The weekend party at one of Abhi's friend's mansions was in full swing, the air thick with music, laughter, and the clinking of expensive glasses. Ruhi stood beside Abhi, her hand looped possessively around his arm, as they made their way through the lavishly decorated hall.
It should have been perfect. She should have felt victorious, standing beside the most desired man in college, watching other girls look on with envy. But instead, an uneasy feeling gnawed at her stomach.
Because Ishika was here too.
She had arrived fashionably late, dressed in an elegant yet effortless outfit that made it clear she belonged to the world Abhi came from. And what unsettled Ruhi the most wasn't just Ishika's presence-it was the way Abhi's eyes flickered towards her, even when he wasn't consciously looking.
Ruhi tightened her grip on Abhi's arm. "Let's dance," she said, pulling him toward the floor before he could protest.
Abhi chuckled but followed. "You're in a mood tonight."
"I just want to enjoy our time," she said sweetly, pressing closer to him.
As they swayed to the music, Ruhi could feel the weight of Ishika's gaze on them. She smiled smugly, tilting her head up to whisper in Abhi's ear, "Do you know how many girls would kill to be in my place?"
Abhi laughed. "I'm sure."
But there was a distance in his tone, a subtle distraction she couldn't ignore. And when she turned her head, she caught something that made her blood boil-Ishika talking to one of Abhi's closest friends, laughing at something he said. But it wasn't the laughter that bothered Ruhi.
It was the fact that Abhi noticed.
He wasn't staring. He wasn't being obvious. But she knew him well enough to recognize the tension in his shoulders, the way he glanced over every now and then.
Ruhi decided to act.
She pulled away slightly, her fingers tracing his jawline. "You're mine, right?" she murmured, just loud enough for him to hear over the music.
Abhi gave her a brief, confused look before smiling. "Of course."
Ruhi smiled back, but the moment felt hollow.
Later that night, as she stood on the balcony sipping her drink, she caught Ishika stepping outside as well. Their eyes met, and for the first time, Ruhi saw something she hadn't before.
A challenge.
Ishika wasn't backing down. She wasn't just some rich girl who would fade into the background. She was standing her ground, and worst of all-Abhi was letting her.
Ruhi's grip on her glass tightened. The game had just gotten a lot more dangerous.
....to be continued.....
Author's Note:
And just like that, the party turned into a battlefield.
The music may have been loud, the lights dizzying, the air thick with glitter and champagne—but none of that could drown out the silent war happening in glances and half-smiles. Ruhi has always thrived in chaos, but this… this was different. Ishika doesn't play dirty. She doesn't even play. She simply exists—graceful, poised, and quietly unshakable—and somehow, that threatens Ruhi more than anything else.
Because for the first time, Ruhi isn't the only girl who knows how to wear the crown.
And she knows… queens don't share thrones.
The balcony showdown? Icy stares in the moonlight. Two worlds colliding—one built on glittering ambition, the other on inherited power and subtle dominance.
But let's not forget: Ruhi didn't come this far to lose.
She'll burn the whole palace down before she gives up her king.
The real war starts now.
No rules. No mercy.
—Your Author