Ch33 The Shield of Devotion #2
Meanwhile, Rudraksh carried Rivanya straight into their bedroom, expertly kicking the door shut with his foot behind them. Without breaking his stride, he walked over to the bed and gently laid her down. Before she could even attempt to scramble away, he leaned over her, trapping her beneath him.
Looking into her eyes, he murmured teasingly, "So, what were you saying, Sugarplum?"
Rivanya's face flushed a deep crimson, a mix of intense embarrassment and lingering anger.
How can you be so shameless, Rudra? Seriously, have some decorum! You're already a twenty-seven-year-old old man. What if you catch a muscle spasm or throw your back out? Unable to maintain her serious facade any longer, she burst into a soft laugh.
Rudraksh smirked, his gaze darkening playfully. "Mrs. Vardhan, you haven't even witnessed what I'm capable of yet."
With a gentle, deliberate movement, Rudraksh reached out and tucked a stray lock of hair behind her ear. His deep voice and overwhelming proximity were enough to melt even the coldest of hearts and Rivanya stood no chance. After all, she was a woman deeply in love with him.
Finally accepting defeat, she let out a soft breath, a beautiful smile touching her lips as she shyly lowered her gaze.
Looking at her like this, Rudraksh felt himself completely losing his grip on reality.
Hooking his finger under her chin, he gently lifted her face, forcing her to look back into his eyes.
Even in a charged moment like this, Rudraksh prided himself on his ironclad self-control; but at the end of the day, he was only human.
And a man would have to be absolutely blind to ignore the breathtaking beauty of Rivanya looking up at him.
Drawn by an unseen, magnetic pull, Rudraksh found himself leaning down toward the crook of her neck.
Rivanya's breath hitched, her chest rising and falling rapidly in sheer nervousness; she was completely paralyzed, utterly unable to think straight.
As he closed the final distance between them, the intoxicating, floral fragrance of her skin seemed to instantly strip away his last shred of logic.
The moment his warm breath fanned against her bare skin, an involuntary shiver ran down Rivanya's spine. Her eyes fluttered shut, and her hands instinctively reached out, gripping the fabric of his shirt tightly as if seeking an anchor in the storm of emotions.
But just as the tension reached its peak, Rudraksh forced his rational mind to snap back into reality.
Pulling away abruptly, he lifted himself off her.
Rivanya opened her eyes, startled, and the sudden realization of their intense proximity hit them both at once.
In a synchronized, panicked movement, they scrambled apart, sitting at opposite ends of the bed.
A heavy, suffocating silence filled the room.
Both of them had a thousand things to say, but neither could find the courage to speak.
Finally, swallowing his pride and gathering whatever composure he had left, Rudraksh cleared his throat and stammered, "Sorry... I... I don't know what came over me. If I made you uncomfortable, I'm really sorry."
Without waiting for her response or looking back, Rudraksh swiftly got up and retreated into the bathroom, shutting the door behind him.
Left alone on the bed, Rivanya sat frozen, a chaotic mix of flustered embarrassment and lingering adrenaline racing through her veins. Her cheeks burned a bright, deep crimson. Shaking off the daze, she stood up and walked over to the full-length mirror.
As she stood before her reflection, she noticed that the intense scuffle had left her elegant saree crumpled with creases, the pleats slightly loosened around her waist.
She gently placed her hands against her warm, flushed cheeks and whispered to her reflection, "What on earth was that? What is this feeling? Why... why can't I stop myself from yielding to him?"
Tracing the deep wrinkles on her saree, a soft, shy smile bloomed on her lips. She thought to herself, *'For the first time in my life, I am actually happy to see my clothes disheveled...
A faint ray of hope flickered in her heart as she looked at her glowing reflection. Maybe... just maybe, one day, Rudra will fall in love with me too.
Meanwhile, inside the bathroom, Rudraksh stood motionless under the spray of a freezing cold shower.
The icy water stung against his fresh wounds, but he welcomed the physical pain-it was the only thing grounding him as he desperately tried to suppress the unfamiliar emotions surging within him.
For years, he had buried this side of himself, locking away any vulnerability.
His ironclad self-control had always been his greatest armor, the very foundation of his strength.
Yet today, for the very first time, a visible crack had formed in his impenetrable stone wall, a realization that left him deeply unsettled.
But what Rudraksh failed to understand was that some forces of nature are simply too powerful to resist.
History itself was proof even the great sage Vishwamitra, despite centuries of rigorous penance and unmatched emotional control, had eventually succumbed to Menka's ethereal grace.
If a legendary ascetic could be moved by love and beauty, Rudraksh was merely a mortal man.
He could try to shield himself behind a stoic facade, but a human heart cannot remain a stone forever.
While new blossoms of love were beginning to unfurl in one corner of the Vardhan Mansion, the fragrance of a long-faded romance still lingered in another. Deep within the quietest wing of the estate, Veeraksh Pratap Vardhan sat alone on the floor of his dimly lit room.
Night had completely fallen. Holding a framed photograph of his late wife close to his chest, Pratap didn't even realize when silent tears began tracking down his face. Staring into the eyes of the portrait, his voice broke the heavy silence.
"Shikha... I miss you so terribly today," he whispered, tracing the edge of the frame.
"Why did you leave me all alone, Shikha? I have become completely isolated in this vast house. I am not even fated to receive our son's love. He truly believes that I am the one responsible for your death... and perhaps, he isn't entirely wrong. After all,
it was while protecting me that you lost your..."
Pratap choked on his words, unable to finish the sentence.
He tightly pressed the photograph against his chest, closing his eyes.
"I don't know why, but a part of me still feels like you are alive, that you haven't truly left me. But I know that is an impossible dream. The dark curse of my own lineage ripped you away from me."
Smoothing his hand over the glass, his expression hardened with newfound resolve.
"But Shikha, I will not let this injustice happen to our son and daughter-in-law. I will protect Rivanya at any cost. Everyone says they are the final generation meant to bear this curse. If they can somehow fight their destiny this time,
this dark shadow will never claim another Queen of this family again. You know, Shikha, you were right. Rudraksh is exactly like me. Today, he stands at the very same crossroads where I once stood. It took me a long time to realize how deeply I loved you, and now,
the exact same awakening is happening to Rudraksh."
While Pratap poured his heart out in solitude, the rest of the family members were gathered in the main living hall.
Rivanya entered the room, carefully guiding Rudraksh alongside her.
She gently made him sit on the spacious sofa next to Dadiji and Dadaji, placing a soft cushion behind his back to ease his injury, before taking her own seat right next to him.
Looking around at the gathered family, she spoke up, "I need to talk to all of you about something."
The family turned to face her in unison. Dadaji smiled warmly and asked, "Yes, beta, go ahead. Is everything alright?"
"Yes, Dadaji, everything is fine," Rivanya replied reassuringly.
"I was just thinking... Holi is just around the corner in a few days, so shouldn't we start making the preparations for it?"
An immediate, suffocating silence fell over the room. Sensing the sudden shift in mood, a confused Rivanya looked around. "Did... did I say something wrong?"
Viswraaj cleared his throat hesitantly and spoke up, "It's not that, Bhabhi. Celebrating Holi is natural for everyone, but the truth is, Holi has never been celebrated inside this mansion."
Rivanya's eyes widened in surprise. "But why?"
Dadimaa glanced subtly toward Rudraksh before explaining softly, "This husband of yours... he absolutely detests colors and Holi. Because of that, a grand Holi has never taken place here. It is celebrated out in Vardhanpur, but never with much enthusiasm. And ever since Agnishikha left us,
Veeraksh has completely stopped playing with colors altogether."
At the mention of his mother, a flicker of raw emotion crossed Rudraksh's face, but he quickly masked it with his usual stoic expressions.
Sensing the delicacy of the moment, Rivanya quickly pivoted to lighten the mood.
"Oh, come on! How can you all live like this without playing Holi? Back in my hometown of Kashi, we used to celebrate Holi with so much grand joy and vibrant colors."
Dev sighed dramatically, gesturing toward his older brother. "We would love to, Bhabhi-sa, but your husband hates it, and he will never allow it here."
Rivanya stood up, setting her hands on her waist, and turned directly to Rudraksh. "Rudra, tell me one thing. Is this house as much mine as it is yours, or not?"
Rudraksh looked up at her, his voice devoid of his usual sharp edge as he replied smoothly, "Of course it is. You are the Lakshmi of this house. This home belongs to you far more than it belongs to me."
Rivanya tried her absolute best to maintain a stern face and suppress a blush, but the sheer intensity in Rudraksh's voice brought a beautiful rosy tint to her cheeks anyway.
Clearing her throat, she turned back to the family triumphantly.