The Royal Silence

46. Confrontation

It's been a whole year since I pointed out anything that didn't sit right with me regarding readers' opinions, mostly because I stopped taking such things seriously. But now, since many of you are either enjoying the story a lot or not enjoying it at all, I need you all to understand this clearly.

Before every story, I always put a disclaimer saying, "My characters are not perfect, they have flaws," and I genuinely mean that.

If you don't like something, you're completely free to stop reading or even block me, but please stop sending me long paragraphs about how "Yugant shouldn't have done this," "why did he peck Olivia's cheek," "why did he push Dhwani away," or "Dhrithika is annoying, I hate her scenes," etc.

It's a story. These characters are written with flaws, emotions, bad decisions, trauma, and growth.

They will make mistakes, they will hurt people, they will realize things, regret them, and sometimes repent or grovel too if the story demands it.

That is literally the process of character development.

And regarding Dhrithika, please stop expecting her to behave like a mentally and emotionally stable person all the time.

She is struggling with depression. I'm saying this in advance, if your mindset is this rigid right now, then honestly, don't read her upcoming book because you probably won't be able to handle her character either.

Now Happy Reading.

Please vote and comment before starting the chapter.

660+ votes and 300+ comments.

I found him lost in deep thinking. Frustrated, I tried to free my hands again, pulling against the rope, but the bastard had tied it very tightly.

I exhaled. "Now will you tell me why you kidnapped me? Because your ego is so big you definitely didn't bring me here to apologise."

Though honestly, I didn't even want him to apologise, he could just hug me and he knows everything would get sorted. We had faced much bigger fights back in college, with kicks and punches, and yet we came back together as best friends.

So he knows it's not that hard.

But only if he wants to.

"I brought you here to tell you one thing," Samarth finally said, looking straight at me. "Step away from this marriage."

Oh yes.

As if I am dying to marry that crack woman willingly.

"And why is that?" I asked, raising my brows. I genuinely wanted to know the reason.

"Because..." He stopped for a second, rubbing his forehead before continuing. "Because Dhwani loves you, and she doesn't want it."

His voice lowered a little.

To be honest, the sentence didn't give me happiness the way his pale face did. He definitely didn't look pleased while saying that.

But I know he loves Dhwani a lot. So it doesn't matter if he has to kneel for her happiness and that's exactly what he was doing right now.

"Dhwani?" I repeated slowly, leaning back on the chair, giving my hands a little rest as the rope was definitely hurting my skin, and I didn't want any mark. "She really loves me?"

I asked it deliberately, trying my best to test his patience and also because I just didn't believe those words.

Dhwani and love?

Those two words can't even fit in the same dictionary.

The words that actually belong in her dictionary are attraction, lust, confusion, denial.

That's what defines her.

So yes... it was completely impossible for me to believe it.

"Yes. She loves you," Samarth said, his voice heavy. "And I don't know what to do except one thing."

"What's that?" I asked, watching his face carefully.

"You can't get married to Olivia."

I raised my brows.

Of course, dumbo. As if I am dying to marry her.

"I won't stop anything," I said slowly, leaning back against the chair as much as the rope allowed, "until your sister comes back to me herself and says she loves me... and that she wants to marry me."

"I told you that's enough-"

"Thats not enough." I cut him off calmly, " First of all, I don't trust you at all. Second, your sister loves me, not you and third, this is between me and her, so I don't expect you to interfere."

Honestly, I had expected a few punches and kicks by now. Maybe even a couple of cracked bones.

But the way he was still controlling himself, speaking patiently, shocked me to the core and maybe because of that shock... I needed to hear it from Dhwani herself.

"I told you that's enough," he repeated through clenched teeth. "She loves you and she doesn't want this marriage."

Have the Rathores lost their minds somewhere? Both of them piss me off equally.

When I want to talk to them, they both run like rats and when I want them to stay away, they stick to me like chewing gum.

"I'm not your servant, Rathore," I snapped. "If your sister wants something, she should come and say it herself, like I did."

My voice hardened.

"You both are bipolar. You don't even know what you want. What if I break my marriage with Olivia and then Dhwani again says it was just attraction? That whatever happened between us was just lust? That she was just physically attracted to me?"

The moment those words left my mouth, his eyes snapped to mine.

Wide.

Furious.

The next second he was on his feet, his hand grabbing my collar again.

Fuck.

Did I just indirectly tell him that me and Dhwani...NO.

"Fucker..." he growled. "That means you slept with my sister?"

Before I could even answer, his fist landed straight on my face.

I groaned, my head jerking sideways, that's what happens when you dig your own grave.

"It... it wasn't my fault," I tried to say, but another punch landed on my cheek.

"You slept with her and now you're saying it wasn't your fault?" he roared. "Are you fucking out of your mind?"

His fists kept coming, punch after punch.

My lips split, the taste of blood filling my mouth.

I couldn't wait anymore and kicked him hard in the stomach, the chair scraping loudly against the floor.

"If we slept together," I yelled, breathing heavily, "that means it was consensual! Your sister isn't as innocent as you think!"

"Fucking stop talking about her, Yugant!" he shouted, his face red with rage. "You've already crossed all limits and after everything you're still going to marry Olivia. Do you have any shame?"

I wanted to pull my own hair out. I didn't even understand what the hell was happening anymore.

All I knew was that somehow I was stuck between Dhwani and Samarth.

"Go back and ask Dhwani the same questions you're throwing at me!" I shouted back. "I'm stuck in all of this because of her. I can't move on because of her."

My chest rose and fell heavily.

"I told her I love her. I promised her a lifetime. I said it in every language I know. But that woman didn't understand and now you come here first talking, then punching."

I laughed bitterly. "Have you both lost your minds? Stop messing with my head."

"We are messing with your mind?" Samarth barked. "And what you did was something noble?"

His voice turned darker.

"How would you feel if I had done the same with Dhrithika... and left her in a hotel room to die?"

"RATHORE!" I saw red everywhere, I stood violently, the chair still tied to my hands spinning with me, chair crashed straight into him, wood broke with a loud crack as Samarth fell to the ground, the broken pieces hitting him.

Blood started seeping from his forehead or head, I don't know and I don't even care.

The rope loosened as the chair broke, my hands came free.

I dropped to my knees beside him, grabbing his collar and pulling him up.

"Just because we were best friends once," I growled through gritted teeth, my eyes burning red with anger, "I'm leaving you alive."

My grip tightened on his collar. "If it had been someone else... I would have buried him right here."

He punched me back, I fell beside him on the floor. Before we could kill each other, the door suddenly opened.

Ishaan stepped out, his eyes widening instantly at the sight of both of us bleeding and ready to tear each other apart.

Taking a deep breath, he stepped forward and somehow dragged us apart.

"Have you both lost your minds?" he snapped. "This is my house, not your grand mansions and palaces where you can kill someone and nobody will find out."

Samarth and I still glared at each other like two animals ready to finish the fight.

I knew if I stayed here another minute things would only get worse. So I turned and walked toward the door without saying a word.

But just as I reached it, Samarth's voice stopped me.

"You're still alive because Dhwani loves you, Raizaada," he said coldly. "If you dare marry Olivia... I swear I'll end you at the pavilion after what you did to my sister."

I turned back slowly.

My jaw tightened as I wiped the blood from the corner of my mouth with my sleeves.

"If this is about stubbornness," I said quietly, "then I'll marry Olivia even if the whole world stands against it." I looked straight at him. "And about your sister..." I shrugged coldly. "I don't give a damn anymore."

Samarth took a step forward instantly but Ishaan grabbed his arm, pulling him back.

I let out a bitter chuckle before walking out of the house.

Walking out of that lane, I walked ahead slowly. My head was hurting along with several other parts of my body.

But more than the pain, I was losing my temper.

How dare Samarth bring Dhrithika into our fight? How dare he?

I clenched my jaw, wiping the dried blood from the corner of my mouth with the back of my hand.

I was genuinely regretting it now, regretting bringing Dhwani into my life.

If I had never taken that step that day, none of this would have happened. My friendship with Samarth might still be the same as before, and I would probably be getting married to Olivia without any complications.

But this love, attraction, lust, whatever the hell it was-had messed everything up.

Dhwani had messed everything.

It wasn't like I was some playboy.

I behaved like a man. I wanted to spend my life with her. I told her clearly that if she couldn't marry me right now, then she could at least pretend to be my wife until we understood each other better, so I could handle this Kingsley mess.

But she refused.

For everything.

And today... today Samarth even crossed his limits. I exhaled harshly, running a hand through my messy hair.

I was regretting every decision I had made in the last few months.

But one thing was clear now.

I wasn't going to repeat those mistakes again.

I had made up my mind.

I will marry Olivia.

I took a cab and reached back at the mansion. I slipped inside quietly and went upstairs toward my room.

As I opened the door, the room was completely dark. Closing the door behind me, I unbuttoned my shirt and pulled it off, tossing it aside. Then I turned on the lamp and took out the first aid kit.

The moment I turned around, I saw Dhwani sitting on the couch, staring at me in shock.

My grip tightened on the first aid kit in my hand.

I turned away instantly. "Get out." My voice came out hard, exactly how I wanted it to.

She didn't. Like always.

I felt her warmth behind me as she stepped closer and placed her hand on my shoulder.

"H-how did this happen?" she asked softly.

"Ask your brother," I snapped, shoving her hand away. She stumbled a little, looking at me, completely shocked.

For a few seconds she didn't say anything then pointed at my wounds, "Bhai... Bhai did this?" she whispered in disbelief. "You're lying. He can't, I know him."

"Get out, Dhwani," I said sharply. "I don't want you anywhere near me, just get out."

She blinked, her eyes turning glassy. I closed my eyes for a moment, refusing to look at them. Those honey brown eyes always hypnotize me. One look and I forget everything.

"I won't go... I wanted to tell you something important," she said, her voice trembling.

"Doesn't matter now," I replied coldly. "I'm getting married."

I opened the first aid box, dipped a piece of cotton in antiseptic, and pressed it against my knuckles.

She stepped forward again, ignoring my words. Taking another piece of cotton, she dipped it in antiseptic and carefully brought it near my shoulder.

The liquid stung, but not more than her presence.

"You are getting married, that's why it matters," she said softly. "I wanted to tell you what I feel for you... that I can't see you with her and-"

I turned suddenly, pushing her hand away. My hands grabbed both her shoulders.

"Didn't you make a painting of her without seeing her?" I demanded angrily. "Giving her the title of my wife?"

My jaw tightened. "Didn't you say I deserve someone confident? Someone who looks perfect beside me, attends galas with me and smiles for the cameras?"

"I did... but..." she swallowed nervously.

"Then what changed now?" My grip on her shoulders tightened.

I didn't want to hurt her. That's why I told her to leave earlier, but she didn't listen.

"Time changed," she whispered, her eyes lifted slowly to meet mine.

"I realized my feelings. I realized your importance in my life. I understood what I actually wanted... what my destination is."

Her voice broke with every sentence.

"I understood what you are to me."

Tears slid down her cheeks.

"I understood that the moment you walked away from me... my world stopped making sense."

Her fingers slowly curled into my shirt.

"I thought I was strong enough to live without you. I thought what I felt was just attraction."

She shook her head weakly. "But when you left... I couldn't breathe, my body refused to accept a world where you weren't there."

Her gaze locked into mine.

"You asked me once what love feels like."

Her voice softened.

"Love feels like panic when you're not near. Like peace when you are." Her fingers tightened on my shirt. "Love feels like the fear of losing you even before you belong to me."

A tear fell from her chin. "And I'm terrified of losing you, Yugant." She stepped closer.

"I love you. Not attraction, not lust... not confusion."

"It's not love. It's just attraction," I said quietly, taking a step back but before I could move away completely, she grabbed my arm and stepped right into my space.

My breath caught in my throat as she pressed her face against my chest and wrapped both her arms tightly around my torso, holding me as if letting go would make me disappear.

"No..." she hiccupped, her voice breaking. "It's love. I get it now."

Her fingers tightened behind my back.

"I understand now that I can't let you marry her. I understand that I want to spend my life with you... forever."

For a moment, everything inside me went still. Those were the exact words I had been dying to hear but look at the timing.

"I don't love you anymore," I said stiffly, trying to push her away, she only held me tighter, locking her arms around my waist.

"You're lying," she whispered, shaking her head against my chest. "You're just angry. Please don't do this."

Her tears soaked through my skin.

"I love you..." she cried softly. "Please don't marry her."

I almost melted hearing her words. My hands even lifted slightly, ready to wrap around her.

But before I could, the door suddenly opened.

Samarth stood there.

His eyes were dark... angry... filled with something I couldn't even name. I exhaled slowly and grabbed Dhwani's shoulders, pushing her away from me.

"Your brother is here," I said stiffly. "You should go... before he thinks I forced you for all this."

"Forced?" she whispered in disbelief and turned her head slowly to look at Samarth. Her eyes scanned his face, noticing the blood and the wounds then she walked toward him.

"Bhai... you both fought?"

Samarth didn't answer, he simply grabbed her wrist and pulled her out of my room.

The door shut behind them. I let out a long breath.

Thank God. I wasn't ready for another drama.

"Bhai, leave my hand... bhai please leave my hand," I tried to free my wrist as he dragged me into my bedroom and locked the door behind us.

"Why did you bring me here? I was talking to him," I said as he turned to face me.

"Talking?" he repeated, his brows pulling together. "Seriously, Dhwani? Talking... or sticking to him, confessing your love?"

"Was that wrong?" I asked, lifting my chin. "You already know I love him, then what's the problem?"

"Oh, you told me you love him," he said slowly, his voice turning colder. "But you never told me... that you slept with him."

His hand tightened around my arm, his jaw clenched as if the words themselves tasted bitter.

His grip hurt but not more than the words.

Did Yugant tell him everything? Why did he? Just why?

What did bhai think of me... that I had no character? That I must have done this before too?

My gaze dropped to the floor and my eyes closed.

Tears slipped down my cheeks.

I suddenly felt ashamed... very ashamed.

Not because I slept with Yugant, that was different. I knew I loved him, and I didn't think what happened between us was wrong.

But the thought that bhai might think I was that kind of girl...that hurt.

"Why are you looking down now?" Samarth asked sharply. "I always shared everything."

He laughed bitterly."But today... you didn't think it was important to tell me?"

"I... I didn't tell you because I thought it was... not important," I said, staring at the floor.

"Not important?" he repeated. "Or because you were ashamed?"

"I am not ashamed," I said instantly, lifting my head. "I love him, he loves me too. So I don't think there was anything wrong."

My voice steadied. "I'm an adult. I know what's right and wrong for me."

He released my hand suddenly.

"If you know what's right and wrong for you," he said quietly, "then who am I?"

His eyes looked hurt now, not angry.

"When did you become so big that you stopped sharing small details of your life with me?"

He shook his head slowly.

"I never expected you to tell me about your past. I genuinely never cared about that. But your present? Your future?" His voice lowered."Don't I deserve to know that? Or did you never think of me as your brother?"

I shook my head quickly.

"It wasn't like that," I whispered. "I was just... I didn't know how to tell you everything."

He raised his brows slightly.

"You shared everything with me, Dhwani," he said. "Even the pain you felt during your periods... even when you didn't get them and we went to the doctor for checkups."

His voice cracked a little.

"Even when you didn't speak, I thought I understood you. I thought I was frank enough with you. I thought I was like a parent figure for you... someone you could share everything with."

He laughed bitterly again. "But I was wrong. Completely wrong."

"No bhai... no," I said quickly, shaking my head as I stepped closer to him.

"Don't say that. I love you more than my life." I held his hand tightly, crying. "Please don't say those words again."

Right now it felt like I had hurt every person in my life. I felt disgusted.

"I'm sorry," I whispered. "I didn't tell you. But not because I was ashamed." My fingers tightened around his hand.

"I just didn't want to become the reason your friendship with Yugant broke." My voice trembled."I kept it secret because I know how much you both mean to each other. I knew if you found out, things might change."

Tears blurred my vision.

"And today... after seeing you both like that... bruised, bleeding, I think my decision was right."

"You disappointed me a lot," he said quietly.

"I know," I whispered. "I did." My voice broke again. "I'm so bad... but not to hurt you. I can never do that."

I looked up at him through tears.

"You are everything to me... even above my parents."

"If I am that important," he said, his voice low but firm, "then tell me. Tell me everything."

His eyes stayed fixed on mine.

"All those years we were together... I never raised you just as a brother. I became your mother when you were in pain. I became your father when you needed something. I became your brother when you wanted."

He took a slow breath."So tell me what happened after Yugant brought you here. At least I deserve the truth."

I nodded slowly. He was right, he deserved to know everything.

"There was nothing like you think," I said quietly, my fingers twisting together nervously. "Nothing wrong happened."

"Yugant dragged me here... that was the only thing he did forcefully. After coming here, he never forced me for anything."

I wiped the corner of my eye quickly.

"He only once told me to cook," I said with a faint, broken smile. "And the whole kitchen blasted."

I sniffed softly. "After that day, he never even asked me to wash the plate I ate in."

My voice softened as the memories returned.

"He made sure I had everything. From food to... clothes, from my painting colors to canvas... even the shampoo I use."

A smile formed on my lips remembering all those moments. "He was... protective, in his own way. I was the one who troubled him a lot."

I let out a shaky breath."Those months... were the time I found the Dhwani I had lost years ago."

I looked up at him slowly, he was listening carefully. "I found myself again because I was with him. I used to argue, give sharp replies. I found that version of myself after years, bhai."

I swallowed hard.

"He never did anything that hurt me." I hesitated before continuing.

"Even when I tried to steal his gala designs again and again to save you, as Maheshwar Pratap sent me here for this, he knew everything, he was hurt.

.. but he never misbehaved with me. Just got a little angry and in the end. .. he still gave me those designs."

My voice dropped to a whisper.

"He trusted me, even when he knew my intentions were completely wrong."

"Even... whatever happened between us," I said slowly, my voice trembling a little, "it happened because he was drunk... and because I was drunk too."

I swallowed before continuing.

"He can't handle alcohol, so things just... happened."

I looked down at my hands.

"And the next day he confessed his love to me."

A weak, bitter smile appeared on my lips.

"But I was the dumbest one. I thought it was just an attraction... and I pushed him away."

My fingers tightened together."He told me he wanted to marry me," I whispered. "But I refused."

I took a shaky breath, my eyes stinging again.

"When I met him in Florence again, got close, understood my feelings a little, and he left... that's when I truly understood my feelings." I exhaled through my nose as I completed and finally met his eyes.

"It's the only truth. I didn't hide anything, I swear." I lightly pinched my throat, the childish gesture I always used when I wanted him to believe me.

For a few seconds he didn't say anything, then he stepped closer and wrapped his arms around me, pulling me into a tight embrace.

"I'm sorry," he murmured. "I misunderstood things and said too much."

My lips curved into a small smile.

"You have every right to feel like that and question me," I said softly, resting my hand on his arm. "But... you did wrong today by fighting with him."

He pulled away and pointed at the bruises and cuts on his face.

"He isn't a saint," he muttered. "He hit back."

My eyes scanned his wounds, and I quickly reached for the first aid box from the drawer.

"He must have done that in self-defence," I said quietly while opening the antiseptic.

"You know him a lot," he remarked, watching me.

"I don't know..." I replied softly, dabbing antiseptic on the cut near his eyebrow. "But I'm trying."

He didn't say anything after that. He simply sat still and let me clean his wounds and wrap the bandage.

After a few minutes I placed the first aid box back and sat beside him, leaning my head against his shoulder. Both of us stared silently out of the window.

"Tomorrow is mehendi... and then the wedding," he said, his voice almost a whisper. "Yugant said he will marry Olivia even if that decision destroys him."

My heart skipped. "He actually said that?"

"Hmm."

"Why?" I lifted my head and looked at him.

Bhai swallowed.

"We had a fight... and in between I said the worst thing."

My brows knitted together instantly. "What exactly?"

Bhai looked away, unable to meet my eyes.

"I just said... as an example...what if someone had done the same thing with Dhrithika. I didn't actually mean it, she is just like you for me."

My lips parted in shock, I couldn't believe he said that.

"You did very wrong," I whispered. "He's extremely possessive about her."

"So am I about you, Dhwani," he replied quickly. "It just slipped out and I know it was my mistake."

He sighed. "I'll apologise."

I nodded slowly. Whatever had happened was wrong. I could be reckless and selfish, not my brother.

"You should," I said.

He gave a slight nod. "I'll talk to him early in the morning. I won't let him marry Olivia. I promise."

I looked at him for a moment before speaking. "I trust you."

I was having a very bad feeling now.