1
I had always believed in the power of reinvention. In high school, I was the girl with her head buried in books, avoiding the chaos of teenage drama.
Now, I was Ruhi Mehra, a name recognized by thousands, a social media influencer with a bold, confident persona. It was a far cry from the quiet, reserved girl I used to be. Yet, as I stood in the midst of this chaotic photoshoot, an unease crept over me, something I hadn’t felt in years.
“Ruhi, the substitute model just arrived,” my assistant, Parul, announced, snapping me out of my thoughts.
I nodded, masking my irritation. The original model had backed out last minute due to an accident, forcing us to scramble for a replacement. It was a high-profile campaign for a luxury perfume brand, and everything needed to be perfect.
The studio lights dimmed to give the set a dreamy look according to the theme right before I turned around to greet the new model who had just arrived.
I froze and forgot how to breathe for a second the moment my eyes clashed with the midnight black orbs. My heart stuttered in my chest. The feeling of my soul getting sucked out of my body took over me. I knew this feeling too well, or at least I used to—being consumed by someone’s presence.
“Hello, Ruhi.”
No fucking way!
I screamed in my head, not believing my eyes or not wanting to.
“Reyansh,” I managed to say his name, my voice barely above a whisper.
“The one and only.” He smirked.
A rush of memories flooded my mind, each one more vivid than the last. The boy who used to linger in the shadows of my high school life, always watching, always there. The same boy who I thought I’d left behind when I reinvented myself was standing right in front of me now.
“Long time no see,” he said, a small smile playing on his lips. His voice was smooth, confident—too confident. It sent a shiver down my spine.
I forced a smile, hoping it didn’t betray the storm of emotions swirling inside me. “Yes, it’s been a while.”
“You both already know each other?” Parul looked at me, then Reyansh, as if trying to figure out an unsolved riddle.
Before I could utter a word, Reyansh answered, “Oh yes, we were friends in high school.”
I glared at him. When were we friends?
He avoided my gaze, smoothly selling lies.
Parul, blissfully unaware of the tension between us, clapped her hands together. “Great! Let’s get started. We have a lot to cover today.”
I nodded, forcing myself to focus. “Right. Let’s get to work.”
Reyansh walked past me, his gaze lingering just a moment too long. I felt his presence, his proximity, like a weight pressing down on me. I took a deep breath, steeling myself.
This was just another shoot, just another day at work. I couldn’t let the past unravel me.
As the shoot began, I kept my distance, watching him from behind the camera. He moved with ease, his every gesture fluid and controlled, perfectly embodying the brand’s image of seductive allure. It was unnerving how much he fit the role, how much he fit into this world I’d built.
But there was something else, something beneath the surface. A glint in his eyes, a subtle edge to his smile. He knew exactly what he was doing, and it infuriated me.
Once we completed a shot, I stepped outside for some air. The cool breeze did little to calm the racing thoughts in my head. What was he doing here? Why now? Was this a coincidence?
“You don’t seem happy seeing me here,” his voice, low and close behind me. I gasped in shock and turned around, finding him standing just a few feet away.
“Reyansh,” I said, my tone sharper than I intended. “What are you doing here?”
My heart was thundering in my chest.
He shrugged, a casual gesture that only stoked my irritation. “Modeling, apparently. Fate has a funny way of bringing people together, doesn’t it?”
Fate. The word hung heavy between us, laden with implications I wasn’t ready to confront. I narrowed my eyes. “Why did you take this job?”
I decided to take a direct approach and confront him.
He stepped closer, the smirk fading into something more serious. “Why do you think I am here?” he questioned me instead.
He stepped closer. I could breathe his cologne, a fresh, citrusy scent with a blend of woody notes tickling my nose.
I gulped uncomfortably. My throat felt like sandpaper.
“Why am I here, Ruhi? Say it.” His actions became bolder the longer I stretched the silence.
He ate the distance between us in the final step, now standing so close that it made my head spin with his intoxicating scent. The top two buttons of his shirt were open, giving me a glimpse of his tattoo.
I forced my eyes on his face. If looks could kill, he would be dead. “I don’t know how important this job is for you, but to me, it’s serious business, and I want to complete this shoot on schedule, so let’s keep this professional.”
He chuckled softly, not at all intimidated by my tone.
It pissed me off. How could he—
My thoughts halted when he pushed my loose hair behind my ear. His fingers were cold as ice, leaving shivers in their wake.
He dipped his head a little to whisper in my ear. “I know how important your work is to you. You’ve got nothing to worry about. I will be a gentleman and do the work I came here to do.”
He stepped back in a second.
My breath caught, but I refused to let him see how he affected me. “Good. Let’s get back to work.”
His gaze hardened, but he didn’t push further. “Of course. Professional.”
I turned on my heel, walking back inside, my heart pounding in my chest. Whatever game Reyansh was playing, I couldn’t let him win. Not this time.
****
The road ahead was quiet, bathed in the soft glow of street light. My bike idled beneath me as I waited, watching him from a distance. He walked with purpose, shoulders back, steps confident. Professional. Predictable. Boring
I had memorized his routine after two days of quiet observation. He always took the same path, at the same time, his phone in hand, barely paying attention to the world around him. That predictability was his weakness.
The engine thrummed under my gloves as I tightened my grip on the handlebars. This wasn’t about him, not really. It was about what came next—about placing myself where I needed to be. Ruhi wouldn’t question it; she’d see it as fate.
The man crossed the street, completely unaware of my presence. My eyes stayed locked on him as I rolled the bike forward, slow at first, careful. Timing was everything.
When he stepped into the middle of the crosswalk, I made my move.
I gunned the engine, the sudden roar shattering the quiet night. The bike shot forward, the wind screaming in my ears as I closed the distance between us. He turned at the last second, his face twisting in panic as he tried to step back, but there was nowhere to go.
The edge of my bike struck his side—not too hard, just enough. Enough to knock him off balance and send him sprawling to the pavement. His phone slipped from his hand, skittering across the road, and I heard him groan as he hit the ground.
I brought the bike to a stop a few meters away, glancing back at him. He was alive—hurt, but alive. That was enough.
Pulling in a steady breath, I adjusted my gloves and revved the engine. I didn’t need to linger. The pieces were already in motion. By the time he explained what happened, I had already have his place.
No one would question it. No one would know.
Without another glance, I sped off, the hum of the engine dro
wning out his groans. My focus was already on the next step.
Tomorrow, I’d be exactly where I needed to be.
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