Armaan entered the study to find his father, Vikram Raichand, seated at his grand mahogany desk, his uncle Raghav Raichand standing nearby, a glass of whiskey in hand. Both men looked serious, their expressions devoid of the usual familial warmth.

Vikram: "Armaan, take a seat. We need to talk."

Armaan raised an eyebrow, his usual cocky smirk in place. "If this is about the Kapoor deal again, I’ve already said my piece. I’m not marrying Sanjana."

Raghav: "This isn’t about the Kapoors, Armaan. This is about Mannat."

Hearing her name, Armaan’s smirk faltered. "What about her?"

Let's go downstairs you'll get to know

Every member of the household knew that when Aakash Raichand, the patriarch of the family, called a meeting, it was for something important. This time, however, the announcement was more shocking than anyone had expected.

---

Seated at the head of the dining table, Aakash surveyed the room with a commanding gaze. Everyone was present: Vikram, Raghav, Sumitra, Meera, Sarita, Armaan, Ayaan, and, of course, Mannat, who sat quietly in a corner, unsure of why she’d been asked to join.

Aakash: "I have an important matter to discuss. A marriage proposal has come for Mannat."

The room fell silent. All eyes turned to Mannat, who looked up in shock.

Sumitra: "Marriage? For Mannat?"

Aakash nodded. "Yes. It’s from the Singhania family. Their son, Karan, is a well-established businessman. They believe Mannat would be an ideal match for him."

Mannat’s heart sank. She glanced at Armaan, whose expression was unreadable, though his jaw visibly tightened.

Mannat: "But...I haven’t even met him. How can this be decided without asking me?"

Aakash’s voice was firm. "This is not a discussion, Mannat. It’s an opportunity—for you and for this family. We’ve given you everything for the past seventeen years, and now it’s time for you to do your part and also armaan is also getting proposal."

Armaan’s chair screeched against the floor as he abruptly stood. "Enough."

All eyes turned to him as he leaned forward, his voice cold and sharp. "Mannat isn’t going anywhere."

Aakash: "And who are you to decide that, Armaan?"

Armaan’s gaze didn’t waver. "I’m the head of Raizada Industries now. And if Mannat owes this family, she owes me. I’ll handle her repayment."

---

Later that night, Armaan found Mannat pacing in the garden. She stopped when she saw him, her frustration evident.

Mannat: "What were you thinking, Armaan? You can’t just...claim me like that in front of everyone."

He stepped closer, his intense gaze pinning her in place. "You heard what they said. They want to marry you off to pay some imaginary debt. I won’t let that happen."

Her voice shook as she replied. "Why do you care? Why are you doing this?"

He smirked, but there was no humor in it. "Because you’re mine, mine to hate, And I don’t share what’s mine."

Her breath hitched as he closed the distance between them. His presence was overwhelming, his voice a low growl.

Armaan: "You’ve lived in this house for seventeen years, Mannat. Everything you’ve had—your education, your clothes, your food—came from this family. From me. If they want repayment, you’ll pay it to me. And I’ve decided how you’ll do it."

Her eyes widened in disbelief. "What do you mean?"

He leaned in closer, his voice cold and commanding. " Work for me."

No...

When she tried to protest, Armaan’s smirk deepened.

Armaan: "Or we can make this interesting. Let’s make a bet."

Mannat: "A bet?"

He nodded, his eyes gleaming with challenge. "You think you can escape me? Fine. If you manage to stay away from me for three months—no conversations, no interactions—I’ll let you leave. I’ll even convince my family to drop this nonsense about the debt."

Her heart raced as she processed his words. "And if I lose?"

He took a step closer, his voice dropping to a whisper. "If you lose, you stay with me. No questions, no complaints. You’ll do everything I say."

She swallowed hard, her mind reeling. It was a dangerous game, but what choice did she have?

---

The days that followed were nothing short of a battlefield. Armaan went out of his way to ensure Mannat couldn’t avoid him. He’d find excuses to call her to his office, corner her in the hallways, and even appear unannounced at the college she attended.

One evening, as Mannat returned home, she found Armaan waiting for her in the driveway.

Armaan: "You’re late."

Mannat: "I didn’t know I needed to report to you."

He smirked, opening the car door for her. "Get in. We’re going somewhere."

She hesitated, but his expression left no room for argument. Reluctantly, she got into the car.

---

Armaan drove her to an upscale restaurant, where Karan Singhania was waiting. Mannat’s stomach churned as she realized what was happening.

Karan stood as they approached, his smile polite but disinterested.

Karan: "Ah, Mannat. I’ve heard so much about you."

Before she could respond, Armaan placed a possessive hand on her lower back, making Karan’s smile falter.

Armaan: "She’s not interested, Singhania. This meeting is over."

Karan’s eyes narrowed. "Who are you to decide that, Raichand?"

Armaan’s smirk was dangerous. "The man who owns her future. Walk away before I make you regret it."

Karan glared at him but ultimately left, muttering under his breath.

---

On the drive back, Mannat couldn’t hold back her anger any longer.

Mannat: "What the hell was that, Armaan? You embarrassed me in front of him!"

He pulled the car over abruptly, turning to face her. "I don’t care what he thinks, Mannat. You’re not some pawn for my family to use, and you’re definitely not going to marry someone else."

Her voice broke as she replied. "Why do you care so much? Why can’t you just let me go?"

He reached out, cupping her face with surprising tenderness. "Because I can’t, Mannat. You don’t get it, do you? You’ve become a part of my chaos, and I won’t let anyone take you away from me."

Tears welled up in her eyes, but she refused to let them fall. "You can’t control my life, Armaan."

His voice softened, but his resolve didn’t waver. "Maybe not. But I can make sure no one else does either."

---

That night, as Mannat lay awake, her mind raced with thoughts of Armaan’s words and actions. She couldn’t understand his obsession, but one thing was clear—she was trapped in his world, and there was no easy way out.

For Armaan, the game had just begun. And in his mind, he’d already won.

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