CHAPTER 40
RAGHAV
Two Days Later – RK Estate
It takes me two days to prepare myself to have this conversation with Haider. The next morning, I make my way over to him. No greetings. No warm-up. No unnecessary crap.
Without wasting a second, I ask, “What’s going on between you and Esha?”
Haider is caught off guard. Clearly, he hadn’t expected me to ask him that. But that’s how I operate. I don’t believe in circling the target when I can shoot straight through it.
Haider stares at me, then opens his mouth to reply. “There’s nothing—”
“Don’t.” I cut him off calmly. “You’ve never lied to me, Haider. So don’t start now. Give me the truth.”
Haider studies me carefully before asking, “But what brought this on? Why are you suddenly asking about Esha?”
“I’ve been watching the two of you. The way you become protective the moment she’s around. The way your eyes always find her first. And then…” I hold his gaze. “...you mask it. You draw a line and pretend she doesn’t affect you.”
Haider sighs. “That’s because I’m not meant for all this, Raghav.”
I take a step closer. “I asked you a straightforward question. So answer it. Do you have feelings for Esha or not? Don’t beat around the bush.”
“Yes, I do feel something for Esha.” He holds my gaze. “Something I’ve never felt for any other woman. But I don’t want to take it any further.”
I frown. “Why?”
“Because marriage, family… it’s not for someone like me.”
I stare at him, completely at a loss for words. How am I supposed to convince the man standing in front of me that he deserves a family? That he can have a home and someone waiting for him too?
Frankly, this isn’t my battlefield. I’ve fought wars and negotiated with enemies, but talking about marriage and families? I’m useless in that.
“She deserves better,” he finally says. “I can’t be the one for her.”
I glance at him, suddenly understanding his problem. “I don’t think you’re afraid of loving Esha. I think you’re afraid of being loved by her.”
He looks down, not having an answer. I sigh, slipping both my hands into my pockets. “Having someone by your side is a damn good feeling, Haider.”
A slow, knowing smirk appears on Haider’s face.
“Imagine someone like me saying that,” I mutter with a faint smirk.
“So why can’t you? Esha already likes you.
It’s very rare for a woman to be so open about her feelings, especially someone from a small town who hasn’t seen much of the world.
You can walk away if you want, but don’t fool yourself into believing her feelings will disappear with you. ”
He looks as if he’s thinking hard over every word I just said. I place a hand over his shoulder. “You don’t have to decide right now, Haider. Take your time. Figure out what you truly want. And if you really want to pursue this, talk to Esha. She deserves an honest answer.”
Haider lets out a breath before nodding at me. “I’ll think about it.”
Before I can respond, his phone vibrates inside his pocket. He pulls it out and glances at the screen. I immediately notice the change in his expression.
“What happened?” I ask.
“The head of the Singhal clan, Hemant Singhal, flew out of Mumbai today.”
My brows knit together. “To Cape Town?”
He nods. “He’s scheduled to land there tomorrow morning.”
The pieces begin to fall into place. This isn’t a casual visit. He’s going there to meet Samarjeet Vardhaan.
“And Parag Reddy has been discharged from the hospital after his shoulder surgery as well,” Haider continues. “Although I wonder if he’ll still be able to lift a gun or pull a trigger properly for a while or not. But that doesn’t make him any less dangerous.”
He’s right. Men like them don’t need weapons to start a war. All they need is a plan.
“And after everything that’s happened...” Haider says grimly, “...they all will be looking for payback, Raghav.”
My jaw tightens. “We need eyes and ears on every single one of them. I want to know what they’re planning before they even think about making their first move.”
Haider nods immediately. With that, we head to the office cabin to decide our next course of action. Just like that, the husband disappears. And the mafia prince takes over once again.
SIYA
Same Night
A faint, broken whisper from beside me pulls me out of sleep. At first, I think I’m dreaming. I keep my eyes closed for a second longer, my mind too caught between sleep and wakefulness to make sense of the sound. But when it comes again, raw with pain...
“Maa...”
...every trace of sleep leaves my body.
Instinctively, I reach for the bedside lamp.
As the warm glow spills across the room, every ounce of colour drains from my face at the sight before me.
Those broken, pained whispers are from Raghav, who looks trapped in the grip of some nightmare.
His brows are tightly drawn together, and his jaw is clenched.
Beads of sweat glisten on his forehead despite the coolness of the room.
His fingers are fisted so tightly around the bedsheet that his knuckles have turned stark white.
His breathing is frantic, as though he’s running for his life... yet he’s unable to escape.
I had seen him return to the villa almost an hour ago.
Even then, one look at his face had been enough to tell me he was in a terrible mood.
I’d been on a call with Meher at the time, and noticing his expression, I decided not to press him when he clearly wanted to be left alone. So I decided to talk to him later.
But seeing him like this now, trapped in distress with his entire body tense even in sleep... I realise this is far more than just a bad mood. Something is definitely wrong.
“Maa...”
Without thinking, I lean towards him, my hand instinctively settling on his shoulder.
“Raghav...” I call softly.
There’s no response. If anything, his breathing becomes even harsher, more desperate. His entire body trembles slightly beneath the blanket, as though he’s fighting someone only he can see.
“Raghav...” I panic, gripping both his shoulders and shaking him properly.
His eyes fly open, and he jerks upright with such force that I instinctively stumble backwards on the bed.
For one terrifying moment, he doesn’t know where he is. His chest rises and falls violently as he looks around the room with wild, unfocused eyes, every muscle in his body rigid, every instinct still trapped inside whatever nightmare he has just escaped.
I remain exactly where I am, not daring to touch him again. I simply sit there, waiting, watching him struggle to steady his breathing. Slowly, his gaze lands on me and recognition returns. But the terror doesn’t leave his eyes.
“Raghav...” I whisper as gently as possible. “It’s okay. You’re awake now.”
Without saying a single word, he throws the blanket aside and swings his legs off the bed. I quickly climb down after him.
“Raghav...”
He begins walking towards the bathroom without looking back.
“Talk to me.”
His steps falter for barely a heartbeat.
“Go back to sleep, Siya.”
“No, not after seeing you like that.” I take another step towards him. “If something’s wrong... maybe I can help.”
Before I can stop him, he disappears into the bathroom.
The door closes while I remain where I am, feeling unsettled.
He’s definitely not okay. I hear the sound of running water from inside.
He’s probably taking a shower, but something in me refuses to leave him alone.
I walk towards the bathroom and turn the knob.
The door opens easily. He must have forgotten to lock it.
Raghav is standing beneath the shower, still fully clothed, as icy water pours relentlessly over him, soaking every inch of his body.
His palms are braced against the glass wall of the shower enclosure, his forehead resting heavily against it as though it’s the only thing keeping him upright.
His shoulders continue to tremble, not from the cold, but because whatever haunted him in his sleep hasn’t loosened its grip yet.
He’s aware that I’m here, but he doesn’t move or ask me to leave. Not even when I step into the shower right beside him. The freezing water crashes over me, and within seconds, my nightclothes cling to my skin, but I barely notice it. Because all I can see is him.
Slowly, I lift my hand and place my palm against the middle of his back.
I don’t force him to face me, and I don’t ask questions.
I simply move my hand in slow, gentle circles, feeling every tense muscle beneath the soaked fabric of his T-shirt.
For a long while, nothing changes. His breathing remains ragged, and his body remains rigid beneath my hand.
Gradually, one deep breath leaves him. Then another.
The violent trembling that had gripped his entire body finally begins to ease.
Only then do I walk around until I’m standing in front of him.
He still doesn’t lift his head. The water continues to cascade over both of us as I carefully reach for his forearm, my fingers curling around it with the lightest touch.
“Raghav...” I whisper again, guiding him until he finally looks at me.
But the moment I see his face, my heart breaks. His eyes are bloodshot, and tiny droplets of tears cling to his lashes. He’s crying. Without thinking, I lift both my hands and cup his face.
“Talk to me...” I plead, my eyes stinging with tears too.
For several long moments, he says nothing.
“Leave it, Siya,” he mutters hoarsely. “Just... leave.”
“No.” I immediately shake my head. My grip on his face tightens just a little, forcing him to look at me again.
“I’ve never seen you like this before. Not even on the day you regretted blackmailing me into this marriage. That was guilt. But this... this is something else.” I slowly stroke the damp stubble along his jaw with my thumb. “I can’t just walk away after seeing you like this.”
Another silence follows.
“I’m your wife,” I whisper. “Whether we reached here the right way or the wrong way... I still am. So let me be here tonight.”