Sidharth Shukla, at 33, had built a life of quiet control in the upscale neighborhood where he'd grown up. Tall and broad-shouldered from years of disciplined workouts, he carried himself with the poise of a gentleman—polite nods to passersby, doors held open for strangers. But when it came to Shehnaaz Gill, his 24-year-old childhood friend and next-door neighbor, that facade cracked wide open. They'd shared scraped knees and stolen glances since they were kids, her bubbly chatter filling the spaces between his reserved smiles. Now, with her living alone in the house her parents had left her, Sidharth's possessiveness simmered like a constant undercurrent. He watched her from his window, the way her sundress clung to her soft curves as she watered the garden, her full breasts straining against the fabric, hips swaying with innocent allure.