Ch36 The Scar Of Past #2
Seizing the golden opportunity, Dev quietly slipped his phone out of his pocket and hit record with a triumphant smirk there was absolutely no way he was letting this historic, once-in-a-lifetime moment slip away.
Standing nearby, a wave of profound relief and certainty washed over Vyom.
Watching the unspoken pull between the two, he knew his instincts were right.
It wasn't just Rivanya fighting a lonely battle anymore; Rudraksh was being drawn toward her with an undeniable, cosmic gravity, even if his stubborn mind refused to acknowledge it.
The fortress around his heart was formidable, but Rivanya's selfless, fierce love was powerful enough to crack the hardest stone.
A deep, emotional joy settled in Vyom's heart for his best friend and his sister.
Until the final note dissolved into the quiet night air, Rudraksh did not tear his gaze away from Rivanya, and she found herself utterly paralyzed, unable to look anywhere else.
As the song ended, their eyes remained locked in a breathless, silent conversation.
They were so deeply lost in the intoxicating vacuum of that single moment that they didn't even notice the family members exchanging knowing, ecstatic smiles before quietly slipping back inside the mansion, leaving the two of them in absolute privacy.
A few moments later, the heavy, ambient silence of the garden finally registered in Rivanya's mind. Snapping out of her trance, she blinked and glanced around the lawn, only to find it completely deserted.
Realizing she was entirely alone in the dark with Rudraksh under the silver moonlight, a sudden spike of nervousness shot through her veins, her pulse racing erratically. Panicking at the sheer intensity radiating from him, she abruptly turned on her heel, preparing to bolt toward the house.
But this time, Rudraksh was miles ahead of her. He wasn't about to let his elusive lioness escape into the shadows again.
With swift, silent strides, he closed the distance between them. Just as she took her first hurried step, he reached out and firmly caught the sheer, gold-embroidered edge of her yellow dupatta. The fabric tautened between them, halting her in her tracks.
Leaning into the cool night breeze, a dangerous, breathtaking smirk playing on his lips, Rudraksh's deep voice dropped to a low, possessive murmur that cut straight through the darkness:
"Tum aise nahi jaa sakti (You cannot leave like this), Sugarplum..."
Rivanya's breath caught completely in her throat. Pressing one hand flat against her chest, she closed her eyes, making a futile attempt to calm her racing heart. Without turning around to face him, she managed to say in a trembling voice, "Rudra... what is this misbehavior? Let go of my dupatta..."
Rudraksh let out a low, amused hum, his grip on the fabric remaining entirely firm. "Fascinating. When you do it, it's perfectly fine, but when I take a step, it becomes misbehavior? Wow, Rivanya Madam, what a brilliant double standard."
Still refusing to turn around, Rivanya maintained her innocent front, her voice soft. "What did I even do, Rudra? I was just standing there quietly."
"You are nowhere near as innocent as you are pretending to be right now, Rivanya," Rudraksh countered, his tone laced with a deep, teasing velvet. "Just a few moments ago, you emotionally blackmailed me in front of the entire family, forcing me to sing. And now you're playing the naive saint?"
Rivanya gasped playfully, her shoulders tightening.
"Hww... Rudra, how can you lie so blatantly? I explicitly told everyone *not* to force you. You were the one who started singing entirely on your own, and now you are pinning the blame on me? Seriously, you are an absolute rogue, Rudra, nothing else!"
Despite being called a rogue to his face, a rare, genuine smile broke across Rudraksh's features. Leaning into the space between them, he murmured, "Fair enough. But tell me... why did you sing for this very rogue then? Why did your voice stop me from walking away?"
The sheer audacity of his question finally snapped Rivanya's hesitation.
With her dupatta still firmly held in his grasp, she spun around, locking her big, expressive eyes directly with his piercing dark ones. "I could ask you the exact same question, Rudra. Why did you actually sing just because I spoke?"
Rudraksh took a deliberate, predatory step closer, completely erasing the distance between them until she was entirely enveloped by his shadow.
"I asked the question first, Sugarplum," he whispered, his gaze dropping to her lips before locking back onto her eyes. "Which means I get my answer first."
Trying to desperately deflect the dangerous direction the conversation was heading, Rivanya shot him a defiant look and challenged, "Fine, tell me one thing first. You are clearly no saint, so why do you constantly act like one in front of the world?"
Rudraksh knew exactly what she was doing. He could see right through her desperate attempt to derail the conversation, but for once, he chose not to call her out on it. Instead, his gaze darkened slightly, his tone returning to that familiar, guarded coldness.
"I am exactly what the world sees, Rivanya," he said quietly, his voice devoid of any warmth. "Unyielding, ruthless, and entirely heartless. I don't care about anyone."
Rivanya didn't flinch. Keeping her eyes anchored locked into his, she stepped closer, challenging the very wall he spent years building.
"No, you are absolutely not the monster you pretend to be. You act like you don't care about anyone, like your family means nothing to you. But the truth is, you are the one who worries about them the most. You spend every waking moment shielding them, protecting them from the shadows.
The entire world might believe your heart is made of stone... but I know better. Behind that fortress of stone lies a heart as innocent and fragile as a flower a heart that is simply terrified of letting anyone get too close."
A profound, heavy silence fell over the starlit garden.
Rudraksh froze, his breath catching in his throat.
A wave of sheer astonishment washed over him.
How was it possible? How had this girl, in such a remarkably short span of time, managed to read the deepest, most heavily guarded pages of his soul?
Against his own formidable will, he was being drawn into her orbit day by day, inch by inch.
He didn't want this. He fiercely resisted it.
Yet, for the first time in his life, the absolute monarch of the Vardhan empire found himself entirely helpless against the quiet, relentless pulling of his own heart.
Noticing the cracks in his armor, a soft, victorious smile bloomed on Rivanya's lips.
Erasing the final bit of distance between them, she boldly slid both her arms around his neck, locking her fingers behind his head.
Looking up at him with pure mischief dancing in her eyes, she teased, "And by the way... I had absolutely no idea that my husband sorry, my *husband only on paper* possessed such a breathtaking singing voice! What a performance, Mr. Vardhan. I must admit, I am incredibly impressed."
Surrendering completely to the magic of the night, Rudraksh forgot his rules, his past, and his defenses. His strong hand slid down to her waist, firmly anchoring her against him.
"Oh, really?" he countered, his signature smirk returning as he looked down at her.
"And what about you? Sweeping everyone off their feet with your song tonight? And more importantly... the way you absolutely demolished Mrs. Rajan in front of the entire gathering. My god, Rivanya... every single day you prove to me that you are going to be a phenomenal, unmatched lawyer.
Just mark my words."
Rivanya's smile softened, a beautiful, nostalgic warmth filling her eyes at his praise.
"You know, Rudraksh... this perspective belongs entirely to my Mumma. She was the one who taught me that no human being is ever superior or inferior to another. She taught me that the absolute highest powers in this universe are our own *karma* and the Divine, nothing else.
Standing up unyieldingly for what is right... I learned that entirely from my mother."
Rudraksh's gaze softened with rare sincerity. Looking down at her, he murmured, "Then your mother, wherever she may be today, must surely be incredibly proud of you, Rivanya. She can see exactly how her daughter is walking the path she showed her."
Rivanya's eyes glistened with unshed tears, her heart swelling at his words. "Really, Rudra? Do you think Mamma would be proud of me?"
Locking his dark eyes with hers, Rudraksh nodded firmly.
"Yes. She would feel immensely proud of you... and so do I. Yes, Rivanya, I am proud of you. Just keep moving forward like this, always remember that. You don't need anyone else; you are more than enough on your own. When a woman sheds her fear,
she becomes Maa Kaali the ultimate power before whom even Mahadev bowed down. So never consider yourself less than anyone. Always learn to stand up for yourself, alright?"
Rivanya nodded softly, completely moved by his intense encouragement.
Looking at him with deep curiosity, she whispered, "Rudraksh... how are you so entirely different from the men of today? I mean, most men usually want a woman to always stay hidden behind them, living under their shadow. So how is your thinking so different?"
A look of deep conviction washed over Rudraksh's face.
"Rivanya, a man who oppresses a woman or keeps her suppressed doesn't even deserve to be called a man. A real man is one who stands by a woman when needed, or even walks behind her... but never lets her fall behind. For me, women have always held the highest place, and they always will.
I want you to be independent, which is exactly why I don't interfere much when you are taking a stand for yourself. Every woman should be like that she must learn to fight her own battles. A woman should be strong enough to crush this patriarchal society at every turn and march forward."