𝐏𝐎𝐕 ❀ꗥ～

The case files scattered across my desk were more than just papers-they were pieces of a puzzle I was determined to solve.

Mishra's warning about evidence tampering echoed in my head like a battle drum. *Let them try*, I thought, a dangerous smile playing on my lips.

They don't know what kind of devil they're dealing with.

The weight of the day clung to my shoulders as I gathered my things,

As I was going out, Ramu Kaka (driver) must be near a tea stall, so I came out of the office.

The corridor stretched before me, the evening light casting long shadows through the windows.

That's when fate decided to throw a wrench in my perfectly ordered world.

The collision came without warning-a blur of motion, the scent of sandalwood, and suddenly my world tilted on its axis.

She crashed into me like a meteor, and time seemed to fracture into a crystalline moment.

God! What the hell is this nonsense, doesn't she have eyes or what ?

I looked down at her ,her face was covered with her hair,she slowly balanced herself and looked up at me

But when she looked up...

"Those eyes."- Hauntingly familiar !

Okay! This is not nonsense for sure !

My beast-the carefully caged monster I keep locked away-stirred to life, recognizing something in her gaze that sent electricity crackling through my veins.

This wasn't some mundane meeting of strangers..

Every instinct screamed that this moment would alter the course of my carefully plotted life....

Her cheeks flushed crimson with anger and embarrassment, and something primal inside me purred at the sight.

The way her chest heaved with fury, how her hair cascaded around her face like spilled ink-it awakened something I thought I'd buried years ago.

She hit the pavement hard, but the way she carried herself-spine straight despite the pain-told me everything I needed to know about her acute character.

"Steel wrapped in silk"-

With a shadow of something deeper ,yet there was something about her that whispered of connection i couldn't quite place

"Meri kamar," (my back!) she hissed through gritted teeth, pushing back that waterfall of dark hair.

When her eyes locked onto mine,

मेरी नींद जैसे पहली बार टूटी है,

आँखें मल के मैंने देखी है सुबह

[It felt like I was waking up for the first time, rubbing my eyes to truly see the morning.]

The world around us didn't just blur-it ceased to exist entirely for me.

My heart wasn't just throbbing; it was staging a rebellion against my ribs, thundering with a rhythm that spoke of recognition, of awakening.

Each pulse sent tremors through my chest, like a caged beast recognizing its tamer.

Every beat seemed to whisper a truth I wasn't unable to face. For this stranger? This fury-wrapped enigma? What is wrong?!

Why does each pulse feel like it's trying to break free of my chest, reaching for something-someone-my mind can't remember but my body won't forget?

"Ullu ki aankhein hai jo din mein bhi thik se nahi dikhai de raha?"

(Do you have an owl's eyes that you can't see properly even in broad daylight?)

I felt my eyebrow arch, watching her with growing interest-like a wolf discovering a lioness in his territory.

Something dark and hungry inside me wanted to see more of this fire. So I stood there, taking in every detail of her anger like it was the most fascinating show on earth.

I read people for a living-it's second nature to me.

But her? She's a masterpiece of contradictions. She thinks she's wearing a perfect mask, showing only what she wants the world to see.

Little does she know, I can strangly read beneath her act like turning pages in a favorite book. Not a stranger at all, but something more... intriguing.

"Ab aise hi statue ki tarah dekhte raho ge! Haath do," she demanded, her words sharp as knives.

(Are you just going to stand there like a statue? Give me your hand.)

Even sitting on the ground, she had the attitude of a queen on her throne.

My smile turned dangerous, "Haath aur saath apne logo se mangna achha lagta hai," I said sweetly, letting each word drip with fake politeness.

(It's better to ask for a hand-and company-from your own people.)

"And we don't know each other."

The change in her was something to watch. She stood up like an angry goddess, completely forgetting her pain.

Every move she made was calculated as she faced me, crossing her arms like she was ready for battle.

Her eyes traveled over me from head to toe, and I felt each look like a physical touch-every glance a challenge, every second making the tension between us grow stronger.

Standing there in the fading sunlight, we both knew this wasn't the end. This was just the first move in a game neither of us planned, but both of us were determined to win.

"Say sorry!" she ordered, like someone used to getting her way.

But I don't take orders-I break them.

My mouth curved into a slow smile. 'Rishab Chauhan' doesn't say sorry.

It's not who I am. But something about her-this firecracker standing in front of me-made me want to play with danger.

"You know, Miss..." I let the words flow, smooth as honey, watching how she reacted. "When I apologize, it's never just with words."

Each word was carefully chosen, soft on the surface but with steel underneath.

I stepped closer, not touching her, but close enough to make the air between us feel electric. Her scent-sandalwood and strawberries-hit me like a drug, making my usually sharp mind feel pleasantly foggy.

"My ways are a little more... unforgettable." The promise in those words hung between us like a dangerous invitation.

Don't play with words in front of me," she snapped. "Because of you, I fell on the road, you careless, good-for-nothing burden of earth."

Her insult should have angered me. Instead, it lit a fire in my veins, awakening something primal and hungry.

My smile turned predatory, my voice dropping to a deadly whisper.

"I warned you."

In one fluid motion, I grabbed her wrist, pulling her toward me.

The gasp that escaped her lips was pure satisfaction. Her body collided with mine-not fully, but enough to feel the heat radiating off her, enough to make my control slip just a fraction.

Her scent engulfed me now-that intoxicating mix of sandalwood and strawberries, mixed with something uniquely her.

Her anger made her cheeks flush, and God help me, but it only made her more cute. The way her chest heaved with indignation, how her pulse raced under my fingers-it was addictive.

I leaned in close to her ear and whispered, "Don't argue with this little mouth of yours."

I felt her shiver as my breath touched her skin. "It was your fault-you weren't looking where you were going. You didn't use these pretty eyes properly. Maybe now you'll use your brain."

The way her body went rigid against mine, the flash of fury in her eyes-it was pure entertainment.

"How dare you?" she snarled, but there was something else beneath the anger now, something that made my blood sing.

I couldn't help but push further, drawn to her reactions like a moth to flame.

"Calm down, little Satan"

I taunted, my voice dropping to a dangerous purr. I moved closer still, until I could feel the heat of her breath on my face, until the world narrowed to just this-just us.

Her anger was like a living thing between us, wild and beautiful.

Each breath she took made the tension grow stronger, darker, more complex. The way she stood tall, refusing to back down even with me towering over her-it stirred something primitive in my chest.

My grip on her wrist remained firm but not bruising-a reminder of control, not a show of force.

I could feel her pulse racing beneath my fingers, matching the thundering of my own heart.

This close, I could see every detail of her face-the slight tremble of her lower lip, the fierce determination in her eyes, the way her nostrils flared with each angry breath.

You're playing a dangerous game, little girl,"

I murmured, the words more of a growl than speech.

But who was I warning-her or myself?

Because with every passing second, every defiant glare she shot my way, I felt my carefully constructed walls beginning to crack.

Something wild inside me wanted more of her fire, her defiance, her strength.

This wasn't just an attraction,not an attraction at all-it was recognition. Recognition of someone equally strong, equally intense, someone who could burn just as bright.

I was calm until you opened that mouth of yours," she snapped, her voice shaking with anger.

"Now I want to choke you. And if you don't let go of me in two seconds, you'll be lucky if you can use these hands again." Her threat was sweet poison,

I laughed darkly, the sound rolling between us like thunder. "Well, if you change your mind about breaking my hands," I said slowly, enjoying each word, "I'll use them to applaud your dramatic entrance."

My fingers tightened around her wrist one last time-not enough to hurt, but enough to make my point. A final test, a last taste of control before I let go.

My gaze burned into hers, carrying dark intentions that made the beast inside me growl with anticipation.

She stood there, beautiful in her anger. Everything about her screamed defiance, from her tight jaw to her straight spine.

The fire in her eyes called to something wild in me, something I'd kept locked away too long. She was maddening, challenging, absolutely infuriating.

Done?" Her words cut through the air like a knife.

My smirk stayed in place, deliberately provoking her. I wanted to see more of that fire.

"I don't have all day to waste on a mannerless, shameless person like you. Go to hell," she spat.

The sting of her words was delicious.

I stood there, drinking in her fury like fine wine, letting her rage wash over me in intoxicating waves.

"Let's give you the satisfaction of winning an argument with a stranger, Miss," I purred, my voice smooth as silk but laced with sarcasm. "Now, if you're content... Excuse me."

But as I turned, I couldn't resist one final strike. I leaned in close, my lips barely touching her ear.

"Strange how some storms feel like coming home."

The words slipped out unknowingly like a dark promise, soft enough to make her skin tingle, dark enough to make shadows dance.

Her scent hit me one last time-a temptation I knew would haunt me.

My inner beast raged as I walked away, angry at having to leave.

But this wasn't the end-no, we were just getting started. Each step felt like fighting against a pull, like she had her own gravity I couldn't escape.

She had no idea what she'd woken up in me-the hunger, the need to chase, the deep urge to win. That wild part of me, sleeping for so long, now fought to break free, starving for more.

She'd started a fire thinking it was just a spark, and began a dance not knowing the dangerous steps.

But she would learn. Soon.

And I would be the one teaching her, one sweet, wicked lesson at a time. Just thinking about it made my blood run hot with dark excitement.

"Her rebellion wears the face of a ghost I want to name, soon---"

Author pov:

Before collision _

After Chaaya's call ,She reaches there and looks at the firm in front of her, where her friend recently got a job a few days ago.

"Legal Lighthouse Firm."

She looked at the building in front of her, took off the helmet, adjusted her hair, and took out her cellphone while observing her surroundings, chanting the firm's name again and again in her mind to recall where she heard about it.

She called Chaaya again,

"Kaha hai yr, bahar hi hoon, jaldi aa."

(Where are you, girl? Hurry up. I'm outside.)

"Bas pooch mat, aaj ka to din hi kharab hai yaar. Main parking area mein hoon, bas 5 min ruk, main bahar aati hoon."

("Don't ask, it's been a really bad day for me. I'm in the parking area-just wait for five minutes, I'll be there.")

"Seems like it's a bad day for everyone. But, God, spare me, please. But I know you put me first on the drama list. Whatever, I am also not playing with raw bullets."

Adyasha was walking in front of the building while talking to herself but suddenly bumped into someone and fell on the road.

------

After the collision and all the drama,

I watched him walk away, that infuriating smirk etched into my memory like a brand.

Each step he took seemed to echo in my bones, a rhythm that matched my thundering heart.

Damn him!Damn that arrogant stride! Damn that voice!

It had a way of settling under my skin, of twisting itself into something.

"Strange how some storms feel like coming home." -his words.

My body reacted before my mind could stop it, heat trailing down my spine as if his breath still lingered there. I exhaled sharply, pressing my fingers into my palm-grounding, centering.

Not because of him. Just... because--

His gaze had lingered a second too long, searching for something. Recognition, maybe. Or just an opening. I gave him neither.

I turned, walking the opposite way, my steps unhurried, measured.

Like I always knew I would.

My phone buzzed in my trembling hand-a lifeline to reality. I glanced at it, my thumb finding the contact without hesitation.

"You're coming in one minute, or I'm leaving."

My voice was steady, sharp around the edges. The way it always was.

"Coming... oh God!" Chaaya's familiar voice crackled through the speaker, but it felt distant, like an echo from underwater.

Time felt hazy, reality slipping in and out of focus until, finally, Chaaya appeared in front of me-breathless and apologetic. Her words tumbled out in a rush.

"I'm so sorry, yaar... My car's tire got punctured. I called the mechanic, but he's running late. I had to ask the security guard uncle to guide him when he gets here. I've been handling everything..."

She stopped abruptly, her eyes narrowing as she studied my face. "But what happened to you? You look... off."

"Nothing. Let's just go." The lie tasted bitter, but it was easier than explaining.

"Okay, okay... Let's gooo." Chaaya's cheerful tone scraped against my nerves like sandpaper.

But my mind was elsewhere, looping back to the encounter, replaying it over and over like a broken record. Why had I reacted so strongly? I never lost control like that.

And yet... something about his gaze made my skin prickle. Recognition. Like he knew me-not just from this moment, but from somewhere deeper.

And that? That terrified me more than his arrogance, more than his threats, more than anything else.

Troubled!!

🥀🥀

___At night____

Rishab pov:

The encounter burned in my mind like a brand that wouldn't fade.

My penthouse-usually a sanctuary-felt suffocating tonight. The walls seemed to close in.

The hot water cascaded over me, but it couldn't wash away her image.

Those eyes!

That fire!

Something about them clawed at my chest, awakening a recognition so profound it left me gasping.

My beast stirred restlessly, sensing something I'm unable to acknowledge.

*Could it be...?* -- YES

Lying on my bed, the thought consumed me. "Antara," I whispered into the darkness, the name tasting like blood on my tongue.

"You left me incomplete, broken. But today... Today something shifted"

"I never let anyone close enough to matter. My walls are impenetrable-they have to be. But her? She slipped through like smoke, like she knew exactly where the cracks were. And the way my soul responded... It wasn't normal. It wasn't possible"

Unless...

My heart thundered in my chest as realization dawned. The defiance in her eyes, the way she stood her ground-it was-- *you*.

It had to be. My beast recognized you before I did, didn't it? That's why it reacted so strongly, why it clawed to get closer.

"My soul doesn't make mistakes,"

I growled into the emptiness. "It knows its owner , Antara. It always has."

The girl today-she carried your fire, your spirit. But it was more than that. The recognition went deeper, touched something primal inside me. My beast wouldn't react like that to just anyone.

It knows its mate, it's tamer !

I pressed my palms against my eyes, trying to sort through the chaos in my mind.

The lines were blurring-past and present, you and her, reality and hope. But my instincts screamed that I was right.

That somehow, impossibly, you were there today.

Standing abruptly, I made my way to my secret sanctuary. The painting room opened before me like a tomb of memories.

Your eyes stared back from every canvas- Haunting, Knowing, Alive.

But tonight, they looked different. Tonight, they held an echo of the fire I'd seen earlier.

My hands shook as I set up a fresh canvas. The brush moved of its own accord, capturing those eyes that had challenged me today. But with each stroke, the resemblance became undeniable.

The same intensity, the same depth, the same soul staring back at me.

"It's you,"

I whispered, my voice rough with emotion.

"My beast knows it. My soul bows to it. I'd recognize the wrath of your fire, your essence in any realm, in any lifetime."

"Your chaos speaks a language my demons remember,My tara."(Antara).

The thoughts swirling inside me was like a storm, but underneath it all was a certainty that burned like iron.

I might not understand how or why, but I knew what I felt. What my beast felt. What my soul recognized.

You're not gone. You're here.

And whether you're wearing a different face, carrying a different name-it doesn't matter. I've found you again, Antara. Or maybe you've found me.

The paint dripped from my brush like blood, creating shadows under those fierce eyes. My beast paced restlessly, hungry for confirmation, desperate to claim what it knew belonged to us.

Soon, I'd understand everything. Soon, I'd unravel this mystery.

But for now, the knowledge burned through me like

wildfire-you're alive. You're here.

They say lightning never strikes twice... yet here you are, burning familiar holes in my world."

And this time, I won't let you slip away!!

✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨

Don't forget to vote and share your thoughts!

This is a fresh take on the story with a slightly different approach.

Hope you enjoy it!"🐻