---

London was alive with the hum of ambition and opportunity. Poornima stepped onto the college campus, her heart racing with excitement and a touch of nervousness. Her suitcase trailed behind her, but her mind was partly elsewhere — thinking of Veeresh, his dark eyes, his protective hands, and the rare smile that only she ever saw.

Classes were intense, professors demanding, and new faces filled every corridor. Yet, every free moment, Poornima found herself checking her phone, waiting for a message, a call… a sign of Veeresh’s presence. And, true to his word, he kept in touch, always in subtle ways that reminded her he was there without ever overwhelming her independence.

A notification pinged:

> “Ruby, how’s my genius doing today?”

She smiled, replying quickly:

> “Surviving London. Missing you more than I expected.”

Almost instantly, the reply came:

> “Good. Don’t forget… even miles away, you’re mine. And I expect updates. Full reports.”

Poornima laughed softly, imagining him fuming if she forgot. The playful possessiveness he carried, even across continents, made her feel loved and safe.

---

That evening, she returned to her dorm, exhausted but smiling. Her phone buzzed again — a video call.

Veeresh’s dark, chiseled face appeared on the screen, his eyes scanning the frame, a smirk teasing at the corners of his lips.

> “Ruby,” he said, voice low, almost growling, “I’ve been observing. You look tired. Sit properly and tell me everything.”

Poornima giggled, adjusting the camera.

> “Veeresh, I survived lectures, group projects, and library marathons. I think I’m doing well.”

> “Doing well…?” he murmured, a dangerous glint in his eyes. “Hmm. Not good enough. You’re mine, Ruby. You have to excel… not just for you, but for us.”

She laughed again, shaking her head.

> “You’re insane, Veeresh. Even from thousands of miles away, you’re still bossy.”

He leaned closer to the camera, smirking, possessive even through the screen:

> “And you love it. Admit it.”

> “Maybe,” she whispered, a playful glint in her eyes.

Veeresh’s smirk deepened.

> “Good. Because I will never stop keeping my eyes on you… my clever, fearless Ruby.”

For a moment, across the continents, they existed in a world of their own making — teasing, possessive, playful, and deeply, dangerously in love. Distance was irrelevant. Time zones were irrelevant. For Veeresh and Poornima, connection wasn’t just physical; it was dark, magnetic, and eternal.

As the call ended, Poornima looked out the London skyline, smiling softly. She had her dream, her education, but her heart was tethered — irrevocably, undeniably — to Veeresh Deewan, the dark king who ruled not just an empire, but the very core of her heart.