Rudraksh had been trying to call Anushka for hours, frustration building with each unanswered attempt.
Just as his patience wore thin, his phone lit up with a message. A sigh of relief escaped him when he saw the sender—Anushka.
"Meet me at Crown Lake at 12 PM… I’ll be waiting for you."
A slow smile spread across his lips as he quickly typed back.
"I’ll be there, sweetheart. But first, tell me you’re alright…"
Her reply was almost immediate.
"I’m good… milke baat karte hain."
"As you wish, my love ❤️," Rudraksh typed, feeling reassured.
Ranvijay scoffed reading the message, rolling his eyes before tossing the phone onto the couch.
“Bloody bastard…” he muttered, shaking his head.
Sanyukta, who was sitting beside him, sighed. “Ranvijay, this is not right.”
He turned to her with an arched brow and a smirk. “Aur jo yeh chal raha hai, woh Ramayan ka ek adhyay hai na? That bastard is trying to manipulate my sister against us and I should just sit and watch. ?” He scoffed.
Sanyukta frowned. “But Anu will be furious when she finds her phone missing.”
Ranvijay let out a chuckle, stretching his arms over the back of the couch. “Who said her phone is missing? I only took out her SIM, not her kidneys.” He took a lazy sip of his coffee. “She won’t suspect a thing. All her calls and messages will still come through… just redirected.”
She narrowed her eyes. “Redirected? What exactly have you done?”
He smirked, clearly enjoying himself. “Simple. I saved one of my female assistants' numbers in her phone under the name ‘Rudraksh.’ Same name, same profile picture, same ‘miss you jaan’ nonsense.” He stretched his legs. “She’ll be talking to my assistant, thinking it’s her Romeo. And meanwhile… I’ll be talking to Rudraksh as Anu.”
Her jaw dropped. “You’re chatting with him?”
Ranvijay gave her a mock serious nod. “Of course. Research toh zaroori hai. Dekhte hain, Romeo ki love story kitni genuine hai.” He chuckled darkly. “Aur agar mujhe thoda entertainment bhi mil jaye, toh bonus.”
Sanyukta stared at him, aghast. “This is so wrong!”
He placed a hand over his heart in fake offense. “Arrey, what’s wrong? Main toh bas truth and justice ke liye kaam kar raha hoon. Bar council ke ethics se ek inch bhi idhar udhar nahi ho raha.”
She shook her head. “But what about Anu’s old chats? What if she notices something’s missing?”
He waved a dismissive hand. “No problem. Aarvi sambhal legi.”
Sanyukta frowned. “Aarvi? How can a four-year-old handle this?”
Ranvijay burst out laughing. “Aarvi koi aam bacchi nahi hai, Biwi .” He leaned in conspiratorially. “Uske paas sabke phone ka face lock aur fingerprint access hai. Pata nahi kaise karti hai, but she has access to everyone's phone , she is like a mini spy for me .”
Sanyukta gasped. “You’re joking!”
Ranvijay smirked. “Not at all. Pichli baar Anu ka phone format sirf isliye kiya tha kyunki usko naye games download karne the.” He shook his head. “Ek second bhi nahi socha. Jaise aam ka chilka utaar rahi ho.”
Sanyukta’s eyes widened. “And Anu won't get suspicious?”
He chuckled. “Nahi. Uska dimaag already itna messed up hai ki usko notice karne ka time nahi milega. By the time she wakes up, she’ll see a flood of messages from ‘Rudraksh’—my assistant—and she’ll be too busy replying to notice anything else.”
Sanyukta just stared at him in disbelief. “You are impossible.”
Ranvijay lifted his cup in a mock toast, his smirk widening.
“Impossible nahi, jaaneman—unstoppable.”
“Ye sab aapke dimaag mein aata kaise hai?” Sanyukta stared at him in disbelief. “You are so unethical!”
Ranvijay smirked, completely unfazed. “Well, biwi, I’ll take that as a compliment.” He stretched lazily before getting up. “Aur ab mujhe office ke liye nikalna hai.”
Sanyukta watched him, her frown deepening. “Mujhe laga tha kal ke incident ke baad aap bohot pareshan honge, but your relaxed behavior is scaring me even more… How can you behave more than normal?”
That made him laugh. A deep, amused chuckle that only added to her frustration.
“Aap Rudraksh se milne jaayenge?” she asked, her arms crossing.
Ranvijay simply shrugged. “Nahi.”
Her frown deepened. “Toh usse bulaya kyun hai? Woh bhi dopahar ke time, itni door?”
His smirk widened. “I want to test him to a level jahan vo completely frustrate ho jaaye… and show his real colors.”
Sanyukta blinked in surprise. “You planned this entire thing just to push him to his limit?”
He tilted his head, as if considering her words. “Exactly. My Smart Wifeyyy.”
She sighed, shaking her head. “Uff… jab bhi lagta hai ki main aapko samajh gayi hoon, aap mujhe phir se doubt karne par majboor kar dete hain.”
Ranvijay chuckled at her exasperation and, before she could react, leaned in and kissed her nose.
“Aap itna mat sochiye, Sanyukta jiii…” he drawled, his voice teasing. “All you have to do is take care of yourself, Avu, and—most importantly—your one and only, the precious, exclusive, smart, and ridiculously handsome husband.”
Sanyukta let out a giggle, shaking her head at his sheer self-obsession. “Unbelievable.”
Sanyukta shook her head playfully. “I always try to be calm and composed, but mere jo husband hain na… he does things in the most absurd way. I just can’t help but feel tense about it.”
Ranvijay smirked, pulling her closer and pinching her nose. “Why so? Don’t you trust your husband, Sanyukta jiii?”
She looked into his eyes, a soft sigh escaping her lips. “It’s not about trust. Its just… I’m highly aware of your ways to deal with things. And that really scares me.” The worry, the care, and the undeniable love in her gaze made him pause for a second.
He let out a dramatic sigh. “Ranvijay ki biwi toh bohot fattu nikli. Mujhe toh laga tha badi brave hai meri Sanyukta. She can deal with anything…” His voice turned teasing, but his fingers traced her cheek lovingly.
She smiled softly. “I’m only brave when I have you beside me. The mere thought of something happening to you makes me the most vulnerable person in the world.” Her voice was heavy with emotions, her eyes glistening with unshed tears.
Ranvijay’s smirk faded. His teasing expression shifted into something unreadable. “You’re making me your weakness, Sanyukta… But I’m just an additional support.” His voice was quieter, more serious. “When I met you, you were brave, courageous, and strong-headed. You don’t need me… you’re enough on your own. That’s what makes me proud of you.”
She shook her head, her grip tightening on his shirt. “Then why do I feel this way? Pehle itna dar nahi lagta tha jitna ab lagta hai. I never cried in the hardest of times, but now, even when you don’t talk to me, my tears become unstoppable.”
Ranvijay inhaled sharply, watching her carefully as she continued.
“I don’t want to be strong when you are there. I feel carefree, loved, and pampered around you. I feel incomplete and empty without you. I don’t even want to imagine a life where I have to survive without you. The mere thought makes me weak…”
Her voice trembled, and a silent tear escaped her eye.
“Ek time tha… main dhoka kha ke bhi sambhal gayi thi. Lekin ab mei aapse dur reh ke bhi toot jaaungi.” she confessed emotionally.
Ranvijay stiffened. He wasn’t expecting this. He had seen his loved ones getting emotional , he too understand emotions and got overwhelmed often , but this… this was different. This hit him in a way nothing else ever had.
His chest tightened, his mind blanked for a moment. For the first time in his life, Ranvijay didn’t know what to say. He had always known she loved him, but this… this depth of love, this vulnerability, this need—it left him stunned.
“You love me that much?” His voice was just a whisper.
Sanyukta nodded. “More than my life. More than anything… even more than Avu.”
A sharp breath left his lips as an unfamiliar wetness trailed down his cheek. He blinked. A tear? He hadn’t even realized when it escaped.
“Fk…**” he muttered, pressing a hand to his chest. “I feel so heavy right now… mujhe heart attack jaisa lag raha hai. Woman, you want to kill me with this kind of love?”
He sat on the edge of the bed, shaking his head in disbelief.
Sanyukta, despite her own tears, let out a soft chuckle.
Ranvijay looked up and smiled . “Come here.”
Without hesitation, she moved into his arms, settling on his lap as he held her tightly.
He exhaled deeply, pressing his forehead against hers. “Ab meri baat sun, itna pyaar mat kar. I cannot take this much love… it’s beyond my capacity.”
Grabbing her hand, he guided her palm over his chest. Her eyes widened in surprise. His heartbeat was racing—loud and erratic, as if he had just finished a marathon.
She caressed his chest, giggling.
“Main yahan Rudraksh ki band bajane ki planning kar raha tha, aur yahan meri khud ki fatt gayi hai tere dialogues sun ke.” He exhaled dramatically, making her giggle even more.
She leaned in and kissed his cheek. “Avu se zyada pyaar… uff.”
Ranvijay groaned, running a hand through his hair. “Main tujhe hurt nahi karna chahta, par sach bataun? I love him more than I love you. I can’t even compare the love.”
Sanyukta smiled, a deep warmth spreading in her chest. “Isi liye toh mujhe aur zyada pyaar aata hai aapke upar.”
He sighed. “Mujhe acha bhi lag raha hai sun ke, but main hil bhi gaya hoon. It’s like kisi ne mujhe jackpot deke 50th floor se dhakka de diya ho.”
She burst into laughter at his dramatic words.
He narrowed his eyes at her. “Ek kaam kar… meri drawbacks wali list bata de phir se. Shayd mujhe normal feel hone lage.”
That only made her laugh harder, to the point where her stomach started hurting. Ranvijay watched her, a wide smile tugging at his lips.
After a while, she managed to say, “You make me happy.”
Ranvijay exhaled, shaking his head with a fond smirk. “You drive me crazy.”
Sanyukta placed her palm over his chest and whispered, “You are my home.”
Ranvijay didn’t miss a beat. And you are the WiFi—sometimes unpredictable, but without you, life just doesn’t work."
Before she could react, he pulled her in for a kiss, silencing her with his lips—pouring every unsaid emotion into the moment.
Sanyukta melted into him, letting go of her doubts, her fears. The kiss deepened, slow and unhurried, filled with the kind of love that needed no words. When they finally pulled apart, foreheads resting against each other, her lips curved into a small, content smile.
"Biwi, your love is essential for my survival, but I also need to eat something… just to make sure my body doesn’t fall short on nutrition," Ranvijay remarked, pressing a light peck on her nose. Sanyukta giggled, warmth spreading through her chest at his playful affection.
"Agar aapki aagya ho toh, breakfast ke liye chale, Sanyukta jiiii?" he asked dramatically, bumping his forehead against hers in a teasing gesture. She smiled and nodded.
"Let them sleep… main baad mein utha dungi dono ko," Sanyukta said, glancing at Avu and Aarvi, making sure they remained undisturbed. With a final, tender look at their sleeping forms, she and Ranvijay headed downstairs.
The dining table was occupied by everyone—except Anu. A heavy silence blanketed the room, the tension from the previous night still thick in the air. Conversations were absent, replaced by quiet glances and unspoken concerns.
After breakfast, they moved to the hall, their thoughts revolving around the issue at hand.
"Papa… kya karna hai?" Ranveer finally asked, his voice tinged with worry. He had already recounted everything to his father, sparing no details.
Pratap remained silent for a moment before turning to Pushpa. "Ask Anu to come downstairs," he instructed. She gave a silent nod and made her way upstairs.
Meanwhile, Sanyukta stayed back with the kids, her presence providing them a sense of normalcy amidst the storm brewing downstairs.
Anjali sat beside Ranveer, lost in thought, her fingers nervously tracing patterns on her lap. How had they not seen this coming? A chill ran down her spine as she recalled something—Sanyukta had once mentioned contraceptive pills in passing.
As realization dawned, her palms turned clammy. The possibility of Anu being physically involved with Rudraaksh loomed over her like a dark cloud.
But she couldn’t just blurt it out—not when the situation was this delicate, this fragile.
Anu came downstairs, her eyes swollen and puffy, dark circles shadowing her pale face—evidence of a night spent crying.
Pratap gestured for her to take a seat beside Ranvijay, and she silently obliged, her movements hesitant.
"Kab se chal raha hai ye sab, Anu?" Pratap asked, his tone firm yet restrained. Hearing the distinct authority in her father's voice, Anu looked up, her teary eyes filled with apprehension.
"I… I am sorry, Papa… but trust me, he is really nice… and I lo—" she began, sobbing, but Ranvijay cut her off.
"Time period pucha hai… kab se chal raha hai, voh bol. 'Acha hai' and all, vo sab pata hai," he interrupted, his voice edged with frustration. Anu hiccupped, wiping her tears hastily.
"Nine months…" she admitted, her voice barely above a whisper.
A stunned silence filled the room. Ranvijay stared at her in disbelief.
"What?!" he exploded. "You’ve been in a relationship with him for that long?" His voice rose, making Anu flinch.
"Ranvijay!" Pratap warned, his sharp tone demanding calm. Ranvijay clenched his jaw, exhaling harshly as he tried to rein in his anger.
"Nine months, Anu… and still, his cousin had the audacity to misbehave with you? And that bastard did nothing about it?" Ranvijay's fists tightened, fury boiling beneath his skin.
"He did, Bhai! Rudraksh warned Vicky, and you had already beaten him so badly... It was Rudraksh who convinced Vicky’s father to take the case back against you,"** Anu argued, desperation lacing her voice.
"Bohot bada ehsaan kar diya… We are eternally grateful for the favor," Ranvijay scoffed. "But tell him that I’m not going to blackout… I know exactly what’s happening."
Anu sighed, her shoulders sagging.
"Fraud kahi ka… He’s using you, Anu. He wants me to withdraw the case now," Ranvijay huffed in frustration.
"Nahi, Bhai!" Anu protested. "Rudraksh never mentioned anything about the case!"
Ranvijay rolled his eyes. "Whatever it is, we will never accept this relationship." His gaze shifted to Pratap, seeking support. His father had remained silent until now.
Anu turned to him, her eyes pleading. "Papa, please! Don’t judge Rudraksh just because Vicky is his cousin. Meet him… meet his family. They are good people!" Her voice wavered with hope.
Pratap exhaled, his expression unreadable. "Anu, leave this matter to us. For now, focus on your studies. This is your final semester, and your exams are in a few months." His words were firm, leaving no room for argument.
Tears spilled down Anu’s cheeks. "I can’t study in this mental state, Papa… Please, just accept Rudraksh for my happiness! Ranveer Bhai and Ranvijay Bhai got to choose their partners… I want that too!" Her voice cracked, desperation seeping into her words.
Pratap’s expression softened, but his resolve remained intact. "Anu, I haven’t made any decision yet. We will find out about this guy on our own. But until everything is clear, you will not meet him. You need to promise me that." His tone was calm, but it held an undeniable authority.
Anu wiped her tears, hesitating for a moment before nodding.
"Have your breakfast and go to college," Pratap said, signaling the end of the discussion. Anjali took Anu’s hand and guided her toward the dining table.
Once Anu was out of earshot, Ranvijay turned to his father. "Papa… she’s being foolish. That bastard has brainwashed her! We know exactly what kind of people they are. Rudraksh and Vicky’s families are business partners in several ventures." His frustration was evident.
Pratap remained silent, while Ranveer finally spoke up. "They are… but we should at least meet them once. Rudraksh’s father has no criminal record, nor has Rudraksh’s name ever been involved in anything shady. How can you be so sure about his character, Ranvijay?"
Ranvijay clenched his jaw, his mind unwilling to entertain the possibility that Rudraksh wasn’t what he assumed.
Write a comment ...