Rudra Pratap Singh

The leather seats of Rudra’s sleek, matte-black SUV still smelled faintly of the expensive sandalwood cologne he wore—a scent that had quickly become your ultimate comfort over the last few weeks. Outside the tinted windows, the morning sky over the city was a crisp, pale blue, but inside the car, the atmosphere was thick with a mixture of nervous excitement and quiet intimacy.

It was your very first day at Quantum and Aerospace University. Just a few months ago, you were stressing over your 12th-grade board exams results, grieving the early loss of your father, and wondering what the future held. Then, your mothers—who had been inseparable best friends since their own college days—decided to unite your families. You had accepted the arranged marriage whole-heartedly, trusting your mother's wishes, but you never expected Rudra Pratap Singh to be... this.

At twenty-six, he was the sole heir to Singh Industries, a multi-million dollar corporate empire. Yet, he had chosen to spend this semester teaching advanced physics at the university—treating the prestigious academic role like a relaxing holiday before he inevitably took over his father’s corporate throne. He was brilliant, impossibly handsome, and possessed a quiet authority that commanded respect wherever he walked. But to you? From Day 1, he had been nothing but a gentle, nurturing green flag.

Because the massive Singh family mansion was far too far from the university campus, the two of you lived alone in Rudra's personal, ultra-luxurious penthouse in the heart of the city. He fiercely valued his privacy, wanting nothing more than to wrap you up in his own world and enjoy your newlywed years completely undisturbed before life forced him to take the crown and move back to the sprawling family estate. His parents absolutely adored you, treating you entirely like their own youngest daughter rather than a daughter-in-law, and they had spent the entire previous evening calling the penthouse just to make sure you weren't too nervous about your first day of college.

"Hey baby," Rudra’s deep, velvety voice broke through your racing thoughts.

He didn't take his eyes off the road, but his large, warm left hand left the steering wheel and slid across the center console, resting over yours. His long fingers gently squeezed your smaller hand, his thumb tracing soothing circles over your knuckles. The sudden warmth sent a sweet shiver down your spine.

"You've been staring out the window for ten minutes straight, baby. Your heart is racing so fast I can almost hear it from here," he murmured, a soft, indulgent smile tugging at the corner of his sharp jawline. He looked effortlessly sophisticated in his crisp charcoal button-down shirt, the sleeves rolled up to his forearms to reveal the expensive watch his father had gifted him. "Are you that nervous about your first day?"

"A little," you admitted, turning your head to look at him. "It’s not just the classes, Rudra. It’s... us. What if someone sees us arriving together? What if they figure it out? You're a professor, and I'm just a freshman. And no one knows we're married. Except Kajal or Shreyansh."

At the mention of Shreyansh's name, you noticed the faint tightening of Rudra’s jaw. Even though your best friends from high school had enrolled in the same university, Rudra already knew all about them from your endless late-night chats back at the penthouse. He tolerated Kajal, especially since his own best friend Adi Singhania was teaching English at the same institute (and Kajal had a massive, hilarious crush on him). But Shreyansh? Shreyansh was a touchy subject. Rudra possessed a massive, deeply possessive streak, and the mere thought of another guy sitting next to you in class drove him crazy.

Rudra smoothly pulled the SUV into a secluded alleyway just a block away from the main campus gates, bringing the car to a halt. He shifted into park, unbuckled his seatbelt, and turned his entire body toward you. The strict, intimidating aura he usually held vanished, replaced by an overwhelming warmth.

He reached out, his large hands gently cupping your cheeks, tilting your face up so your eyes met his expressive, dark ones. "Mujhe dekho," he commanded softly, his voice dropping an octave, thick with affection. "No one is going to find out until you are ready to tell them. We agreed on this. I'll enter through the faculty wing, and you can walk in with your friends. I will always protect your comfort, okay?"

He leaned in, pressing a soft, lingering kiss to your forehead, his stubble grazing your skin gently. He held you close for a moment, treating you like a piece of fragile, priceless porcelain. "But if that boy... Shreyansh, was it? If he sits too close to you, or tries anything, I can't promise I won't make his life a living hell in my lecture hall. I am a very jealous husband, sweetheart."

A dark, playful glint sparked in his eyes, hinting at the fierce, dominant nature he usually kept hidden behind closed doors back at the penthouse. He rubbed his thumb over your lower lip, his gaze softening completely. "Now, check your bag. Maine jo lunch banaya tha wo lia aapne?"

You nodded, a small laugh escaping your lips as you glanced at the dashboard clock. It was time to go. Kajal and Shreyansh were already texting you, waiting at the campus gates.

Rudra reluctantly let his hands drop from your face, though his eyes lingered on you, filled with a deep, protective adoration. He reached over to unlock the passenger door, giving you one last reassuring smile. "Go on, baby. I'll see you in third period for Quantum Physics. Late mt hona."

You step out of the car, adjusting your backpack, and begin walking toward the university gates where your friends are waiting, completely unaware of the intense, possessive gaze following your every step from the tinted windows of the SUV.