⋆ ˚｡⋆୨୧˚𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟓𝟓˚୨୧⋆｡˚ ⋆
Divya wiped her tears with the back of her trembling hand, but her hatred still burned.
"Why should I believe you now?"
Her voice was sharp, almost desperate.
Vidyut's eyes narrowed like blades.
"Oh... but you believed Atharv so easily?"
His tone sliced through the air.
Divya looked away, chest heaving.
"He gave me proof..." she whispered.
Vidyut leaned closer — voice deep, low, terrifying.
"And what about the proofs I gave you?"
"The CCTV footage?"
"The police reports?"
"The statement clearing me?"
"Your sister's own initial testimony where she said she never saw the attacker's face?"
He didn't shout — that calmness was far deadlier.
Divya's lips trembled, but she still fired back—
"You are powerful enough to erase anything! To change any document! To make anyone lie!"
Vidyut slammed his hand on the table — the sound echoed like a gunshot.
"If I could control the world the way you imagine, Divya..."
He leaned forward, his voice dark as a storm—
"...then why didn't I erase Atharv all these years?"
Divya blinked, stunned.
She had no answer.
Vidyut pressed harder, not giving her a second to breathe.
"You trusted that snake because he fed your pain."
"He used Siya's suffering to twist your mind."
His tone grew colder... deadlier.
"You chose to believe the one who hides behind lies..."
"...and ignored the one who stood in front of you with the truth."
Divya's composure cracked — her voice broke into a scream—
"I HAD NO ONE ELSE TO TRUST!"
Vidyut didn't flinch.
"There are three people in this story, Divya."
"You."
"Me."
"And the man who actually destroyed Siya."
He stared straight into her shaken eyes.
"And you've been fighting the wrong monster."
Divya froze.
Her breath caught in her throat.
For the first time — doubt entered her eyes.
Divya thrashed weakly against the ropes biting into her wrists, tears flooding her face.
"I know you are innocent..."
Her voice cracked with anguish.
Vidyut stiffened. Hridhaan's breath hitched. Neither moved.
Divya sobbed harder, choking on every word.
"I knew the reports were true... I knew you did not touch Siya..."
"I am not blind, Vidyut... I am not stupid..."
Her entire body trembled as she looked up, hatred collapsing into raw fear.
"But Atharv..."
"He... he has Siya."
Vidyut's jaw snapped tight.
Divya's confession came out like a scream.
"He threatened me. He said if I don't destroy you... he will hurt her even more."
"You have no idea what he does to her when the hospital is empty..."
"He told me that if Siya ever speaks the truth... she will die."
Vidyut stepped closer, voice dangerously low.
"So... you ruined my life?"
"My wife's life?"
"To protect your sister from the real monster?"
Divya gasped, sobbing into her cuffs.
"What else could I do?"
"He sent me videos... proofs..."
"Siya screaming... begging... scared out of her mind..."
"And she kept taking your name."
"Because Atharv made sure she believes it was you."
Silence exploded around them — thick, suffocating.
Hridhaan leaned back, both horrified and furious.
Vidyut spoke, each word sharp enough to cut.
"So you broke my home... my wife... my life...
for the man who actually destroyed Siya?"
Divya whimpered.
"I was helpless... he said one mistake from my side and Siya won't survive the next night..."
Vidyut's eyes darkened — a storm rising.
"Atharv wants both of us destroyed."
"He used you. And you let him."
Divya screamed through tears.
"Yes... I let him... because I only had one person to protect."
"And I chose my sister."
Her voice cracked... defeated.
Vidyut leaned closer, eyes blazing with a fury that could burn a city to ashes.
"I could kill you right now..."
His voice was low, steady — terrifying.
Divya froze, breath caught in her throat.
"You hurt my wife. You pushed her into a coma."
"The only thing stopping me... is Siya."
Divya's tears fell harder, her body shaking.
"So now you will tell me every single detail."
"Every message. Every instruction."
"Everything Atharv made you do."
Divya nodded rapidly, terrified.
"Please... don't tell him I told you... please..."
"He will destroy Siya. He will do something worse to her."
Vidyut slammed his palms onto the table, roaring—
"TELL ME!"
Divya flinched violently.
"He... he told me to target Ritvika because he knew you care for her."
"He wanted to destroy you through her."
Vidyut's jaw clenched so tightly it looked painful.
"He knew about her medical condition."
"He told me alcohol would collapse her heart... I–I was desperate... I–I thought maybe... maybe she would just faint and you would suffer but..."
A sob ripped through her as she squeezed her eyes shut.
"And now... she survived."
Her voice trembled into pure terror.
"That made him furious."
Vidyut stepped back, horror flickering in his eyes.
"What does he want now?"
Divya swallowed hard... breath ragged.
The room went silent.
Breathless.
Deadly.
Vidyut moved slowly... like a predator ready to commit murder.
He didn't raise his voice.
He didn't need to.
"If Atharv touches my daughter..."
"Even God won't be able to save him."
Hridhaan already had his phone out, calling security — eyes wide, voice shaking.
Divya sobbed harder, collapsing against the ropes.
"He will come soon... he watches your house..."
"He knows every move... every second..."
Vidyut turned away — urgency and wrath colliding in his veins.
He didn't look back when he spoke again.
"Guard her. I am going home."
Hridhaan nodded without question.
Vidyut's final words cut through the room like a death sentence.
"Atharv began this war."
"I will end it."
Back at the house...
The storm was brewing — yet everything looked painfully normal.
Ritvika sat at the dining table, Tara in her lap, feeding her tiny bites of strawberries.
Across from them, Roohi hurried around the kitchen, stirring something on the stove with restless hands.
Ritvika tried to get up to help, but Roohi immediately blocked her path with a glare.
"Nope. Sit. Doctor has strictly said you are not using your superwoman powers for a week."
Ritvika sighed dramatically and sat back, muttering under her breath,
"You're being just like Vidyut..."
Roohi paused.
Head snapping.
Eyes wide.
"Excuse me?" she asked, shocked.
A faint smile tugged Ritvika's lips but she said nothing more.
Before Roohi could argue, her phone buzzed — vibrating against the dining table.
Ritvika glanced down at the screen casually...
...and froze.
Her breath hitched — only for a second — before she masked it effortlessly.
Roohi noticed.
She rushed forward and snatched the phone, glancing at the caller name.
Her heart sank.
She looked at Ritvika again — but the woman's face remained unreadably calm, eyes fixed on Tara... forcing tiny crumbs into her little hands.
Roohi swallowed hard and answered.
"Hello?"
Vidyut's voice hit immediately — sharp, clipped, urgent.
"You are there, right?"
No greeting.
No breath wasted.
Roohi's spine straightened.
Something was wrong.
"Yes... we're here. But what happened?"
Her voice lowered, cautious — discreet — making sure Ritvika didn't catch on.
There was a beat of silence.
Then a low, controlled hum.
And he cut the call.
Just like that.
Roohi stared at the phone, stunned.
What the hell was that?
She looked at Ritvika again — who was still feeding Tara, pretending not to care, but her fingers...
...they were trembling.
"Everything okay?" Ritvika asked, not looking up.
Roohi forced a tiny, nervous smile.
"Yes. Everything is... perfect."
But inside her mind...
?? Something was coming.
Something dangerous.
And Roohi suddenly felt the air around them... shift.
As if someone was already watching them.
The clinking of cutlery was the only sound in the room. Roohi had made pasta and poha. Ritvika coaxed Tara to take tiny bites, wiping her mouth lovingly.
The front door opened sharply.
Vidyut stepped inside with a pace that was almost too fast. His eyes scanned the room instantly—first Tara, then Ritvika. His shoulders only eased a fraction when he saw them sitting safely together.
He didn't greet. Didn't smile.
Just walked straight to Tara and rested a steadying hand on her back as if confirming she was real.
Roohi stiffened. Something was off.
Vidyut finally spoke, voice low.
"Are you both done eating?"
Ritvika blinked. "Almost. Why...?"
He didn't answer her. He only looked once at Roohi — a silent command. A clear signal.
Roohi understood immediately.
"I should get going," she said, wiping her hands hurriedly. "I have some urgent work."
Ritvika frowned. "You don't have to leave. Stay and eat properly—"
"No, really. I have to."
Roohi forced a smile and avoided Vidyut's eyes.
"I'll call you later."
Before Ritvika could question anything more, Roohi grabbed her bag and left.
The door hadn't even fully shut when Vidyut scooped Tara from her chair, holding her close against his chest. His hand was firm, almost too protective.
Ritvika pushed her chair back slowly, watching him.
"Vidyut... what's going on?"
He didn't look at her.
"Come with me."
His voice was controlled, but his grip on Tara revealed the fear he wasn't willing to speak aloud.
He led them upstairs—each step urgent—keeping Tara pressed close, as if the world had suddenly become dangerous and only his arms were safe enough.
Ritvika followed, confused but silently alert.
Whatever had changed inside him... it wasn't small.
Vidyut guided them both to the bed — first placing Tara safely in the middle, then helping Ritvika settle beside her as if he needed them within arm's reach at all times. His movements were tense, hurried, protective.
"Do you want to eat something?"
The question slipped out harsh, breath uneven.
Ritvika looked at him, confused.
"We just ate..."
The realization hit him like a jolt. His mouth parted slightly, and he looked away in embarrassment, rubbing his forehead. He couldn't even keep track anymore.
Right. Lunch.
He had forgotten... again.
He sat on the edge of the bed, palms braced against his knees. His breathing was heavy — not angry this time — just exhausted. Truly exhausted.
His eyes, when they lifted briefly, were bloodshot.
He hadn't slept properly.
He hadn't eaten since yesterday morning.
He'd been running... fighting... protecting... paying for his mistakes.
And yet, not a single moment spent on himself.
Tara patted his shoulder with her tiny hand, noticing his silence. Vidyut exhaled shakily and immediately held her fingers, kissing them as if grounding himself.
Ritvika's stare softened.
She noticed the tremor in his hand.
The way his shoulders drooped.
The way he was falling apart quietly... but still standing for them.
"You're tired," she whispered.
"No."
He denied instantly — because tiredness was a luxury he didn't allow himself.
He looked at them again — equal parts fear and desperation swirling in his eyes.
"I just need you both here," he said softly, voice barely above a murmur. "With me."
As if keeping them close would keep the danger away.
As if his presence alone could shield them from the world.
Ritvika didn't push. She simply nodded and adjusted Tara into his lap.
And for the first time in hours —
Vidyut allowed himself to breathe.
Ritvika watched him silently.
The tension in his shoulders.
The way he kept glancing at the door — as if danger could walk in any second.
"You need to rest," she said quietly.
"I'm fine," Vidyut muttered, eyes fixed on Tara. His voice was low, stubborn like always.
"No, you aren't."
He finally looked at her — and she held his gaze with a calm firmness he couldn't argue against.
Before he could protest again, she gently guided him back.
"Tara will sleep better if you rest too," she whispered.
That one line broke his resistance.
Vidyut lay down slowly, keeping Tara securely on his chest. One hand automatically cupped the back of her tiny body, protective even in weakness. Ritvika adjusted the pillow and leaned back against the headboard, creating space.
He hesitated for half a second... then rested his head in her lap.
Like it was the most natural place in the world.
Her fingers slipped into his hair — soft, soothing, unspoken care in every movement. His eyes fluttered closed almost immediately, exhaustion pulling at him.
But his mind... still awake, still afraid.
He tightened his hold on Tara — just a little.
As if someone might snatch her away.
Ritvika felt it — every flicker of fear, every silent battle inside him.
Her hand continued to move through his hair.
Slow, calming strokes.
Warmth replacing terror — bit by bit.
Tara's tiny palm rested against his jaw, her breathing soft and even.
Two heartbeats... one desperate.
One innocent.
Eventually, Vidyut's grip loosened.
Sleep finally claimed him — tangled with his little girl in his arms, head resting against the woman he was terrified to lose.
Ritvika looked down at them — her world lying there... broken, tired, but still fighting.
She sighed, brushing her thumb gently over his temple.
"I'm here," she whispered, almost to herself.
Both of them drifted into a deep, exhausted sleep.
Ritvika carefully slid her hand beneath Vidyut's head, lifting just enough to place the pillow there without waking him. Tara shifted a little, tiny brows scrunched — but the moment Ritvika adjusted her onto Vidyut's left arm, the little girl curled in closer.
Her tiny fingers clutched the fabric of his shirt...
as if even in sleep she knew who kept her safe.
Ritvika paused.
Just watching them for a moment.
A quiet breath. A tired but soft look in her eyes.
She pulled the quilt up — tucking it around both of them gently.
One last glance.
Then, holding the railing for support, she slowly made her way downstairs and into the kitchen.
Why?
Because he hadn't eaten since yesterday morning.
Because despite everything... he always put her and Tara first.
Because someone needed to take care of him too.
She reached for the stove knob when one of the maids spotted her.
"Mam? What are you doing? Do you need anything?"
Her voice carried uncertainty — they all knew the rule.
Strict instructions from Vidyut: Ritvika was not allowed to work. Not even lift a spoon.
Ritvika shook her head. "It's fine, I'll manage."
"Ma'am... sir told—"
"I said I'll do it."
Her tone wasn't harsh... just final.
The maid backed away, uneasy but obedient.
Ritvika dismissed her with a small nod, then turned on the gas.
She placed a few potatoes into the microwave to boil and started kneading the dough — her fingers pressing, rolling, shaping.
Aaloo paratha.
Warm. Comforting. His favorite.
She wiped a stray tear from her cheek before it fell — maybe from the kitchen heat, maybe from everything else.
The silence felt heavy... but determined.
She was cooking for him.
Because somewhere deep down...
she cared.
And that truth scared her more than anything.
Vidyut's eyes snapped open.
Cold.
Empty.
His arm, the one that always shielded Tara, was still holding her close — but the space beside him...
Ritvika wasn't there.
His heartbeat spiked so violently that for a second he couldn't breathe. He sat up at once, eyes darting around the room like a man possessed.
She was gone.
Again.
His mind instantly jumped to the worst — Atharv's threats, Divya's confessions, that fear of losing her forever. His chest tightened painfully.
He placed Tara gently on the pillow and stood.
His feet didn't feel steady... his hands shook.
He rushed out of the room.
Down the hall.
To the living room.
Then the study.
Guest rooms.
Every corner.
No sign of her.
His panic amplified. He could hear his own breath — uneven, desperate — echoing in his ears. For the first time in years, Vidyut Rajvansh looked terrified.
He stormed down the stairs and—
There.
Kitchen lights on.
Ritvika stood with her back to him, rolling dough... quietly humming under her breath.
He didn't think. He didn't speak.
He just moved.
In a few long strides, he reached her and grabbed her, arms circling her waist. He hugged her so tightly that Ritvika gasped — the rolling pin slipping from her fingers and clattering on the counter.
Her breath hitched.
His face buried into her shoulder, his grip desperate — like he had nearly lost her forever.
"I... I thought..."
His words stumbled, voice raw and choked.
He tried again, but fear tangled every syllable.
"I thought something happened to you."
Ritvika froze.
She could feel his heart—
pounding hard and fast against her back.
He didn't let go.
Not even when his breathing turned shaky.
Ritvika's hands hovered in the air for a long moment... unsure, conflicted.
Then slowly... cautiously...
she placed them over his.
A silent assurance.
"I'm right here," she whispered—soft but steady.
Vidyut didn't loosen his hold.
If anything...
he held her closer.
As if letting her go, even for a second, would break him completely.
Only when his heartbeat began to slow did Vidyut truly notice where they were.
The kitchen.
Her hands covered in flour.
A half rolled dough on the counter.
His shock turned into anger so quickly that Ritvika flinched.
"What are you doing here" His voice was sharp and low. "Why are you working when I specifically told you not to"
Ritvika tried to speak but he continued before she could.
"Do you ever listen to me" The hurt in his voice was louder than the anger. "Does it even matter to you what I say"
Her lips parted in confusion as she turned toward him fully. He looked exhausted. Pale. His eyes were filled with a kind of pain she had never seen in him.
"I asked you for one thing" He stepped back just enough to look into her eyes. "One thing. Just take care of yourself. But you still come here and overwork when you should be resting"
Ritvika lowered her gaze, guilt flooding her chest.
"I am just trying to make something for you" she whispered.
"It is not about food" Vidyut's voice cracked. "It feels like you do not care what happens to you. And that hurts more than anything else"
Her throat tightened. She had no defense. No explanation strong enough to erase that look in his eyes.
"I am sorry" she said quietly. "I did not mean to make you feel like that"
He looked away. Jaw tensed. He was too full of fear to accept her apology so easily.
Ritvika swallowed and tried again.
She gently poked his arm.
And? his anger softened a little.
She poked again, this time with a tiny pout.
A silent plea.
Vidyut sighed. The edge in his eyes started to fade.
She leaned forward and very lightly bumped her forehead against his shoulder.
The tiniest act of affection he had never expected her to give willingly.
His chest ached at how fragile yet brave she looked all at once.
He opened his mouth to speak.
He froze immediately.
He tried to correct himself.
"I mean Ritvika I am sorry I did not mean to"
She looked up at him with wide surprised eyes and her voice trembled in the softest way.
Everything in him stilled.
The shock.
The relief.
The happiness.
It hit him all at once.
His hand lifted and he cupped her face gently. He could not hold back anymore. He pulled her into a tight embrace.
This time it was not fear holding her.
It was something warm.
Something healing.
Something hopeful.
And Ritvika did not pull away.
Not even for a second.
Vidyut guided her to sit on the dining chair. He remained crouched in front of her, still holding her hands as if afraid she might disappear again.
"I am not finished scolding you," he said, his voice strained by worry. "Why are you being careless with yourself"
Ritvika lowered her eyes. She had no excuses left.
"You were in a coma for five months," his tone tightened. "You wake up after all that and the first thing you want to do is work in the kitchen"
He shook his head like he could not understand her.
"You took so much stress yesterday. And now this"
His voice dipped into a whisper.
"You have no idea how these five months were for me"
Her chest tightened, because she could see it now. Everything he had buried.
"You have no idea," he repeated, "how it felt every time Tara looked at you and asked when her mother would wake up. Every night she would stand near the bed and beg you to open your eyes. She would ask why her mother sleeps so long when everyone else's mother wakes up in the morning."
A tear fell from his cheek before he could wipe it away.
"She missed her birthday and you missed yours too," he said, swallowing hard. "She thought maybe on that day you would wake up. She asked me if her mother would come out of the room to hug her. But I did not have an answer."
Ritvika blinked rapidly as her own tears spilled over.
"We celebrated a small birthday for her. Just her friends and their mothers. And you know what she asked one of the women" His voice cracked. "She asked why that woman was not sleeping like her mother. Why her mother never wakes up."
He took in a shaky breath like the memory still suffocated him.
"When the doctor told me your heart was too weak to pump enough blood to your brain... that your body might stay like this for months or for years... I cannot explain how that felt."
His voice broke completely.
Ritvika reached out immediately, wrapping her trembling hands over his, squeezing tight as if to hold his pain still.
"I am sorry," she whispered, voice barely forming. "I am so sorry."
He closed his eyes at her touch as if her apology was the first warmth he had felt in months.
"It was not just fear," he said quietly. "It was every day waking up praying that today you would open your eyes. Every day seeing Tara lose a little hope. I cannot go through that again. I cannot lose you again."
He finally met her gaze.
"So yes. I will scold you if you overwork. I will panic if I do not see you beside me. Because you matter. Because you are here. And because I am terrified that if I blink you will be gone."
Ritvika's tears dropped freely as she nodded and leaned forward, pressing her forehead gently to his.
"I hear you," she whispered. "I will listen. I promise."
Vidyut wiped his face quickly, pretending he wasn't emotional just seconds ago. Then he stood up with a controlled breath.
"Tara is alone in the room. Let me bring her here," he said, tone switching into firm authority again. "And do not move your feet from this spot. I mean it."
Ritvika nodded instantly, almost like an obedient child waiting for permission to breathe.
Only when he turned away did her lips curve into a faint smile... a soft, unintentional warmth spreading inside her chest.
She watched his retreating figure as he strode upstairs with a purpose only he understood. The house felt differently alive when he was in motion — like every wall acknowledged his presence.
Why does everything suddenly feel lighter
Why do I feel like... this is how life should be
Him walking into every room and making sure I exist
Making sure I am okay
Why does my heart feel safe when he scolds me
Why do his broken eyes punch a hole in my chest
Why do I feel pain when he talks about those nights
About those months
About Tara asking for me
Why did it hurt when a single tear rolled down his face
Why am I relieved that he came running to find me
That he hugged me like I was breath itself
Why do I feel like I am... home
I should not be feeling this
I should not be thinking this
He is Vidyut Rajvansh
We are not supposed to be like this
We are supposed to be... something else
Something distant
Something forced
But right now
It does not feel forced
It feels right
And that is what scares me the most
But nevertheless I want this life. I want it with every tiny beat left in my heart.
I want someone to care for me. I want someone who gets scared to lose me.
What if I am wanting too much? No no it is not too much.
I just want to lead a happy life now. A very happy one.
A life where I do not panic at every breath.
A life where someone stays. A life where I am not a burden.
I do not know why thinking about the moment when Vidyut confessed he loved me makes my heart warm. It should not. It should never. Yet here I am... smiling like a foolish little girl just because he cares.
But the one question that keeps spinning in my head again and again... he said he loved me for many years. From before. From my first marriage.
How?
How did he know me back then? How did he see me? Why me? What did he see in a girl who was invisible in her own home?
Everything is confusing but my heart keeps whispering his name like it has been doing this for so long.
Maybe this is what life is supposed to feel like.
Maybe this is what love feels like.
I saw Vidyut coming downstairs with a sleepy Tara in his arms. How soft. I blink again just to be sure. They look too cute together. My little girl finally getting the love she deserved.
Vidyut walks towards me and says, "I am making Tara sleep on the couch and will come back in a minute.Just wait," He places Tara's tiny sleeping figure on the couch gently and then walks outside.
I look at his retreating figure, and the thoughts in my mind grow louder. The things I have been wanting to ask. Today I will ask him. How he loved me for years. How he even knew me. I will ask him everything.
I stepped outside and saw all my guards standing alert. They bowed in respect as I approached. The head security stepped forward.
"Yes boss."
"I want the security to be very tight. Not even a leaf should pass by this house without you knowing. And when I say tight, I mean the best security. I do not care how many guards you put. The best ones stay here. Always."
"Yes boss," he answered immediately.
I dialed another number on my phone and waited a second before speaking. "I want all the staff double checked inside the house. If anyone or anything feels suspicious, report immediately." With that, I slipped my phone back into my pocket.
—------------------------------------------------------
Target toh complete hoga hi nhi toh kya fayda target set karne ka.....
(Chapter 56 57 are already updated on stck.)