LOGINShare
Chapter 9
Last Updated:
2024-10-29 19:42:56
Priyal DessaiThanks for reading! If you're liking the story, consider voting with gems or leaving a review!
Related chapters
The Billionaire's Second Chance Chapter 10
It was odd now, the air of mystery that surrounded him vanishing in an instant. But it was odd in a good way. She glanced over the paintings that lined the wall. “I’m glad you finally got your paintings out here." She fixed her eyes on the one she had been admiring—of the solitary figure and she commented, "Quite a mesmerizing piece, isn't it?” "Yes, it truly is," Michael replied, a touch of awe in his voice. "I mean, how could it not be? You were the muse after all." Shanaya couldn't help but feel shocked. "You can't be serious!" Michael only gave her a teasing smile. "Well, you not believing my words isn't going to change the fact." Their conversation flowed effortlessly, transitioning from art to life and everything in between. Shanaya found herself laughing more freely than she had in a long time. But amidst the enjoyment of their interaction, Shanaya noticed a familiar presence lurking in the corner of the gallery. Her gaze shifted, meeting Dhruv's intense stare. Memories
The Billionaire's Second Chance Chapter 11
Under the dim light in the restaurant, Shanaya sat with her hands clasped beneath her chin, waiting impatiently for Dhruv who had excused himself to go to the bathroom. She had not missed the nervousness in his voice when they had met earlier outside the restaurant. Shanaya, on the other hand, was brimming with confidence. She wanted to talk. Just talk. About anything and everything. She missed the bantering between them—the casual taunts and remarks, the flirtatious atmosphere that once existed. A lot had changed over time, of course. With secret deep buried once resurfacing again, things were bound to change. But she was disappointed that she had let the circumstance change what existed between them. Dhruv emerged from the turn, walking towards her with large strides, his hand tugging at the collar of his white shirt. She recalled the last time they were here—the way she had drooled over him inside her mind. He had never ceased to be attractive. If anything, he had only become ir
The Billionaire's Second Chance Chapter 12
“Oh,” Dhruv muttered under his breath before he raised his eyes to meet hers again. “That’s…” he took a pause to clear his throat. “That’s good, right? You don’t seem happy about it.” Even though the thought of shrugging off her disappointment struck Shanaya’s mind, she knew she only wanted to be honest to Dhruv. So, she shook her head, dropping the piece of naan she had torn onto the plate. “I’m not happy about her going away.” Dhruv nodded solemnly. “I see how you are looking at this. But for Sanya… this is great. That little girl deserves a family and a great family deserves her too,” he said, a convincing smile flashing on his face. Shanaya shifted in her seat again, looking at an empty table beside them as she pictured the little girl’s face. “I know all that, Dhruv. I really want that for her. But it means an end to our meets, right? It doesn’t have to be… but considering the situation. Maybe it’s my fault that I got too attached to her… It’s wrong of me I guess to see her as
The Billionaire's Second Chance Chapter 13
Shanaya parked her car in the driveway, sighing as it came to a halt. She turned around and took a glance at the birthday cake she had placed on the backseat. She took a pause, asking herself if it was Suhala’s birthday that day or if she was mistaken. But then she knew she’d have to go in and face the embarrassment anyway. “Alright,” she whispered to herself impatiently and got out, picking the box with the cake inside in her hands. The sun had just begun setting, casting an orange hue on the glass covered railings of the balconies. From where she stood outside the mansion, Shanaya found Ahail working out in the balcony of his room, his jaw clenched as he lifted the heavy dumbbells. He had not noticed her driving there or had deliberately turned his head in such a way that he could not see her directly. Feeling a pang in her chest, Shanaya made her way to the door. Inside, Suhala sat on the couch, knitting a new piece with the spools of wool tangled across her fingers. She h
The Billionaire's Second Chance Chapter 14
Shanaya noticed how her hands shivered as she walked through the familiar hallways of the orphanage. She stumbled at every step, cursing herself to keep her shit together. Prakash was waiting for her at the other end of the hallway, an odd look fixed on his face as he watched her approach. Shanaya read it as something between pitiful and concerned. She decided she hated both of those things. “Hey there,” she said upon getting close enough, doing her best to keep the nervousness out of her voice. “Are they here?” Prakash straightened the maroon tie fastened around his collar before answering, “They’re interacting with Sanya right now.” “Oh,” Shanaya mumbled, feeling a cold hand wrapping around her heart. “Did she seem excited about it?” Prakash smiled, but it didn’t reach his eyes. “She’s thrilled. I think she’s probably introducing her doll right now. And you can meet the parents right after. The wife met with an accident some days back. She has a bandage around her head. I thou
The Billionaire's Second Chance Chapter 15
“That went well, didn’t it?” Dhruv asked as they descended the staircase, making their way to where her car was parked. “They don’t look like it, but everything seems fine about them as per Meghna. Sanya kinda liked them too.” Shanaya heard everything he said but did not respond—not until they reached her car. Then she turned her eyes back to the entrance of the orphanage, exhaling loudly as she scratched her temple. “Tell me what’s bothering you,” he voiced, moving closer protectively. She wetted her lips, her eyes lowered to the grass beneath her feet. “I just… I have this feeling, Dhruv. Something just doesn’t sit right about them. And I know this could be a result of the thought of separating from Sanya. But I don’t think it’s just that…” Dhruv rubbed the sides of her right arm, watching her with softened eyes. “When everything turns out fine, you’ll be relieved.” Shanaya was glad he did not dismiss her as an overthinker. He understood the origin of her concerns and tried to
The Billionaire's Second Chance Chapter 16
Priya reacted too late. She tried to duck but her head made impact, the remote hitting her right where the bandage was placed. Before Shanaya could recover from what she had just witnessed, the bandage on Priya’s head began turning red, staining with fresh blood. Shanaya heard Rohit accuse her assistant, “Your boss thinks she’s great. Why was she suspicious, Pri? Did you tell her anything? Tell me! Did you say anything to her?” Priya cried, shaking her head furiously. “No, no, no. I didn’t. I swear!” Stumbling backward, Priya screamed in pain, touching her forehead. “Trust me, Rohit. I never told her anything,” she pleaded, her voice coming out soft and weak. Her husband simply scoffed, lifting himself off the couch and taking a threatening step toward her. “If anything goes wrong and we don’t get this child, I’m going to kill you, Pri. And then I’m going to kill that bitch.” Priya yelled in protest, warning him to not come closer. But Rohit continued his trail towards her, a
The Billionaire's Second Chance Chapter 17
“You’re here now,” Shanaya murmured, letting go but still holding her arms around him. “That’s what matters.” “You were right. I should’ve believed you,” he said, his voice laced with regret. Shanaya shook her head, touching his cheek softly. “We couldn’t know. But yeah, it was horrible. I can’t believe Priya was going through this.” “Did you inform the police?” “Yes, I did. They were just here asking me questions,” she told him, turning around to find Michael. The artist was watching them with a strange look—she comprehended it as delighted. Looking back at Dhruv, she sighed in relief. “This is not the best situation but he deserves such an intro, I guess. Always the one for drama. Come, you need to meet him.” When they halted right beside the chair where Micheal sat, he stood up confidently, a charming smile coming over his face. “A good distraction I see,” he commented. She passed him a weak smile which was all she could muster. “This is my artist friend. I found out peo
Latest chapter
The Billionaire's Second Chance Epilogue
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
