Author's pov//

His eyes locked directly with hers. And

she coughed. Vrishabha quickly moved towards her and handed her a glass of water while rubbing her back gently. She took a few sips of water, still coughing slightly.

“Can’t you eat carefully?” Vrishabha said, his tone scolding like he was speaking to a child.

Vrishabha put the glass down when another voice came from the side……

"Are you okay?"

The concern was in the tone. Avani turned and saw it was Samyuktha.

“Yeah” Avani said while looking at her. Avani was not accepting this reaction from her.

Vrishabha put his hand on her cheeks. He wiped the food from the corner of her lips and, without hesitation, put the same finger in his mouth and sucked it clean.

Avani felt deeply embarrassed, heat rising to her cheeks. But Samyuktha looked unaffected, like it didn’t matter to her at all. Instead, she leaned in and softly fixed a strand of Avani’s hair.

“You’re looking so beautiful,” Samyuktha said with a smile. “This colour suits you.”

Avani gave a small, uncertain smile back. “Thank you,” she whispered.

Behind her, Vrishabha's eyes darkened slightly. He didn’t say a word, but his jaw tightened. And the possessive glance he threw at Samyuktha didn’t go unnoticed.

Vrishabha pulled Avani closer to him by the waist, his grip tightening just a bit more than before.

“Are you done?” he asked, looking at Avani as he continued, “Or do you want to eat more?”

“Done,” Avani said.

“Then let’s go,” he said, and without waiting for any response, he wrapped his arm fully around her waist and led her away.

As they moved outside, the air was slightly cooler. The night carried the scent of darkness and something sharp beneath it, something tense.

Avani felt the warmth of Vrishabha’s hand still around her waist, and for a second, she thought maybe he would let go now that they were outside. But no.

He pulled out his phone and made a quick call. Within seconds, a black car rolled up the driveway and came to a smooth halt. The driver’s door opened, and a man in his early 50s stepped out, dressed in crisp formals. He walked forward, head slightly bowed, and bent respectfully in front of Vrishabha.

Avani watched, her eyes narrowing slightly. She had seen this before how people around Vrishabha treated him like he ruled everything. But this man… he was older. Still, he bowed like he was king.

Vrishabha turned slightly toward her and said, his voice calm but final, “You’re going home with Mr. Chavan.”

Avani’s eyes widened. “What?”

She looked at Vrishabha, then at Mr. Chavan.

“But… the wedding’s still going on. There are other rituals. I want to be here… with Arati,” she said, trying to keep her voice strong. “I’m not going.”

Her eyes shifted behind Vrishabha where Samyuktha stood, laughing lightly with someone, her green saree glowing under the lights. And just like that, a new thought crept in. That’s why. He wanted her to leave because he wanted to be with Samyuktha.

Her chest tightened.

Vrishabha looked at her calm, unreadable but his voice dropped lower, colder, firmer.

“Avani. You. Are. Going.”

There was no room for debate.He was Just that commanding stillness that wrapped around her like chains.

He rarely called her by her name when he did then it's a dangerous sign.

Avani’s emotions were swirling like a storm inside her chest. Her eyes burned not with rage, but with a strange ache she couldn’t place. A lump formed in her throat, and for a second, she felt like crying… but she didn’t even know why.

Maybe it’s because he’s sending me away... not letting me stay at Arati’s wedding, she tried to reason with herself. Yes… it’s that. Not because he wants to stay here with her.

I don’t care what he does with her.

But she knew she was lying to herself. Her expression had already changed, and Vrishabha noticed it.

He stepped closer and cupped her face firmly in both hands, tilting her chin up to face him. His gray eyes bore into hers. He looks into her eyes like he is reading her.

“Brown” he said as his eyes softened just a little like he was trying to be less scary.

“It’s not good for you to stay here,” he said lowly, his voice calm.

But Avani's mind was no longer listening. It twisted and turned with thoughts that stabbed her.

Maybe… maybe he doesn’t want me around his people. I don’t belong here. I’m just his contract wife.

Why the hell am I expecting more?

Her jaw clenched as she looked at him, cold determination growing in her chest.

She gave him a small nod.

His thumb brushed along her cheek before he leaned in and pressed his lips against hers firm, deep, stealing her breath.When he pulled back, her lips were parted, her breath shaky.

He rested his forehead against hers and whispered against her skin, “We’ll continue this when I come home. Okay.”

She pulls herself away and walks straight towards the car she didn't look back the door open and she sits, as soon as the car rolled off, Vrishabha turned sharply. His jaw was tight, eyes burning, and he stared straight at Samyuktha like he was ready to kill  her. who had just come behind him.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" he asked, voice low but laced with fury.

Samyuktha raised her brows, pretending to think. "Hmm… breathing?

"Don’t you dare test me, " he warned.

She grinned wider, clearly enjoying herself. "Relax, Mafia Boss. I’m not trying to snatch your girl. I am lesbian that doesn't mean I will hit on every other girl, it's a different thing that she is so beautiful that I can't stop myself but compliment her beauty”

Vrishabha is looking at her like he will cut her into pieces in the next second. Samyuktha notices as she tries to calm the environment.

"And for your peace of mind, I already have a very hot girlfriend. She’s got abs and tattoos and smells like coffee. So chill."

Still, Vrishabha’s eyes didn’t leave hers. Dead serious.

Samyuktha to sighed under her breath.

"God, you're jealous of me now?”

Their conversation was interrupted by Abhishek As he approached them, his expression was serious but attentive. “I made all the arrangements you asked for,” he said, glancing at Vrishabha. “I also sent Raj to take care of Mrs Singh's security.”

Vrishabha looked at him quietly and asked, “How was he?”

Abhishek’s voice lowered, the weight of what he was about to say evident. “Not good… He was crying. After so many years, I’ve never seen him break down like that.”

Vrishabha nodded slowly, understanding the gravity of the situation.

Samyuktha broke the silence with the remark  “Well, what is going to happen, when he is going to fall in love with Vrishabha’s sister.”

Samyuktha’s expression changed and she quickly added, “Sorry, I didn’t mean to rile you up. But honestly, that guy was really irritating. If he truly loved her, he should have fought harder for her.”

Her words hung in the air awkwardly. She quickly shut her mouth. Clearing her throat, she then said professionally, “I’ve taken care of all the digital security arrangements. There won’t be any problems during tonight’s mission.”

Without another word, Vrishabha rose and both of  them followed him.

A guard stepped forward and opened the door for them, the heavy metal creaking as it swung open.

They all got into the car. Vrishabha took the driver’s seat with calm authority, starting the engine smoothly.

Behind them, a convoy of sleek black cars began to roll forward, following closely.

Abhishek sat beside Vrishabha, pulling out a device and quietly briefing him with the latest updates.

Meanwhile, Samyuktha opened her laptop and immediately started working, her fingers flying across the keyboard as she prepared everything they would need.

The air inside the car was tense but focused, each of them readying themselves for what was coming next.

________

As soon as Avani stepped into the room she slammed the door shut behind her. The sharp sound echoed through the silent hall, as if the house itself now knew she was angry. Without wasting a second, she kicked off her heels, one flying toward the sofa, the other crashing near the wall.

Her shoulders heaved. She was frustrated. Angry. And something else she didn’t want to admit. Her throat tightened, but the tears didn’t fall yet.

She turned and caught a glimpse of herself in the tall standing mirror near the dresser.

She stared at herself, eyes slowly drifting over her reflection, her hair perfectly pinned, her lips a shade of light colour. the bindi resting quietly between her brows.

Her light pastel peach saree flowed gently around her figure like a whisper of silk  soft, graceful, luminous. The delicate gold border shimmered under the chandelier’s light, and her brown skin glowed against the light fabric like molten honey.

She looked… beautiful.

But she didn’t feel like one. She felt like a joke.

Her eyes accidentally catch the reflection of the laptop on the table behind her. A strange feeling rose in her chest as she remembered how serious Vrishabha had looked when he was watching something on it. She recalled walking in to grab something, only for him to immediately shut the laptop as if hiding something. Standing here alone, irritated and emotionally overwhelmed, her curiosity began to win over her restraint.

She told herself she wouldn't do anything wrong. She just needed to check what he was watching. Nothing more. She wouldn’t open anything else or touch anything private. Just take one look, and close it.

With hesitant steps, she walked toward the laptop. Her fingers grazed the lid, and  taking a deep breath, she lifted the lid. To her surprise, there was no password. The screen lit up instantly, and what she saw made her whole body freeze.

There, right in front of her, was an open video tab already playing with the title, “How to understand our wife's.”

Her hands trembled as she stared at the title, her eyes wide in disbelief. Her first thought was confusion. For a moment, her mind refused to accept what she was seeing. Of all the things she expected, this wasn’t one of them. Why would Vrishabha someone who acted so cold, controlling, and harsh watch something like this.

Slowly, with shaking fingers, she opened the browser history, driven by a mix of disbelief and desperate need for answers. What she found made her heartbeat thunder in her ears.

It wasn’t just one video. There were multiple searches. Repeated patterns.

_____________________________

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