________________________________________

Chapter 3: Pursuit and Resistance Rohit wasn't used to rejection, but something about Priya made him want to try harder. She wasn't like the women who fell for his dangerous allure. She had a fire in her, a quiet strength that drew him in.

He started showing up at the caf� where she read books by the beach. He found excuses to run into her at the market. He never pushed, never imposed - but he was always there, watching, waiting, showing her that he wasn't just another man looking for a night of passion.

One evening, as Priya sat on a rock by the shore, Rohit approached with two cups of coffee. "I figured you might like yours black, no sugar. Strong, just like you."

She raised an eyebrow but took the cup. "So, you've been paying attention."

He shrugged. "I pay attention to things that matter."

Priya sipped her coffee, letting the silence settle between them. She had been alone for so long, shielding herself from pain, from disappointment. But Rohit's persistence was chipping away at her walls, brick by brick.