Author's POV
5:00 A.M.
The Rathore Mansion was wrapped in silence.
Everyone was asleep.
Except one person.
Akshara had already finished tying her hair into a high ponytail.
Dressed in a black full-sleeved workout top and grey training leggings, she walked towards the mansion gym with a bottle of water and a towel.
For her...
No matter how difficult the previous day had been...
The routine never changed.
Discipline came before emotions.
She unlocked the gym door and stepped inside.
The lights flickered on.
The familiar scent of rubber mats and metal filled the room.
She smiled faintly.
This was the only place where her mind felt peaceful.
She began with stretching.
Then a light jog on the treadmill.
Ten minutes later...
She moved towards the squat rack.
The heavy weights didn't scare her.
Pain didn't scare her.
People did.
After finishing her last set...
She picked up the boxing gloves.
Just as she wrapped the straps around her wrists...
The gym door opened.
She didn't need to look.
The footsteps were firm.
Confident.
Aryan Rathore.
Aryan's POV
Aryan had always been the first among his brothers to reach the gym.
Today...
Someone had beaten him.
He looked at Akshara.
She hadn't even glanced in his direction.
She continued adjusting the punching bag.
As if he wasn't there.
That irritated him.
He walked towards the dumbbell rack.
Neither spoke.
Only the sound of weights echoed through the room.
After almost twenty minutes...
Aryan noticed something.
Akshara wasn't working out casually.
Every movement was perfect.
Controlled.
Her posture.
Her breathing.
Everything reflected years of training.
Even he had to admit...
She was impressive.
Though he'd never say it aloud.
Author's POV
Akshara removed her gloves and moved towards the pull-up bar.
Without any struggle...
She completed fifteen pull-ups.
Then twenty push-ups.
Then plank holds.
Aryan unconsciously stopped exercising.
He watched quietly.
Dev had once bragged that no one in the family could beat Aryan's workout discipline.
Looking at Akshara...
Aryan wasn't so sure anymore.
He walked towards the boxing ring.
Without looking at her, he spoke.
"Boxing karti ho?"
Translation: Do you box?
Akshara looked at him briefly.
"A little."
Aryan almost laughed.
A little?
The punching bag from yesterday still had fresh cracks in its leather.
Akshara's POV
She knew he was observing her.
She didn't care.
She picked up the skipping rope.
One hundred.
Two hundred.
Three hundred.
Without stopping.
Aryan finally spoke again.
"Competition?"
Translation: A competition?
Akshara stopped skipping.
She looked at him.
"What kind?"
"Sparring."
Translation: Sparring.
She shook her head.
"No."
Aryan frowned.
"Darr lagta hai?"
Translation: Are you scared?
For the first time...
A tiny spark appeared in Akshara's eyes.
She hated being underestimated.
But she remembered her promise.
No unnecessary fights.
She picked up her towel.
"I don't fight people for entertainment."
She walked past him.
Leaving Aryan standing in the middle of the gym.
Vikram's POV
Vikram entered the gym a few minutes later.
He found Aryan standing quietly.
"Where's Akshara?"
Aryan picked up his water bottle.
"She left."
Vikram smiled.
"You missed breakfast yesterday because of your meeting."
Aryan nodded.
"Hmm."
After a pause, he added,
"She trains well."
Vikram looked surprised.
Coming from Aryan...
That was a compliment.
A very rare one.
He didn't say anything.
But inwardly...
He felt happy.
Maybe...
The distance between them had reduced by one small step.
Back in Akshara's room...
Meera placed a plate of fruits and almonds on the table.
"Eat these before breakfast."
Akshara looked up from drying her hair.
"You've become stricter."
Meera smiled.
"I have to."
"You keep skipping meals."
Akshara sighed dramatically.
"I'm twenty, Mom."
"And you'll always be five for me."
Both laughed softly.
It was one of the few moments where Akshara looked like an ordinary young woman instead of someone carrying invisible burdens.
Meera tucked a loose strand of hair behind her daughter's ear.
"I like seeing you smile."
Akshara's smile faded slightly.
"I don't smile often."
"I know."
"But when you do..."
"You look exactly like your father."
Akshara lowered her eyes.
She quietly picked up the fruit bowl.
Without another word...
She began eating.
Author's POV
Downstairs...
Nitya stood near the staircase.
She had watched Aryan and Akshara leave the gym at different times.
A smirk formed on her lips.
"If they can talk..."
"I can make everyone believe something else."
She took out her phone.
A dangerous plan was already forming.
And this time...
It wouldn't just target Akshara.
It would create misunderstandings between her...
And the entire Rathore family.
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