"What...are you doing here?" Sneha asked in complete shock and surprise, as she looked here and there.

"I need to give you something important. So, come out." He said sternly when she clearly didn't obey him.

Sneha would have agreed easily but then, unlike last time, there was no one at her home right now. And, if someone in her locality saw her talking to a random man when no one was home, talks about her character will start bubbling around everywhere. And, she didn't want it.

"What is it?" She asked.

Viraj's grip on his phone tightened when he heard her arguing again. Women were supposed to follow him on the very first go. This was an acknowledged fact for him...no excuses. But, Sneha had the habit of not obeying him...always.

"Didn't I just say it is important? Now, are you coming out or should I come in?" He warned in his strict tone.

It accelerated her heartbeat. If he came in when she was home alone, talks about her character would be more severe.

"No. I am coming out." She said quickly and wore her scarf that hung behind the door.

Coming out of her house, she immediately spotted him outside the main gate, leaning easily on his car with hands inside his pant's pocket.

Viraj waited patiently for her outside. But with each passing moment, his anxiety grew. He hadn't seen her all day. And, the thought of her sight...was making him...excited unknowingly. This is why he didn't ask Gaurav or any of his men to visit her instead of him.

His eyes followed her modest form from the moment she opened the door to the moment she stood in front of him. And, he had to agree that she looked pretty even in that loose top and knee-length skirt with a scarf covering her chest modestly.

'Why didn't he ring the bell as last time?' She wondered as she approached him. He was in his formals which meant he had come here directly from work.

She stood in front of him with narrowed brows and confused eyes. And, he found it cute as always.

"What is it?" She asked, trying to be polite. He noted how she didn't greet him at all. No 'hello' and no 'hi'. He didn't complain though.

He stood to his full length and forwarded two small cards in her direction. She took it in her grip and looked at it.

Business card? She thought when she realized the meaning of it.

"What am I supposed to do with these?" She asked as she turned one around to notice that he had signed it. And not to mention it...it was one hell of an elegant signature. Tomorrow's date was written at the corner.

"Ananya informed me that she has invited four of her friends to the venue tomorrow. The place will be heavily guarded tomorrow. So, to avoid what happened in the restaurant last time, I am giving you my signed business card. If any of my guards attempt to interrogate you, just show them my card and they won't trouble you. One is for you and the other is for your friend...I recall Jyoti was her name." He explained gently.

"Is everyone getting this card?" She asked.

"Yes. Gaurav has gone to her other two friends." He said.

Sneha nodded. So, only Ananya's friends were getting them.

"Tomorrow...No one will harm us, right? If it is so, please let me know...so that... Jyoti and I will stay home." She hesitantly said and for a second, he relaxed. When he said that the place will be heavily guarded, it did generate doubts in her mind.

"Don't worry about it. I am just taking precautions. I will be there too."

"Okay. Thank you." She said as she turned around to enter her home.

"Wait."

Sneha turned around to look at him.

"Do you want me to send a driver for you?" He asked.

"No, no. Jyoti and I will come together on her scooty." She answered. It will be safe and quick.

"Are you sure? Because, if you want I can send a driver for you both. It will be more convenient than a scooter." He added and she could sense the faint sense of humour in his words.

"It will be safer on her scooter." She replied though in an annoyed tone.

"Fine." He said with a light smile when he felt that he had successfully riled her up.

She turned around to leave again. She had walked ten steps when she remembered something important and she wondered if she should ask him.

'He is her brother. He should know about it.' She thought and turned around. She realized that he was looking at her back patiently. He did that always. He waited till she entered her premise and then he'd leave. Strange habit...but a good habit, she thought.

"Can I ask you something?" She asked as she took a few steps in his direction.

He only raised his brows slightly in response.

"Is there anything specific that Ananya likes? As a gift? It would help us out when we'd be buying a gift for her." She asked, hoping he would hint upon something.

Instead, Viraj looked at her intently.

"Well?" She asked again when he continued to stare at her, while in deep thoughts.

"There are many things that she likes. But, you won't be able to afford any of them." He said bluntly.

It wiped the hope from her face. And, if it wasn't for his cold gaze, her mouth would have fallen in surprise as well.

'This arrogant man!' She muttered under her breath.

She gave him a blank look before replying.

"You are wrong. I will get her something that she will like." She challenged on his face. She couldn't let him insult her like that.

"Well...we will see... tomorrow." He teased again.

"Yes. We will." She said and almost ran towards her home.

Closing the door behind her, she calmed her heartbeat.

'How can he insult me like this! Is money everything to him?' She wondered as she recalled their conversation. Sure she didn't have money to spend like water for a gift, but he didn't have to be so rude! She thought.

'Stupid, Sneha! Why did you tell him such a nonsensical thing? Ananya's tastes are rich. He was right. Why did you have to challenge him!' She scolded herself when she reflected on her response.

A ping sound came from her phone and she looked at it. It was a text message from an unknown number that she faintly recognized.

"Save my number." The text message read.

Sneha rolled her eyes. However, she did save his number for future reference.

.

.

.

"Oh God, Sneha! Let's go back. Please." Jyoti mumbled near her ear when they came close to the Celene resort. As they had expected, the place was beautiful. And, since a party was being hosted today, it was decorated even more elegantly. They could see the huge building from the main entrance itself.

"Calm down, Jyoti. The guards won't shoot us." Sneha calmed her down as Jyoti scanned the dozens of armed guards patrolling the exterior of the resort's building.

"How are you so sure?" Jyoti asked as Sneha stood on the ground from the scooty.

"I know it. Ananya's house is equally guarded and I have been there many times. They won't care to give us another look after making sure of our identity. Just keep that card that I gave you near you. Viraj said no one will bother us if we just show them the card." Sneha explained.

"How can you trust that criminal so easily?" Jyoti asked as one of the armed guards started approaching them. "Wh...why is he coming here?" Jyoti almost started panicking.

Sneha sighed at her reaction but her question did make her wonder. Why did she trust him blindly? Viraj was a criminal behind the law and she knew it. She shouldn't be believing his every word.

"Are you both Ananya madam's friends?" The guard asked as he stood in front of them. Jyoti involuntarily pulled her scooty back.

"Yes. I am Sneha and she is Jyoti." Sneha answered while showing Viraj's business card to him.

The guard nodded and asked for Jyoti's card. Jyoti instantly gave him that. The guard analyzed it as well and returned the card to both of them.

"Please enter and you will find the valet in front of the first entrance." The guard guided politely.

Both the girls nodded and drove inside the premises. They stopped in front of the first entrance and Jyoti retrieved the gift from under the seat. After giving the keys of the scooty to the valet, they both scanned the resort's exterior.

"Oh look! There is a pool there!" Jyoti said as they looked at the extreme left.

Sneha gave the premises a 360-degree look before coming to an obvious conclusion.

"Why isn't there anyone outside?" Sneha asked Jyoti as she glanced at her watch. It was 4:30 pm.

"Are we early?" Jyoti asked as they walked in the direction of the main door of the resort. Two men stood in front of the door and Sneha recognized one of them from Ananya's house.

"We are only half-hour late...if that is considered late." Sneha mumbled as she returned the smile that the guard at the entrance gave her.

"Miss Sneha." The guard whom she recognized greeted her and Jyoti looked at Sneha with wide eyes.

"Hi. Uhh...we are here for the..." Sneha began explaining when the guard interrupted her.

"We know. Viraj sir had briefed us all exclusively about your arrival and not to bother you. She must be your friend Jyoti?" The guard asked.

'Viraj said what?' She repeated in her mind.

"Yes. She is her." Sneha mumbled quickly. The guard nodded sternly and opened the double doors of the resort for them.

Sneha and Jyoti had expected loud music and an amazingly colourfully decorated room with balloons and colour papers all around. Instead, it looked like a business party or a conference gathering. As Ananya had promised, there were few people...at most fifty already in the main hall.

"I guess, we are really late!" Jyoti whispered in her ear. Sneha couldn't help but chuckle at that. However, she noticed how everyone present in the hall didn't turn around to look at the new people. They all had their eyes fixed somewhere above, in the direction of the stairs. Some were talking among themselves, but other than that, everyone was looking in a specific direction. Sneha followed their gaze and her eyes fell on a strikingly stunning woman standing at the top of the stairs with her hands holding the arm of a man she very well knew.

Sneha couldn't help but stare at the girl's beauty. The maroon gown that she wore hugged her feminine body modestly as well as sensuously. She looked like an angel as well as a seductress! Her eyes were fixed on the man beside her and she could clearly see, from the huge distance, the love and admiration she had for him. Her eyes fell on the ring and she understood her identity.

She was Nupur.

And, beside her, was Viraj. She finally spared him a look out of curiosity. He looked handsome as well...just like always...formal and manly. But, something bothered Sneha.

Was it his bored look...or his cold and strict eyes...or the fact that he was looking at her with an intensity that she couldn't decipher?

'Why is he looking at me like this?' Sneha wondered. 'Shouldn't he be returning the gentle smile that his fiancee was giving him?'

"Who is she?" Jyoti asked while she looked at Nupur in a mesmerized manner.

Sneha tore her gaze from Viraj and looked at her friend.

"Nupur. She is Viraj's fiancee." Sneha whispered near her ear.

"That arrogant man is engaged?" Jyoti couldn't help but whine.

Sneha chuckled and nodded.

'What are they all waiting for?' Sneha wondered as both of them stood at one of the corners in silence.

As if on cue, her doubts were cleared and Ananya entered the scene from behind Viraj. She held Viraj's hand gently and Viraj took his sister's hands after Nupur left her hold.

Sneha noticed how gently he mumbled something to her and then kissed her forehead. Ananya smiled and mumbled something in return.

"Aren't we going to scream 'happy birthday' now?" Jyoti whispered near her ear.

"Don't." Sneha whispered back as she realized that the people in the room were not as cool as they ought to be at the birthday party. Jyoti sighed and kept quiet.

"Good Evening, everyone! Thank you for taking out time from your busy schedule and being a part of my sister's birthday. After my mother, she is the most important woman in my life and I am thankful to God that He gave me such an amazing sister." Viraj started delivering his speech as the host of the party.

"She is turning 25 today and I wish many more pleasant birthdays for her. Happy birthday, Ananya! As a small token of a gift from me, I would like you to go and open that little thing over there." He completed his mini-speech in a robotic manner and everyone started clapping at the brother-sister duo.

Sneha and Jyoti along with everyone looked at what Viraj was pointing at. Ananya gracefully came downstairs, followed by her brother and soon-to-be sister-in-law.

Ananya reached a huge table on which was placed a gift-wrapped sleek item which was about 4-inches in height and 3-inches in width.

"Open it." Viraj said with a calm smile on his face. Sneha could see the confidence in his eyes.

Ananya smiled and nodded. She tore the coloured wrapper, while making sure that the item remained erect at its place. Everyone in the room, including Sneha gasped at the revelation.

It was a hand-made portrait of Ananya. And, it was beautiful. It almost looked real...as if it was a photograph. Sneha couldn't remove her eyes from it. It looked so natural!

"Oh my God! Bhai! Did you make it?" Ananya screamed in happiness.

"Yes." Viraj said and Sneha's eyes bulged out.

'He can paint!' She thought in complete surprise.

"Thank you so much, bhai! This is wonderful! Thank you! I am so happy that you painted again!" Ananya kept on saying as she hugged her brother with a huge smile on her face.

Soon Ananya came down from her elated slate and turned around to face everyone.

"Thank you, everyone, for coming here today." She said in a formal tone while maintaining a smile on her face.

Everyone cheered 'happy birthday' to which she smiled widely.

After that, Ananya met all her relatives one by one while Tina and Shruti spotted Sneha and Jyoti.

"Hey! You guys are also here!" Tina said as they met.

"Yup! Ananya invited us yesterday. You both were absent." Jyoti said and Sneha nodded.

A waiter soon approached them and offered them the drinks. Tina and Shruti took the glasses but Sneha and Jyoti declined politely. They both were opposed to having alcohol, especially today when they knew their fathers would kill them if they came back in a drunken state.

"Yeah! We took off yesterday to prepare for today's games events and buy and wrap up the prizes." Shruti explained.

"Games?" Sneha asked, finding herself getting interested in the topic. She loved games and her competitive spirit woke up at the thought of it.

"Yup! After the cake-cutting ceremony, the elders will leave. So, we youngsters will be left to enjoy the complete evening. So, Ananya asked Nupur, Tina and me to prepare for some fun activities for today. We thought some games would be fun. We had no idea she'd invite you too. We didn't put in your names inside." Shruti explained.

"We will now, though!" Tina added instantly.

"Thanks!" Sneha said with a smile.

"What games are there?" Jyoti asked.

"We are going to have 3 games in all. You will get to know it later because it is a surprise!" Tina sang childishly and everyone laughed at her.

"Well, you both did bring out the life in this boring party!" Jyoti added.

"Oh, don't worry about it. It is only because of the elders that we are not shouting and screaming. They don't like it...especially Ananya's father. After they leave, we are going to have the real party." Shruti added excitedly.

Soon, Ananya spotted her only friends and she almost ran in their direction. It was Tina who spotted the birthday girl first. She nudged others and all the girls looked at Ananya with a huge smile.

"Happy birthday, Ananya!" They said in mismatched resonance.

"Thank you, guys! I am so happy that you all could come!" Ananya acknowledged as she hugged each one of them.

"You look so pretty!" Sneha added when she scanned her blue floral dress.

"You look beautiful too! I never saw you in a dress before!" Ananya replied with a smile.

"Thank you!"

"Here. A small gift from Sneha and me to the beautiful birthday girl." Jyoti forwarded the gift to her.

"Ohhh! Thank you!" Ananya thanked and took the gift gently. She passed it to one of the waiters and asked him to keep it carefully in the gift room.

"Would you like to meet my mother?" Ananya asked Sneha and Jyoti since Tina and Shruti had already met her.

"Yeah, sure!" Both Jyoti and Sneha replied.

"Uhh...Ananya. We met her already. So, we will just go and check the set-up of the games while you show them around? We need to add Sneha and Jyoti's names in the bowl too." Tina suggested.

"Scared of my father?" Ananya joked.

"Obviously we are! One meeting is enough with him." Shruti added.

Ananya nodded.

"Fine! Go! Come, Sneha, Jyoti." She guided them in the direction of the crowd.

"You will love her! She is the best person in the world." Ananya kept on speaking about her mother. Sneha could only smile at her excitement.

Soon, Sneha noticed Gaurav who was standing beside an old man and a woman. They were having a light conversation as she could see from their body language.

"Ma." Ananya called for her mother's attention. The elderly woman along with the old man and Gaurav looked in their direction with curiosity.

"Yes, Ananya?" The elderly woman, whom Sneha understood as Ananya's mother, asked gently.

"Ma, please meet my new friends. I just met them recently in college. She is Jyoti and she is Sneha." Ananya introduced happily.

Both the girls nodded with smiles and were about to mumble their traditional greeting when the older man interrupted them.

"So, She is Sneha!" He said which wiped the smile from Sneha's face.

Gaurav scratched his hair uneasily as Viraj's father scanned the girl from top to bottom.

"Y.yes, papa." Ananya added hesitantly.

Sneha's brows narrowed in confusion. Why did he only point out her, she wondered.

"Gaurav told me a lot about you." Ananya's father added after seeing her confused face.

"Oh! Namaste uncle. Namaste aunty." Sneha said and soon Jyoti said the same.

'It must have been about the fact that I am doing a project with Ananya.' Sneha concluded in her mind.

"Namaste, beta! Thank you for coming today!" Ananya's mother said and both the girls smiled. However, from the corner of her eyes, Sneha could see the strange look her father was giving her. And, she did feel uneasy.

'Does the staring problem run in the veins of the men of this family?' Sneha wondered.

They talked with Ananya's mother for a while and they found the old woman normal...just like everyone's mother. But, then perhaps Ananya gets to meet her very little, and that is why she was so excited about it.

Soon, Ananya's father excused himself and took his wife along with him to meet some other people.

"Did you like her? Isn't she amazing?" Ananya asked after her mother and father left.