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Aaravika burst out of the wardrobe room, her delicate frame colliding with the soft expanse of the bed as she jumped onto it with abandon. Her hands moved with practiced ease, fluffing the pillows as though marking her territory, and she sank into the mattress with a sigh.

Just as she settled in, the door creaked open, and Vayran Singh Chandravansh’s tall figure loomed in the doorway. His sharp eyes narrowed at her audacity. “Get off the bed.” His voice was calm but carried a command that left no room for defiance.

Aaravika, however, wasn’t one to back down. “Main yahan soongi.” (I’ll sleep here.)

His lips quirked in a sardonic smile. “Kyun? Yahan par subah uthkar hi prasad milega kya?” (Why? Do you think you’ll wake up to a holy offering here?)

Her brows furrowed, and irritation flared in her eyes. “Tumhari zubaan itni kaali kyun hai?” (Why is your tongue so cursed?)

He didn’t miss a beat. “Aur tumhara dimag itna khaali kyun hai?” (And why is your mind so empty?)

Aaravika sat up, her fists clenched. “Ab kya idhar sone ke liye paise loge?” (Now what? Will you charge me to sleep here too?)

His response was dripping with sarcasm. “Woh kaise lunga? Tumhare paas toh paise hi nahi hain.” (How would I take it? You don’t even have money.)

The jab hit its mark, and she hurled a pillow at him in frustration. Predictably, he caught it mid-air with infuriating ease. “Haan, nahi hain, but main tumhare saath inauguration mein gayi thi aur tumhe do ghante jhela tha. Aur iske liye ‘terms and conditions applied’ hai.” (Yes, I don’t, but I went to the inauguration with you and endured you for two hours. That comes with terms and conditions.)

His smirk deepened as he added, “Terms and conditions deal ko accept karne se pehle hote hain, uske khatam hone ke baad nahi, bawri chokri.” (Terms and conditions exist before accepting a deal, not after it ends, you crazy girl.)

She shot him a glare. “Mera naam Aaravika hai. Yeh kya tum hamesha mujhe ajeeb naam se bulaate rehte ho—bachchi, kiddo, lil bird, patrani, and all?” (My name is Aaravika. Why do you always call me with weird names—kid, childish one, little bird, queen, and all?)

He folded his arms across his chest, his voice laced with mockery. “Tum ek naam bhool gayi—stupid and brainless. Waise bhi, tum mujhe weird naam se bulaati ho—tharkulla, besharam, aur woh… Burj Khalifa!” (You forgot one—stupid and brainless. Anyway, you also call me weird names—pervert, shameless, and that… Burj Khalifa!)

Her lips twitched into a sarcastic grin. “Ab tumhari height hi itni abnormal aur badi hai toh main Burj Khalifa nahi bulaungi toh kya bulaun?” (Well, your height is so abnormally tall. If I don’t call you Burj Khalifa, what should I call you?)

She pretended to think and then quipped, “Should I call you Patidev, Swamy, ya phir Suniye ji?” (Husband, Lord, or Dear?)

He rolled his eyes, annoyance flickering in his gaze. “Jao aur us sofa par jaake pado na. Mujhe bhi neend aa rahi hai.” (Go sleep on the sofa. I’m sleepy too.)

Without waiting for a response, she grabbed another pillow and pulled the comforter up to her neck, shutting her eyes with exaggerated finality.

Vayran let out an exasperated sigh, muttering under his breath as he watched her drift into slumber. “Kya aafat ki pudiya gale aa ke padi hai. Dadasa, agar mujhe rokte nahi, toh jis din iske ghar gaya tha, udhar hi isse zinda gaad dena chahiye tha.” (What trouble has befallen me! Grandfather, if you hadn’t stopped me, I would’ve buried her alive the day I visited her home.)

With a resigned shake of his head, he picked up the pillow and comforter she’d thrown at him and made his way to the sofa. The small piece of furniture was no match for his towering frame of 6’7, and he struggled to find a comfortable position.

As he settled in, his thoughts wandered. He wasn’t supposed to argue with her, wasn’t supposed to let her take over his space so easily. He was Vayran Singh Chandravansh, a man of indomitable will and unyielding authority. He should have thrown her out of the room without a second thought.

But something had shifted the moment she’d entered the room, a flicker of something he couldn’t place. His eyes softened involuntarily as they landed on her peaceful face, now lost in deep slumber. He shook his head, cursing under his breath, and forced himself to close his eyes.

Yet, sleep eluded him, her presence a constant hum in the back of his mind.

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