4

The mansion felt even colder after the incident at the university.

Mira walked to her room without looking at anyone. She could still hear the whispers of students echoing in her mind.

She's with Aarav Malhotra.

Did you see the way he came for her?

Who is she?

She hated that her life had become a topic of conversation.

That evening, Savitri knocked on her door.

“Dinner is ready.”

“I'm not hungry.”

“You should eat something.”

Mira sighed and followed her downstairs.

The dining table was long enough for ten people, yet only two chairs were occupied—hers and Aarav's.

He was reading another file while eating.

“Do you ever stop working?” she asked.

He didn't look up.

“No.”

“That sounds exhausting.”

“It is.”

She expected him to ignore her, but his answer surprised her.

For a moment, the silence between them felt almost normal.

Then a man in his thirties entered the dining room.

“Boss, the meeting has started.”

“I'll be there.”

The man noticed Mira and smiled politely.

“You must be Mira. I'm Kabir.”

She nodded.

Aarav stood immediately.

“Finish your dinner,” he said to Mira before leaving with Kabir.

Mira rolled her eyes.

“He really thinks he can tell me what to do.”

Savitri sat beside her for a moment.

“He wasn't always like this.”

Mira looked up.

“What do you mean?”

“When he was younger, he used to laugh.”

“That's hard to imagine.”

Savitri smiled sadly.

“Life changes people.”

Mira wanted to ask more, but Savitri stood up and returned to the kitchen.

Later that night, Mira couldn't sleep.

She decided to walk through the mansion quietly.

As she passed the study, she heard raised voices.

“You should have killed him,” someone said.

Aarav's voice was calm.

“I don't kill people for mistakes.”

“He betrayed us.”

“I know.”

Mira froze.

She knew she shouldn't listen, but she couldn't move.

“Find out who he's working with,” Aarav continued. “After that, I'll decide.”

Footsteps approached the door.

Mira quickly walked away before anyone saw her.

She returned to her room, her heart racing.

The rumors were true.

Aarav wasn't just a businessman.

The next morning, she decided she needed a job.

She couldn't depend on him forever.

After classes, she visited several cafés and bookstores, asking if they were hiring.

Most places had no vacancies.

One small bookstore near the university agreed to let her work part-time in the evenings.

The pay was modest, but it was something.

She smiled for the first time in days.

When she reached the mansion, it was almost 8 p.m.

The gates opened, and she walked inside quietly.

Aarav was waiting in the hallway.

His expression was unreadable.

“You're late.”

“I know.”

“Where were you?”

“Out.”

“That's not an answer.”

“I got a job.”

His eyes narrowed.

“Without informing security.”

“I don't need permission to work.”

“You do while you're staying here.”

“I refuse.”

The air between them became tense.

“You will inform security every time you leave this property.”

“No.”

“Mira.”

“No.”

He stepped closer.

“You have no idea who my enemies are.”

“And that's exactly the problem. Your enemies are not my responsibility.”

“They become your responsibility the moment they know you're connected to me.”

“I'm not connected to you.”

“You live in my house.”

“Temporarily.”

“You arrived alone after dark.”

“I can take care of myself.”

“You're being reckless.”

“And you're being controlling!”

The words echoed through the hallway.

Several staff members quietly disappeared from sight.

Aarav took a slow breath.

“What job?”

“A bookstore.”

“You're not working there.”

She laughed in disbelief.

“You can't be serious.”

“I am.”

“You don't get to decide where I work.”

“I just did.”

“You're impossible.”

She turned to leave, but he spoke again.

“If you walk away while I'm speaking—”

“I'm walking away.”

She climbed the stairs quickly.

Aarav remained standing in the hallway, his fists clenched.

Kabir appeared beside him.

“You're handling this badly.”

Aarav looked at him sharply.

“She doesn't understand the danger.”

“Maybe because you never explain anything.”

“I don't owe explanations.”

Kabir sighed.

“She's nineteen, not one of your men.”

Aarav stayed silent.

Upstairs, Mira slammed her bedroom door and sat on the floor.

She was angry, frustrated, and strangely unsettled.

Why did his words affect her so much?

Why did it matter whether he approved of her decisions?

She hated him.

She reminded herself of that again and again.

Downstairs, Aarav walked into his office and looked at the security footage of the mansion gates.

He replayed the moment Mira had entered.

Alone.

Unprotected.

He closed the screen.

“This is exactly why I can't let her move freely,” he muttered.

For the first time in years, someone else's safety had begun to disturb his peace.

And neither of them realized that the line between protection and possession had already started to blur.

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