Ch48Only for You, Raksh #4
And resting gracefully against her soft curves was a thin, dazzling silver waist-chain that shimmered brilliantly under the moonlight.
Rudraksh's dark eyes widened in absolute, paralyzed astonishment.
The sheer sight of her breathtaking appearance completely wiped his mind blank, and his voice trapped itself in his throat.
His collar felt instantly tight, and a sudden heat rushed through his veins he swallowed hard, his throat going entirely dry.
Trying desperately to gather the scattered pieces of his iron-clad composure, his voice trembled slightly as he spoke in a low, gravelly whisper.
"What... what on earth do you think you are doing, Rivanya?"
Rivanya remained standing in the exact same position, resting a hand confidently on her hip.
Looking down at his flustered state with a beautifully enchanting, confident smile, she replied smoothly, "What does it look like? I am simply pacifying my grumpy, upset husband... which happens to be my absolute legal and emotional right."
Rudraksh blinked his eyes rapidly, desperately forcing his gaze to move away from the mesmerizing silver chain wrapped around her waist.
He stared blankly at the wall beside her, his jaw tightening as he lied defensively, "There is absolutely no need for anyone to pacify anyone. And why on earth would I ever be upset, especially over someone like you? Now, please leave the balcony and let me finish my corporate work in peace."
Instead of backing away or getting discouraged by his cold words, Rivanya let out a soft, melodious chuckle.
Moving with a hypnotic, effortless grace, she leaned forward and bent down slightly toward him, bringing her face closer to his.
As she leaned in, her structured saree dipped, exposing her deep, elegant cleavage directly into his line of sight.
Panic violently surged through Rudraksh's chest. Shocked by her bold proximity, he instinctively and immediately averted his eyes, dropping his gaze all the way down to the floor to maintain his boundaries.
The sheer decency, profound respect, and gentlemanly nature he displayed in that split second sent a massive wave of pure adoration straight through Rivanya's heart.
It deeply touched her soul. She realized that despite his terrifying reputation as a ruthless Mafia King, this man held such immense respect and purity for his own wife that he chose to lower his eyes the moment she caught him off guard.
She didn't need to analyze his character any further; her respect and love for him multiplied a hundred times over.
Sensing his intense discomfort, Rudraksh abruptly stood up from his lounge chair. Desperate to escape the suffocating pull of her presence and regain his legendary control, he turned around, intending to march back into the safety of the dark bedroom.
But before he could take a single step past the threshold, Rivanya's voice drifted through the air behind him. It was a voice completely stripped of its playful mischief, turning incredibly soft, velvety, and laced with pure affection. "Raksh... please forgive me and smile, won't you?"
The moment that specific, unspoken name vibrated in the quiet air, Rudraksh's advancing footsteps froze completely against the marble floor.
A violent shiver shot straight down his spine, paralyzing his entire body.
His chest heaved as a storm of raw, buried emotions violently unraveled inside him.
With a look of deep, agonizing astonishment written across his features, he slowly turned his head, his dark eyes locking onto hers with a trembling intensity.
"What did you just call me?" he demanded, his voice dropping into a rough, breaking whisper. "That name... where did you hear it?"
Noticing the sudden, intense vulnerability and the ghostly paleness that took over his handsome face, Rivanya instantly panicked.
A wave of fear gripped her heart, assuming she had crossed a forbidden line and inadvertently made him furious all over again.
Moving frantically into her defense, she spoke quickly, her voice laced with deep apology.
"Do you... do you highly dislike this name? I am so incredibly sorry, Rudraksh. I didn't mean to cross a boundary. I promise I will never, ever use this name to call you again..."
Rudraksh watched her anxious face, and as the silence stretched between them, he slowly and gently shook his head from side to side. The cold, unreadable mask he usually wore completely vanished, revealing a profound, heartbreaking sorrow in his dark eyes.
"No," he murmured softly, his voice echoing with a tragic, ancient weight. "It's not that I dislike it. The truth is... this specific name used to be my absolute favorite thing to hear in this world... once upon a time."
Confusion clouded Rivanya's features as she stepped a fraction closer, her voice turning immensely gentle. "Did... did someone else use to call you by this name, Raksh?"
Rudraksh looked past her, his gaze completely losing itself in the painful, haunting vortex of his childhood memories a place where the blurred, sweet face of his late mother was the only light. He took a long, ragged breath and whispered, "Yes... my mother."
Hearing those words, a sharp sting of immediate guilt pierced through Rivanya's chest.
The realization hit her all at once: without even meaning to, she had placed her hand directly onto his oldest, deepest, and most painful wound a wound that he had spent twenty-two years fiercely guarding from the rest of the world.
She bit her lip, her eyes mirroring his deep sorrow as she spoke in a hesitating, deeply emotional tone.
"I am so sorry, Rudraksh. My intention was absolutely never to hurt you or bring back a painful memory. I swear to you, I will bury this name right now and never bring it to my lips again."
"No, don't do that," Rudraksh interrupted her softly, his voice carrying a rare, comforting warmth that she had never heard before.
He looked down at her, his intense gaze locking directly into her soul.
"Hearing this name after so many long, lonely years... it actually felt incredibly good. It brought a strange sense of peace to my chest. And if this specific name suddenly came to your tongue out of nowhere tonight, then perhaps... perhaps Mother herself wanted it this way.
Maybe she wants you to be the one to call me by it. So, Rivanya... from this very moment on, I am officially giving you the exclusive right to call me Raksh. You have the absolute right to use it whenever you want."
Saying this, unable to handle the sudden cascade of raw, heavy emotions breaking through his walls, Rudraksh quickly turned his face away, intending to step back into the shadows of the room to hide his vulnerability.
But our Rivanya was absolutely not a woman to let him retreat into his shell again.
Moving with a sudden, beautiful confidence, she reached forward.