Volume 1
This is the story of Nandani Mehra—
a girl who was not only extremely beautiful, but even more than that, innocent and soft-hearted. Raised in a middle-class family, Nandani's dreams were always far bigger than her circumstances. She dreamed of becoming something through her own hard work, of creating her own identity… without depending on anyone.
But fate had taken a lot away from her since childhood.
When she was very young, her mother left her. From that day on, Nandani experienced a mother's warmth only in memories. Her father remarried— the house remained the same, but the feeling of belonging was lost somewhere. Even while living in that house, Nandani often felt alone. She never received the love and affection she needed the most.
That loneliness made her strong… and silent too.
Nandani smiled, but no one could see the pain hidden behind her smile.
Then one day, Samarth Raichand entered her life.
The college trustee, and his only son. His status matched his name— Samarth. Rich, confident, and the uncrowned king of his own world. For Samarth, achieving things was a habit… and letting go was a weakness.
Arrogant, stubborn, and extremely dominant—
Samarth had one particular habit…
Whatever caught his eye, he couldn't rest until it became his.
And then his eyes fell on the innocent Nandani.
Simple clothes, lowered eyes, and an unspoken pain hidden within them—
The moment Samarth saw her, he stopped.
For the first time, he didn't feel the urge to conquer someone…
he felt the desire to understand her.
Nandani was completely different from his world.
Where Samarth had achieved everything with ease,
Nandani had struggled for every little thing.
But the question is…
Will this attraction turn into love?
Will Nandani be able to trust a man who has always lived life on his own terms?
And will Samarth— who has always treated everything as a challenge to win—
see Nandani's love as another victory…
or will he truly learn to feel it?
Chapter 1
The alarm rang at exactly five-thirty in the morning.
Nandani Mehra - A girl living in Mumbai, beautiful face, Lovely eyes, long thick hair that reached till the waist, she looked no less than a princess.
She opened her eyes before it could ring the second time. Habit. Life had taught her long ago that if she didn't wake up on time, no one would wait for her. She turned it off quietly, careful not to disturb the stillness of the small room she shared with her thoughts.
The ceiling fan hummed above her, old and tired—much like the house she lived in.
She sat up on the bed, pulling her thin shawl closer around herself. For a few seconds, she simply sat there, staring at nothing. Every morning began like this—silence first, emotions later.
From the kitchen came the faint sound of utensils. Her stepmother was awake. That meant Nandani had exactly ten minutes before the day would start reminding her of her place in this house.
She got ready quickly—simple red color kurti, neatly pressed, Jhumka in the ear, hair tied in a low ponytail. No makeup. No jewelry. Not because she didn't like them, but because she had learned that simplicity made her invisible. And invisible was safe. But still she looked very beautiful.
As she stepped into the kitchen, her stepmother glanced at her briefly, then looked away.
"Coming straight home from college ," she said flatly. Don't delay too much ."
"Yes, aunty," Nandani replied softly.
Her father sat at the dining table, newspaper in hand. He didn't look up. He never did. Once, years ago, she used to wait for him to notice her—ask about her studies, her day, her dreams. Now she no longer waited.
She packed her bag, slipped her notebooks inside, and quietly left the house.
Outside, the morning air was cool. The sky was pale blue, unsure of what kind of day it wanted to be. Nandani walked toward the bus stop, her steps measured, her mind already preparing for another long day.
College was her escape.
Not because it was easy—no, nothing ever was—but because there, she was more than just an unwanted responsibility. She was a student. A dreamer. A girl who wanted more.
She sat by the window in the bus, watching the city wake up. Crowded streets, honking horns, rushing people—everyone seemed to have somewhere to go, someone to be. Nandani wondered when her turn would come.
At college, she took her usual seat in the classroom—third row, near the window. She listened, took notes, asked questions when necessary. Teachers liked her. Classmates respected her. But no one truly knew her.
She smiled when spoken to. She helped when asked. Yet, there was always a wall around her—built from years of being left behind.
During the lunch break, she sat alone under the big neem tree, reading from her notes. That's when a sudden silence fell around the campus.
Nandini was deeply immersed in her book when a girl suddenly sat down beside her. Looking at Nandini's face, she said teasingly,
"Dude, how much will you study? Put the book aside and come on, let's eat something in the canteen."
Nandini smiled softly and looked at her.
"No, Navya. I'm not hungry."
Navya—Nandini's only friend—might not have understood her completely, but whatever understanding she had was more than enough for Nandini.
Hearing Nandini's reply, Navya suddenly stood up. Grabbing Nandini's hand, she said in her innocent yet dramatic voice,
"Nandini, if you don't come with me, I'll stay hungry the entire day. And if I suffer because of hunger… and if I die of hunger, then you'll be responsible for it!"
Listening to Navya's exaggerated words, a genuine smile appeared on Nandini's face. Perhaps Navya was the only person in the whole world who could make her smile so effortlessly.
Defeated by Navya's insistence, Nandini finally stood up and said with a smile,
"Okay, Navya, let's go. But today, I'll pay."
Navya grinned. "Fine by me."
Both of them walked towards the cafeteria. After a while, they reached there and sat down on the chairs.
( The college Nandini studied in was no ordinary one. It was among Mumbai's largest and most prestigious colleges. Most of the students came from wealthy families, and getting admission there was considered a matter of great luck. The placements after graduation were excellent, which was why so many students aspired to study there. )
Nandini and Navya placed their food orders.
Just then, voices of a few girls were heard from behind them. They were talking excitedly among themselves.
One of the girls said eagerly,
"You know, he's extremely handsome—and most importantly, he's single!"
Hearing this, her friend replied,
"Yes, but Riya, do you really think he'll like you?"
The girl's name was Riya, the daughter of a wealthy Mumbai businessman. Smiling confidently, she said,
"He will definitely notice me. Just let him come—then you'll see how Riya works her magic."
Hearing their conversation, Navya leaned closer to Nandini and whispered,
"Nandini, do you know what those two are talking about?"
Completely uninterested, Nandini replied instantly,
"No—and I don't even want to know."
Navya sighed. "At least try to pay attention to these things sometimes. What do you want—die alone?"
Nandini smiled calmly and said,
"How can I die single when you're with me?"
Navya laughed. "True!"
Both friends continued eating, chatting happily, and once they were done, they headed back to their class together.