Chapter 42
It had been three whole weeks since the incident.
Advik's hand much better than before.
But,
Something was wrong.
Very wrong.
The moment Advik closed the penthouse doors behind us, a strange feeling settled in my chest.
The entire place was quiet.
Too quiet.
No music.
No staff.
No guards visible.
Nothing.
Just silence.
I stood near the dining area, forcing a smile.
"We can discuss the engagement later."
Advik leaned against the counter.
Watching me.
Not speaking.
Just watching.
The smile on his face made my stomach twist.
"Three weeks."
His voice was calm.
Dangerously calm.
I frowned.
"What?"
"Three weeks, Riya."
He slowly stood up.
"And somehow every conversation about our wedding ends with you postponing it."
My pulse quickened.
"Because I have work."
He laughed.
Actually laughed.
But there was no warmth in it.
No affection.
Nothing.
Just mockery.
"Work."
I took a step backward instinctively.
His eyes followed the movement.
Every single inch.
"Advik..."
He slowly walked toward the dining table.
His fingers trailing across its surface.
Then,
My breath caught.
A knife.
He picked it up casually.
Like it meant nothing.
Like it was just another object.
I stared.
Confused.
Uneasy.
"Advik?"
He turned it in his hand.
Still smiling.
"Why are you lying to me?"
My heart dropped.
"What are you talking about?"
He kept walking toward me.
Slowly.
Deliberately.
The smile never leaving his face.
And somehow that terrified me more.
Because suddenly,
This wasn't the charming billionaire everyone knew.
This wasn't the loving fiancé.
This was someone else entirely.
Someone I'd been pretending to investigate.
Someone dangerous.
I took another step back.
"Advik, put that down."
He ignored me.
His gaze never leaving mine.
"Why did you lie?"
"I didn't."
His smile widened.
"Wrong answer."
My heartbeat thundered.
For the first time in weeks,
I genuinely felt afraid.
Then,
He stopped directly in front of me.
Close enough that I could see the madness in his eyes.
The obsession.
The rage.
The betrayal.
And suddenly,
Everything clicked.
He knew.
My blood turned cold.
He knew.
"Advik-"
"ABOUT DHRUV."
The roar shook the room.
I flinched.
For the first time ever.
Actually flinched.
His expression twisted.
"Did you really think I wouldn't find out?"
My breathing became uneven.
No.
No.
No.
This wasn't supposed to happen.
Not yet.
We didn't have enough proof.
We weren't ready.
"Advik, listen-"
"STOP YOU BITCH. "
His voice echoed through the penthouse.
I froze.
Completely.
Then he laughed.
Slowly.
Almost amused.
"You know what's funny?"
My throat felt dry.
"What?"
"I found out weeks ago."
The world stopped.
Weeks.
He knew for weeks.
Weeks.
He stepped closer.
"And yet I said nothing."
I stared.
Unable to speak.
Unable to think.
His smile widened.
"I was curious."
My stomach dropped.
"H-how long?"
"A while."
His voice became softer.
Almost conversational.
"I saw you."
My heartbeat stopped.
"I saw you with him."
No.
"I saw the lies."
No.
"I saw the planning."
No.
"I saw everything."
The room spun.
Because that meant,
Every conversation.
Every smile.
Every fake engagement discussion.
Every moment.
He knew.
All of it.
And he'd been pretending.
Just like we had.
A terrifying grin appeared on his face.
"I was simply waiting."
My voice barely worked.
"For what?"
His eyes darkened.
"The perfect moment."
The silence that followed felt endless.
Then,
He clapped once.
The sound echoed.
And suddenly,
Footsteps.
Heavy footsteps.
Coming from somewhere deeper inside the penthouse.
My blood ran cold.
No.
No.
No.
The doors opened.
Several men entered.
And my entire world shattered.
Because between them,
Was Dhruv.
His hands restrained.
His shirt torn.
Bruises visible across his jaw.
Barely conscious.
My breath left me.
"DHRUV!"
I ran forward instinctively.
Instantly.
Without thinking.
Without caring.
But before I could reach him,
A hand locked around my wrist.
Advik.
Holding me back.
Hard.
I struggled.
"LET GO OF ME!"
Dhruv lifted his head slightly.
His eyes finding mine immediately.
Even now.
Even like this.
The first thing he looked for was me.
And somehow,
That hurt more than anything.
"DHRUV!"
My voice cracked.
His expression changed instantly.
The moment he saw tears forming.
The moment he realized I was scared.
Even injured.
Even exhausted.
He was still trying to comfort me.
The idiot.
The absolute idiot.
Advik laughed.
A cold sound.
"You know what I love about this?"
I didn't even look at him.
Couldn't.
All I could see was Dhruv.
All I could think about was Dhruv.
Advik stepped closer.
"Neither of you gets to save the other this time."
My chest tightened.
No.
There had to be a way out.
There always was.
Think.
Think.
Think.
Dhruv suddenly met my gaze.
Held it.
Steady.
Calm.
And very slightly,
Almost invisibly,
He shook his head.
Once.
A warning.
Don't react.
Don't panic.
Trust me.
The message was clear.
And somehow,
Even now,
Even surrounded by enemies,
Even trapped,
The sight of him calmed me.
Just a little.
Because if there was one thing I'd learned about Dhruv Malhotra,
It was this:
The man never stopped fighting.
And judging by the look in his eyes,
This wasn't over.
Not even close.