AYUSH'S POV

Sitting in my home office, I scanned the financial reports one last time before sending them to Digvijay Singh Ranawat, Amay Shekhawat’s best friend and the man managing the vast Shekhawat empire’s finances.

I sighed, leaning back in my chair.

I couldn’t help but recall the first meeting with Digvijay and how ruthlessly cold and intimidating he had been.

The guy was a complete contrast to Amay—where Amay exuded calmness and poise, Digvijay was the epitome of rudeness and ruthlessness.

The rumors about Digvijay’s dangerous reputation weren’t just whispers; they were facts I had seen firsthand.

Yet, I found myself puzzled by their friendship.

How could Amay, the composed and diplomatic man, be close to someone so brash and brutal?

Shaking my head, I dismissed the thought.

Some friendships defied logic.

My gaze shifted to the faint lipstick mark that still lingered faintly on the edge of her coffee cup.

Tina.

A small smile tugged at the corner of my lips as I thought about her.

That night... her drunken antics.

The way she had laughed, stumbled, and finally... licked me.

I unconsciously brought my index finger to my lips, gently caressing them as if trying to relive the sensation of her tongue grazing my mouth.

My heart raced at the memory, the warmth of her touch lingering in my thoughts.

Why was this happening to me?

I had never liked her, not even in the beginning.

Tina had always been the arrogant, spoiled brat who made my life difficult.

Her sharp tongue and fiery attitude had been a constant source of frustration.

But now... things had changed.

Since our marriage, I had started seeing another side of her—vulnerable, sweet, and oddly endearing.

She was still Tina, with her occasional bratty remarks and fiery comebacks, but now there was something more—something real and raw that drew me to her.

I even found myself missing her feisty outbursts sometimes.

A chuckle escaped my lips as I recalled her groggy morning face when I had handed her a cup of black coffee, the way she had wrinkled her nose in protest before reluctantly sipping it.

I sighed, resting my head back on the chair. “What is happening to me?” I whispered to the quiet room.

My mind was a whirlwind of emotions, but one thing was clear—I was getting attached to her.

Against all odds, she had started to grow on me. “She makes me feel... butterflies,” I muttered with a faint smile. “My heart skips a beat whenever she looks at me. How is this even possible?”

I leaned forward, resting my elbows on the desk, running a hand through my hair. “I was supposed to hate her, loathe her... but I’m doing nothing of the sort.”

My voice softened, almost like a confession to myself. “Kya kar rahi ho tum mere saath, Tina? Main tumhe pasand karne laga hoon. I... I like you.”

("What are you doing to me, Tina? I’ve started to like you. I... I like you.")

The realization sent a strange sense of both warmth and unease through me.

I wasn’t sure where this path would lead, but one thing was certain—Tina had become more than just my wife.

She was becoming my world.

AYUSH'S POV ENDS

Suman paced back and forth in the living room, her excitement palpable.

Her smile refused to leave her lips, and her cheeks were a constant shade of pink.

Every moment felt like an eternity as she awaited Amay’s arrival.

She couldn’t contain the joy bubbling inside her; it was as though her feet had left the ground, and she was floating in pure happiness.

Tara stood by the kitchen door, observing Suman’s radiant demeanor.

A gentle smile graced Tara’s face as she folded her hands in silent prayer. "Bhagwan, mere bacchon ko hamesha aise khush rakhna," she murmured.

("God, please keep my children this happy always.")

Tara could sense what Suman was feeling.

The glow on her face and the way she hummed to herself were telltale signs—Suman had started to love Amay.

For Tara, this realization was overwhelming, in the best way possible.

She had seen Amay’s tears, his silent prayers, and his unwavering love for Suman.

To now witness the reciprocation of that love filled her heart with joy and peace.

Suman ran to her room to get ready.

She wore a red saree, Amay’s favorite color, the fabric hugging her elegantly.

Looking at herself in the mirror, she noticed her glowing face and the crimson blush that painted her cheeks.

"I’m waiting for you, Amay," she whispered softly. "Ab intezaar nahi ho raha. Main aapse apne dil ki baat kehna chahti hoon. Batana chahti hoon ki main aapse pyar karne lagi hoon."

("I’m waiting for you, Amay, I can’t wait any longer. I want to share my feelings with you. I want to tell you that I’ve started to fall in love with you.")

At the airport, Digvijay stood near the arrivals gate, his arms crossed, tapping his foot impatiently.

He wasn’t supposed to be here; Amay had explicitly told him not to bother.

But Digvijay had come anyway, just to irritate his best friend.

When Amay finally emerged from the crowd, Digvijay waved his hand wildly, shouting, "Oye, Amay! Idhar!" like a child excited to meet a friend.

("Hey, Amay! Over here!")

Amay spotted him, sighed, and muttered a string of curses under his breath.

Adjusting his bag on his shoulder, he walked up to Digvijay.

Without a word, he threw his bag at him.

Digvijay caught it just in time. "Abe saale, maarega kya? Ek toh tujhe lene aaya hoon, aur tu..."

("Hey, you idiot, are you going to hit me? I came to pick you up, and you...")

He clicked his tongue dramatically. "Tsk, tsk, bhalai ka toh zamana hi nahi raha."

("Tsk, tsk, there's no place for kindness in this world anymore.")

Amay fixed his sunglasses and replied nonchalantly, "Maine kab bola tha lene aa? Tu khud aaya hai, ab jhel."

("When did I ask you to come pick me up? You came on your own, so deal with it.")

The two walked to the car, their banter continuing as usual.

Amay sat in the passenger seat while Digvijay started the car.

The drive back was mostly quiet, with Amay staring out of the window, lost in thoughts of Suman.

His excitement grew with each passing moment, and he could almost see her smiling face in his mind.

Suddenly, Digvijay frowned.

"Kya hua?" Amay asked, noticing the change in his expression.

("What happened?")

"Brake nahi lag raha," Digvijay said, his voice unusually serious.

("The brake isn't working.")

Amay rolled his eyes. "Mazak mat kar. Thik se gaadi chala."

("Don't joke. Drive the car properly.")

But Digvijay’s tone sharpened. "Main mazak nahi kar raha hoon, Amay. Brake sach mein kaam nahi kar raha."

("I'm not joking, Amay. The brake really isn't working.")

Amay’s face turned from annoyance to concern. "Kya?! Seriously?"

("What?! Seriously?")

Digvijay pressed the brake pedal repeatedly, but the car didn’t slow down.

Panic began to set in as they saw a truck coming toward them in the opposite lane.

"Gaadi sambhal!" Amay shouted, gripping the door handle tightly.

("Control the car!")

Digvijay spun the steering wheel desperately, trying to avoid the truck.

The car swerved sharply, narrowly missing the oncoming vehicle.

But the momentum sent the car off the road, crashing into a tree with a jarring thud.

The impact left them slightly injured—cuts on their arms and a few bruises, but nothing serious.

Panting heavily, Digvijay leaned back in his seat, his hands still gripping the steering wheel. "Yeh kya tha?"

("What was that?")

Amay unclipped his seatbelt, his chest rising and falling as he tried to steady his breathing. "Ek minute ke liye laga tha ki bas, khatam."

("For a moment, it felt like that was it, over.")

Digvijay chuckled weakly. "Tu toh pehle hi marne wala tha mujhe dekhke, ab toh aur close call ho gaya."

("You were already going to kill me just by looking at me, and now it's an even closer call.")

Amay glared at him.

The two climbed out of the car, shaken but relieved to be alive.

Even amidst the chaos, Amay’s thoughts drifted back to Suman. "Suman intezaar kar rahi hogi," he whispered to himself. "Mujhe jaldi uske paas pahuchna hai."

("Suman must be waiting, I need to reach her quickly.")

TINA'S POV

I sat at my chair, my head buried in my hands, pressing against the surface of my office table with frustration.

I had been replaying the events of the night over and over in my mind, each passing moment adding to my unease.

The memory of what happened when I was drunk had hit me like a wave, and now I couldn't escape the thought.

I had kissed Ayush—or at least, I thought it was a kiss.

I hadn't expected myself to do that, to lick his lips the way I had.

But was that considered a kiss?

Was that the same thing?

The thought sent a chill through my body.

"Great. Just great," I muttered, banging my forehead softly against the table.

I had already been fighting with my own feelings for Ayush—those feelings I had tried so hard to suppress.

The marriage had never been what I wanted, and I knew deep down, Ayush had never wanted it either.

But the weight of jealousy and insecurity was unbearable.

Had he forgotten Suman?

Was he finally able to move on?

Or was he still thinking about her?

I squeezed my eyes shut, fighting the knot in my stomach.

I hated myself for feeling jealous.

I had no right.

I was the one who had forced him into this marriage in the first place.

I was the reason Ayush and Suman had been torn apart, the reason their hearts had shattered.

I had been the one to push Ayush away from the woman he truly loved, and I knew that I was reaping the consequences now—getting the hatred and indifference I deserved.

But no matter how hard I tried to bury it, a part of mine couldn't stop wishing for something more.

My thoughts drifted to Ayush's family.

Meena, his mother, was a constant source of pain, an embodiment of everything I despised.

I knew that Meena only cared about money, that for wealth, she would do anything—even throw her daughter under the bus, letting her marry a man she didn't love for her own gain.

And then there was Ayush's father, who, along with my own father, had been involved in shady dealings.

The human trafficking racket my father ran was something I had tried to fight against, helping the victims in secret, but I was powerless to stop it.

My father and Ayush's father had teamed up, and I knew the consequences had been far-reaching.

And now, here I was, caught in my own web of mistakes.

I had crossed lines with Ayush, trying to get closer to him when I knew, deep down, that it was never going to be what I hoped for.

I had pushed myself into his life, but all I received in return was indifference.

The man I loved so deeply didn't feel the same about me.

The man I had married, out of manipulation and force, didn't even see me as his wife.

And that realization crushed me.

I let out a soft, sad chuckle. "This is what I deserve," I whispered to myself.

The karma had arrived.

I had destroyed everything.

I had broken both Suman's and Ayush's hearts, and in return, I was left to pick up the shattered pieces of my own.

My chest tightened as I thought of how lonely I felt.

The reality hit me harder than I was ready to admit: Ayush would never love me.

And no matter how hard I tried to hide it, the truth always lingered.

TINA'S POV ENDS

Tina sat in her office, staring blankly at the computer screen, when her phone suddenly rang.

She glanced at the caller ID and rolled her eyes.

It was her father.

Reluctantly, she picked up the call, her tone already laced with frustration.

"Yes, Dad?" she said, trying to keep her voice steady.

Bhadresh’s voice came through, calm yet commanding. "I gave you some work. Did you do it?"

Tina rubbed her temples, her head throbbing with the weight of the constant pressure he put on her. "Dad, I told you I’m not going to do that. Please stop pestering me."

Bhadresh chuckled darkly on the other end. "Ohh, so the little birdy got the tongue. Don’t forget, I let you marry Ayush."

Tina's jaw tightened. "I know, Dad. And thank you for doing that... although I feel guilty for what I did to Ayush. But now, I’m not going to sabotage his image. So please, just leave me alone."

Bhadresh’s voice hardened. "Toh tu aise nahi manegi."

("So, you won't listen like this?")

Tina’s frustration reached its peak. "Aap aisa kyun kar rahe ho, Dad? I’ve already ruined Ayush’s life by marrying him. Please, don’t make it worse. Don’t hurt him anymore."

("Why are you doing this, Dad? I’ve already ruined Ayush’s life by marrying him. Please, don’t make it worse. Don’t hurt him anymore.")

There was a brief silence before Bhadresh spoke again, his voice colder than ever. "Yahi, yeh jo pyar hai na, yeh insaan ko kamzor banata hai. Main toh tujhe kamzor hote hue dekh raha hoon. Isliye toh teri shaadi karayi thi, ki tu samay aane pe meri madad kar sake."

("Yes, this love makes a person weak. I am watching you become weak. That's why I made you marry him, so that when the time comes, you can help me.")

Tina felt her heart sink. "Main aisa kuch nahi kar rahi, Dad."

("I’m not doing anything like that, Dad.")

Bhadresh’s voice turned threatening. "Fine. Then I’ll kill Ayush."

Tina’s heart stopped.

Fear rushed through her like a cold wave.

Her breath hitched, and she gasped, "No, Dad, please don't do this. You can kill me, but please don’t harm Ayush. Please, I beg you."

Bhadresh’s laughter filled the line, a cruel, hollow sound. "Oh, my dear daughter, you get scared so easily. Just watch the video. It’s live."

The call ended abruptly, and Tina's hands trembled as she opened the video her father had sent.

Her screen lit up with the image of Ayush standing in the middle of a deserted road.

On the other side, hidden behind the trees, stood a man, aiming a gun directly at him.

Tina's body went cold, and her eyes filled with tears.

"No," she whispered, voice trembling. "This can’t happen. I can’t lose Ayush like this."

Her chest tightened as she thought about everything Ayush had worked for—the business he had painstakingly rebuilt.

He had fought so hard, and now it felt like it was all about to be taken away.

She couldn’t let him go through that.

She couldn't let him die because of her father’s twisted demands.

With trembling hands, Tina wiped away her tears, anger and determination starting to rise in her.

She couldn’t just sit back and let this happen.

She called her father back, fear still seeping into her voice, but she knew what she had to do.

Bhadresh picked up, his voice filled with mock amusement. "So, how did you like the surprise?"

Tina's voice was firm now, steely. "I’ll do what you say. But please, don’t hurt Ayush. If he even gets a scratch, I swear, I’ll destroy you."

Bhadresh laughed again, dark amusement in his tone. "Good girl. Don’t worry, I won’t let my son-in-law die so easily. Complete my work, and meet me in two days at the warehouse."

"Okay," Tina said through clenched teeth, feeling the weight of her decision.

The call ended, and Tina sat there, tears streaming down her face.

She wiped them away, her expression hardening. "Don’t worry, Ayush," she whispered. "I won’t let anything happen to you. Not on my watch. And if this is my mess, I’ll clean it up. I won’t let your reputation be ruined because of me."

Her voice cracked with emotion, but she wiped it away, replacing it with a determined resolve. "Don’t worry, my love. I won’t let anything happen to you."

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