The iron gates of the Sharma estate creaked open as Rudra Singhania’s black sedan rolled up the driveway. At thirty, Rudra was a man of sharp angles and even sharper instincts. He adjusted the gold cufflink on his sleeve, his expression a mask of professional indifference.
To the world, he was a billionaire educator. To the underworld, he was a ghost they feared to name. But today, his only focus was the girl waiting in the library.
"Sir? You're early," a soft voice whispered.
Rudra looked up. Shivani was sitting at a mahogany table, her textbooks scattered like fallen leaves. At nineteen, she possessed a kind of radiant innocence that felt entirely out of place in Rudra’s dark world. She looked at him with wide, trusting eyes—eyes that didn't know he had spent the previous night dismantling a rival syndicate just to ensure the city remained quiet for her.
"I value punctuality, Shivani," Rudra said, his voice deep and grounding. He sat across from her, the scent of expensive sandalwood and something cold—like rain—following him.
"I’m struggling with the third chapter," she admitted, biting her lip.
Rudra’s gaze narrowed slightly, not at her, but at the small bruise on her wrist. His pulse quickened, a dark fire sparking in his chest. "How did that happen?"
"Oh, I just tripped in the hallway at college. Someone bumped into me," she said with a dismissive smile.
Rudra reached out, his fingers hovering just an inch from her skin. He didn't touch her—not yet—but the air between them felt charged with an electric tension. His "tutor" persona was a thin veil over the protective titan beneath.
Who? he thought. Who dared to be careless with you?
"Be more careful, Shivani," he said aloud, his voice dropping an octave. "The world isn't as kind as you are. If anyone ever hurts you, you tell me. Do you understand?"
Shivani blinked, startled by the intensity in his dark eyes. She felt a strange shiver—not of fear, but of a profound sense of being seen. "I understand, Mr. Singhania."
"Good," he replied, opening the textbook. "Now, let’s begin."
As he spoke, his mind was already moving. By the time this lesson ended, his men would have the name of the person who bumped into her. They wouldn't be hurt, but they would certainly learn to watch where they walked. In Rudra’s world, Shivani was the only thing that mattered, and he would burn every bridge to keep her safe.
Wait for the next chapter 🥰
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