The moment Sakshi's eyes met his—
even from across the decorated hall—
her entire body stiffened.
Her breath stopped.
Her heartbeat jumped painfully.
Without thinking, she snatched the paper plate back to her face, pretending to read something on it, pretending she wasn't there, pretending she was invisible.
Her cousins looked at her confused.
"Sakshi? What happened? You okay?"
She didn't answer. She simply turned away, hiding behind her cousin's shoulder, trying to melt into the crowd—
anything to escape that pair of storm-like eyes.
But her sudden, panicked movement…
was enough to trigger something in him.
Riyansh's eyebrows tightened.
That reaction—
that quick attempt to hide—
that fear in the girl's eyes—
He had seen that before.
Suddenly, a memory flashed:
A girl screaming.
A terrified face under dim streetlights.
Her trembling voice echoing against the walls.
His gaze sharpened.
Her.
It's her.
The girl from Udaipur.
The girl who witnessed what she shouldn't have.
The girl whose scream cut through his mind for nights.
His jaw clenched subtly, realization crashing through him with slow, burning certainty.
"Yes, Your Highness, this table—"
A minister tried guiding him.
But Riyansh raised one hand.
Just a slight gesture.
The minister shut up instantly.
His eyes never left Sakshi's direction.
The powerful king felt something strange twisting inside him.
Not anger.
Not threat.
But a curiosity.
A recognition.
A connection he didn't want—but couldn't ignore.
He angled his head slightly to the side, trying to see her face again.
But she was already turning away, moving behind people, clutching her cousin like a shield.
Running from him.
Again.
And for the first time in years, Riyansh Singh Rathore… felt challenged.
Riyansh finally allowed the minister to guide him to the special table.
He sat down with the grace of a king, the entire hall watching him as if the air itself waited for his command.
The servers rushed, hands trembling, placing dish after dish in front of him.
He calmly picked up his cutlery and began eating, expression unreadable… except for the faintest curve at the corner of his lips.
Because he had seen her fear.
He had seen her run the moment she realized it was him.
And the mighty Riyansh Singh Rathore—
enjoyed it.
A low, amused chuckle escaped him.
Sharp. Cold. Dangerous.
The officials around him froze, unsure why His Highness was smiling.
No one dared to ask.
But he knew.
He relished that trembling look in her eyes.
---
On the other side of the resort…
Sakshi had already sprinted out of the dining area, barely able to breathe.
Her vision blurred with tears as she hurried into a quiet corner near the garden.
Her cousins, Diya and Vipul, ran behind her.
"Sakshi! Stop—what happened!?" Diya grabbed her shoulders.
Sakshi broke down, covering her mouth, tears spilling uncontrollably.
"He's here… Diya, he's here!"
"Who??" Vipul asked, confused and worried.
She gulped hard, her voice cracked with terror.
"That man… the one I saw in Udaipur… the one who—who killed that man in front of us… that's him! Riyansh Singh Rathore! I saw him today!"
Diya and vipul were confused
Sakshi nodded desperately, shaking.
"I remember his face… his eyes… his voice… everything. And he saw me. He saw me again."
Diya hugged her tightly.
"Hey hey, shh don't cry please."
Her hands shook uncontrollably.
Riyansh took another bite leisurely.
His manager whispered softly, "Your Highness… may we continue with the next meeting?"
But Riyansh leaned back in his chair, eyes sharp, a smirk touching his lips.
"Let her run," he murmured quietly.
His manager blinked, confused.
Riyansh's smirk deepened.
"Fear makes the prey more… interesting."
He lifted his gaze toward the direction where she had vanished.
Her fear was delicious.
Her panic… entertaining.
Her innocence… intriguing.
And now that he remembered her fully…
He had no plans of letting her disappear again.
Sakshi's hands were still trembling as she wiped her tears.
Diya and Vipul kept exchanging confused glances—they had no idea who she was talking about, no idea what kind of danger her words hinted at.
But Sakshi needed to talk to the only people who truly knew.
With shaking fingers, she dialed Pihu first.
The moment Pihu answered, Sakshi whispered harshly, voice quivering,
"Pihu… woh… woh jaipur mai woh aadmi… he's here."
There was a dead silence on the other side.
Then Pihu's breath hitched loudly.
"Sakshi… you mean… HIM?"
Sakshi nodded even though they couldn't see her. "Yes… same man. I saw him."
Pihu's voice dropped to a terrified whisper.
"God… Sakshi… please leave that place. Please go somewhere safe. I am shaking right now."
Sakshi hung up and immediately called Ishu.
"I-Ishu… woh banda… jo Udaipur mein tha… jisne us aadmi ko—he's here. He saw me."
Ishu didn't even let her finish.
Her voice cracked with pure fear.
"Sakshi, run. Don't stay near the crowd. Don't let him see you again. He's dangerous… VERY dangerous."
Her cousins—still clueless—looked at her frozen faces in confusion.
Vipul stepped closer.
"Sakshi… who exactly are you talking about? Why are your friends also scared?"
Diya gently held Sakshi's arm.
"Tell us his name at least… who is he?"
Sakshi shook her head helplessly.
"I-I don't know his name. I never asked… I just saw what he did. And I can't forget his face."
Both Diya and Vipul fell silent.
If their cheerful, childish cousin was shaking this badly…
it had to be something terrible.
Sakshi gulped hard, her throat tight.
"I'm sorry… I can't stay here. I need to go."
"Sakshi—wait—" Diya tried to stop her.
But she had already turned around.
Her heart pounding, she rushed through the corridor, her saree brushing against her ankles, her steps fast and uneven.
She didn't stop until she reached her room.
The moment the door clicked shut behind her—
She broke.
Curling up beside the bed, she hugged herself, tears spilling silently.
"I don't want to see him… please God, not again… why here…"
She buried her face in her hands, shaking.