Karthik’s POV
I don’t believe in fate.
Only in strategy, power, and control.
But that belief—
It cracked the moment she stepped in front of my car.
It was raining lightly in Goa. My flight had landed fifteen minutes late, and I was already pissed. I hated delays. Hated waiting. Hated being out in public.
The security team had cleared the airport route. My driver pulled the black BMW out of the underground lane just as I checked the time.
And then…
She appeared.
Out of nowhere.
Umbrella in one hand, luggage in the other, she ran across the road—straight in front of my car.
“Stop,” I growled.
The driver hit the brakes. Tires screeched. The car jolted.
And she froze.
Everything else blurred — people, noise, the city’s heartbeat.
But her?
She stood there, soaked in the drizzle, breathing hard, unaware that her presence just split my world into before her and after her.
She looked up — right into the windshield.
And that’s when I saw her face.
Big almond eyes. Wet strands of hair stuck to her cheek. A tiny freckle near her jaw. Sharp, stubborn lips.
She was beautiful, yes — but not in a soft way. There was fire in her expression. She didn’t apologize. Didn’t flinch. She just… looked back at me. Like she wasn’t afraid of anything.
Not even me.
And that… was dangerous.
“Sir?” my driver asked. “Should I keep going?”
I didn’t answer. I stepped out of the car.
She blinked, surprised. Her eyes flicked to me — black suit, no expression, the sudden storm she hadn’t expected.
I walked toward her slowly, like gravity itself pulled me.
“You could’ve been killed,” I said, voice low.
She rolled her eyes, brushing past me. “Well, maybe your driver shouldn’t park in the damn middle of the lane.”
Attitude. In a red kurti. With sandals. At an international arrival terminal.
And then she walked off.
I turned my head, watched her disappear into the crowd.
My jaw clenched.
“Find out who she is,” I told my security.
“But sir, she—”
“Now.”
Because I didn’t believe in fate.
But somehow, fate just walked right into my path.
And I had no intention of letting her walk away again.
*******************************
Kiara’s POV
The second my heels touched the pavement outside Goa International Airport, I let out a long, tired sigh.
Ugh. Humidity.
I adjusted my sunglasses and tugged my carry-on behind me, trying not to trip over people who apparently forgot how to walk in a straight line. It had been a long, stuffy flight with a crying baby and a seatmate who thought armrests were suggestions, not boundaries.
And yet...
It felt good.
Away from Mumbai. Away from clients.
And most importantly—
Away from him.
My phone buzzed just as I stepped out of the terminal.
Kavya.
I smiled the moment I saw her name. My personal cheerleader. My loudest voice of reason and chaos.
I answered.
“Don’t say anything. I know I look like a mess.”
“You always look like a mess, Ki. But you’re a hot mess, so it’s fine,” Kavya said, and I could hear the grin in her voice. “Did you land safely?”
“Just got out,” I said, weaving through the crowd. “Already sweating. I feel like a samosa.”
“Well, take that samosa body straight to the villa and change into something backless and dangerous.”
I chuckled. “You know I came here to relax, right? Not for your bachelorette fantasy schedule.”
“Wrong,” she said. “You came to Goa to stop working for once in your life. No laptops. No client calls. Just beach, booze, and boys. One week. That’s all I’m asking. Forget your shitty ex. Reclaim your hot-girl era.”
I exhaled, my smile turning softer. “You’re right. No overthinking. No stress.”
“Say it louder.”
“No stress,” I said louder. “No work. No—”
And that’s when it happened.
I stepped off the curb, looking the wrong way.
The honk shattered through the air.
I looked up—straight into the headlights of a sleek black BMW rushing toward me.
My body froze.
But before I could even panic, the car screeched to a stop inches from me. The wind from the halt hit my knees, sending a shiver up my spine.
I stared at it, heart thudding.
The door opened.
And he stepped out.
Tall. Built like sin. Black suit. Eyes sharp enough to cut glass.
There was something… wrong about him. Or maybe too right.
He walked toward me like he owned the world.
“You could’ve been killed,” he said, voice deep and low.
I blinked, heart still racing. “Well, maybe your driver shouldn’t park in the damn middle of the lane.”
His brows lifted slightly. Amused? Annoyed? I couldn’t tell.
I didn’t wait.
I turned, pulled my luggage behind me, and walked off.
I could still feel his gaze on my back.
And for some reason… I looked back once.
Just once.
He was still standing there.
Watching me.
********************************
By the time I reached the villa, the incident at the airport had faded into a weird blur.
Almost.
I mean, it wasn’t every day you almost got run over by a Greek god in a black suit who looked like he could ruin lives with a glance.
But Goa was full of dramatic strangers and rich jerks, right? Probably someone’s spoiled son with too much money and too little sense.
I shook off the thought and focused on the villa.
And god — it was beautiful.
Aneri had pulled some serious strings. Two floors. A private pool. Ocean view. Wine already chilling on the counter. And a massive fluffy bed calling my name.
“Welcome to paradise,” I whispered to myself, tossing my bag to the floor.
*******************************
It was sunset by the time I finally stepped out again.
Hair curled. Red halter dress. Light makeup. And a silent promise to myself: No thinking about the past. Just tonight. Just fun.
The beach bar wasn’t too far. Music pulsed from the open-air lounge, the golden sky melting into the sea as people drank, danced, and laughed like nothing could touch them.
I ordered a cocktail and found a spot near the edge, close enough to the ocean breeze, far enough from the chaos.
I didn’t notice him at first.
Not until I looked up mid-sip… and felt it.
That same intensity. That pull I couldn’t name.
And there he was.
Leaning against the wooden pillar near the bar. A drink in hand. Eyes locked on me like I was a target.
The man from the airport.
Still in black. Still staring. Still unreadable.
I frowned.
What the hell was he doing here?
He wasn’t smiling. He wasn’t flirting. He wasn’t even pretending to blend in.
He was just… watching me.
A little chill ran down my spine. But I straightened my back, lifted my chin, and turned my attention to the ocean.
I didn’t come to Goa to be stalked by weirdly attractive men.
But for some reason, even as the music got louder and the night got darker—
I couldn’t shake the feeling that something had shifted.
That somehow, my world had quietly rearranged itself the moment I stepped in front of that car.
And that man…
He wasn’t going to disappear.
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Karthik’s POV
There are moments even the most powerful men can't control.
But I’ve never believed in those moments.
I don’t lose focus.
I don’t get distracted.
I don’t want things.
I take them.
Until tonight.
Until her.
She walked right in front of my car like fate dared me to feel something. And now, just hours later, she was here — again — at the beach bar, as if the universe was handing her to me in pieces.
Same black waves in her hair.
Same sharp mouth and wild eyes.
Only now… I could see all of her.
The red dress clung to her curves like it knew what kind of man was watching.
She had no idea where she was. Who was watching her.
Who I was.
Good.
I stayed in the shadows of the pillar, ignoring the drink in my hand, ignoring the women eyeing me from the corner, waiting for my attention.
My eyes were on her.
Only her.
The way she crossed her legs.
The way she sipped her drink and stared into the waves like she was dreaming of another world.
The way her fingers tapped slightly to the beat of the music — relaxed, free, unaware that she wouldn’t be for long.
I didn’t know her name yet.
But I would.
I’d know everything about her — where she lived, what she feared, what she loved, and what it would take to own her completely.
There was something in her.
Something I hadn’t seen in years.
Not fear. Not submission.
But a challenge.
And god… I loved a challenge.
She glanced in my direction for a split second. Her eyes brushed past mine before moving on. She didn’t recognize me. Didn’t remember the car. Or maybe she did — and was trying to ignore the warning in her gut.
Smart girl.
But not smart enough.
Because I had already made a decision.
And when Karthik Raichand decides something…
There are no escape routes. No second thoughts. No turning back.
I wanted her.
Not for a night.
Not for a week.
I wanted her in my world. Under my roof. In my control.
And I’d give her thirty days to fall for me.
But even if she didn’t…
She’d still be mine.
*******************************
Kiara’s POV
The music shifted — bass-heavy and smooth, the kind of beat that made your skin buzz and hips sway. The bar crowd thickened, laughter spilling through the air like smoke.
I was still sipping my drink when a voice cut through the haze.
“You look like you’re about to outshine the moon tonight.”
I turned slightly, raising an eyebrow.
A man stood beside me, casual confidence in his grin. Mid-thirties maybe. Handsome in a forgettable way. Tan skin, crisp linen shirt open slightly at the collar, a drink in his hand and boldness in his tone.
“Smooth,” I said, amused.
He shrugged. “I could’ve gone with something boring like ‘Can I buy you a drink?’ But you already have one. So…”
“So you decided to charm me with astronomy?” I teased.
He chuckled. “I’m Neil.”
“Kiara.”
“Kiara,” he repeated slowly, like tasting it. “Come dance with me, Kiara.”
I glanced at the dance floor, then back at him.
Why not? I was here to let go. Have fun. Live a little. Not think.
“Okay,” I said with a smirk, sliding off the barstool.
The music pulsed like a heartbeat.
We found a spot near the center. The rhythm grabbed hold of me, and I let it — let my body move, let the tension of Mumbai melt away with every beat.
Neil placed his hands gently on my waist, his body moving close. Not too much. Just enough to make it feel electric. My laughter mixed with the song as I moved with him, hips swaying, arms brushing his shoulders.
It was harmless.
It was fun.
And I didn’t notice the shadow watching from the corner.
*******************************
Karthik’s POV
Her laughter hit me like a gunshot.
I hadn’t blinked since that bastard approached her.
And now… he was touching her.
His hands. On her waist.
His body pressed against hers.
Her lips curled into a smile.
She was dancing. Laughing.
With him.
And I watched.
Fury coiled like a viper in my chest, tight and burning.
I didn’t move. Not yet. But my fingers curled around the edge of the wooden post, and I swear—if I pushed any harder, it would snap in half.
She had no idea what she was doing.
Who was watching.
And how close I was to walking into that crowd and ripping her out of his arms.
But I didn’t.
Not tonight.
No.
Tonight, she gets her illusion of freedom.
Because soon…
she won’t be dancing with anyone.
She’ll only belong to me.
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So, this is the first part guys. How is it? Thanks for reading🙏❤️.
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