Advait's heart clenched at her words, but he couldn't bring himself to show it. His anger, his frustration—it all boiled to the surface as he watched her turn to leave, her back to him, as if she was running away from everything—him, them, the pain.

He asked, "Where are you going now?" His voice was slow, almost like a warning.

"I'm going to die; does it matter to you?" The only words slipped from her mouth. He stood abruptly from the bed, grabbing her hand, closing the door behind them, and pinning her against it. He looked at her, and she felt a surge of fear at the sight of him now.

But he didn't speak. He bent down and placed his lips on hers, The kiss was a storm wrapped in tenderness. His lips moved against hers with a steady intensity, speaking a language words could never convey. It was neither rushed nor forceful, yet there was a quiet urgency in the way he held her—like he was afraid she might slip away.

His hands on her neck were firm, grounding her, while his lips were gentle but deliberate, brushing against hers with a reverence that sent shivers down her spine. . Time seemed to stretch, their breaths mingling in a rhythm only they could hear, leaving her heart racing and her thoughts a chaotic swirl of emotion.

Drishti’s chest tightened. She tried to pull away, but his hands were like iron bands, holding her in place. His lips pressed harder against hers, but instead of calming her, it ignited a storm of emotions—fear, anger, confusion. Her pulse thrummed in her ears, the intensity of the kiss making her feel both trapped and lost.

"Please... stop," she whispered, her voice shaky, but her heart was louder than her words.

He didn’t respond, his lips continuing to claim hers, as if he couldn’t stop, as if it was the only way to make her understand.His kiss wasn’t a plea for love—it felt more like a way to silence her, to smother the things he hadn’t said but should have.

Drishti’s hands went to his chest, pushing against him with all her strength, but he only tightened his grip. His breath was ragged against her skin, his frustration pouring out with every movement. She felt a surge of panic rising inside her, the air growing thin as the reality of the situation hit her.

She didn’t make another attempt to push him away, knowing deep down that she couldn’t. His lips moved over hers, nipping at her bottom lip with a rough tenderness, and she could feel the intensity of his emotions, as if his entire frustration and regret were being poured into that one kiss. When he finally pulled away, he looked at her, his eyes clouded, almost drunk with anger and something else—something she couldn’t name.

His eyes were a mystery she couldn’t figure out—was he angry, or was he scared of losing her? But they held something deeper, something unspoken.

They showed emotions he had never expressed, a mix of fear and pain that words couldn’t capture. In that moment, his eyes said more to her than he ever had.

She tried to meet his gaze, her own voice trembling as she asked, “Wh... what were you trying to do?” Her eyes searched his, but his intense stare stayed fixed on her, as if he wanted to say so much more but held back, afraid his words might hurt her.

“Trying to tell you how much you matter to me,” he said softly, his voice filled with raw emotion. Lost in the moment, he gently caressed her cheek, his touch both comforting and electrifying.

She fell silent, her words fading as their eyes locked, the closeness between them making her heart race. His voice, low and steady, cut through the silence.

“If you ever speak like that again, if you ever say anything like that about yourself again...” he paused, his tone growing darker, “you will witness a side of me that you’ve never seen before—the side I’ve been hiding, the side I’ve been keeping from you, to protect you.”

The intensity in his words left her breathless, her chest tightening with the weight of his unspoken emotions.

Advait’s words came again, cold and calculated. “Fight all you want; say whatever you need to say, but if you ever utter a single word again about yourself like that, you won’t like the consequences. The consequences that you will create for yourself.”

He took her hands in his once again, his touch gentle as he caressed them, his voice low but filled with emotion. "I know you don’t believe that I love you," he began, his words laced with vulnerability. "And that’s why I didn’t tell you before... why I married you. Because I knew you wouldn’t believe it."

He paused, his eyes searching hers, raw honesty pouring from him. "And I don’t want you to believe it just because I said it. But please... don’t question it. Give me the chance to show you—I’ll make you believe."

She stared, watching the man who rarely spoke more than a few words pour out his heart without even pausing for breath. Every word he said was meant to make her understand, to make her believe how much she meant to him.

And as she listened, something stirred within her—a warmth she hadn’t felt before. A small, soft smile crept onto her lips, unbidden but unstoppable, as his words wrapped around her heart.

……………………………………………...

Advait moved around the room, his hands mechanically folding his clothes, but his mind was elsewhere. Every movement felt like it was on autopilot as his thoughts replayed her words over and over in his head. “You don’t love me.”

Those words kept ringing in his ears, stabbing at him with every breath. They echoed louder than anything else—louder than the sound of the suitcase being zipped shut, louder than the silence between them that seemed to stretch forever.

Since then, she hadn’t spoken to him. Her silence had grown heavy, suffocating him with its weight. It was the kind of silence that spoke volumes, a silence filled with unspoken words and unresolved feelings.

Advait’s phone rang, snapping him out of his thoughts. He quickly answered, "Sir, everything is ready; it's time to go." After listening to the instructions, he ended the call, but something inside him hesitated.

He glanced around, his heart aching with the desire to see Drishti one last time before he left. She was nowhere to be found. He had seen her earlier, but now the house felt empty, like she had vanished into thin air.

As he adjusted his bag, the door creaked open. His heart skipped a beat as he turned around, only to be met with Drishti’s presence.

He had steeled himself for her anger, fully expecting her to avoid him after everything that had happened the previous day. But to his surprise, she was standing right in front of him, her face lit with a soft, unexpected smile. Her eyes, usually so guarded, were warm as they met his, a smile playing at the corners of her lips.

"I thought... you would’ve left already," she said, her voice light and almost teasing, with a hint of playfulness in it. "I came running."

He blinked, confusion washing over him. This was not at all what he had imagined. He had expected distance, perhaps even some coldness, but instead, she seemed... unbothered, even happy. His gaze shifted to hers, trying to decipher what was going on in her mind. “What happened? Are you upset?” he asked, his voice filled with genuine confusion. He couldn’t understand her behavior—she wasn’t showing the anger he had been bracing for.

She moved closer to him, her fingers lightly grazing the fabric of his suit, straightening it with a tenderness that made his heart skip a beat. Every gesture, every touch, was calm and deliberate, as if nothing had happened. He couldn’t take his eyes off her as she gently adjusted the fabric of his suit, her fingers brushing against him like she was reattaching something that had once been broken. His breath caught in his throat.

"I’m not upset," she said, the faintest hint of a smile tugging at her lips, her voice soft but steady. "What can I do? I’m not as cold-hearted as you." She looked up at him, her eyes glimmering with a mischievous light, and added, "Besides, it wasn’t even your fault... I yelled at you for no reason. I shouldn’t have said those things."

Her words made his heart ache with guilt. He had expected anger, but instead, she was showing him understanding, something he hadn’t thought she would be capable of.

As she began to pull her hand away from him, he quickly reached out, taking her hand in his once more. Gently, he placed it back over his chest, his heart pounding in his chest. His voice dropped, laden with regret. "No, it was my fault," he confessed, his tone heavy with the weight of his own failure. "I don’t know how to understand things... I fell in love, but I don’t know how to show it. And because of me, there were tears in your eyes... even... even I kissed you without asking you," he admitted slowly, as if the confession had been a struggle to voice.

She paused, a small pout forming on her lips as she looked up at him, her gaze playful yet soft. “You even took my first kiss, and now you’re acting like you’ve committed some great sin. If you keep talking like this, I might actually get upset now,” she teased, her voice light but carrying a warmth that made his heart ache in a way he didn’t expect.

After what felt like an eternity, a genuine smile finally appeared on his lips, Seeing him smile, her own lips curved upward in response, a softness settling over her face.

Without a word, she moved closer, wrapping her arms around him in a hug, her body seeking the comfort of his presence.

As soon as she did, his arms instinctively locked around her, pulling her close, as if he never wanted to let go. Her voice, muffled by the embrace, reached his ears. "Agli baar, please kuch chupaiyega nahi... mujhe accha nahi lagta," she whispered, her words laced with the vulnerability she had been hiding.

He didn’t respond immediately. Instead, his hands moved gently over her back, tracing small, comforting circles, before his fingers found their way to her hair. He caressed it softly, his touch tender, as if trying to soothe her worries without saying a word.

"I didn’t hide anything, I just forgot to tell you."

Her eyes lifted, meeting his gaze, and for a moment, the world around them seemed to fade. He looked down at her, a mix of playfulness and sincerity in his expression. "If you forget so much, your company will shut down, and you’ll end up on the streets," she teased, a hint of mischief dancing in her eyes.

He let out a soft chuckle, the sound warm and genuine, filling the space between them. "One mistake, wife, doesn’t deserve such a harsh punishment," he said, his voice light but affectionate.

And just like that, their laughter filled the room, a sweet, shared moment of lightheartedness. The tension from before melted away, leaving only the warmth of their connection. She sighed softly, her head resting again on his chest, content in the silence that followed, the sound of his heartbeat calming her.

"I didn’t hide anything, I just forgot to tell you."

She lifted her head and looked at him, and he met her gaze. "If you forget so much, your company will shut down, and you’ll end up on the streets," she teased, her eyes sparkling with mischief.

He chuckled softly, the sound genuine and warm. "One mistake, wife, doesn’t deserve such a big punishment," he said with a playful tone.

They both laughed together, the moment light and easy, before she rested her head back on his chest, content.

His phone buzzed in his pocket, but he didn’t break their embrace. Sliding it out with one hand, he glanced at the screen. Sam’s name flashed again. He didn’t answer, his expression turning serious but staying calm.

“It’s not necessary,” he said softly, his voice steady yet firm. “I will never leave you alone here. And if anyone says anything, tell me.”

She nodded slightly, her face pressed against his chest, finding comfort in his protective words.

“And one more thing,” he added, pulling back just enough to look into her eyes. “Will you listen to me?”

She hummed in response, a quiet yes.

“Stay away from Mr. Rathore. Don’t go anywhere with him again.”

Without questioning him, she nodded again, silently agreeing. She knew his words came from a place of concern, not control. Breaking their hug, she stepped back, trying to mask the sadness blooming inside her. She gave him a broad smile, one that didn’t reach her eyes, to hide the tears threatening to spill.

He looked at her, his gaze softening at her brave attempt to keep the moment light. Gently, he cupped her cheek, caressed it with his thumb, and pressed a tender kiss on her temple.

With a heavy heart, he picked up his bag and turned towards the door. As he opened it and stepped out, she stood there, her smile fading as the sound of his footsteps echoed away. The tears she had been holding back finally fell, a single drop tracing her cheek as she silently watched him leave.

He walked out, his own emotions waging a war within him. He didn’t want to leave her alone in that house, especially not with Tej Singh Rathore under the same roof. But he had no choice—responsibilities awaited him. Before leaving, he had spoken to Vihaan, entrusting him with her safety. He knew his brothers well; once they gave their word, they would uphold it with unwavering loyalty. Yet, despite his faith in them, the ache of separation lingered in his heart.