Devyani called rivan daddy（edited）
First let me clear a few points—
I am a medical student, and I have exams next month. You don't know how fucking traumatizing exams are for medical students... unless you are one yourself.
That's why I decided to prepare some draft chapters—not only for this novel but also for my other two novels. My plan was simple: while I'm away preparing and giving exams, my sister and friend would continue updating, so you guys wouldn't face a 1.5-month gap.
Do you even know how much time and energy I've spent making those drafts, editing, managing all this? I did it because I didn't want you guys to wait. 1.5 months is a huge gap.
But instead of understanding, some people are putting allegations like—"even after target, not updating" blah blah... Seriously?
For whom am I doing all this? For me? Haa? Tell me! If I was only thinking about myself, I'd have simply said goodbye for 2 months. But no, unlike others who just disappear, I thought about you all.
I know more than 90% of you are waiting patiently, but that restless 10% is eating my brain and making me crazy.
The few chapters got deleted accidentally. That was my hard work—my fucking hard work—and it's gone.
At least give me some time to handle the issue, to solve the problem. But no, some of you only care about updates. Whether I'm dying or not, you just want updates. That's it, right?
And let me be clear—this part is not for everyone. It's just for those who are idiots as hell and don't even know the basic manners of how to talk.
I know many of you are waiting eagerly, and I respect that. But if somehow I'm late, at least try to understand—maybe she's busy, maybe she's facing an issue. No, instead some people start judging me right away.
And don't think I don't know. I read each and every comment.
Damn right I know what you're saying, what bitching is going on about me.
I'm not like other authors who don't even bother reading.
Hell, I wait eagerly for your comments—so don't ever think I'm going to just leave you all like that. Never.
You don't know how hurtful it is to hear such words even after I've been struggling this much. It's so painful that I honestly don't even have words.
Earlier, I thought my sister and friend could handle updates while I prepared for exams. But since they don't have much knowledge about how these platforms work, they accidentally ended up deleting some chapters—not only from this novel but from my other novels too.
And trust me, it broke me. I poured my nights into writing those chapters, balancing it with my tough studies.
As a medical student, life already demands insane focus, attention, and hard work.
That's why I've decided not to give my account to anyone anymore. Because till I return after exams, they might end up deleting everything. And I can't bear that kind of loss again.
Yes, my exams are next month. Yes, you'll have to wait till mid-October when I'll finally be free.
But that doesn't mean I'll abandon you all.
Never. Whenever I get a breather after long hours of studying, I'll come back to my novels and try to give you updates—maybe once a week, maybe slower—but I promise, after my exams, updates will be regular again, just like now.
So please, have patience. My novels are my heart, and you all are my strength.
And the chapters that got deleted from here are:
· Devyani Kidnapped
· Devyani Nervousness
· Devyani Sleeping in Rivan's Arms
These chapters are now totally free on Scrollstack. I made them free because they aren't available here anymore, and I don't want to re-upload them here—otherwise the sequence of the novel will be lost.[FREE HAI BHAI]
So kindly go and read them on Scrollstack.
From today onwards, I am not setting any targets. Sorry if I ever pressured you all with targets before. You're already giving me so much by simply reading my novels, and I am truly grateful for that. Thank you for your love, patience, and care.
I also want to apologize for being a day late with the update. No matter how much I struggle, I don't want to stop writing for you all. But from now on, I will not beg or force anyone to do anything. If you enjoy my story, that alone is more than enough for me.
So please enjoy today's update. I will update the next chapter whenever I get free time. Please remember, I'm going through a hard time right now—I'm preparing for my exams, and it's not easy for me at all. I hope you can all understand. If not, then I really can't help it.
After doing so much for you all, it really hurts to see such comments.
I am honestly done with this kind of negativity.
If you are unhappy here, please unfollow and leave this story.
I have so many precious babies who still wait for me with love and patience, and I want to write only for them.
??ahhhhhh it's fucking hurting but i am fine but i am not fine yaar????????it's freaking painfull really
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Her plate remained nearly untouched—not because the food lacked taste, but because fear tasted stronger.
Fear of him.
Of his temper.
Of being in a house that didn't feel like hers.
Why did he react like that to his mother?
She remembered clearly—how Yashodha stood up and left, just because he refused to sit with her.
And not a single soul dared to stop her.
Not even Virendra Rathore, the king of this haveli.
It didn't make sense.
Why would a son hate his mother that much?
This was hatred. Cold. Brutal. Final.
Her heart dropped as the realization hit her.
She wasn't just living with a stranger.
She was married to a man who hate everyone .
She didn't know that behind Rivan Thakur's cruel detachment was a truth wrapped in betrayal.
And the day she would uncover that truth...
Would be the day her heart would bleed for a man who never asked for sympathy.
After the intense and unsettling lunch, the air in the haveli had turned heavier than ever. Conversations were hushed, smiles forced, and footsteps hesitant.
Jinal, sensing the pressure on Devyani, gently guided her toward Rivan's room. She didn't ask—just obeyed. No one really asked when it came to him.
"Aradhya, let's go with her," Jinal said softly, and Aradhya, ever the chatterbox, skipped along beside Devyani like a carefree bird, oblivious to the storm that haunted the walls of that room.
As soon as they stepped inside, Devyani let her trembling fingers lower the pallu from her face.
Her lungs expanded for the first time in hours.
Fresh air.
Freedom.
A moment where she wasn't being watched.
"Is it really necessary to stay in... his room?" she asked quietly, her voice barely audible, not even looking at Jinal.
Both Jinal and Aradhya nodded.
A long exhale left Devyani's lips.
She had no choice.
There were no choices here.
She looked around—everything about the room screamed of power, darkness, and control. It didn't feel like a bedroom, it felt like a cage. And now, she was the new bird trapped inside it.
Her thoughts were interrupted by Aradhya, who had already made herself at home on the couch.
About how Rivan once won a shooting competition.
About how no one dared to talk back to him.
About his cold smirk. His sharp eyes.
His anger.
But to Devyani, it all blurred.
Each word was distant.
Each tale of his power only tightened the knot in her stomach.
She sat quietly, half-listening, but her eyes stayed fixed on the door.
Because at any moment...
The devil might return.
And she was certain of only one thing—
He wouldn't like what he found.
Devyani, still trying to grasp even a sliver of peace, finally asked the question that had been tugging at her mind since lunch.
"Where did Reyansh bhaiyya go?"
Her voice was soft, uncertain.
The moment her question left her lips, both Jinal and Aradhya exchanged a quick glance—one of amusement laced with nervousness.
And then, in perfect sync, they spoke, almost casually:
"Soon, they're going to die."
Devyani blinked, stunned.
"D-die?" she whispered in disbelief.
Aradhya nodded, lips pursed.
"Rivan bhaiyya is in revenge mode."
Jinal added with a shrug, as if it were the most normal thing in the world,
"Yeah... probably they'll die. Or at least almost die."
They said it so lightly—as if talking about a game, not two lives.
But for Devyani, their words echoed like a death sentence.
Her heart pounded in her chest. Her stomach dropped.
He was going to kill... his own brother and best friend?
Her already fragile nerves were now completely shattered.
She was frozen for a moment, her lips slightly parted, unable to breathe, unable to blink. But the two girls, too used to Rivan's storm, didn't notice the terror they had just planted in her.
They got up after a while, saying something about helping with arrangements or calming the elders. Devyani barely registered their words. She just nodded mechanically, and then—
They left.
And now... she was alone.
In his room.
In his space.
Among shadows and silence.
The sunlight outside faded slowly, turning warm gold into deep orange... then purple... then black.
Evening melted into night.
But there was still no sign of Rivan.
Or Aditya.
Or Reyansh.
Each tick of the clock felt like a countdown to something horrible. Every sound outside made her flinch.
Her mind played every possibility.
Was he covered in blood now?
Did he bury them somewhere?
Was he coming back with a...bodies?
But more than anything... her soul trembled at one terrifying truth—
She was married to a man who could kill.
And he might not stop at anyone.
Not even her.
The clock ticked louder in the silence of the room, each second striking like a hammer in Devyani's chest.
It was past midnight, and she was still pacing restlessly in Rivan's room, her bare feet barely making a sound against the cold marble floor.
What if he had already returned and was watching from somewhere?
What if he had decided to kill her silently?
Her mind spun wildly.
He had clearly told her no one was allowed in this room, and here she was—his wife, a stranger in his world, standing in the one place he had forbidden.
She felt like a criminal.
And he... her unforgiving judge.
She wrapped her arms around herself and let out a shaky breath.
Her saree felt heavy, her body drained, but fear kept her upright—until it couldn't anymore.
It was already 2:00 AM.
Her limbs trembled not just from fear now, but from exhaustion. Her eyes burned. Her legs were weak from pacing.
And still, he didn't come.
Was he somewhere planning more rage?
She couldn't tell what scared her more—his presence or his absence.
With a shaking hand, she wrapped her pallu tightly over her head, covering her face once again like a shield—as if that thin fabric could protect her from the storm named Rivan.
Devyani pov
It's dark. Too dark. This haveli feels like a living thing—like its walls are breathing, its silence whispering things I don't want to hear.
I step out of the room, carefully... very carefully.
My hands tremble as I close the door behind me, but it still makes a little creak.
Shhh! What if he heard that?
I glance around—nobody.
But my heart... it won't stop racing.
Thump.
Thump.
Thump.
"It's 2 a.m., Devyani... why are you out like some ghost?"
"Because you're stupid. Because you're scared Because you're scared he'll kill you."
I hold the edge of my pallu tightly and take a shaky step forward. Then another.
This corridor is endless. And that stupid chandelier—why is it swaying? There's no wind!
I think of pati ji.
His voice echoes in my head.
"If I see your face again, I'll kill you."
My legs nearly give up.
But then I think of Reyansh bhaiyya... Aditya bhaiyya...
What if he already killed them?
No! No no no! I'll stop him. I'll bribe him! Yes!
I'll mop his floor if I have to. I'll fold his clothes. Clean his room. Do anything he says.
Maybe... maybe he'll spare them.
Maybe he won't shoot me and Reyansh bhaiyya and Aditya bhaiyya
"Come on Devyani, you can do this."
"You married a monster. Be brave."
But this pallu—ughh! I can't even see the floor! I almost trip and fall down the stairs.
He'll shoot me if I'm not wearing it. He'll skin me alive.
Step by step, I go down the grand staircase. Each step sounds like I'm dropping a bomb.
I can't tell if the air is cold or it's just me. Probably me. My teeth are chattering.
I keep telling myself to breathe—but then...
I hear it.
A sound.
Soft. Dull. Dragging?
My legs freeze.
My brain stops.
It sounded like...
A footstep.
Why did I leave the room?
Why, Devyani, why?
I could've just stayed on the floor like a good, scared wife. But no. My overthinking brain had to send me on a midnight mission!
This haveli feels alive—each step I take echoes like thunder in the silence.
Then I hear it again.
Thud.
No. Not again.
A shadow.
Tall. Dark. Looming on the wall.
And then—a voice.
Not loud, but guttural... like a whisper that wasn't meant to be heard.
I freeze.
My heart drops to my knees.
"G–ghost!" I gasp before I can stop myself.
And just then—
My leg slips.
The marble floor betrays me. My slipper flies, my body tilts, and I lose balance. My hands flail in panic.
I'm going to die.
I'm actually going to hit my head and die in this haunted haveli.
But just as I brace myself for the sharp pain of the floor—
I don't fall.
Instead, two rough, cold hands grab me. One hooks behind my back, the other around my waist, pulling me against something—no, someone.
Something hard. Solid. Unmoving.
A chest. A heartbeat. A man.
I look up.
My throat chokes on the scream I was about to let out.
The shadow wasn't a ghost.
It was worse.
I look up.
I was held by someone...
And God, I prayed with all my heart that this someone... shouldn't be him.
Not pati ji.
But of course—fate hates me.
Because the moment I dared to look up, my pallu—that stupid piece of cloth meant to save my life—slipped from my head.
And there it went.
My face.
Fully visible.
Tohim.
Our eyes met.
And in that moment, I was sure I was going to die.
His hands were still holding me. His grip was rough, but not painful. Yet it felt like my bones were melting under the intensity of his gaze. I could feel the scream stuck in my throat, the terror crawling up my spine.
"This is it," I thought, "this is how I die. For showing my face. He told me not to. He warned me. I broke the rule."
I gulped, my lips trembling, unable to breathe.
Then came his voice.
Low. Icy. Furious.
"Why the fuck are you roaming around at 2 a.m. while covering your face with a damn saree?"
I swear, my soul left my body for a second.
His eyes blazed down at me like fire, and I couldn't even speak. The words were stuck. I wanted to say I was scared, that I was just worried about Reyansh bhaiyya and Aditya bhaiyya, that I got lost... that I didn't mean to break his rule...
But all I did was stand there, frozen in his arms, lips parted, breath shaking, praying silently:
"Please don't kill me. Please don't shoot. Please don't roar."
The moment he let go of me, I didn't waste a single breath.
"S-sorry... sorry, Pati Pareshwar ji..." I blurted out like a broken audio record, and in lightning speed, pulled my pallu over my head again—
As if covering my face could magically save me from death.
But guess what?
Today is just not my day.
Because I could hear it.
His footsteps. Coming closer.
Each step felt like thunder crashing into my heartbeat.
I didn't dare look up. But I could feel him. Towering. Closing in.
So... I did what every sane coward would do—I moved back.
One step.
Then another.
And another.
Go away. Please just go away. I already said sorry, na? You should go now. Yes. Yes, go—
But no.
Because the next second—my back hit the wall.
Cold. Hard. Unforgiving.
"Oh no..." I whispered to myself, panic setting in full force.
Now I was cornered.
No space left.
No path to run.
And he—he was everywhere. His presence was so big, so consuming, like air refusing to let me breathe.
My legs turned into jelly. My hands started trembling uncontrollably.
Should I scream? Should I cry? Should I faint?
Run, Devyani! RUN!
But WHERE? He's standing right in front of you like a wall. A tall, angry, scary,—NO! Focus, Devyani!
My heart was thudding so hard, I thought he could hear it echo through the corridor. Like a warning drum before a sacrifice.
And then...
He took another step.
Closer.
And then—
He did something I never even imagined.
He removed my pallu.
My breath hitched. My head jerked up in shock—my hesitant eyes met his, and in that moment, I forgot how to breathe.
My dil didn't beat—it paused. Just like my world.
His eyes were fire.
Cold, furious fire.
Then... he leaned just a little closer, and in that dangerous, deep, emotionless voice he whispered:
"Stop. Calling. Me. Pati... whatever-the-hell you call me. Got it?"
I gulped.
My hands were already trembling, but now they started shaking like leaves in storm.
"Ji... p-phir hum... a-apko kya bulaye...?" I asked, voice barely a whisper. Each word broke like a glass falling.
He glared.
That expression... it was cruel. Ruthless. Sharp.
And then, with disgust in his voice, he said:
"Why the fuck would you call me anything?"
Just like that.
He ripped every right away from me.
Every fragile thread I was trying to hold onto... he cut it with just those few words.
I was nothing.
Not a wife.
Not even a person worth addressing.
Just a burden standing in his way.
I nodded my head silently.
What else could I even say?
Argue? Defend myself?
Not when every cell in my body was already shaking like a dry leaf in a storm.
He didn't move.
Instead, he asked coldly,
"And why the hell are you roaming around at this time?"
I opened my mouth, then closed it. Then finally whispered,
"Th-this... haveli... has ghost..."
He raised one brow, expression unreadable.
"So you came to say hello to that ghost?"
I instantly shook my head—no no no no!
"Then what? Want to dance with the ghost now?"
Again I shook my head like a child caught doing something wrong. No...
He narrowed his eyes slightly, and then in that dark, spine-chilling voice he said—
"Are you scared of ghosts?"
I nodded fast.
Yes. Yes. Very.
His lips curled slightly—not a smile. More like... amusement dipped in poison.
"Then you should never leave the room at night."
He leaned in just enough for his breath to brush against my ear, and then—
"Because there are more than twenty ghosts that roam here... every night."
"And some of them..."
"They kill small girls who look just like you."
My heart stopped.
Twenty?! Kill?!
Is he serious? He is.
If he hadn't come right now... would I have been killed?
I looked around, eyes darting into the darkness, every shadow now felt like claws ready to drag me away.
Does... everyone want to kill me in this haveli?
My knees wobbled.
But he—he just turned away, like nothing happened.
Not even a glance.
He stepped back, began walking into the darkness.
And without wasting even a second, I instantly followed behind him—
Because as terrifying as he was, the ghosts he spoke of...
they sounded worse.
And at least with him... I was still alive.
He walked ahead, silent and tall, like some shadow carved out of the night.
We finally reached his room.
His den. His cage. His battlefield.
And I... I stopped right outside the door.
My feet froze.
I looked at the slightly open door.
Then at his back.
Then again at the darkness behind me.
If I go inside... he'll kill me.
If I stay outside... ghosts will kill me.
I'm just stuck between two deaths.
Now the question is... which death would be easier?
I slowly peeked inside.
He was already inside—removing his jacket with that dangerous silence he always wears like a crown.
No. I can't go in.
But I also can't stay here.
Because... what if that ghost I screamed at earlier comes back with his cousins?
My lips trembled.
I whispered under my breath:
I was still stuck.
Right there. In front of the door.
Like someone standing between two trains, both ready to run me over.
Inside: Monster.
Outside: Bhoot.
And me? Poor Devyani caught in between.
My eyes flicked from the shadows behind me to the half-lit room inside.
Maybe I should just... stand here forever?
I was still thinking that—when suddenly his deep voice echoed from inside the room:
"Want to die staying outside?"
H-H-Haawww!
I jumped. Like literally jumped. My soul probably hit the ceiling and came back.
And before I could even process if that was real or my over-imaginative brain, I heard another sound.
This time from behind me.
Another thump. Another creak.
BASSS!!!
I didn't think.
I ran inside like my life depended on it. Because honestly—it did.
"die by human hands rather than ghost."
I didn't even look where I was running. My Pallu got stuck in the door, and I almost slipped.
I was about to scream again—until I realized...
He's not in the room.
I blinked.
Wait. Where's he?
Then I heard the sound of running water.
Bathroom.
He's in the bathroom.
My heart finally took a breath.
But not for long.
Because if he comes out and sees me standing like an idiot near his bed,
then ghost death would've been better.
I stood there...
Near the couch...
Neither sitting nor roaming.
Just waiting.
I didn't even move my little toe.
Because what if he gets angry again?
All I wanted was for him to come out and say—
"You... floor... sleep."
Simple. Done.
I'll happily curl up on any corner of the floor and thank all the Gods for being kind.
And after what felt like 1000 years, the bathroom door finally creaked open.
I looked up...
And froze.
My mouth opened.
My eyes popped.
There he was...
Hair wet and messy.
Water dripping from his neck.
His entire upper body—
"NAANGA—!!" (in my mind scream)
Just a white towel was wrapped around his waist.
Bas.
That's it.
Nothing else.
I blinked.
Once.
Twice.
Thrice.
I had never seen... this much... skin... of any man in my life.
Now I'm standing in front of a Greek god ka angry version—who's not even dressed!
I immediately turned my back.
My ears were red.
My hands started trembling.
My heart? Already fainted inside.
I tried to breathe slowly.
But my brain was yelling:
"Ye kya dekh liya Devyani??
I couldn't even pray properly because I didn't know what to pray for.
Forgiveness?
Or strength?
And what if he thinks I'm staring??
I didn't mean to!
I didn't mean to!
I quickly shut my eyes and whispered softly,
"I-I didn't see anything, Pati Ji. I didn't see anything, promise..."
And guess what?
My silly mouth had spoken out loud.
Now I wanted to jump out of the window and run back to the ghost instead.
I waited.
And waited.
But no angry voice came.
No towel man walked out again.
So after what felt like forever, I slowly turned my back again... eyes barely open.
And—
He wasn't there.
...??
He disappeared??
Y-yeh kaise?
Just a second ago he was dripping like rain... now poof — gone?
Then I heard a soft sound.
Click.
"The door..."
He... he left?
He went outside?
Ohh no...
Now what do I do?!
Do I stand here like a statue till morning?
Do I sleep? But where??
Should I ask him?? No wait—he's not here!
Should I go out to ask him??
No no no no ghosts!!
I looked at the door again.
"Don't go outside, Devyani... 20 bhoot hai... 20!!"
And inside?
Inside this room, he lives.
This whole room feels like him.
His smell... His presence...
Even the air feels scared.
I slowly sat down near the far corner of the wall.
My heartbeat was too loud in the silence.
I was careful—super careful—like I'm in a museum of antique things.
Didn't even touch the couch.
Not even his carpet.
His side table.
Even the air I breathed—I tried to keep it limited so I don't waste it.
"I'll sleep here, okay?" I whispered to no one.
I pulled my knees close to my chest.
My pallu covered my head again.
I looked around once more, and whispered to myself—
"He won't know... right? He won't kill me for just... sleeping here?"
Because honestly?
I've been sleeping on the floor for years.
I was always somewhere in corners.
And corners feel safer anyway.
So I curled up on that cold marble floor, as far as I could from anything that belonged to him.
"Don't touch anything, Devyani...
Don't breathe too loud...
Don't even dream too wild..."
And with trembling hands and a heart full of panic, I closed my eyes...
Hoping sleep would find me before he did.
I don't know how long I was asleep...
But this room...
This big, dark, scary room...
Suddenly everything started to move.
No no—not really... but it looked like it.
That tall vase near the wall?
I swear it just wobbled.
Is that ghost??
Is this its room??
Did I come to the ghost's bedroom instead of pati ji's?!
I curled up tighter but my hands were already trembling. My breaths were becoming heavy. Chest tight. Eyes wide.
"Bhoot... bhoot... bhoot..."
I saw them on TV once. They were white. Long hair. No eyes.
They come at night. They eat people.
They will eat me too!!
Noooo!
I stood up in panic—barefoot—heart thudding louder than thunder.
"I need to find someone—someone—please!" I whispered to myself.
Without thinking, I rushed out of the room, only to—
BUMP!!
"AHHH!!"
I crashed into something. Or rather... someone.
And it was so HARD I felt dizzy.
Does he eat STONES??!!
Or bricks?? Cement?? Whole mountain??!?
I looked up with teary eyes.
Oh God... it's him.
Pati Pareshwar ji.
And of course, he yelled.
"What the fuck are you doing now?! Didn't I tell you ghosts roam around here at night?! Still want to go for a walk? Huh?!"
I flinched. My body curled like a scared rabbit.
Tears stung my eyes as I stammered—
"I... I didn't... I was... I was getting sc-sc-scared inside... I... I saw something... I thought I'll die..."
He looked angry. No, angrier. And I made it worse—
"S-s-sorry... Sorry Pati Pareshwar ji..."
OH NO.
Wrong word. Trigger word.
He grabbed my wrist, not harshly, and pulled me back inside like I was a school girl caught stealing ladoos.
"I told you—stop fucking using that word again!"
I flinched again.
I couldn't help it. My voice barely came out—
"T-then... what... can I... call you?"
He turned, face full of venom and said—
"What are you expecting? To call me Daddy now? Huh? Stupid girl—go and sleep!"
And just like that—he picked up some papers from the table and stormed off again like a hurricane in a towel (or pants now, maybe. I didn't check. I was crying ??).
And I stood there.
Sniffling.
Tears dripping like leaky tap.
"How bad... so bad... scolding small girl like this. Paap lagega. Paap. Gandaa ladka..."
But then—my mind clicked.
Wait...
He said Daddy, right?
That's what he wants me to call him?
My eyes brightened through the tears.
"Ohh! Toh wohi toh bolna hai!"
Thank God!
Now I know. No more mistakes. No more pati ji. No more flinching.
From now onwards, I'll call him what he said.
"Good idea, Devyani. You're such a smart girl. From today... he's Daddy."
Author's POV
She slept on the cold floor that night.
Curled up like a scared kitten... whispering a word that brought her unexpected comfort—
"Daddy..."
She kept repeating it in a barely audible murmur, smiling gently between her stammers, thinking she had finally found the right word that wouldn't earn his scolding.
Poor Devyani.
She didn't know...
He had said that in anger. In sarcasm.
Not as a suggestion.
But how would she know?
Her whole life, she was trained to obey. Not to understand.
To follow orders. Not intentions.
So to her fragile mind, 'Daddy' was no insult—it was a title... a permission... a small win.
?
The next morning arrived quietly, with sun rays pouring into the room through sheer curtains.
And Devyani's lashes fluttered open as something felt—different.
Soft.
Warm.
Not hard, not cold.
Not the floor.
she gasped, sitting up in an instant.
Her hands flew over the blanket. A blanket. On a bed. With pillows.
She scrambled to her feet like she'd touched fire, her heart thudding violently.
"No no no! What if I climbed the bed in sleep?? What if he sees me? What if someone tells him??"
This was the last place she was ever supposed to be.
And here... she was lying in his bed.
She started cleaning it in panic, smoothing the sheets, adjusting the blanket as if trying to erase every trace of her existence.
?
That's when Jinal entered.
Holding a fresh saree in her arms, smiling with a little bounce in her steps.
"Bhabhi! Maa sent this saree for you. And badi maa said she'll start organising a wardrobe soon for your accessories and clothes!"
A wardrobe?
Devyani's brows furrowed. Her lips parted to ask, but... she didn't.
What was a wardrobe exactly?
She just nodded.
Silently.
Because that's what she'd always done.
?
With Jinal's gentle help, she got ready—every pleat carefully done, every pin securely placed.
And still... no sign of him.
Rivan Singh Thakur.
Her heart felt a little lighter.
"At least I can breathe today... maybe."
?
Then, they made their way to the breakfast hall.
And while everyone else walked normally...
Devyani's steps were measured, soft, and barely audible.
As if she was walking into a courtroom where one wrong move could mean punishment.
Because in her world... even sitting with a family felt like a crime.
There was still some time before breakfast.
The haveli was calm, the staff quietly arranging dishes on the long dining table, and the aroma of freshly cooked food drifted in the air.
Devyani, in her timid voice and eyes filled with hesitation, slowly walked up to Yashodha, who was adjusting the table centerpiece.
"Maa agar aapko bura na lage toh... kya main kuch bana sakti hoon... breakfast ke liye?"
Her voice was almost a whisper, as though she feared being scolded for even offering.
Yashodha turned, pleasantly surprised.
She had expected Devyani to be quiet for at least a few days after what had happened. But here she was, asking to cook.
Yashodha gave her a warm smile.
"Of course, Devyani. But we already have chefs, beta. You don't need to worry. Just sit and enjoy your breakfast, okay?"
Devyani's eyes fell for a moment, but not out of disappointment. She was calculating—trying to understand how this household worked.
And then came another soft, innocent question,
"Phir... kya main lunch bana sakti hoon?
"Theek hai. Tum chaho toh lunch bana lena. Waise bhi, pehli rasoi ki rasam bhi puri ho jayegi."
Devyani blinked, unsure what 'rasam' she meant... but nodded anyway.
?
Soon, everyone began gathering around the dining table.
Each chair slowly filled—Rudraksh chatting quietly with Aditya, Jinal and Payal helping the staff, Aaradhya flipping through her phone with one hand and munching fruit with the other. The table was alive... yet careful.
Everyone knew he was yet to come.
And just as Yashodha was about to sit, she paused.
Then quietly turned back and walked toward her room—knowing full well Rivan Thakur didn't appreciate her presence at the table. Not when he was there.
Now, only two chairs remained unoccupied—one beside Virendra Thakur, the other beside his newly-wed wife.
Devyani sat frozen at the far end, her fingers knotted tightly in her lap. Her stomach twisted. She didn't dare eat yet.
And then it happened.
The footsteps.
Heavy.
Sharp.
Commanding.
The echo of his arrival silenced the entire room like someone had hit the mute button.
Not a single spoon moved. Even the air felt afraid to blow.
He walked in, pausing for just a second, scanning the scene like a king entering court. His eyes flicked over the table, then without a word—
He sat.
Next to Devyani.
The wife.
The stranger.
The girl who still feared to breathe near him.
Devyani's breath caught in her throat. The entire table watched in stunned silence.
And in a moment of pure instinct, fear, and innocence—
She pulled her pallu over her face, hiding herself completely like a child hiding from a monster under a blanket.
Jinal dropped her spoon.
Aaradhya blinked in shock.
Even Virendra raised an eyebrow.
But none of them said a word.
Because everyone knew—
The only person allowed to speak now... was Rivan.
No one dared to comment on the fact that Devyani had covered her face completely—not even Virendra Thakur.
They all assumed... maybe it was some ritual.
Some old tradition that the newlywed bride was following.
After all, no one really knew what had happened behind those closed doors—except the way she walked like a mouse and sat like a statue spoke enough.
Everyone resumed eating slowly, carefully. Even the clinking of spoons felt rehearsed.
Jinal leaned a little toward Devyani and whispered,
"Bhabhi... can you pass me that rice bowl?"
Devyani stiffened.
That bowl was right next to him.
Next to Rivan Thakur.
The man who looked like thunder, spoke like lightning, and glared like a loaded gun.
Devyani peeked from beneath her pallu—just enough to see the distance.
She could maybe stretch and try, but the bowl sat too close to his arm.
She gulped.
Her palms began to sweat. Her heart raced like a trapped rabbit. But Jinal didn't stop—she whispered again, faster this time.
"Bhabhi, fast na... I'm hungry!"
Devyani's lips trembled.
She didn't want to say no. She didn't want to disappoint anyone. She never did.
Her brain panicked. Her mouth worked faster than her thoughts.
And then—
She said it.
The room broke.
"D-Daddy... c-can you pass... the rice bowl?"
?
SILENCE.
Not a pause.
Not a breath.
Just pure, nuclear-level silence.
Virendra Thakur's spoon stopped midair.
Payal's eyes went round.
Aditya choked on his water.
Aaradhya gasped, trying to hold in a laugh and a shriek.
Jinal's jaw dropped.
Even the servants looked up from the kitchen entrance like someone had fired a gun.
And Rivan...
His jaw clenched.
His hand, which had just moved toward the water glass, froze mid-motion.
His eyes snapped toward her—sharp. Piercing. Dangerous.
She said it again, louder this time, her eyes sparkling mischievously.
"Baby..."
The great Rivan Thakur—stopped.
Stopped scolding. Stopped thinking.
And that was when she did the unthinkable.
Devyani tiptoed closer, ignoring the fury blazing in his eyes, and— smack!—planted a soft kiss on his right cheek.
Rivan's eyes widened in disbelief.