LOGIN"Arjun." Then came Nancy's sleepy voice. He closed his eyes briefly. "Haan?" He gulped. (Translation: Yes?) "Aaj raat yahin ruk jao." The sentence was so quiet that he almost thought he'd imagined it. He still didn't turn. (Translation: Stay here tonight.) "Nancy. Tum hosh mein nahi ho." His voice was gentle. A faint laugh escaped her. (Translation: Nancy, you aren't in your right mind.) "Isiliye toh bol rahi hoon." He finally glanced over his shoulder. She was looking at him through heavy eyelids. (Translation: That's exactly why I'm saying this.) "Agar main hosh mein hoti toh ab tak tumhe room se bahar nikal diya hota." She murmured with a lazy smile. (Translation: If I were in my senses, I would have thrown you out of the room by now.) For a second Arjun simply stared. Then, despite himself a quiet chuckle escaped him. She smiled faintly. "You never fail to amuse me." He shook his head in amusement. There was a brief silence. Then, without another word, he started to
All he could see now was a woman who looked completely shattered. Broken. Lost. She stared at him for another second. Then suddenly she lurched forward. And wrapped both arms tightly around him. The force of it almost made him lose his balance. Her face buried against his soaked chest. The first sob escaped her lips. Then another. Within moments she was crying uncontrollably. Not quietly. Not gracefully. Years of pain seemed to pour out all at once. Her entire body trembled as she clung to him. Raghu stood completely still. His hands remained suspended in the air for a heartbeat. Surprised by the sudden embrace. Then slowly. Very slowly. He lowered one hand to the back of her head. The other rested gently against her back. He didn't ask another question. He didn't tell her to stop crying. He simply held her steady as the waves rolled onto the shore behind them, allowing her to cry as much as she needed after coming so frighteningly close to losing her forever. The only sounds th
She answered only with a sleepy little hum. He kept looking at her innocent face trying to learn every single thing about her so that she won't have to worry about anything ever. And sometime later, listening to the quiet rhythm of her breathing. Ryker could have freed himself with the slightest movement. Instead he chose discomfort over disturbing her sleep. His arm had gone numb. His neck ached. Yet he remained absolutely still. Inaayat, wrapped inside his oversized pink shirt that almost disappeared around her tiny frame, slept without a single worry, completely trusting the man beneath her. She had no idea that only a few hours earlier, those same hands had nearly beaten another man to death for uttering her name with filthy intentions. To the world Ryker was ruthless. To her he quietly tucked stray hair behind her ear, covered her with blankets, and lost sleep simply because she looked comfortable. The room held a love so fiercely protective that violence and tenderness exist
For a moment he simply watched her. Then quietly stepped out of the car. Walking around to the passenger side, he opened the door with deliberate care. The cool night breeze drifted inside. "Bacche..." His voice was low. (Translation: Kiddo...) She only mumbled something unintelligible. Her eyes remained closed. A tiny smile escaped him. Without waking her he slid one arm beneath her knees. The other behind her back. Lifting her effortlessly into his arms. The moment she felt the familiar warmth she instinctively snuggled closer. Her face nestled against his chest. One tiny hand curled into the fabric of his shirt. Like a child searching for comfort in sleep. Ryker adjusted his hold carefully. "So jaiye..." He murmured almost inaudibly. (Translation: Sleep...) She sighed softly in her sleep. He carried her through the quiet corridors of the haveli. Past the sleeping household. Up the staircase. And finally into their room. The door clicked shut behind them. Moonlight filtered t
Two men lifted the unconscious body. Another quietly cleaned the blood-stained chair out of the way. Within moments they had disappeared as silently as they had arrived. The atmosphere felt empty. None of Arjun's friends spoke. No one laughed anymore. Nobody even looked at one another. The party had died right there. "Mujhe lagta hai..." Arjun finally broke the silence. (Translation: I think...) "...aaj ke liye itna kaafi hai." He exhaled slowly. (Translation: ... that's enough for today.) No one argued. One after another the remaining men quietly collected their belongings and left without another word. A little while later only four people remained. Ryker. Arjun. Vishesh. Raghu. The music had been switched off. The glasses sat untouched on the table. Even the half-finished barbecue had gone cold. Nobody felt like eating anymore. Silence settled between them. Heavy. Uncomfortable. "I'm sorry." Arjun rubbed a hand over his face. No response. "I know saying sorry isn't enough bu
A Few Hours Earlier... The men's bachelor's gathering had been arranged in the back side of the haveli lounges, a place where he and his college friends had spent countless weekends during their university days. Unlike the girls' party, there were no balloons or decorations. Just loud music. A barbecue smoking in one corner. Leather couches arranged around a low wooden table. Cards scattered everywhere. Ice buckets overflowing with bottles. The atmosphere was relaxed, noisy and familiar. Arjun's old college gang had reunited after years, and from the moment they met, stories of hostel life and college pranks had taken over the evening. "Dekh...!" One of them laughed, pointing at Arjun. (Translation: Look...!) "Ye wahi banda hai jo second year mein attendance ke liye professor ke saamne acting kar raha tha." Another burst into laughter. (Translation: This is the same guy who was putting on an act in front of the professor to secure attendance during the second year.) "Acting na
Ryker sighed and walked towards her gently. He softy moved her hand away from the door and opened it swiftly for her. She nervously walked and settled inside the car sinking in the comfortable seat. He closed the door for her and glanced at her through the window and settled himself in the passenge
By that time the elders of the haveli started waking up but were still in their rooms doing their morning routine. Inaayat started to clean the rooms of family members starting with Dadi's room. Dadi was bathing with a maid helping her due to her being old and weak. Then she went clean Thakur and T
As soon as Arjun registered her words he immediately burst out in the fits of laughter. He didn't expect those words from her but Inaayat has never met the people from the outside of the haveli. She had always seen familiar faces and when she saw Ryker's eyes she was stunned to see his blue eyes be
It was evening and everyone was in the living room sitting and chatting except Ryker who was working in his room. Urvashi's gaze were wandering to the stairs again and again trying to get Ryker's glimpse but didn't get one. She was biting her lips anxiously because she wanted to catch his attention







