chapter 37
At the mansion
“Phoenix!!” I yelled, running barefoot through the hall, my hair flying everywhere. “You little boy, stop right there!”
The big deadly jaguar was sprinting across the marble floor like some naughty puppy, his sharp teeth proudly holding… my broken lipstick.
“HOW DARE YOU brEAK MY LIPSTICK?!” I shouted, almost tripping over the carpet while chasing him.
Phoenix glanced back with the most innocent wide-eyed look, as if saying, ‘What? I was just testing if it’s edible.’
“Don’t give me that cute face!” I huffed, my hands on my waist. “You’re not innocent you’re a criminal!”
Phoenix suddenly jumped on the couch, stretching like a king, the ruined lipstick rolling out from his mouth. He wagged his tail smugly, like he just won a battle.
“Unbelievable!” I groaned, grabbing a cushion and throwing it at him. He caught it mid-air with his paw and threw it down dramatically, as if mocking me.
“Uff!! If Rudra was here, he would have scolded you, you furry monster!” I said, puffing my cheeks.
Phoenix tilted his head, then padded over to me and nudged my hand softly, as if apologizing.
I folded my arms. “Nope! Don’t think you can escape with your cuteness. You owe me one new lipstick… and maybe ice cream too!”
Phoenix barked a sound that clearly meant, ‘Deal!’
I burst out laughing, hugging his massive furry head. “You’re impossible, but you’re my impossible.”
I was still laughing, hugging Phoenix when suddenly my head felt heavy. The whole room started spinning. “Wh-what…” I whispered before my knees gave out.
Phoenix’s golden eyes widened in panic. He roared an ear-splitting bark that echoed through the mansion, shaking everyone’s heart. He pawed at my face desperately, nudging me, licking my hand as if begging me to wake up.
Author POVs
Within seconds, the staff rushed in. “Madam!!” they shouted, hurrying towards me.
Phoenix stood guard, his body curled protectively around ishni, growling dangerously at anyone who came too close as if blaming them for what happened. His eyes were wild, desperate, but filled with fear.
One of the staff members whispered shakily, “Call the doctor! NOW!”
Phoenix bent his head low, pressing his forehead against her chest, his breaths harsh as though saying, “Wake up… please… I promised him I’d protect you…”
The doctor gently placed the stethoscope back into his bag and smiled warmly. “Congratulations, Mrs. Rajput… you’re pregnant.”
The whole room went still. The staff exchanged shocked glances, some even smiling in relief, while Phoenix tilted his head in pure confusion. He barked softly, as if asking, “Preg… what? Is mommy okay?”
Ishni blinked, her lips parting in disbelief. Her hand instinctively went to her stomach. Pregnant? The word echoed in her mind, filling her with a storm of emotions shock, joy, and fear all at once.
Phoenix immediately pressed his head against her lap, whining like a little cub, as though sensing something big had changed. Ishni weakly smiled, running her hand through his fur.
“Doctor… are you sure?” she whispered, her voice trembling.
“Yes, Mrs. Rajput. You’re a few weeks along. You need proper rest and care from now,” the doctor said, nodding reassuringly.
The staff smiled, some even tearing up quietly. The mansion that usually echoed with Rudra’s cold, ruthless orders was suddenly filled with a rare, soft warmth.
But Ishni’s heart clenched. The very first thought that came to her mind was him. Rudra… you should’ve been here to hear this…
Ishni POV
I sat by the window, the cool evening breeze brushing against my face. My hand unconsciously rested on my stomach, a soft smile tugging at my lips. Life… a new life inside me.
Just then Phoenix padded into the room, his golden eyes sharp but curious. He sat in front of me, tilting his big jaguar head, staring as if demanding to know why I looked different.
I chuckled, patting the space beside me. “Come here, baby.”
He came closer, rubbing his huge head against my lap. I ran my fingers through his fur and whispered, “You know… you’re going to get a brother or a sister soon.”
Phoenix froze. His ears perked up, and then he looked at me with those narrowed, dramatic eyes as if saying, “Excuse me? I am your first and only child. Don’t even think of replacing me.”
I laughed so hard that my stomach hurt. “Oh my god, look at you! Jealous already? Don’t worry… you’ll always be my first baby.”
Phoenix huffed, pressing his heavy head harder on her lap, almost like sulking. Ishni giggled again, cupping his face.
“But…” I lowered my voice, glancing outside as if Rudra could hear me all the way from Italy, “…should we tell Rudra?”
Phoenix blinked, almost like nodding yes.
I shook my head playfully, tapping his nose. “Nahhh… let’s not tell him now. Once he comes back, we’ll give him the biggest surprise ever.”
Phoenix gave a deep grumble, as if muttering “Fine, but I better not lose my cuddle rights.”
I burst out laughing again, hugging him tightly. “Never, my first baby. Never.”
Author POV
Ishni’s phone buzzed loudly on the side table, pulling her out of her sweet moment with Phoenix. She quickly picked it up.
“Hello, Veer?” she answered, but before she could say more, her expression changed. Her eyes widened, her body froze.
“What…? Dadi jii… is in hospital?” her voice broke in shock.
Her hand trembled as she cut the call. Phoenix immediately growled low, sensing her panic. Ishni turned to him, her eyes already glistening.
“Baby… you stay here, okay?” she whispered, her voice shaking as she stroked his head. “I have to go to the hospital… dadi jii fell from the stairs.”
Phoenix gave a sharp, uneasy growl, pacing in front of her like he wanted to follow, but Ishni forced a smile through her tears. “Please, stay… I’ll come back soon.”
Without wasting another second, she ran out of the room, and hurried down the mansion steps, her heartbeat racing louder than her footsteps.
Hospital Scene
The moment Ishni rushed into the hospital, her eyes darted around frantically.
She saw Rudra’s father standing stiffly with his usual cold expression, Swetha his stepmother draped in her expensive saree, pretending to be worried while secretly rolling her eyes at Ishni.
Beside them stood Savitha aunty with her son, Veer.
Swetha’s lips curled into a mocking smile the second she spotted Ishni. “Hmph… of course she had to come running like she owns everything,” she muttered under her breath, loud enough for Savitha to smirk.
Ishni, however, didn’t even spare her a glance. She brushed past them without hesitation, and went straight to Veer.
“Veer!” she called, her voice trembling as she clutched his shoulders. “How is dadi ji? Tell me she’s fine!”
Veer’s face was pale, his eyes red from crying. He swallowed hard before whispering, “Doctor is still inside… they said it’s critical, Ishni didi…”
Ishni’s knees almost gave way, but she steadied herself, clutching Veer tighter. Her eyes flickered toward the closed ICU doors, her heart pounding in dread.
Meanwhile, Swetha leaned against the wall, crossing her arms with a sigh. “Honestly, this old woman creates nothing but problems… maybe it’s better if”
“Bas!” Rudra’s father snapped, glaring at her for a moment. But Swetha quickly masked her expression with fake worry again.
Ishni closed her eyes tightly, silently praying, Nothing should happen to dadi ji… please, not her…
After what felt like endless minutes, the doctor finally came out, removing his gloves. Everyone stood up anxiously.
“She is out of danger now,” the doctor announced with a calm smile. “We’ve shifted her to the ward room. Anyone can meet her one by one, but please don’t stress her.”
Relief washed over the air like a fresh breeze. Ishni’s eyes filled with tears as she quickly nodded and rushed toward the ward.
Inside the room, the atmosphere was quiet, filled only with the soft beeping of machines. Dadi ji lay on the bed, her frail body covered with a blanket, an oxygen mask lightly resting on her face.
“Dadi jii…” Ishni whispered as she walked closer, her voice breaking. She carefully sat beside her and held her wrinkled hand, gently caressing it with both of hers.
The old lady slowly opened her eyes, her weak gaze softening the moment it fell on Ishni. “Ishni… beta…” she whispered faintly.
Tears streamed down Ishni’s cheeks. “Dadi jii… you scared me so much… agar aapko kuch ho jaata toh…” her voice cracked as she bent and kissed her hand.
Dadi ji smiled faintly, her trembling hand reaching up to touch Ishni’s cheek. “I’m fine… don’t cry, beti… Rudra is so blessed… to have you…”
At those words, Ishni’s chest tightened. She shook her head quickly, “No, dadi jii… it’s me who is blessed… you gave me this family…”
The old lady’s eyes glistened. She wanted to say more, but her weak body betrayed her. Ishni instantly hushed her, “Shhh… don’t talk too much. Just rest… main hoon na, I’ll take care of you.”
She adjusted her blanket carefully, her eyes filled with protectiveness, while in her heart.
“B-but… dadi jii, how did you fall from stairs?” she asked softly, her voice trembling with both worry and suspicion.
The old lady’s pale lips quivered, her breath coming out shaky. She struggled to lift her hand as if pointing somewhere invisible.
“I… I didn’t… fall… s-someone… pushed…” her weak voice cracked, eyes glistening in fear.
Ishni leaned closer, almost holding her breath.
“Who, dadi jii? Kaun tha?”
The old lady swallowed painfully, forcing the words out. “Swe… thaa…” her voice was barely a whisper. “She… will… kill… Ishni… Ishni… she…”
Before she could finish, her chest heaved and she broke into a violent cough, her fragile body trembling.
“No, no, no… dadi jii!” Ishni quickly held her upright, tears stinging her eyes. She reached for the glass of water on the bedside and carefully placed it near her lips, helping her sip.
“Shhh… please don’t talk more… aapko aaram ki zarurat hai…” Ishni whispered, brushing her hair back gently. “It’s okay, dadi jii… nothing will happen to me. Main hoon na.”
But inside, her fists clenched tight. She kissed the back of dadi jii’s hand softly, while her mind echoed only one truth
So it was Swetha…
Outside the hospital lawn, Swetha pressed the phone to her ear.
“That old lady is awake. We have to do something or she’ll reveal everything,” she said.
A flat voice answered, “Do whatever, but her breathing should stop.”
Swetha’s smile froze into a hard line. “Make it clean. Quiet. No traces.”
“Done,” the man replied. The call ended.
Swetha tucked the phone away, smoothed her saree, and glanced toward the shadow driveway. Two men stepped forward from the darkness and moved off without a word.
In Italy
Rudra sat at the long table, the lamp throwing a hard circle of light over the paper. He smoothed the folded scrap once, then set it down. The line stared back: Someone inside your family is your real enemy.
He folded the note, put it in his pocket, and stood. Vipul stepped in at the door.
“Boss?” Vipul asked.
Rudra walked to the window, looked out at the city for a beat, then turned. “Start with the house staff lists. Visitors. Bank transfers. Phone records. Anyone who had access to the mansion in the last month.”
“On it,” Vipul said, already reaching for his phone.
“Quiet,” Rudra added. “No alarms. No leaks. I don’t want hands tipped off.”
Vipul nodded. “I’ll have a full roster and movements in an hour.”
Rudra tapped the note in his pocket once, then walked out of the room.
Rudra was just about to step out when his phone buzzed in his pocket. The screen lit up with her name. Ishni.
His hard expression softened instantly. He swiped to answer, his voice dropping low, “Jaan…”
On the other side, Ishni’s voice came rushed and shaky, “Rudra… I—I just came from hospital… dadi ji fell from the stairs…”
Rudra froze mid-step, his jaw tightening. “What? How? Is she alright?” he asked, his tone sharper now, every ounce of calm gone.
“She’s out of danger now,” Ishni whispered, her voice breaking.
Rudra’s eyes darkened, his free hand curling into a fist. “Jaan, listen to me carefully… don’t leave dadi’s side. Not for a second. I’ll handle the rest.”
“Mm…” Ishni nodded softly, though he couldn’t see her.
Rudra exhaled, softer this time. “And baccha… take care of yourself too. Don’t stress. I’ll be home before anyone even dares to blink.”
Rudra moved fast. He closed his briefcase, signalled to Vipul, and walked out without another word.
“Book me the next flight to India. Now.”
Vipul’s reply was immediate. “On it, boss.”
At the private terminal, Rudra boarded the jet. He fastened his seatbelt, phone off for the takeoff, eyes fixed ahead. The plane taxied, engines roared, and then he was airborne heading home.
---
At the hospital, Ishni sat beside Dadi ji’s bed, voice quiet as she smoothed the blanket.
She kept her hand pressed over her stomach, feeling the tiny, secret flutter she hadn’t told anyone about.
When the doctor glanced in and reassured them that Dadi ji would recover, Ishni forced a smile and said, “Thank you, doctor,” careful not to let her voice shake or her face show more than it needed to.
Veer hovered nearby, wringing his hands. “bhabhi are you okay? Do you want anything?” he asked.
“I’m fine, Just stay with Dadi ji,” Ishni replied gently.
She tucked her hair behind her ear and stood to walk to the door, phone vibrating in her palm.
She slipped it out a message from Rudra: On the way.
Call if anything. She thumbed a quick reply and put the phone away.
Nobody must know yet. Not until he was back.
At the hospital, the corridor was silent except for the faint squeak of nurses’ shoes on the tiled floor. Inside the ward, Dadi ji slept peacefully under the thin white blanket, her frail chest rising and falling slowly.
Two men slipped in like shadows. One held a syringe already prepared, the liquid inside catching the dim light. The other kept his eyes on the door, every sense alert.
The man by the bed leaned down, his movements swift and practiced. The needle slid into the IV line a silent intrusion, unnoticed by the machines. The faintest bubble moved through the tube.
Dadi ji stirred weakly, as though her body felt the betrayal before her mind could wake. Her lips parted, as if trying to call Ishni’s name, but no sound came.
Within moments, her heartbeat slowed on the monitor. Then steadied. Then… flatlined.
The men didn’t panic. They were cold, efficient. One adjusted the blanket around her, carefully placing her frail hand on top as though she had slipped away in her sleep. The monitor wires were tugged, made to look like a machine error.
“Done,” one whispered.
They slipped out as silently as they had come, blending into the dim corridor. To the world outside the door, nothing had changed.
After some time, the echo of hurried footsteps filled the hospital corridor. Rudra pushed past the double doors, his broad frame tense, his jaw clenched so tight it could crack. His sharp eyes immediately caught Ishni standing near Veer, tears streaming down her face.
The moment she heard his voice, deep and low, “Jaan…” Ishni’s world broke again. She spun around and ran to him, colliding into his chest as if her life depended on it.
“Rud… Rudra…” she sobbed uncontrollably, clutching his shirt with trembling hands, “Dadi ji… is no more…”
His arms wrapped around her instantly, pulling her so close that her sobs vibrated against his chest. His hand moved to her hair, caressing gently, anchoring her storm with his silent strength.
“The doctor said… she was out of danger…” Ishni choked, words stumbling through her grief, “but now…”
“Shhh…” Rudra whispered, pressing a kiss into her hair, “I’m here, jaan… I’m here.”
But as his eyes lifted, he caught sight of his stepmother standing stiffly in the corner, his father beside her.
His jaw clenched so hard the muscles twitched, his eyes narrowing like a blade honed for blood.
He didn’t speak a word, didn’t spare them even the venom his gaze carried.
Instead, without loosening his hold on Ishni, he stepped away, leaving her with Veer for a moment.
He walked into the room, his heavy footsteps the only sound. His eyes landed on the frail body lying still on the bed his dadi. The woman who had been his shield, his only anchor of love after his mother was gone.
Slowly, almost reverently, Rudra sat beside her. His large hand reached out, trembling ever so slightly, and he clasped her cold fingers in his. His lips pressed against her palm gentle, reverent.
“Dadi…” he whispered, his voice breaking in a way no one had ever heard, “…I’m sorry for troubling you all these years. For being stubborn… for making you worry…”
His throat constricted. He closed his eyes, pressing his forehead to her hand, holding on as if by force he could make her warmth return.
“…but you know, don’t you? You know how much I love you. After Mom… it was you. Always you, who stood by me. Who believed in me. Who never let me feel alone…” His voice cracked, raw grief tearing through his words.
“You didn’t even give me a chance to meet you… one last time…”
He held her hand tighter, as if by sheer will he could turn back time. The silence in the room grew heavy, sacred, as Rudra poured his soul into that final touch.
After some time, the last rites were done. Smoke curled into the sky as the old lady’s body was set free to the flames, her soul leaving behind memories that weighed heavy on Rudra’s chest. The mournful chants faded, but in another corner, darkness brewed.
Swetha sat in the shadow of a tree, her face pale but her eyes glinting with malice. A man leaned against the wall beside her, arms crossed.
“What should we do now? Rudra is back…” she whispered, her voice laced with unease.
The man smirked, lowering his tone. “Don’t worry. He may have returned, but he’s still vulnerable. We can trap him… in ways he won’t even see coming.”
Their eyes met, and both smirked in unison, their whispers swallowed by the rustle of the wind a storm silently plotting against Rudra Singh Rajput.
---
At the Mansion
The grand study was dim, lit only by the faint glow of a single lamp. Rudra sat alone in his armchair, a glass of untouched whiskey beside him. In his hand, he held a framed photo of his dadi, his thumb slowly tracing the edges of her face.
The door creaked open softly. Ishni stepped inside, her steps feather-light, her presence quiet but unmistakable. She didn’t speak. She didn’t need to. She simply stood near him, her eyes watching the man who carried the weight of the world in silence.
Minutes passed before Rudra’s voice finally broke through, low and rough.
“Jaan… dadi used to say I’d never find a girl. That I was too shy… too awkward.”
A faint, broken chuckle left his lips, his eyes still fixed on the photograph. “And she wasn’t wrong… until you.”
Ishni’s eyes softened, her heart twisting at the cracks in his armor. Without a word, she moved closer and gently held his hand. “Come…” she whispered.
Rudra looked up at her, his brows drawn in pain, but when her fingers tugged lightly, he obeyed. He rose from the chair and followed her to the couch. Ishni sat down on the floor, leaning back against the soft fabric, and guided him beside her.
He hesitated for a moment, but she reached up, her gentle hands coaxing him until his head rested in her lap.
For the first time that day, Rudra let out a long, shaky breath. His eyes closed, the weight of grief momentarily softened by the warmth of her touch. Ishni’s fingers slid through his hair, soothing, protective, steady like a lullaby only he was meant to hear.
“Rest for a while…” she whispered, her voice trembling but full of love, “…I’ll be here.”
Rudra didn’t answer, but his hand reached up blindly, catching hers, holding it against his chest. His grip was firm, desperate a silent plea to not let go.
And there, in the silence of the mansion, surrounded by shadows and storms yet to come, Ishni became his calm.
Rudra’s head rested on Ishni’s lap, her fingers still stroking gently through his hair. His eyes were closed, but his voice trembled as it slipped out of him, raw and broken.
“Jaan… why do people I love always leave me? My little princess… my mom… now dadi…” His throat tightened, and his hand clenched over hers on his chest. “Everything was perfect… until…”
His voice faded, and Ishni’s heart ached as silence fell. But inside Rudra’s mind, the past replayed like a nightmare that never left him.
---
Flashback
The Rajput family was once the picture of perfection.
His father ruled the underworld, feared and respected, while his mother stood as the dignified lady of the house.
Rudra, just a boy of ten, carried none of those burdens only laughter and innocence.
He spent his afternoons playing in the courtyard with his little sister, his “princess.”
That day was no different. The sun was golden, and her laughter rang in the air as Rudra chased her with a wooden sword. But suddenly, sharp voices pierced the stillness from inside the mansion.
Rudra frowned, lowering the toy sword. “Princess… you stay here. I’ll go see.”
He padded inside, his small footsteps careful on the marble floor, until the voices grew clearer.
“How can you do this to me?! I am your wife!” his mother’s voice cracked with fury and heartbreak.
And then came his father’s cold reply steady, unbothered, like stone.
“This is normal in the mafia world. Besides… she is my secretary, nothing more.”
Rudra froze in the hallway, his tiny hands gripping the wall for support. He didn’t understand everything, but he knew one thing his mother’s sobs weren’t just anger. They were the sound of a heart breaking.
The boy’s chest tightened, his world tilting in confusion. He wanted to run in, to protect her, to demand his father stop but his little body wouldn’t move. His breath caught as silence fell again, heavy and suffocating.
“You cheated on me, Mr. Rajput!” his mother’s voice echoed through the grand walls, trembling with rage and betrayal. She clutched his collar, her tears streaming down her cheeks.
His father’s jaw tightened, his cold eyes flashing.
In one swift motion, he shoved her away.
She stumbled back, crashing against the sofa, her sobs breaking the silence as he straightened his coat and walked out without a word leaving her crumpled on the floor, alone in her grief.
The door slammed shut behind him.
From the shadows, a small figure emerged. Rudra, barely ten, his eyes wide and glassy, rushed forward. “Mom…” his little voice cracked as he knelt beside her.
She looked up, quickly trying to wipe her tears, but her hands trembled too much. “Beta…” she whispered, forcing a smile that couldn’t reach her eyes. She cupped his tiny face with shaking palms. “I’m fine.”
And then, as though she couldn’t hold it anymore, she pulled him into her arms, hugging him tight. Rudra hugged her back fiercely, his small arms trying to shield her from the storm he didn’t yet understand.
Time skipped.
Days turned into weeks, and the cracks in the Rajput family only grew wider. His father started coming home later and later, the scent of alcohol and unfamiliar perfume clinging to him when he did.
His temper grew shorter, his patience thinner. The once-proud family dinners turned into tense silences or ended with slammed doors. The man who was once the “perfect father” no longer spared a glance for his children.
His mother, though dignified on the outside, became restless inside. Her suspicions burned like fire. Every phone call his father took behind closed doors, every late night, every slip of coldness only deepened the wound in her heart.
And little Rudra he noticed everything. The way her eyes lingered on the clock, waiting for a man who no longer came home on time. The way she flinched at the sound of footsteps, unsure if it would be her husband or a stranger she no longer recognized.
The perfect family was breaking apart, piece by piece, and Rudra, though still a child, was forced to grow up in the shadows of betrayal.
It was late at night. The Rajput empire’s headquarters was silent, save for the low hum of the air conditioning and the sound of papers shuffling. Mr. Rajput sat behind his massive mahogany desk, cigarette smoke curling in lazy trails above his head.
Suddenly, the door opened without a knock. A woman glided in, her heels clicking softly against the marble. She wore a knowing smile that dripped like honey.
“Rajput…” her voice was soft, melodious, dangerous, “you’re working late…”
She moved closer, the dim light catching the glint in her eyes. Without waiting for permission, she perched herself on the edge of his desk, then slid easily onto his lap as if she belonged there.
“Honey…” Mr. Rajput’s tone shifted, his hands instinctively wrapping around her waist, “only you understand me. Only you care for me.”
Her perfume mingled with the smoke as she tilted her head, exposing her neck. He pressed his lips to her skin, kissing it slowly, greedily.
“Uhm… Rajput…” she purred, her fingers playing with his tie, “did you hear about the new… mafia development?”
He paused mid-kiss, lifting his head, his sharp eyes narrowing.
“Mafia… new?”
She nodded slowly, dragging a manicured hand down his chest in lazy patterns. “The chance of ruling half of Asia…”
His breath hitched. “Half Asia?”
Another slow nod. Her lips curved into a sly smile. “I can give you the name of the candidate… the one who’s making this happen. The one you need to stand with if you want power beyond your dreams.”
Her fingers tightened against his shirt, her face drawing closer until her breath mingled with his.
“…But for that…” her voice dropped to a whisper, “…you’ll have to leave your wife. Publicly. Cleanly. And marry me.”