Chapter 3
Reeva
My entire world shatters as I stand outside Shaurya’s office, a lunch box clutched tightly in my trembling hands. I came here to surprise my husband. Instead, I am the one left blindsided.
Every dream I built around our marriage, every promise I believed, every memory I cherished... all begins to crumble into dust as Shaurya’s voice, raised from inside the office, reaches me through the closed door.
“My months of manipulating Reeva, of playing the perfect husband, of making her believe our marriage was real... none of it will go to waste. I’ll have her sign the papers transferring Rajmahal back to us.”
The words slam into me like a knife driven straight through my heart.
For one endless heartbeat, I forget how to breathe. All I hear is the cold certainty in his voice… the voice of the man I trusted with my heart and the man I loved with every piece of my soul. The husband I believed loved me back.
And in that single, devastating moment, I realise it was all a lie.
I want to push open the door and demand answers. I want to look him in the eye and ask how he could do this to me. But I can’t move. Tears blur my vision as I force a slow, unsteady breath into my lungs. I refuse to fall apart. Not here.
With my knees threatening to buckle beneath me, I stumble back and clutch the lunch bag with numb fingers before turning towards the elevator. I ignore the curious stares and hushed whispers following me through the corridor. Right now, only one thought consumes me. I need to uncover the truth.
I press the button for the basement and stare at my reflection in the mirrored walls of the elevator. The woman staring back at me is breaking apart, her eyes shimmering with unshed tears.
When the elevator doors open, I walk numbly towards my car and slide behind the wheel. I barely remember starting the engine or pulling out of the parking lot. My hands grip the steering wheel so tightly that my knuckles turn white as I drive towards the Singhania Group headquarters.
Every mile feels like torture. What a fool I’d been.
The words echo relentlessly inside my head, refusing to leave me in peace.
He did all this for a property? He played with my emotions... with my heart. Until today, Rajmahal was simply a gift my father had left me. Now, all I can see is the reason my husband walked into my life.
By the time I reach my office, the ache in my chest has hardened into something cold and heavy.
I remain behind the wheel for several moments, drawing in a deep, unsteady breath as I stare up at the towering Singhania Group headquarters.
When I finally step out of the car and enter the lobby, employees greet me with warm smiles and respectful nods.
I force myself to return each one, praying no one notices the cracks forming in the composure I am desperately trying to maintain.
Without breaking stride, I head towards my office.
Even after marrying Shaurya, I chose to continue working as the executive director of Singhania Group.
The moment I step into my cabin, a soft knock sounds before the door opens.
Naina, my personal assistant, walks in carrying her tablet.
In her late twenties, she is dressed in a crisp navy-blue pantsuit that perfectly complements her composed demeanour.
Her dark hair is secured in a neat low ponytail, and behind her rectangular glasses, warm brown eyes reflect the quiet confidence of someone who never misses a detail.
Efficient, discreet, and fiercely loyal, she has worked by my side for the past four years, earning my complete trust through her professionalism, unwavering dedication, and uncanny ability to anticipate what I need before I even ask.
“Ma’am, your first meeting is in ten minutes.”
I place my handbag on the desk before sinking into my chair, exhaustion settling into my bones.
“Cancel everything for the next two hours.”
The professional smile on Naina’s face falters, concern replacing it almost instantly. “Is everything okay, ma’am?”
I don’t answer. Instead, I meet her gaze. “I need everything we have on Rajmahal.”
Her brows knit together. “Rajmahal Hotel?”
“Yes. I want the acquisition papers, the complete legal history, ownership transfer documents, news archives, internal correspondence… anything and everything connected to how Rajmahal became part of Singhania Group.”
A flicker of surprise crosses her face. “Ma’am, that’s a very old file. Most of it would be with Legal Archives.”
“Then get it from them.”
She studies me for a brief moment, sensing there’s more behind my request than I am willing to say, but true to her nature, she doesn’t ask another question.
“Of course.” With a respectful nod, she quietly exits the cabin, gently closing the door behind her, leaving me alone.
I press my trembling fingers to my forehead and squeeze my eyes shut.
For months, I’d wondered why Shaurya’s mother hated me so much.
I’d convinced myself that she simply thought I was not good enough for her son, that with enough patience, kindness, and love, I would eventually earn her acceptance.
But now, I understand. All my efforts had been in vain.
She had never intended to accept me. From the very beginning, I had already been guilty in her eyes.
And the worst part is, Shaurya had known all along. Every time I broke down after another cold remark from his mother, every time I told him how desperately I wanted to win her heart, he knew she would never accept me. Yet he comforted me... all while playing me.
An hour later, a knock breaks the silence.
“Come in,” I call out.
The door opens, and Naina steps inside.
“Ma’am, I found the first batch,” she says, placing the tablet on my desk. “Legal is still retrieving the older physical files, but this is everything we have in the digital archives.”
She taps the screen, opening the file before sliding the tablet towards me.
My pulse quickens as my eyes drop to the first page, a knot tightening in my stomach.
Rajmahal. Original owners: the Rajvansh family.
My breath catches as I continue reading.
The file lays out the entire history with clinical precision.
Rajmahal had been pledged as collateral against a loan, with a six-month repayment clause.
When the repayment wasn’t made within the stipulated time, ownership of the palace was legally transferred.
The Rajvanshs challenged the transfer in court, but their claim was dismissed.
The final title was awarded to my father.
I stare at the words as the room seems to close in around me, each sentence pressing down on my chest.
“Ma’am?” Naina’s voice is gentle, laced with quiet concern.
I tear my gaze away from the screen, forcing myself to blink back the haze clouding my vision.
“You can go now.”
She hesitates for a brief moment, as though she wants to say something, but thinks better of it. With a silent nod, she turns and quietly leaves the cabin.
The moment the door closes, the silence becomes unbearable. Knowing I can’t face this alone, I reach for my phone with trembling hands and call the one person who’s always been there for me.
My brother answers on the second ring.
“How’s my little sister doing?” The familiar warmth in his voice is all it takes.
“Bhai...” I whisper, my voice breaking.
His tone sharpens instantly. “Ree? What happened?”
I press a hand over my mouth, desperately trying to hold back the sob threatening to escape. “Can you... come to my office?”
There isn’t even a second of hesitation before he replies, “I am on my way.”
The line disconnects, but I continue staring at the screen in front of me, unable to look away. It feels as though every part of my life has been carefully arranged, every emotion manipulated to lead me exactly where Shaurya wanted me. I don’t know what’s real anymore.
Five minutes later, my office door flies open without a knock.
The moment my brother’s eyes land on me, every trace of composure vanishes from his face. He crosses the room in two long strides before dropping into a crouch in front of my chair, his gaze frantically searching mine as though trying to understand what could have shattered me so completely.
“Who hurt you?”
I open my mouth to answer, but no words come. My throat burns too much to speak.
“Ree...” His voice softens, filled with the same quiet patience that has always made me feel safe enough to share my fears. “Please, talk to me. Tell me what happened.”
Without a word, I turn the tablet towards him.
He takes it from my hands and begins to read.
At first, there’s only confusion. Rajmahal had always been just another property in our hospitality division as far as either of us knew.
A prized heritage hotel that Dad had gifted me years ago.
We had never questioned how it became part of Singhania Group.
Why would we? It had always been there, woven into the company’s portfolio long before either of us took over the business.
As his eyes move down the page, confusion slowly gives way to dawning realisation. One by one, the pieces fall into place, and the colour gradually drains from his face. His jaw tightens as he slowly lowers the tablet, his eyes lifting to meet mine, the disbelief in them giving way to quiet fury.
“What does this mean?”
I swallow past the lump in my throat, forcing the words out even though each one feels like it’s tearing me apart all over again.
“It means...” My voice cracks. “Shaurya didn’t marry me because he loved me. He married me to get his hands on Rajmahal.”
Bhai’s face hardens. “I’ll fucking kill him.”
“Bhai…”
“Don’t.” His voice is glacial as he rises to his feet.
“Don’t you dare defend him.” He drags a frustrated hand through his hair.
“I never wanted this marriage, Ree. Something about Shaurya never sat right with me. But you loved him. You were happy. So, I put my doubts aside and trusted him with the most precious person in my life.”
“So did I,” I whisper, my voice shattering.
Without a word, he pulls me into his arms. The moment his hand settles gently against the back of my head, a sob tears free from my chest.
“I loved him,” I cry into his shirt. “I loved him so much.”
His embrace tightens. “I am going to make Shaurya Rajvansh pay for every single tear he’s made you shed.”
I step back, wiping the tears from my cheeks with the back of my hand. “You won’t do any such thing, Bhai.”
His eyes flash with fury. “Ree, he used you. He played with your life.”
“I know, Bhai. I am the one standing in the middle of this wreckage.” I draw in a shaky breath. “But this is my marriage, my betrayal, my battle.”
He shakes his head. “You don’t have to fight it alone.”
“I am not alone. I have you, and I’ll always have you.” I manage a faint, broken smile. “But you can’t fight this for me.”
“Ree…”
“All my life, you’ve protected me.” My voice softens despite the ache tearing through my chest. “After Mom and Dad died, you became everything I needed. My brother... my father... my mother... my protector. You stood between me and every storm that came my way.” I reach for his hand and hold it tightly.
“But not this one. This storm is mine to face. If I let you fight it for me, I’ll spend the rest of my life wondering whether I was ever strong enough to survive it on my own.
” I lift my chin, even as my heart continues to splinter inside me. “So let me do this, Bhai. Please.”
“What are you going to do?” he asks.
“I am going to confront him. I am going to make him explain why.” My voice trembles, but my resolve doesn’t.
“If he wanted Rajmahal, he should have come to me with the truth. If his father was wronged, he should have told me. If our family committed an unforgivable mistake, I had the right to know.” A tear slips down my cheek.
“So why did he choose deceit? Why did he make me fall in love with him instead of trusting me with the truth?”
“And then what, Ree?” Bhai asks quietly. “When you get your answers, will you forgive him?”
I hold his gaze and slowly shake my head. “No.”
“I am… I am coming home, Bhai.” The words leave my lips with quiet finality.
“I don’t think I can ever stay with a man who built our marriage on lies.
Whatever his reasons were, whatever pain his family carried...
he hurt me.” I swallow hard, forcing back another wave of tears.
“You can survive almost anything in a marriage, but not when the person you love becomes the very reason your heart breaks.”
Finally, Bhai lets out a harsh breath, the fight draining from his shoulders. “Fine. But the moment you need me...”
“I know,” I whisper, managing the faintest smile. “You’ll be there.”
His expression softens as he cups the back of my head and presses a gentle kiss to my forehead.
“No matter how old you get, you’ll always be my little sister, and I’ll protect you with everything I have,” he murmurs.
The words undo me all over again, but this time, they remind me that no matter how badly my marriage has shattered, I still have a home to return to.