Chapter - 47
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Siya had fallen asleep.
Her face rested gently against my chest, her soft breaths warming the fabric of my shirt. But it was her fingers—those tiny fingers—that undid me.
Gripping my shirt like it was the only thing keeping her safe.
And maybe... it was.
That one gesture shattered something inside me.
She looked so peaceful now.
Like she hadn't truly slept in years.
Like, for the first time, her heart had finally been given permission to rest. To breathe. To stop carrying pain all alone.
But me?
My arms held her close.
My mind... was on fire.
I stared at the wall ahead, jaw tight. Every breath felt like dragging guilt down my throat.
Two years ago.
That day at the temple.
I remember everything—the sound of her payal, the way my heart paused for a second. I had asked my team to find her name. And they did—Siya Rajput. Just passed 12th standard back then. They gave me a picture with her name.
That's it.
I never followed her. Never interfered.
Maybe I thought she was too young.
Maybe I was waiting.
Maybe... I was just a coward.
But now?
Now, I hated myself for not doing more.
I should've found out.
I should've protected her from the very beginning.
Because every word she said tonight—about her taiji, tauji, the pain, the neglect, the way they locked her up like she was less than human—
It was too much.
Too cruel.
How could they?
How dare they?
I looked down at her.
My angel.
She had survived hell... and still carried a heart so soft it could heal the world.
No one protected her.
No one stood up for her.
But that ends now.
My hands slowly moved to her hair, brushing it gently. I leaned down and kissed her forehead—light, soft, like a vow.
"Sleep, angel..." I whispered.
"Because when you wake up, this world will never dare hurt you again."
Not a soul.
I won't spare them.
What I planned before—it's nothing compared to what I'll do now.
Every slap.
Every hateful word.
Every meal they denied her.
Every festival they left her out of.
They'll pay.
They'll pay for turning a little girl into someone who thought she didn't deserve love.
And this time, Aarav Singh Rathore won't just be a king...
He'll be her shield.
Her storm.
Her justice.
The sound of my fists pounding the heavy bag echoed through the gym.
One punch.
Another.
Each hit felt like a way to release the rage building inside me.
But it wasn't enough.
It wasn't enough to calm the storm inside.
Not after what Siya shared with me.
Not after hearing her pain, her struggles, the hell she lived through.
With every punch, I could see their faces.
Mr. Rajput. Mrs. Rajput.
The people who never saw her as a person—just a burden.
I wanted to destroy them.
Make them feel the same helplessness they made her endure.
Quick pain is mercy.
What they deserve... is a lesson carved in time.
Every step, every move, every moment would make their lives a living hell.
They'll beg for mercy.
But they won't get it.
I gritted my teeth and threw another punch, my knuckles bruising against the bag.
She deserves better.
I'll make sure of it.
My phone buzzed in my pocket, pulling me out of the haze.
It was Rohan.
I answered without a word.
"S-sir?" he stammered.
"Speak," I said, my voice cold as ice.
"Mr. Rajput will be going to the bank today to cash the money," he reported.
I nodded. "And you know what you have to do."
"Yes, sir."
I ended the call and dropped the phone on the bench. My mind was already planning the next move. One step at a time. That's how I would destroy them.
I made my way to the bathroom, rinsing away the sweat and anger. The cold water didn't do anything to calm the fire in me. I was too far gone now.
When I got out of the shower, I got dressed in my usual sharp suit. But today... today, I wasn't just dressed for business. I was dressed to make sure no one ever hurts her again.
Siya was still asleep when I entered the room. She looked so peaceful, like the weight of the world was finally off her shoulders.
For the first time, it felt like she could actually rest.
I walked to her side and gently brushed the hair from her face.
She didn't wake, but I whispered softly,
"I promise you, Siya, baby... from today, you'll never think you don't deserve love. You'll never feel like you don't matter again."
I pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead.
"I'll show you how much you matter. To me. To our family. To this whole damn world."
I took one last look at her, the most precious person in my life.
Then, with a final glance, I turned and walked out of the room—my heart heavy with promises.
And my soul burning for vengeance.
When I slowly opened my eyes, the first thing that came into my mind was last night...
I told everything to Aarav.
All the pain.
All the truth I had been hiding for so long.
And instead of being angry or judging me...
He just held me.
A strange calmness surrounded me now.
For the first time in years, I felt light... like a burden was finally lifted from my heart.
It felt like the most right thing I had ever done in my life—
Telling him the truth.
Trusting him.
I smiled a little to myself as I got out of bed and walked to the bathroom.
After a warm shower, I changed into a soft pink embroidered Anarkali suit.
I let my hair dry naturally, slipped on my matching dupatta, and wore my favorite ethnic juttis.
Just as I was about to open the door to leave the room—
It opened from the other side.
Aarav stepped in, holding a tray with chai and coffee.
My eyes widened.
"You brought it? I was just coming out," I said, surprised.
His voice was gentle. "Siya, whether I bring it to you or you bring it to me... it's the same, isn't it?"
He smiled softly, walking in. "Come, sit here."
I quietly sat down beside him and picked up my cup of tea. The first sip warmed not just my body, but my heart.
He took a deep breath, then looked at me.
"I wanted to ask you something."
I looked at him, "Ji?"
"Remember I told you about the Rathore Alliance deal?"
I nodded, "Yes."
"So after that's done... I was thinking of holding our reception. What do you think?"
I froze.
Reception?
In front of everyone?
My heart started beating fast.
I didn't know what to say.
Was I ready for that?
Would people accept me?
What if they judged me... or looked at me the same way Taiji and Tauji used to?
I didn't even realize I had gone silent... until I felt his hand on mine.
"Siya... what happened?"
His voice was soft.
I looked up at him, unsure.
"If you don't want it, we won't do it. It's not a big deal," he said, as if reading my thoughts.
"I don't know..." I whispered.
"I don't know if I can face so many people. What if... what if they don't like me?"
He sighed and cupped my hand more tightly.
"You don't have to think so much, Siya. You're my wife. I've accepted you fully—just like you accepted me."
"What people think doesn't matter to us, right?"
I looked into his eyes.
There was no pressure in them.
Just calm and safety.
I nodded slowly, my heart a little calmer.
He always knew how to comfort me without forcing anything.
"So?" he asked again, raising his eyebrow just a little.
"Now tell me, what do you think?"
I looked into his eyes and said, "Okay."
Aarav smiled lightly, and that made something warm grow in my chest.
"Actually," he added, "I wanted to do it before. But I have to travel abroad soon for the deal."
I looked at him. "You're going out of the country?"
He nodded.
"Yes. It's important. But I can't take you with me this time."
"Why?" I asked softly.
He gave me a tiny smirk. "Because you have your final exams coming up. You're not missing those, okay?"
I blushed a little and looked down.
"Okay..."
And just like that... we started talking.
About small things. About food. About college. About his meetings.
Nothing fancy. Just... easy.
Every word felt like home.
I never thought I could feel this... safe.
With him, even silence felt like peace.
And in that moment, sitting beside him with a cup of tea and his hand in mine,
I knew—
He was my forever kind of person.
After the lecture ended, I walked with Trisha to the cafeteria.
As always, Karan was already waiting there... with his usual goofy smile and puppy eyes.
But Trisha?
She was fuming.
She crossed her arms and sat down with a loud thud, not even sparing him a glance.
I quietly sat next to her, already sensing what was coming.
"You didn't pick up my call last night!" she snapped.
"I know, I know!" Karan said quickly, raising his hands like he was surrendering.
"I was with my cousin—network was bad—by the time I saw the call it had already been two hours. I'm sorry, okay?"
Trisha gave him a death glare.
"Oh, two hours? How sweet. You could've messaged! You didn't even try to call back sooner!"
I watched them quietly, sipping my cold coffee.
Honestly... they both couldn't stay mad at each other for long.
But the way they fought was dramatic every time.
"Siya, help me na please," Karan whispered, leaning toward me. "Tell her I really didn't do it on purpose."
I was about to open my mouth and speak in his defense when—
"Don't you dare take his side!" Trisha turned toward me sharply, eyes narrowed. "You're my best friend, Siya. You have to be on my team."
I froze.
"Uh... I-I wasn't... I mean..."
Karan looked at me with big sad eyes, and I gave him a small apologetic smile.
Iwas stuck in the middle, like always.
Just then, my phone buzzed.
It was a message from him.
From Aarav.
"I'll come pick you up today. Also have some work at your college."
My heart skipped a beat.
He was coming... here?
I quickly typed back, "Okay ??", and put the phone away, trying not to smile too much.
But inside, I felt like butterflies had taken over my stomach.
Back in the cafeteria, Karan was still apologizing—
"Trish, come on yaar. I'll make it up to you. I swear on my PS5, next time I'll answer on the first ring."
Trisha rolled her eyes but her lips twitched.
I knew she was about to give in.
She stayed silent for a moment, then finally said, "Fine. But this is your last warning."
Karan clutched his heart dramatically. "Thank you, meri jaan!"
Trisha pushed him away playfully, "Ugh, stop being so filmy!"
I giggled softly.
Even their fights had more love than most people's entire relationship.
Trisha glanced at her phone, then looked at me.
"Let's go, Siya. It's time for the next lecture."
I nodded, holding my bag.
My mind was still on Aarav's message.
He was coming to pick me up...
In front of everyone...
I could already feel my cheeks getting warm.
And a little nervousness creeping in.
But somewhere deep down, I was also excited.
Because every time he said, "I'm here for you,"
He truly meant it.
As soon as our lecture ended, I messaged Aarav:
"Got free now."
Within seconds, he replied:
"I'll be there in 5 minutes. Wait for me at the parking area."
My heart smiled reading that.
He never forgets. Not even the small things.
"Let's go," I said to Trisha.
We started walking toward the parking lot, talking about how our next assignment was already due and how Karan was still texting her apologies like a desperate puppy.
But just as we reached near the parking area, my juttis slipped slightly over a small stone—I didn't even see it there.
I lost my balance for a second and to steady myself, my hand brushed against a car beside me.
Scratchhh...
My ring.
It left a visible line on the door of the car.
And not just any car.
His car.
Trisha gasped so loudly, I thought her soul almost left her body.
"Oh god Siya! What have you done!?"
I looked down—my heart oddly calm, but guilt pricked somewhere deep.
A scratch. Small, but clear.
"I didn't mean to. I just didn't see that stone," I said softly. "It's not a big deal."
Inside my mind though, I knew one thing for sure—
He won't say anything to me.
Not even a word.
But I couldn't tell this to Trisha.
Because if I did... she'd start asking so many questions.
Questions I wasn't ready to answer. Not yet.
"What do you mean not a big deal!?" she panicked, holding her head.
"My innocent Siya darling, you've just scratched Ranasa's car! Do you even know how scary he is? The way he looks at people, they start confessing even if they're innocent!"
I almost laughed at that.
But I just gave her a calm look.
"Trust me... it'll be okay."
Fine?!" Trisha practically squeaked. "You scratched the royal ride, Siya. May the gods save us!
Before I could answer or calm her down—
I felt it.
His presence.
We both turned at the same time.
Aarav walked toward us, dressed in his usual effortless style—dark shirt, expression serious, eyes sharp.
He looked at the car, then at the scratch... then at us.
Before I could open my mouth, Trisha rushed in front of me.
"I'm sorry, Ranasa! Please, it was my fault. Siya tried to stop me but I slipped and my bag touched your car—"
I stood there awkwardly, unsure whether to stop her or thank her for trying to protect me.
Aarav looked at her for a second and said in his usual calm tone,
"It's okay. You both can go. Not a big deal."
See?
I knew it.
He wouldn't say anything.
Trisha looked like she was about to faint from relief.
"Oh... okay, thank you! Thank you, really!"
She turned to me quickly. "Let's go before he changes his mind!"
I walked with her, biting my lip to stop myself from smiling.
If only she knew...
A few steps later, I stopped.
"Trisha, you go ahead. Kaka will be here in two minutes to pick me."
"You sure?" she asked, a little hesitant.
"Yeah, go. I'll see you tomorrow."
She nodded and got into her car after hugging me lightly and saying goodbye.
Once her car drove off...
I turned around.
And walked straight to Aarav.
He was standing near the passenger seat, holding the door open for me.
I got in quietly.
My heart still racing.
I looked at him once.
He looked at me.
And with just one look, I felt calm again.
Because I knew...
He would never scare me.
Even when I stumble, I know... he'll never let me fall.