✨CHAPTER 4 – The Kiss That Changed Everything✨

The Rathore mansion buzzed with celebration.

Gold lights. Flower garlands. Smiling relatives. Endless congratulations.

And Poornima Rathore felt nothing but cold dread.

Her parents stood at the center of the room, joy glowing on their faces—joy she had never caused before, joy that wasn’t even about her, but about the business alliance her marriage would bring.

“We have finalized the wedding date,” her mother announced proudly.

“Poornima and Rehan will marry in six weeks.”

Six weeks.

SIX.

Poornima’s ears rang. Her fingers shook. Her throat closed.

This was it.

Her life, her freedom, her choices—slipping away right in front of her.

People clapped. Rehan gave a polite smile.

But Poornima… felt something snap inside her.

No more silence.

No more being the quiet girl.

No more obeying out of fear.

Not this time.

Not her life.

Not her marriage.

She took a step back, her heart thudding.

And then she saw him.

Veeresh Rathore—standing alone on the balcony, talking to no one, staring into the night as if he was trying to escape the noise.

Something ignited inside her.

Without thinking, without planning, without caring about consequences—Poornima walked straight toward him. Every step heavy with years of swallowed pain.

Veeresh sensed her presence and turned slightly.

“Poornima? What—”

She didn’t let him finish.

She just whispered, voice trembling but fierce,

“I’m sorry.”

Veeresh frowned. “Sorry? For what—”

Before he could even form the words, Poornima grabbed his wrist.

His eyes widened as she pulled him closer—shocking him, shocking herself, shocking everyone who saw.

She placed his hand on her waist, her breath shaking.

“Just once,” she whispered, tears burning her eyes. “I want to choose something for myself.”

And then—before Veeresh could react—

She kissed him.

Deep.

Desperate.

Fearless.

Reckless.

The room behind them gasped. Someone dropped a glass. Rehan stood frozen. Her parents’ faces drained of color.

But Poornima didn’t care.

Because for the first time in her life… she wasn’t thinking. She was feeling.

Veeresh froze for two seconds—shocked to his core—

Then something inside him broke loose.

His hand tightened around her waist.

His other hand cupped the back of her neck.

And he kissed her back, just as deeply.

The world around them disappeared.

The lights.

The guests.

The rules.

The expectations.

Nothing existed except the two of them—

two broken souls finally colliding.

The family members were beyond shocked—embarrassed, stunned, horrified—but Poornima didn’t even see them.

Because in that moment…

she wasn’t unwanted.

she wasn’t silent.

she wasn’t controlled.

She felt alive.

And Veeresh…

he didn’t know what this was.

He didn’t know why it felt like he’d been waiting for this kiss without realizing it.

All he knew was—

he couldn’t pull away.

They lost themselves in each other.

And somewhere in that forbidden kiss…

their entire world changed.