Jabse tere naina mere naino se laage re

Tabse diwana hua jag se begana hua

As Annahita tried to free her hand from Adhiraj's firm grip, he tightened it even more, persistently questioning, "Why were you staring at me?"

"I wasn't staring at you," Annahita insisted, her eyes reflecting a mixture of embarrassment and defiance.

"Liar," Adhiraj countered, unmoved by her denial. Annahita continued her attempts to break free, pleading, "I'm not. Let me go."

"I'll let you go if you tell me why you were staring at me," Adhiraj proposed, gently pulling her towards him, ensuring not to make any physical contact except for their joined hands.

Annahita, feeling the pressure, explained, "I just wanted to see the head of Anuvarta. Nothing else. And many people must have stared at you in the past. I'm not the only one."

Adhiraj raised an eyebrow in response. "Yes, but nobody has fallen while staring at me like you," he remarked, a playful glint in his eyes.

Annahita's face heated up with embarrassment, struggling to find words to counter his teasing comment. Sensing her awkward situation, Adhiraj released his grip on her hands, patting her cheeks with a smile before sauntering away. Annahita stood there, dumbfounded by his actions, her cheeks still red from the unexpected encounter.

Deciding to put the encounter behind her, Annahita continued towards her room. As she sat, attempting to shake off the memory of Adhiraj and his peculiar behavior, she was startled by Nandini, who entered her room without knocking.

"What happened?" Annahita inquired, her confusion evident.

"You tell me what happened," Nandini responded.

"What do you mean? Nothing happened," Annahita replied, her flustered demeanor betraying her words.

"What happened in the corridor with Adhiraj Bhai?" Nandini pressed.

"Nothing happened," Annahita insisted, growing more uneasy.

"Liar. Tell me what happened. Kaali bhaiya told me already about your encounter with Adhiraj Bhai," Nandini insisted, her frustration mounting.

"Why are you asking when you already know?" Annahita retorted.

"Are you telling me or not?" Nandini demanded, clearly frustrated with Annahita's evasive response.

"Nothing happened. It's just your Bhai has gone mad," Annahita explained.

"Why? What did he do?" Nandini asked with excitement.

Annahita proceeded to narrate the whole encounter, but instead of sympathy, Nandini burst into laughter, thoroughly entertained by the drama that unfolded.

"Shut up, Nandu," Annahita said, growing frustrated with Nandini's continuous laughter.

Despite Annahita's frustration, Nandini's laughter echoed in the room. Wiping tears of amusement from her eyes, Nandini finally managed to compose herself.

"I can't believe Adhiraj Bhai did that! He's usually not like that. And also, I remember you falling down while staring at him earlier," Nandini chuckled.

Annahita, still annoyed, retorted, "Well, I wasn't staring at him, okay? I was just excited to see Tripti aunty."

"Liar," Nandini whispered softly, careful not to let Annahita hear it.

Sensing Annahita's irritation, Nandini changed the topic. "Anyway, I wanted to show you something." She took out a beautifully adorned anklet from a bag and handed it to Annahita. "This one is for you. I designed it myself."

Annahita's frustration melted away as she admired the intricate details of the anklet. "It's beautiful, Nandu. Thank you."

"Wear it and come downstairs. Maa is calling you to have some tea and snacks with her," said Nandini as she left the room.

Annahita adorned the anklets and couldn't resist giving them a little jump to relish the sounds they produced. She descended the stairs and made her way to Tripti, who was giving instructions to the mansion staff.

Tripti noticed Annahita and welcomed her to sit beside her on the plush sofa. As they engaged in conversation, the room echoed with laughter and warmth. Nandini, busy with her own tasks, joined them and mentioned Adhiraj's request for an additional meal.

Amidst the exchange of pleasantries, the atmosphere took a lively turn as Digvijay made his entrance. Playfully, he nudged Nandini towards the end of the sofa, taking the coveted spot next to Tripti. Nandini, with a mockingly hurt expression, complained, "Baba, I was sitting there."

With a mischievous glint in his eyes, Digvijay responded, "Now I'm sitting here." The playful banter continued as Nandini persisted in her protests. Digvijay, in a teasing tone, remarked, "She is my wife. I can push you out of my house if you complain that much." Nandini, well-aware of her father's playful nature, found herself at a loss for words, realizing that Digvijay might actually go to such lengths just to share quality moments with his wife.

Tripti, thoroughly entertained by the father-daughter banter, chuckled at their antics. Annahita, though new to the dynamics of the household, couldn't help but smile at the lively interaction unfolding before her.

As the tea was served, Digvijay, now settled comfortably beside Tripti, caught her eye and inquired about his unexpected return at this hour. Ignoring Tripti's question, he turned to Nandini and asked, "What happened at the council hall?" The mention of the council hall added an air of curiosity to the scene

In response to Digvijay's stern inquiry, Nandini couldn't evade the matter any longer. She began narrating the events that had transpired in the council hall.

«Flashback»

In the council hall, a tense atmosphere enveloped the room as everyone sat in their designated places, waiting for Adhiraj's authoritative voice to address the matter at hand. Nandini, eager to know about the commotion, had joined the gathering. In the council hall only she was allowed to attend the meetings along with the ruler's wife.

As Adhiraj took his place at the head chair, he inquired about the purpose of the meeting. A member from village council, standing with determination, spoke up, "Sarkaar, we are here to question your decision regarding the shooting of Rajendra Sharma and his family."

Adhiraj, raising an eyebrow, responded with a commanding tone, "And who are you to question my decision?"

Another member clarified, "Sarkaar, he is the son of Rudrapur's village head."

Adhiraj, unyielding, explained, "Firstly, I dealt with Rajendra due to personal issues, unrelated to the villagers. Secondly, he was expanding his territory by fueling disputes with other villages. Lastly, even if I were to shoot him in the head, who do you all think you are to question me?" His words resonated with authority, making it clear that he wouldn't tolerate interference in his decisions.

As anticipation gripped the council hall, Adhiraj's stern command set the guards in motion. He instructed them to bring Rajendra Sharma and his son before him. The guards swiftly bowed and departed on their mission.

Tension mounted as everyone awaited the unfolding events. After a few anxious moments, the guards returned with Rajendra Sharma and his son. The atmosphere grew heavier, and the gazes of those present intensified as they observed the impending confrontation.

Adhiraj, still seated with an air of authority, looked at Rajendra and his son. As the confrontation unfolded in the council hall, Adhiraj's authoritative voice reverberated, "I'm removing you from your position as Tripur's village head." Rajendra Sharma, now facing the repercussions of his actions, pleaded desperately with Adhiraj, hoping to sway his decision.

However, Adhiraj offered an alternative, "Or you can tell me the name of your supporter, and you can have your position back." The room held its breath, awaiting Rajendra's response.

Rajendra vehemently shook his head, denying any involvement of others in the crime. "Sarkaar, I was the only one. No one was behind the crime that I committed."

Nandini, unable to contain herself, interjected, "Bhai, why are you giving them options? Just torture him, and he will tell you even the name of his ancestors." Her bold statement echoed in the tense atmosphere of the council hall.

Rajendra's son, taken aback by Nandini's assertiveness, couldn't help but glare at her. Unfazed, Nandini approached him and issued a warning, "Mujhe aankh dikhane ki koshish bhi mat karna verna tujhe or tere baap ko din mein taare dikha dungi "

(Don't you dare glare at me, or I'll show you and your father stars in the middle of the day.)

Her words hung in the air, challenging anyone who dared to question her fearless demeanor.

Adhiraj turned towards nandini due to her outburst and issued a gentle command, "Nandini, go and tell Maa to prepare food for me too for dinner," Nandini found herself caught in a brief argument.

"But Bhai," she began to protest, only to be swiftly interrupted by Adhiraj. "Go, Nandu, I'm starving," he insisted with a slight smile, leaving Nandini with no choice but to comply.

Nandini huffed, momentarily expressing her displeasure, before eventually turning away to fulfill Adhiraj's request.

«Flashback ends»

"And I came back from there to inform maa about his request" said Nandini clearly frustrated at the events that transpired in the council hall.