Vihaan arrived at Gauri's home, his face tense with urgency. Gayatri opened the door, her expression unreadable.
"Where's Gauri?" Vihaan asked, his voice sharp, almost desperate.
Gayatri tilted her head slightly, her eyes gleaming with calculation. "And what do I get if I tell you?" she asked, her tone sly, testing him.
Without hesitation, Vihaan pulled out a bundle of cash and pressed it into her hand. Gayatri's lips curved into a satisfied smile as she tucked it away.
"She got a call from one of her old passengers," Gayatri revealed smoothly. "He was stranded on the highway, so she went to pick him up. You'll find her there."
Vihaan didn't stop to question her motives. His focus was singular—Gauri. He turned and rushed back to his car, speeding into the night.
Gayatri lingered in the doorway, watching the tail-lights disappear into the darkness. A smirk played across her lips. "Strange boy," she murmured. "First, he insults Gauri, shatters her pride, and now he runs after her as if his life depends on it. Let's see how this drama unfolds…" Her knowing smile deepened as she closed the door.
---
Meanwhile, on the other side of the city, Gauri pulled her cab to a halt outside a luxurious five-star hotel. Her passenger stepped out, gratitude written on his face.
"Thank you for coming all the way at this hour," he said warmly.
Gauri gave a faint smile, her voice soft as she replied with a line of poetry, "For my favorite passenger, distance and time have never been a burden."
The man smiled and walked inside, leaving Gauri alone under the glow of the streetlights. She slipped back into the driver's seat, started the engine, and turned onto the highway.
The road stretched out empty, the silence of the night wrapping around her—until suddenly, a sleek car swerved sharply, blocking her path. Gauri's hands tightened on the steering wheel as her heart lurched.
Her eyes widened. "VK…" she breathed.
Vihaan stepped out of his car, his face etched with urgency. Without wasting a second, he strode toward her.
Gauri climbed out of the cab, shock flickering across her features. "What is this?" she demanded.
Vihaan stopped right in front of her, his voice firm, his eyes locked on hers. "We have to get married. Immediately."
Gauri blinked, her breath catching in disbelief. "Huh?"
The night air trembled with tension, the highway silent except for the thundering of two hearts.
Gauri's eyes flared with disbelief, her voice sharp as a blade. "Are you mad, Vihaan? Is this a joke to you?"
Her words spilled out, each heavier than the last. "First, you blackmailed me into agreeing to marry you, threatening to have my mother arrested. Then your mother attacked me, and instead of standing by me, you accused me, insulted me, and broke off our engagement! And now you show up in the middle of the night demanding marriage?"
Her voice trembled with rage, but her eyes burned steady. "Perhaps you've finally lost your mind. But let me be very clear, Mr. Vihaan Kothari—my self-respect will never allow me to agree to marry you."
She turned sharply, her dupatta brushing past him as she moved toward her cab.
But before she could take another step, Vihaan's hand shot out, closing around her wrist. His voice cracked with urgency. "Gauri, please! I acknowledge my mistakes, all of them—but listen to me, it's urgent! You don't understand, we have to get married."
Gauri's breath hitched as she stared at his grip, then back at him with fiery eyes. With a forceful tug, she pulled her hand free. "There are countless girls in this world, Vihaan," she spat bitterly. "Go find someone else."
The night fell into silence, broken only by the echo of her words and the thundering in Vihaan's chest.
Gauri slipped into her cab, slamming the door shut with a furious glare. Her trembling hands gripped the steering wheel as she turned the key, the engine roaring to life. "This madness ends here," she muttered under her breath, pressing her foot to the accelerator.
But before the car could move, Vihaan's palms slammed against the hood with a force that made the entire vehicle jolt. Gauri gasped, her heart lurching in shock.
"Vihaan!" she shouted, eyes wide, anger and fear mingling in her voice.
He strode to the driver's side, his jaw set with determination. Without hesitation, he yanked the door open.
"Enough!" Gauri snapped, trying to push him away, but he leaned down, his grip firm as he caught her wrist and pulled her out.
"Let me go, Vihaan!" she cried, her voice sharp and shaking with fury. She struggled against his hold, her dupatta twisting in the night breeze. "If you don't release me right now, I swear I'll file a complaint against you—at your own station! Do you hear me?"
Her words rang like thunder in the tense night air, her defiance blazing even as his desperation refused to let her slip away.
To be continued…