Chapter 9: The Engagement

Walking Down the Aisle—A Mask of Confidence

Kyara walked down the aisle with confidence—at least, that's what her face showed. Her steps were steady, her posture poised, but inside? An emotional tsunami.

"You might want to brace yourself."

Rohan's words echoed in her mind. Brace myself? For what?

She shook her head, pushing away the thought, her gaze drifting toward the families and guests watching her. Their faces were warm, expectant—enough to trigger her guilt.

But then—she saw him.

Niki stood on the stage, waiting. The second she looked at him, all her worries vanished.

A smile broke onto her face.

"At least this idiot is also stuck in this mess with me."

As she reached the stage and stood beside him, Niki's mind wasn't as composed.

The weight of reality pressed on him, but what unsettled him more—the guilt wasn't for himself.

"It's mutual," he reminded himself. "It's not like I dragged her into this. Then why do I care so much?"

His fingers twitched.

"I think I do care… a bit. Or maybe more."

Before either of them could get lost in their thoughts, the rings arrived.

The engagement was about to begin.

A Celebration of Promises—Or Lies?

Rohan took center stage, grinning like he was hosting an awards show.

"Ladies and gentlemen, let's gather here to celebrate this wonderful evening—an engagement of fate, destiny, and maybe, just maybe, a little bit of bribery!"

Laughter rippled through the crowd.

Kyara shot him a glare. Rohan winked back.

Before the crowd settled, Niki casually stepped forward, slipping his hands into his pockets. He let the silence linger for a second before saying—

"You forgot to mention 'peer pressure,' Rohan."

A wave of laughter spread across the hall, louder this time. Even Rohan looked impressed.

Kyara nudged him slightly with her elbow. "You really had to add that?"

Niki smirked. "Might as well have fun with it."

His mother shot him a look but said nothing.

The guests chuckled, whispering amongst themselves.

"They do look good together."

"Such a beautiful bride."

"Niki really got lucky."

"Wait, wasn't he the one who once said he never wanted to marry?"

Niki rolled his eyes. Of course, someone had to bring that up.

Rohan cleared his throat. "And now, let's move on to the moment we've all been waiting for—the exchange of rings!"

A round of applause followed as Niki and Kyara snapped out of their thoughts.

A Moment of Unspoken Words

As guests slowly came forward to greet them, Niki's eyes drifted to Kyara's smile.

And for the first time, he was completely blinded by it.

She was dressed in a soft pink lehenga, the fabric flowing like whispers of silk, the least but most classic expensive jewelry adorning her in a way that spoke of quiet elegance rather than extravagance. The gold and pearl accents reflected the chandelier lights, making her look almost unreal.

And before he knew it, he leaned closer to her ear, voice low, controlled, and deliberate this time.

"You look… dangerously pretty."

It was slow, confident, and deep, like he meant every word.

Kyara's breath hitched for a second.

A flutter deep in her stomach made her pause.

Her gaze shifted to him, finally taking him in.

Dressed in a bright navy blue long coat, paired with perfectly tailored pants and a crisp white shirt, he exuded both effortless charm and sharp elegance. The contrast of his sharp jawline and soft, fluffy hair made him look both effortlessly masculine and subtly delicate at the same time.

She opened her mouth.

"You too look aaah—"

Before she could finish, Niki smirked. "Handsome, I know."

Kyara scoffed, rolling her eyes. Typical.

Just as she turned away, she stumbled slightly.

Niki smirked, whispering, "Careful, wouldn't want my dangerously pretty fiancée to face-plant in front of everyone."

Kyara narrowed her eyes. "I hope you trip down the stairs."

An Unexpected Guest

As they stepped down from the stage, Rohan's playful chatter was suddenly cut off.

His brows furrowed. He pushed through the crowd, his eyes fixed on someone who had just entered.

His voice dropped to a whisper.

"Who is this diva?"

The woman moved gracefully, her presence commanding attention without even trying. Dressed in a sleek black dress, red lipstick perfectly applied, she exuded confidence.

Rohan wasted no time. He strode toward her.

"Excuse me, miss…" He flashed his signature smirk. "Who might you be?"

The woman raised an eyebrow. "Tara."

Before Rohan could push further, Niki casually stepped in front of him, effortlessly taking the lead.

"That's Tara. Our new game tester. Try to flirt with her, and you might lose your job."

Tara smirked. "I like this introduction better."

Kyara raised an eyebrow. "She's also my senior."

For a second, Niki and Kyara spoke at the same time—but this time, he had already stolen the moment first.

Rohan shook his head dramatically. "Wish I could also say, 'She's my girlfriend.'"

Tara shot him a look. "Excuse me?"

Rohan immediately straightened up. "Aaah—nothing, nothing."

And Then… Chaos.The evening went on—a blur of conversations, laughter, clinking glasses.

And then—

SPLASH.

A sharp gasp rippled through the crowd.

All heads turned.

Kyara stood stone-faced, holding an empty glass of red wine.

In front of her, Tara stood frozen—soaked in deep crimson.

Silence.

And then—

"You bitch—"

A wave of panic spread through the hall as Tara lunged forward.

Before anyone else reacted, Niki calmly stepped forward.

He didn't panic. He didn't rush.

Instead, he tilted his head slightly and, with a slow smirk, said—

"I really hope this is part of the entertainment."

Everyone froze.

His voice wasn't joking, but it wasn't aggressive either—it was calculated, firm, yet laced with sarcasm.

His mother gripped his wrist.

"You both stay here and engage the guests. We will handle this."

Rohan, watching the scene unfold, leaned toward Niki.

"Girls are scary."

Niki sighed, shoving his hands into his pockets. "Just like your choice to flirt."

Rohan groaned. "Yeah, yeah—"

Before he could finish, Niki took a step forward, voice calm but firm.

"Kyara. Do you have an explanation, or should I start guessing?"

Kyara stilled.

Her fingers tightened around the glass.

She turned her head slightly, meeting Niki's gaze.

And in that moment—everything else faded

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Author’s Note:

And just like that, chaos has entered the chat. Kyara’s move was bold, but was it reckless… or calculated? What does she know that we don’t? And most importantly—how will Niki react?

Drop your theories in the comments! Who’s ready for Chapter 10?

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