*Wedding Venue | Mandap Side*

The wedding had started. I watched **Aditi** walk in, looking divine. I stood beside Muskan and Prachi, doing both—crying and laughing.

As they performed the **varmala**, I cheered and clapped with the rest.

Meanwhile, my eyes *wandered*.

Toward the back — near the marble pillars, by the floating candles — stood **him**. Rudra. Talking with Shiv, watching the ceremony silently like he was made of stillness and shadows. That coat hugged his body like it was designed to make girls like me suffer.

His eyes met mine. And he didn't blink.

A few minutes passed. Veer and Aditi sat in the *mandap*. Photographers surrounded them.

And just when I thought I’d survive this crowd… I moved.

I didn’t say anything. I just **tugged his hand softly**, a quick, non-verbal command, and pulled him with me through the corridor near the side exit of the venue.

[RUDRA’S PERSPECTIVE]

I was already anticipating her move. The moment she tugged my hand, I dropped the facade of conversation with Shiv and followed her. No questions asked. My life followed her lead.

We stopped near the pool area, where the reflection of lights floated on water like fallen stars. The scent of jasmine and her perfume hit me.

**Ishita:** **“Five minutes,”** she stated, letting go of my hand, but not the connection.

I raised a brow, a teasing smile playing on my lips. **Rudra:** **“What will you do in five minutes, *Jaana*? Steal a diamond? Or a kiss?”**

**Ishita:** (She blushed but rolled her eyes.) **“*Baat karo, Rudra*. I haven’t spoken to you all day. You just send food and silent threats.”**

I moved closer, leaned against the railing, eyes piercing. **Rudra:** **“You were busy making the bride look like a queen. I was busy trying to focus on global markets while thinking about your bare back in that green blouse.”**

**Ishita:** (She shrugged playfully.) **“Well, you made me look like one too... earlier. Remember? The messy hair, the compliments, the possessiveness…”**

**Rudra:** **“You don’t need anyone’s help to look like that. You just need me to remind you that every time you look in the mirror, you’re looking at what I want.”**

Silence. Soft. Comfortable.

**Ishita:** **“You okay? You don’t like weddings… I know how much you hate crowds.”**

**Rudra:** **“I don’t like people. Noise. Chaos.”** Then I looked directly at her, the truth plain in my gaze. **“But if you’re in it… I’ll survive anything. I’ll stand in silence for hours just to watch you smile.”**

My heart flipped when she looked up at me.

### **[ISHITA’S PERSPECTIVE]**

My nose was slightly red from the cold. He reached out and tucked a strand behind my ear.

I froze. That slow, gentle touch always disarmed me completely.

**Rudra:** **“You look beautiful, Ishi, *meri jaana*. Too beautiful for me to be standing ten feet away.”**

I blinked, looking down, suddenly shy. **Ishita:** **“Stop it, Rudra. You’re going to make me forget why I brought you out here.”**

He tilted my chin up, his thumb grazing my jawline. **Rudra:** **“You’re mine, right? Say it, so I can survive the next two hours of rituals.”**

**Ishita:** **“Always. Forever.”**

And then… he leaned in.

He didn't claim my mouth instantly. Instead, his lips met my forehead, a soft, reverent pressure, breathing in my scent. Then he shifted, holding my small waist, and finally, his lips found mine. Slow. Soft. Not the dominating passion of last night, but a deep, comforting acknowledgment.

We stood like that. Foreheads touching. No words. Just the echo of mantras in the background, the promise of fire-lit circles, and this small stolen eternity in between.

Finally, he whispered, **Rudra:** **“Let’s go before they notice.”**

I pulled back slightly, stifling a laugh. **Ishita:** **“We’re too late. Someone already noticed.”** I gestured toward the archway where **Shiv** stood, leaning against the wall, a wicked smirk on his face, giving us a slow, silent salute.

We laughed — quietly — like teenagers sneaking out. And then walked back, our hands brushing once, fingers tangling and untangling like a secret too loud to confess.

**Ishita** (Whispered): **“My five minutes are up, Mr. Rathore. Now go be quiet and handsome until the *vidaai*.”**

**Rudra:** **“I’ll try. But no more flirting with the photographer, understand?”** His eyes were burning bright, still possessive.

**Ishita:** **“Wouldn't dream of it. My focus is entirely on a certain cold prince who smells like sandalwood and money.”**

Bidaai Moment*

It’s midnight. No, beyond that. **3:00 a.m.** The *mandap* was empty.

It was time for **Bidaai**. The most heartbreaking, emotional, soul-wrenching moment. Aditi clung to her family. And we… *our gang*… we just clung to each other.

I didn’t even realize *I* was crying… until I felt the heat on my cheeks and the sting in my eyes.

And then… A tissue appeared in front of me. Held by a rough, warm hand. **Him.**

I turned and saw **Rudra**, standing there—shirt sleeves folded, tie loose, hair messy now… but still, *everything*.

**Rudra:** **“Don’t,”** he whispered gently, his voice thick with concern. **“If you start now, you’ll be dehydrated by sunrise. You need to keep that glow for my benefit.”**

I gave a teary laugh between hiccups, wiping my eyes with the tissue. **Ishita:** **“I hate this part… It feels like a beautiful end to everything.”**

**Rudra:** **“I know,”** he said softly.

[RUDRA’S PERSPECTIVE]

She was breaking. Quietly. Gracefully. This crying, soft, vulnerable Ishita? This version of her… it *undid* something inside me.

So I did what I knew she'd never ask — I stood behind her like a silent wall, handing her tissues one after the other. No words. Just *presence*. Exactly what she always needed.

Her hand clutched Muskan’s tightly. Prachi holding her. And finally, Aditi… with her red veil, heavy eyes, and a goodbye that felt too permanent.

Ishita tried to smile. Tried. Failed. Her body shook slightly from holding it all in.

Everyone slowly retreated. The *mandap* lights dimmed.

And she stood there… *alone* in the middle of all that silence.

I walked over, didn’t ask, didn’t offer — just gently took her hand and started walking. She didn’t resist. She never did with me.

[ISHITA’S PERSPECTIVE]**

*Rudra’s Suite | Post-Bidaai*

His room door clicked shut behind us. I didn’t even look around. Just… sat on the couch, clutching the crumpled tissue, heels still on, hands trembling from emotion.

He walked up and stood in front of me.

**Rudra:** **“You’re not okay,”** he said, his voice flat with certainty.

**Ishita:** **“Nope,”** I whispered.

**Rudra:** **“Want to scream?”**

**Ishita:** **“No.”**

**Rudra:** **“Want to cry more?”**

**Ishita:** **“I might.”**

He nodded and bent down.

He **removed my heels slowly.** One. Then the other. His touch was careful, almost reverent, releasing the tension from my feet.

Then sat beside me and pulled me into him. Not like a lover. Like a *storm-breaker*.

I hid my face in his chest and let it go. No drama. No sobbing. Just *silent pain*. And his heart beating… steady. Loud. Real.

He ran his fingers through my hair and said, **Rudra:** **“You were so strong today… for everyone. You held the room together. Now let someone be strong for you. You don’t have to carry the chaos anymore.”**

[RUDRA’S PERSPECTIVE]

She melted into me like she belonged here. Because she did. In that moment — makeup streaked, *mehndi* still dark, saree crushed — she looked more real than any other person I had seen tonight. And infinitely more mine.

**Ishita:** **“Tomorrow everything changes,”** she whispered, eyes still closed, voice muffled against my shirt. **“They all go back. The madness ends. My queen is married.”**

I kissed her hair gently, savoring her soft weight against me. **Rudra:** **“And we get our time back. Our silence. Our beginning.”**

She smiled faintly. **Ishita:** **“Promise me something?”**

**Rudra:** **“Hmm?”**

**Ishita:** **“Don’t leave when the lights go off. Don’t go back to being the cold prince when I need the steady man.”**

I cupped her jaw, tilted her face up to mine. My ocean eyes met her tear-filled ones. **Rudra:** **“I never leave, Ishita. I just stay quietly. The prince is cold to the world, but the man is always home for you.”**

Our foreheads touched. Breaths mingled. **Rudra:** **“This silence? This is us. This feeling? This is love. This is where I always wanted you to be.”**

**Ishita:** (She sniffled softly, tightening her grip on my shirt.) **“I don’t know what I would do without you, Rudra. You’re my only steady thing in this chaos.”**

**Rudra:** **“You’ll never have to find out. I’m anchored right here. You’re the only person who makes me feel… human. The only person I don't want to rule. Just cherish.”**

And right there, amidst the silence of a wedding that had ended and a world asleep outside… **we found a beginning of our own.**

After some minutes

She was asleep.

One moment, her eyes were swimming with the lingering sadness of the *bidaai*, her breath hitching softly against my neck. The next, the tension dissolved, replaced by the deep, heavy sleep of utter exhaustion.

Her head rested precisely over my heart. Her *mehndi*-stained hand, still smelling of henna and roses, was curled on my chest. Her wine-colored saree was crushed beneath us, a magnificent, forgotten ruin of the night’s glamour.

I didn't move. I couldn't.

This was peace.

The cold prince, the ruthless CEO, the man who preferred silence and solitude over every human connection—was immobilized, held captive by the simple, warm weight of his sleeping *jaana*.

I looked down at her face. The faint streaks where tears had dried were visible, but the stress had smoothed out, leaving behind the flawless, innocent beauty I had fallen for at the Shiv Mandir.

**Rudra** (Inner Monologue): *How did I ever survive before this? Before this quiet rhythm became the only thing that mattered?*

I ran my fingers through her long, dark hair, feeling the silk of it slide against my skin. The world outside could burn. Empires could collapse. Deals worth billions could go south. None of it mattered now. Only the steady, small inhale and exhale of the woman in my arms.

*She is my storm, but she is also my shelter.*

I kissed the crown of her head, a silent vow sinking into her hair.

**Rudra** (Inner Monologue): *They call me cold, heartless. They don't know that she is the reason my heart beats at all. When I look at her, all the ruthlessness, the carefully constructed walls—they vanish. She sees past the Rathore name, past the money, straight into the man who doesn't believe in God, but believes fiercely in her.*

I tightened my arm around her waist, pulling her impossibly closer, inhaling the soft, clean scent of her skin. The craving from earlier tonight—the physical, demanding desire—was replaced by a deep, aching tenderness.

**Rudra:** (Whispering to the dark room, his voice raspy.) **“Sleep well, my love. I’ll keep the world away. Always.”**

I settled back against the pillows, closing my eyes, finally letting my guard down. For the first time in days, I was truly home.

[ISHITA’S PERSPECTIVE]**

*Rudra’s Suite | Morning*

The first thing I registered was the **weight**. Heavy, solid, protective.

The second was the **smell**. Sandalwood, mint, and a faint, clean scent of expensive fabric.

I slowly blinked awake. Sunlight was streaming through the heavy curtains, turning the room a soft gold. I was sprawled across a king-sized bed, tangled in pristine white sheets.

My sarre is totally mess and crushed on me

And I was utterly, completely, wrapped around **Rudra**.

My head was tucked under his chin, one leg thrown casually over his. His arm, strong and warm, was draped possessively over my waist. His shirt—the one I had cried into—was crumpled beside the bed, his chest bare and solid beneath my cheek.

He was awake. I knew it the moment I tried to shift.

His grip tightened subtly, and I heard a low, throaty rumble of a chuckle right above my ear.

**Rudra:** **“Good morning, sleepyhead.”**

His voice was rough, deep, and laced with the lingering huskiness of sleep. It was the best alarm clock I had ever heard.

**Ishita:** (I mumbled into his chest, not opening my eyes.) **“Don’t move. I’m comfortable. And my head hurts.”**

**Rudra:** **“You slept like the dead. You were completely exhausted, *jaana*. Did you even dream?”**

I looked up, meeting his ocean-blue eyes that were already awake, focused completely on me. They were softer than usual, a quiet tenderness in their depths.

**Ishita:** **“I don’t know. I think I dreamt of silence and soft places. Which is exactly what you are right now.”** I traced the sharp line of his jaw with my finger.

He caught my hand, placing a slow, deep kiss right on the center of my palm, right where the initial **R** was hidden in the *mehndi*.

**Rudra:** **“We have exactly one hour before the cleanup crew starts dismantling the venue and the world starts buzzing again. What do you want to do with our stolen hour?”**

I propped myself up on my elbow, the sheet slipping slightly, and smiled. **Ishita:** **“First, I want to confirm that you, Rudra Singh Rathore, actually slept in one spot for more than four hours.”**

**Rudra:** **“Only because leaving you would have been physically painful. I’m addicted to your weight on my chest, Ishita. Don’t try to escape now.”**

[RUDRA’S PERSPECTIVE]

I watched her wake up—slowly, reluctantly, like a cat stretching out in the sunlight. She was beautiful, soft, and utterly disheveled in my bed.

When she finally opened her eyes, I felt that familiar, powerful jolt. This simple, quiet intimacy was worth every hour of business, every forced social interaction.

I kissed her palm, right on the **R**. The *mehndi* was still dark, a beautiful, visible sign of our hidden ownership.

**Rudra:** **“We have exactly one hour before the cleanup crew starts dismantling the venue and the world starts buzzing again. What do you want to do with our stolen hour?”**

She propped herself up on her elbow, and the sheet slipped. The curve of her shoulder, the soft skin of her collarbone—it was all devastatingly tempting.

**Ishita:** **“First, I want to confirm that you, Rudra Singh Rathore, actually slept in one spot for more than four hours.”**

**Rudra:** **“Only because leaving you would have been physically painful. I’m addicted to your weight on my chest, Ishita. Don’t try to escape now.”** I tightened my arm, pulling her back down against me.

**Rudra:** **“I need coffee. And maybe a quick shower. Join me?”** I raised a questioning brow, the suggestion laced with a challenge and pure desire.

She shook her head,with ted face and hit my chest  . **Ishita:** **“ beshram ho aap

Mr. Rathore. I need to get back to my own room before Aditi or Muskan realizes their ‘single queen’ spent the night with the ‘cold prince.’ The drama would be unbearable.”**

**Rudra:** (I sighed, conceding.) **“Fine. Drama avoidance. But before you run, I need a proper good morning kiss. One that tells me you didn't forget who held you all night.”**

I didn't wait for permission. I tilted her chin and claimed her lips—slow, deep, possessive. A kiss that was a statement: *You are mine, and I will see you again.*

[ISHITA’S PERSPECTIVE]**

When we finally broke apart, I was breathless, my lips tingling.

**Ishita:** **“Okay. Now I *really* have to go. Before I ruin your nice sheets with my crushed saree.”**

But

I changed my mind. Knowing everyone was still sleeping, I snuck back to him.

We were just… God, we were just *there*.

My back against his chest, his arms wrapped tightly around me, the soft whisper of his breath hitting my neck. He was trailing his fingers lightly over my waist, occasionally brushing my jaw with teasing kisses.

**Rudra:** **“You smell like lavender and chaos.”**

**Ishita:** (I had laughed.) **“And you smell like expensive sin.”**

The room was quiet. Soft. Just the hum of the fan, our lazy chuckles, the scent of his cologne and… me, melting into him.

**And then—**

**“MAAAAASIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII!!!!”**

The door *banged* open like some horror film jump scare, and there he was: **Mayank. My hyper, chocolate-smeared, nephew.**

Rudra instantly *froze*. Like a Greek statue caught mid-pose. Still holding me—lips literally an inch from my neck—eyes wide, like he'd seen a ghost.

**Mayank:** **“Massiiiiii… *dekho na chocolate gir gaya mujhe aur ek chahiyeeee!!!* (Maasi, look, the chocolate fell, I want another one!!!)”** He bolted toward me like I was the last candy on Earth.

Rudra let out a long, guttural *groan* and literally *snuggled* his face *into* my neck—not in romance now—in pure frustration.

**Rudra:** (He *whined*, muffled against my skin.) **“*Yeh kya hai yaar…* (What is this, man…) *Kya mere saath universe ki koi deal hai? Har baar. Har ek baar.* (Does the universe have a deal against me? Every time. Every single time.)”**

I burst into laughter, trying to pry his face out of my neck as Mayank jumped onto the bed like it was a trampoline.

**Mayank:** **“Massi look! Chocolate melted on my t-shirt also! Rudra uncle aap bhi dekho!”**

Rudra slowly sat back, his jaw clenched, face a picture of exaggerated tragedy.

**Rudra:** **“Mayank beta,”** he said, trying *so hard* to smile, **“*Tumhara chocolate ka radar har time perfect kyun hota hai?* (Why is your chocolate radar perfect every single time?)”**

Mayank giggled and threw himself between us. I looked at Rudra over his head, mouthing a dramatic: **“SORRY.”**

He just glared playfully, then mouthed back: **“This kid hates me.”**

**Rudra’s Perspective**

We were *finally* in the zone. Her hair smelled like jasmine and her skin tasted like trouble. I had her in my arms, right where she belonged.

**Rudra:** **“Do you even realise what you do to me?”**

**Ishita:** **“Apparently not enough, because you’re still breathing.”**

I swear, I *almost lost it*—in the best way.

And then. The kid. The chocolate demon. The tiny, energetic, too-much-sugar-powered menace.

**“MAAAAASIIIIII!!”**

My body stiffened. My heart died. I turned my head like it was a horror scene in slow motion.

All I could do was drop my forehead on her shoulder and groan. Not in lust now—in pain.

**Rudra:** (I muttered against her skin.) **“*Mujhe ek weekend chahiye.* (I need one weekend.) Ek weekend. Without sugar rush humans. Without this chocolate-y mafia. I need a contract written.”**

She was laughing uncontrollably. Of course she was.

I wanted to glare at her. I really did. But instead, I found myself trying to pull Mayank off her lap as he dug his tiny chocolate fingers into her *mehndi* hands.

**Rudra:** **“*Bhai tu toh shaadi mein chocolate factory khol le,*”** I mumbled, grabbing a tissue. **“*Aur mujhe please usme naukri de de. Boss ban jaunga.* (Brother, why don't you open a chocolate factory at the wedding? And please give me a job there. I’ll become the boss.)”**

Ishita, still giggling, leaned toward me and whispered—

**Ishita:** **“I promise… dinner tomorrow. Alone. No Mayank. Just us. My treat.”**

I raised a brow, still wiping chocolate off her saree.

**Rudra:** **“You sure? Or will Prachi suddenly send him with your tiffin because you forgot your *dal*?”**

She nudged my chest, grinning wide. **Ishita:** **“Shut up and help me wipe chocolate off my *mehndi* before you lose the right to read your own name

[ISHITA’S PERSPECTIVE]

(My room )

Bright sunlight. Tired bodies. Puffy eyes. Laughter slowly replaced by goodbyes. I was supposed to go too—with **Prachi and Naman *jiju***.

My heart was a mess. The ache of *pretending* to just be a friend was something only I knew.

While I was folding my clothes, stuffing my heels into their boxes, my *man* was sitting cross-legged on the floor… folding my sarees more delicately than I ever could.

**Rudra:** **“*Yeh bhi aise fold karte hai?* (Is this how you fold this too?)”** he asked, raising a brow when I tossed one aside lazily.

**Ishita:** **“I’m not folding, I’m just stuffing,”** I said, utterly devoid of energy.

He clicked his tongue, a very parental, annoying sound. **Rudra:** **“You’ll cry for creases later, *na*? Don't ruin the silk, Ishita.”**

I smiled. Soft. Lazy. Tired. But real.

Then I looked at him, my voice slightly hesitant, cutting through the domestic quiet. **Ishita:** **“*Kal dinner par chaloge mere saath? Bhout dino se gaye bhi nahi na?* (Will you come with me for dinner tomorrow? It's been so long since we went.)”**

His hand froze mid-fold. He looked up—those intense **ocean-blue eyes** meeting mine.

**Rudra:** **“*Pehle toh pucho bhi mat,*”** he muttered, pretending to be annoyed. **“*Phir casual sa ‘kal dinner chalega?’ jaise main koi esa vesa ashiq hoon .* (First you don't even ask, then you casually say 'Want to go to dinner tomorrow?' like I'm a pizza.)”**

I rolled my eyes, a tiny surge of energy returning just to argue with him. **Ishita:** **“Drama king. I just missed going out with you. You know I did.”**

He stood up, brushing imaginary dust off his black T-shirt, came close—really close—and tilted my chin up with two fingers, making my heart thump hard against my ribs.

**Rudra:** **“You don’t have to ask me, Ishita. Just say — I want you there. And I’ll be there. You know I will always be there.”**

**RUDRA’S PERSPECTIVE

She looked like chaos and calm in one frame. Hair messy. Lipstick faint. Tired eyes. But that sparkle—the one that only showed around me—it was there.

When she asked me about dinner, I couldn't pretend to be difficult for long. The truth was—**I’d go anywhere she asked**. She was the only person who could say *“please”* and still make it sound like a command.

I walked to her, held her waist—that same curve I knew like memory now—and whispered in her ear:

**Rudra:** **“*Main aaunga… par condition hai.* (I will come… but there’s a condition.)”**

She turned her head, curious, her eyes wide and challenging. **Ishita:** **“*Kya?* What is it, Mr. Demand?”**

**Rudra:** **“*Is baar, I want you to wear that red saree.*”** I remembered it perfectly—a deep crimson, simple but devastating.

**Ishita:** **“The one from Diwali? It’s too heavy for a regular dinner, Rudra!”**

I nodded, my gaze intense. **Rudra:** **“Exactly. No blazer. No drama. Just you, that saree, and your highest heels. I want every head to turn, just so they know who I walked in with.”**

She laughed, a beautiful, breathless sound. **Ishita:** **“Anything else, Mr. Specific? ?”**

I smirked, brushing my lips lightly across her cheek, barely touching—just enough to make her eyes flutter shut.

**Rudra:** **“Yeah. And when you sit across from me, look at me like you belong to me. Like the chaos you cause is only meant for me to handle.”**

She blushed instantly. The pink spread across her cheeks, a gorgeous contrast to her tired eyes.

And I added, softly but with that signature edge in my voice—

**Rudra:** **“Even if nobody else knows... I know. That’s enough for now. The secret ownership is the best kind of power.”**

[ISHITA’S PERSPECTIVE]**

I didn’t reply. Just stared. Because *how* do you respond to a man who doesn’t demand love, but *earns* it with every glance, every word, every stupidly sharp memory of what saree I wore a year ago?

He looked at me—waiting. Serious. Steady.

I nodded, feeling my heart swell with a fierce, quiet joy. **Ishita:** **“Done. Red saree. Heels. And I’ll look at you like I’m yours. Because I am.”**

He smiled—that rare, devastating one, the one that could melt mountains and restore my exhausted soul. **Rudra:** **“Now finish packing. I need you home before I actually kidnap you and lock you up for a week.”**

I blew him a kiss and turned back to the suitcase, already thinking about the red silk and the look in his eyes tomorrow night.

I again started packing. And then Mayank came.

**Mayank:** **“Massi *jaldi Karo mummy bula ri h jaana h ab* (Maasi hurry up, Mommy is calling, we have to go now).”**

**Ishita:** **“Yes baby, just some more minutes, okay?”**

He nodded and sat.

Rudra looked at me with a possessive look and mouthed: **"Baby? Seriously? Why are you calling him baby?"**

**Ishita:** (I mouthed back.) **"Ru, *plz na* (please)."**

**Rudra:** **"What *plz na*?"** His jaw was tight.

Mayank, my adorable, sugar-high, sharp-tongued little devil, was now **perched on my lap**. And Rudra… oh Rudra was barely holding onto his last thread of patience.

**Mayank:** (He squinted at Rudra with pure suspicion.) **“Massi, *ye uncle aapke room mein kya kar rahe*? (Maasi, what is this uncle doing in your room?)”**

I blinked. Before I could even answer, the bomb dropped.

**Mayank:** **“*Aur ye kamar kyu pakdi thi aapki pehle?* (And why was he holding your waist earlier?)”** he added innocently, looking straight at Rudra.

I choked on my own breath. **This kid. This CBI level detective.**

Rudra’s jaw flexed. The air changed.

[RUDRA’S PERSPECTIVE]**

The chocolate goblin crossed the line.

I slowly stood up. Straightened my black shirt. Rolled my wrist once. Dark aura mode: **ON.**

I crouched to his eye level. Looked the little man dead in the eyes, letting every inch of my 6'2 frame feel tall and intimidating.

**Rudra:** (In a deep, even tone, letting the 'prince' authority seep in.) **“Because, she is my wife. Okay, little one?”**

Mayank’s eyes widened. I continued, letting the grin form slowly—a slow, predator's smirk.

**Rudra:** **“Now get lost before I hang you upside down and use you as a wind chime for the bridal suite.”**

Mayank blinked. Looked at me. Looked at Ishita. Looked back at me.

Then screamed: **“MUMMYYYYY RUDRA UNCLE PAKKA DARAWANE HAIN!!! (Mummy! Rudra uncle is definitely scary!!!)”**

And sprinted out like a tornado.

[ISHITA’S PERSPECTIVE]**

I was covering my mouth trying not to laugh. Trying—and *failing*.

**Ishita:** **“Wind chime?! Really, Rudra? You scared him half to death!”** I finally managed between gasps.

He stood tall again, adjusted his cuffs like a villain in a movie, and walked over to me with pure authority in his steps.

**Rudra:** **“He asked. And he needed a definitive answer that would ensure he never crosses this threshold again.”**

**Ishita:** **“Toh *sach bol diya* (So you told the truth)?”** I asked softly, teasingly. **“Wife?”**

He cupped my face with both hands, leaning close till our foreheads touched. His eyes were burning, but the intent was pure, fierce protection.

**Rudra:** **“If I can’t say it in front of your chocolate agent, then what’s the point of keeping it a secret from everyone else? You think I enjoy hiding you? I tolerate it, Ishita, only because you asked.”**

My heart fluttered violently. I whispered, almost breathless: **Ishita:** **“So... not just secret flirting and stolen kisses? You actually admitted me?”**

His grip on my face tightened a bit as he brushed his thumb across my lower lip.

**Rudra:** **“No. You're mine. Fully. Entirely. Emotionally. Physically. Even when you send me ice cream pictures just to tempt me into bad food choices. You are the only weakness I accept.”**

I giggled and wrapped my arms around him, burying my face in his neck, the expensive cologne washing over me. **Ishita:** **“Toh *ab bataun sabko* (So, should I tell everyone)?”**

He smirked darkly, holding me tight. **Rudra:** **“Not yet. Let’s enjoy this secret… for a little longer. Let them wonder. But next time your nephew walks in—”**

**Ishita:** **“What will you do?”** I raised a brow, challenging him playfully.

He kissed my forehead and whispered, the words vibrating deep within my skull. **Rudra:** **“Lock the damn door. And then, I'll remind my 'wife' exactly why she belongs in my bed and not running around making other men’s brides beautiful.”**

**Ishita:** **“Challenge accepted, Mr. Rathore. See you at dinner. I need to leave before your scary aura chases away the rest of my cousins.”**