BILLIONAIRE'S IRRESISTIBLE TEMPTATION

SHOT 45

Parinidhi's Pov!

The room felt stifling as the congratulations and cheers echoed around me. Siddharth ji's proposal to Bhavna had just happened, and my heart was shattering into a million pieces. I don't even know why. It was not as if I had any feelings for him.

I forced a smile on my face, desperately trying to hide the pain and discomfort that threatened to spill over.

Bhavna, oblivious to the turmoil within me, embraced even me in her excitement.

"Parinidhi, can you believe it? We are getting married! Siddharth proposed!" Her eyes sparkled with joy as she showed off the diamond ring on her finger. We aren't exactly close friends, but she must be too excited to remember all that.

"Congratulations, Bhavna ji. I am genuinely happy for you," I managed to say, my voice betraying none of the turmoil inside.

I pulled away from the hug, my eyes avoiding Siddharth ji's intense gaze, which has never left my face from the moment he came here.. Why is he looking at me when he should be looking at Bhavna ji?

I couldn't bear to look into those golden amber eyes that had, just moments ago, held the promise of something else. Expecting that itself was a sin. Because I knew he belonged to another woman. To Bhavna Chavan. And yet, my heart cheated my morals and I developed feelings for a man committed to another woman.

Siddharth ji's presence felt like a weight on my shoulders. I couldn't escape the feeling that his eyes were still on me, even as he stood beside Bhavna ji, basking in the glory of their newly engaged status.

As the night wore on, I stood there amidst the happy family members, doing my best to maintain composure. I congratulated the couple, engaged in small talk with other family members, and played the part of a supportive friend. Inside, my heart was screaming in agony.

Every time I caught Siddharth ji looking at me, a torrent of conflicting emotions surged through me. Was it guilt? Regret? Or something more profound that even I couldn't comprehend? I couldn't fathom why he would propose to Bhavna when his eyes seemed to search for mine.

Why am I even hurting over this? It should mean nothing to me. It shouldn't bother me in any way.

The night air outside offered a temporary reprieve, and I stepped onto the balcony, taking deep breaths to steady my emotions. The view of the city below blurred through unshed tears.

Why did Siddharth ji have to involve me in this twisted game of his? How the hell did I even become a part of this?

I couldn't shake off the memories of him catching me in his arms, the proximity that sent shivers down my spine, and the intimate moment when he fastened my favourite chain around my neck.

Questions raced through my mind. Why did he carry my lost pendant for months? What did it mean to him?

Nothing!!! A voice from inside my head screamed at me.

The night felt never-ending, and the ache in my heart only deepened. I roamed the dimly lit hallways of the Raichand mansion, hoping to find comfort in its quiet corners. Each step seemed to echo the painful truth I had been avoiding – I had started developing some feelings for Siddharth, a man I could never have. A man who isn't even worthy of my feelings. What did he even do for me to develop such feelings? Nothing? How can I feel anything for someone who has only ever hurt me? This is all simply an attraction. It will fade away once he becomes Bhavana ji's.

He was Bhavna ji's from the very beginning. From the moment I met him, he belonged to Bhavna ji. How could I let myself fall for someone who had someone else in his life.

But it wasn't one sided, was it? What all I felt, he also felt the same, didn't he? Or was I wrong in reading him. Because I am not an expert when it comes to men. I have never had a relationship before. And Siddharth ji's looks and touches.. They were.. They were..

Leaning against a window, I stared out into the moonlit garden, tears blurring the distant lights. The air carried the scent of night flowers, but all I could taste was the bitterness of heartbreak. How did I let myself get entangled with someone unattainable? Someone so out of my reach?

Memories of Siddharth ji's touch haunted me. His arms catching me, the warmth of his hand on my cheek, and the moment he fastened my chain around my neck – all etched into my soul. Clutching the pendant, I felt its cool metal, a painful reminder of a moment that could never materialise again.

A bitter smile played on my lips as the puzzle pieces fell into place. Siddharth ji carrying my lost pendant for months wasn't a coincidence; it was deliberate. A cruel reminder that I didn't imagine in all.

Was I just a pawn in his twisted game? The realisation stabbed at my heart like a thousand needles. Was he playing with my feelings in a discreet way? Because he couldn't break me any other way, he decided to take advantage of my emotions?

His proposal to Bhavna ji probably wasn't about love; it was a calculated move to hurt me. I had become collateral damage in Siddharth's grand life spectacle.

In the midst of my turmoil, I heard footsteps. Siddharth ji joined me on the balcony, casting a shadow over my fragile composure. I turned to him, my eyes revealing the storm inside.

"Not congratulating me, Parinidhi? I am getting married after all. You owe me congratulations.." Siddharth ji said, with a cruel smile playing on his lips.

What a monster he was!

As Siddharth ji's words cut through the night air, a surge of anger and betrayal erupted within me. I mustered every ounce of strength to respond, my voice trembling but defiant.

"Congrats, Mr Raichand. May your engagement be as genuine as your intentions." I forced out, the bitterness lacing my words palpable. "

He chuckled, the sound sending shivers down my spine.

"Ms Vyas, you are always so perceptive. Maybe you should have seen this coming." He said cruelly and it was true. I should have seen this coming.

After all, I was a low level employee of Rey Designs.

I clenched my fists, fighting back tears and refusing to let him see my vulnerability.

"See what coming? Your heartless game? Using me to inflict pain on myself?" I asked coldly.

Siddharth ji's smirk faltered for a moment, replaced by a flicker of something unreadable. He stepped closer, invading my personal space, and I could feel the heat of his presence like a scorching flame.

"One last question! Why, Mr Raichand? Why did you carry my pendant all these months?" I whispered, my voice barely audible in the night breeze. 

A/N

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