The Rathore Estate never slept. Even at midnight, its corridors hummed with the low tension of political power—muffled phone calls, shadows of guards changing shifts, the scent of old wood and secrets lingering in the air.

And at the center of that world stood Veeresh Rathore, the man everyone whispered about.

Cold.

Silent.

Unbreakable.

The elite bodyguard of Rehan Azeez, one of the most influential political figures in the country. A man whose name made people lower their eyes and calculate every word they spoke.

But Veeresh—he was worse. He inspired something stronger.

Fear.

Respect.

A strange fascination.

No one knew what went on behind those unreadable black eyes.

Except maybe one person.

The one he should have stayed away from.

Poornima Azeez.

Rehan’s daughter.

Nineteen.

Bright, stubborn, and heartbreakingly soft in a world filled with sharp edges.

---

The Night Everything Changed

It was supposed to be a quiet evening. Rehan was hosting a closed-door meeting with party leaders, and Veeresh stood guard outside the main study, posture straight, expression dead calm, hand resting lightly on the gun holstered at his waist.

He heard her before he saw her.

Soft footsteps.

A familiar floral perfume.

A hesitation in the air.

He didn’t move. He didn’t even look at her. But his jaw tightened just a fraction.

“Veeresh,” she whispered.

Her voice always did something to him—something he refused to acknowledge.

Against his better judgement, he turned.

She was standing there, in a simple pastel kurti, her hair falling freely over her shoulders, her eyes wide and fragile in the dim corridor light. She looked young. Too young. Too innocent. Too untouched by the dirtiness of the world he lived in.

“What is it?” he asked, voice cold enough to freeze breath.

She swallowed. “I… want to talk to you.”

“My duty—”

“Please.”

That one word stopped him.

She never begged.

For a moment, the stone inside his chest cracked.

“Fine,” he said, jaw clenching. “Make it quick.”

She took a deep breath, trying to steady herself, but her eyes… God, her eyes were shaking.

“I… I like you, Veeresh.”

Silence.

The world froze.

Veeresh stared at her, expression unreadable.

She pushed on, voice trembling.

“I know you’re older. I know you’re my father’s bodyguard. But I don’t care. I like you. I— I think I’m in love with you.”

Her honesty hit him like a slap.

Something hot and dangerous flickered in his chest, but he crushed it instantly.

“No.”

She blinked, stunned. “W-What?”

“You heard me.” His voice turned colder than winter steel. “Whatever you think you feel—it’s nothing.”

Her lips parted in disbelief.

“Veeresh—”

“You are a child,” he snapped.

“You’re naïve. You don’t understand the consequences of your stupid fantasies.”

She flinched like he had struck her.

His words became sharper, crueler—because cruelty was the only way to keep her safe from him.

“Stop imagining things. I’m not interested in you. I will never be interested in you.”

Her throat closed.

Tears welled up, but she held her ground.

“You don’t have to insult me,” she whispered. “I just… told you how I feel.”

“And I am telling you,” he said harshly, stepping closer, “stay away from me. Don’t ever repeat this nonsense. Do you understand?”

A tear slid down her cheek.

Heavy rain began outside, thunder shaking the windows as if the sky itself reacted to the moment.

She turned away from him, wiping her eyes with a trembling hand.

“Okay,” she whispered. “I understand.”

Then she ran.

Down the hallway.

Out the front doors.

Into the storm.

He didn’t follow.

He stood frozen, fists tight, nails digging into his palms until he tasted blood in his mouth from how hard he was clenching his jaw.

He watched her small frame disappear into the rain.

And something inside him shattered.

---

The Next Morning

The estate felt strangely empty at breakfast.

Rehan was reading the newspaper.

Agasthya, his son and Veeresh’s only friend, was tapping on his phone.

“Where is Poornima?” Agasthya asked casually.

Rehan didn’t look up. “She left early morning.”

Veeresh stiffened.

“Left?” Agasthya frowned.

“For England,” Rehan said. “Her admissions came through. She didn’t want a farewell. Said she needed a change of environment.”

Veeresh’s heart dropped.

He didn’t let it show.

Rehan continued, sipping his tea, “She’ll be staying there for her higher studies. I think it’s good for her growth.”

Agasthya smiled. “London suits her.”

Veeresh said nothing.

He couldn’t.

Every muscle in his body was locked.

Because he knew the truth.

She left because of him.

Because he broke her heart.

Because he pushed her away so brutally she had no reason to stay.

He had protected her from himself.

But in the process…

he had destroyed something pure.

He stood there, silent, expression stone-cold—as always.

But inside?

Inside, the angel in him wept.

And the devil in him smiled.

Because he knew—

this wasn’t the end of their story.

It was only Chapter One.