Page 197 of Since You Stole My Heart

‘Did you guys have trouble finding the place?’ Vedika asked, directing the question at Siya and Meera.

Luv answered before they could. ‘Don’t worry. I know how to get here.’

Vedika rubbed a hand over Ira’s back, her sharp, assessing gaze fixed on Luv. ‘That’s funny. I thought you forgot.’

A faint, cold smile touched his lips as he looked back at Ira. ‘If only I could.’

Ira looked away immediately.

Kashvi noticed Danish inching closer with a curious glint in his eyes. She quickly shifted the topic. ‘Di, what took you so long? You missed something amazing.’

Siya threw a pointed glare at Luv. ‘Ask him. He stopped in the middle just to stare at some cottage on a hill for a full five minutes.’

Luv gave her a flat look, his jaw locked hard.

‘I mean, I’ll admit that cottage looked like something straight out of Pinterest, but I still don’t understand why you had to stand there on the road and stare at it,’ she added.

Ira frowned as she looked at Luv, and this time, he met her gaze head-on.

Curiosity piqued in Kashvi as she realised he had been staring at Ira’s house.

Swayam glanced at Luv and teased, ‘Maybe he fell in love with the place.’

Luv’s response was devoid of any emotion. ‘It’s a haunted house. What’s there to love?’

Ira’s forehead creased slightly, and a flash of despair hardened her expression into a cold mask.

A slow clap echoed from a few feet away, and Danish drawled, ‘Isn’t that where you live, Ira? I’ve heard about it too. It used to be a haunted house, didn’t it?’

Vedika’s patience finally snapped. ‘You’re terrible at making up stories, so just stop.’

‘I’m not. It’s a well-known legend around town,’ Danish shot back. When no one responded to his rambling, he added, ‘I mean, Ira, you’re hot, and I definitely have a thing for you, but only a total wacko would buy a place like that.’

‘Weren’t you on your way out?’ Ira snapped.

Danish flashed a smug grin. ‘I kept my day free. Since you’re on an adventurous spree today, I hoped you might also agree to go out with me.’

Ira broke into a disbelieving laugh. ‘You have delusions like that, and I’m the one you call wacko?’

The amusement vanished from Danish’s face. ‘Oh right. Let me guess. You still won’t go out with anyone because you’re married, right?’

Ira’s jaw tightened. ‘That’s right.’

‘Then where is he?’ Danish pressed.

Ira’s breath hitched. ‘You need to leave. Now.’

‘Maybe you stop pretending and lying about having a husband at all.’

Ira’s eyes flashed with fury. ‘Back off!’

Instead, Danish took a step closer. ‘Why should I? Your readers deserve to know that their happily-ever-after author is a liar. She writes all these stories about love and family when she has neither. She’s just a bitter, lonely orphan who plays hard to get.’

Ira visibly flinched and took a step back.

Luv pinned Danish with a glacial glare. ‘Think very carefully before you say another word to her, because I won’t hesitate to use your face as a punching bag.’

Silence crashed over the group as barely restrained fury radiated off Luv in waves.