LOGINThe food arrived shortly after. Placed neatly on the table. Fresh. Warm. Nutritious. Exactly the kind of meal the doctor would approve of. Unfortunately Inaayat was too tired to care. She looked at the food. Then at the bed. Then at the food again. The decision seemed obvious. Sleep. She was halfway through lying down when Ryker's voice stopped her. "Pehele khana kha lijiye." He said. She blinked slowly. (Translation: Have food first.) "Nahi hum bohot thak gaye hain." She said tiredly, almost whining to sleep. (Translation: No, I'm so tired.) "Mujhe pata hai bacche. Bas thoda sa kha lijiye." He said walking close to her. (Translation: I know, kiddo. Have a little.) "Hum kal kha lenge..." Her eyes were already closing. (Translation: I'll eat tomorrow...) "Nahi. Abhi hi khayengi aap." He said strictly and she automatically pouted. (Translation: No. You'll eat right now.) Five minutes later, she found herself sitting on the edge of the bed again. Looking mildly of
Finally, she looked toward the cashier nervously. Then at the notes in her hands. Then at Ryker. Then at the notes again. Very carefully, hesitantly she spoke. "Kitne hue?" She asked the cashier. (Translation: How much?) The cashier repeated the amount politely. Immediately her expression became intensely serious. She moved toward a small empty section of the counter. Placed the notes down. And began counting. One by one. Slowly. Carefully. Fully concentrated. As if handling treasure. The cashier waited patiently. The salesman watched with amusement. Ryker stood beside her silently. Every note was checked, twice. Straightened. Counted again. Then recounted. Then separated. Then counted one more time just to be sure. Just like Nancy and Arjun had taught her. Several minutes later, she finally turned toward Ryker. Holding the stack. Concern written all over her face. "Yeh theek hai ji?" She asked carefully. (Translation: Is it correct?) "Hm." He just hummed still not t
Since the day, they went to the hospital he never forgot to give her medicines on time. She made a sulking face but it won't work on him and she knew it. She has enough of those medicines and whenever she tries to avoid it, he finds ways to give her. But suddenly she remembered they didn't have any spoon so how would he dissolve the pills. She giggled at her thoughts while he glanced at her silently. He uncapped the water bottle and took a small amount of water in the cap of the bottle and put the pills in it, rotating it. Inaayat's smile faltered and she looked at him with a visible frown on her face. "Mujhe pata hai, aap ke iss chhote se dimaag mein kya-kya chalta hai." He said glancing at her briefly. (Translation: I know exactly what goes on inside that little mind of yours.) She pouted automatically and made a long face but it wasn't going to work on him. He extended the cap towards her, she looked at it as if it was the most disgusting thing in the world. If it was home
The shopping bags rustled softly in his hands as they stepped out of the store. The evening had deepened while they were inside. Golden sunlight was fading slowly into orange. The market lights had begun coming alive one by one. Strings of decorative bulbs glowed above the streets. Shops shone brightly. People moved around carrying bags and laughing with their families. Everything felt busy. Alive. Festive. Yet between Ryker and Inaayat, silence walked comfortably beside them. Not awkward. Not forced. Just... familiar. A few steps ahead Urvashi had already walked toward the car. Perhaps too eager to leave. Perhaps too eager to put some distance between herself and Ryker after what had happened inside. She opened the trunk. Started placing her shopping bags inside. Focused entirely on that task. Not paying attention to them anymore. Meanwhile, Inaayat continued walking beside Ryker quietly. Her hand wrapped carefully around his arm which was carrying shopping bags, she had insi
"Try the next one." Despite the burning in his chest his answer came calmly with hand gesture so she could understand him. She understood immediately and went inside again. And just like that one by one she came out wearing every outfit he had selected. All of them were more beautiful than the previous one, more elegant than each other. She was beautifully carrying all of them without putting any effort. Each time more hesitant than before. Each time quietly asking, if it is looking good or not? "Yeh wala?" She said hesitantly looking at him then back at him. (Translation: This one?) "Hmm. Good." He said with a nod of approval. And each time, his answer remained the same. Short. Certain. "This one too. Keep it." He said to the salesman who was standing alert after his silent warning. No unnecessary words. No exaggerated praise. But he rejected none of them. Not one. Because every single one suited her perfectly. The soft colors. The graceful fabrics. The understated elegance-
He didn't answer her. Not even a glance. Not even acknowledgment. And somehow that silence felt worse than rejection. Then without another word he drove the car forward. Inaayat sat quietly beside him. Hands folded in her lap. Trying to hide the small relief still settling inside her chest. But every now and then her eyes shifted toward the window. And a tiny smile threatened to appear. Because he came back. He didn't leave her behind and she didn't fully understand why that mattered so much, only that it did. Very deeply. She giggled lightly which gained his attention. Urvashi was busy scrolling through her phone now. Inaayat covered her mouth because no matter how much she tried to stiffle it, she giggled loudly. Ryker's lips twitched to form into a smile but he controlled his expressions. ___________ The market was overflowing with light. Bright stores. Decorations hanging above the streets. Wedding music echoed faintly from nearby shops to attract customers as it was the
The next morning, the haveli was completely silent still shaken by Ryker's wrath and Nancy's painful whimpers. The haveli people felt them as outsiders after having no role in yesterday's whole confrontation drama but they know best to put their nose in someone else's business when that someone els
Ryker's eyes softened at her weeping. She was crying like a kid, not like he had handled a kid before but he knew. His jaw set in anger on himself that he should have made sure of her absence before getting violent. She shouldn't have witnessed all of this. She shouldn't have seen that blood and
He turned around to look at her, seeing her sad face and eyes filled with disappointment on herself, made his jaw set. He never wanted her to question herself and think low of herself. But some words weren't meant for her to hear, they were not for her, and telling her those words would bring a lot
Ryker could feel her shaking her head in denial and his lips twitched to turn into a sad smile because he knew that she wasn't saying the truth. The way she was crying, he wanted to take her in his arms and take every single tear away from her eyes but he couldn't. She was scared of him, the monste







