Forbidden Fate

Aditi

I had barely recovered from the chaos of the last few days when my phone buzzed with an unexpected message.

Mom: "We're coming to visit. Be at the university by noon."

A wave of unease settled in my chest. My parents rarely visited, and when they did, it was never unplanned. Something was off.

By the time I reached campus, they were already waiting. My father, Rahul Singh, stood with his usual stiff posture, his sharp eyes scanning the university grounds with quiet disapproval. My mother, Karishma, wore a warm but wary smile.

"Aditi," my father greeted, his voice firm. "Let's go inside."

I nodded, leading them toward the administrative building, hoping to avoid unnecessary attention. But fate had other plans. Just as we turned the corner, we ran straight into him.

Ayaansh Sir.

His gaze flickered from me to my parents, assessing the situation instantly. "Miss Singh," he acknowledged formally before turning to my parents. "You must be Aditi's family. I'm Professor Ayaansh Oberoi."

My mother smiled politely. "Nice to meet you, Professor. Aditi speaks highly of you."

My father, however, wasn't as welcoming. His expression hardened as he studied Ayaansh, his protective instincts kicking in. "Professor? And how exactly do you know my daughter?"

Ayaansh remained composed. "I'm her mathematics professor. Aditi is one of my brightest students."

I saw my father's jaw tighten, as if searching for a reason to doubt him. "I see. And this university allows teachers to have such... close involvement with students?"

I froze.

Ayaansh, to his credit, didn't flinch. "Only in an academic capacity, Mr. Singh. I ensure that my students receive the guidance they need to excel. Aditi's talent is undeniable, and it deserves to be nurtured."

Something in his voice—steady, sincere—made my mother relax, but my father wasn't convinced. "Talent doesn't excuse distractions," he said pointedly. "Aditi is here to study, nothing else. I trust that remains clear?"

Ayaansh met his gaze head-on. "Crystal clear."

The tension between them was palpable, but before it could escalate further, my mother gently placed a hand on my father's arm. "Rahul, let's not forget why we came. We just wanted to check on Aditi."

My father exhaled sharply. "Fine. But we'll talk later, Aditi."

As they walked away, my mother cast one last glance at Ayaansh, something thoughtful in her eyes before she followed my father inside.

Ayaansh

I watched as Aditi's parents disappeared into the building, their presence leaving a heavy weight in the air. Aditi stood frozen, her shoulders tense.

"You okay?" I asked, keeping my voice even.

She let out a humorless laugh. "Define okay."

I leaned against the wall, arms crossed. "That bad?"

She sighed, rubbing her temples. "My father thinks my only purpose in life is to study, graduate, and let him find a 'suitable' husband for me. Anything outside of that is a waste of time."

I frowned. "That's... limiting."

She looked at me, something vulnerable in her eyes. "You have no idea how exhausting it is to constantly prove that I deserve to be here. That I belong in a place like this."

For a moment, I didn't say anything. Because I understood it far too well.

"Actually," I said quietly, "I do."

Aditi blinked. "What?"

I exhaled, running a hand through my hair. "You think my father was thrilled when I chose teaching over the family business? He's still waiting for me to 'come to my senses' and take over the empire. To him, I've wasted my potential."

Her expression softened. "I didn't know that."

I shrugged. "Not many people do. It's easier to let them believe I don't care. But the truth is, every single day, I have to fight for the life I want. Even if it means disappointing my family."

Aditi studied me for a long moment, something shifting between us. "So you do get it."

I nodded. "Yeah, I do."

For the first time in days, the silence between us wasn't uncomfortable. It was understanding. Shared. And maybe, just maybe, neither of us had to fight alone anymore.

Later that evening, as I sat in my office, staring blankly at my laptop, Vedant strolled in, casually leaning against the desk. "You look like a man lost in thought."

I glanced at him. "Just a long day."

Vedant smirked. "Right. Has nothing to do with a certain Miss Singh?"

I sighed. "Vedant—"

"Look, I know you keep saying she's your student, but let's be real," he interrupted. "I've seen the way you look at her. You're different around her."

I frowned. "I'm her professor. That's all."

"And I'm the Prime Minister," he shot back sarcastically. "Ayaansh, stop lying to yourself. Maybe it's time you actually figure out what she means to you instead of running from it."

I looked away, his words hitting closer to home than I wanted to admit.

His expression turned serious. "She's my sister, and if you hurt her in any way, it won't be good for you."

Aditi

The next day, the whispers started.

"I heard she's been spending a lot of time in his office."

"She got special treatment on that project—obviously."

I clenched my fists as I walked down the hallway, ignoring the murmurs that followed me. It wasn't the first time I had been talked about, but somehow, knowing Ayaansh was involved made it worse.

Naina caught up to me, raising an eyebrow. "So, are we ignoring the fact that half the university thinks you and my brother have something going on?"

I groaned. "It's ridiculous. He's just my professor."

She smirked. "You keep saying that, but your face says otherwise."

I rolled my eyes. "I don't care what people say. I know the truth."

But as I walked into class and met Ayaansh's gaze, I wasn't sure if even I knew the truth anymore.

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