Chapter 1 — A Man of Rules

Chapter 1 — A Man of Rules

Dr. Aryan Mehra was known as one of the most intelligent and disciplined professors at Kailash University. His lectures were sharp, precise, and perfectly structured. He believed in order. In control. In silence inside the classroom.

Students respected him — some even feared him. His shoes were always polished. His files were always arranged. His words were always measured.

But beneath that calm, controlled exterior, his thoughts were older than his age.

He disliked the way modern girls dressed. Short clothes, open laughter, bold opinions — it all disturbed him. The idea of relationships before marriage felt wrong to him. Careless. Immoral.

He believed emotions made people weak. Especially women.

His views were rigid. Unbending. Almost harsh.

To the world, he looked like a man of principles.

But those principles were not built overnight.

They were shaped by something darker.

Something from his past.

And that past had quietly turned his discipline into bitterness.

Dr. Mehra was a professor of Philosophy. He often spoke about morality, discipline, and the structure of society as if they were sacred laws.

That morning, the classroom was silent except for the sound of chalk moving across the board.

“Ethics,” he said, writing the word slowly, “is the foundation of civilization.”

As he turned back toward the class, his eyes stopped.

Third row. Near the window.

A girl sat there — confident, relaxed — wearing clothes he immediately judged. Short. Modern. Unapologetic.

Her name, he recalled, was Riya.

His jaw tightened.

He stared at her for a moment too long. The class began to feel heavy.

Dr. Mehra :- “Did your parents not give you proper clothes to wear?”

A few students shifted uncomfortably.

Riya looked up at him, surprised — then calm.

Riya :- “What I wear is my choice, sir. Why does it bother you?”

The air changed.

A small murmur spread across the room. Dr. Mehra’s face hardened. He was not used to being questioned.

Dr. Mehra :- “This is a classroom, not a fashion show. Learn to behave accordingly.”

Riya’s eyes did not lower. That angered him more than her clothes ever could.

She slowly gathered her notebook.

Riya :- “Respect goes both ways, sir.”

Without waiting for permission, she stood up. Mahima, her friend, followed her silently. The door opened — then shut.

The sound echoed in the room.

For a few seconds, no one spoke.

Dr. Mehra turned back to the board, but the word “Ethics” now looked different. Almost mocking.

He continued the lecture.

But his mind was no longer on philosophy.

And somewhere down the corridor, Riya and Mahima were already walking toward the principal’s office.