Chapter - Beneath the armour of pride

Chapter - Beneath the armour of pride

The road was empty. The truck was long gone . Only the harsh glow of headlights cut through the night and the distant roaring of wild animals wrapped the atmosphere in something eerie…. Creepingly alive .

Prithvi's car slices through the darkness like a storm that had lost its direction. His hands were tight on the steering wheel; his knuckles went pale. He wasn't chasing her to control her.

He was chasing her because something had lodged itself deep in his chest …fear .

Not Fear of losing power. Not Fear of losing pride .

But fear of losing her . Fear of being misunderstood by the only person who mattered .

“She's scared of you. That's why she ran away.” His instincts mocked him, merciless . “ If something happens to her…. I'll never forgive myself.” He whispered in his mind. Guilt clogged in his throat like poison.

It was then—

He saw it.

He slammed the horn,the siren screamed into the night ..not in anger..But in panic.

He increases the speed of the car faster, trying to overtake her …to stop her , to save her , to reach her before fate did.

But , alas! …it was too late.

Her car skidded. The tyres screeched . And before he could even breathe..

It crashed into a tree.

His voice echoed in the darkness.

“ Sanyogita…” The name tore out of him like a solicitation and a curse together.

He slammed the brakes and almost jumped out , not even bothering to shut the door . His shoes hit the peach road , and his body was moving faster than he thought. As he approached the wreckage , smoke rose faintly . Prithvi's heart almost stopped .The world went silent around him.

He saw her glimpse in the car's dim bulb , her body slumped forward . Her forehead was resting against the steering wheel . Her hair was tangled across her face. Her lips slightly parted .

Time stood still. For a moment, Prithvi stood motionless . His eyes were vacant.

Then his consciousness alarmed, his breath broke. His hands trembled as he gripped the door handle. It wouldn't open .

Locked .

“ No,,noo..no..”

He put his hand on his waist . He yanked again, harder this time . But nothing worked. His chest tightened with panic, and he shot up heavily , almost as if pressed beneath a stone . He didn't think so. He didn't calculate . As if that calm , controlled Prithviraj Singhaniya had vanished. He behaved like a man who was about to lose the only thing he couldn't afford to replace. Just in a single breath, his fist pierced the window .

CRACK!

The window shattered, and the glass sprayed like rain. His hand turned red . Blood came out of the brush but he seemed to not bother .

He shoved his hand inside, ignoring the cuts , and he unlocked the door from within. The door swung open , with a click .

Prithvi leaned in instantly, his arms gliding smoothly around her unconscious body . Her skin felt cold against his . He understood because of the shock and trauma.

His breathing faltered.”

“Sanjh..” He tapped her palm on her cheeks “…look at me…”

Her eyes remained shut .Blood slid down her temple , fresh and warm , trickling over the dashboard. He gently lifted her head , checking her pulse with shaking fingers. It was still there .

A heave of sigh escaped his lips . But the blood—the blood made his vision blur. He pulled her out carefully, his arm supporting her neck, and the other out below her waist . Her head lolled against his shoulder.His chest was damp with her blood . Prithvi tightened his hold instinctively.

“ I'm here…I'm here …I'll let nothing happen to you .” His voice stuttered .

For a moment,he stood there still holding her tight in his arms, staring at her calm face - smeared with blood , bruises, closed eyes. And the guilt and shame tore through him, his heart twisted. Because this wasn't a traitor. This was her .And she was here because of him .The monster within him had frightened her .

Prithvi carried her tongue car , and placed her in the backseat gently, adjusting her hoodie cap , his hands brushing hair away from her forehead with trembling fingers.

Then he got in. Drove like the devil himself was chasing him.

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The hospital atmosphere was too clean , too silent ,a huge contrast to the chaos whipping in his chest .

Doctors rushed , nurses moved fast , words blurred into medical language . Prithvi stood outside her room like a man rescued from death. But his amber eyes were burning with unshed emotions. He didn't move . Didn't even sit . His breathing grew restlessness with the passing minutes. His shirt sleeves were rolled up . His knuckles were brushed from the tiny cuts from shattered glass imprinted in his skin . But he didn't care . Because the only thing he could see was her …lying on the hospital emergency bed .. unconscious .

A doctor finally came out. Prithvi stepped forward instantly.

“Doctor, how is my wife now?”

The doctor glanced at him “ Don't worry, Mr, Singhaniya. Just a minor concussion. There's a small cut on the forehead. But she'll be fine .“

Prithvi's lungs finally dragged in the air . But relief didn't come easily. Not fully. Because “fine” didn't erase the horror which he'd witnessed tonight. Even after she was alright, the scene would always be imprinted in her brain . Deadly and unforgettable.

The doctor continued, in a professional tone “ She's under observation for now . She may feel dizzy when she wakes up . But make sure she is calm . Not in stress .”

Prithvi's jaw tightened. No stress. A faint laugh formed in the corner of his lips, almost bitterly. “ Because he was her stress . He was her fear . He was the reason she had faced an accident.

Prithvi nodded anyway, a gesture he understood as the Doctor's advice.

“ Thank you , Doctor.” He said,courteously.

Once the doctor left , Prithvi stood alone again. His reflection on the glass window of the corridor looked unfamiliar. In that fragile moment, he didn't look like a businessman. Not even a monster. Just a man drowning in guilt.

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Pale sunlight streamed inside through the half-drawn curtains , touching the marble floor like a quiet apology that didn't know how to warm anything.

Sanyogita's eyelids fluttered. Once …then twice ..Her eyes hurt , to see under the white light .

The smell of strong antiseptics of betadine, cold and clean filled her nostrils . Nothing like home .

A dull ache throbbing behind her forehead, deep and heavy, as if someone had pressed a stone against her skull. She tried to stir a little but the world seemed to be tilted. The walls shifting, the ceiling spinning slightly out of place . Her throat felt dry . Her tongue tasted faintly metallic.

She blinked again, slower this time , trying to understand her whereabouts. A soft beep..beep…beep came from somewhere near her head…steady annoyingly loud in the silence.

Her eyes then shifted towards her left hand . A thin pink plastic cannula was inserted into her skin, and its mouth was connected to a transparent thin IV line .Clear fluid dropped in lazily , in slow rhythm, one drop at a time . A faint pain spiked slightly across her hand when she curled her fingers.

Suddenly pain shot up in her forehead. She winced short and lifted her hand instinctively..only to feel a thick dressing wrapped near her hairline. The bandage was snug,clean …but underneath it , her skin throbbed.

“ Ah…” a broken whimper escaped her mouth.

Immediately, the curtains rustled.

A nurse stepped in, she was in her mid-thirties, hair neatly tied back. Her calm face in that practice was carried by the hospital staff. As she walked straight to the monitor, glanced at the screens for vitals , then her face shifted to Sanyogita.

“Mada?” Are you awake? ..how are you feeling now?” Her voice was wrapped with gentle comfort but alert.

Sanyogita swallowed hard as her lips shook “ W…where..” Her voice came out hoarse .” Where am I?”

“ Hospital,” the nurse replied while adjusting the drip clamp slightly. “ You met with a minor accident. As if on cue, the room swayed again when Sanyogita tried to lift her head. She stopped mid-way. The nurse pulled the bed rail up a little and placed a pillow behind her shoulder, just in case she fell .

“ Don't try to sit up quickly, okay!. You'll feel dizzy. You have a small cut on your forehead.” She explained calmly.” We cleaned it and dressed it . You also have a mild head injury…the doctor said it's a minor concussion. That's why you're feeling giddy.”

“Concussion “ The word sank into Sanyogita's mind as a pebble dropped into still water

She blinked, “ Con..cussion?” She whispered, as if the word itself hurt .

“Yes , it's mild .” The nurse reassured quickly. “luckily No internal bleeding happened. And your CT scan also came out normal. But you need rest . No stress, no phone cause the screen will be a little bit problematic for your eyes and also no sudden movement.”

Sanyogita’s brows knit together. “CT scan…?” she repeated, confused.

The nurse nodded. “Yes , Madam. Head injury mein karna padta hai. Just to be safe.”

As she leaned back against the bedhead, her eyes stayed locked at the ceiling again, trying to stitch the last memory together.

The Night ,...dark road , the truck , headlights and a sudden beam …her car …

Her stomach twisted with familiar fear. She tried to turn her head but pain tugged at her neck. She sucked in a sharp breath.

The nurse observed her difficulty “ Kya dard zada hai?”

Sanyogita nodded faintly.

The nurse checked the line, then reached for the syringe already prepared on a tray. “ I'll give you an analgesic via IV.You'll feel better in a few minutes.”

Sanyogita watched the nurse open the cap of her Cannula and just as the syringe mouth inserted the plastic tip of it , she winced in pain near her wrist . The nurse pushed the medication slowly. The coolness travelled up her arm, spreading faintly through her veins like a quiet wave .

“Sister…” she whispered quickly, voice shaking. “Mere saath… kaun aaya tha?”

The nurse paused for half a second, then answered as if it was obvious. “Aapke husband.”

Sanyogita’s breath caught. Her once weak heart

“No…” she mouthed, but no sound came out. Her eyes went wide, while her limbs were shaking unevenly.

The nurse smiled softly, misleading her expression. “ He was there for the whole night. He was looking very worried, madam. He himself carried you here . His own hand is even brushed by the glass pieces and it's bleeding slightly.”

Sanyogita's fingers curled beneath the blanket, she caught the bedsheet tightly. Her mind flashed with his gun, his cold voice . His grip on her throat and her last words..

“ Mere pass mat aana…

The door handle clicked suddenly.

Sanyogita’s whole body stiffened. For a moment, she forgot to take a breath. Her heart was hammering wildly.

The nurses turned. Sir,..she’s awake.”

Bootsteps echoed in the empty room. Heavy , controlled and dangerously creepy.

Sanyogita didn't dare to look immediately. Because she knew if she did, ..she feared she would see that same face from the warehouse. The same haunting gaze that had watched a man's life burn like it was nothing.

He didn't speak immediately. Prithvi stood there as it was . In his life he'd never felt that filthy and cruel as the moment he was seeing her in the hospital bed .

He watched her abrupt shift in her demeanour . She was sitting quietly, at least pretending to be . However, she didn't look at him . No usual warmth of morning greetings. His sharp eyes noticed, movement of her throat, moving up and down in fear . Frequent blinking of her sacred eyes.

Those were praying hard , he shouldn't be there . He didn't deserve to take a space in the room.

However, his voice came , low, careful, stripped of command.

“ Sanjh…”

Surprise etched over her face. Not because of the name he addressed her , but from the tone that didn't sound like ownership today. Instead, it sounded like regret.

Sanyogita turned her head slowly, just enough to see him from the corner of her eyes.

Prithvi stood near the foot of the end. There was something off in his features. In his composure. No reflection of “ I'm ruling the world".

His hair was messy, jaw rough with stubble, his eyes red—not from sleep, but from something worse.

It was the first time Sanyogita showed ..his eyes softened, tried . Her gaze slowed down from his jaw dropping face to his chest..the fabric around it was stained with blood.

However, his steady gaze remained fixed on the bandage on her forehead.

Not on her lips. Not even on her gorgeous eyes . But only at her injured spot. As if looking at it hurt him more than it hurt her.

They were both stared at each other , unblinking, utterless. Neither dare to break their fragile silence.

Their private gaze halted only by a soft cough. The nurse cleared her throat gently.

“ I'll come back in a few minutes. Sir, you can talk to your wife .”

As she left , the door shut behind her, the silence consumed the room again. Except the monitor's steady beeping.

Beep… beep… beep.

Sanyogita’s fingers tightened around the blanket involuntarily.

However, Prithvi didn’t move closer. He stayed where he was . His head hung low just once . When he lifted his face , to meet her gaze, he hesitated, almost pleading.

“ I won't take much time for you." He whispered staring at her " Bas …just listen to me ..once”

Sanyogita's pulse quickened . She swallowed hard . She didn't answer. Her eyes flickered to the door just once then back to him .

Prithvi read her fear the way he used to read boardrooms , quick, sharp and calculative .But this time… it didn't feel like victory.

It felt like punishment.

His face muscle taut like something inside him had necrosed. His pride of control gradually dissolved like a throne turning into dust .

“ You don't need to be scared of me. Sanjh." he said, softly . But the words itself sounded wrong to him. Hollow. Weightless .

Because last night…what she had seen , his single liner couldn't erase that memory.

Suddenly he spun around, and locked the door.

Click.

The sound was small.

But in Sanyogita’s mind, it landed like another gun being loaded. Her breath hitched. Her shoulders drew back against the pillow, defensive and trembling.

When Prithvi turned, he was startled. She was shaking with the familiar fear. And her fear only deepened his guilt.

“ W-why did you… lock the door?" Sanyogita's voice stuttered

His hand fell back into his pocket, a habit.

“ Sanjh…” his voice faltered slightly" I locked it because—” he swallowed hard, his throat bobbed with self hatred. " Because I don't want anyone to come in while I talk. Not because I want to…trap you .”

The word itself sounded like an alarm.

Sanyogita shivered . Her lips trembled , to speak but nothing came out . Her pulse was throbbing faster in her ear than the monitor.

Prithvi took one step back instead of forward.

“ Sanjh.." he said quietly “ I won't touch you. " His voice shattered ." I would rather kill myself than think about hurting you.”

Sanyogita stared at him straight, his heart pounding violently. She couldn't believe her ear, Viraj…Prithviraj Singhaniya was saying that to her.

Her voice came immediately, rather than later.” And you already did.”

The words were small. But they sliced him open. Prithvi’s face went pale. His jaw clenched, pulse throbbing in his temple. Guilt flooding his amber eyes.

“I know…” he whispered" I lost control,” he paused, then said again " I thought it was someone else .I forgot it was you " His voice turned hoarse.

“And that one second… will haunt me forever.” Sanyogita swallowed hard. Wet warmth clogged in her eyes.

Her eyes burned.“You’re dangerous…”

Prithvi acknowledged slowly.“I know.”

“That’s why I keep everyone at a distance.” His eyes held hers.“But you…”

His voice lowered, softer, almost helpless.“You were never supposed to be afraid of me.”

Sanyogita’s lips trembled.Her voice came out broken.

“Then why are you like this, Viraj?”

That name, that nickname—

Hit him like a punch.Because last night he had screamed at her not to call him that. But today… hearing it sounded like she hadn’t completely abandoned him.

Prithvi exhaled shakily.

And finally…

He began. “ Sanjh…”Prithvi’s throat moved. “ I want to tell you something…

He paused , as if trying to swallow something sharp “ Which I've never shared to anyone…

Sanyogita stared, her heart racing terribly . Still her words came in a hint of curiosity and fear .“What… what is it?”

Her eyes glistened with unshed emotions. Some part of her wanted to press the bell, to call the nurse. To escape. Yet another part of her..wants him to stay. The part still reminded him how he twisted the producer's filthy hand from her skin. Her teammates on the set were whispering low “ Prithviraj Singhaniya the devil"

She couldn't believe them earlier.

But last night she saw his dangerous side…

And now…the same man stood in front of her with face hung down , shoulder stiff, eyes pleading like he didn't deserve to be seen .

Yet , as if he was asking for mercy. Not forgiveness. Not even love .

Just …one chance to speak. Something he'd hidden from the world. Something he hadn't even dared to confess to his own family.

Why?”

She stared at him confused . As if her heart was in dilemma whether to hate him ..or hold him. The very thought of his secret swept a strange tickling through her nerves .

Prithvi's voice dropped slowly, laced with regret.

“ I didn't hurt that man because I enjoyed it."

Sanyogita flinched at the mention . A memory she couldn't erase even if she tried.

“You destroyed that man…” she whispered, disgust thick in her voice . Each word shaking, as if it was being dragged out of an old wound . “You ruined him. His family… his life… like it meant nothing.”

Her chest rose and fell unevenly . However, this time she didn't flinch. She held her ground, strongly even though her body was shaking with fear and loathing.

“You punished a man…” Her voice cracked, then steadied, “by taking advantage of his vulnerability .”

Her eyes burned, sharp with accusation. “Do you think it makes you God?”

Her nostrils flare and unflare in disbelief “Destroying his factory…the way you conveyed everything to him…”

Her lips curled with a sarcastic smirk while fear in her turned into anger. “ As if you weren't even human. “ She looked straight at him “ like a cold monster.”

Prithvi stood rooted . For a second , the air between them abruptly tightened.

His jaw clenched. Something ugly churned inside him. Vicious and defensive . Blood gathered in his eyes.

“Don’t ever call me that!” he roared. His gaze hit her like a blade .. so intense it felt like it could pierce her skin and bone .

Then ..just as quickly his voice dropped . His anger dissolved into restraint . Self-control.

Sanyogita shivered at his tone. Her eyes shone not with tears… but with shock that had turned into something colder growing underneath.

Like he was trying to hold his darkness in place with sheer will.

Guilt spiked through Prithvi’s body , nevertheless his expression didn’t soften.

It sharpened instead…" He stabbed me from behind,” he said.

His voice was flat. Controlled. But the control wasn't from arrogance anymore. Protective and defensive instead .

Sanyogita stared at him,unmoving . Her gaze dropped briefly to his hands.The same hands that had covered her mouth. Pinned her. Held a gun to her head.Her mouth went dry . However she didn't look away.

Prithvi shut his eyes for a second. He swallowed the pang of bitterness in his throat. Pain crossed his face as he continued.“I know what you saw.”

He opened his eyes again, and they were raw.“Last night… I scared you.”

Sanyogita’s throat tightened. He didn’t reply. She just stared.

Her eyes were glossy, her fingers clenched around the bedsheet so tightly her knuckles turned pale.

Prithvi swallowed deep , and then… he started. “I wasn’t born like this.”

A bitter smile touched his lips for half a second. “I was… used to having a normal life like other teenagers”

His gaze drifted to the window, as if the past was written there. “I used to laugh… I used to trust people.”

His voice hardened. “But trust… is a luxury, Sanjh.”

Sanyogita flinched at the nickname.Not because it hurt. Because it still felt too intimate for someone she was scared of.

Prithvi noticed her reaction and instantly softened.

“I’m sorry…” he whispered. “I won’t—”

“No…” her voice came small, trembling. “Say it…”

Prithvi froze. Her words were quiet…but they gave him permission. He nodded once. His eyes returned to her face. “I learned early that in my world…”

His voice dipped darker. “People don’t just want your money.They want your weakness.”

He took a breath. “Once… I showed mine.” His fingers curled into a fist.“And someone used it.”

Sanyogita’s lips parted slightly.

Prithvi continued, voice rough.

“My father…”

He paused.

For the first time, the name didn’t come with pride. It came with pain.

“He wasn’t like me at all .He was soft. Untouchable of sin ”His eyes turned distant. “He believed in giving people chances.”

His jaw clenched.“And that’s why they destroyed him.”

Sanyogita’s throat tightened, her finger clutched the bedsheet tightly.

Prithvi’s voice dropped.

“One day… someone very close to us betrayed him.”

He stayed at a distance like he was afraid of himself, hands in his pockets, gaze fixed somewhere over her shoulder—anywhere except her eyes, because her fear still sat there like a wound.

Then his voice lowered ,less like a warning, more like a confession he’d buried for years.

“When I was in school… My father had a friend. His business friend ” his eyes flicked to her face briefly, then to the IV line tabbed in her hand",a family friend as well . The kind who ate at our table. The kind my father trusted enough to sign papers without reading every line.”

Sanyogita forgot to breathe for a moment . Her eyes stared at unblinking , shock and surprise etched on her face .

Prithvi continued, tone controlled but rough underneath. His eyes blink once ..then twice , a helpless heave exhaled his lips ..

“That man didn’t stab him with a knife. He stabbed him with documents.”

He paused, as if choosing how much truth to give her.

“He forged guarantees. Diverted funds through shell vendors. Leaked our tender pricing to rivals. By the time we caught it… the banks had already tightened. Our largest client backed out. Suppliers stopped giving credit.”

Sanyogita’s eyes widened, the horror dawning slowly.

“Business betrayal wasn’t dramatic on the surface , yet it killed people quietly.”

Prithvi’s voice turned colder, not because he lacked feeling , because he had too much.

“Do you know what it looks like when a man watches everything he built collapse… and can’t even tell his family because he’s ashamed?”

Sanyogita couldn’t answer.

Prithvi’s gaze dropped, and for the first time his control slipped in his voice.

“My father started waking up at night. Panic attacks. He’d sit in his study till morning, staring at files like they were coffins. People think depression looks like weakness.”

His throat bobbed.

“It doesn’t. It looks like a strong man losing his grip… one day at a time.”

Sanyogita’s breath caught.

Prithvi’s eyes hardened again like armor snapping back into place.

“That betrayal didn’t come from an enemy,” he said. “It came from someone inside our home. That’s why it hurts. Because the hand that destroys you is usually the hand you once held without fear.”

The words landed like a slap on Sanyogita’s face. Heat flooded her cheeks.Because she knew, suddenly, what betrayal looked like from the other side.

“I married him to escape my father… I walked into his life with my own hidden reasons…” she thought. Guilt burning her throat.

Prithvi didn’t notice her shame . He stared ahead towards the window, voice turning quieter.

“He attempted …suicide .”

Sanyogita’s eyes snapped up. “What?” her body shrouded . She felt like her heart was sinking in water.

Prithvi didn’t look at her. His face stayed still, but his hands clenched inside his pockets.

“He didn’t tell anyone,” he said. “I found him.”

Silence.

Sanyogita’s body went icy cold with fear.

His mouth twisted, pain he refused to name.

“By the time I turned twenty… he was gone. Not because of the business. Because he couldn’t live with what betrayal did to him.”

Sanyogita’s lips parted, stunned.

Prithvi finally looked at her. And in his eyes was something terrible . Not cruelty. Not pride. A boy who still blamed himself.

“He wasn’t there at my graduation,” he said softly. “He wasn’t there when I made my first big decision. And I hate myself for it because I couldn’t save the one person I loved most.”

Sanyogita’s eyes glistened. One tiny drop fell over her left cheek but it was like she forgot to notice.

Prithvi inhaled slowly, forcing the emotion back down like swallowing fire. His eyes welled up yet neither of them dared to fall.

“That’s when I learned a lesson,” he said, voice steady again. “Not from books. From a funeral.”

He held her gaze now—direct, unflinching.

“Never give a traitor a second chance. Because the first time, they test your trust. The second time… they finish you.”

Sanyogita’s voice trembled. “But what you did last night—”

“I didn’t kill him,” Prithvi cut in, controlled. “I gave him the same thing he tried to give me.”

He leaned a fraction forward, but stopped himself, respecting her boundary.

“He tried to ruin my name, my people, my company. So I used my power , the system, and the consequences he thought he could dodge.”

A pause.

“And yes,” he admitted, quieter, “sometimes I push harder than the law would… because I’ve seen what happens when you let betrayal walk away smiling.”

Sanyogita stared at him, breathing shallowly.

Prithvi’s voice softened, just a little.

“I rebuilt everything after my father. It took years. I finished my degree, fought cases, negotiated with banks, brought investors back, cleaned the mess.”

He didn’t brag. He stated it like a fact that cost him blood.

“Today the Singhaniya Group stands strong again,” he said. “And I will protect it with rules, with law… and with my last breath, if I have to.”

Sanyogita’s eyes didn’t leave his face.Her eyes stayed on his face like she was trying to read the man behind the monster.

Prithvi lifted his gaze . His eyes were beetroot , not from tears ..but from battles He spoke about.

“I promised myself…” His voice sharpened, turning firm. “No one will ever touch my family again.”

Sanyogita whispered, barely audible , like she was afraid of the answer"So you became… this?”

Prithvi nodded once . “Yes. I became the kind of man people fear.”

His jaw clenched ,as if he could feel his father’s shadow behind him , watching, judging… and still proud of the power.

His gaze locked on her. “Because fear is the only thing that stops wolves from hunting.”

He leaned forward just enough to make her breath catch. “And monsters ..only understand one language..” His expression darkened “Fear.”

Sanyogita’s hands trembled.

She whispered, almost to herself, “So this… this devil side… is your shield?”

Prithvi’s gaze dropped.

“It started as a shield,” he said. “Then one day… it became a habit.”

He looked up again, voice breaking just slightly.

“But I swear to you, Sanjh..whatever I am outside… I never wanted you to become afraid of me.”

Sanyogita stared at him, stunned. Because now she wasn’t only seeing the monster. She was seeing the wound that created him. And that scared her in a different way.

Prithvi’s gaze softened as if he could send her energy. His shoulders dropped.

And his voice came out like surrender.

“I’m not asking you to forgive me.”

Sanyogita’s eyes widened.

Prithvi continued, quiet. “I’m not asking you to trust me even.”

He looked up at her. “But I am asking you…” His voice shook. “Don’t hate me for being scared.”

Sanyogita’s lips parted. Goosebumps spread down her spine.

Prithvi’s throat tightened. “I saw your face last night…”

His voice broke. “You looked at me like I was a nightmare.”

He took a breath, forcing control. “And maybe I am.”

Sanyogita whispered.

“Viraj…”

He flinched. Not in anger. In pain. Because her voice didn't sound like hatred.It sounded like…she still remembered the man he used to be .She swallowed hard , forcing air into her lungs .

Her voice trembled, fragile but honest. “ Why do you care so much ?”

Prithvi’s eyes darkened, as if with her asking something settled deeper. “ Because you matter to me..” He whispered, quietly meeting his eyes with her. “ More than you know.”

Sanyogita’s heart thudded violently. Surprise and fascination filled in her eyes. Her head tilted slightly, involuntarily.

Prithvi blinked once as he immediately corrected, voice rough.

“I mean… since the day you walked into my life…”

His voice dropped quietly , carefully, “ Your safety is my responsibility.”

He cleared his throat, before adding further “ And marriage ..” he swallowed , like the word itself was heavy, “ is a commitment.”

His expression turned firm. “ And I always keep my promises .“

His amber eyes held her captivate, steady , unflinching. “For me, rishtey…” he whispered like a vow , “ aren't meant written on papers only . They're the constitution of a family…the thing that holds it together when everything else apart.”

Sanyogita’s breath caught. She stared at him , unblinking…She didn’t know whether to cry… or run.

“I don't know how to survive. If you leave” he said to himself.

Prithvi wanted to speak more to tell her , but the truth stuck in his mouth. Dangerous, soft, and humiliating.

What she had become to him.

Silence stretched awkwardly . Thick, heavy with guilt, grief and fear of betrayal.With everything neither of them brave enough to conceal.

As he finished his words, she sat still , frozen. Her fingers twisting into the bedsheet like it was the only thing anchoring her to the room . Because she was lagging behind in words.

A man who had carried storms everyday, alone no amount of words could heal that spot .A man who stood unbreakable for everyone else …

But he was standing before her as if he was one breath away from shattering. And if that strong man broke..

Who would hold him then ?

Sanyogita shivered. Tears slid down her cheeks , silent, unstoppable. And that terrified her more than last night's gun ever had . Because fear was simple. But what she saw in his eyes was regret. Longing.

Something deeper than violence. Something that could destroy both of them in a softer way .

His amber eyes stayed locked at her . His gaze was heart piercing, red around the edges. Like she was the only thing in the world that could either save him …or ruin him completely.

Sanyogita’s lips trembled.She inhaled, shaking. She couldn't keep him in the dark. If she did, no one would be as bad as her . Not after hearing this . Not after seeing the innocent boy behind the beast .

Decision hardening in her chest.

She wiped her tears with trembling fingers.

“Viraj…” she whispered.

Prithvi’s eyes flicked to her instantly.

Suddenly—there was

Knock! Knock!

Both of them froze.

The nurse’s voice came from outside.

“Ma’am? Are you okay? I heard voices.”

Sanyogita wiped her tears quickly.

Prithvi’s eyes flickered to the lock.

He unlocked the door instantly.

The nurse entered.

Prithvi stepped back, expression returning to cold control like a mask. But his eyes…

His eyes were still on Sanyogita. Like he was afraid she’d disappear the moment he blinked.

The nurse checked her vitals.

“Everything is stable.”

Then she smiled politely at Prithvi.

“You can stay, sir… but please don’t stress her.”

Prithvi nodded once.

“No stress,” he said quietly

The nurse left again.And the door clicked shut.

Sanyogita’s gaze returned to him.