Aayat’s POV :

"That boy seriously needs to book a one-way ticket to hell," I said, twirling my pen as Dii applied nail paint on Priyanshi's hand.

"And he better take his fake love promises with him," Dii added with a smirk.

“Lekin banda tha to handsome par Idiot,Maine ushe thappad maara aur vo banda idiot ki tarah blush kar raha aur has raha” I said giving tissue to Priyanshi

(But the guy was handsome but an idiot, I slapped him and he was blushing and grinning like an idiot)

Priyanshi sniffled and chuckled all at once. "How do you two always manage to make me feel better in the middle of my heartbreak?"

"Because we're not just girlies. We’re Girl Bosses," I said, flipping my hair dramatically, earning a laugh from both of them.

“Next time you even think of crying for a man,” I continued, pointing at her with my kajal pencil, “I’ll personally write his name on a tissue, wrap it, and flush it.”

Priyanshi laughed through her tears, “And what if he comes back?”

“We’ll bury him with emotional damage, obviously,” Dii replied, high-fiving me.

Just as we were enjoying our anti-men moment, the door knocked.

“Bas ab koi aur drama na ho toh shukar hai...” I wished

“But drama toh Malhotra khandaan ka middle name hai”,my inner subconscious mocked.

It was him—Kush.

Wearing a neatly ironed shirt, standing beside Kusum aunty, grinning like he had won a lottery.

Kusum aunty said with her fake sweet tone "Aayat beta, Kush kuch din ke liye humare yahan rukega. Apni holidays pe aaya hai."

(Aayat beta, Kush will stay with us for a few days. He has come on his holidays.)

“Rukega? Phir se? Mujhe hi bhugatna padega obviously.” I murmured barely audible

(He will stay ? Again? I will have to suffer obviously.)

Kush grinned “Hi Aayat,” he said softly, trying to make eye contact.

I glanced at him once. "Haan," I replied dryly, turning to scroll through my phone, pretending his existence was as invisible as his presence in my priorities.

Kush sat down beside me.

I got up.

He followed me into the kitchen.

I walked out.

He complimented my writing.

I changed the topic.

But boy wasn’t giving up.

Too bad.

I was even better at ignoring than he was at being persistent.

Kush grinned,“You know… I read your latest book. The dialogues were intense.”

I sipped my cold coffee and raised an eyebrow. “Good for you. People usually read books, not use them as pickup lines.”

He laughed awkwardly. “I wasn’t—”

I cut him off. “Listen, Kush. If you’re trying to flirt, apply elsewhere. Vacancy yahan full hai—with peace, priorities, and a complete disinterest in boys with more ego than sense.”

Priyanshi and Dii watched from the other corner of the room, trying not to laugh.

Kush blinked. “I’m just being friendly.”

“Oh? Then be friendlier to a wall. It might respond better.”

Ouch.

I walked out, flipping my hair like the drama queen I was born to be.

Because honestly—boys like Kush?

Unbothered. Unmoved. Unimpressed.

Rishi’s POV :

The door slammed shut behind me.

The moment I stepped into my room, the frustration boiled over.

I threw the crystal ashtray across the room—

Crash.

The glass shattered like my control.

One by one—vases, frames, books—everything hit the floor.

Chaos.

Just like my mind.

“She played me,” I muttered under my breath, pacing like a madman.

That girl…

That firecracker of a girl.

That sharp tongue.

Those wild eyes.

That slap…

That drama…

And yet—my chest burned with the memory of her touch.

“The hell is wrong with me?” I growled, yanking my tie off and throwing it.

But then—

A low chuckle escaped me.

A laugh. Dark. Devilish. Unhinged.

I dropped down on the leather chair, head tilted back, still laughing like a man possessed.

Then I grabbed the remote—

Clicked play—

And the old melody flooded the silence:

“Beqarar karke humein yun na jaiye…

Aapko hamari kasam, laut aaiye…”

I leaned back, eyes closed, humming along—

her smile haunting me,

her voice lingering,

her slap still tingling on my cheek.

“Laut aaiye, Miss Book Fair…

Because now—Rishi Shekhawat won’t let you go easy.”

The door creaked open again.

I didn’t look up.

I knew it was him.

“Aaryan Rathore,” I muttered, staring at the mess I’d created like it was a piece of art. “Come to add more chaos or clean up the one I made?”

Aaryan stepped in, shutting the door behind him. “Rudra told me what happened.”

I scoffed. “Of course he did. PA ya PR agent?”

He ignored the sarcasm and sat down opposite me.

“That girl—Aayat—” he started.

I tensed. My jaw locked.

He noticed. “She’s not like what you think.”

I raised an eyebrow. “So you’ve come to defend her?”

“No,” he replied firmly. “I’ve come to warn you.”

I narrowed my eyes.

He continued, “Aroohi… she’s the calm breeze. Aayat is a freaking storm. Short tempered, sharp-tongued, fearless, savage to the core. She speaks before she thinks, acts before she blinks. She doesn’t care who you are. And yeah, she’s clumsy. Like, coffee-on-your-laptop, trip-on-a-wire kind of clumsy.”

I went silent.

That flicker.

That exact energy.

The slap.

The drama.

The wild, untamed madness in that café...

My lips curled into a slow, dangerous smile. “So she’s that type of girl…”

Aaryan nodded slowly. “She’s fire. Not meant to be handled. You either burn with her or get scorched.”

I stood up, moving to the window, thinking for a second.

And then I said it—calm, cold, calculated:

“Kidnap her.”

Aaryan’s head snapped toward me.

“What the fu—?”

I turned slowly, my eyes locked on his. “Bring her to me. I don’t care how. I want her under this roof. She wanted drama—let’s give her the whole damn show.”

Aaryan stared at me in disbelief.

But he didn’t say no.

✿Author's POV✿

It was just another peaceful afternoon.

She was coming out of her favorite bookstore, humming under her breath with a bag full of new novels and a heart full of calm. The sun warmed her face as she adjusted her dupatta and crossed the quiet street.

Suddenly—

SCREEEECH.

A black van stopped right in front of her, tires burning against the asphalt.

Before she could scream, the van’s doors flung open. Four men in black rushed out. Faces masked. Voices unheard. Hands too fast.

“Hey—what the—”

She struggled. She kicked. She yelled.

No use.

The books scattered on the ground. Her phone slipped from her hand. She was thrown inside the van, the door slammed shut—and the van vanished like a ghost.

In Malhotra Mansion

The living room of the Malhotra Mansion buzzed with the usual late-afternoon laziness. Kiran was setting the tea table when the doorbell rang.

She opened the door.

A tall man entered, sharp in his black suit. His presence carried weight. Mystery. Command.

Aaryan Rathore.

“ Aap kon?? ” Kiran asked

(Who are you?)

“ Jii,main aayat ka new boss hu aap logo se kuch baat karne aaya hu ” He said politely

(Jii, I'm the new boss of aayat I came to talk something with you all)

Kiran smiled politely and gestured to the couch. “Please have a seat, beta. Aayat will be home shortly. Ranvijay is at work.”

He nodded curtly.

And just then—

Aroohi entered.

White coat in hand. Hair tied. Eyes tired from long hospital hours.

And the moment she stepped into the living room—

Everything paused.

Her feet froze mid-step.

Her breath hitched.

Those grey eyes.

That jawline.

That same person.

The man who once played with her heart like it was a game—and disappeared without a trace.

Aaryan stood up as if on cue. Their eyes met. And locked.

The air changed. So did the silence.

Just then—

“Aroohi beta, yeh Aaryan hai,” Kiran broke the silence cheerfully. “Aayat ke new office mein second boss hai. Bade achhe Insan hain. Aaj hi aaye hain, ek zaroori kaam se.”

(Aroohi beta, he's aaryan)

(He is the second boss in the new office of aayat. He is a very nice person. He has come today for an important work.)

Aroohi didn’t blink.

She didn’t greet.

Didn’t acknowledge.

She walked straight to her room.

Like he was never there.

Aaryan’s fists clenched for a brief second—but he said nothing.

A few minutes later, Rajvir came downstairs. Kiran introduced him.

“Yeh Aaryan Rathore. Aayat ka selection ek top engineering firm mein ho gaya hai. Aur yeh unke second boss hain. Aaj woh usi ke joining letter ke saath aaye hain” Kiran introduced to Rajvir

(This is Aryan Rathore. Aayat has been selected in a top engineering firm. And he is her second boss. Today he has come with her joining letter)

“Actually, Aayat ko humne urgent kaam ke liye pick kiya bookstore se... meeting tha. Do mahine ke liye wahi rukegi. Har facility arrange kar di gayi hai.” Aaryan told them ,his voice calm and polite

(Actually, we picked up aayat from the bookstore for some urgent work... there was a meeting. She will stay there for two months. Every facility has been arranged.)

Rajvir nodded in agreement, though a flicker of surprise crossed his face.

Aaryan forced a smile.

---

Aroohi splashed cold water on her face and wiped her tears, but her throat still burned with dryness—reminder of the emotional storm that Aaryan’s sudden appearance stirred in her heart.

She stepped out, heading toward the kitchen, when her mother’s voice stopped her midway.

"Aroohi, beta... Aaryan keh raha tha usse tujhse akele mein baat karni hai. Aayat ne kuch kaha tha usse, jo tujhe zaroori hai jaanna. Ja zara baat kar le.”

(Arohi, beta... Aryan was saying that he need to talk to you alone. Aayat told him something which you need to know. Go and talk to him)

Aroohi froze in her steps.

For a second, her heart sank.

Why would Aayat ask Aaryan to say something to her?

She looked into her mother’s hopeful eyes, but couldn’t say no. She couldn’t confess the reality of her and Aaryan’s past either.

So she simply nodded.

"Thik hai Maa."

(Okay mother)

--

As she opened the door to her room, Aaryan followed silently. The tension between them could be sliced with a blade.

His eyes scanned her room—same soft colors, same bookshelves, same neatly kept bed—same girl.

And then, he finally broke the silence.

"You’ve changed so much... and yet, you’re still the same," he said softly.

"Beautiful, calm, composed... and sensitive." His same Husky voice, calm tone.

Aroohi’s jaw clenched, but she remained silent.

Aaryan stepped closer. "I’m sorry, Aroohi... for everything I did to you. I was a—"

"Stop."

Her voice cut through his apology like a knife.

"Mujhe yeh sab nahi sunna. Sirf yeh batao ki Aayat ne kya kaha tumse jo mujhe personally batana zaroori tha?"

(I don't want to hear all this. Just tell me what did aayat say to you which you had to tell ms personally?)

Aaryan smirked faintly—but there was pain buried in that smirk. Her tone. Her cold eyes. The wall she’d built.

And he knew…

He was the reason. For every piece of it.

Still, he leaned forward and whispered something in Aroohi’s ears.

Aroohi’s eyes widened in disbelief. She stepped back instinctively.

"Yeh... yeh jhooth hai..." she stuttered.

(It.. it's a lie)

Aaryan tried to hold her hand gently to calm her down, but she jerked away.

He understood.

He had lost all rights.

Without another word, he walked out—leaving behind silence, tears, and a hurricane of emotion.

In Other Hand

Aayat tied to a chair, unconscious.

Her eyes fluttered open.

A dull ache pounded in her head.

She tried to move—tied to a chair. Dim light. Empty room. Black walls. Echo of silence.

It took her two seconds to understand the scene—and ten seconds to break free.

With her usual dramatic flair, she screamed,

"Paani... thoda paani de do!Uncle jii thoda Pani pila do ”

(Water..give me some water! Uncle jii give me some water)

A masked man rushed inside with a bottle.

BIG MISTAKE.

SLAP. PUNCH. KICK.

"Kutte!! Abla naari ko kidnap karega? Maa ka doodh piya hai to saamne aa! Janta nahi kisse panga liya hai!"

(Dog!! Will you kidnap a helpless woman? If you have drunk your mother's milk then come in front! You don't know whom you take the enmity)

"Aayat Malhotra naam hai mera!"

(My name is Aayat Malhotra)

"Teri to maine haddiyan pasliyaan tod deni hai!"

(I will break your bones)

Men screamed. One stumbled outside. Another ducked her sandal.

Just then—

He entered.

Rishi Shekhawat.

His calm presence sucked all the chaos out of the room. Hands in his pockets. Unreadable face. Eyes boring into hers.

Aayat paused.

Breathing heavily.

Their eyes locked.

And then—

She marched toward him, grabbed his collar and roared,

"YOU BASTARD!! Maine aapke proposal reject kiya to aapne kidnap kar liya mujhe?! Wah bhai wah! Ek thappad aur rejection ka badla kidnapping?!"

(When I rejected your proposal, you kidnapped me?! Wow brother wow! The revenge of one slap and rejected - kidnapping?!)

"Aap samjhte kya ho apne aapko?! Aayat Malhotra hoon main! Itni aasani se pinjre mein band nahi hoti main! Main sabak sikhaungi aapko—"

(What do you think of yourself?! I am a Malhotra! I would not have been locked in a cage so easily! I will teach you a lesson—)

He gently removed her hand from his collar.

Didn’t utter a word.

Just turned and gestured his men to leave.

He walked toward the door. Silent.

"Aap sun rahe ho?! Aapki Maggie ka Masala nhi Niklega!NIRDAYE! NIRLAJH AADMI!"

(Are you listening?! The masala of your Maggie will not come out! CRUEL! SHAMELESS PERSON!)

He stepped out.

CLICK.

The door locked.

Aayat kicked the door.

"OPEN THIS DOOR! Warna main chillaungi! Main Instagram Live pe jaungi! Aapke baap ka naam likh dungi Google pe ‘Worst Revenge Ever’!"

(Otherwise I will scream! I will go on Instagram Live! I will write your father's name on Google as 'Worst Revenge Ever'!)

✿Author’s Note✿

What do you think,Rishi kidnapped aayat just for revenge? Is it his obsession or revenge?

Spoiler Teaser For Next Chapter🚨:

Rishi came to check on Aayat—only to find an empty room.

But then…

His gaze fell on the window.

The glass—shattered. Broken.

What just happened?

Did Aayat escape?

Or is something bigger about to unfold?

Brace yourself for the chaos that’s coming next!

from Chapter 6 onward,chapters will be free to read—but only for my followers.

So if you haven't followed me yet, now’s the time to do it—don’t miss out on the drama, romance, savagery and twists coming your way!

Thank you for your constant love and support.

Stay tuned, and keep reading SLAVE of LOVE 💕

Thankyou,

Author Sapna🌜