Comment kiya karo... Next time I will post after completion of target only.

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Later That Evening:

The office had almost emptied out. Files were stacked neatly on desks, and the soft hum of the central AC filled the silence. Agraja was in Akarsh’s cabin, going over the final updates from the case team.

She stood across his desk, pointing out a section in the folder. “Yahan pe witness statement mein contradiction hai—”

Akarsh, still leaning over from the other side, reached out at the same time. Their hands brushed.

Agraja froze.

He didn’t move either.

The contact was brief, but heavy. Like the air around them suddenly thickened.

She quickly pulled her hand back and took half a step away, only to stumble slightly on the leg of the chair behind her.

In a swift reflex, Akarsh caught her wrist and pulled her towards him—just to keep her from falling. But she landed against him, her palms pressing against his chest.

They were too close. His eyes met hers. No words were exchanged.

The silence felt deafening. Her heartbeat roared in her ears as she tried to make sense of what just happened. Of what always happened when they were alone.

Akarsh’s hand was still on her wrist. He realized it a beat too late, then let go, stepping back almost abruptly.

His voice was sharp now, back to that controlled tone. “Don’t be careless. There are still reports pending.”

Agraja straightened, nodding once more composed than she felt. “Yes, Sir.”

And just like that, the moment collapsed under the weight of formality.

As she exited the cabin, she didn’t look back.

But her hands… they were still trembling.

At night :

Agraja sat on her bed, the light from her laptop casting shadows across her face. The report in front of her blurred as her mind rewound the moment in Akarsh’s cabin over and over again.

“Don’t be careless.”

His words echoed, but it wasn’t the reprimand that lingered.

It was the way he looked at her—just for a second. Like he almost forgot to pull away. Like his guard dropped, and then rose back twice as high.

She threw the pen aside, leaning back against the wall.

“Why does he keep doing this?” she whispered to herself.

One second he's dragging me closer like I matter… the next, he's pushing me away like I'm nothing but another officer under him.

She remembered the way his hand had instinctively gripped her wrist. How it had taken him a second longer to let go. And it wasn’t the first time.

And yet ,he never lets it go anywhere. No explanations. No apologies. Just back to orders and reports.

Agraja sighed.

Maybe he doesn’t even realise what he’s doing. Or maybe… he does. And just doesn’t care.

She hugged the pillow to her chest.

“I shouldn’t care either,” she muttered.

Her mind was filled with doubts. What if this was just another arranged marriage, where she would have to adjust, live her life as a duty, not as a love story? What if there would never be any affection between them?

Just as she was lost in her thoughts, her phone buzzed. It was Aachal, her best friend.

"Hey," Agraja answered, trying to mask the tension in her voice.

"What's up?" Aachal asked, immediately sensing something was off.

"I'm just... overthinking," Agraja confessed. "I don't know. This whole rishta with Mr Randhawa thing feels... wrong. I mean, Akarsh sir and I don't have anything between us. How can I just say yes?"

Aachal laughed lightly, "Aisa fictional se utra hua , sundar pati apni kismat me aaye aisa to hua nahi aaj tak…tujhe arrange marriage me saja sajaya mil raha hai…to mana kyu kar rahi hai?”

Agraja’s mind raced as she listened. Maybe she was just overthinking. Maybe this was how things were meant to happen , no fireworks, just a steady journey ahead.

"Maybe you're right," Agraja said, a sigh escaping her lips. "But I still can’t shake off this feeling."

"Listen," Aachal's voice softened, "You'll figure it out. But for now, let things happen. No harm in saying yes, right?"

Agraja leaned back on her bed, letting the words sink in. Maybe it was time to stop resisting the flow and trust the process. She closed her eyes, trying to calm her racing heart.

THE ENGAGEMENT DAY :

A week passed, and here they were—on the day of the engagement. Agraja stood at the entrance, staring at the decorations around her. The room was adorned with shimmering lights, floral arrangements, and delicate chandeliers that hung gracefully from the ceiling. It was everything a girl could dream of for her special day, but she still felt the gap inside her heart, the void she couldn’t quite fill.

Her family was bustling around, making sure everything was perfect. Mayaan and Ishqi were supposed to come, but they couldn’t make it at the last minute.

She smiled politely at her relatives, her mind far away from the present. Today was supposed to be a day of celebration, but for her, it felt more like a ritual. She looked around, noticing the excitement in everyone’s eyes. Her mother and aunts were whispering, his cousins running around.

This was it. The engagement that would mark the beginning of a new chapter, one she never thought she’d find herself in.

As the ceremony proceeded, Agraja and Akarsh exchanged glances, both unsure of how to act. The family members couldn’t help but tease them.

"Toh bhai, kaise lag rahi hai apni dulhan?" Karan teased , his eyes twinkling.

Akarsh shifted awkwardly, his lips pressed into a thin line. Agraja’s cheeks flushed, and she tried to ignore the teasing.

As they exchanged rings, Agraja couldn’t help but notice how Akarsh’s hand was slightly shaking. Was he nervous, too? she wondered.

The whole atmosphere was filled with light laughter, but underneath it all, there was a sense of tension that neither of them could shake off.

After exchanging rings :

The engagement ceremony moved to the dinner, where everyone was gathered around the table, enjoying the meal. Agraja's family, as usual, started their teasing again.

"Come on, ek dusre ko khilao na," Ritika said , nudging both of them.

Agraja smiled awkwardly, glancing at Akarsh. He, on the other hand, looked a little grumpy but took the piece of food from his plate and handed it to her.

“Here”.

Was he irritated by all this?

Agraja chuckled softly, realizing how odd the situation was. She picked up a piece of food and fed it to him, not knowing how to make this more comfortable. How did people do this? she thought.

I stood by the entrance, hands shoved deep into my pockets, trying to ignore the growing unease in my chest. This engagement ceremony, my so-called future, was happening, but I couldn’t bring myself to care. It was just another event where I was supposed to play the part. Smile. Be polite. Follow the family’s wishes.

Then, she walked in.

Agraja.

I’m not sure what I was expecting, but it definitely wasn’t her. She looked... delicate. Nothing like the bold, confident woman I thought I was supposed to be marrying. She didn’t look like someone who could handle the pressure, who could walk through this room with the confidence of someone who knew what they were doing.

She wasn’t supposed to matter, but damn it, she did.

I couldn’t stop staring at her.

She wasn’t doing anything special, just standing there with her family, but every movement of hers pulled my attention. When she laughed nervously, I found myself watching her, studying her. Her eyes kept darting away when they met mine, like she was uncomfortable being under my gaze. Good, I thought. I didn’t want to make her feel comfortable anyway. This was supposed to be a contract, not some fairy tale.

But... why couldn’t I look away?

I wasn’t supposed to care. This wasn’t supposed to matter. I didn’t even want to be here. This was all about family, expectations, nothing more. Still, as I stood there, watching her, something shifted inside me. A flicker of curiosity. Why?

The ceremony continued, and I felt disconnected from it all. But when it was time for the ring exchange, my hand froze for a second when I saw her approach.

It was just another formality, something to get over with. But as I withdrew my hand, there was a strange weight in my chest. Stop it, I told myself. This wasn’t what I wanted. This wasn’t supposed to mean anything.

Then, as the ceremony wrapped up, we moved on to the food. Great. More forced interaction with everyone watching.

"Come on, ek dusre ko khilao na." Mom said , nudging me with a grin.

I couldn’t suppress my irritation. "Seriously?" I muttered under my breath. But I knew the drill. This was what they wanted. They wanted us to play nice, pretend everything was perfect.

So, I grabbed a piece of food and handed it to her. “Here,” I said flatly, annoyed by the whole thing.

She stared at me for a second before taking the food, her fingers brushing mine. I barely felt it, but it left a strange twinge in my chest. What the hell is wrong with me? I tried to ignore it.

The family was all around, teasing us, laughing, but I couldn’t focus on anything except the way she looked when she didn’t think anyone was watching her. She was so... unsure of herself.

I wanted to tell her that it was okay. That none of this was really her fault. But I couldn’t. I didn’t want to get involved. This wasn’t about us. This was about family.

But as the night went on, I caught myself staring at her again. She was laughing with her family, and there was something so... effortless about it. It was like everything was so easy for them.

I tried to look away, but I couldn’t. I kept seeing her. I kept thinking about her.

Maybe it was the ring. Maybe it was the fact that she was going to be my wife. Maybe it was the way she made everything feel different without even trying. But whatever it was, it wasn’t supposed to be this way. I wasn’t supposed to feel this pull toward her.

Later, After the Ceremony :

I watched her interact with everyone, laughing softly, trying to fit in. There was a gentleness to her that I hadn’t noticed before. And it made me... restless.

I didn’t want to feel this way. I didn’t want to care. This was supposed to be just an arrangement. An easy deal.

But now? I couldn’t get her out of my head.

Why was I thinking about her this much?

I wasn’t supposed to care. I wasn’t supposed to be attracted to her, not in the way I was. But I couldn’t stop myself. It was stupid, really. I knew it was stupid.

Maybe it was just the engagement—the pressure, the expectations. But... I kept finding myself watching her, wondering why she was so different. Why I couldn’t shake this feeling that maybe... just maybe, she was more than I had thought.

By the end of the night, I was exhausted, mentally and emotionally drained. This was all wrong. I shouldn’t have been thinking about her this much. She was just a woman I was going to marry because my family wanted it.

But as I walked out of the room, I caught one last glance of Agraja. She was smiling, talking to her family, and something inside me twisted.

I was starting to realize, maybe against my will, that she wasn’t just someone I was going to marry.

Maybe she was someone I could actually care about.

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