Ch42 The Secret in the Soil #2
Take Vyom, for instance. He is under the firm impression that Rivanya is slowly overriding my senses, gaining total control over my heart.
And the terrifying part? He isn't entirely wrong.
But there is a vital, lethal truth that absolutely no one understands.
The absolute madness they are desperately trying to awaken inside me is a sleeping dragon.
If that dark possessiveness truly catches fire, it won't just change me it will unleash an unholy destruction that will swallow the world whole, leaving nothing but ashes in its wake.
Vyom keeps aggressively claiming that I am falling in love with Rivanya.
But love? Love was never engineered for a man like me.
Love demands companionship, protection, and a shared future milestones I am completely incapable of delivering.
I refuse to gamble with Rivanya's safety, and that is my primary roadblock.
History is my undisputed, brutal witness.
Every single human being who has ever dared to step close to my heart, anyone I have ever permitted myself to love, has paid for it with their literal life.
First, it was my mother. And then, it was my little sister-figure, Saru.
Suryangana. After my mother was torn from me, she was the most precious soul in my universe.
On paper, she was merely the daughter of Mr. Vardhan's close associate.
But she had woven herself so deeply into my life that she became closer to me than my own blood.
Every single year, she would look up at me with pure, innocent eyes, tying a thread of rakhi around my wrist, trailing behind me endlessly while chanting "Bhaiya, Bhaiya" through the corridors.
But destiny refused to let me harbor even that fraction of light.
The universe brutally snatched her away from me, leaving me permanently scarred.
Her sudden departure left me completely hollowed out from the inside.
A dark, paralyzing terror took root deep within my psyche a haunting suspicion that I am the hidden curse, the actual reason behind the death of my loved ones.
It felt as though because they chose to love me and stand by my side, God punished them by ripping them out of existence.
And it is this exact, terrifying fear that acts as an invisible wall, forcefully holding me back from ever taking a step closer to Rivanya.
I want to hold her, I want to shield her, but I am terrified that my love will become the very weapon that destroys her.
That crazy girl actually thinks there was someone else in my past, or that there is another woman in my life right now.
But who is going to explain to my pichki tamatar that she is the absolute first and only girl who has ever managed to get this close to me?
She is the only one I actually speak to directly, the only one I find myself fiercely caring for, the one for whom I wouldn't hesitate to give up my literal life, the one whom I...
No. Stop. What the hell am I even thinking?
Love and me? Absolutely not. It is an impossible equation.
Rudraksh Vardhan is forged entirely out of hatred, and hatred alone.
There is another massive reason why I must maintain this brutal distance from Rivanya, and that is my line of work.
It is precisely because of my underground ties that I choose to live separately here in Mumbai, far from the main family.
I can never allow the dark, toxic shadow of my underworld life to cast its print on anyone I consider mine, and most definitely not on Rivanya.
That girl is far too innocent, far too pure for this filth.
I would choose a bullet to my own brain before I ever let her life be compromised because of my sins.
The mere trajectory of these thoughts sent a suffocating weight through my chest, a reminder of the internal conflict I face every day. But I am deeply familiar with this brand of struggle. I have grown up with these challenges, and I have learned to survive through them.
Forcing myself out of the dark spiral, I pulled on a shirt, exited the bedroom, and walked through the grand corridors until I stepped out into the open air of the backyard.
This specific sector of the mansion is restricted; no one usually comes here except for the security patrols.
But lately, I have found myself coming to this isolated corner quite frequently, and the reason is a hidden surprise I am preparing for Rivanya.
I walked over to the cleared patch of earth and knelt down, observing the rich soil.
Small green shoots and healthy buds had finally started to break through the surface from the roots.
I just need to successfully hide this project from Rivanya for another few days, because I want her to witness the final transformation all at once the moment it blooms.
Yes, these aren't ordinary plants. About fifteen days ago, I had overheard her mentioning over the phone how deeply she adores lilies, and how it was her dream to see a garden overflowing with every rare variety of them.
That conversation stayed with me, burning a hole in my mind.
Right then, I made it my mission to transform this barren backyard into a sanctuary filled with lilies.
I used my underground networks to source and import the most exquisite, rare species of lilies from every single corner of the world from the exotic valleys of Asia to the hidden gardens of Europe.
I was doing all the labor myself carefully planting the delicate saplings, tending to the soil, and watering the deep roots in absolute secrecy.
It was hard, grounding work, but it kept my chaotic mind focused.
I knew that the exact moment this yard turned into a sea of blooming, multi-colored lilies, the radiant happiness on her face would make every single ounce of my effort entirely worth it.
"Importing exotic flora through premium global shipping lanes? Really, RV? Since when did the kingpin of the Asian Mafia become a master botanist?"
I didn't even need to turn around to know that sarcastic, amused voice belonged to Vyom.
I deliberately kept my back to him, my hands covered in dark soil as I carefully patted down the earth around a rare European lily sapling.
The rustle of his expensive leather dress shoes against the gravel confirmed he was walking right into the restricted perimeter of the backyard.
"Get the hell out of here, Vyom," I muttered, my voice cutting through the quiet morning air like a dull blade. "You have no business being in this sector of the grounds."
Vyom ignored the warning completely, halting just two steps away from the patch. He crossed his arms, staring down at my soiled hands, then at the sprawling network of carefully arranged, foreign plants that I had meticulously imported from across the globe. A low whistle escaped his lips.
"Unbelievable," Vyom laughed softly, shaking his head.
"If my men in the underground intelligence saw you right now, they'd think someone had put a glitch in the system. You're tracking financial freezes on Bedi Industries with one hand and watering imported roots with the other. This isn't just a project, Rudraksh. This is an obsession."
I stood up slowly, wiping the dark earth off my hands with a clean rag, my expression hardening into stone as I turned to face him. "I told you before. She mentioned she wanted a garden like this. I am simply fulfilling a requirement."
"A requirement?" Vyom stepped closer, his smirk fading into a more genuine, serious expression.
"You went through three international custom clearance loops just to get these specific variants delivered overnight, hidden from the main transit logs. Don't lie to yourself, brother. You are burning your own resources to bring a single smile to that girl's face.
You're building her a sanctuary because you can't bear the thought of her world remaining dark."
I locked my jaw, my dark eyes narrowing into dangerous slits as I stepped right into his personal space, the scent of the fresh earth mixing with my premium perfume.
"I am ensuring she is independent and safe, Vyom. Nothing more. Her emotional stability directly affects her physical recovery. The faster she heals, the sooner she can stand on her own two feet without needing me."
Vyom looked at me for a long, quiet second, completely unfazed by my lethal glare.
He let out a soft, knowing chuckle that irritated the hell out of my nervous system.
"Keep telling yourself that fairy tale, RV. But remember, those buds are going to open in just a few days. And when she stands in the middle of this paradise you built with your own hands, you won't be able to hide behind your cold walls anymore. Her light will shatter your darkness entirely."
Before I could lose my temper and smash my fist into his jaw, Vyom raised his hands defensively and took a step back, his smile returning.
"Anyway, I didn't come here to mess with your landscaping. The security detail at the Kashi perimeter just pinged the encrypted network. Rivanya aren't heading to the airport or making any travel moves today. They've decided to step out and spend the entire day together in the city."
I paused, the tension in my shoulders easing slightly as I processed the news. "A day out?"
"Yes," Vyom replied, checking his tablet. "They are heading to the Shiv and Gauri temple first, and then it looks like they are planning a complete bestie date to just unwind and relive their old days. My head guard says Rivanya actually smiled before leaving the house. She looked lighter."
A rare, invisible weight lifted from my chest at his words.
If she was stepping out to find comfort in her roots and spending time with her sister, it meant she was fighting her way out of the darkness.
My imported plants had a few more days to prepare their roots, and she had a much-needed day to breathe before the real storm of Indore arrived.
"Tell the security team to keep their distance but maintain an absolute, airtight shield around them," I commanded, turning my gaze back to the raw, foreign green shoots in the soil.
"Let her enjoy her day without realizing she is surrounded by an army. No one disrupts her peace today. Not a single soul."