Vardaan Girls' Hostel
After college hours ended, Ishika slowly walked toward the girls' hostel located a short distance away from the campus. The building stood tall and imposing, almost as if silently observing every new student who entered its gates. A few girls were already gathered near the entrance, waiting for their room allotments. Some were chatting nervously, while others scrolled through their phones to distract themselves.
Ignoring the crowd, Ishika adjusted the strap of her bag and headed straight toward the reception.
Her mind was still replaying the morning.
The laughter.
The dare.
The kiss.,,
She had barely taken a few steps when a familiar voice stopped her mid-way.
"Ishu, bachcha…"
Her feet froze.
She turned around.
Her father stood there in a crisp, expensive suit, arms open. His presence carried authority, but his eyes softened the moment they met hers.
"Dad…"
Without thinking twice, she ran toward him and wrapped her arms tightly around him. For a moment, all her fear, anxiety, and helplessness melted away in that embrace.
"Dad, I don't want to stay here… please," she said in a trembling voice. "I'll listen to everything you say. I'll study medicine. I promise. But let me stay with you… please don't leave me here."
Tears streamed down her face.
Tushar Agnihotri's eyes turned moist as well, but before Ishika could notice, he quickly wiped them and adjusted his glasses, putting on his usual composed expression.
"What problem do you have here?" he asked in a firm tone. "I want you to learn how to live your life independently. That's why you will have to stay here. And I don't want any more arguments on this topic."
His voice had turned strict.
Ishika's face hardened with bitterness. Her mind replayed the humiliating scenes from the morning , the ragging, the mocking laughter, the forced situation. It was her very first day, and she had already been bullied.
What could she possibly learn in an institute where the seniors were so spoiled and cruel?
But in that moment of frustration, she forgot the advice Ashwatth had given her earlier to stand up for herself.
Because sooner or later, if she wanted to survive in this world, she would have to fight her own battles. Otherwise, the world would tear her apart without mercy.
"Hello, Mr. Tushar Agnihotri."
A voice pulled Ishika out of her thoughts. She looked up and saw the Dean approaching them.
Seeing the Dean at the girls' hostel surprised her for a second, but when she noticed him warmly shaking hands with her father, she understood everything.
After all, her father was one of Delhi's most influential businessmen. Of course the Dean would personally come.
While discussing formalities, Tushar and the Dean walked toward the reception desk. Tushar needed confirmation about Ishika's room details before returning to Delhi the same day.
Ishika slowly followed behind them, glancing around the hostel lobby.
Suddenly, she bumped into a girl.
"Oh, I'm so sorry! I didn't see you," Ishika said nervously.
The girl smiled warmly. "Hey, just relax. It's okay. I'm not hurt. Well… I'm Sonal. And you?"
"I'm Ishika. I just took admission in the hostel today."
Before Sonal could reply, Tushar returned and handed Ishika a key card.
"Ishu, your room number is 55."
Sonal's eyes widened. "Oh wow! That means you're my roommate. I live in room 55 too."
The Dean looked pleased. "Good. Sonal, please take Ishika with you and show her the room."
Sonal nodded politely. "Sure, sir."
Then she turned to Ishika with a friendly smile. "Come on, Ishu."
Ishika looked back at her father with tearful eyes. Tushar gently stroked her head and signaled her to go. The hostel staff had already taken her luggage upstairs.
Taking a deep breath, Tushar glanced at his daughter one last time before walking out of the hostel building.
The hostel was twelve floors high and equipped with modern elevators. However, since Room 55 was on the second floor, Sonal and Ishika decided to use the stairs instead.
Inside the room, there were two single beds placed on opposite sides, two wardrobes, a dressing table, a shared study table with two chairs, and a small attached washroom.
Sonal pointed casually. "That bed is mine. The one near the window is yours. And this cupboard belongs to you."
Ishika nodded softly.
Trying to ease the awkwardness, she asked, "Since when have you been staying here? And… who all are there in your family?"
"I've been here since last year," Sonal replied. "This is my second year now. My family lives in Mumbai."
"Oh… so that means I'll have to call you 'ma'am'?" Ishika said half-seriously, recalling the morning incident.
Sonal looked confused. "What? I don't understand."
Ishika then narrated everything that had happened earlier that day , the ragging, the forced dare, and the shocking moment when she had ended up kissing a professor.
Sonal's eyes widened. "Wait… so that whole drama in the morning was about you? You're famous in the entire institute now!"
Ishika stared at her, stunned.
"After you left," Sonal continued, "the professor you kissed beat those boys badly. And they've been rusticated for a week."
"What?" Ishika gasped. She had no idea that the boys were punished.
Looking at her shocked expression, Sonal realized she genuinely didn't know.
"Professor Ashwatth has a very short temper," Sonal explained. "He absolutely hates ragging. And when you suddenly kissed him, he lost his temper. Trust me, no one in this institute can afford his anger."
She paused, then added carefully, "So next time… stay away from him."
Ishika's hands froze while unpacking her clothes.
Ashwatth.
His sharp eyes. His cold expression. The intensity on his face.
Just thinking about him created an unfamiliar stir in her heart.
Chauhan Groups
Meanwhile, miles away from the hostel, Ashwatth Chauhan sat inside a luxurious cabin at the headquarters of Chauhan Groups , a massive glass building with the company's logo shining boldly at the top. The empire of the Chauhans was spread across the world, and this building was one of its most prominent symbols.
Inside his sleek office, Ashwatth stared at his laptop screen, pretending to work.
But today, his concentration was completely shattered.
Again and again, the memory replayed in his mind.
Ishika. Her innocent yet defiant face.
The sudden warmth of her lips against his.
"What nonsense…" he muttered under his breath.
Why was he unable to focus?
Why was her face flashing in his mind repeatedly?
He leaned back in his chair, frustration evident in his expression.
"I hate these feelings," he whispered harshly. "Feelings make people weak."
His jaw tightened.
"And Ashwatth Chauhan is not weak."
Yet despite his denial, something restless flickered in his eyes , a dangerous obsession perhaps, or the beginning of something he wasn't ready to accept.
For the first time in years, his controlled world had been shaken.
And it had been shaken by a girl who didn't even realize the storm she had created.
To be continue...