Lover boy RIVAN
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The applause continued long after Devyani finished speaking.
Students were still standing.
Faculty members were nodding appreciatively.
Even several professors exchanged impressed glances.
Because her speech hadn't been loud.
It hadn't been dramatic.
Yet somehow it had touched everyone.
Devyani simply smiled politely.
Gave a small nod.
And stepped away from the podium.
No nervousness.
No rushing.
No hesitation.
Just confidence.
Pure confidence.
The same girl who once struggled to introduce herself in class had just spoken before hundreds of people without trembling once.
Her graduation gown flowed softly behind her as she walked across the stage.
Graceful.
Composed.
Elegant.
Not arrogant.
Not proud.
Just certain of herself.
The audience watched her return to her seat.
And for a brief moment, Virendra couldn't stop staring.
His chest swelled with pride.
That was his daughter.
His Devu.
The same girl who now commanded an entire auditorium's attention.
Yashodha wiped away another tear.
She had lost count of how many times she had cried today.
Aradhya was openly crying now.
Payal had given up pretending she wasn't emotional.
Even Rudraksh looked suspiciously quiet.
Meanwhile, RIVAN remained standing for a second longer than everyone else.
Watching her.
Only her.
His eyes followed her until she reached her seat.
Until she settled down.
Until she looked away.
Then only did he sit.
The ceremony continued for a few more minutes.
Certificates.
Closing remarks.
Final announcements.
Yet nobody from the Thakur family heard a word.
They were waiting.
Impatiently.
Desperately.
Finally the host smiled.
"Ladies and gentlemen, congratulations once again to all our graduates."
The auditorium erupted into applause.
"The ceremony is officially concluded."
Instant chaos.
Students cheered.
Families rushed forward.
Photographs began immediately.
Laughter echoed everywhere.
And before Devyani could even stand properly
she heard a familiar voice.
"DEVUUUUUUUU!"
Her eyes widened.
A second later something collided with her.
Hard.
Very hard.
"BHABHIIIIII!"
Aradhya wrapped herself around Devyani like a human octopus.
Devyani stumbled backward.
"Aru!"
The next second Payal joined.
Then Yashodha.
Then everyone.
Within moments Devyani was trapped inside a mountain of hugs.
And she couldn't stop laughing.
"Oh my God!"
"I can't breathe!"
Nobody cared.
Not even slightly.
After two years.
Nobody was letting her escape.
Eventually Virendra stepped forward.
The others immediately moved aside.
Because they knew.
This moment belonged to him.
Devyani looked up.
Their eyes met.
And suddenly she wasn't twenty-one.
Wasn't a graduate.
Wasn't a confident young woman.
For one brief second
she was just his little girl again.
"Papa..."
The word came out softer than intended.
Virendra opened his arms.
That was all it took.
She walked directly into them.
And he hugged her tightly.
Very tightly.
His eyes closed.
For a moment neither spoke.
Neither needed to.
Because some emotions were simply too big for words.
Finally Virendra whispered,
"I am proud of you."
That was it.
Those four words.
And Devyani immediately broke.
Tears filled her eyes.
Not because she was sad.
Because she was happy.
Because she had waited years to hear that.
"I missed you, Papa."
Virendra smiled.
"I missed you too, baccha."
Yashodha immediately pulled her into another hug.
"My baby."
Devyani laughed through her tears.
"Maa."
Yashodha touched her face.
Actually touched it.
As if confirming she was real.
Then immediately complained,
"You became thinner."
Everyone laughed.
Including Devyani.
Some things never changed.
Payal dramatically held her shoulders.
"Forget that."
"Look at you."
"You're hot now."
"PAYAL!"
Yashodha gasped.
The group burst into laughter.
Aradhya nodded seriously.
"No, she's right."
"My bhabhi is gorgeous."
Devyani covered her face.
"Stop."
Rudraksh smirked.
"No chance."
"You disappeared for two years."
"Now suffer."
The teasing continued.
The laughter continued.
Photographs were taken.
Hugs happened repeatedly.
Nobody wanted to leave.
Nobody wanted to let her go.
For the first time in years, the emptiness surrounding the family felt smaller.
Not gone.
But smaller.
Then eventually Devyani stood in the middle of them all.
Looking from face to face.
Taking everyone in.
Memorizing the moment.
Because she had missed this.
Missed them.
Missed home.
Missed family.
And for a brief moment
she felt complete again.
Yet somewhere at the edge of her awareness...
She could still feel a gaze.
Steady.
Intense.
Unmoving.
Watching her.
Not the graduate.
Not the accomplished young woman.
Just her.
And she knew exactly who it belonged to.
But unlike two years ago
Devyani didn't turn.
She didn't search for him.
She didn't run toward him.
She simply continued smiling at her family.
Leaving one very powerful man standing at a distance.
For the first time in his life
waiting.
The laughter around Devyani continued.
Aradhya was still clinging to her arm.
Payal was busy taking pictures.
Virendra and Yashodha couldn't stop looking at her.
For a few precious moments, everything felt warm.
Safe.
Familiar.
Then suddenly
The noise around them changed.
Not loudly.
Subtly.
Conversations slowed.
Whispers began.
Students started turning their heads.
Groups of girls were openly staring.
Some were whispering excitedly.
Others were pretending not to stare while very obviously staring.
The shift was so noticeable that even Payal frowned.
"What happened?"
Rudraksh followed everyone's gaze.
Then immediately understood.
"Oh."
The family went silent.
Because RIVAN was walking toward them.
Slowly.
Calmly.
Deliberately.
The crowd parted on its own.
Nobody asked them to.
Nobody needed to.
People simply moved aside.
His presence alone demanded space.
The closer he came, the quieter the area became.
Students watched.
Professors watched.
Families watched.
Several girls looked completely mesmerized.
A few were practically forgetting how to blink.
And yet
RIVAN didn't look at any of them.
Not one.
His focus remained fixed on a single person.
Devyani.
She felt it.
Every step.
Every second.
Her heartbeat becoming louder.
Faster.
Stronger.
Until she was certain everyone around her could hear it.
The family exchanged nervous glances.
Nobody moved.
Nobody spoke.
Because after two years
this moment finally arrived.
Silence.
Complete silence.
For a second neither spoke.
Neither looked away.
The world around them seemed distant.
Muted.
Then unexpectedly
RIVAN stepped closer.
Close enough that she could catch the familiar scent she had spent years trying to forget.
Close enough to make her heart ache.
Close enough to remind her why forgetting him had always been impossible.
Devyani remained still.
Refusing to back away.
Refusing to move.
Refusing to make this easy for him.
Something flashed through RIVAN's eyes.
Approval.
Almost pride.
Then he bent slightly.
The movement was so unexpected that nobody reacted in time.
Not the family.
Not the crowd.
Not even Devyani.
And then
He pressed a gentle kiss against her forehead.
The entire area froze.
Completely.
Utterly.
Frozen.
Devyani stopped breathing.
Her eyes widened.
Her body locked in place.
For one brief second she was no longer the confident graduate.
No longer the woman who had spent two years rebuilding herself.
She was simply Devyani.
And he was simply RIVAN.
The man she had loved.
The man she had hated.
The man she had missed.
The man she had waited for despite promising herself she wouldn't.
RIVAN slowly pulled back.
Just enough.
His gaze remained on her face.
Then, in a voice only she could hear, he said softly,
The words landed harder than any wound.
Miss Devyani Sehgal.
Not kitten.
Not baby.
Not wife.
Not Mrs. Thakur.
Miss Devyani Sehgal.
The surname hit her chest like a stone.
A reminder.
A reminder of the divorce papers.
Of signatures.
Of separation.
Of two years apart.
For the first time since seeing him, her heart truly clenched.
Because suddenly she realized something.
He wasn't pretending.
He was acknowledging the life she had built without him.
Acknowledging the identity she had earned.
Acknowledging the woman standing before him.
And somehow that hurt more than if he had called her kitten.
For a moment neither spoke.
The crowd remained captivated.
Watching.
Waiting.
Practically holding their breath.
Meanwhile Payal looked seconds away from screaming.
Aradhya was gripping Rudraksh's arm so hard he was losing circulation.
Virendra and Yashodha exchanged a glance.
One filled with emotions they couldn't name.
And still
RIVAN's eyes never left Devyani.
A faint smile touched his lips.
Rare.
Dangerously rare.
His voice remained low.
A pause.
Then another.
And for the first time in years
something resembling amusement appeared in his eyes.
Devyani's heart betrayed her by wanting to smile.
She immediately suppressed it.
His smile deepened slightly.
Because he noticed.
Of course he noticed.
He noticed everything about her.
The silence stretched.
Heavy.
Complicated.
Beautiful.
And painful.
Then Devyani finally lifted her chin.
Met his gaze directly.
And replied calmly,
Questions were flying from every direction.
Everyone wanted her attention.
Everyone wanted to hear her stories.
Everyone wanted to know what she had been doing for the last two years.
And right in the center of it all
walked Devyani.
Laughing.
Smiling.
Answering three questions at once.
Looking completely at ease.
Meanwhile Reyansh walked beside her.
Hands in his pockets.
Calm.
Unbothered.
As if this entire kingdom belonged to him.
And somehow
it looked exactly that way.
The students around them kept staring.
Some recognized Reyansh.
Some recognized RIVAN.
Most were simply confused about why the atmosphere around these people felt so intimidating.
The brother-sister duo continued walking ahead.
One graceful.
One dangerous.
Both carrying themselves like royalty.
Like the world naturally moved around them.
RIVAN watched the scene from behind.
Then his eyes narrowed.
Because Devyani wasn't even looking back.
Not once.
Not even accidentally.
And Reyansh?
That traitor wasn't helping either.
In fact, he was making it worse.
Every time Devyani laughed, Reyansh would answer something.
Every time she asked a question, Reyansh would explain.
Every time someone tried to pull her away, Reyansh would immediately bring her back into the conversation.
As if he had adopted her.
RIVAN shook his head.
Then muttered under his breath,
"Sala ..."
His gaze remained fixed on Reyansh.
(Bloody hell... my own friend has become my enemy.)
A small amused smile appeared.
For the first time in years.
Then his gaze shifted toward Devyani.
Who was currently laughing at something Aradhya had said.
Completely unaware of the battle already beginning behind her back.
RIVAN exhaled slowly.
A dangerous calm settling over him.
His wife.
Or rather
the woman he intended to make his wife again.
Because after two years of protecting, spoiling, supporting, and emotionally adopting Devyani
that man had become possessive.
Very possessive.
And judging by the way Reyansh occasionally glanced back at him...
The feeling was mutual.
RIVAN almost laughed.
Almost.
For most men, winning back one woman would be difficult enough.
Unfortunately for him
before he could even think about winning Devyani back...
He first had to survive her overprotective brother.
And somehow
that seemed like the harder challenge.
Before Devyani turned away from him.
Before the teasing.
Before the family started walking toward the exit.
There had been another moment.
A moment that had stunned everyone.
The family had gathered around Devyani after the ceremony.
Questions.
Hugs.
Laughter.
Tears.
Everyone speaking at once.
For a few minutes, it felt like the last two years had never happened.
Then suddenly Virendra's expression changed.
The happiness remained.
But another emotion surfaced.
One that had been buried for a very long time.
Worry.
Anger.
Fear.
He looked directly at RIVAN.
The atmosphere shifted immediately.
The family noticed.
Yashodha noticed.
Even Devyani noticed.
Virendra's voice was calm.
Too calm.
Which was usually a bad sign.
Silence.
The laughter stopped.
The smiles faded.
Virendra took another step forward.
His eyes never leaving his son.
No response.
Still nothing.
Virendra's jaw tightened.
His voice cracked slightly.
Something very rare.
Very, very rare.
The family fell silent.
Because every word was true.
The memories came rushing back.
The endless searches.
The unanswered calls.
The worry.
The fear.
The helplessness.
Meanwhile Devyani stood quietly.
Her eyes slowly shifted toward RIVAN.
Confusion filling her heart.
He was missing?
For one year?
The thought hit her unexpectedly.
Wait...
Missing?
Her fingers tightened around her degree.
She remembered all those months.
Nobody talking about him.
Nobody mentioning him.
Whenever she asked, the answers were always vague.
She had assumed it was his choice.
That he was busy.
That he didn't want to see her.
But missing?
Actually missing?
Her heartbeat increased.
Why?
Why would he disappear?
For what?
Where did he go?
Was he hurt?
Was he alone?
Did something happen?
A strange uneasiness settled inside her chest.
Because suddenly
the two years didn't feel as simple anymore.
Meanwhile Virendra continued staring at RIVAN.
Waiting.
Demanding an answer.
Any answer.
The family did the same.
Aradhya.
Payal.
Rudraksh.
Samarveer.
Rekha.
Everyone.
Even Reyansh looked curious.
Because despite everything
none of them truly knew where RIVAN had been.
Not completely.
Then finally
RIVAN spoke.
One sentence.
Just one.
And the world stopped.
"Haan Papa."
His voice was calm.
Steady.
Almost casual.
(Yes, Papa. Next time I won't leave without telling you.)
Silence.
Absolute silence.
Yashodha froze.
Virendra froze.
Aradhya froze.
Payal froze.
Rudraksh froze.
Even Reyansh looked genuinely shocked.
Because nobody heard the second half.
Nobody cared about the second half.
They were stuck on the first word.
Papa.
Papa.
Not Mr. Thakur.
Not Virendra.
Not anything else.
Papa.
For years.
Years.
Nobody had heard him call Virendra that.
Not once.
The word echoed louder than any speech.
Louder than any explanation.
Louder than any apology.
Virendra stared at him.
Completely stunned.
As if he wasn't sure he had heard correctly.
Yashodha's eyes immediately filled with tears.
Because she knew.
She knew exactly how much that single word meant.
And judging by the slight shift in Virendra's expression
he knew too.
Meanwhile Devyani stood there.
Watching.
Confused.
Emotional.
And somehow even more curious than before.
Because for the first time since seeing him today
she realized something.
The man standing before her wasn't the same man who had sent her away two years ago.
Something had happened during those missing months.
Something big.
Something powerful enough to change a man like RIVAN.
And suddenly
she wanted answers.
Virendra remained frozen.
His eyes fixed on RIVAN.
Almost as if he was afraid that if he blinked, the moment would disappear.
The word continued echoing inside his head.
Papa.
Not Mr. Thakur.
Not a cold response.
Not indifference.
Just
Papa.
A simple word.
Yet it carried years of distance.
Years of anger.
Years of unspoken wounds.
Virendra swallowed hard.
For a moment he forgot everything he wanted to say.
Forgot his questions.
Forgot his anger.
Forgot the crowd around them.
Yashodha's eyes had already turned red.
She quickly looked away.
Trying to hide it.
Failing miserably.
Aradhya was staring at RIVAN as if she had just witnessed a miracle.
Payal looked equally shocked.
Rudraksh glanced between father and son.
Not daring to interrupt.
Meanwhile Reyansh narrowed his eyes.
Because unlike everyone else
he noticed something.
RIVAN hadn't answered the question.
Not really.
He hadn't explained where he was.
He hadn't explained why he disappeared.
He had simply... diverted it.
Skillfully.
Dangerously skillfully.
And Virendra was too emotional to notice.
Or maybe—l
he noticed and simply didn't care anymore.
Then he simply replied,
The entire family stared.
Payal wispered.
Aradhya immediately nodded.
Rudraksh agreed.
For the first time, a faint smirk appeared on RIVAN's face.
A dangerous one.
The familiar one.
Virendra immediately frowned.
"There."
He pointed at him.
"That's the attitude."
"That exact attitude."
For a moment the tension eased.
But her mind remained elsewhere.
Still stuck on one thing.
One whole year.
Missing.
Gone.
Vanished.
Why?
She secretly looked at him.
Trying to understand.
Trying to find answers on his face.
But as always
RIVAN was impossible to read.
And that somehow frustrated her.
Because she wanted to know.
Wanted to know where he went.
What happened.
Why he disappeared.
Why nobody could find him.
Why he looked so different.
Why he sounded different.
Why that single word
Papa
felt like it carried an entire story behind it.
A story nobody knew.
The entire family finally made their way outside the university.
The excitement hadn't faded even a little.
Everyone was still talking over each other.
Virendra was proudly carrying extra copies of Devyani's graduation photographs.
Yashodha kept looking at her every few seconds.
As if she still couldn't believe how much she had changed.
Payal and Aradhya were busy arguing over who would sit beside Devyani during dinner.
Rudraksh had already started planning a family celebration.
The parking area outside the university was lined with luxury vehicles.
Security personnel stood nearby.
Students continued stealing glances toward the Thakur family.
Especially toward RIVAN.
And especially toward Devyani.
Meanwhile Devyani had quietly escaped the family chaos.
The moment she spotted Reyansh's car
she immediately headed toward it.
She opened the rear door.
Reyansh smirked.
Devyani proudly settled herself inside.
Comfortable.
Safe.
Protected.
Just the way she liked.
The rest of the family began moving toward their own vehicles.
Somebody was still laughing.
Somebody was still talking.
The atmosphere remained light.
Then
RIVAN casually walked toward Reyansh.
His expression completely normal.
Too normal.
Which should have been a warning.
Unfortunately for Reyansh
it wasn't.
RIVAN stopped beside him.
Reyansh frowned immediately.
RIVAN nodded toward a distant corner of the parking area.
His voice remained calm.
Reyansh instantly became alert.
Years of instinct kicking in.
RIVAN nodded once.
Reyansh's expression darkened.
Without wasting another second
he turned and headed toward the area RIVAN had pointed at.
Fast.
Focused.
Dangerous.
Ready to break someone's bones if necessary.
The moment he disappeared around the corner
RIVAN moved.
Immediately.
Not even a second wasted.
He opened the driver's door.
Sat down.
Closed it.
And adjusted the steering wheel.
Like he owned the car.
Inside the vehicle
Devyani froze.
Absolutely froze.
Her eyes widened.
Her brain stopped functioning.
For a solid three seconds.
Because one moment she was waiting for Reyansh.
And the next
RIVAN THAKUR was sitting in the driver's seat.
The audacity.
The absolute audacity.
He calmly adjusted the rearview mirror.
Started the engine.
And looked completely unbothered.
Meanwhile Devyani stared.
Then stared some more.
Then finally found her voice.
RIVAN glanced at the mirror.
Devyani blinked.
"Hmm."
Her eyes narrowed.
Suspicion immediately rising.
Very suspicious.
Dangerously suspicious.
Then suddenly realization struck.
Her mouth slowly fell open.
RIVAN remained silent.
Which was basically a confession.
A faint smirk appeared.
Gone instantly.
But she saw it.
She pointed at him.
Still no response.
The smirk returned.
Slightly bigger this time.
Devyani looked scandalized.
Completely scandalized.
"Mr Thakur!"
At the sound of his name from her lips after so long
something flickered in his eyes.
Something warm.
Something quickly hidden.
Then he calmly put the car into drive.
And said,
His gaze remained ahead.
Devyani stared at him.
Speechless.
Completely speechless.
Then outside
Payal witnessed the car moving.
Her eyes widened.
Aradhya followed her gaze.
Then immediately started laughing.
Very hard.
Very, very hard.
Rudraksh looked confused.
"What happened?"
Aradhya pointed toward the departing car.
Then toward the area where Reyansh had disappeared.
Realization dawned.
Rudraksh nearly choked.
"No way."
Payal nodded.
"Oh yes."
Virendra closed his eyes.
Yashodha sighed.
Because unfortunately
they all knew exactly what had happened.
And somewhere behind the building
The moment the university disappeared behind them, Devyani's patience disappeared too.
She turned toward him.
No answer.
The car continued moving.
Fast.
Very fast.
"RIVAN."
Still nothing.
His eyes remained on the road.
The confidence of that man was infuriating.
Silence.
"Stop the car."
Nothing.
The engine hummed beneath them.
The roads of London blurred outside the window.
And somehow that made her even more annoyed.
That finally earned a reaction.
A small smile.
A very small smile.
The kind she hated because it usually meant he was enjoying himself.
And judging by his expression
he absolutely was.
Devyani crossed her arms.
For the first time he glanced toward her.
Only briefly.
She held his gaze.
Firm.
Unyielding.
The words hung heavily inside the car.
For a second silence followed.
Then unexpectedly
RIVAN smiled.
Not mockingly.
Not bitterly.
Just smiled.
Her breath caught.
Just slightly.
Only slightly.
And she hated herself for it.
The car continued moving.
Neither spoke again.
The silence between them was strange.
Not comfortable.
Not uncomfortable.
Just... heavy.
Filled with things neither was ready to say.
Eventually the city began disappearing.
The traffic reduced.
The noise faded.
Buildings became fewer.
Roads became quieter.
Until finally
RIVAN slowed the car.
Then stopped completely.
The place was peaceful.
A calm stretch of land overlooking a beautiful lake.
The water reflected the afternoon sunlight.
The breeze moved gently through the trees.
No crowd.
No family.
No interruptions.
Just them.
For the first time in two years.
Neither moved.
Neither spoke.
The silence stretched.
Then RIVAN reached into his coat pocket.
Devyani frowned.
He didn't answer.
Instead he pulled out a small velvet box.
Her heartbeat immediately betrayed her.
She hated that too.
Because her stupid heart still reacted to him.
Slowly he opened it.
And Devyani froze.
Inside rested a pendant.
Beautiful wasn't enough to describe it.
Elegant.
Delicate.
Timeless.
A diamond pendant crafted with incredible detail.
Simple enough to wear daily.
Yet beautiful enough to take anyone's breath away.
The sunlight caught the stone.
Making it sparkle softly.
For a second she simply stared.
Then immediately looked away.
Trying to regain control.
Trying to stop her emotions from surfacing.
Trying to remind herself she was angry.
Very angry.
RIVAN quietly stepped closer.
She didn't move.
Couldn't move.
The air suddenly felt difficult to breathe.
Without asking.
Without warning.
He gently moved her hair aside.
The familiar gesture sent a painful ache through her chest.
Because some memories never faded.
Her fingers tightened in her lap.
Her throat burned.
Yet she remained still.
Silent.
Allowing him to do it.
Slowly
he fastened the pendant around her neck.
The cool metal settled against her skin.
For a moment neither moved.
The breeze passed between them.
And suddenly Devyani realized how close he was.
Far too close.
Dangerously close.
She could hear her own heartbeat.
Could hear his breathing.
Could feel years collapsing between them.
Her emotions clawed at her.
Demanding release.
Anger.
Love.
Hurt.
Relief.
Longing.
Everything at once.
But she forced herself to remain composed.
Forced herself not to cry.
Not today.
Not in front of him.
RIVAN stepped back slightly.
His gaze lowered to the pendant.
Then returned to her face.
For the first time his voice lost a little of its usual coldness.
Just a little.
His eyes remained locked on hers.
The words hit harder than she expected.
Much harder.
Because he didn't say if.
He didn't say maybe.
He didn't say one day.
He said until.
As if the outcome was already decided.
As if he had already made up his mind.
As if he intended to marry her all over again.
Devyani's heart squeezed painfully.
And for a brief moment
she couldn't decide whether she wanted to throw the pendant at him.
Or hold it forever.
Devyani immediately looked at him.
Her eyes no longer carried the softness from before.
This time there was anger.
Real anger.
Pain hidden beneath it.
The kind that takes years to build.
RIVAN looked at her calmly.
As if he had expected the question.
The breeze grew stronger around them.
Devyani took a step back.
Her fingers unconsciously touched the pendant resting against her neck.
Then she laughed.
A small laugh.
One filled with disbelief.
RIVAN's eyes remained on her.
She immediately shook her head.
For the first time the smile disappeared from his face.
Meanwhile Devyani continued.
Her voice trembling slightly.
Not from weakness.
From years of buried emotions.
A pause.
Silence.
Heavy silence.
Her eyes locked onto his.
The words landed hard.
Very hard.
Yet RIVAN didn't interrupt.
Didn't defend himself.
Didn't stop her.
Because for the first time in two years
she was finally saying everything.
Devyani laughed again.
This time sadly.
"You can't disappear for years."
Her eyes began shining.
Though she stubbornly refused to cry.
She shook her head.
The words echoed between them.
For a long moment neither spoke.
The lake remained calm.
The wind continued moving through the trees.
And then
RIVAN stepped forward.
Just one step.
His voice lower now.
Quieter.
More dangerous.
Not because he was angry.
Because he meant every word.
Devyani rolled her eyes immediately.
He ignored it.
Another step closer.
The amusement vanished.
Only honesty remained.
His voice grew softer.
Silence.
Then he looked directly into her eyes.
This time with no walls.
No masks.
No coldness.
Nothing.
Devyani's breath caught despite herself.
The words settled heavily between them.
He took another step.
Close enough for her heartbeat to betray her again.
For the first time he used her name.
Not kitten.
Not baby.
Just Devyani.
The woman standing before him.
His gaze softened.
A pause.
RIVAN noticed.
Of course he noticed.
And that dangerous glint appeared briefly in his eyes.
Then he delivered the final blow.
Calmly.
Confidently.
Without hesitation.
"You say I lost you."
He nodded once.
The answer genuinely surprised her.
Then he continued.
Devyani had no immediate comeback.
Which irritated her immensely.
Devyani immediately looked at him.
Her voice came out stronger than she felt.
Because inside
her throat was tightening.
Her emotions were becoming harder to control.
Seeing him.
Hearing him.
Standing this close after two years.
Nothing was as easy as she had imagined.
She laughed softly.
Though there was no humor in it.
The words trembled slightly.
Despite her efforts.
She swallowed.
Her eyes immediately narrowed.
That part she said with confidence.
Real confidence.
For a moment RIVAN simply watched her.
Then calmly stepped closer.
Far too calmly.
Far too confidently.
Without saying a word he moved a strand of hair away from her face.
Then tucked it behind her ear.
The familiar gesture made her heart ache instantly.
And she hated it.
Absolutely hated it.
Meanwhile RIVAN looked completely unbothered.
"Oh."
A faint smirk appeared.
He nodded thoughtfully.
Devyani's eyes widened.
Devyani stared.
Completely offended.
Somewhere in the distance Reyansh probably sneezed.
She took a deep breath.
No.
No.
She was not doing this.
Not today.
Not with him.
Not when every word from his mouth was affecting her more than it should.
So instead she turned around.
And started walking.
Fast.
Very fast.
Without looking back.
The words came out cold.
Firm.
Final.
She expected him to stay behind.
Expected him to stop.
Expected him to leave.
Instead
his footsteps followed.
Calm.
Unhurried.
Right behind her.
As if he had all the time in the world.
Devyani kept walking.
Annoyed.
More annoyed when she realized he wasn't leaving.
Then she heard it.
The one thing she wasn't prepared for.
The one thing she had spent two years missing.
The world stopped.
Her steps halted instantly.
The breeze moved through her hair.
The road ahead blurred slightly.
Not because of tears.
Because of memories.
Two years.
Two whole years.
And not once had she heard it.
Not once.
Not a single time.
Kitten.
The nickname she secretly missed every day.
The nickname she pretended not to miss.
The nickname she hated loving.
Slowly she turned around.
Her eyes shining.
Her jaw clenched.
RIVAN looked at her quietly.
Her voice cracked slightly.
Which only annoyed her further.
Silence.
The words hurt coming out.
Because part of her wished they were true.
But she refused to admit that.
The silence stretched.
Then she folded her arms.
Trying to appear unaffected.
RIVAN stared at her.
Then suddenly
to her complete disbelief
he turned toward a girl passing nearby.
The girl immediately recognized him.
Which wasn't surprising.
Half the university had been staring at him all day.
RIVAN casually smiled.
"Hey."
The girl blinked.
"Hi?"
RIVAN pointed toward himself.
"Will you be my kitten?"
The girl's eyes widened.
Then she immediately laughed.
"Yup. Sure."
Devyani froze.
Absolutely froze.
For one second.
Two seconds.
Three.
The girl continued smiling.
Completely unaware she had just walked into a war zone.
Meanwhile Devyani stared.
Then stared some more.
Then looked at RIVAN.
Then looked at the girl.
Then looked back at RIVAN.
The audacity.
The absolute audacity.
Heat rushed straight into her face.
Her chest tightened.
And before she could stop herself
jealousy struck.
Hard.
Very hard.
RIVAN noticed immediately.
Of course he noticed.
The annoying man noticed everything.
Meanwhile Devyani turned around sharply.
Muttering under her breath.
Then she resumed walking.
Much faster this time.
Trying very hard not to think about why that stupid interaction had bothered her so much.
Behind her
RIVAN's smile became impossible to hide.
Because after two years.
For the first time.
His kitten looked jealous.
And somehow
that felt like progress.
Devyani walked toward the roadside without looking back.
At least that was what she wanted everyone to believe.
Because every nerve in her body was painfully aware of the man standing behind her.
The man who had casually appeared after two years.
Destroyed her peace.
And somehow managed to irritate her within minutes.
A cab stopped nearby.
Devyani immediately raised her hand.
The driver pulled over.
Perfect.
Exactly what she needed.
Distance.
Before she could open the door
RIVAN's voice rang out behind her.
A little louder this time.
Loud enough for her to hear clearly.
Loud enough to make the corner of his mouth twitch.
The confidence.
The arrogance.
The absolute shamelessness.
Devyani closed her eyes.
Of course.
Of course he would say something like that.
She slowly turned around.
The London breeze moved through her hair.
Her eyes met his.
And despite the chaos he had created inside her
her reply came instantly.
(Dreaming is a good thing, Mr. Thakur.)
The challenge was obvious.
The refusal was obvious.
The spark in her eyes was even more obvious.
For a second neither looked away.
Then
RIVAN smirked.
A real smirk.
Dangerous.
Satisfied.
As if her answer had pleased him instead of discouraging him.
"Fire."
The word escaped under his breath.
He shook his head slightly.
Almost laughing.
Then inhaled deeply.
Watching her.
Actually watching her.
The confidence.
The stubbornness.
The attitude.
The courage to challenge him directly.
God.
He loved it.
Loved every second of it.
Because she wasn't the scared eighteen-year-old anymore.
She fought back now.
And somehow that made her even more beautiful.
Meanwhile Devyani immediately looked away.
Refusing to give him the satisfaction of seeing her flustered.
She opened the cab door.
Got inside.
And slammed it shut.
The driver started the vehicle.
Slowly the cab began pulling away.
Devyani looked straight ahead.
Determined not to look back.
Absolutely determined.
Which lasted approximately five seconds.
Her eyes drifted toward the window.
Just once.
Only once.
And there he was.
Standing exactly where she left him.
Hands in his pockets.
Watching the cab disappear.
Not moving.
Not stopping her.
Just watching.
As if he knew something she didn't.
As if he had all the patience in the world.
The sight irritated her.
So much.
She immediately turned away.
Crossing her arms.
"Unbelievable."
The driver glanced through the mirror.
"Boyfriend?"
Devyani nearly choked.
"No."
The answer came too quickly.
Too defensively.
The driver smiled knowingly.
"Ah."
Which somehow made everything worse.
Meanwhile back at the lakeside
RIVAN continued watching until the cab disappeared completely.
Only then did he exhale.
A slow breath.
The first genuine smile touching his face in years.
Not because she forgave him.
Not because she accepted him.
Not because she came back.
But because she fought.
Because she cared enough to be angry.
Because the opposite of love was never anger.
It was indifference.
And Devyani Sehgal was far from indifferent.
Very, very far.
RIVAN looked toward the empty road.
Then quietly murmured to himself,
The smirk returned.
The ruthless businessman everyone knew returned.
He pulled out his phone.
The screen lit up immediately.
Dozens of notifications.
Emails.
Messages.
Missed calls.
Pending approvals.
The usual chaos.
RIVAN tapped a contact.
The call connected instantly.
"Arav."
"Yes, sir."
"The project."
"Almost completed."
"Complete the remaining work."
His voice was calm.
Cold.
Professional.
The warmth from a few minutes ago had vanished.
"Then cut it."
Arav immediately understood.
"Understood, sir."
The call ended.
A second later another call flashed across the screen.
Reyansh.
RIVAN looked at it.
Then accepted.
The moment the call connected
a roar exploded through the speaker.
"RIVANNNNNNNN!"
Several people nearby turned around.
RIVAN calmly moved the phone slightly away from his ear.
RIVAN remained silent.
Reyansh continued.
Reyansh sounded ready to commit murder.
RIVAN switched off the phone.
Directly.
Without warning.
Without guilt.
Without mercy.
Then calmly placed it back into his pocket.
And headed toward his next meeting.
Meanwhile
at the villa.
The atmosphere couldn't have been more different.
The moment Devyani entered
the family surrounded her.
Again.
Completely.
Entirely.
No escape.
No mercy.
Questions started flying from every direction.
"How was college?"
"Who were your friends?"
"What did you study?"
"Did you ever get lost?"
"How many awards did you get?"
"What happened during the first year?"
Devyani laughed.
Actually laughed.
The bright, carefree laughter everyone had missed.
The old Devyani.
The one before pain.
Before separation.
Before heartbreak.
For a few hours
she returned.
She sat cross-legged on the couch.
Explaining everything enthusiastically.
Using hand gestures.
Making dramatic expressions.
Telling stories.
Complaining.
Laughing.
The entire family listened with complete interest.
Even Virendra looked fascinated.
Because every story revealed a version of Devyani they had never seen before.
A stronger version.
A smarter version.
A fearless version.
Then naturally
the topic shifted toward Reyansh.
And Devyani immediately became excited.
"Oh!"
She pointed dramatically.
"Do you know what happened during my first week in London?"
The family immediately leaned forward.
Reyansh looked suspicious.
Very suspicious.
"Devyani."
She ignored him.
"He gave me a map."
The family blinked.
"A map?"
Devyani nodded aggressively.
"A physical map."
Payal immediately laughed.
"No."
"YES."
Everyone turned toward Reyansh.
Who suddenly looked interested in the ceiling.
"He said it would help me learn directions."
Aradhya was already laughing.
Devyani continued.
"I got lost."
The room exploded.
Even Yashodha laughed.
Virendra shook his head.
Payal nearly fell off the sofa.
Then came another story.
And another.
And another.
Each one exposing Reyansh further.
Apparently he had strict schedules.
Strict security.
Strict rules.
Strict timings.
Strict everything.
The family enjoyed every second.
Meanwhile Reyansh sat there.
Listening.
Enduring.
Suffering.
Then Devyani delivered the final blow.
"And once he locked me inside the villa because I wanted to go explore alone."
The room became silent.
Everyone slowly turned toward Reyansh.
Reyansh immediately stood up.
"Nope."
Aradhya grinned.
"Explain."
"Nope."
Payal folded her arms.
"Sit."
"Nope."
Virendra was trying not to smile.
Yashodha looked disappointed.
Reyansh pointed at Devyani.
The room exploded again.
Devyani covered her face.
Payal screamed laughing.
Rudraksh nearly choked.
Aradhya slid off the sofa.
And Reyansh finally decided enough was enough.
He stood up.
Immediately Devyani pointed at him.
Reyansh glared.
Then pointed back.
"I saved your life."
The family nodded.
Fair point.
Then he looked around the room.
At everyone smiling.
Everyone laughing.
Everyone finally happy again.
A small smile almost appeared.
Almost.
Then his phone buzzed.
He checked the screen.
RIVAN.
Instantly.
The smile disappeared.
The murder returned.
Reyansh stared at the screen.
Then muttered,
"When I catch him..."
Everyone immediately laughed.
Because nobody doubted he was still planning revenge.
Night had settled over the villa.
The laughter.
The stories.
The teasing.
Everything had finally quieted down.
One by one, everyone retired to their rooms.
Virendra and Yashodha were exhausted after traveling.
Payal and Aradhya had spent half the evening arguing over old photographs.
Rudraksh and Samarveer disappeared after dinner.
Even Reyansh was occupied with some urgent work calls.
Since everyone had decided to stay in London for a few more days, nobody seemed in a hurry.
For the first time in a long while
the villa felt alive.
Warm.
Like a home.
Meanwhile Devyani lay on her bed.
Wide awake.
Her room was dark except for the soft moonlight filtering through the curtains.
She stared at the ceiling.
Blinking slowly.
Sleep refused to come.
Every time she closed her eyes
she saw him.
His face.
His smirk.
His voice.
My kitten has grown up.
Devyani immediately groaned.
"Ugh."
She turned to the other side.
Pulled the blanket higher.
Closed her eyes again.
Two seconds later
his voice returned.
"I'll win you back."
Her eyes flew open.
"No."
She sat up.
Annoyed.
Very annoyed.
Why was he occupying her thoughts?
Why today?
Why now?
After two whole years?
She grabbed a pillow and threw it beside her.
Then flopped back dramatically.
Only for another memory to appear.
The pendant.
Still hanging around her neck.
She immediately touched it.
Then quickly pulled her hand away.
As if she'd been caught doing something illegal.
"This is ridiculous."
The room remained silent.
A few more minutes passed.
Still no sleep.
Then
a faint sound reached her ears.
A noise from the balcony.
Very slight.
Almost unnoticeable.
Devyani frowned.
The villa was heavily secured.
Nobody should be there.
Slowly she sat upright.
Listening carefully.
Another sound.
Definitely from the balcony.
Her heartbeat quickened.
She slipped out of bed.
Quietly.
Carefully.
Then began walking toward the glass doors.
Step by step.
The moonlight grew brighter.
The curtains moved softly in the night breeze.
Devyani hesitated.
Then slowly pulled the curtain aside.
And froze.
Completely froze.
A scream escaped her lips.
"AAAHHHHH!"
Standing on her balcony.
As if it were the most normal thing in the world.
Was RIVAN.
Smoking.
Completely unbothered.
And shirtless.
The cigarette nearly slipped from his fingers at her sudden scream.
While Devyani stood there in absolute shock.
Eyes wide.
Heart racing.
And mind completely blank.
Devyani's scream echoed through the room.
For a second both of them simply stared at each other.
Then
Her eyes accidentally traveled downward.
And immediately froze.
She hadn't seen him properly in almost two years.
Back then he was intimidating.
Powerful.
Dangerous.
Now?
Somehow worse.
The years had hardened him.
His shoulders looked broader.
His frame heavier.
The muscles beneath his skin more defined than before.
Not the body of a man who spent his days in offices.
The body of a man who trained relentlessly.
Punishing himself.
Building himself stronger.
More ruthless.
More impossible to ignore.
The moonlight reflected against his skin.
The cigarette resting lazily between his fingers.
His expression calm.
Unbothered.
As if standing shirtless on her balcony at midnight was completely normal.
Unfortunately
RIVAN noticed exactly where she was looking.
Of course he did.
The annoying man noticed everything.
A slow smirk appeared.
Dangerous.
Arrogant.
Completely shameless.
He spread his arms slightly.
(Keep staring, keep staring.)
His eyes sparkled with amusement.
(I'm yours only.)
Devyani's eyes widened.
Instantly.
Immediately.
She snapped her gaze elsewhere.
Anywhere.
The wall.
The ceiling.
The moon.
Literally anything except him.
RIVAN looked pleased.
Very pleased.
Which only irritated her further.
Devyani grabbed the nearest pillow.
Ready to throw it.
Then remembered he was standing several feet away.
The effort wasn't worth it.
Instead she glared.
A proper glare.
The kind that would've scared normal people.
Unfortunately
RIVAN wasn't normal.
He simply took another drag from his cigarette.
Watching her.
Enjoying this far too much.
Finally Devyani crossed her arms.
RIVAN glanced around the balcony.
Then at her.
Then around the balcony again.
As if genuinely considering the question.
A pause.
Then her glare intensified.
"Mr Thakur."
"Hmm?"
"What."
"The."
"Hell."
"Are."
"You."
"Doing."
"Here."
This time she pronounced every word individually.
RIVAN nodded thoughtfully.
Devyani nearly lost her mind.
"YOU CLIMBED INTO MY BALCONY!"
"Hmm."
"AT MIDNIGHT!"
"Hmm."
This time RIVAN looked down at himself.
Then shrugged.
Devyani closed her eyes.
Took a deep breath.
Then another.
Then another.
Meanwhile RIVAN leaned casually against the railing.
Completely relaxed.
As if he belonged there.
Which somehow made everything worse.
Then his gaze softened slightly.
Just slightly.
The answer came unexpectedly.
No teasing.
No smirk.
No joke.
Just honesty.
And somehow
that was far more dangerous.
Because for a brief moment
Devyani forgot how to argue.
Devyani immediately pointed toward the balcony.
Her eyes narrowed.
A step closer.
RIVAN raised an eyebrow.
Slowly.
Amused.
Very amused.
He tilted his head slightly.
Then he blinked innocently.
A smile appearing on his lips.
For a second Devyani didn't understand.
Then realization hit.
Instantly.
Her eyes widened.
She immediately grabbed the blanket from the bed and wrapped it around herself tighter.
The man actually looked pleased.
Which made everything worse.
Still no.
Devyani looked ready to strangle him.
Meanwhile RIVAN calmly stepped inside the room.
One step.
Then another.
Completely uninvited.
Completely shameless.
Devyani immediately stepped backward.
"Stay there."
Another step.
Devyani folded her arms.
Another step.
"The security is insane."
Another step.
"The rooms are ridiculously far apart."
Devyani's eyes narrowed suspiciously.
RIVAN looked entirely too relaxed.
"So don't trouble your throat screaming."
A pause.
Then the familiar nickname.
"Okay, kitten?"
The word hit her straight in the chest.
Again.
Damn him.
Again.
For two years she had imagined hearing it.
Dreamed about hearing it.
Missed hearing it.
And now he kept using it as a weapon.
Devyani clenched her jaw.
Her voice came out softer than intended.
For the first time
the teasing faded slightly from his eyes.
He looked at her.
Really looked at her.
Then quietly said,
A faint smile appeared.
"You spent two years convincing yourself of that."
The room suddenly felt smaller.
The air heavier.
His voice lowered.
Silence.
Neither spoke.
Neither moved.
Then Devyani immediately looked away.
Because this conversation was becoming dangerous.
Not dangerous in the way RIVAN usually was.
Dangerous for her heart.
So she pointed toward the balcony again.
Trying to regain control.
RIVAN sighed dramatically.
Devyani stared at him.
RIVAN stared back.
The room fell silent.
Only the soft sound of the wind entered through the open balcony doors.
Neither spoke.
Neither moved.
They simply stared at each other.
The tension was thick.
Dangerous.
Complicated.
RIVAN stood there with his usual confidence.
His usual arrogance.
His usual certainty that he could handle whatever Devyani threw at him.
After all
this was Devyani.
His kitten.
The girl whose every expression he could read.
The girl whose next move he could usually predict.
Or so he thought.
Because the next second
Devyani suddenly smiled.
Not her normal smile.
Not her polite smile.
Not her sarcastic smile.
A smirk.
A very dangerous smirk.
The kind that should've warned him.
Immediately.
RIVAN's eyes narrowed.
"What?"
Devyani didn't answer.
The smirk only deepened.
And for the first time that night
something felt wrong.
Very wrong.
RIVAN straightened slightly.
"Kitten."
Still no answer.
Just that smile.
That terrifying smile.
The kind usually found on people about to create chaos.
A lot of chaos.
Then
she did something.
Something completely unexpected.
Something so unimaginable
that even in his worst nightmares RIVAN would've never predicted it.
For a second
he genuinely thought he had seen wrong.
His eyes widened.
Actually widened.
The great RIVAN Thakur looked shocked.
Completely.
Utterly.
Hopelessly shocked.
His jaw nearly stopped functioning.
His brain refused to process what had just happened.
"Devyani..."
Nothing.
No response.
Only that infuriating smirk.
His eyes widened further.
Almost popping out.
Which was saying something because the man rarely reacted to anything.
Ever.
And yet
here he was.
Stunned.
Speechless.
Destroyed.
While Devyani simply stood there.
Looking entirely too pleased with herself.
Watching him.
Enjoying every second of his suffering.
And for the very first time in years
RIVAN had absolutely no idea what to do next.
"Shayad maine aisi junk jiti jiski umeed kabhi nahi ki thi," he whispered.
Yashodha's eyes glistened as she answered, "Finally, Virendra... humein hamara beta wapas mil gaya. Aur usko uski mohabbat bhi. Is it HAPPY ENDING?"
Before Virendra could reply, the siblings broke the quiet with excited voices. "Nahi, yeh happy ending abhi baaki hai!" one of them called out.
"Bhaiyya aur bhabhi ki remarriage toh abhi baaki hai!" Laughter rippled through the gathering, warm and relieved, wrapping around the couple like another embrace.
Rivan still hadn't let go.