Chapter Seventy Nine.
@mary829 To address your question: I'm not sure what else you want Devraj to do at this stage.
He knows he was wrong, he has apologized multiple times, provided his reasoning, and Ira has explicitly addressed it with him.
He took full accountability for his actions.
Constantly rehashing the same issue for him to apologize on a loop doesn't fit the pacing of the story or their dynamic.
@bellalone Regarding your comment that there was no logical reason for Ira to accept Devraj: that simply tells me you are missing the core of the character I built???♀?
Ira, sometimes prefers to think logically.
Yes, Kunal was sweet, but he was also weak. He hid something incredibly important from her, cut her off abruptly and went totally silent..
When Devraj tried to break them up in a chapter, the scene she had to push herself hard just to make Kunal hear her out and she cleared thing, she went to his Company!!. didn't she go all out? Even slapped Devraj for that action.. wasn't it for love! Why can't he open up too???
Put yourself in her shoes for a second..do you really expect her to dwell on a breakup like that?
?For a woman like Ira, cutting him off isn't an "overreaction" it is basic self-respect and efficiency. She has no reason to sit around crying over a man who ended things, only to come crawling back later claiming he missed her.
She accepted Devraj because she understands his devotion and reality he provides.
She knows exactly what he did, but she respects that he took accountability and literally risked his life to help her.
It isn't just about power, Devraj went out of his way to leverage underworld connections he usually avoids, all to get his woman back.
(And let's be honest, we all want a man who will go to the extremes for us. ??)
And your claim that another man could just come along and "take her" exactly like she moved on from Kunal.. Sigh...
Ira didn't just let herself be passively "taken".. if it's so, what of Samar or Deepak??
No random man is going to swoop in and steal her away because no one else can offer her the unapologetic devotion and reality that Devraj does.
They are playing a completely different game, and Devraj is an entirely different breed of man than Kunal.
Also, she was single when she accepted Devraj.. Kunal left her! Hello!!!! She never looked at Devraj when she was dating Kunal!.
As for your other comment claiming the new character is Ira's "new lover" I am genuinely curious how you came to that conclusion.
For the record, he is actually the Male Lead from another one of my ongoing, unpublished book! I love building a wider universe where my characters cross paths.. it doesn't mean every new man who appears is instantly going to fall in love with Ira..???♀?
Please, learn to be patient and let the story unfold with a mature mind rather than jumping to conclusions.
I hope this clears things up for both of you!
He didn't even look like he belonged in this country...
"Meri jaan?"
"Ira?!"
The overlapping voices snapped her out of her trance.
Ira flinched, blinking rapidly as the street around her snapped back into focus.
Devraj's car was idling by the curb. He was leaning across the his expression tight with concern, while Ritika peered out from the back seat, looking equally unsettled.
"Are you okay? You completely spaced out." Ritika said.
Ira gulped and nodded.
"Meri jaan?" Devraj's voice dropped.. "Are you feeling okay?"
Ira turned her gaze back to the rear window, ignoring his question.
"Riri? Did you see the man who bumped into me?" she asked softly
Ritika scoffed.
"Oh, you mean that grumpy moron who looked like he can't keep his feet on stable? Yeah, of course."
Ira shook her head, a cold knot forming in her stomach.
"No, no... a tall man. Broad shouldered. He was massive, and... scary."
The air in the car instantly shifted. Devraj went on high alert, his posture stiffening.
"What man, Ira?" he demanded.
"He bumped into me when Ritika and I were walking towards the bus stop. He was dressed entirely in black. He stood out too much, but I couldn't even see his full face."
She paused, the memory of his gaze sending a chill down her spine.
"But he had these deep, piercing hazel eyes. His aura... it wasn't normal. It felt heavy."
Ritika's brow furrowed in confusion.
"What? Ira, the guy who bumped into you was just some average looking young man. He looked annoyed, kinda drunk and he definitely wasn't wearing black."
Ira gulped again, her brain struggling to understand what was going on
Then... what did I see?
"Don't worry. I'm here." Devraj murmured.
Ira nodded absentmindedly.. Devraj put the car in gear and drove back into the road.
From the back seat, Ritika placed a comforting hand on Ira's shoulder to ease her tension.
But despite the grounding presence of the two people closest to her, Ira's mind remained curious to the man with the hazel eyes.
~??~
Devraj brought the car to a smooth halt in front of Ira's home. She and Ritika climbed out, gathering their shopping bags from the back.
As Devraj stepped out to join her, Ira offered him a soft smile.
"Thank you.." she murmured.
Devraj's eyes softened. He leaned down, pressing a kiss to her cheek.
"Could you guys do that somewhere else?" Ritika groaned, turning toward the house with her arms full of bags.
Ira chuckled, but as she looked back at Devraj, her smile faltered.
The warmth in his expression had vanished, replaced by the cold edge.
"I need to look into this, Ira." he said. "I need to know exactly who this person is, and if he's a threat to you."
Ira didn't hesitate.
"I'm.. I will going with you."
Devraj blinked, his protective instincts immediately flaring.
"No. Ira, I don't-"
"I am coming with you.." she cut him off, leveling him with a deadpan glare. "Or I won't speak a single word to you for the next year."
Devraj swallowed hard, completely disarmed.
"That's not fair.." he muttered. But Ira just kept staring, unwavering.
He exhaled in defeat and nodded.
Ira turned toward the house.
"Ritika! I have something important to handle with Devraj. Tell my mom I'll be back soon."
Ritika paused on the porch, glaring over her shoulder as Ira slipped right back into the passenger seat, Devraj had got in too.
"You are definitely paying for our outings for a year after ditching me with these bags!" she called out.
Ira giggled, but Devraj leaned across the console, his tone entirely serious.
"I'll fund your outings for the next five years if you want."
Ritika rolled her eyes, though a triumphant smirk broke through.
"I want that directly deposited into my bank account."
Ira's eyes widened. "What? Ri-"
"Consider it done.." Devraj agreed immediately.. "Now, if you will excuse me and my woman..."
He rolled the window up and pulled away from the curb.
"You better keep her safe!" Ritika yelled after the retreating car. "I don't care how rich you are, I will haunt you!"
Ira shook her head as she sighed.
"We need to go back to the exact spot.." Devraj stated, "We are going to check every angle and see if we can pull the CCTV footage from that area."
Ira nodded slowly..
"Okay.."
~??~
Minutes later, the car pulled up to the exact place where the encounter had taken place.
Devraj and Ira stepped out, their eyes immediately scanning the nearby buildings and street poles for the telltale glint of a CCTV lens.
There was nothing. A complete blind spot.
"Devraj, there aren't any cameras here.." Ira said..
Devraj gave a curt nod. Without a word, he pulled his phone from his pocket and dialed.
"Are you in position?" Devraj demanded the second the line connected.
"Yes, Boss.." RV answered instantly.
"You were tailing Ira an hour ago. Tell me exactly what happened when a man bumped into her. Did you see it?"
"Yes, Boss, I saw it.." RV replied smoothly. "But the guy was completely harmless. I already ran a quick visual and background check. He's a nobody just a regular local with a meaningless life. Heavy drinker, chain smoker, gambles his daily wages away."
Devraj ran a hand through his dark hair, the tension in his jaw twitching.
"So, no threat?"
"None, Sir."
Devraj's eyes flicked over to Ira. She was watching him closely. He held her gaze, a dark furrow forming between his brows.
"Wait..What was he wearing?" Devraj asked
"Just some dirty, worn out street clothes, Boss. A stained kurta and dusty trousers."
"Understood. Keep your eyes open.." Devraj ordered before decisively cutting the call. He slipped the phone back into his pocket.
"So?" Ira pressed..
"RV confirmed Ritika's story.." Devraj said quietly, stepping closer to her. "He said the man you bumped into was exactly what your friend described. A grumpy, average drunk. Absolutely no threat."
Ira frowned. Her mind spun, trying to reconcile the impossible gap between what everyone else saw and what she had experienced.
She wasn't crazy. And her eyes definitely weren't deceiving her.
"But I know what I saw.." she whispered, her mind still trying to make sense of the impossible. "He looked... unreal, so different.."
"What do you mean?"
"He was massive. Taller than you, even." She glanced up, measuring Devraj's height against the memory of the stranger. "And he was entirely covered in black. Not a single inch of skin was showing. Maybe he's allergic to the sun?" Ira sighed, rubbing her temples.
Devraj wrapped his arms around her, pulling her against his chest, and pressed a kiss to the crown of her head.
"Don't overthink it. Whoever he was, he won't get anywhere near you.." he murmured.."I will always keep you safe.. i promise."
Ira melted into his embrace, a small smile finally breaking through her anxiety.
~??~
Meanwhile, nestled in the space between two shuttered shops, the man with the hazel eyes stood perfectly still.
His gaze locked unblinkingly on the couple down the street.