Mumbai University's main campus was in the southern suburbs.
Thanks to Mumbai University, the southern suburbs were quite the bustling scene.
The campus was tranquil, surrounded by mountains and trees, some of which were centuries old. The grey buildings bore the marks and glory of a hundred years.
As a century-old institution, Mumbai University's centennial celebration had drawn a lot of attention, including a host of big names. Many of the alumni had become elites in various fields after graduation When they returned to their alma mater, they stole the show.
Right now, outside the main campus gate, there was a hundred meter red carpet rolled out, and at the end of it, a signature wall. Could you believe it?
Security guards, in new uniforms, were standing stern-faced on both sides of the carpet, Bringing a serious vibe to the scene.
The site was packed with excited journalists, starstruck fans, and parents with their kids, hinting at a future where their offspring will become the social elite.
The century-old prestigious school, usually hidden in the woods, was brilliantly illuminated under the night sky.
["True to its reputation, the sight is breathtaking."]
["Mumbai University has produced countless talents over the years, so you'll be even more amazed later.."]
["Oh my God, my heart's pounding out of my chest "]
Time ticked away, and by half past seven, it was completely dark.A breeze stirs up, and everyone's excitement is at a fever pitch.
"Here they come!!" With that shout, all the reporters and fans eagerly looked toward the distance.
Luxury cars arrived one after another, finally stopping at the gate. People stept out onto the red carpet, each accompanied by a dazzling partner, livening up the scene.
Cameras in the hands of journalists flashed continually, capturing their most valuable shots.
An hour later, as guests thinned out, a black and yellow Bugatti slowly pulled up at the end of the red carpet. Vikrant, clad in a high-end white suit, got out first, then went around to help a dolled-up Kaira out of the car. Her blonde curls were gently swept up, revealing her pale, elegant neck. She looked sweet and classy.
Despite recent negative press, her exposure was still high. Being Pulse Entertainment's most popular star, her public relation game was strong. Her appearance caused fans on site to squeal. She waved and smiled at the crowd, then linked arms with Vikrant.
Though many couples walked down the red carpet, few were actual couples. And naturally, Vikrant and Kaira were the most eye-catching pair.
"Ah, Mr. Mehta is so handsome and refined, and his family isn't too shabby either. He's a perfect match for Kaira!"
"Kaira is so lucky. She's got the love of the Sharma family, the full support of Pulse Entertainment for her acting career, and now this handsome, wealthy boyfriend. She's winning at life!"
"Absolutely, they're a match made in heaven!"
"Compared to that scheming, plain-looking Ruhi, Kaira is way better!"
"Yeah, it's a pity and a shame that Kaira has such a sister!"
The fans enthusiastic reactions attracted the attention of the journalists, whose cameras were constantly trained on them.
Right then, as Vikrant's Bugatti slowly drived away, a black Volkswagen CC pulled up smoothly on the red carpet.
Ruhi bent down to slip on her high heels, then pushed open the car door and stepped out. She was dressed in a champagne-colored dress, her black curls cascading over her shoulders, making her look elegant and grand.
"What's that? A Volkswagen? Did she drive here by herself? Who's that?"
"Isnt that Ruhi, the one who always bullies Kaira? Has she fallen so low after breaking up with Mr. Mehta? I bet her dress is cheap too."
"She's such an embarrassment compared to Kaira!"
Upon hearing this, Kaira and Vikrant both turned around, and sure enough, there was Ruhi standing at the end of the red carpet, clutching the hem of her dress.
She was a classic beauty, especially with her air of nobility and coolness, embodying both female softness and a strong, independent aura.
As she lifted her head, she spotted the handsome couple up ahead and frowned slightly.She had expected some sparks tonight but didn't think the showdown would start before she even entered.
Upon spotting Ruhi, Vikrant's pupils contracted momentarily. His gaze involuntarily fell on Ruhi's neck, but her high-necked dress covered it.
Nonetheless, Ruhi was still stunningly beautiful tonight.
Seeing Vikrant's shocked reaction to Ruhi, Kaira lowered her head, a hint of gloom flashing in her eyes. She tightly held onto Vikrant's arm, then lifted her head, then her beautiful face was filled with a tender smile
"Sister, why did you come alone? Don't you have a date?"
Hearing this, Vikrant's expression subtly changed, his gaze toward Ruhi was filled with confusion.'She obviously had a man in her life, why wouldn't that man accompany her to such an important event? How could he let her come alone? What was he thinking?'
Ruhi didn't seem to hear and didn't reply to Kaira.
Kaira bit her lip, although she looked hurt, her eyes were filled with arrogance.
She didn't need to say anything, the people around them would do the mocking for her.
"Which man would want to come with her? She looks so serious but she's actually so pretentious."
"Exactly, everyone here is distinguished, bringing her would be embarrassing."
Kaira secretly relished the snide comments.
Kaira and Vikrant were in the center of the red carpet, and according to etiquette, Ruhi couldn't overtake them. But it was clear Kaira was intentionally making her wait here, forcing her to endure the mockery and sarcasm of the people around her.
Ruhi raised an eyebrow, "Seems like you're aiming to be a 'red carpet regular', huh? You have to be the center of attention at every red carpet event?"
Kaira's face changed slightly, being labeled a 'red carpet regular' in the entertainment industry was akin to being a vase-no works, no skills, just relying on looks to climb the ladder.No actor would accept such an evaluation, and although she didn't intentionally want to attract everyone's attention on the red carpet, the fact was she did linger there a little too long today. This was also a taboo in the entertainment industry.
Kaira bit her lip, her voice soft and delicate."I just wanted to say hi to you."
"Don't make me the excuse for your red carpet appearance. Our relationship is nothing more than a polite smile and a nod, and everyone knows it."
Kaira's face turned ugly. Her eyes was full of hatred as she stared at Ruhi.
"Ruhi's bullying our Kaira again, even calling her a 'red carpet regular'."
"Kaira, you're too kind, Ruhi's just ungrateful. Ignore her!"
"I cant believe the college invited such a person!"
"She can't even snag a boyfriend, where does she get the nerve to show up here? She's got some thick skin."
"Oh, what's all the buzz about?" A mischievous voice came from behind, followed by the sound of a car door closing.
Ruhi raised an eyebrow, not yet turning around, when she heard people around her saying,
"Who's that? He's so handsome!"
"It's Mr. Shekhawat! He's also a student at Mumbai University!"
"Wow, white suit, black earrings. I never knew a guy could look so handsome with earrings!"
Kiaan Shekhawat casually strolled a few steps on the red carpet, with hands in his pockets, and stopped in front of Ruhi. Dressed in a sharp suit, Kiaan smiled, revealing a set of white teeth.
Kaira, on the other side, saw Kiaan, and her eyes lit up. She smiled and greeted him, "Mr. Shekhawat, long time no see."
Kiaan glanced at her. "When did we meet?"
Kaira's face turned embarrassed, "...Mr. Shekhawat, we were classmates..."
"Really? Sorry, I don't quite remember."
He then turned his gaze to Vikrant. Vikrant nodded politely at him, but Kiaan pretended not to see and turned to Ruhi.
His handsome face immediately filled with a pleasing smile. As soon as he opened his mouth, Ruhi turned her head and raised her eyebrows at him with a smile. Kiaan got the hint and quickly changed his tune.
"Ruhi, why did you come alone? I'm alone too, you must be my date today!"
Kaira, Vikrant, and Ruhi were all left speechless.
Ruhi's eyelid twitched involuntarily.
"What?! Mr. Shekhawat is asking that witch to be his date?!"
"Mr. Shekhawat can't even remember Kaira, how does he know Ruhi?!"
Kaira's eyes were full of shock, followed by a hint of embarrassment.
At this moment, another luxury car stopped behind. Not long after, a striking couple appeared at the end of the red carpet. The man's black suit was tailored to perfection, highlighting his tall and strong physique. His handsome, indifferent face showed no emotion as he casually scanned his surroundings before settling his gaze on the ground. He seemed indifferent but emitted a cold yet noble aura.The beauty beside him was all smiles, elegantly and graciously linking arms with the man.
"Aliya! Aliya! Aliya!!"
"Aliya, you got this!"
Aliya's fans are just as enthusiastic as Kaira's, but they have way better manners.
A wave of screams broke out as Aliya waved at her fans with a smile.
Most of them were hoping vihaan would treat Aliya well, and they had tried to convey this message to vihaan through various channels privately. But in public, they didn't dare do so.
Just by looking at vihaan's indifferent yet noble and deep demeanor, they didn't dare make any reckless moves.Everyone knew that Aliya's current position was all thanks to vihaan's support behind the scenes. He was Aliya's boyfriend and also the sugar daddy who provided her with financial support. And the last person you want to piss off is the sugar daddy, so as smart fans, they absolutely couldn't offend vihaan.If you pissed off Mr. Vihaan, the consequences were too heavy for anyone to bear.
They were in the same circle as Kaira, there was always some rivalry, but Kaira wouldn't easily clash with Aliya, let alone offend Seth either.
Kaira, who had been trying to get on good terms with Aliya, was directly ignored by Aliya, who instead smiled and greeted Ruhi.
"My brother's wife, Ruhi, is here."
Everyone was stunned, followed by a stir.
"What...what...Ruhi?"
"When did Aliya get a brother?"
Kaira and Vikrant were also shocked!
'Could it be that Ruhi's current boyfriend is Aliya's brother? But since when does Aliya have a brother?'
Ruhi pursed her lips, feeling helpless.
Kiaan winked at Aliya, and Aliya finally realized what Ruhi had said, covering her mouth in embarrassment and saying apologetically. "Sorry, we'll go in first."
Ruhi touched her hair, feeling a little conflicted.In her life, she only knew a few people, and almost all of them were making trouble for her today.
"Ruhi, shall we go in together?"
Hearing this, people around said, "No, Kiaan, she's a bad woman, you better stay away from her!"
"Yeah, Kiaan, she has a messy private life, don't let her taint you."
Kiaan couldn't bear it, he closed his eyes and then turned to the security guard, saying impatiently, "Who just said that? Kick them out!"
"Kiaan, how could you do this? We're just looking out for you!"
"Yes, we just don't want you to be tainted by that bad woman!"
Kiaan waved his hand, "Hurry up, kick them all out!"
"Why? We came to see Kaira, why are you kicking us out?"
Kaira's face darkened, thinking, 'These fools!'
"Kiaan, they're young and impulsive, can you let them off for my sake?"
"No."
Kaira's smile began to falter, she clenched her teeth and trembled with anger.
"Let us go! Why are you stopping us?.... We're Kaira's fans..."
Kiaan didn't continue dealing with them, instead, he turned around and almost begged Ruhi with a smile. "Ruhi, you're without a date tonight, so am I, we could go together."
Actually, going in with Kiaan wasn't a big deal.
Ruhi was about to agree, but then she noticed Kiaan's gaze shifting and he suddenly gasped.
She followed his gaze and was surprised to see a solemn and imposing black Maybach parked at the end of the red carpet.Ruhi had her eyebrows knotted, staring hard at the car.She wasn't a stranger to the car.It was a luxury car, there was no doubt about it to anyone.
She didn't care much about the fancy exterior, she was more interested in the performance. Some cars might look plain, but once you pimped them out inside, they could cost just as much as a luxury vehicle.
That's pretty common in the racing world.
But with this car, even if she wasn't too particular about the car's exterior, she couldn't stay chill.
Those sleek, sexy curves and the badass black paint made it all kinds of boss! This was a Maybach Exelero with a V12 twin-turbo engine, 700 horsepower, and a 5-speed automatic transmission, with a 0-100 km/h acceleration time of just 4.4 seconds.
Ruhi fought to keep her excitement down, but she couldn't help but lick her lips.
This luxury car was a limited edition worldwide, it showing up here was like finding a priceless gem. The cameras of the reporters started flashing before the car even came to a complete stop, snapping away like crazy at the car.
But Ruhi had a bad feeling about this.Even though this Maybach was nothing like the cars Reyansh usually drove, but...
Before she could figure it out, the car door swung open, and out stepped a man in a swanky black suit. His cufflinks sparkled with diamonds, an aura of supreme dignity radiated from him. Ruhi's mind was blown.
'It was him, of course!'
Seeing the man in person, the reporters went even crazier, they all wanted to swarm Reyansh. The heir of the Sooryavanshi Group's second appearance, naturally, was news material they wouldn't let slip by.
From the moment Reyansh got off the car, his deep gaze fell on Ruhi. After a while, he took his eyes off her and casually walked onto the red carpet.
"Who's that?"
"He's so handsome."
"He's the CEO of the Sooryavanshi Group!"
"Oh my god, was the CEO of the Sooryavanshi Group a student at our college too?"
The crowd all stared at the same spot, they were all stunned and didn't know how to describe the man who suddenly appeared.
Kaira watched as Reyansh slowly approached, her heart racing. She had seen him before, but only once, at his inauguration.
He might be the most perfect man in the world. Being by his side would make her the happiest woman in the world, enjoying all the glory he brings, and having everything.
But she remembered that he once paid a lakhs for a dance with Ruhi.It was an insult to her.
Vikrant had his eyes fixed on Reyansh as he walked over, even though their acquaintance was only a random encounter, he always had a feeling they met more than once.However, he was very sure that if he had seen him before, he would definitely remember.
Ruhi gently lowered her head, trying to avoid Reyansh's gaze, but Reyansh was already standing by her side. He turned his head to look at Kiaan, and asked coldly.
"What did you just say?"
Kiaan was heartbroken to find Reyansh really heard it!
"I said Ruhi and I are flying solo tonight, so we're going in together!"
Reyansh's voice had taken a serious turn, "Who's Ruhi?"
Kiaan glanced at Ruhi, hoping for a save, but Ruhi didn't bother to look up.
"....You?"
Ruhi had no choice but to face it this time.
She looked up, smiling at Reyansh, and extended her hand, "Hello, Mr. Sooryavanshi, I'm Ruhi."
Reyansh squinted his dark eyes, "I remember."
As he said this, he reached out and took Ruhi's hand.His warm hand enveloped hers.Ruhi's hand trembled slightly, but Reyansh nonchalantly tightened his grip.
"What?! That woman actually knows someone like that?"
"Hmph, she's such a vixen, her ability to seduce men is no joke."
Kaira's eyebrows drew together, but after a moment, she let it go and looked up at Reyansh, his handsome face was right in front of her, his powerful aura knocking her off balance. Her eyes flickered and her mind was briefly dizzy.
"Hello, Mr. Sooryavanshi, I'm Kaira, her sister." She introduced herself, extending her hand just like Ruhi had.
Ruhi looked up again, her gaze shifting from the man's chin to his eyes. Then her delicate eyebrows lifted slightly, and her eyes carried a faint smile.
But at this moment, Reyansh had let go of Ruhi's hand.Ruhi withdrew her hand, lowered her head, and watched as Reyansh's hand naturally reached out toward Kaira.
Kaira's heart leapt, her palm breaking out in a thin layer of sweat as she extended her hand toward Reyansh again.
However, Reyansh's hand circled around hers before casually sliding into his trouser pocket.
"Let's go in together."
A smile of satisfaction flashed in Ruhi's eyes, while Kaira was left awkwardly floundering.
Her hand hovered in midair, and her fingers was trembling.
"Oh my god, how embarrassing!"
"She should know her place, how could she try to schmooze with the big shot of the Sooryavanshi Group?"
"And her introduction just now...Ruhi's sister... It's clear she's trying to climb the social ladder using her sister. Her relationship with her sister is notoriously bad, but now..."
"She seems pretty experienced at this, otherwise, how did Mr. Mehta, who was almost her brother- in-law, end up being with her?"
The chatter around them wasn't loud, but at the end of the red carpet, away from the hubbub, every word was crystal clear.
Kaira's face turned pale, her lips clenched, and she shook with anger. Vikrant noticed her reaction and wrapped his arm around her shoulder.Kaira looked up at him, her beautiful eyes shimmered with tears, and her delicate face was fragile and dim. Seeing Keira's vulnerable state, Vikrant's heart ached. He didn't know what to say, so he simply held her close.
At this point, Reyansh, Kiaan, and Ruhi had walked past them toward the autograph wall.
"Let's go in too."
Vikrant comforted Kaira softly, taking her hand and turning around.
As Ruhi walked past them, Kaira felt a surge of malice. She watched Ruhi's dress sway and then her high heels suddenly veered off course, and her body swayed into Vikrant's arms.
And up ahead, Ruhi also staggered.
Vikrant held Kaira tighter and subconsciously stepped forward when he saw Ruhi losing her balance. He wanted to catch Ruhi.
Vikrant's movement made Kaira move forward too, and her heels lost balance again.
Ruhi was falling toward Kiaan, and he instinctively reached out to catch her.
Suddenly, a strong arm reached out from the left and precisely caught her waist. In the next moment, she was pulled into a familiar, cool-scented embrace.
Everything happened in the blink of an eye.
Ruhi sighed in relief as their faces came closer together. As she tilted her head up, their eyes met. She could clearly see the slight surprise in Reyansh's eyes.
A wave of gratitude washed over Ruhi. She was basking in the sweet feeling of being cared for by a man, not noticing her hand on his shoulder and her chest pressed against his. The atmosphere was getting quite intimate.
"Thank you." She muttered. As she realized her situation, her face turned as red as a tomato.
Reyansh leaned closer, his forehead touching Ruhi's hair as he said softly, "You almost ended up in someone else's arms sunshine."
"That was an accident."
"Well, I won't allow it sunshine."
"I'll try."
Their voices were low, so the conversation meant only for them.
Reyansh stared at her for a while before loosening his hold but not letting her go entirely, his arm still around her waist as they slowly turned around.
His icy gaze landed on Kiaan, who quickly withdrew his outstretched arms and moved away.He was just trying to help her.
Reyansh's gaze returned to Vikrant and Kaira.Vikrant awkwardly pulled back his hand, and Kaira in his arms turned pale, with a thin layer of sweat on her forehead.
"Vikrant, my... my foot hurts."
"Did you twist it just now?"
Kaira bit her lip and nodded.But there was hatred in her heart. She didn't expect Vikrant to save that bitch Ruhi, and even worse, she ended up in Reyansh's arms!
Ruhi looked at Kaira's pained expression and scoffed."You reap what you sow. I don't know if you're just wicked or a masochist."
Vikrant frowned, "Ruhi, Kaira really twisted her ankle."
Ruhi raised an eyebrow and smirked at Vikrant, her voice as calm as her expression."If she didn't have such a strong desire for revenge, she wouldn't have twisted her ankle. She didn't get hurt when we were filming a running scene in high heels on mud, but suddenly she's hurt on this flat red carpet?"
Ruhi emphasized the word 'suddenly', making Vikrant's face change slightly.
Reyansh's cold gaze fell on Kaira, who couldn't help but shiver.
"It was an accident, I really didn't mean to Can you say that models who fall on the catwalk do it on purpose?"
Ruhi scoffed, "So accident is your only excuse, huh?"
With tears in her eyes, Kaira looked at Euhi, her face full of grievance."Sis... why do you always interpret others actions in such a malicious way?"
Ruhi sneered, her smile cold and piercing.
"Don't try to drag me into this! You're the only one who can disgust me!"
Ruhi's words were blunt and icy, making it seem like she was stating a fact.
Again, people around them said, "Seriously, what the hell did Kaira do to make everyone hate her so much?"
"I used to feel sorry for her because she always seemed to be wronged, but now I feel like the saying 'where there's smoke, there's fire' might be true. No one would hate someone without a reason!"
Kaira was so angry that she felt faint. 'Why?! What on earth was happening?! Everything used to be under my control!'
Reyansh's voice was ice cold."Since you chose to save Kaira, don't think about saving another woman you can't have Now you even have to comfort Kaira in your arms. Isn't that tiring?"
Kiaan glanced at him. 'How strong was his possessiveness?! Both of them pretending not to know each other, yet how could he still be so domineering?'
Seeing Vikrant's face grow darker, Reyansh finally walked away with Ruhi.
In fact, from the moment Ruhi fell into his arms, he had no intention of letting her go.
Although it was risky, he was very satisfied with the outcome of publicly holding her.
Ruhi, however, was a bit uncomfortable. After all, this was her first time being so intimate in public.
"Mr. Sooryavanshi... is this okay? Should you let me go now?"
"No."
The atmosphere around them became somewhat strange.
Reyansh paused, "I just saved you, so be my date temporarily."
Ruhi's eyes flickered.'Temporarily? What a good excuse!'
Reyansh, Ruhi, and Kiaan walked toward the signature wall. Kiaan took the pen handed over by the host, passed it to Ruhi and Reyansh, and found a clean spot for the two of them.
"Please sign here."
Reyansh gestured for Ruhi to sign first. Ruhi didn't refuse, she signed her name beautifully. Then Reyansh stepped forward and signed his name next to Ruhi's.
His handwriting was fluent and very stylish. Ruhi, full of admiration, couldn't help but take an extra look.
Next was Kiaan. Unexpectedly, his handwriting wasn't as flamboyant as the others but had a tension-filled style that was elegant yet powerful.
However, Ruhi's admiration for him didn't last long, as she saw him draw a solid heart shape between her and Reyansh's signatures.Then he smirked at Reyansh, as if showing off. Leaving them both at a loss for words.
"Rey, what's up?"
Reyansh just gave him a look, ignored him, and walked into the college hand in hand with Ruhi.
Kiaan frowned and asked quietly. "Not happy, huh?"
After a moment of thought, he started drawing again and finally nodded satisfactory He put the pen on the host's tray and walked away.
The beautiful host took a look at his work and couldn't help but laugh.
He drew a heart, then wrote their names in the middle of it and added, 'I love you forever!' His prank was just too lacking in artistic taste.
After spraining her ankle Kaira leaned into Vikrant's arms, her forehead drenched in sweat.
People were initially surprised to see Kaira and Vikrant, but as time went on, the novelty wore off. As Kaira and Vikrant lingered on the red carpet, people started to get impatient.
"Everyone else is gone, why aren't they? Is the red carpet really that fascinating?"
"Are they pretending to be hurt just so they don't have to leave?"
"Where's security? Why aren't they making them leave?"
In reality, security didn't dare to chase off these red carpet celebrities.
Facing the surrounding accusations and contempt, Kaira finally burst into tears.
"Keira, I'll take you to the hospital"
"No. Vikrant, I don't want to miss the college celebration! I'm not leaving!"
"But your foot..."
"It's okay, Vikrant I have to attend the celebration!"
Seeing her tears streaming down, Vikrant felt a wave of heartache. He bent down and picked Keira up."I'll take you to the rest room, and then I'll call the doctor."
Kaira agreed at last, wrapping her arms around his neck, burying her face in his chest, and crying.
♡
Reyansh was called away by the principal as soon as entered the college.
Ruhi and Kiaan arrived at the banquet hall together, attracting everyone's attention.
Soon, many people came over and greeted Kiaan.
Ruhi scanned the hall, looking for Nisha.
She had already asked Varun to bring Nisha, so they should have arrived already.
But she searched around and didn't see Nisha and Varun.
She was a bit confused and was about to call them when her phone rang. She frowned, walked out to the terrace with her phone, and answered.
"Hello, what's up"
"Ruhi, Priya and Naira came to see me today. Judging by their attitude, they seem to want some of the stuff your mom left behind."
Ruhi squinted her eyes and laughed coldly, "I didn't expect them to move this fast. How did you respond?"
"I naturally handled it according to the legal guidelines. But Ruhi, I must remind you that since you're still unmarried, all the stuff your mom left behind is technically under the care of the Sharma family. If they take action during this time, we can't do anything about it. For example, if they claim that the shop is running at a loss and can't continue, they could sell or lease it out. They have the right to make such decisions."
Ruhi immediately furrowed her brows, "As far as I know, they haven't sold any stores or companies in the past few years."
"Indeed, the company and stores have always been profitable overall. But they suddenly approached me today."
"It was me who brought up the subject."
The lawyer went silent for a moment,"...So to avoid any potential trouble, the simplest and most direct way is for you to get married as soon as possible."
Ruhi bit her lip and went silent for a while, then finally nodded, "I will do it as soon as possible."
"Good. I will do my best to stall for you on my end."
"Thanks, Mr. Chari"
Ruhi hung up the phone, looked up, and saw a slender figure standing on the lawn outside the terrace. She also looked up and saw her.She had long hair over her shoulders, no fancy dress, just something simple and beautiful.
Ruhi originally planned to turn away, but she decided to stay. "Jennifer Randle?"
The woman looked at her with a calm gaze.
"It's been weird lately, the people I have met always run into me again soon."
Jennifer gave a slight smile, looked at Ruhi, and said, "You don't seem like the type to take the initiative to greet people. Do you need something from me?"
Ruhi didn't answer and just quietly looked at her.
Jennifer seemed introverted and quiet, a hard person to get along with. At this moment, she sighed, leaned against the wall, chuckled, and mumbled."I put in quite an effort to come here today. I found an influential person, hoping he would invest in my album."
Jennifer let out another sigh, looking at the faintly blue sky, her tone filled with strong self- mockery. "It's just so frustrating. After resisting for so many years, I still have to choose this path in the end."
Ruhi gave a slight smile, then said, "What about working with me?"
Jennifer was taken aback and turned to look at her, seemingly unable to believe it, "what did you say?"
Ruhi looked at her, her bright and captivating eyes twinkled under the moonlight.
Jennifer's heart skipped a beat, and for a moment, she seemed a bit distracted.
Ruhi thought she hadn't reacted yet, so she patiently said. "Leave Pulse Entertainment and come work with me. I'll help you realize your dream. How about it?"
Jennifer's eyes trembled, the moonlight shone on Ruhi, and even though she was petite, she had an irresistible aura. But Jennifer felt a twinge of disappointment, thinking she was overthinking.
'What could I expect from working with another woman?!'
She snapped back to reality, "Your Starlight International is just a PR company."
"Pulse Entertainment is an entertainment company, so what? Their best resources are only given to Kaira. And yet, after all these years, she's just become a top-tier star. More importantly, the resources you guys get are just her leftovers." Ruhi paused for a moment, then looked straight into Jennifer's eyes, "Only when Kaira steps out of the entertainment circle can you make a name for yourself at Pulse Entertainment."
Jennifer's eyes suddenly narrowed, "I know you're not on good terms with your family, so you want to use me to fight them."
Ruhi put her phone back into her bag, then spoke bluntly. "Yes, Ms. Randle, I don't know you well. So you should feel lucky, because I'm using you. If I had no ulterior motive, why would I help you? And why should you trust me?"
Jennifer kept quiet. Although her words were blunt and cold, they were indeed very convincing.
"Have a good think about it, and feel free to come find me." Ruhi glanced at Jennifer, then slowly drifted away from the terrace, her skirt swirling behind her.
Jennifer remained motionless.
♡
Back at the event, Varun and Nisha made their entrance hand in hand, causing quite a stir.
Tonight's gathering was like a place full of miracles, filled with many excellent people
Six years had passed, and many had grown up, becoming shrewder and more focused on their interests. People of all ages were busy with their own affairs.
Many tried to strike up a conversation with Ruhi but were put off by her cold response.
Reyansh still hadn't shown up, which eased Ruhi's mind a lot. Kiaan handed Ruhi a glass of fruit wine, playing the role of a protective knight.
As a newly crowned international movie star, Varun naturally couldn't avoid being 'swarmed'. Even though Nisha was beautiful, she was still pushed out of the spotlight by the crowd.
When she came over to Ruhi, they both shared a helpless laugh.
"Quite a crowd tonight, huh, Nisha. When did you get chummy with the movie star?" Kiaan teased, looking at Nisha.
He knew this woman came from a good background and knew how to present herself. From her school days, she was the beauty of the campus, always dressed to impress and catchingmany eyes. Now, she seemed even more charming than before.
"Our company has a partnership with Varun, and we're alumni, what's so abnormal about showing up together?" Nisha replied nonchalantly. She glanced around, looking for someone, disappointment flickering in her eyes.
"Are you looking for Mahir?" Kiaan leaned against a nearby pillar, lazily saying, "I didn't see Mahir, but I did see Mouni."
Nisha's expression changed slightly after hearing that. Kiaan glanced at her, then looked around the venue, musing, "Mouni's not here either. It seems like Mahir plans to take her with him."
Ruhi watched as Nisha's face turned pale, feeling a bit annoyed, "Mr. Shekhawat!"
Kiaan blinked, glanced at Nisha, and abruptly stopped talking...
Just then, Varun came over. Sensing the weird vibes, he asked coldly, "What's up?"
Ruhi sighed, saying to Varun, "Take Nisha for a walk."
Varun looked at Nisha, seeing her pale face, and frowned. He wrapped his arm around her waist. Nisha didn't refuse, and her expression was blank as she let Varun lead her away.
Meanwhile, in a shadowy corner opposite them, a tall figure was hidden, his eyes intently focused on Varun and Nisha.
Ruhi quietly took a deep breath, turned around with her glass, and unexpectedly caught sight of the man in the corner of the room.
Then she turned back, facing that man.
The man also turned his head, saw Ruhi, paused for a moment, then stood up and left. He had a kind of commanding presence,
Ruhi raised her eyebrows, looked at Nisha, and found that her previously pale face was now full of smiles.
"Ruhi, you were so fierce just now! That's not how you treat someone who has saved your life!" Kiaan looked at her, full of grievance.
Ruhi gritted her teeth, feeling the urge to punch Kiaan. "Do you want more milk?"
Kiaan's face changed. "Can we not talk about milk? If you mention milk again, I will accuse you of murder!" Milk is simply the most disgusting thing in the world for him!
Ruhi raised her eyebrows, "So how should I trent someone who saved my life? Hmm... should I repay it personally?"
Kiaan's legs went weak. He quickly looked around, found no sign of Reyansh, and then breathed a sigh of relief. "Ruhi, please stop saying such things, it scares the life out of me! It really wasn't easy for me to have survived till now."
Seeing Kiaan's terrified expression, Ruhi couldn't help but laugh softly."You're really cautious"
Kiaan couldn't laugh, "So Ruhi, I think Reyansh has something against me tonight. I've already shown off your love on the signing wall, but he didn't let me off. Could you find an opportunity to put in a good word for me?"
"What did you do to make him angry? Is he that scary?"
Kiaan widened his eyes. "You're saying he's not scary?"
"What's scary about him?" Ruhi frowned.
"Everything about him is scary! He kills without blinking, you know?"
"Kills people?"
"See? Scared, aren't you?!"
Ruhi's expression didn't change at all, she just calmly said, "I guess the one who got killed probably had it coming."
Kiaan shivered all over and couldn't help but give her a thumbs up."You two really are a perfect match! I must keep my distance from you two in the future, or I'll be scared to death!"
♡
Inside the break room, Vikrant was helping Kaira ice her foot.
"Does it still hurt?"
Kaira put her foot on the ground and nodded slightly, "It's not that painful anymore."
Vikrant put down the ice bag, helped her smooth her hair, and said with a bit of disapproval."It's just a college celebration. Why insist on this?"
Kaira smiled slightly, "I've talked to Dadi, Pulse Entertainment is willing to offer internship opportunities for five new graduates to show our gratitude to our alma mater. But they have to fight for it themselves. The film and television agencies are springing up like mushrooms after the rain, and the competition is getting more and more fierce, so we want to select some students who are talented in multiple areas. We focus on dance and vocal music. Also, we hope to add some color to tonight's school celebration."
Vikrant nodded with a look of admiration in his eyes, "It's a great idea."
Kaira smiled gently, "It's about to start, as a representative of Pulse Entertainment, I need to perform first."
Vikrant frowned, "But what about your foot?"
"It's fine, I'm only playing the piano."
♡
The place was basically a playground for the social elites, and today's mission for Ruhi was to scout for new talent for her company. It was hard for students to fit into such a scene, hence it was difficult to find fresh faces at the venue. So, Ruhi was wandering around, planning to make a backdoor exit.
As she passed a corridor patio, she faintly heard a familiar voice. She didn't pay much attention, but suddenly her name was mentioned. She squinted, stood still, and listened quietly as the two people finished their conversation. After a moment of contemplation, a cold smirk flashed across her face, and she left.
In the dim light, she walked along a tree-lined path, crossed a bridge, and climbed a few small hills. It felt like a large park, filled with winding paths and lush greenery everywhere.
At first, she bumped into a few students on the way. But later, as the light dimmed, the people around her became scarcer.
However, a faint scent of peach blossom wafted over to her. Unconsciously, she followed the fragrance for a while, and the scent grew stronger. Soon, she found herself in a peach orchard.Every few meters in the orchard, there was a ground lamp, casting beautiful light on the peach blossoms.
Ruhi couldn't help but admire the view. Just as she was about to step into the orchard for a closer look, a deep voice echoed out.
"Is there anything you need, miss?"
Ruhi stopped in her tracks, spotting a figure sitting in the middle of the orchard.
She pushed open the wooden gate, glanced at the person who didn't stop her, and stepped in.
"Sorry, I was attracted by the scent of the flowers."
It wasn't until she got closer that she realized the figure sitting on the peach wood stool was an old man dressed in worn-out, dark blue clothes, sipping tea alone. A set of tea-brewing tools was spread out on the peach wood table.
Hearing her words, the old man looked up at her with a hint of aloofness in his eyes.
"You have a sharp nose."
Ruhi smiled.
"Do you know how to make tea?" The old man asked lightly, gesturing for her to sit opposite him.
Ruhi hesitated for a moment, "A bit, but I'm not very good at it."
The old man chuckled, "That's already quite impressive."
He gestured for her to make tea again, and Ruhi didn't refuse.The moment she opened the teapot, a strong aroma of tea hit her.
The old man looked at her with a hint of scrutiny in his eyes and even laughed, "Not bad! It's rare to meet a young person like you in this day and age. Terme, which one are you best at - perfume blending, tea-making, wine-cooking, or flower-appreciating?"
Ruhi was surprised again. Her heart pounded, sensing that this old man was no ordinary person. Her tone became more cautious and respectful, "Perfume blending."
"Hahaha... I knew it!"
The old man watched silently as Ruhi finished making tea. The process of making tea was crucial. A slight mistake could ruin it.
But Ruhi's tea was just right, quite unique.
The old man looked at Ruhi, his eyes gradually deepening. If she didn't have a high sensitivity to scent, she wouldn't have been able to achieve this.
But Ruhi was very nervous, her lips tightly closed. It was a while before she asked softly, "May I know your name?"
"Ragved Himanshu, you can call me Ragved."
Hearing this name, Ruhi's teacup clinked on the teapot, she looked up at the old man in surprise, her eyes wide with shock.
♡
Ruhi didn't hang around the hilltop for long. She made her way back following the path from memory, the dim lights seeming a bit eerie.
Holding up the hem of her dress and squinting, Ruhi kept her eyes trained on the path.
"Hey there, you're quite pretty."A flippant, slightly tipsy voice came from the side.
Frowning, Ruhi quickened her pace and ignored him.
"Hey! I'm talking to you! You look lonely, let me keep you company." The man staggered in front of her, blocking her way.
Seeing Ruhi's face, his drunk eyes lit up.He pushed away the woman he was with, opened his arms and lunged at Ruhi, who coolly stepped aside.
She thought the drunken man would fall and stay down.But just as she dodged him, the man who should've been behind her suddenly appeared in front of her, falling unconscious with a thud.
"Ah-" The woman screamed, covering her head and running off.
Ruhi turned around, indeed seeing a familiar figure standing behind her.
Reyansh looked emotionless, a slight frown on his face. He glanced at the unconscious man, then casually shifted his gaze.
He gently pulled Ruhi into his arms. "Where have you been, you scared me Sunshine..."
As Ruhi was about spoke, she noticed two figures out of the corner of her eye. It was the principal and vice-principal...
Reyansh reached up and plucked a petal from the peach blossom above her head.
"Why are you running around by yourself in the dark sunshine?"
Ruhi took the petal from Reyansh, sniffed it and said: "The party was boring, so I went out for a walk. Who knew I'd run into someone like that?"
"You shouldn't wandering alone Sunshine," Reyansh frowned. 'If I hadn't seen a figure that looked like hers from afar and followed, wouldn't she have been harassed?'
Ruhi looked up, squinting and smiling, "Are you... complaining about me?"
"Not at all sunshine."
The two behind them were silent, their minds full of shock.Who would have thought that Reyansh, known for his indifference towards women, actually had a girlfriend, and to dote on her this much!
The principal and vice-principal glanced at the unconscious man on the ground, marveling at Reyansh's powerful kick.
"Miss, were you heading to the hill?" The principal suddenly asked.
Ruhi stepped back from Reyansh's embrace and nodded at the principal, "Yes."
She didn't know who among those who decided to expel her back then, but the college, which should be a sacred and pure place, maliciously slandered her at a crucial moment, putting a rd-to-shake-off stigma on her.
She wasn't exactly in high spirits, the past wasn't something she could easily shake off.
Reyansh noticed something was off with Ruhi, his eyebrows knitting together slightly, "Do you need to head home now?"
However, before Reyansh could finish, the Principal nearby hastily said, "Mr. Sooryavanshi, considering the students are from all over, leaving on a whim might be inconvenient. We're providing accommodation for tonight. If your girlfriend's not feeling well, she can rest in the room."
Reyansh glanced at Ruhi, asked again, "Would you like to rest or leave?"
"I'll go to the banquet hall to check on Nisha before deciding. You can go ahead if you're busy."
"Let me know once you've decided."
"Sure." Ruhi gave a nod, slightly turned and bowed her head to the two men behind her, before leaving.
Under the dim light, only Ruhi's profile was visible. People's appearances can change a lot over the span of six years, and Ruhi had only been in university for less than two years. Neither the Principal nor Vice Principal recognized her.
Despite Reyansh's high status, she remained calm and indifferent. They found her quite unique.
"Mr. Sooryavanshi, is that your girlfriend?" The Principal asked, watching Ruhi's retreating figure.
"Yeah." Reyansh replied without hesitation, hoping everyone knew she was his and no one could bully her.
'However, she wasn't dependent on me.'
The Principal's heart raced, regretting he didn't get a good look at her face.He was a bit disappointed, but he believed there would be opportunities to see her again in the future.
"Mr. Sooryavanshi, our university is honored to host this year's international contest. Would you like to bring your girlfriend? The finalists are all industry leaders. You could also use the opportunity to scout talent for your company..."
Reyansh's eyebrows furrowed, "International Contest?"
Seeing Reyansh's interest, the Principal chuckled, "Yes, speaking of which, our students have brought much honor to our school! Oh, do you know Rosanna? She's a contestant in the Fragrance Frenzy International Contest. She ranked fourth in her first participation!" The Principal beamed with pride. "As a perfumer, she's the best in the country, and also our student, Kaira!... Speaking of her, she's truly outstanding... She has won various awards in dance, perfume, and piano contests... Oh, speaking of piano, Kaira will perform as a special guest tonight. Many students think her as role model, it'll definitely be lively tonight!"
Reyansh listened quietly, his brows furrowing deeper with each word.
♡
Outside the school, Rohan found Ruhi's car. He had circled it several times, his eyes filled with curiosity.
Initially, he thought it was just a regular car, worth at around 80 thousand, perfect for professional women. But is this car really an ordinary car?
He originally drove Bentley to pick up Reyansh, but seeing how this car shot out like an arrow, Reyansh immediately chased after it in his Maybach Exelero, not sure if he managed to catch up with Ruhi.
In the midst of examining, his phone suddenly rang.
Seeing the caller ID, Rohan immediately tensed up and quickly answered,"Sir..."
♡
Ruhi got back to the banquet hall and found Nisha pretty plastered. Her face was conspicuously flushed and she had this charming, slightly dazed look about her.
"How much have you had to drink?" Ruhi frowned
Nisha just laughed, "I've run into a lot of old classmates Been having such a good time, I guess I overdid it a bit."
Ruhi sighed, "We've got dorms provided tonight. If you're wasted, you better not move around."
"Alright."
Just then, the host on stage announced, "Now, let's give a warm round of applause for Ms. Kaira from Pulse Entertainment. She's going to kick things off by performing for us."
Soon after, Kaira hobbled up onto the stage, her dress in tow.
Ruhi watched as Kaira sat gracefully at the piano amidst applause. Her heart ached, and her eyes twitched involuntarily. She quickly turned away.
Nobody's immune to the sting of giving up something they love.
Nisha saw Ruhi's reaction and felt a pang of sympathy. She rarely saw this side of Ruhi. To most people, even to Nisha sometimes, Ruhi was made of steel, able to face anything.
'But she wasn't invincible. She could be hurt too... All because of that woman, Kaira!'
The piano began to play, the melody was beautiful...
"Ha... A home wrecker playing the piano, how disgusting." Nisha might have been drunk, but she began to make her way to the front.
"Nisha..." Ruhi quickly grabbed her, "What are you doing?"
"I can't hear it. I need to get closer!"
Ruhi managed to stop Nisha. She knew what Nisha was up to.
"Nisha, you're drunk. Don't make a scene..." Ruhi tried to lead Nisha away, but suddenly the music stopped!
"Huh? Why'd it stop?"
"I have no idea!"
In a moment, Kaira stood up from the piano, picked up the mic, and with a regretful look said, "I'm sorry, everyone. I twisted my ankle on the red carpet. It's a struggle to use the pedals. If I force myself to continue, the piece won't be perfect. That would be disrespectful to you and to the music... I'm really sorry. On behalf of Pulse Entertainment and the Sharma family, I apologize!"
After her apology, she bowed to the audience. When she straightened up again, her beautiful face was full of guilt and frustration. Her eyes scanned the crowd and landed on Ruhi's back. After a moment, she awkwardly looked away, her gaze falling on Amika.
Amika seemed to catch her meaning, pondered for a moment, and said, "You're not the only representative of the Sharma family here tonight. Your sister Ruhi is here, isn't she? Let her finish your performance!"
As soon as Amika finished speaking, many people turned their attention to Ruhi.
At this point, Amika walked over to Ruhi, chuckling. "Ruhi, since Kaira's foot is hurt, can you go on stage and finish the piece? You're also part of the Sharma family, representing Pulse Entertainment should be no biggie, right?"
All eyes were on Ruhi, and whispers started to fill the room.
"Ruhi?"
"Kaira's sister, yeah I remember her, didn't she get kicked out of school?"
"Yeah, I heard it was for plagiarism."
"Didn't she try to seduce a judge during a piano competition or something?"
"Yeah, I heard that too, she got caught in the break room by a reporter."
"Ruhi... she's always been so distasteful, eventually the Sharma family had to send her abroad to avoid making things worse..."
Hearing all these words, Amika felt a sense of relief. She glanced at Kaira, a smirk on her face, her eyes gleaming with satisfaction.
Nisha could feel the hand holding hers getting stiffer and colder. She turned her head slowly, her icy gaze sweeping over the people around her, and snapped, "What the hell are you guys talking about?! Do you have any proof?! We're all adults here, don't we have to be accountable for what we say?!"
"Oh! My bad, it's been so many years, I totally forgot." Amika suddenly covered her mouth, acting like she just realized, "But it's not like people are talking nonsense, why else would the college kick Ruhi out?"
Cold light flashed in Nisha's eyes as she took a couple of steps towards Amika, exerting a powerful pressure. "Don't think I don't know you're doing this on purpose! Instead of being a decent talk show host, you've picked up some crappy acting skills!"
"What did you just say?!" Amika's face darkened instantly.
"I'm talking about you! I respect your career choice, but instead of focusing on your work, you're running around picking up bad acting skills, you're just plain stupid!" Nisha clearly had a bit too much to drink that night, otherwise she would never have said such crude words.
"Say that again, I dare you!" Amika was infuriated by Nisha's words.
"Amika, don't!" Kaira immediately tried to stop Amika.
Nisha raised her head to look at Kaira on the stage, her eyes icy, her voice stern, "Kaira, you're behind all of this, aren't you?"
Kaira, holding the microphone, took a step back, a look of surprise and innocence on her face. "What... what did I do?"
Nisha glared at Kaira, anger surging up in her heart, "If you twisted your foot on the red carpet, you shouldn't have gone on stage to play the piano in the first place, then stop the performance halfway through, and now you're here arguing with Ruhi out of jealousy, others might not know about the past, but how could you not know?!"
At this point, Vikrant walked out from backstage, frowning, "What's going on?"
Kaira bit her lip, shaking her head at Vikrant, "Nothing, Vikrant, there might be some misunderstanding here, it's all my fault, I shouldn't have insisted on going on stage..."
Nisha sneered at Vikrant and Kaira, "Cut the crap, you ain't no saint! You play the innocent victim every day, but in reality, you're a two-faced snake, doing all sorts of shady stuff behind people's backs! If anyone's into you, they must be blind as a bat!"
Everyone around took a sharp Intake of breath. Nisha was a big shot in college, well known by most. No one expected her to blurt out such harsh words.
Vikrant frowned. "Nisha, you gotta know when to stop! This isn't the place for your nonsense!"
"Vikrant, you must be really blind to make Kaira your girlfriend! I can't wait to see how long she can keep up this act! I'm dying to see the day you regret this! But I gotta thank you first, for letting go of Ruhi. Ruhi's way too good for you, she deserves the best guy in the world!"
At this point, Amika angrily retorted: "The one who's blind is the one who likes Ruhi! I remember her doing shady stuff with that judge in the backstage dressing room, got caught by the paparazzi. Can she deny those photos are fake?! She looks Innocent, but she's done a lot of disgusting things!"
Ruhi froze on the spot, her beautiful face couldn't hide her paleness. She didn't care about the impact of these rumors, but the scenes of the past kept flooding into her mind...
Priya forced her to quit the competition, but she refused. As a punishment, she was locked in her room and starved for a full day. The next day, she went to participate in the piano competition, a judge almost raped her in the dressing room...
She can't forget, can't forget that man tearing her clothes with filthy words. She couldn't push him away with all her strength...
Seeing Ruhi's face, Nisha felt an intense pain in her heart and suddenly hated herself! Although she was Ruhi's friend, she always couldn't stand up for Ruhi because of her own status. She knew this is the thing Ruhi could never mention in her life, yet these people wouldn't let her go!
She clenched her teeth, grabbed a wine glass from someone's hand, and violently threw it at Amika's face!
"Ah!" Amika screamed, before she could react, she heard the sound of the wine glass shattering. Looking up, Nisha had smashed the wine glass in her hand, pointing at Amika with the broken glass, ready to charge.
"Who did you say did disgusting things?"
Ruhi suddenly came back to her senses and quickly pulled Nisha back."Nisha, calm down!"
Kaira's face suddenly changed, a cold light flashing in her eyes.'Amika, you idiot!What a bonehead Amika is! She blew things way out of proportion!'
"Holy cow! I was just in the loo, how did Nisha screw up in no time?"At this point, Kiaan's voice suddenly rang out, and Ruhi quickly called him over. "Kiaan, please get Nisha out of here right now!"
"What's going on?" Kiaan looked at the scene, a bit confused.
Ruhi said nothing, someone nearby gave him a quick rundown, and Kiaan instantly got ticked off.
Glanced at Kaira on stage, Kane suddenly sneered. "This is way over the line."
Kaira felt uneasy under his gaze, her eyebrows furrowed slightly.
Ruhi looked at Amika, the look in her eyes made Amika feel more terrifying than the broken glass in Nisha's hand.
After a long while, Ruhi said to Amika, "I'll let it slide for now. If you don't have any proof, quit talking out of your ass!"
After that, she looked over at Kaira who was still on stage. "As a shareholder of Pulse Entertainment, I hope Ms. Sharma can continue to perform. Don't jeopardize the company's future for a laugh."
Hearing the word "shareholder" from Ruhi, Kaira involuntarily tightened her grip on the microphone.
Ruhi smiled slightly, then turned around and left with Nisha.
She inquired about their accommodation for the night, and they headed off.
"Ruhi, are you just going to let them off the hook? No way! They've pushed you this far, you can't just let it slide!"
"Who said I was letting it slide?" Ruhi's voice suddenly rang out, her icy tone gave Kiaan a start.
"So when are you going to do something?"
Ruhi paused for a moment, then looked up at Kiaan, "What do you think about the previous allegations of me seducing the judges?"
Kiaan's eyes widened, "What do I think?"
"Do you also believe that I really seduced him?"
"Oh, back then everyone was saying it, so I was kinda on the fence. It didn't involve me, so I didn't pay much attention."
He then added, "But I don't believe it now."
"Why?"
"Because Reyansh chose you. Even if it were true, I'd have to believe it was false."
Seeing her silence, he laughed and said,
"Haha, just kidding! I trust you completely."
Ruhi smiled and then said, "The main goal tonight for Kaira isn't this."
"What?" Kiaan was puzzled, and the drunk Nisha also looked up at her, "What main goal?"
Ruhi patted her head and whispered, "Someone's tailing us."
Kiaan frowned, turned his head, and sure enough, he saw a woman sneaking behind them in a waiter's uniform. When Kiaan suddenly turned his head, the girl was startled and shrank back.
Ruhi also turned her head and waved at her, "Could you come over and help, my friend's a bit sloshed."
"Sure thing."
The waitress took Ruhi's place.
Mumbai University is a wealthy campus. To familiarize students with hotel management, they built a mock hotel nearby.
Upon arriving at the hotel, Ruhi and her friends got their room keys.
♡♡♡
Hope you like this chapter bunnies..🌸🌿
Let do vote and comment bunnies..🦋🌼
Target: 100+ Votes bunnies
Words: 9570
See you on next chapter bunnies..until then take care bunnies...🧸🤎