Shocking truth
It's been a year since I started this journey, yet it feels like I began just a few days ago. I poured my heart, soul, and countless sleepless nights into writing this book. Every chapter, every emotion, and every word carries a piece of me.
Seeing all the love this story has received makes every sacrifice worth it. This milestone isn't just mine it's ours. None of this would have been possible without your endless support, your kind words and the love you've shown not only to me but also to my books.
Thank you for believing in my stories, for laughing, crying, and falling in love with the characters alongside me. You remind me every single day why I chose to write.
This is only the beginning. I promise to keep creating stories that stay with you long after you've turned the last page.
I love you all more than words can ever express. Thank you for making my dream come true. Here's to many more milestones together. ?
Love you alllllllllllllllllll??????
Woh aplog ne last chapter me target nahi complete Kara? Update Nabi chahiye thi kya
????????????
Enjoy the update??
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She pointed a trembling finger at him.
"Stay..."
Her voice shook with emotion.
"Stay within your limits, Mr. Thakur."
The anger in her eyes was enough to make anyone lower their gaze.
"I am no longer your wife for you to think you can claim me whenever you want."
Her words landed with far more force than the slap itself.
"You don't get to decide when you enter my life."
"You don't get to touch me because you suddenly remembered I exist."
"If you want respect from me..."
She swallowed the lump in her throat.
"...then learn to respect my boundaries first."
Silence.
Absolute silence.
RIVAN's cheek still stung, but he never lifted a hand to it.
He never looked angry.
Never looked offended.
Instead, he lowered his eyes for a moment.
When he finally spoke, his voice was calm.
"I deserved that."
Everyone looked at him in surprise.
He slowly nodded to himself.
"I crossed a line."
His gaze met hers again.
"I'm sorry."
No excuses.
No justification.
No argument.
Just an apology.
Devyani looked at him for a long second, as if trying to understand whether he truly meant it.
Then she turned away.
"Zaid."
"Let's go."
Zaid opened the car door without taking his eyes off RIVAN.
Devyani got inside.
As he walked around to the driver's seat, Zaid paused beside RIVAN for just a second.
He didn't say a word.
He simply looked at the fading handprint on RIVAN's face before getting into the car.
The engine started.
Within moments, the vehicle disappeared beyond the villa gates.
Only then did the people in the garden breathe again.
Aradhya whispered under her breath, "I've never seen bhai just... accept a slap."
Payal nodded slowly.
"Neither have I."
Virendra remained silent, watching his son.
Reyansh walked over until he was standing beside RIVAN.
"You could've stopped her."
RIVAN gave a faint, tired smile.
"No."
"I was the one who was wrong."
He kept his eyes on the now-empty driveway.
"I spent two years wishing for another chance."
He let out a slow breath.
"I don't get to throw that chance away by forgetting that her trust has to be earned."
For the first time since the car had left...
He gently touched his cheek.
The sting remained.
But compared to the weight in his chest...
It was nothing.
DEVYANI POV
I stared outside the window, but honestly...
I couldn't see a thing.
My mind kept replaying the same moment again and again.
His face.
That stupid calm expression.
As if nothing had happened.
As if two years of pain, loneliness, unanswered questions and shattered trust could simply disappear because he decided to come back.
I clenched my jaw.
Seriously...
How?
How could he behave like that?
Did he really think he could just walk back into my life whenever he wanted?
Leave whenever he wished.
Return whenever he wished.
Touch me whenever he wished.
As if I was some object waiting exactly where he had left me.
A bitter laugh escaped my lips.
"Unbelievable..."
Zaid glanced at me briefly before returning his attention to the road.
"What happened inside that head of yours now?"
I folded my arms tightly.
"He is unbelievable."
"Who?"
I looked at him as if the answer was obvious.
"Mr. Thakur."
"He acts like nothing happened."
I let out a frustrated breath.
"Am I some kind of joke to him?"
"Whenever he wants, he disappears."
"Whenever he wants, he returns."
"And now..."
I looked out of the window again.
"...he suddenly thinks he has rights over me."
The irritation inside me refused to settle.
I could still feel the warmth of his hand around my wrist.
The memory alone annoyed me.
"He is impossible."
Absolutely impossible.
For a few seconds neither of us spoke.
Only the soft sound of the car engine filled the silence.
Then...
A tiny thought suddenly crossed my mind.
I frowned.
"...Wait."
Zaid looked sideways.
"Hmm?"
I sighed.
"I think..."
"...I shouldn't have slapped him once."
Zaid's eyebrows lifted hopefully.
"Oh?"
I nodded very seriously.
"You're right."
"I made a mistake."
A smile slowly appeared on his face.
"See..."
"I knew you'd calm dow—"
"I should've slapped him twice."
The smile disappeared instantly.
"What?"
I nodded confidently.
"One from the left."
"One from the right."
"Perfect balance."
Zaid almost choked on his own breath before bursting into laughter.
"You are impossible, Devu."
"No."
I huffed.
"He is."
I crossed my arms again.
"The audacity of that man..."
The more I thought about it...
The angrier I became.
I could literally feel my blood boiling.
My fingers tightened unconsciously.
My foot tapped against the floor.
My nails dug into the leather seat beside me.
Zaid suddenly cleared his throat.
"Calm down, Devyani."
I nodded immediately.
"Yeah."
"I'm calm."
He looked at me for exactly two seconds before pointing toward my hand.
"Really?"
I frowned.
"What?"
"Look at the seat."
I blinked.
Only then did I realize...
My fingers were aggressively scratching the leather upholstery.
I immediately pulled my hand back.
"Oh."
I looked at the poor seat.
"...Am I doing that?"
"Since the last three minutes."
I blinked innocently.
"I didn't notice."
Zaid sighed dramatically.
"My car noticed."
I looked at the scratch marks.
"...Oops."
He shook his head.
"There goes twenty thousand."
I gasped.
"What?"
"You damaged imported leather."
I looked horrified.
"Oh my God."
"I'm so sorry."
"I'll pay for it."
Zaid remained completely serious.
"Hmm."
"You'll have to sell one kidney."
My eyes widened.
"What?"
He kept a straight face for another two seconds.
Then suddenly burst into laughter.
"I was kidding!"
I stared at him.
For three long seconds.
Then picked up the small cushion lying beside me and smacked it against his shoulder.
"You idiot!"
He laughed even harder.
"I wish you could've seen your face."
"I actually believed you!"
"You looked ready to call a kidney dealer."
I glared at him.
"I hate you."
"No."
He corrected with a grin.
"You hate someone else."
I opened my mouth to deny it...
But no words came out.
Instead...
I quietly looked out of the window again.
My reflection stared back at me.
Still angry.
Still confused.
Still hurt.
And for reasons I refused to admit...
That one slap hadn't brought me any peace at all.
The drive ended in front of one of Zaid's private safe houses.
From the outside, it looked like an abandoned warehouse old walls, rusted shutters, and not a single sign that anyone lived there.
Exactly the kind of place nobody would notice.
Zaid parked the car and stepped out first.
I followed behind him, adjusting the sleeves of my jacket.
The moment we entered the compound, a few of his men greeted him with respectful nods.
He wasn't just another businessman.
He had built influence quietly, carefully.
People listened when he spoke.
People obeyed.
I had noticed it long ago.
Even now, a few women standing near the reception area couldn't stop stealing glances at him.
Well...
I couldn't blame them.
The man was ridiculously handsome.
Tall.
Confident.
Sharp jawline.
A smile capable of fooling anyone into believing he was harmless.
Too bad they didn't know how dangerous that smile actually was.
Zaid noticed the stares and rolled his eyes.
"They're staring again."
I smirked.
"Occupational hazard."
He sighed dramatically.
"Being this handsome is exhausting."
I laughed despite my mood.
"Narcissist."
"I prefer naturally gifted."
I shook my head, unable to argue.
A few minutes later we reached a heavily secured metal door.
No keypad was visible.
Zaid placed his palm against a scanner before entering a long password.
The lock clicked.
Another security system unlocked.
Then another.
"Seriously?" I raised an eyebrow.
"How many locks?"
He shrugged.
"I like privacy."
The thick steel door slowly slid open.
The room beyond was dimly lit.
Cold.
Silent.
A single chair stood in the center.
And tied securely to it...
...was Arav.
RIVAN Thakur's most trusted man.
The infamous right hand.
His wrists were restrained behind the chair.
His ankles tied firmly.
Yet despite everything...
His posture remained straight.
His eyes alert.
The moment he saw me...
His expression completely changed.
Shock.
Pure shock.
He blinked twice as if trying to convince himself he wasn't imagining things.
"M... Ma'am?"
His voice cracked.
"You..."
His gaze slowly dropped toward my hand.
Toward the pistol resting there.
I casually checked the magazine before removing it with practiced ease.
Click.
The ammunition slid into my palm.
I placed it on the table beside me.
Then locked the empty pistol again.
Not because I needed it.
Because I wanted him to hear every sound.
Every click echoed through the room.
Arav swallowed visibly.
His eyes never left the weapon.