𝟏.𝐏𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩

At Kapoor Mansion

Beep-beep-beeeeeep.

Inaya smacked her alarm clock so hard it almost filed a harassment complaint.

“Uff… kisne banaya hai ye stupid alarm? Main usse personally milkar do theen thappad dena chahahti hoon,” she groaned, burying her face in the pillow as if morning would magically disappear.

(“Who invented this stupid alarm? I swear, I want to meet them and slap some sense into them”)

It didn’t.
Her door opened. Rajveer Singhaniya, her Grandpa, aka the man whose whisper is enough to silence the entire underworld and that too with the calm energy of someone discussing the weather entered.
“Good morning, princess,” he said, tone bright—too bright. “Utho. Meeting hai aaj. Yaad hai?”

(Get up you have meeting today remember?)

Inaya peeked from under her blanket.
“Dada ji, subah subah meeting ki baat kyun kar rahe ho aap? Dil dukhta hai mera.”
He raised an eyebrow.
“Oh? Dil dukhta hai? Kal raatko late night taak netflix  dekhne ka plan nahi banana chahiye tha phir.”

(“Grandpa , why are you talking about a meeting so early in the morning? It genuinely hurts my heart”.
He raised an eyebrow.
“Oh? Your heart hurts? Then you shouldn't have made the plan of binge watching netflix till late night”.)

“Dada ji!” she whined.He patted her head and left—mockingly cheerful, the menace.Before she could even breathe in peace, another knock.
Not even two seconds later, Rivaan, her bodyguard-but-almost-brother, entered with perfect timing.
“Inaya. Fight practice. Ten minutes.”
She sat up dramatically.
“Bhaiyaaa! Aapko subah subah hi maar-dhaad karna hota hai kya? Normal log good morning bolte hain ess time pea vese.”

(“Brotherrrr! Do you really have to start fighting this early in the morning? Normal people say ‘good morning’ at this time by the way.”)

He didn’t blink.
“We aren’t normal people princess.”
“Sadly,” she muttered, dragging herself out of bed.

Ten minutes later, she stood on the practice mat, stretching with zero enthusiasm.Rivaan cracked his knuckles.
“You’re slow today.” Rivaan muttered stretching
“I’m alive today.
Bas itna kaafi hai.”
Inaya whinned lazily.

(This much is enough)

He launched the first attack. She dodged. Barely.
He kicked; she blocked.
He swept; she jumped.
Finally—miracle of miracles—Inaya used her favorite move, twisted sideways, and shoved him flat on his back.
She gasped.
He blinked.
She grinned like a victorious gremlin.

“Ha! Dekha? Main jeet sakti hoon!”

( “Ha! See? I can win”.)

Rivaan sat up slowly, dusting his arm.
“Done?”
“Bilkul done. End the match. Declare me the cham—”

(Absolutely Done!)

He instantly grabbed her ankle, pulled her down, flipped her over, and pinned her in one smooth move.
She lay flat on the mat.
“Ow.”

“You were saying something princess weren’t you?" he asked, expression blank but eyes assumed. In short he mocked her.
She pouted. Huge, dramatic puppy eyes.
“Bhaiyaaaaa…”

(Brotherrrrrr……)

He laughed—rare, warm.
“Get ready now. Office won’t run itself.”
She stuck her tongue out but smiled, pushing herself up.
Sibling vibes? Immaculate.

𝘈𝘵 𝘚𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘪𝘺𝘢 𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯…

Reyansh Singhaniya descended the stairs with the cold grace of a CEO who had never overslept in his life.Everyone was already at the breakfast table.His mother looked up and sighed dramatically.
“Reyansh, beta… kab shaadi karoge? Umar badhti jaa rahi hai.”

(“Reyansh, son…. When will you get married? You're getting older”)

“Mom,” he said, taking a seat, “I am twenty-seven, not seventy.”
“But phir bhi—” his mother tried.
“Please Mom shaadi ka topic breakfast ke saath serve na karein.”

( “But still….” his mom tried
“Mom please don't serve the topic of marriage along with breakfast”.)

Reyansh retorted back.The whole table chuckled.
Right then, soft footsteps approached.
Saanvi entered through main gate of the mansion—tiny, timid, pretty like she lived in pastel colors.
Eyes down. Smile shy.
And instantly, Aarav, who had just exited his room, froze.
Then lit up like a love-sick streetlamp.
“Good morning, Saanvi,” he said, leaning in as if gravity pulled him toward her.
She blushed.
He melted.

Mishti arrived next, throwing her bag on a chair.
“Ugh, Aarav! Stop flirting with my best friend. She’s too innocent for your nonsense.”
Aarav gasped dramatically.
“Mishti! Main nonsense?”
“Yes.”

Saanvi visibly contemplating evaporating into thin air.
“Mishti, let's go ? We'll get late for college.”
Aarav just stared at Saanvi like a goofy love sick fool admiring his phool.
Mishti smacked him on the head with her notebook.
“ Move! Ek number ke flop hero ! She is picking ME up not You”
Mishti mocked him.
“Aree toh main bhi toh saath chal raha hoon”.

(“Even I am coming with you”)

Aarav muttered with full of enthusiasm.
“NO” Mishti muttered annoyed.
She turned to her brother. “Good morning, Reyansh bhaiya!”
He smiled—for her only. “Good morning, Mishti Doi.”
Aarav gagged. “I want this sibling discount too.”
“No,” both siblings said together.
“Bhai Aarav Bhai is flirting again”
Mishti complained to Reyansh.

Reyansh shot Aarav a bored look.
“I can’t even say I'm disappointed. I stopped expecting improvement from you years ago.”
Reyansh sighed
Aarav just gave him a full wide grin.
Aarav playfully turned to Saanvi and muttered
“Tum batao Saanvi mein kesa hoon?”
Aarav muttered to her softly staring deep in her soul admiring her with his love.
(You tell me Saanvi how I am?)

“Aarav….ji please “
Saanvi muttered with a timid shy smile.
Hayeeeee!!! I can die for this beautiful smile of yours.
Aarav dramatically tapped his heart.
Saanvi pleaded him through her eyes.
“Aacha baba tum kehti ho esiliye chup ho jata hoon”
Aarav muttered softly.
Mishti and Reyansh rolled their so hard that it nearly fell out.

Before more family chaos could begin, the butler announced:
“Kapoor Saheb has arrived.”
Everyone straightened.
Inaya’s grandfather walked in, aura calm but heavy—mafia-power heavy.
Reyansh and his grandfather stood and greeted him with respect.
“Shivraj ji,” Singhaniya Grandpa said, “welcome.”
Shivraj Kapoor nodded. “Rajveer ji. We need to talk.”
They walked aside, low-voiced, discussing business, alliances, territory—the usual mafia hello-hello.

Finally Shivraj Kapoor turned to Reyansh.
“Beta, ek kaam tha tumse.”
Reyansh stood straight. “Ji, Dadaji?”
“I need a favor. For my granddaughter.”
Reyansh didn’t show emotion. But inside?
A flicker.
A name.
A troublesome name.
Inaya Kapoor.

---

𝘈𝘵 𝘒𝘢𝘱𝘰𝘰𝘳 𝘊𝘰𝘶𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘦…

Inaya marched into her office building like she owned the place—because she did, as always she slayed in her black tailored suit and the suitable accessories her Louboutin heels clinking on the floor as she walked.

Kiara, her best friend and assistant, ran up immediately.
“Inu ,Your schedule for the day is… chaos. In its purest form.”
Inaya raised a brow. “Define chaos.”
Kiara opened the folder like she was revealing a dead body.
“Board meeting at 10. Designers’ review at 12. Investors’ lunch at 1:30—assuming they don’t ghost us again. Press interview at 4. And—” she took a deep breath— “the event prep for tonight is falling apart.”

Inaya blinked. “What now?”
“The sound system isn’t working. Lights aren't calibrated. And the stage manager texted—” Kiara flipped her phone around, “—‘SOS’. In all caps.”
“Oh, perfect.” Inaya leaned back in her chair. “Maybe I should just stand on stage and hum the background music.”

“With your singing?” Kiara deadpanned. “The audience will leave voluntarily.”
Inaya glared. “One more insult and I’m demoting you to coffee-fetcher.”
“You won’t,” Kiara said confidently. “I’m the only person who can handle your madness without crying.”

Before Inaya could retort, her office door opened without a knock.
Reyansh Singhaniya walked in like he owned the building. Dark suit, darker eyes, and a smirk sharp enough to slice her patience in half.
“Inaya,” he greeted, voice annoyingly smooth.
“If this is a prank,” she said without looking up, “I’m not in the mood.”
“Relax, Kapoor,” he replied, stepping closer. “I’m here to fix your little crisis, not add to it.”

Inaya’s head shot up. “What? “I heard about your event meltdown,” Reyansh said. “My team can take over. Setup, security, sound, lights—everything. Consider it a partnership proposal.”
She scoffed. “How noble. You swoop in, fix my temporary mess, and take half the credit. Very Singhaniya of you.”
“It’s called teamwork,” he said. “Not theft.”
“I call it intrusion. Try respecting boundaries sometime.”

Kiara slowly backed toward the door, mumbling, “I don’t get paid enough to witness this,” but stayed anyway.
Reyansh stepped forward, jaw tightening. “Fine. Sink with your pride. Don’t complain later when your brand becomes a meme.”
Inaya smiled sweetly. “Even my disasters look better than your best days.”

The tension crackled between them—hot, sharp, electric.
She scoffed.
“Partnership? Tumse? No, thanks. I’d rather eat poison. Organic bhi chalega.”
His smirk deepened.
“Your grandfather asked me to.”
Her brain short-circuited.
“WHAT?!”
As if summoned, Shivraj Kapoor entered the office. Everyone straightened instantly.

Inaya rounded on him.
“Dada ji! Why would you do this?! You know I can’t stand him!”
Shivraj smiled sweetly—dangerously.
“Beta, kabhi kabhi dushman ko paas rakhna padta hai.”
Reyansh folded his arms.
Inaya glared at him.
And the storm officially began.

---

This is my first work, and English is not my first language.
I’m still learning and improving, so please be patient with me.
Thank you for giving my story a chance — your support means everything. 💛

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I'd love to hear you all.
So, That's it for today my dear lovely peps!!!!

Bye!

Author
@LucidlyLost