Nandini, her heart still pounding from the memory of Manik’s touch, walked past the tree, her footsteps hesitant. She couldn’t shake the feeling that his eyes were on her, even now. The air was thick with the scent of jasmine and the whispers of the wind, but her mind was consumed by the man who had marked her so deeply.

Manik watched from the shadows, his dark gaze fixed on her slender figure. His obsession with her had only grown since their last encounter.