You r not ready for this readers!
On the other side…
Maya walked back toward Atharva.
He looked up at her the moment she came closer, his heavy eyes struggling to stay open. “Where did you go… leaving me alone like that…?”
Before she could respond—
He suddenly pulled her closer and rested his head in her lap.
Maya froze for a second… but didn’t say anything.
Atharva shifted slightly, curling into her like a child… clinging to her as if she was the only thing keeping him grounded.
Maya just sat there… silently watching him.
—
A few moments passed…
And then—
He started crying.
Maya’s expression changed instantly. She gently held his face and turned it toward her.
His eyes were wet… tears slipping down one after another… soaking into her clothes.
“Atharva… are you okay? What happened?” she asked softly.
His lips trembled slightly. “Why do you always talk about leaving me…?”
Maya stared at him, confused… caught off guard.
His voice broke even more.
“Didn’t I lose my baby too…?”
For a moment—
Maya had no words.
She slowly ran her fingers through his hair, her touch unexpectedly gentle.
“Go to sleep, Atharva… you’re too drunk…”
“No…” he shook his head weakly, gripping her clothes tighter. “If I sleep… you’ll leave…”
Maya looked at him for a few seconds…
Something softened in her eyes.
“I’m not going anywhere,” she said quietly. “Now please… sleep.”
Atharva let out a faint breath and rested his face back in her lap again.
“Okay… then stay this close…”
Maya didn’t reply.
Her fingers continued moving softly through his hair… slow… calming…
And gradually—
His grip loosened.
His breathing steadied.
His eyes finally closed.
—
She stayed like that for a while… just sitting there with him in her lap… watching his face, now peaceful… almost vulnerable.
Then slowly—
She adjusted him properly on the bed, making him lie down comfortably.
—
But then…
Something crossed her mind.
Maya stood up quietly.
She took out her phone, switched on the recording, and placed it carefully in a corner—at an angle where every movement in the room was clearly visible.
Her eyes lingered on it for a second… making sure everything was captured.
—
After that, she walked into the bathroom.
The sound of the shower filled the silence.
Water ran down, washing away everything from the night—
The tension… the touch… the weight of it all.
—
A while later, she stepped out, changed into fresh clothes, her expression calm… unreadable again.
Without making any noise—
She walked back to the bed…
And quietly lay down beside Atharva.
Maintaining just enough distance—
Yet close enough to hear his steady breathing in the darkness.
After a long… long time—
Atharva’s eyes snapped open.
His breath came out uneven, almost sharp, as if his body had been forced out of a deep, suffocating sleep. For a moment, everything felt blurred… distant… unreal.
Darkness surrounded him.
Complete darkness.
His gaze moved around restlessly, trying to adjust, trying to understand. A faint crease formed between his brows as uneasiness crept in. Without wasting another second, he reached out and switched on the light.
A dim yellow glow filled the room.
Empty.
His eyes scanned everything again—slowly this time.
The bed beside him.
The corners.
The door.
And then it hit him.
Maya wasn’t there.
A sudden alertness shot through his body. He grabbed his phone—his fingers slightly stiff—
12:00 AM.
Midnight.
Which meant…
He had been asleep the entire day.
“What the hell…”
The words slipped under his breath as he abruptly got out of bed.
But the moment he stood up, a sharp wave of dizziness crashed into him. His vision blurred. The ground felt unstable beneath his feet.
He clenched his jaw, gripping the edge of the bed to steady himself. His head throbbed slightly, but he forced himself to move, dragging his steps toward the bathroom.
And then—
He stopped.
His eyes shifted toward the balcony.
There she was.
Maya.
Standing under the pale moonlight.
Still.
Silent.
For a moment, Atharva didn’t move.
He just watched her.
The way she stood there, completely lost in her own world. Her eyes were closed, her face calm—almost too calm. The soft, cold wind brushed against her, making a few strands of her hair dance lightly across her face.
She looked… distant.
Unreachable.
Atharva took a slow, deep breath and walked toward her, his steps quieter now, almost deliberate.
He stopped just behind her.
Close enough to feel the faint warmth of her body.
“What are you doing here at this hour… biwi?”
His voice was low, slightly rough, still carrying the heaviness of sleep.
Maya’s eyes slowly opened.
She turned around—
—and froze for a second.
He was standing too close.
Closer than she expected.
“Nothing… I just couldn’t sleep.”
Her voice was steady.
Too steady.
Atharva’s eyes narrowed slightly.
“Morning turned into night… why didn’t you wake me up?”
A brief pause.
Maya looked straight at him, her expression calm but distant.
“I didn’t know you had given me permission to wake you up from your sleep.”
The words were soft.
But they carried a quiet defiance.
Atharva stared at her for a moment.
Unblinking.
Then his tone shifted.
“What did you eat?”
“Nothing.”She turned, intending to walk away.
But before she could take a step—
His hand shot forward, gripping her wrist tightly.
In one swift motion, he pulled her back toward him.
Her body collided slightly with his.
“Why not?” His voice dropped, firmer now, laced with control. “I was asleep… you were awake. Why didn’t you eat anything?”
Maya looked up at him.
There was hesitation in her eyes.
Or maybe something deeper.
“I thought… if I went downstairs or stepped out of the room… you wouldn’t like it.”
For a second—
Silence.
Atharva’s grip didn’t loosen.
Instead, he pulled her even closer.
“So obedient… since when?” he murmured, his tone edged with disbelief. “You didn’t go downstairs even once? Since morning? How is that even possible?”
Maya held his gaze.
Just for a moment.
Then suddenly—
She pushed him.
Not forcefully, but enough to break his hold.
Without saying a word, she grabbed her phone—the one she had been holding all this time—and placed it in his hand.
Atharva frowned, confused.
Maya’s voice came out cold. Controlled.
“There’s a full recording in it.”
A slight pause.
“Or in your words… proof. That I didn’t go anywhere.”
Atharva’s eyes dropped to the phone.
Then slowly lifted back to her.
Something flickered in his expression.
Something unreadable.
But he didn’t say anything.
He simply placed the phone aside.
Then, as if none of that mattered—
“Order food. For both of us.”
A brief pause.
“I’ll freshen up.”
“I’m not hungry.”said Maya calmly.
“Just order the food.”His tone was final.
Commanding.
And with that, he turned and walked into the bathroom, shutting the door behind him.
Maya stood there.
Still.
For a few seconds.
Her face blank… but her mind far from quiet.
Then, reluctantly, she moved.
She called the servants and asked for food.
—
By the time Atharva came out—fresh, changed—
The table was already set.
The servants had left.
Silence filled the room again.
He walked over and sat beside her on the couch.
Close.
“Serving my plate?”
Maya nodded slightly and handed him a plate.
But he didn’t take it immediately.
His eyes stayed on her.
Sharp. Observing.
“Why have you changed so much?” he asked slowly. “You gave up so easily? No fights… no drama… you’re just doing everything quietly on your own.”
A pause.
“Why?”
Maya’s fingers tightened around the plate.
Her voice came out softer this time… but heavy.
“I don’t have the strength to argue with you anymore.”
A faint tremor.
“I’m tired… of my life.”
Something in her voice lingered.
Something broken.
Atharva’s expression shifted.
He placed the plate aside.
Then reached out, gripping her shoulder, turning her toward him.
“There’s something else, isn’t there?” he said, his voice is lower now.
“Something that’s bothering you. Tell me biwi?”
Maya looked into his eyes.
And suddenly—That moment.
With Veer. Flashed through her mind all at once.
Her breath hitched slightly.
She looked away… then back at him.
“What worse could happen now?” she exhaled, a hollow bitterness in her voice.
“First, a forced marriage… then all that torture… somehow things started getting better…”
Her voice cracked faintly.
“And now… everything has started all over again.”
Silence filled the space between them.
Atharva didn’t interrupt.Didn’t react.
He just kept looking at her.Reading her.
Maya broke eye contact.
“Eat your food. Now I am used to it.”
She cut the moment herself.
Without waiting, she quietly served her own plate too.
She knew—
If she refused, he would question her again. Push her again.
And she didn’t have the energy left for that.
So she stayed silent.
And started eating.
—
Atharva didn’t eat immediately.
He just watched her.Carefully.
The way she avoided his gaze.The way her usual fire was missing.
The way something inside her had… dimmed.He noticed everything.
But said nothing.
The room remained silent.No arguments.No raised voices.
Just an unsettling calm.They ate quietly.
Like strangers sitting side by side.
Time passed.
The night deepened.
And eventually—
Without another word—They both went to bed. Under the same roof.
On the same bed.Yet emotionally..miles apart.
Next morning—
Maya’s eyes slowly opened.
For a moment, she just lay there, staring blankly at the ceiling as the faint morning light filtered into the room. Then, as awareness settled in, she turned her head—
The space beside her was empty.
Atharva wasn’t there.
A faint crease formed on her forehead, but she didn’t think much of it. Without wasting time, she got up, freshened up, and changed. By the time she walked back into the room—
He still hadn’t returned.
Maya let out a slow, quiet breath.
Something felt… off.
She picked up her phone.
A message from Atharva.
“I had some work. Left early in the morning.”
Her eyes lingered on the screen for a second. No emotion.No reaction.
She didn’t reply.
Locking the phone, she walked out of the room and headed downstairs.
—
Her steps slowed as she entered the hall.
Her eyes scanned the entire space.
Once.Then again.Empty.No one.
No family.No servants.No sound.
Nothing.
A faint confusion crossed her face, slowly turning into uneasiness. This wasn’t normal. There wasn’t a single message… no information… nothing about where everyone had gone.
Maya stood there, lost in her thoughts—
“Who are you looking for?”
The voice came from behind.
Deep. Calm. And enough to make her flinch.
Maya turned around sharply.Her breath hitched.
Veer.
Standing there.Arms folded.Watching her… silently.
“Veer? You?” Her brows furrowed. “Where is everyone?”
A faint smile tugged at his lips.
“I sent them all out.”
Maya froze.
“Wh-what?” Her voice wavered slightly. “But why?”
Veer took a step forward.
Slow.
Deliberate.
“Because I needed to talk to you,” he said calmly. “And if everyone was here… I wouldn’t be able to.”
Another step closer.
“So… I had to send them away.”
Maya instinctively stepped back.
Her eyes flickered with uncertainty.
“What kind of talk?” she asked, her voice guarded now. “And Atharva… did you send him too?”
Veer nodded.
“Yes.”
Maya’s expression tightened.
“If he finds out you did all this… don’t you think he’ll destroy you?”
Veer let out a soft chuckle, stepping closer.
“Don’t worry,” he said, his voice low, confident. “According to my planning… right now, I’m with Kriti.”
Maya’s eyes widened in shock.
Her steps moved back unconsciously—
Until her back hit the wall.She stiffened.
Her gaze darted behind her—No way out.And then back at him.
Veer stood right in front of her.
Too close.
“Ve… Veer, listen…” her voice faltered slightly, tension creeping in. “I don’t want to talk to you. I don’t want to hear anything.”
But he didn’t stop.He stepped closer.
Even closer.
“Unfortunately,” he murmured, “you don’t have any other option… except to listen to me.”
A flicker of fear passed through her eyes.
Maya quickly tried to move past him—
But before she could—
Veer placed both his hands on the wall, trapping her between his arms.
Blocking her way completely.
Her breath hitched.
“Move away, Veer!” she snapped, anger masking her rising panic. “Let me go.”
“No,” he said firmly. “Not until I say what I need to say. Neither will I go… nor will you.”
Maya placed her hands against his chest, trying to push him away.
But in an instant—
He caught both her wrists.And pinned them against the wall.
Her heartbeat spiked. Fast. Loud.
Her breathing grew uneven as panic started creeping in stronger.
“Leave my hands!” she said sharply, her voice trembling with anger and fear.
But Veer didn’t move.
Instead, his gaze locked onto hers.
“First question,” he said, his tone suddenly serious. “Why did you slap me yesterday?”
Maya’s eyes burned with anger.
“Because you deserved it.”
A brief silence.
Veer tilted his head slightly.
“Okay,” he said calmly. “Next question—what’s wrong with me?”
Maya frowned, confusion mixing with irritation.
“What?” she snapped. “What do you even mean?”
Veer exhaled slowly, his grip still firm around her wrists.
“Fine… let me explain,” he said, his voice low but intense. “What’s wrong with me? Why can’t you be with me?”
Maya’s brows furrowed in disbelief, anger flashing across her face.
“What rubbish!” she snapped. “Why would I be with you? Have you forgotten? I’m married—to your brother.”
“I haven’t forgotten,” Veer replied instantly, his tone steady but edged.
“But you never accepted that marriage, right?”
He leaned closer.
“So what’s the problem now? Just say yes once… I’ll plan everything. You and I—we’ll leave this place. Far away from all of this.”
Maya’s anger flared.
She tried to jerk her hands free, but his grip didn’t loosen.
“Never!” she shot back, her voice sharp.
“Why, Maya?” he asked, his gaze piercing.
Her expression shifted instantly.
“What did you just say?” she snapped. “Maya?”
Veer’s lips curved slightly.
“Yes… Maya,” he said, his voice quieter now, almost deliberate.
“Because I don’t want to have any other relationship with you.”
Maya’s patience snapped.
“Let me go!” she yelled, struggling harder now. “Have you lost your mind? You were never like this!”
Veer stepped even closer, his presence suffocating.
“And that’s exactly what you took advantage of,” he murmured. “I should’ve been like my brother from the start… forced you the same way.”
Maya froze for a second.
Then her eyes burned with anger.
“I thought you were different from Atharva,” she said, her voice shaking with hurt and rage. “I thought you’d never hurt me…”
A bitter pause.
“But you’re turning into the same psycho as him.”
A faint smile appeared on Veer’s face.
“Obsessed,” he corrected softly. “Not psycho.”
“Veer… please,” Maya’s voice softened for a moment, almost pleading. “At least you don’t become like him. There are so many girls in this world… better than me… more beautiful—”
She didn’t get to finish.
“NO!”
Veer’s voice echoed loudly, cutting her off.
His grip tightened instinctively.
“No one,” he said, his eyes intense, almost burning. “There is only one girl in this entire world for me…”
He leaned closer.
“And that’s you.”
A beat.
“And I’m not going to give up.”
Maya stared at him for a second, shaken.
“Veer… you’re hurting my hand now,” she said, her voice strained.
For a brief moment, his grip loosened slightly.
“Please… marry me,” he said, his tone suddenly softer, almost desperate beneath the obsession. “I promise, I’ll never hurt you.”
Maya shook her head immediately.
“This can’t happen,” she said firmly. “I’m married to Atharva. I can’t leave him.”
A pause.
“Yes, we have problems right now… but I can’t leave him,” she continued, her voice steady despite everything. “And he won’t let me either.”
Veer’s expression darkened slightly.
“Then don’t leave him,” he said suddenly.
Maya frowned, confused.
“What?”
“If you don’t want to leave my brother… then don’t,” he continued, his tone disturbingly calm. “Stay with him.”
A beat.
“But stay with me too.”
Maya’s eyes widened.
Shock.
Pure disbelief.
For a second, she couldn’t even process what she had just heard.
“Do you even hear yourself?” she said slowly.
“Yes,” Veer replied without hesitation. “Have a double relationship. I won’t tell anyone.”
He leaned closer, his voice dropping to a whisper.
“This will stay between us.”
Maya immediately tried to push him away again, panic rising inside her.
But this time—
His grip tightened even more.
“Please leave me… please,” she said, her voice trembling now.
“No,” Veer shook his head. “First tell me—will you do what I’m saying?”
Maya looked straight into his eyes.
A moment of silence.
Then—
“No,” she said firmly. “I can’t cheat him.”
The words hit him hard.
Veer’s jaw clenched.
His expression hardened instantly.
And his grip on her wrists tightened even more.
Veer’s expression darkened, his jaw tightening as anger finally broke through.
“You know what?” he snapped. “My brother is right about you. Begging, pleading, talking nicely—none of that works with you. In the end… force is the only thing that gets through.”
Maya’s eyes widened in disbelief.
“What?” she said, shaken. “Veer, what’s happening to you? Are you even in your senses?”
But instead of answering—
He let go of her wrists.
Only to grab her by the waist the very next second, pulling her tightly against himself.
“Veer!” Maya screamed, struggling instantly. “Why the hell are you doing this? Leave me—leave me!”
“Kiss me,” Veer said, his voice low but commanding. “Right now.”
Maya froze.
Her eyes widened in shock.
“Wh-what?”
His gaze dropped to her lips for a brief second before locking back onto her eyes.
“Kiss me,” he repeated, slower this time. “Then I’ll let you go.”
Anger surged through her.
Maya pushed against his chest with all her strength, trying to break free—but Veer only tightened his hold, pulling her closer instead.
She struggled again and again, her breathing growing heavier, panic rising—
But nothing worked.
“Either you do it yourself…” Veer murmured, leaning closer, his voice turning darker, “…or I’ll do it.”
Maya turned her face away sharply.
“Leave me… just leave me…”
And then—
A voice.
Loud.
Furious.
“How dare you touch my wife?”
Both Veer and Maya’s heads snapped toward the entrance.
Atharva stood there.
At the doorway.
Alone.
But the anger in his eyes was enough to fill the entire space.
“Bh… bhai…” Veer stammered instinctively, immediately pushing Maya away from himself.
Maya stumbled slightly, stepping back.
Atharva’s gaze burned into Veer.
“How did you even dare to do something like this?”
Maya instinctively moved toward Atharva—
But suddenly—
Veer grabbed her hand again.
“What are you doing?” he said, his voice sharp. “When he forced himself on you, you didn’t come to me. Then why am I the problem now?”
Maya stared at him in shock.
Before she could even react—
Atharva’s fist collided hard with Veer’s face.
A brutal punch.
Veer fell straight to the ground, the impact echoing in the empty hall. A thin line of blood appeared at the corner of his lips.
Maya gasped, her hand flying to her mouth.
Atharva stepped forward, fury radiating from him.
“Where did you get this courage from, huh?”
He bent slightly toward Veer—
But in the very next second—
Veer pushed himself up and punched Atharva back.
Hard.
Atharva’s face snapped to the side from the impact.
Maya stood frozen.
Terrified.
Shocked.
There was no one else there.
Just the three of them.
And the violence.
Atharva wiped the blood from his lip slowly, his eyes darkening.
“You raised your hand on me?”
Veer stood straight, breathing heavy.
“I can fight too… for Maya.”
That was enough.
Atharva punched him again.
“Maya?” he growled.
Veer steadied himself, his jaw tightening before he swung back, hitting Atharva again.
“Yes—Maya!” he shouted. “Because I love her… and I want her!”
Atharva’s anger exploded.
He drove two, three punches straight into Veer’s stomach.
“Love?” he spat. “Want?” His voice turned dangerously low. “She’s my wife. Not some object.”
Blood dripped from Veer’s mouth as he struggled to stay on his feet.
Then suddenly—
He hooked his leg around Atharva’s and brought him down.
Both of them crashed onto the floor.
In a second, Veer was on top of him.
“Wife?” he shot back. “You forced that marriage. I can do the same.”
Two punches landed straight on Atharva’s face.
Blood started dripping from under Atharva’s nose.
But Atharva wasn’t someone who stayed down.
With force, he flipped the position, pinning Veer beneath him.
“Try it,” he growled, hitting him again. “If I don’t kill you… my name isn’t Atharva Raisinghani.”
Veer laughed.
Even in that state.
“I’m Veer Raisinghani too, bhai,” he said, breathing heavily. “The madness you have… I have it too. I want her too.”
And then—
It turned into chaos.
Both of them hitting each other mercilessly.
Like animals.Punch after punch.
No control.No restraint.
Maya stood there, frozen, watching them destroy each other.
For a few seconds—She couldn’t move.
Then suddenly—
“STOPPPPP!!!”
Her scream echoed through the hall.
Both of them froze.Their eyes turned toward her.
She stood there, hands over her ears, eyes tightly shut, trembling.
“Enough!” she shouted, her voice breaking. “What is this? Maya, Maya, Maya—does anyone even care what I want?”
Atharva and Veer looked at each other—
Then together said—“Obviously me.”
They both stopped.
And looked at each other again.
Maya let out a hollow laugh, clapping slowly.
“Wow… you both decided that on your own?”
Atharva turned toward her.
“Then say it,” he said firmly. “Say that you want to stay with me.”
Veer’s eyes flickered as he spoke—
“Or… you can choose what I suggested.”
Atharva frowned, glancing at him before looking back at Maya.
“What is he talking about?”
Maya snapped.
“I don’t want to stay with either of you!” she shouted. “Understand that!”
Silence.
Both of them stared at her.
Maya folded her hands like pleading, her voice breaking now.
“Please… just leave me alone. Please… I’m tired. You both are the same.”
Her breathing shook.
“Veer used to be different… but now he’s becoming just like you.”
Tears filled her eyes.
“Neither of you can ever keep me happy… and I don’t even want to stay anymore.”
Her voice cracked completely.
“I lost my baby…”
The words shattered the air.
“For a few days… just let me stay away from all this—this relationship, this love, this sex… everything… please.”
Atharva’s expression hardened instantly.
“You lost the baby because of him,” he said coldly, pointing at Veer. “ Because of Your dear Veer.”
Maya froze.
Her eyes snapped toward Atharva.
Then slowly… toward Veer.
Whose gaze dropped.
“What…?” she whispered.
Atharva looked straight at Veer.
“Yes. The unknown man who came… all those incidents… everything was done by him.”
Maya’s anger erupted.
She walked straight to Veer.
“Why?” she demanded. “Why did you do this, Veer?”
Veer slowly lifted his gaze.
“I couldn’t bear it,” he said quietly. “Watching you both… like a happy family.”
The next second—
A sharp slap echoed.
Maya’s hand collided with his face.
She grabbed his collar tightly.
“Then what was my fault?” she cried. “What did I do to you? Why was I punished?”
Tears streamed down her face.
“You loved me, right? You said wherever I’m happy, you’re happy too…”
Her voice broke.
“Then why did you do this? Why did you take my baby?”
Her grip trembled as tears blurred her vision.
Veer held her wrists gently this time.
“I’ll give you a baby,” he said.
Before she could react—
Atharva pulled her toward himself, slapping Veer hard again.
“You’ll give her a baby?” he growled. “Where is all this audacity coming from?”
Maya stood there.Head lowered.
Crying silently.
Veer stepped forward again.
“Yes,” he said, looking straight at Atharva. “And I’ll take better care of her than you.”
Atharva grabbed his collar.
Veer grabbed his back.
Both glaring at each other with pure rage.
“Please!” Maya screamed. “For God’s sake, just stop!”
They both paused.
Looking at her.
“You’ve already turned my life upside down,” she cried. “And now you’re fighting for me?”
They let go of each other slowly.
Maya looked at both of them, anger and pain mixing in her voice.
“Neither of you know what love means,” she said. “If you did… you wouldn’t hurt me like this. You would take care of me… just love me.”
A bitter pause.
“But neither of you could do that.”
Veer shook his head.
“When did I hurt you before this?” he said. “I stayed quiet. You were happy, I was happy. I let you go with him.”
Atharva snapped back—
“Then what suddenly changed? Why didn’t you let us become a family?”
“I couldn’t handle it!” Veer shouted. “I even tried to kill myself in that bike race… but you saved me.”
His voice dropped.
“After that… I did what felt right to me. But apart from that, I never hurt her like you did.”
“Like me?” Atharva scoffed. “And what about the attack you planned?”
Veer’s jaw tightened.
“I only told them to mix pills in her drink… not to hurt her,” he said. “That bastard raised his hand on her, that’s why I killed him… and the one who gave the order too.”
Atharva let out a cold laugh.
“Impressive, Veer,” he said. “And how neatly you put all the blame on me. Making those attackers speak against me… those nurses too… so Maya would believe everything was my fault.”
Veer looked at him, shocked.
“How did you know this?”
Atharva stepped closer.
“I doubted you the day you disappeared from the hospital,” he said. “But I had no proof.”
A pause.
“But yesterday… when you followed us… I had your room checked.”
His voice turned colder.
“I found your hoodie and that mask of mine. The same one you wore when you went to that postman… and then to Maya.”
Veer’s expression froze.
“That’s why I left this morning,” Atharva continued. “To confirm everything.”
A bitter smirk.
“But you thought you were the one who sent me away.”
He stepped closer, eyes burning.
“But I never expected… that you would stoop this low with Maya.”
Veer shook his head.
“I didn’t force her,” he said. “I just gave her an option… where all three of us could be happy.”
“Happy?” Atharva laughed darkly. “I’ll turn your life into hell.”
His voice dropped dangerously.
“How dare you even touch her?”
Veer met his gaze.
“I love her too,” he said. “I don’t like you touching her either… but I’m ready to compromise.”
A beat.
“Why aren’t you?”
His voice hardened.
“Why can’t the three of us stay together?”
Atharva’s anger snapped again.
And he lunged toward him.
“Enough!” Maya’s scream shattered the air, her voice trembling yet sharp with breaking desperation. “I’ve had enough of both of you… now I’m leaving this place.
Either I’ll go somewhere and kill myself… or I’ll just disappear far away from here… because I can’t live here anymore. I will die… I’m being crushed between your fights… I’m dying…”
Her chest heaved violently, tears blurring her vision as she turned to leave.
But before she could take even two steps—
Both of them grabbed her.
One hand each.
Tight.
Unyielding.
Maya froze in the middle, her body trembling between them like a fragile thread about to snap.
By then, the rest of the family had gathered. Their footsteps halted the moment they saw the scene—three figures tangled in tension, Maya trapped between the two brothers.
Shock spread across every face.
Atharva’s gaze darkened as he looked straight at Veer. “Leave her hand.”
Veer’s grip only tightened. “I won’t.”
Rajvendra stepped forward, his voice heavy with authority and confusion.
“What is happening here…?”
Atharva let out a bitter scoff, eyes still locked on Veer. “Your son has lost his mind. He has forgotten the relationship between a sister-in-law and a younger brother… he has forgotten that she’s married.”
Rajvendra’s expression hardened.
“Veer… leave Maya’s hand.”
Veer let out a hollow laugh, his eyes burning. “Why? Why should I leave her? And what marriage are you talking about? The one you forced on her?” His voice rose with defiance.
“What if I had married her instead? What would you have done then?”
Maya stood there, her head lowered, tears falling endlessly—silent, broken.
Anvi stepped forward, anger and pain evident in her eyes. “How low can both of you stoop? You’re hurting the very person you claim to love… and fighting over her at the same time…” Her voice trembled. “Leave her hand.”
Both Atharva and Veer snapped in unison, “Stay out of this.”
Anvi instinctively stepped back, startled.
Dhruv moved forward immediately, his voice firm. “You both cannot talk to my wife like that.”
His gaze shifted to Maya, softening with concern. “And what did she say wrong? Can’t you see bhabhi’s tears? She’s crying nonstop…”
For a moment—
Both brothers looked at Maya.
Her trembling shoulders.Her tear-streaked face.
Something flickered in their eyes.
And then, almost together—
“Stop it, Maya.”
Their voices overlapped.
They both paused… and looked at each other.
A silent clash.
Maya slowly lifted her gaze, her eyes red, broken… pleading.
“Let me go… please…”
Atharva’s jaw tightened. “I won’t let you go away from me.”
Veer’s voice came just as stubborn.
“Neither will I.”
Suman held her head, her voice cracking in distress. “Oh God… what kind of timing was this marriage fixed in… these two have completely lost their minds… but what is Maya’s fault in all this…”
Nidhi stepped forward hesitantly.
“Atharva bhai… Veer… please don’t trouble bhabhi anymore…”
Veer shot her a sharp glare. “You’re younger—stay that way. Don’t interfere.”
Maya’s head was still lowered.
Her voice came out in a broken whisper—so soft that only Atharva and Veer could hear.
“I’m not going anywhere… please… just leave me now… please…”
Her words trembled with surrender.
With exhaustion.With defeat.Something shifted.
Slowly—
Both of them let go.
Maya’s hands slipped free from their grasp.
For a second, she just stood there… as if her body didn’t even have the strength to move.
Then she looked at them once—
A look filled with pain, betrayal, and something that neither of them could hold onto—
And the next moment—
She ran.
Tears streaming, breath uneven, she rushed toward her room and slammed the door behind her.
Anvi immediately moved to follow her, worry etched across her face.
But Dhruv caught her wrist gently.
“Give her some time.”
Anvi looked at him, anxious. “What if she does something… she was very upset…”
Dhruv shook his head slightly, his voice calm but certain. “She’s not that fragile… she won’t take such a step.”
Both exchanged theirs look each other..
The entire day passed like a slow, suffocating blur.
Time moved… but for Maya, it felt like everything had stopped.
She lay on the bed, curled into herself, silent tears slipping endlessly from her eyes. No voice, no resistance… just quiet, breaking sobs that echoed in the emptiness of the room.
After some time—
Suman, Anvi, and Nidhi entered softly.
Their presence was gentle, careful… as if Maya might shatter with even the slightest harshness.
Suman sat beside her, slowly stroking her hair, her touch filled with a mother’s warmth. Anvi held her hand, rubbing her knuckles softly, while Nidhi wiped her tears again and again.
They didn’t ask questions.
They didn’t force words.
They just stayed.
They fed her with their own hands, coaxing her to take a few bites… whispering soft reassurances, holding her together when she was falling apart.
And no matter what—
They didn’t let Atharva or Veer come anywhere near her.
Not even once.
Outside that room, the tension only grew heavier.
Rajvendra and Dhruv sat together, discussing what needed to be done next, their voices low but serious… the weight of the situation pressing down on every word.
Meanwhile—
In another room—
Atharva and Veer sat across from each other.
Silent.
Still.
Their eyes locked in a constant, burning glare… neither willing to look away, neither willing to step back.
The air between them was thick with rivalry, obsession… and something far more dangerous.
—
Next morning.
—
Maya’s eyes slowly fluttered open.
For a moment, everything felt hazy… distant.
But then—
Her gaze shifted around the room—
And something felt… wrong.
Completely unfamiliar.
The walls.
The dim lights.
The paintings.
Everything was different.
A chill ran down her spine.
Her breathing grew uneven as her eyes moved forward—
And froze.
Two figures stood in front of her.
Tall.
Still.
Dressed entirely in black hoodies—head to toe.
Their faces hidden under the shadow of dim lighting.
Maya’s heart began to pound violently against her chest.
Her voice trembled, barely steady.
“W-who are you…? Where am I…?”
Panic surged through her as she instinctively tried to move—
But couldn’t.
Her eyes dropped to her hands—
Both of them tied to the bed.
Tightly.
Her breath hitched.
Fear exploded inside her.
“Why did you bring me here?! Who are you?!” she screamed, her voice echoing in the dim room, shaking with terror.
The two men exchanged a glance.
A silent understanding.
And then—
Together, in sync—
“Hey Siri… turn on all the lights.”
Click.
The room flooded with light.
Maya’s eyes widened instantly—
Her breath stopped.
“Atharva… Veer…?!”
They looked at each other—
And smiled.
Slow.
Chilling.
Then, together—
“Welcome to your new life, Maya.”
??????
Hello dear readers!!… This is not the last chapter of my story… there are still more chapters ahead, If you all are interested to know more!..
But today I am literally very upset… I had put up a poll in season one, and most of the people voted for Atharva and Maya’s second part or for a dark romance… and based on that, I started writing my chapters.
But… I don’t know… there are people who like these kinds of stories, yet the number of people who dislike it seems even higher.
I respect everyone’s feelings… it’s completely fine if you don’t like it… but even a few negative comments have dropped my reach so much… there are hardly any positive comments on my story… and wherever there are, they are very few… mostly it’s all negative.
So I just want to say this to you, dear ma’am and sir… I know you don’t like this level of darkness, and I’m sorry that I couldn’t meet your expectations.
But after this story, I won’t write dark romance again… I can also write cute romantic stories with enemies-to-lovers, hatred, fights… I can write those too… so please let me know if you prefer that.
But this is dark romance, so please take it as dark romance… I cannot write “normal” dark romance… my dark romance will always be the darkest… so please keep it in imagination, not in real life.
I hope you all will understand.