•SAANVI'S POV•

"Saanvi, wait!"

I turned, hearing Maa's voice behind me. She was hurrying toward me with a small bowl in her hand.

"What's this?" I asked, frowning slightly.

"Dahi-shakkar," she said, breathless from her short sprint. "You know, whenever someone starts something new, it's tradition to eat this, for good luck."

She held out a spoonful of yogurt mixed with sugar, the classic symbol of shubh-aarambh, a new beginning.

I blinked. For a second, I was back in time. Mumma used to do this. Every first day of school, every exam, every big moment, she would feed me dahi-shakkar with her own hands. But after she was gone, that small ritual disappeared too.

I stared at Maa for a bit longer. Her presence, steady and warm. And just like that, I realized, she wasn't trying to replace anyone. She was just being what she is.

A mother.

I swallowed the lump in my throat, smiled faintly, and bent forward, letting her feed me. The cool sweetness coated my tongue, and my heart ached in a strangely comforting way.

"Take Bappa's blessings too before you go in," she added gently. "Everyone does that before starting a new chapter, he's vighnaharta, the remover of obstacles."

My smile faltered as my eyes drifted to the side, towards the idol of Ganpati Bappa placed on the shelf, adorned with fresh marigolds and a flickering diya. The sight of him used to bring me peace. Of all the gods I had distanced myself from, he was the one I resented most. Not because he failed me more than the others, but because I once believed in him the most. I prayed, I surrendered, I trusted, and yet, he watched it all fall apart.

I looked away immediately.

"I won't," I said flatly. "Never again."

She didn't push. Just sighed softly, nodding with understanding.

Just then, Papa's voice boomed from outside. "Chalein? We're getting late!"

"Coming!" I called back, before glancing at Maa. She smiled and we both walked out.

-----------------

The car ride was quiet.

I leaned my head slightly out the window, letting the morning air kiss my face. The breeze was fresh, almost theatrical, and for a fleeting second I smiled to myself.

Today, I return. To the hospital. To my life.

And Papa and Maa were right. I couldn't stay buried in silence because of people who didn't matte-

"Saanvi! Get your head inside the car! What if a car or pole hits you?"

I groaned, annoyed. This old man really knew how to ruin a filmy moment.

I slumped back into my seat, glaring at him through the rearview mirror. Maa sat beside him, trying not to laugh.

"What?" he frowned, catching my eyes in the mirror.

"Typical father," I mumbled under my breath.

Soon the car stopped.

I took in a sharp breath and stepped out, adjusting my coat. Maa and Papa joined me, looking around.

"Thank you, Maa," I said sincerely, then turned to Papa with a small smile. "Thank you, OG."

They looked at each other and chuckled.

Before I could process it, Papa snatched my handbag and Maa slipped her arm into mine.

"Let's go," she said casually, pulling me forward.

I blinked. "Wait, no, it's fine. You already came this far, I can go to my cabin alone. I'm not a child." I chuckled awkwardly, trying to take my bag back.

"Par hamare liye toh ho,(But for us, you are)" Papa said, walking beside me and placing a hand over my head. His palm was rough but gentle. "Our little girl."

I paused for a second and looked at both of them. A quiet warmth settled in my chest. My lips curved into a smile.

I found parents again.

Outside my cabin, I stared at the nameplate.

Dr. Saanvi Singhania. I touched it softly.

I pushed the door open and stepped inside. Maa and Papa followed behind me.

But before I could take in the surroundings properly, someone nearly tackled me into a hug.

"Saanvi Ma'am!"

That voice. I exhaled with recognition.

"Naina." I smiled, hugging her back.

She didn't let go for a moment. When she finally pulled back, her eyes were glassy with tears.

"I missed you so much," she whispered,

I raised an eyebrow, surprised. "You missed me? I mean, all I did was scold you, barely spoke unless it was about work-"

"How can you say that?" she cut me off. "Even then, you never let anyone scold me. You always had my back even if you didn't show it. I missed you, genuinely."

Her voice cracked. I blinked, stunned, then bit my lip and glanced at Maa and Papa. They were watching us with quiet smiles.

"Okay... I'm sorry, Naina. I shouldn't have-"

"Apko cardiac arrest ke saath dimag mein bhi stroke aya tha kya? (Did you have a stroke in your brain along with a cardiac arrest?)"

"What?" I frowned.

"I mean, look at you! You're apologising! Are you okay?" she asked wiping her eyes with a sniffle.

I rolled my eyes as Maa and Papa chuckled.

But something struck me. I turned to them. "Wait, how does she know I had a cardiac arrest?"

Papa straightened. "Because we told her. Naina's the only one me and Adrika trust, with your wellbeing."

"And she promised she'll keep an eye on you," Maa added. "No overworking. No skipping meals."

I sighed.

"And yes, the most important rule," Papa reminded.

"I know," I said tiredly. "To send you a daily video of me eating all my medicines."

He nodded like a proud army general.

"Don't worry, Mr. and Mrs. Singhania. I'll keep Saanvi Ma'am in check-" She caught my glare and quickly backtracked. "I mean... I'll remind her. Gently. Ha-ha." She laughed awkwardly, clapping her hands.

Maa chuckled and stepped forward to hug me, pressing a kiss to my forehead.

"We'll leave now. Take care, Saanvi."

They turned to go.

I stood still, watching them walk away.

Then, on impulse, I ran after them.

"Maa! Papa!"

They turned back, concerned.

I reached them and wrapped my arms around both. Tight.

"Thank you. Thank you so much for trusting me. I promise... I'll make you proud."

They froze for a second, then relaxed, wrapping their arms around me too.

"Be happy, Saanvi. That's all we want," Papa said softly. "And trust me, we already are proud parents."

I stepped back, smiling through misty eyes. "Bye, Maa. Bye, Papa."

"Bye beta," they said together, smiling.

I turned and walked back into my cabin, my heart a little fuller than before.

•AUTHOR'S POV•

"Adrika, you go wait in the car. I'll be back in a few minutes," Abhiraj said calmly, and turned away.

"Abhi."

He stopped at the sound of her voice and turned back. Adrika walked up to him.

"You're going to meet Pranay?"

He hesitated briefly before nodding.

She smiled and smoothed the collar of his coat, fingers brushing slow over the fabric. Her voice dropped low near his jaw.

"Then don't walk in there as Abhiraj Singhania... walk in as Blaze Volkaris."

Abhiraj's lips curved faintly. His hand rose to her cheek.

"As my wife demands."

Adrika nodded once and stepped back, her heels clicking softly as she walked toward the car.

The moment she turned, the warmth drained from his face. Jaw tightening, he slid off his watch, adjusted his cuffs, rolled his neck once, and exhaled.

Showtime.

He didn't wait to be called in. He knocked once and pushed open the door to Pranay's office like he owned the air in the room.

Pranay stood as he saw him, a frown settling across his face.

"Mr. Singhania, you-"

"Cut the crap." Abhiraj threw himself into the chair with an arrogant sprawl, one ankle over the other knee, fingers tapping the armrest. "I've got my wife waiting outside for a piece of shit like you so shut up and let me be quick,"

"Watch your tone," Pranay snapped.

"Tone? You don't get to lecture me on tone when you're two insults away from being shoved into an ICU bed. Listen closely, Pranay." He leaned forward, elbows on his knees.

"Saanvi joined this hospital today. One word from you, if she so much as blinks with a tear, Pranay, you'll be erased. Not fired. Not blacklisted. Erased. Like you never fucking existed."

Pranay raised a brow, folding his arms.

"Mr. Singhania, Saanvi hasn't reported for duty for almost two months. She lived under your roof and made no effort to notify us. This is a hospital, not your personal estate. There are protocols. As the manager, I'm terminating her employment. She didn't submit any prior notice."

Abhiraj bit down on his inner cheek, his gaze unwavering.

"You're forgetting something crucial."

He stood up slowly, adjusting the cuffs of his shirt. "Who the fuck do you think owns this hospital?"

"Rudra is the CEO. Not you. So don't throw empty threats."

"And where is your CEO, Pranay?" Abhiraj asked coolly.

That shut Pranay up.

Abhiraj drummed his fingers on the table, his chair tilting slightly as he studied him. "Leave this hospital. Your so-called CEO is too busy licking his wounds to mind his own fucking business."

"Still, Saanvi was absent without notice-"

"Actually, she wasn't."

"She didn't file a notice,"

"She did."

"I never received one."

"I sent it to her behalf. I drafted the leave letter, approved it. On Singhania Elite's board stationery. Signed. Sealed. Because I'm Chairman of the Board,"

He tilted his head, lips curling. "You wanna cry about the process now?"

Pranay's lips parted, lost for words. He snapped, "You're abusing your position-"

"And who's going to stop me? You?" he scoffed. "I'm using my position. Big difference. I earned the power to break rules and you wanna play the rules card with me, Pranay?" He chuckled, low and mocking. "Buddy, I don't follow rules. I buy the people who write them."

Pranay's fists clenched beneath the desk.

"You heard the rumors, haven't you? About the people who vanish? The men who thought they could bark at me, and ended up buried so deep even their sins couldn't find them?"

Abhiraj leaned close.

"I don't make threats, Pranay. I make promises. And I promise you this, if even one drop of Saanvi's tears falls because of you, I won't just destroy you. I'll unmake you. Reputation, career, home, bloodline, I'll set fire to every inch of your legacy and pour gasoline with a fucking smile."

He stepped closer and grabbed Pranay's tie, fixed it, patted his chest.

"Now fix your face, doctor. And stay the fuck out of my daughter's orbit."

Abhiraj turned on his heel, blazer flaring as he walked out.

At the door, without looking back, he called.

"One more thing." He looked over his shoulder. "Tell your daughter, Navya, to stay in her lane. Don't cross paths with Saanvi."

"So now you're threatening my daughter too?"

Abhiraj turned his head slowly, a cold smirk playing on his lips.

"Not a threat. Just a courtesy warning. Because Saanvi isn't the same obedient woman you Malhotras controlled under the facade of family, she's not the girl you once scolded in hallways or humiliated in meetings. She's the daughter of Abhiraj Singhania now. And in these two months, I've made sure she unlearned every ounce of silence you shoved down her throat. I trained her to return every wound tenfold. To burn anyone who forgets their place, I raised her to scorch, not survive." he paused.

"So, if Navya dares to open her filthy mouth again or pulls one of her cheap tricks, Saanvi won't walk away this time. She'll burn every last ounce of her dignity to the ground."

With that, he straightened, adjusted his blazer with a deadly calm, and gave Pranay one last chilling smile.

He walked out without another word leaving behind a stunned silence.

✿✿✿✿✿

"Abhimaan!"

The name cracked through the airport like a gunshot. Abhimaan, seated in the lounge with one ankle resting neatly over his knee and his eyes glued to his phone, slowly looked up. He didn't have to look up to know who it was..

Only one man in the world could announce his name like a goddamn movie trailer.

"For fuck's sake, Kabir..." he shut his eyes as though doing so might erase the man charging toward him.

Kabir strutted in with all the subtlety of a thunderstorm, his trolley bag rolling smoothly behind him, dark sunglasses shielding eyes. Dressed in a black with the sleeves casually rolled, just enough to flaunt tanned, veined forearms collar slightly open, his presence alone turned heads. He stopped right in front of Abhimaan, pulling off his sunglasses and letting them hang from his collar.

"Bhai," he said with mock emotion, eyes twinkling, "don't be shy. I know you missed me. The airport's dull until I walk in." Then, without warning, he yanked Abhimaan into a tight hug.

Abhimaan barely moved. Just a resigned sigh and a deadpan pat on Kabir's back. "You always have to make an entrance, don't you?"

Abhimaan stepped back, adjusting his coat over one arm, the handle of his own sleek trolley bag in the other.

"Why the hell did your flight take this long? I landed an hour ago."

Kabir scoffed, flipping his sunglasses back on. "For fuck's sake, Abhimaan, this isn't a goddamn Formula Drift. Why do you always have to race the clock?"

Abhimaan ignored the jab and started walking. "Let's go. Avyaan's called."

Kabir's smile faltered. He stopped.

"He's still clinging to Rudra?"

Abhimaan halted for a second, "Kabir, I know you and Avyaan have your issues. But it's about Rudra."

"I'm here for Rudra. Full stop. If it weren't for him, I wouldn't waste oxygen standing on the same ground as Rosso. I don't forget people who forget their loyalties. I just file them under irrelevant."

He grabbed the handle of his trolley bag, rolling it smoothly beside him as he walked with Abhimaan. Their silhouettes, one exuding lethal calm, the other a walking storm of explosive charm.

✿✿✿✿✿

"It's true. She cheated."

Avyaan, leaning casually against the couch, dropped the bomb with unnerving calm.

Kabir, lounging with one leg thrown over the armrest and a coffee mug in hand, laughed dryly. His gaze flicked to Rudra, who stood silently near the window, face turned away.

"Isiliye yeh murda face leke khada hai. (That's why he's standing here with a dead face)" Kabir muttered, setting his coffee down and resting his boots on the table.

"Kabir, be serious!" Abhimaan snapped, losing his patience.

"I would've, Abhimaan if your precious Mr. Strategist here said something that wasn't pulled from his outdated patriarchy manual." He sipped again, unbothered.

Avyaan's jaw clenched. "She cheated, Kabir. There are photos. With Saarth Taneja. From the party we all attended."

Kabir scoffed, finally sitting up straight, his smirk fading. "Of course you'd believe that. You're the kind of man who thinks women breathe just to betray. I'd believe Alfred over you."

Avyaan stared blankly.

Abhimaan stood and crossed to Rudra, placing a hand on his shoulder. "Rudra... Are you okay?"

Rudra's throat worked, but his voice didn't come. A tear slipped down his cheek,

Kabir's brows drew together. He stood. "Rudra." His tone lost its teasing edge. "Don't tell me you actually believe this garbage. That doctor, sure, she's blunt as hell, but I've seen the way she looks at you. That kind of loyalty doesn't fake itself."

"The photos. They're verified by your firm," Avyaan cut in, calm but cold. "Not morphed."

Kabir turned sharply. "And no one thought to fucking tell me?"

"You were busy. Personal affairs," Avyaan shrugged.

Kabir dragged a sharp breath in, then walked to Rudra. "I get it, Rudra. What happened nine years ago, that day shattered you in a way most people wouldn't survive. You were betrayed, humiliated, you had every right to shut the world out after that. And now, this? It probably feels like déjà vu, like you're standing at the edge of the same cliff again because it is actually the same set up. So yeah, I understand if your mind is running wild with second thoughts. But let's be honest, this time, it's not the same. I saw that doctor at the party. She looked at you like you were her beginning and end. Don't tell me you threw all that away over a couple of photos and Avyaan's misogynist assumptions."

Rudra didn't respond.

Kabir's tone turned sharper. "Rudra. Don't tell me you believed this bullshit without even blinking."

"Kabir, enough." Abhimaan intervened, raising a hand.

"We don't know the full story. Let's not jump to conclusions, about Saanvi or Rudra. Let the truth come out first."

Kabir exhaled through his nose and rubbed his face, glancing between the three.

"I want to talk to him. Alone."

Abhimaan and Avyaan exchanged a look before quietly exiting.

Once they were gone, Kabir stepped closer and pulled Rudra into a quick, firm hug more grounding than comforting. He pulled back immediately.

"You should've called me. Don't shut me out when you're in this deep. I don't care what that control freak planted in your head, you don't let men like him define your truth, I don't think she cheat-"

Rudra stayed silent. Then walked over to a cupboard, pulled out two envelopes, and handed them over without a word.

Kabir raised an eyebrow, took them, and sat down without a word, eyeing the envelope Rudra handed him.

He opened the first one.

A photo of Saanvi and Saarth at the party. Standing close. Not obscene but intimate enough to raise questions.

Kabir frowned, squinting at the image. "Okay, but this? This could be a misread. A bad angle. This doesn't scream cheating it screams people caught mid-laughter. You seriously bought this as proof?"

"Open the second one."

Kabir did.

And froze.

His eyes locked on the photograph, a closer shot, this one unmistakably intimate. His fingers curled around the edge of the photo.

He looked up at Rudra, who couldn't meet his eyes.

"Did you get this one checked too?"

Rudra shook his head. "No. The first one wasn't fake. Why would this one be-" His eyes scanned the party photo of Saanvi and Saarth.

Kabir slapped the table, standing so fast the chair scraped back violently.

"Abe tu chutiya hai kya, bhai? (Are you an idiot, bro?)" Kabir snapped, eyes wide with disbelief as he took a sharp step forward. "Tu ne yeh photo verify nahi karwayi? (You didn't even verify this photo?) What the fuck, Rudra? Ek photo asli nikli toh tu ne socha doosri bhi Bhagwan ki kasam kha ke aayi hogi? (One photo's real, so you thought the other's guaranteed too?)" He scoffed, stepping back with a dry laugh. "Kya hi bewakoofi ka gold medal jeet ke baitha hai tu. (What a fool you are, sitting here with a gold medal in stupidity)"

He exhaled sharply, looked away, pinched the bridge of his nose, "What the hell happened to you, huh? You always used to be sharp, now it's like your brain took a vacation and forgot to tell you."

He laughed bitterly. "Forget what I said earlier. I take it all back. The hug, the sympathy, everything. Whoever planned this knew exactly how to fuck with you. And you you let them win without even asking why."

He snatched the envelopes off the table and slid them into his pocket. "Pata nahi kahan kahan se khali-khopdi wale dost milte hain mujhe, pehle vo Avyaan, aur ab tu. (I don't know where I keep finding empty-headed friends, first it was Avyaan, and now it's you)

Kabir stepped close, dropping his voice.

"I'm going to get these checked myself. And Rudra?" He leaned in, gaze piercing. "I have a gut feeling I'll be back with the truth, and when I am, it'll be to tell you that you royally fucked up."

He moved to the door and paused at the doorframe, looking at Rudra one last time.

"And God help you, Rudra... if you crossed a line that she'll never forgive."

Then he walked out, leaving behind the quiet echo of everything Rudra wasn't ready to face.

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