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Chapter 28
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2024-10-29 19:42:56
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The Billionaire's Second Chance Chapter 29
“Would you like to go elsewhere?” Dhruv asked, his voice filled with amusement.It had been a while since the car had entered the paved driveway, past the dark metal gates. It now stood underneath the domed entrance supported by four enormous carved pillars. From where Shanaya sat, she could see the swarm of people gathered inside the hall. She recognized some of Dhruv’s relatives, even though she had not seen them in years. It was a bitter reminder of how involved their families once had been. “That’s Misha and Yukta, right?” she asked, pointing at the two girls standing near the staircase, just outside the main door. “Remember when we once told them a scary bedtime story? And they couldn’t sleep without their mom for the next few weeks?”Dhruv nodded, his hands still on the steering wheel. “Maybe we can spend the whole night here recollecting old memories?”“Not here,” Shanaya answered absent-mindedly. “That’s a better place,” she suggested, looking at a scantly illuminated corner
The Billionaire's Second Chance Chapter 30
Nazir Malik had once been Dhiren's most trusted advisor and friend. Post her father's death, Nazir had become a support system for Shanaya and her family. He had helped her make some of the most crucial business decisions going ahead, and in a way, aided in saving them from their impending doom. To Shanaya he was a mentor, one she valued a lot. She had listened to him and trusted him, as her father once had. The man recognised Shanaya as soon as his eyes fell on her. The smile that reached his face was surprising and welcoming. "Shanaya, my child. I didn't know you'd be here," he remarked in his gentle voice. He always walked with stiff shoulders and his greyed hair shone like silver under the light. "I can say the same about you, uncle Nazir," she mumbled, drawing a polite smile on her face despite the jitters she had felt moments ago. "How have you been?" "As good as always. Maybe a little busier. Or I'd have stopped by your office to check up on Shaheer. I hope my son is impro
The Billionaire's Second Chance Chapter 31
Shanaya listened to Nazir’s words as usual and with great effort, calmed herself down. She walked to a corner of the room—grabbing a drink from a serving guy on the way—and pretended to admire the decorations. Her eyes caught the massive golden mirror chandelier in the center of the ceiling and briefly imagined it collapsing. Kabir had promised to come to the party, but at the last minute, Noor fell sick. He had still urged Shanaya to go. Neil needed her since his parents were going to be there. Her cousin was in the hall somewhere. She would have searched for him, but the thought of meeting another person’s eyes who would unsettle her kept her from doing so. She pulled out her cell phone and started calling Neil. He rejected her call, igniting fury. But then she remembered how she had ignored his calls earlier and realized it was only fair if he did too. Sighing, she finished her drink and glanced at her wrist. In the end, she decided to wear the bracelet, even though it had
The Billionaire's Second Chance Chapter 32
It was a while before Shanaya realized what she was doing. Wrapped up sobbing in Dhruv’s embrace, standing in a dark part of some corner of the villa—while the party music played faintly in her ears was not how she had imagined spending her evening. But the front of Dhruv’s shirt was soaked with her tears. If not for her waterproof makeup, she would have found some kohl there too. Sniffing, she moved away slowly—not yet prepared to meet Dhruv’s eyes. Shanaya heard him draw in a breath as he gently pushed aside the strands of her hair stuck to the side of her face. “I’m a mess,” she said, sighing softly. Her voice was yet to go bak to sounding normal. She had allowed herself to be swept away by her emotions. When she saw Dhruv’s face, she found him looking at her as if studying her outfit. “A hot mess,” he concluded, shrugging. She swatted his arm, scowling. “Shut up, Dhruv.” He took a step back, placing some distance between them. “I won’t deny it. You had me speechless when y
The Billionaire's Second Chance Chapter 33
When Shanaya returned to the main hall just a few steps behind Dhruv, she did not fail to notice the numerous gazes that followed them. Suddenly, a hush spread over the crowd, and she stumbled in her steps—barely keeping herself from dashing into Dhruv’s back. He turned to see her, his face bearing a puzzled look. “Walk with me?” he offered, and she declined, shaking her head. Dhruv’s eyes lit up immediately, his lips pressing together in amusement. She knew what he was thinking: a while back, she was crying on his chest, and now she could not even walk with him. Shanaya found Nazir and decided she would spend the rest of the party by his side. Neil had, in a way, ditched her. But she could not leave now, even if she wanted to. The old man greeted her with a captious look in his eyes. His gaze moved to someone behind her, and Shanaya realized Dhruv was behind her. “Mr. Malik,” Dhruv said, stepping forward, his voice devoid of emotion. He held his chin high despite being much talle
The Billionaire's Second Chance Chapter 34
Long after Nazir had left—complaining about his strict sleeping schedule set by his son Shaheer—Shanaya was still a bystander at the party. She watched as people talked and danced and enjoyed their time. Dhruv had glanced at her several times after he made the announcement, but she quickly averted her gaze. That was silly, and she knew that. But something within her was stopping her from looking at him. Yawning, Shanaya checked the time on her cell phone and noticed it was well past midnight. However, nobody around her looked like they wanted to leave anytime soon. Dhruv’s parents had retired from the gathering, but Dhruv seemed stuck in unwanted conversations—the way he was standing was clear enough to tell how interested he was in talking to the person. Just when she thought she would call Neil once again, he appeared in front of her with a straight face. His hair was still very much in place, and the tiny mirrors on his kurta glistened beneath the chandelier light. “Good, Neil!
The Billionaire's Second Chance Chapter 35
"What was that?" Neil questioned when Shanaya got into the seat and slammed the door shut. But she did not answer him immediately. She took her time to even her breath, looking back for a glance at the retreating man who had made her breathless. “Dhruv was just upset that I was leaving without saying goodbye,” she told Neil, feigning normalcy in her voice. It was the truth and yet, it felt a lot like she was hiding something. “I’ll believe that,” her cousin remarked, turning the key to start the car. They were on the road soon, the car running smoothly at a uniform speed. Trees and street lights sped past them, and Shanaya could not be more to be alone. Neil was not a fool—she knew he understood what was going on. He knew of their past, and from what he had just witnessed, Shanaya was sure he had jumped to a conclusion.She told herself she did not care what Neil thought of her. At that moment, she only cared about the privacy her apartment provided her. But her mind played evil
The Billionaire's Second Chance Chapter 36
“Thank you, Shaheer,” said Shanaya, shakily stepping out of her assistant’s car into the parking lot. She was glad when the words left her mouth; she had not thought her current state could speak. “This is not a part of your job.” And yet you play my driver every other day, she thought to herself sullenly. “No trouble for me,” Shaheer replied, his voice cautious. Locking the car, he fell in easy, slow steps beside her. "Both of your houses are on my way to the office, so it's really no problem at all," he emphasized. He was nice to her all the time, perhaps because he thought that was expected of him. Shanaya had never seen even a hint of irritation, anger, or frustration on his face. She had no clue how real he was with her. There was also this thing she had never managed to get past: her bad luck with driving in general. She had been in a car wreck, failed her driving test twice, and had to send her car for repair every month. Even now with a new car, nothing about that had c
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Epilogue *A year later* “I need two more minutes, Shan,” Dhruv said through trembling lips. He let out a loud exhale. “Today’s an important day. I’ve never felt this way before any of my business meetings.” Shanaya placed her hand over his in a reassuring manner, passing him a genuine smile. “Hey, silly. This is a lot more difficult than any business meeting you’ll ever have.” Leaning forward, she reached out her hand to touch his cheek. “I’m glad I’m doing this with you. When we see her, everything will feel great. All this nervousness is going to fade into joy which will last a lifetime.” He nodded. “Of course, babe. I know that.” He wetted his lips before letting out another sigh. “Wow, I’m so ready to do this with you. Just give me one minute.” Shanaya agreed, nodding. She had never seen him so nervous. It was surprising and amusing at the same time. The air carried with it the scent of petrichor, greeting her senses as stepped out of her car. It was still warm despite the re
The Billionaire's Second Chance Chapter 28
Shanaya couldn’t get any words out of her mouth as she watched Dhruv easily knock against the door to her grandmother’s room before he walked inside with a smile. How could he do that so casually? What was Shanaya missing? When she turned around to see Kirti’s face, she found amusement on it—not confusion like she had expected. “Is this really happening right now, Kirti? Please pinch me!” she said hurriedly, her voice filled with panic. Kirti laughed in response, instead urging her, “Go inside. I bet he needs you by his side.” “He’s not just about to do what he said he was going to,” Shanaya mumbled more to herself than to Kirti, gently patting her chest that stirred in anticipation. “Please, tell me.” His sister inched closer, a look of understanding crossing her eyes. “Dhruv hasn’t mentioned it to you, but he has been secretly visiting Dadi ever since she got sick. Actually, she was the one who requested him to meet her.” “But why would she do that?” “She… she felt sorry an
The Billionaire's Second Chance Chapter 27
Ahail cleared his throat, adjusting the tie around his neck before he persuaded himself to press the doorbell. The moment was exhilarating. He felt as though he was going on an adventure—even though confronting someone did not count as one. But that night, he was determined to set things right. He had delayed far too long already. The door opened with a jerk and Noor’s face fell as she spotted him. The curious look faded away into a frown before she quickly replaced it with a difficult smile. He knew her enough to see right through it. Right then, as the moment stood silent, he debated with himself. He could walk away, ending the conversation before it started. Noor was already uncomfortable, he could see that. But the annoying voice inside his mind—that had been bothering him for days—urged him to stay put. He had to do this. He had to do it for Shanaya. And for himself. “Hey,” he managed to say, his voice coming out thick despite clearing his throat seconds before. When he he
The Billionaire's Second Chance Chapter 26
The conversation with Nazir swirled inside Shanaya’s mind long after he left with Shaheer. All through the day as she sat through meetings and walked around her office, she pictured how things would’ve been had Nazir found the courage to confess his love for her grandmother, Suhala. If fate had favoured him, Shanaya would not exist. And if Suhala had indeed rejected him, it would have likely ruined their friendship. Shanaya was more baffled than sorry for the old man. Not once had she sensed even the hint of unrequited love from Nazir despite seeing her grandmother with him for several years. He did a great job hiding his feelings, and she could only imagine how heavy it weighed on him. She realised how lucky she was to get a second chance with Dhruv. Where would she be had he not stormed back into her life? Everything was better with him. And she had missed that feeling for all these years never knowing she had been craving it. She sighed, an audible cue for when she was do
The Billionaire's Second Chance Chapter 25
As the morning sun bathed her white cabin in warm hues, Shanaya sat at her desk, engrossed in her work. She had things to take care of that day and with Priya back to work, she was glad to have someone to rely on. After the previous night had ended, Shanaya was reluctant to leave Dhruv’s side. She wanted to continue being in his arms, his touch bringing her the comfort that she craved. But then when Dhruv told her that at the end of the day, she’ll be back in his arms, she smirked at her and laughed it off. She teased him, making him look like a lovesick person. Once more, the world was abuzz with discussions about them. The rumors surrounding their relationship intensified, particularly when Anjali confidently appeared in public with her high school sweetheart and declared their engagement. Speculations arose regarding the nature of the bond between Anjali and Dhruv, yet neither of them contributed to the gossip mill. Dhruv reassured Shanaya that if she wasn't bothered by people's
The Billionaire's Second Chance Chapter 24
Hours later Shanaya was in Kabir’s clinic, staring at the pictures hung up on the walls with other posters that gave out important information about hygiene as she recited the incident to him. Kabir’s eyes were wide as saucers. “She really asked you that?” “Yes,” Shanaya said, chewing on her bottom lip. “Future husband.” Kabir shook his head, sighing in disbelief. “Are you sure you didn’t just hallucinate that?” he emphasized, placing his elbows on the table. “Kabir, come on. She has… changed. I think she believes she doesn’t have enough time to hold grudges anymore.” “I think,” her best friend began. “She realizes that he makes you happy. And that’s what she wants for you. She has seen you struggle, Shanaya. No one else has been an active observer.” Shanaya shrugged. “So, that’s a good thing, right? It means she approves.” Kabir checked his wristwatch, his eyebrows narrowing. He stood up and took off his whit coat. He tried to sound nonchalant but Shanaya sensed the curiosity
The Billionaire's Second Chance Chapter 23
The sun was shining outside, casting a bright and warm glow into the room through the pushed-back curtains. After a continuous spell of rain that had almost got Shanaya worried, the sky had cleared. ‘Everything is fine,’ she told herself. ‘I’m happy.’ But that was the way to jinx it—admitting that things were good. And then her brain did all it could to dampen her mood. This time, however, Raunak was there to distract her. “Alright, one more step… Ah, that’s great. You’re doing good,” Raunak claimed, helping Suhala get back to her wheelchair. “You’ve made a lot of progress, Mrs. Arora. It won’t be long before you’re sprinting up and down these stairs.” Suhala laughed it off, the sound of her croaky laughter echoing in the room. She sat down with a sigh, leaning her head back. If the venture had exhausted her, that was the sign. However, Shanaya could see nothing on her face that implied any pain. Shanaya smiled to herself, acknowledging that Raunak’s words were an exaggeration
The Billionaire's Second Chance Chapter 22
When the next morning dawned, Shanaya was eager to leave. She had begun regretting her decision of coming to her family house. She was sure nothing would’ve changed had her uncle revealed the truth to her on the phone call. But even then, a part of her knew she would not resist being away knowing her brother had been injured in a fight. Shanaya’s puffy eyes were noticed by everyone at the table during breakfast. Ahail was of course absent, so Suhala had sent breakfast over to his room. The old woman had let her go but not before giving her an emotional lecture, pleading at the end to find Ahail a job in their family business. Shanaya had no choice but to agree despite all the questions that had rushed past her mind. Did Ahail even want to work for the company? Suhala seemed not to care. Her only concern was to see him being busy yet again but everyone knew perfectly well what happened when he had nothing to do. Shanaya drove to her office that foggy morning after making sure
The Billionaire's Second Chance Chapter 21
When Shanaya entered through the door of her family mansion, her doubt was confirmed. Something was definitely amiss. Harish, her uncle, sat with his hand holding his head. His face was covered with a worried expression. She could breathe the discomfort in the air—something grave had happened. Suhala was sleeping in her wheelchair. Well, at least her eyes were closed as her she leaned back, her head resting against the edge of the backrest. “Uncle,” Shanaya greeted, carefully treading forward. Harish jumped in his seat, startled by her approach. He held a hand against a chest before he stood up and nodded. “Shanaya,” he said. That was all he said. “Tell me what has happened,” she demanded, her voice unwavering. Suhala was awakened by their loud conversation. Her wearing eyes looked around the room in search of someone, before they finally landed on Shanaya. “Oh, my child. You’re here finally.” “Dadi,” she mumbled, facing her momentarily before she gazed at Harish again. She
