chapter 5
Rudra pov
She stood before me, drenched in blood—her hands trembling, her eyes fierce with wrath.
And God… she looked hot.
That rage… that fire… it wasn’t something you could train. It was born from pain.
From loss.
From love.
My men were stunned. They had seen corpses, executions—but never a woman walking away from butchering two men like she had just returned from shopping.
But me?
My mind, my soul, my instincts—they had already surrendered.
She was mine.
Without a single word, she was mine.
I walked behind her. As we reached the car, she hesitated.
“Uhm… I’m drenched in blood… what if your seat gets ruined?” she mumbled, eyes lowering.
Adorable.
I leaned close, my lips grazing her ear.
“Is this your new way of seducing me, sweetheart?”
Her eyes shot wide. “What the fu—”
“Shh… don’t curse. Just get in,” I whispered, surprisingly gentle.
She didn’t argue.
---
ISHNI’S POV
The bath washed away the blood—but not the ache in my chest.
Preethi.
Her name echoed in the silence.
Tears rolled down as reality slapped again—she wasn’t here.
She wouldn’t be… ever again.
After changing, I asked a maid about Rudra.
“He’s in the study,” she said.
I knocked softly.
No answer.
I knocked again—louder.
“Come in.”
His voice was dark. Irritated.
I stepped in.
The room screamed wealth—dark wood, leather, heavy silence. He was at the desk, papers scattered like chaos around him.
“Rudra, I…” I trailed off.
Words jammed in my throat.
He handed me a folder.
Inside—a contract marriage.
“Between you and me,” he said, calm, calculated.
“I’ll help clear your name. But you’ll stay with me until it’s done. We can’t be living together without explanation—so, we marry. It’s terminable. Your call.”
My mind raced.
I had nowhere to go.
My family disowned me.
My ex’s family would kill me if they knew I was alive.
I nodded slowly.
“Alright… I’ll marry you.”
He smiled.
Damn it.
That smile could ruin me.
“What about… your family?”
He nodded.
“Let’s go meet them.”
---
AUTHOR POV
The car rolled into another mansion. This one was brighter, but no less intimidating.
Rudra got out and laced his fingers with Ishni’s. That small gesture silenced every doubt in the air.
Inside, silence fell as soon as the family saw her.
“She is my wife,” Rudra declared coldly. “We’re married.”
“Bhai?! You actually married her?” Veer gasped.
His grandmother’s eyes widened in horror.
“What is this joke, Rudra? She’s a criminal! She killed her husband. The world will shame our name!”
Swetha’s venom laced every word.
“You’re right, sister-in-law,” she sneered. “She’s impure. A monster—”
“ENOUGH.”
Rudra’s voice was thunderous.
The room stilled.
“Not a single word against my wife.”
He turned toward Ishni, eyes softening. She looked at him, teary-eyed.
To everyone’s shock—he knelt and touched her feet.
“She is my Lakshmi. A goddess. Her purity is untouched. Her soul is fire. And her presence lights the darkness inside me.”
Everyone stared in silence.
He stood, took her hand, and began walking upstairs.
But then—
“Wait!” Swetha said.
Rudra stopped, jaw clenched.
“If she’s your wife… why is her hairline empty?”
She smirked, thinking she’d won.
Without a word, Rudra marched to the mandir, took the sindoor, and applied it in Ishni’s hairline.
Some of it fell onto her nose.
Ishni closed her eyes, trembling.
He took her hand again—and they walked upstairs, unbothered.
---
ISHNI’S POV
My heart was thudding. I couldn’t speak.
The sindoor—it felt heavy. Powerful. Sacred.
Inside his room, he said nothing. Just walked toward the wardrobe.
I stood there, overwhelmed. I sat down, staring into the mirror opposite the bed.
I’m married.
To a man I don’t know.
To a devil… or a god?
He came out of the closet wearing a black shirt and grey sweatpants. He looked… sinful.
“Rudra,” I said gently.
“Hmm?” he replied, casual.
“You’re sleeping on the couch… not in my bed.”
He tilted his head, amused. Those blue eyes… ugh.
“But aren’t husband and wife supposed to sleep together?”
“This is a contract marriage. You know that,” I said firmly.
He smirked.
“Afraid I’ll take advantage of you, wifey?”
His voice made my stomach flip.
I marched up, slammed my palms on the wall, trapping him between.
“No, husband… I’m afraid I might take advantage of you.”
He chuckled low.
“Alright, alright. I’ll sleep on the couch. Don’t want my wife going wild on day one.”
I giggled, running to the bed, pulling the blanket over my face.
I heard his soft laugh from the couch.
I smiled into the darkness.
And yet, something told me…
The real storm hadn’t even begun.