The Morning of Unexpected Encounters

The first rays of sunlight peeked through the grand windows of the Khanna Mansion, casting a soft glow across the room as Veer's alarm buzzed loudly.

But unlike other mornings—where the alarm was usually an annoyance, forcing him to groggily pull the blanket over his head—this time, Veer opened his eyes without resistance.

There was no Meera knocking on his door, no mother's voice echoing down the hallway telling him to wake up, no half-conscious grumbles as he forced himself out of bed.

No.

Today was different.

For the first time in a long while, Veer woke up earlier than his usual routine—and not because someone forced him to, but because he wanted to.

His mind was unusually sharp, focused, and alert.

As he sat up, stretching his arms, his thoughts immediately drifted to one thing—the interviews at Ethereon Pharmaceuticals.

More specifically... Zara's interview.

Even though he had met her only a few hours ago, she had somehow managed to occupy his mind like a lingering shadow—one that refused to fade.

Was it her attitude?

Her confidence?

Or was it something deeper?

Shaking off the thoughts, Veer quickly moved towards the bathroom, showered, and dressed in his tailored charcoal-grey suit—one that highlighted his sharp physique effortlessly.

Adjusting his tie, he glanced at himself in the mirror.

"Not bad."

For a moment, he smirked. Even he had to admit—he looked good.

With that, he grabbed his phone, car keys, and necessary documents for the interview and made his way downstairs, heading straight toward the dining area—only to find that breakfast wasn't ready yet.

A sigh escaped his lips.

"I'll just grab something on the way."

Turning on his heel, he strode towards the mansion's exit, intending to head straight for his car.

But just as he was passing through the lush green gardens of the estate, his eyes landed on two familiar figures.

His father and mother.

His parents were walking side by side along the stone pathway, deep in discussion.

His father, Abhijeet Khanna, looked as strict and composed as always—his broad shoulders upright, his expressions sharp and unreadable.

His mother, Anaaya Khanna, on the other hand, had a much softer demeanor—though equally commanding in her presence.

For a moment, Veer debated whether to approach them or not.

But before he could decide, his mother's eyes landed on him.

And the moment she saw him, she stopped in her tracks.

A look of pleasant surprise—and slight amusement—flashed across her face.

"Well, well, well… look who's up early today."

Veer sighed.

Here it comes.

His mother's teasing smirk deepened as she walked toward him, folding her arms across her chest.

"I think my son is growing smarter and more responsible."

Veer raised an eyebrow. He knew that tone.

Before he could even respond, she added,

"But this… drastic change? What's the reason behind it?"

Veer rolled his eyes.

"Come on, Mom. Can't a man wake up early without being interrogated?"

His mother chuckled.

"Not when that man is Veer Khanna—who, until yesterday, wouldn't wake up unless I or Meera personally dragged him out of bed."

His father, who had been listening quietly, finally spoke up.

Though his expression remained stern, there was a hint of approval in his voice.

"At least he's finally showing some responsibility."

Veer smirked.

"Wow, Dad. That almost sounded like a compliment."

His father shot him a look, making his mother laugh.

But then, Anaaya's expression softened.

"Have you had breakfast yet?"

Veer hesitated.

"Not yet, but I'll grab something from the shop near the office."

The moment those words left his mouth, his mother's expression hardened.

"Mr. Veer," she said, her voice sharp. "How many times I have to tell you not to eat outside food? It's unhealthy."

Before Veer could protest, she grabbed his wrist and started dragging him back toward the mansion.

"Mumma, seriously—"

"No excuses. You're eating a proper breakfast today, whether you like it or not."

Sighing in defeat, Veer let himself be pulled toward the dining area.

While breakfast was being prepared, Veer decided to check on his younger sister, Mahi.

Pushing open the door to her room, he found her still curled up under the blankets, deep in sleep.

With a small smirk, Veer stepped closer, reaching out to gently pat her head.

"Wake up, sleepyhead."

Mahi groaned, burying her face deeper into the pillow.

"Mmm... five more minutes..."

Veer chuckled.

"You said that yesterday. And the day before."

Mahi made a small, incoherent sound before turning away from him.

Shaking his head in amusement, Veer turned to leave.

But as he stepped out of the room—

He collided into something.

Or rather—someone.

A soft, feminine gasp escaped as his body crashed against another.

His arms instinctively reached out, pressing against—

Warm, supple, unexpected softness.

Veer's mind barely had time to process before he realized—

His arms were firmly pressed against Meera's breasts.

A stunned silence filled the air.

Meera blinked up at him, her lips parting slightly—before an unmistakable smirk curved onto them.

A sultry chuckle escaped her lips.

"Well, well, well…"

Her voice was low, teasing, and slightly seductive.

"If you wanted to touch me, sir, you could've just asked. But this? This is a little... improper, don't you think?"

Veer's throat dried up.

"I—"

He almost choked on his own saliva, quickly pulling his hands away and stepping back.

His face remained composed, but inside, his mind was screaming.

Meera, on the other hand, looked completely unfazed.

In fact, she seemed to be enjoying this.

Veer's jaw clenched.

"Shut up, Meera," he muttered, regaining his composure. "Stop talking nonsense."

Meera grinned, tilting her head playfully.

"Oh? Is it nonsense? Because from where I'm standing, it looked like you were quite... interested."

Veer scowled.

"I said shut, up."

"And be careful next time. Otherwise, the consequences of this mischief would be dire."

Meera simply shrugged, her smirk never fading.

"Sorry Sir."

With that, she walked past him, completely unfazed.

Veer sighed, running a hand through his hair.

"Unbelievable."

As Veer finally settled at the dining table, one of the workers from last night approached him.

"Sir, the car you asked to be repaired—it's done. Here are the keys."

Veer nodded.

"Give them to Meera and tell her I've ordered her to hand them to Zara Ma'am."

The worker turned to leave—but Veer stopped him.

"Wait. What was wrong with the car?"

"The engine overheated from overspeeding. Some components burned out. The repair cost was ₹19,000, excluding labor."

Veer nodded and immediately transferred ₹21,000 to the labor's account.

"Don't tell anyone about this. Not Zara. Not Meera. And especially not my father."

The worker nodded and left.

Leaning back in his chair, Veer smirked to himself.

Today was already turning out to be... very interesting.

To Be Continued…