Chapter 45
Veer angrily points the gun at Dhruv.
"YOU BASTARD! YOU THINK I'LL LEAVE BOTH OF YOU ALIVE?"
Dhruv just smiles...
It pisses Veer more, but then his face changes,
He smiles and then,
The gun shifted.
Away from Dhruv.
Toward me.
Everything happened in a second.
One second Veer was aiming at Dhruv.
The next,
The barrel was pointed directly between my eyes.
My entire body froze.
Veer's smile widened.
Cruel.
Victorious.
Broken.
"You know what?" he laughed. "You're right."
Dhruv didn't move.
Didn't even blink.
Which somehow scared me more.
Veer tilted his head.
"If I kill you, you won't feel much pain Dhruv."
His gaze landed on Dhruv.
"But if I kill her..."
A twisted smile.
"...you'll suffer forever."
My heart dropped.
"Veer-"
"SHUT UP!"
His voice echoed through the penthouse.
The guards holding me tightened their grip.
I couldn't breathe.
Couldn't think.
Couldn't move.
All I could see was the gun.
All I could hear was my heartbeat.
Then,
I looked at Dhruv.
And the idiot,
The absolute idiot,
Was smiling.
Not nervous.
Not scared.
Smiling.
As if he was sitting in a boardroom instead of staring down a gun.
Veer noticed too.
His expression darkened.
"Why are you smiling?"
Dhruv leaned back against the chair.
Slowly.
Lazily.
Like a king sitting on his throne.
Blood stained the corner of his mouth.
His shirt was torn.
His shoulder still injured.
Yet somehow,
He looked like the most dangerous man in the room.
"The only reason you're still breathing..."
His voice was quiet.
"...is because she hates seeing blood."
The room went silent.
Completely silent.
Even I stared.
Veer laughed.
A loud laugh.
A mocking laugh.
"You're delusional."
Dhruv smiled through his blood teeth.
My jaw dropped.
Advik looked confused.
The guards exchanged looks.
And suddenly,
For the first time,
Veer looked uncertain.
Just slightly.
Just enough.
"Still talking."
Dhruv sighed.
"That's your biggest problem."
Veer gritted his teeth.
"You think this is a joke?"
"No."
Dhruv's smile widened.
"I think you're one."
The room froze.
Advik's eyes widened.
I nearly choked.
Even now.
Even NOW.
This man was provoking psychopaths.
Veer's face turned red.
"Enough."
His finger tightened on the trigger.
Enough.
Enough.
Enough.
My entire body shook.
"DHRUV!"
Then-
BANG.
A gunshot echoed.
But not the way I expected.
Because the bullet never reached me.
The second Veer pulled the trigger,
Someone appeared behind him.
Fast.
Brutal.
A sharp strike landed behind his knees.
Veer screamed.
The gun flew from his hand.
His body crashed onto the floor.
Everything happened at once.
Shouts.
Movement.
Chaos.
The guards surrounding me suddenly released me.
The guards surrounding Advik grabbed HIM instead.
Twenty guns appeared.
Twenty.
All pointed at Veer.
And Advik.
The room fell silent.
Dead silent.
I stared.
Unable to process anything.
Veer looked around wildly.
"What?"
His voice cracked.
"What is this?!"
Nobody answered.
Advik's face had gone white.
Completely white.
The guards that had served them for years,
Were now aiming guns directly at them.
"What are you doing?!" Veer roared.
One guard kicked his gun away.
Another forced Advik to his knees.
Veer looked horrified.
"YOU WORK FOR ME!"
Then,
I heard it.
A laugh.
Low.
Dangerous.
Familiar.
Dhruv.
laughing.
Veer looked toward him.
"What did you do?"
Dhruv wiped blood from his lip.
Then looked up.
Completely calm.
Like this was all according to schedule.
Which apparently,
It was.
"You talk too much."
Veer's face paled.
For the first time tonight,
Actually paled.
Dhruv slowly stood.
Ignoring every injury.
Ignoring every bruise.
Ignoring every warning his body was probably screaming.
Then he smiled.
A terrifying smile.
"Did you really think..."
He took a step forward.
"...I'd walk into your territory..."
Another step.
"...without already owning it?"
Silence.
The room stopped breathing.
I stared.
Veer stared.
Advik stared.
Everyone stared.
Because suddenly,
Everything made sense.
Dhruv chuckled.
Darkly.
Almost amused.
"You spent months planning."
Another step.
"I spent months preparing."
Veer's jaw clenched.
"What are you talking about?"
Dhruv looked genuinely surprised.
"Oh."
A pause.
"You still don't know?"
The smile widened.
That smile.
That dangerous smile.
The one that meant somebody's life was about to become very difficult.
Then he pointed toward Advik's guards.
"Ask them."
Nobody moved.
Nobody spoke.
Then one of the guards lowered his head.
And said quietly,
"Mr. Malhotra has been paying us for weeks."
The room exploded.
Veer's eyes widened.
Advik froze.
"What?!"
Dhruv laughed.
"Weeks?"
He tilted his head.
"Try longer."
Advik looked sick.
Actually sick.
Dhruv folded his arms.
"You really thought I'd trust the security around my wife?"
My heart skipped.
Even now.
Even here.
He still called me his wife.
Veer struggled against the guards.
"You bought them?!"
Dhruv nodded.
"Yes."
A pause.
"Pretty easily too."
Another pause.
"You should pay people better."
I nearly laughed.
The timing.
The AUDACITY.
Even now.
Even after everything.
This man was making jokes.
Veer's face twisted with fury.
"You planned this."
Dhruv smiled.
"No."
A pause.
"I planned worse."
My heartbeat sped up.
Dhruv turned toward me.
His eyes softened immediately.
Immediately.
As if the monster who was dealing with Veer disappeared for one second.
"Are you okay?"
I nodded.
Unable to speak.
Unable to stop staring at him.
The softness vanished.
He looked back at Veer.
And suddenly the room became cold again.
"You know what your problem is?"
Veer didn't answer.
"You thought this was about money."
Dhruv laughed.
"You thought this was about companies."
Another laugh.
"You thought this was about power."
His gaze darkened.
"It stopped being about any of that..."
His eyes flickered toward me.
"...the day you touched her."
Silence.
Complete silence.
Veer looked terrified now.
Actually terrified.
Not angry.
Not arrogant.
Terrified.
Because for the first time,
He understood.
Dhruv had never cared about the company.
Or the inheritance.
Or the empire.
The only thing he cared about...
Was me.
Dhruv crouched in front of Veer.
Face to face.
Eye level.
The room watching.
Nobody daring to interrupt.
Then he spoke quietly.
The quietest words were always the most dangerous.
"While you were busy planning how to destroy my woman..."
He smiled.
"...I was busy signing their salaries."
My breath caught.
Veer's face drained of color.
Advik closed his eyes.
Like he finally understood.
They had lost.
Long ago.
Dhruv stood again.
Straightened his suit.
Or whatever remained of it.
Then looked around the room.
"Did everyone hear the confession?"
One guard nodded.
"Recorded, sir."
Another guard raised a phone.
"Video and audio."
Another.
"Multiple backups."
Dhruv nodded.
Satisfied.
Then he looked at me.
And suddenly,
The ruthless billionaire disappeared.
Just like that.
Leaving only my husband.
The man who secretly brought me flowers.
The man who got jealous over old photographs.
The man who disguised himself as a nurse.
The man who would burn down the world if I cried.
"Riya."
His voice was soft.
I ran.
Straight into his arms.
And for the first time all night,
For the first time in months,
I felt safe.
His arms wrapped around me instantly.
Holding me tightly.
Protectively.
Like he was afraid I'd disappear.
I buried my face against his chest.
And felt his heartbeat.
Strong.
Steady.
Real.
"You're okay?"
he whispered.
I laughed through tears.
"You got shot."
"You didn't answer my question."
I smiled.
Because of course.
Of course he'd still ask that.
"I'm okay."
His forehead rested against mine.
Finally relaxing.
Finally breathing.
Finally letting himself believe it.
Across the room,
Veer and Advik stared.
Defeated.
Broken.
Finished.
And for the first time,
They realized something.
They never lost because Dhruv was richer.
Or smarter.
Or stronger.
They lost because while they were fighting for an empire,
Dhruv was fighting for someone he loved more than his own breath.
And that made him unstoppable.
.......
Few hours later,
The penthouse was finally quiet.
For the first time in what felt like forever.
No gunshots.
No screaming.
No lies.
No betrayals.
No fear.
Just silence.
The police had taken Veer and Advikaway.
Both in handcuffs.
Both screaming.
Both threatening.
Both defeated.
And honestly?
I didn't even look back.
Because my entire attention was occupied by one stubborn, impossible man.
Dhruv Malhotra.
The man currently sitting shirtless on the bed while three doctors fussed over him.
The man who had apparently been shot.
Beaten.
Dragged around.
And still somehow found the energy to annoy me.
The doctors finally finished wrapping his shoulder.
"Mr. Malhotra, no unnecessary movement."
Dhruv nodded.
The doctor looked relieved.
Then immediately left.
The second the door clicked shut,
I burst into tears.
Again.
Dhruv sighed.
"Here we go."
I grabbed the nearest pillow.
And smacked him.
Hard.
"DON'T 'HERE WE GO' ME!"
THWACK.
Another hit.
"RIYA-"
THWACK.
"YOU GOT SHOT!"
THWACK.
"OW."
"GOOD!"
THWACK.
"YOU DESERVE IT!"
Dhruv actually started laughing.
LAUGHING.
The idiot.
The absolute idiot.
My tears only increased.
"You idiot."
My voice cracked.
"You stupid idiot."
Another hit.
"Do you have any idea what I went through?"
He caught the pillow this time.
"Yes."
"No, you don't."
"I do."
"No!"
I pointed at him.
"You absolutely don't."
His smile faded slightly.
And suddenly,
The teasing disappeared.
Only sincerity remained.
"I do."
The room went quiet.
My chest hurt.
Because he wasn't joking anymore.
His eyes held mine.
"I watched you cry."
My throat tightened.
"I watched them point guns at you."
Another second.
"I watched you breaking when your own brother hated you."
My vision blurred again.
"And I couldn't tell you the plan."
His voice dropped.
"Do you think that was easy for me?"
Silence.
I hated when he made sense.
Absolutely hated it.
Because then I couldn't stay angry.
I looked away.
Trying not to cry.
Failing miserably.
"You're horrible."
Dhruv chuckled.
"I've been called worse."
I walked toward him.
Still angry.
Still emotional.
Still devastated.
Then I punched his chest.
A weak punch.
Barely anything.
He looked down.
Then back at me.
"Was that supposed to hurt?"
I punched him again.
He smiled.
I punched him again.
And suddenly,
He grabbed my wrist.
Gently.
Carefully.
Like I was something precious.
Something fragile.
Something irreplaceable.
My heart immediately betrayed me.
Stupid heart.
Stupid husband.
Stupid everything.
"Let go."
"No."
"Dhruv."
"No."
I tried pulling away.
He refused.
I tried glaring.
He looked amused.
Then suddenly,
He tugged lightly.
And I stumbled forward.
Straight into his lap.
My breath caught.
"DHR-"
His arms wrapped around my waist instantly.
Holding me there.
Like there was nowhere else in the world he'd rather have me.
I could feel his heartbeat.
Strong.
Steady.
Real.
For weeks,
Months,
I had nearly lost him.
And now he was here.
Actually here.
Alive.
My eyes started burning again.
"No."
Dhruv immediately frowned.
"No crying."
I laughed through tears.
"You're literally injured."
"No crying."
"Dhruv."
"No."
I smacked his shoulder.
He winced.
I gasped.
"Oh my God."
He started laughing.
"You did that."
"I DIDN'T MEAN TO."
"You assaulted a patient."
"I'M CALLING THE NURSES."
"You are the criminal here."
I stared.
Then burst out laughing.
Actually laughing.
For the first time in days.
Weeks.
Maybe months.
And suddenly,
Everything felt lighter.
The fear.
The pain.
The trauma.
The betrayal.
Not gone.
Never gone.
But smaller.
Manageable.
Because he was here.
Because we were together.
Because somehow,
Against every odd,
We survived.
Dhruv rested his forehead against mine.
Closing his eyes.
Just breathing.
Just existing.
Just being here.
And I realized something.
For so many years,
I had searched for family.
For belonging.
For home.
I thought home was a mansion.
A kingdom.
A royal title.
A company.
An empire.
But sitting here,
Wrapped in Dhruv's arms,
I finally understood.
Home had never been a place.
It was a person.
And unfortunately for me,
That person was an insufferable billionaire.
I smiled.
"You know."
"Hm?"
"You scared me."
His eyes opened.
The teasing vanished instantly.
"I'm sorry."
The sincerity in those two words nearly broke me.
Because Dhruv Malhotra never apologized.
Not easily.
Not often.
But he did now.
For me.
Always for me.
I touched his face.
The bruises.
The cuts.
The stubborn jaw.
The man who had fought the world for me.
The man who had chosen me.
Every single time.
"You know something?"
He raised an eyebrow.
"What?"
I smiled through my tears.
"I love you."
For the first time all day,
For the first time since all of this ended,
Dhruv looked speechless.
Actually speechless.
Then he groaned dramatically.
"Oh no."
I blinked.
"What?"
"She finally said it."
I stared.
He looked genuinely concerned.
"My ego is going to become unbearable now."
I burst out laughing.
"IDIOT."
His smile softened.
Then slowly,
Very slowly,
He cupped my face.
Looking at me like I was the most precious thing he'd ever seen.
Like I was every answer he'd ever searched for.
Like I was his entire world.
Maybe I was.
Because he definitely was mine.
"Riya."
My heart skipped.
"Hm?"
His thumb brushed away the last tear on my cheek.
And then he smiled.
The softest smile.
The kind only I ever got to see.
The kind no one else knew existed.
And quietly,
Almost like a promise,
He said,
"You know what's funny?"
"What?"
"I spent my whole life building an empire."
His forehead touched mine.
"And then you walked into it..."
A small smile.
"...and became the only thing I was afraid to lose."
The tears came back immediately.
"That's not fair."
He laughed softly.
Then kissed my forehead.
And pulled me closer.
As the sun slowly began rising outside the hospital window.
As one chapter finally ended.
And another began.
I closed my eyes in his arms.
Finally safe.
Finally home.
Finally loved.
And somewhere between the fading darkness and the first light of morning,
I realized the greatest love stories aren't about finding the perfect person.
They're about finding the person you'd choose again...
after every heartbreak,
after every betrayal,
after every storm,
and after every version of yourself has changed.
Because real love isn't the person who enters your life when everything is beautiful.
It's the person who stays...
when everything falls apart.
And if the world asked me a thousand times who I would choose,
in every lifetime,
in every universe,
in every version of our story,
my answer would still be the same.
"I don't need a kingdom, Dhruv. I don't need an empire. I don't even need forever. As long as every road ends with me finding you, I'd choose you again and again... until the stars forget how to shine."
And just like that... we've reached the end.
I honestly can't believe I'm writing this, but Riya and Dhruv's story is officially complete.
I'm so happy that I got to share this journey with all of you, but at the same time, I'm genuinely sad it's over.
These two have been living in my head for so long that saying goodbye feels a little emotional.
I laughed with them, cried with them, got frustrated with them, and somehow ended up loving them as much as you all did.