Unlawfully yours - Chapter 34: Chapter 34

The sun was barely up, but the weight of the previous night still hung thick in the air. Aarav and Ishani had spent the last few hours in an unspoken bubble of emotions—passion, confusion, and a terrifying sense of vulnerability.
The kiss had changed everything.
But there was no time to dwell. The war they had started was catching up to them.
Ishani sat cross-legged on the couch, watching Aarav as he poured himself a coffee. His usual sharp demeanor had returned—calm, controlled, and utterly unreadable.
She hated it.
"Aarav," she finally spoke, her voice breaking the silence.
He glanced at her over the rim of his cup. "Haan?" ("Yeah?")
She exhaled, trying to make sense of the storm inside her. "Tune kal raat kaha tha ki tu Rudra Seth ko invitation bhej chuka hai... iska matlab kya tha?" ("Last night, you said you already sent Rudra Seth an invitation... what did you mean?")
Aarav smirked, setting down his cup. "Matlab yeh ki hum bas dushman ka intezaar nahi karenge. Hum use khud bulayenge." ("It means we won't just wait for the enemy. We'll bring him to us.")
Ishani's stomach twisted. "Tu ne kya kiya, Aarav?" ("What did you do, Aarav?")
He walked over, placing both hands on the back of the couch, caging her in. "Ek chhoti si chaal chali hai. Rudra abhi tak humein ek chhoti dikkat samajh raha hai. Usse lagta hai ki hum sirf interfere kar rahe hain, par ab usse samajh aayega ki hum uska poora system todne wale hain." ("I played a little trick. Rudra still thinks we're a minor inconvenience. He believes we're just interfering, but now he'll realize we're about to destroy his entire system.")
Ishani felt a chill. Aarav was brilliant, but he was also dangerous.
"Aur agar usne tujhe eliminate karne ka socha?" ("And what if he decides to eliminate you?")
Aarav leaned in, his voice dropping to a whisper. "Tabhi toh maine use mere tak aane ka rasta de diya hai." ("That's why I gave him the path to reach me.")
Ishani clenched her fists. "Tu khud ko bait bana raha hai?" ("You're making yourself bait?")
Aarav smirked. "Agar game khelni hai toh rules bhi apne banane padenge, Ishani." ("If we're going to play this game, we have to set our own rules.")
She hated how easily he said it, as if putting his life in danger was just another strategy.
Ishani grabbed his collar, yanking him forward.
"Tujhe lagta hai main yeh hone dungi?" she hissed. ("You think I'll let this happen?")
Aarav chuckled, completely unfazed. "Mujhe lagta hai tu mujhe rok nahi payegi." ("I think you won't be able to stop me.")
Ishani's frustration burned, but beneath it was something far more dangerous—fear.
She didn't want to lose him.
Before she could stop herself, she yanked him down and crashed her lips against his.
Aarav let out a sharp breath, but he didn't hesitate. His hands gripped her waist, pulling her closer as he kissed her back with a fire that left her breathless.
It wasn't slow. It wasn't tender. It was raw, desperate, and filled with every unsaid emotion.
Ishani's fingers tangled in his hair as she poured everything she was feeling into the kiss. The fear, the frustration, the unspoken confession—it all burned between them.
Aarav groaned against her lips, deepening the kiss until she could barely think. He was everywhere, consuming her, making her forget everything but him.
When they finally broke apart, both gasping for breath, his forehead rested against hers.
Aarav smirked, his voice husky. "Agar tu mujhe rok nahi sakti, toh mujhe aise distract karne ki zaroorat nahi hai." ("If you can't stop me, you don't need to distract me like this.")
Ishani rolled her eyes but didn't move away. "Tu samajh nahi raha, Aarav. Main tere saath hoon. Par tu akela mat khelna." ("You don't get it, Aarav. I'm with you. But don't play this alone.")
Aarav's expression softened just a fraction. "Main tujhe akela nahi chhodne wala, Ishani." ("I'm not leaving you alone, Ishani.")
She searched his face, looking for a lie, but there was none.
For now, she'd have to trust him.
Aarav and Ishani walked into the university, their presence drawing stares. After the events of the past few weeks, people knew something was going on.
But the real shock came when a sleek black car pulled up in front of the campus, and a man stepped out.
Everyone gasped.
Ishani stiffened beside Aarav. "Aarav..."
Aarav smirked. "Aur khel shuru ho gaya." ("And the game has begun.")
Standing there, in a crisp suit, was a man known for his ruthlessness.
Rohit Malhotra—Aarav's father.
And the moment the students saw him, the whispers began.
"He's Aarav's father?!"
"Wait—THE Rohit Malhotra? The country's top lawyer?!"
"Holy shit... that means Aarav is..."
Aarav's smirk didn't falter as his father walked toward him, every step measured and powerful. The entire campus had gone silent.
Rohit stopped in front of him, his expression unreadable.
"Tumne jo shuru kiya hai, uska anjaam bhi soch liya hai?" ("Have you thought about the consequences of what you've started?")
Aarav chuckled, completely unbothered. "Aapko kya lagta hai?" ("What do you think?")
Rohit's eyes flickered toward Ishani for the briefest second before returning to Aarav. "Toh ab yeh poori duniya jaanegi ki tum kiske bete ho." ("So now, the whole world will know whose son you are.")
Aarav's smirk widened. "Mujhe koi farak nahi padta. Kyuki is baar, main sirf Aarav Malhotra nahi hoon. Main uska dushman hoon jo mujhe todna chahta hai." ("I don't care. Because this time, I'm not just Aarav Malhotra. I'm the enemy of the one trying to destroy me.")
The tension in the air was thick, electric.
And then, for the first time, Rohit smirked back. "Agar yeh tera faisla hai, toh hum tere saath hain." ("If this is your decision, then we're with you.")
The battle had officially begun.