Arvi's pov:

The night sky stretched above us, stars winking lazily as a soft breeze tangled through my hair. The rooftop was strung with fairy lights, a makeshift setup Vanisha and Aleesha had thrown together at the last minute. Somehow, it looked perfect like a hidden world away from the rest of the mansion.

We sat in a loose circle, giggling and whispering as we passed a glass bottle around. "Truth and Dare," Aleesha had declared. "Old-school style. No skipping turns, no chickening out."

I hadn't expected this kind of warmth here. I hadn't expected to laugh like this freely, fully. But they made me feel like I belonged.

Riaan was sprawled across a bean bag, cracking jokes, already teasing everyone and daring Arekha to do embarrassing things every turn. He was a riot loud, energetic, and weirdly charming.

Vanisha spun the bottle again. It landed on me.

"Ooooh," Riaan grinned, pointing at me like I was on trial. "Arvi. Truth or dare?"

I raised an eyebrow. "Truth."

He leaned in with that signature dramatic flair. "Do you like someone in this house?"

The group erupted into "oooohs" and giggles.

I laughed, shaking my head. "Wow. Straight to the point, huh?"

"Answer, Miss Arvi," he insisted, winking. "Truth is sacred."

I shrugged, replying back " No."

But before the teasing could continue, we heard footsteps on the terrace stairs.

Everyone quieted instantly. I turned my head and saw him.

Rayaan.

Even in the soft lighting, there was something so commanding about him. His presence shifted the energy entirely, like a sudden drop in temperature. The cousins straightened. Even Riaan sat up.

He walked over with that unreadable expression he always wore cool, calm, unreadable but I noticed his eyes flicker across the circle... landing on me. Then on Riaan.

I swallowed.

"You brought him?" Vanisha whispered to Riaan, barely audible.

Riaan grinned. "What? It's no fun without the grump. Don't worry, I'll take the blame."

Rayaan came to stand near the edge of the group, arms crossed, watching us all. "Truth and dare?"

No one said a word.

"Well, don't go silent now," he added. "Continue."

"Rayaan bhai, you can sit," Aleesha offered meekly, scooting over, visibly nervous.

He didn't sit. He just stood there watching. And suddenly the game didn't feel as light and fun as before. Not with his eyes fixed so sharply on us. On me. And Riaan.

Riaan cleared his throat. "Relax, yaar. It's a game. You're allowed to smile, you know."

Rayaan didn't reply. His jaw was tight, his eyes narrowed just slightly subtle, but I noticed.

When the bottle landed on me again, Riaan grinned. "Alright. Dare this time."

I raised an eyebrow, smiling nervously. "Okay."

"Letsss gooo," he winked, then added, "I dare you... to sit next to me for the rest of the game."

I laughed, playfully rolling my eyes. "Seriously?"

"Dead serious."

I was about to move when I felt it that unmistakable tension in the air. I glanced at Rayaan.

He wasn't looking at me. He was looking at Riaan. And if looks could kill...

I hesitated.

But before I could say anything, Rayaan's voice cut through, low and sharp, "This is supposed to be a game. Don't turn it into something else."

Riaan blinked, caught off-guard. "Relax, man. It's a dare-"

"I said what I said," Rayaan's voice dropped lower.

Aleesha gulped audibly. Vanisha nudged Riaan under her breath. "Don't push him..."

Riaan raised both hands, smirking. "Fine, fine. Chill, bro."

I didn't move. I stayed where I was. And suddenly, I couldn't look at either of them.

The bottle spun again, this time slower as if it, too, sensed the tension in the air. It landed on Arekha.

Aleesha clapped, trying to lighten the mood. "Truth or dare, Arekha?"

"Truth," she answered quickly, avoiding anything risky.

Vanisha leaned forward. "Who in this circle would you not trust with your secrets?"

Everyone gasped dramatically.

Arekha laughed nervously. "That's evil. But... probably Riaan bhai. He'd make a meme out of it."

Riaan clutched his heart. "How could you?" he cried, fake weeping. "This betrayal stings more than Rayaan's glares."

I glanced at Rayaan.

He still stood off to the side, arms crossed, but his gaze was unreadable now. Still and watching. Watching everything. Watching me.

The bottle spun again. It landed on Vanisha.

"Dare," she said, instantly.

Aleesha smirked. "Send a voice note to your crush saying 'I dreamt of you last night.'"

Vanisha turned red. "Nooo!"

Laughter echoed again nervous, but real. Slowly, the tension began to lift again.

The bottle turned once more and stopped... right in front of Rayaan.

The circle went quiet. No one breathed.

"Truth or dare, bhai?" Aleesha asked, her voice small.

Rayaan looked at all of them, his stare steady, coldly amused. "Truth."

Riaan leaned in, eyes mischievous. "Okay then. Do you like someone currently living in this house?"

Silence fell like a hammer.

I forgot how to breathe.

Rayaan's gaze didn't shift. He didn't blink. His voice, when he spoke, was quiet but every word hit like thunder.

"No."

And just like that, the air shifted again.

Everyone chuckled awkwardly. Vanisha made a weak joke. Aleesha laughed too hard. The bottle spun again like nothing had happened.

But I didn't smile. I didn't look at him.

Because I knew what he was really saying. And I wasn't sure if it hurt more that he said it or that I wanted him to say something else.

Rayaan's pov:

I slammed the door harder than I meant to.

The silence of my room was deafening after the rooftop. I yanked off my blazer, tossing it somewhere across the couch, not caring where it landed. My blood was still boiling, crawling under my skin like fire.

I didn't want to go up there in the first place. It was Riaan's idea of course it was. "Come on, bhai, let's crash their little midnight madness," he'd said like it was some harmless joke.

And I, agreed.

I should've stayed away.

I should've never seen the way she laughed with him so freely, so easily, like he'd known her for years. I should've never heard her admit there might be someone she liked in this house.

And I definitely should've never seen that look she gave him when he dared her to sit next to him.

That almost smile.

That tiny moment of hesitation.

Like she wanted to.

I ran a hand through my hair, jaw clenching.

Riaan always had that effect on people. Loud. Fun. Effortless. He could walk into a room and make it spin around him and people loved that. She loved that.

God, the way she looked at him.

I hated it.

The worst part? I knew Riaan wasn't serious. He flirted for sport. He didn't even know what he was doing half the time. But she didn't know that.

And I'd stood there like a damn statue, watching him pull her into the center of attention while I faded into the edge just the brooding presence no one dared joke with.

Except that wasn't what bothered me.

It was her.

Her laughter. Her warmth. The way she belonged up there.

And the fact that for even a second, I wanted to tell them all to shut the game down just so she'd stop smiling at him like that.

She's not yours, I reminded myself.

She works under me.

She lives here because of my mother.

That's it.