Chapter 14
CHAPTER 14
DHEER
I was on a call with Kirori Ji when Isha rapped on the door and walked into my study.
“Bhai Sa, we have to talk.”
I waved her into a chair and wound up my call.
“What are you up to?” she asked suspiciously.
“Delivering a much-needed message to the Goels about my upcoming wedding. And that I will not tolerate any attack on my new extended family,” I replied, stretching my arms over my head. “Now, how can I help you?”
“You need to sit down and talk to Diya. Clearly and honestly.”
I stared at her in confusion.
“About what?”
“About the past. She won’t trust you unless you tell her why you dumped her without an explanation. And how can you have a happy ever after without trust?”
I barked a bitter laugh and Isha winced.
“There is no happy ever after for us, Isha. You have to accept that.”
“But I thought you wanted to be with her forever.”
“I do, but the past is dead and gone, and I refuse to bring it up again. We all need to move on.”
“Bhai Sa, Diya will leave you if you don’t give her a valid reason to stay,” snapped Isha.
I shook my head.
“Don’t worry about it, Isha,” I said lightly.
Because I knew I was never letting Diya go. Once we got married, she was mine forever. I would find a way to make her stay.
There was a knock at the door, and Diya poked her head around the door.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to disturb your conversation.”
“Come on in. I was just leaving,” said Isha, with a pointed look at me.
Diya hovered in the doorway uncomfortably and I waved her in.
Isha shut the door softly as she left the room and Diya came to stand by my desk.
“Your Highness, I need your help,” she began, but I held up a hand.
“Say my name,” I ordered, leaning back in my chair.
Diya flushed a little and glared at me.
“I’m serious.”
I rose from my chair and moved around the desk to perch on the edge of it.
“So am I. Say. My. Name.”
“Go to hell,” she bit out.
I grabbed her by the hand and pulled her to stand between my legs. Taking her hands, I held them against my chest as I looked into her eyes.
“We’re going to be married in two days. You can hardly scream Your Highness when I make you come,” I teased.
Diya pulled her hands away as if stung.
“Stop it, Dheer,” she snapped.
“There you go,” I replied, with a grin. “Now, how can I help you?”
She took a deep breath and shot me one final glare before she began to speak.
“I need to find out who the woman was that Ayush killed. You were right when you said that the police wouldn’t take me seriously if I didn’t even know her name.”
I exhaled sharply.
“I thought you were going to drop it.”
“I can’t,” she replied. “I was just trying to take a nap, but her face haunts me in my sleep. It’s as if I’m equally complicit in her death. I don’t think I can ever sleep in peace again if I don’t do my best to get justice for her.”
“If you pursue this further, you will only cement your enmity with the Goels. Are you ready for war, because that’s what it will come to?”
“I am, but are you ready for it?” she challenged. “Because they will come after you too.”
“Baby, I was born ready for war,” I replied with a grin. “And the Goels and I already have a long history of mutual hostilities.”
“But it’s not just you, is it? And that’s what I’m worried about, Dheer. I don’t want your family to suffer for my decisions.”
“When we get married, you will become a part of my family, Diya. And this family stays together no matter what. We live together, we suffer together, and together, we make our enemies sorry for being born. Besides, I know how to protect my family. This will never touch them. It will only be us against the Goels. Not my mother, Isha or Dadi Sa.”
“In that case, I need to know who that woman was. And I need to nail Ayush for her death,” she said fiercely.
“Alright. I’ll find out what I can,” I promised.
“Thank you. I’ll… I’ll leave you to your work,” she said and turned to leave.
Then she hesitated and turned around again.
“Why?” she asked in an agonised whisper.
“Excuse me?”
“Why did you do it? Nine years ago… why did you bring another woman to my house and introduce her as your fiancée when you were supposed to love me? Why, Dheer?”
I clenched my jaw tightly and swallowed hard. I wanted to drag her into my arms and promise her that I had never loved anyone else. Only one woman had ever haunted my dreams and it was her. But I couldn’t say any of that. So I shrugged.
“It was a mistake. I lost my head when I met Raksha. It happened, and I take full responsibility for it. But can we please move on?”
She shook her head bleakly.
“Here’s the thing, Dheer. Once a cheater, always a cheater. What’s to stop you from losing your head over another woman after we’re married? That’s why our marriage comes with an expiry date.”
“I’m making this very clear once and for all, Diya. I will never allow you to leave me.”
“You can’t stop me if I want to leave,” she said coldly, walking towards the door.
I caught up with her before she opened the door and trapped her against it, caging her in place with my hands against the wooden frame.
“I’ll tie you to my bed if I have to,” I warned angrily.
“I will never be in your bed. This is a marriage of convenience. In name only,” she said defiantly, glaring up at me.
I pushed her curls away from her face with one hand and raised her chin.
“Oh no, sweetheart. Like I told you before, you will marry me in mind, body and soul,” I whispered before I bent to kiss her.