Deyani threatened RIVAN and ZAID entry #3
Arav appeared from the shadows.
Looking exhausted.
"Damn, sir."
He adjusted his jacket.
"His security is too tight."
RIVAN simply hummed.
"Yeah."
A small smirk appeared.
"He is Reyansh."
And somehow that explained everything.
Arav sighed dramatically.
"I had to convince three guards, avoid two patrol routes, and jump one wall."
RIVAN looked completely unimpressed.
"You need more training."
Arav looked offended.
Meanwhile they finally reached the waiting car.
Arav immediately opened the rear door.
"Let's go, sir."
For a second he expected resistance.
Expected RIVAN to look back.
Expected him to spend another hour lurking around the villa like a lovesick criminal.
Instead
RIVAN simply nodded.
And sat inside the car.
No arguments.
No hesitation.
Just silence.
Arav frowned.
"That's it?"
No answer.
"You don't want to stay?"
Still nothing.
"You literally climbed into her room."
Silence.
"You risked getting killed by Reyansh sir."
Nothing.
Still nothing.
Arav stared.
Confused.
Very confused.
Usually after meeting Devyani, RIVAN became impossible to handle.
Today
he looked strangely calm.
Not happy.
Not sad.
Just... thoughtful.
As if he was replaying every second of the night inside his head.
The car door closed.
The engine started.
Then Arav noticed something.
His eyes narrowed.
"Sir."
No response.
"Sir."
RIVAN finally looked up.
"What?"
Arav pointed.
"You're bleeding."
RIVAN glanced toward his forearm.
Only then noticing the scrape.
Probably from climbing down the balcony.
Or jumping onto the lower terrace.
The sleeve of his shirt had a small stain of blood.
Nothing serious.
Barely worth mentioning.
"It's nothing."
Arav sighed.
Because of course that would be the answer.
"It is blood."
"It's a scratch."
"It needs treatment."
"It needs silence."
Arav immediately shut his mouth.
The car slowly pulled away from the villa.
London's lights passed outside the window.
The city slept peacefully.
Meanwhile RIVAN leaned back against the seat.
His eyes drifting toward the dark sky outside.
For the first time in two years
he had seen her laugh.
Seen her fight.
Seen her smile.
Seen her panic for him.
And somehow...
that was enough.
Not enough to satisfy him.
Never enough.
But enough to keep going.
Enough to remind him that despite all her anger...
despite all her walls...
despite every harsh word she had thrown at him...
a small part of Devyani still cared.
The thought settled somewhere deep inside his chest.
Quietly.
Dangerously.
And for the first time in a very long while
RIVAN closed his eyes.
Not as a ruthless businessman.
Not as a feared Thakur.
Not as a man carrying years of guilt.
But simply as a husband who had finally seen his wife again.
The room became silent after he left.
Completely silent.
No teasing.
No arguments.
No "kitten."
No annoying smirks.
Nothing.
Only silence.
Devyani slowly walked back toward her bed and sat down.
For a long moment she didn't move.
Her eyes remained fixed on the floor.
While her mind refused to stay still.
Too many emotions.
Too many memories.
Too many unanswered questions.
The last few hours replayed inside her head again and again.
His arrival.
His voice.
His forehead kiss.
His confidence.
His shamelessness.
His stupid smile.
The pendant resting against her neck.
The way he still called her kitten as if two years had never passed.
The way he looked at her.
The way he spoke about winning her back.
The way she panicked when he disappeared from the balcony.
Everything.
Absolutely everything.
Her chest felt heavy.
Not because she loved him.
Not because she hated him.
But because after spending two years convincing herself she had moved forward...
one man had walked back into her life and disturbed every corner of her peace.
Devyani leaned back against the headboard.
Her eyes slowly moved toward the moonlight entering through the balcony.
The same balcony where he had stood minutes ago.
A small sigh escaped her lips.
She was tired.
Very tired.
Tired of remembering.
Tired of questioning.
Tired of fighting battles inside her own head.
For two years she had survived by moving forward.
One day at a time.
Without looking back.
And tonight she decided to do exactly that again.
Not think.
Not analyze.
Not cry.
Not remember.
Just sleep.
Tomorrow could deal with tomorrow.
Slowly she removed the pendant from her fingers.
Though she didn't remove it from her neck.
Then she pulled the blanket over herself.
Closed her eyes.
And for the first time that night...
she allowed herself to rest.
Within minutes her breathing softened.
The tension left her body.
The thoughts faded.
The memories blurred.
And eventually
Devyani Sehgal fell asleep.
Unaware that for the first time in two years...
both her and RIVAN would sleep under the same sky knowing exactly where the other was.
_________________________
The next morning felt surprisingly normal.
The chaos of graduation.
The emotional reunion.
The unexpected appearance of RIVAN.
Everything seemed to have settled down for a while.
The weather was beautiful.
Soft sunlight covered the massive garden of the villa.
Everyone had gathered outside after breakfast.
Virendra and Samarveer were discussing business.
Yashodha and Rekha sat together enjoying tea.
Payal and Aradhya were busy taking pictures of literally everything.
Rudraksh was teasing everyone as usual.
For the first time in days, the atmosphere was peaceful.
Then Devyani appeared.
And the entire garden went silent.
For a moment.
Just a moment.
She was wearing a beautiful pastel blue short frock that reached above her knees.
Elegant.
Simple.
Modern.
Her hair flowed freely around her shoulders.
Minimal makeup.
A delicate pendant resting around her neck.
Confidence shining in every step.
The same girl who once got nervous seeing western clothes.
The same girl who used to hide behind dupattas.
The same girl who once stared at London women in shock.
Now she wore the outfit effortlessly.
Comfortably.
Like she belonged here.
Because she did.
The family noticed.
Of course they noticed.
A small surprise appeared on many faces.
But nobody said anything.
Instead
they smiled.
Because this wasn't rebellion.
This was growth.
Their Devyani had changed.
And they were proud of her.
Very proud.
Aradhya immediately whistled.
"Look at you!"
Payal nodded dramatically.
"London has make her hot."
Devyani laughed.
"No."
She twirled once.
"It upgraded me."
The garden erupted with laughter.
Then suddenly
a familiar voice echoed from the entrance.
"Finally."
Everyone turned.
A tall figure walked inside.
The moment Devyani saw him
her eyes widened.
And then lit up.
Completely.
Without a second thought she ran.
Actually ran.
Across the garden.
Everyone watched in confusion.
Meanwhile Zaid opened his arms.
And the next second
Devyani crashed straight into him.
The force nearly pushed him backward.
He laughed loudly.
While Devyani hugged him tightly.
Her excitement was impossible to hide.
Zaid laughed harder.
Then without warning
he lifted her straight off the ground.
Spinning her around.
Once.
Twice.
Three times.
While Devyani screamed in excitement.
The two looked completely comfortable with each other.
Completely natural.
Completely familiar.
And unfortunately
that was the exact moment another car entered the villa.
The gates opened.
A black luxury vehicle stopped.
The door opened.
And out stepped Reyansh.
Holding a file.
Beside him
RIVAN.
Both were discussing business documents.
Because despite all their personal fights...
neither allowed business to interfere with work.
At least usually.
Today was different.
Because the moment RIVAN looked up
he saw it.
Zaid holding Devyani in his arms.
Spinning her.
While she laughed.
Brightly.
Happily.
Carefree.
The file in his hand nearly bent.
Silence.
Absolute silence.
Everyone in the garden stopped breathing.
Payal froze.
Aradhya froze.
Virendra froze.
Even Reyansh stopped walking.
Slowly...
Very slowly...
RIVAN lowered the file.
His gaze remained fixed on the scene.
On Zaid.
More specifically
on Zaid's hands.
Then on Devyani.
Then back on Zaid.
The temperature around him dropped.
Noticeably.
Dangerously.
Aradhya immediately whispered to Payal.
"Oh no."
Payal nodded.
"Oh yes."
Rudraksh quietly took two steps backward.
Pure survival instinct.
Meanwhile Zaid remained completely unaware.
Still laughing.
Still holding Devyani.
Still very alive.
For now.
And RIVAN...
Well...
For the first time since arriving in London