CHAPTER TEN #2
"Orchids and jasmine," Serena answered, her voice betraying absolutely no investment. She had relinquished the entire wedding preparation to Rudraksh’s family weeks ago.
They wanted a spectacular, dynastic celebration, and Serena honestly didn't care.
She would marry Rudraksh in a muddy trench in the Himalayas if it came to it.
The flowers, the silks, the guest lists—it was all peripheral noise.
She gave blank, polite approvals to whatever Shraddha suggested, content to let her future mother-in-law treat it as the lifetime event she needed it to be.
Standing in the doorway of the sunroom, leaning casually against the frame, was Rudraksh.
He was watching his fierce, untouchable fiancée—a woman who had single-handedly dismantled insurgent communication lines—surrender to a barrage of floral arrangements and silk swatches out of sheer apathy.
Rudraksh couldn't help himself. He let out a low chuckle.
Serena’s dark eyes snapped to him, narrowing dangerously. Save me, her look demanded silently.
Not a chance, his amused smirk replied.
Rudraksh pushed off the doorframe and walked into the room, kissing his mother's cheek before dropping onto the sofa beside Serena. He wrapped his arm around her shoulders, pulling her close, unbothered by the chaos.
"You are handling the siege beautifully, Major," Rudraksh murmured into her ear, his breath warm against her skin.
"I am going to shoot you," Serena whispered back, though she leaned heavily into his embrace, finding her sanctuary amidst the silk.
***
If the wedding preparations were a minor annoyance, there was one other element of her integration into Meherlyn House that exasperated Serena to no end—and amused Rudraksh.
His youngest sister, Kyra.
Twenty-two-year-old Kyra Ashmehr-Vohn had latched onto Serena with a level of hero worship that bordered on the fanatical.
To Kyra, Serena wasn't just a sister-in-law; she was a warrior, a trailblazer, and a role model.
Kyra followed her around the estate like an incredibly eager, highly energetic puppy.
Serena Dhar, a woman trained to neutralize threats in close-quarters combat, had absolutely no idea how to navigate an enthusiastic twenty-two-year-old.
Later that afternoon, Serena was sitting in the estate’s expansive library, trying to review a classified intelligence dossier on her tablet.
Kyra was sitting cross-legged on the rug right next to her chair, her chin resting in her hands, staring up at Serena with wide, awestruck eyes.
"So," Kyra began, her voice bubbling with excitement. "When you disarm a hostile combatant who has a knife... do you use a joint lock first, or do you sweep their legs?"
Serena slowly lowered her tablet. She looked down at the bright, bubbly girl in her designer sundress. "Kyra. If a hostile combatant approaches me with a knife, I shoot him."
Kyra gasped, her eyes turning into stars. "That is so incredibly cool! Do you think you could teach me how to shoot? Mother says it's unladylike, but I think a lady should know how to establish a defensive perimeter."
Serena rubbed her temples, fighting a sense of exasperation. "Kyra, you live in a heavily guarded fortress in the capital. You do not need a defensive perimeter."
"But what if I do?" Kyra insisted, practically bouncing in place. "You are so strong, Serena. You don't let anyone push you around, not even Dadi! I want to be exactly like you."
From the shadows of the library doorway, a muffled snort of laughter broke the silence.
Serena looked up, her eyes narrowing into a glare. Rudraksh was standing there, flanked by Armaan Trivedi and Vivaan Saxena, who had come to the estate to drop off secure files.
All three seasoned operatives were biting their lips, trying, and failing to contain their immense amusement at the sight of the Major Dhar being cornered and emotionally defeated by a bubbly socialite.
"Don't let us interrupt, Bhabhi," Vivaan choked out, his shoulders shaking with silent laughter. "Please, continue the tactical briefing. We are taking notes."
Armaan grinned, crossing his arms. "I think she makes a valid point, Major. The estate could use a secondary sniper. Kyra has excellent vision."
"I will court-martial both of you," Serena threatened smoothly, though the flush of embarrassment climbing her neck ruined the intimidation.
Rudraksh walked over, laughing openly—a rich, deep sound that warmed the vast library. He reached down, ruffling Kyra’s hair affectionately, before pulling Serena up from the chair and into his side.
"Alright, Kyra, give the Major some breathing room," Rudraksh chuckled, his arm wrapping securely around Serena’s waist. "She needs to rest before she teaches you how to field-strip a rifle."
Kyra beamed, scrambling to her feet. "Really?! You'll teach me?"
Serena looked at Rudraksh, betrayed, while the Tactical Commander simply offered her a devastatingly charming, unapologetic smile.
***
That night, the laughter and the chaos of the estate faded, replaced by the quiet, insulated intimacy of Rudraksh’s private suite at the Cantonment.
The harsh fluorescent lights of the base were miles away. Here, the room was bathed in the soft, warm glow of a desk lamp. The rain beat a steady, rhythmic tattoo against the reinforced glass windows.
Rudraksh sat behind his steel desk, a tumbler of whiskey resting near a stack of thick, brass-stamped manila folders. He wasn't wearing his tactical uniform; he was dressed in a dark grey t-shirt and loose sweatpants, his hair damp from a recent shower.
He stared at the top document in the stack, his jaw clenched tight, a storm of internal conflict brewing in his dark eyes.
The door to the adjoining bathroom clicked open, and Serena stepped out.
She wore one of his oversized, dark t-shirts that fell to her mid-thigh, her long hair drying in loose, natural waves.
She walked softly across the room, the ancient gold bangle and the platinum engagement ring catching the lamplight.
She noticed the tension radiating from his broad shoulders immediately.
"What is it?" Serena asked softly, coming to stand behind his chair. She rested her hands on his shoulders, her thumbs pressing into the tight, knotted muscle at the base of his neck.
Rudraksh let out a long, exhale, leaning his head back against her stomach. "General Staff communications. They are fast-tracking my promotion."