Chapter 16 : Bad Newz

Two days later at the Khurana Mansion, the afternoon sun filtered through the curtains as Roshni prepared to change her twin boys' diapers. The routine was interrupted by a sharp knock at the door.

Maan stepped in, holding his phone out like a peace offering. He was notoriously meticulous about his dance routines and knew Roshni had the best ear for rhythm in the family.

"Bhabhi, I need your magic touch on this new playlist," he started, but Roshni cut him off with a mischievous glint in her eye.

"I’ll help you, Maan, but only on one condition," she gestured toward the twins. "Grab some wipes. You’re on diaper duty for your nephews."

Maan recoiled, scoffing as he reluctantly set his phone on the dresser. "Fine. But this right here? This is exactly why I don’t want kids. They become an excuse for everything—especially manual labor."

Roshni forced a light laugh, her heart hammering against her ribs.

As Maan grumbled and turned his attention to a kicking baby, she deftly swiped his phone. "I’ll be right back, just need a quick restroom break," she murmured, slipping away.

Inside the washroom, Roshni didn't waste a second. She entered the passcode she’d memorized weeks ago when she had "borrowed" his phone to order takeout. Her fingers flew across the screen:

• Gallery: Located the video. Delete.

• Trash: Empty.

• Cloud Storage: Found the backup. Permanent Delete.

She flushed the toilet to mask the silence and stepped out, only to nearly collide with Maan. He was standing right at the door, cradling Yash.

"Maan! You scared me," she gasped, clutching her chest. "What are you doing standing right in front of the door?"

Maan’s eyes narrowed slightly, though his tone remained casual. "Bhabhi, I think you took my phone by mistake."

"Oh, did I?" She pulled it from her pocket, feigning surprise. "I guess our phones got mixed up again. We have the same model, after all."

"But Bhabhi," Maan questioned, his curiosity piqued, "my case is neon blue. Yours is floral."

Roshni didn't miss a beat. "Arey, Devar ji! When nature calls and you’re in a rush, you don't stop to critique the phone cover. Mistakes happen. Now, give me my Yash baby. Where’s Yuvaan?"

"In the cradle," Maan muttered, handing over the baby.

She settled onto the sofa, tucked Yash into her arms, and spent the next twenty minutes patiently helping Maan refine his playlist, her pulse finally returning to a normal rhythm.

*

Once the house settled and the twins were finally lost in a deep slumber, Roshni retreated to the balcony and dialed Maira.

"Hello, Maira... it’s done," Roshni whispered, a wave of relief washing over her. "You don't need to worry anymore. The video is gone. I am so incredibly sorry that Maan put you in this position."

Maira’s voice was cold, hardened by the betrayal. "You don’t need to be sorry, Roshni. The only person who needs to be sorry is Maan. And trust me, I won’t be forgiving him for this anytime soon."

"I understand," Roshni sighed. "Please, try to focus on the happy moments. Give my regards to the newlyweds—congratulations to Rudra and Palki! You finally have a sister-in-law."

"I will. Thanks, Roshni."

"Take care of yourself, Maira."

"You too. Give my love to the twins."

Roshni smiled glancing at her twins before she hung up and looked back into the room at her sons. The secret was buried, and for now, as Maira's family was safe.

*

After few days later, on a Sunday afternoon, The Sharma Mansion was quiet as Rahul and Maira sat by the porch, the steam from their tea rising into the cool air. It was the first moment of stillness they’d shared since the wedding, but the calm was only on the surface.

"Maira, we need to talk about Maan," Rahul began, his voice low and steady as he set his cup down. "Watching him stand there at Rudra and Palki’s wedding, openly declaring his relationship with Maysha... it didn’t feel like a romantic gesture. It felt like a declaration of war."

Maira looked at him, her brow furrowed. "What do you mean, Papa?"

"It’s too calculated," Rahul explained, his gaze fixed on the horizon. "Think about it. Diya specifically told him to stay away from you—to remain a background guest. Instead, he chose the most public moment possible to pull Maysha into the spotlight. I have this sickening feeling that he’s turning into what I was years ago. He’s becoming Rahul 2.0, but with a much more dangerous edge. This wasn't a move made out of love; it was a deliberate power play."

He turned to look her directly in the eye. "Maysha needs to stay away from him. He isn't protecting her, Maira. He’s using her."

Maira leaned back against the porch railing, a weary sigh escaping her lips as she stared into her tea. "You aren't wrong, Papa. In fact, you’re more right than you know."

Rahul stiffened, his protective instincts flaring. "What has he done now?"

"He played a dirty trick," she whispered, her voice trembling with indignation. "He actually recorded an intimate moment between himself and Maysha. He’s been using it to blackmail me , by trying to force me to divorce Ishaan. He’s willing to burn Maysha's entire life down just to get what he wants."

Rahul’s jaw tightened, his fists clenching at his sides until his knuckles turned white. "That’s beyond a 'dirty trick,' Maira. That’s predatory. Have you spoken to Maysha about this? Does she realize the kind of person she’s tethering herself to?"

"There’s more, Papa," Maira said, leaning in closer. "Almost a month ago, just a day after we landed back in Mumbai, Roshni helped me. She managed to get hold of his phone and deleted the video from his gallery and his cloud storage. We got rid of his leverage."

She looked down at her phone, which had been buzzing incessantly. "Ever since the wedding, Maan has been hounding me. He’s constantly calling and texting, demanding to know if I’ve filed for divorce from Ishaan yet. I’ve just been ignoring him, but I’m terrified. If he finds out that Roshni was the one who deleted that video and helped me break free from his threat, I don't know what he’ll do next."

Maira looked away, a wave of guilt washing over her as she continued. "I haven't even been to Mom and Dad’s house yet to see her. Ever since we got back from Jaisalmer, I’ve been so consumed with just trying to get back to normalcy and dealing with the aftermath of the wedding. I haven't had a single moment for a real, one-on-one conversation with her."

Rahul’s expression grew even grimmer. "Then you cannot wait any longer, Maira. If Maan realizes the reason you’re ignoring him is because you’re no longer bound by his threat, he will lash out. And if he can't get to you, I don't know what he will do to Maysha."

He reached out, taking her hand firmly. "You have to talk her out of this. You have to make her see the truth and end her relationship with Maan as soon as possible. Before he again does something and someone gets hurt."

Maira took a final sip of her tea and stood up, her resolve hardening. "I'll go to Mom and Dad's house right now. I have to make her understand. Papa, please tell Mama I’ll come by for an evening chaat soon, but for now... this is important."

Rahul stood with her, reaching out to take her hand firmly. "Sambhal ke jaana, Maira. Tell the driver to go slow. Especially since now you have a life growing inside you."

Maira offered a small, radiant smile, her hand instinctively drifting to her stomach. She had only found out two days ago that she was pregnant. She had come today to share this joy with her parents, but now, that joy was the very thing she had to fight to protect.

"I will, Papa," she whispered.

She walked toward the car, the weight of her secret and her mission settled on her shoulders as she began the drive to her birth parents' home.

Maira stepped through the familiar entrance, the air here always carrying a different weight than her apartment. As she entered the foyer, she was immediately enveloped in the warmth of her birth parents, Mayank and Shaira.

"Maira! Beta, come here," Mayank beamed, his face radiant with the unmistakable pride of a grandfather-to-be.

Shaira pulled her into a tight, lingering hug. "Congratulations once again, my dear. We’ve been over the moon ever since that group video call. You must take extra care of yourself now—no more running around or stressing over everyone else’s problems."

Maira offered a soft, genuine smile, her hand instinctively resting on her stomach for a brief, protective second. "Thank you, Mom. Thank you, Dad. I’m trying to keep things as calm as possible."

As they moved toward the living area, Maira’s eyes drifted toward the stairs.

Shaira noticed the silent search for her brother and spoke up. "Shayaan isn't here to congratulate you in person, unfortunately. He’s gone out with his friends for a movie, and he mentioned they’d probably head to a club afterward, so he won't be back until late."

Maira nodded, masking a knowing glint in her eyes. She knew exactly what Shayaan’s "movie and clubbing" plans actually entailed; he had even texted her earlier asking for date tips. It was a movie with Aarohi, likely to be followed by a fancy dinner or a late-night drive and ending it with street food. She made a mental note to tease him later about the elaborate cover story he’d cooked up, but for now, she was grateful the house was relatively quiet.

"Is Maysha around?" Maira asked, her voice dropping slightly as she looked toward the upper floor.

"She’s in her room," Shaira replied, her expression clouding with a touch of motherly concern. "She’s been keeping to herself quite a bit lately. Maybe some sisterly talk is exactly what she needs. Why don't you go up and see her?"

"I think I’ll do just that," Maira said, her fingers tightening around the strap of her handbag.

She began the climb up the grand staircase, each step feeling heavier than the last. She knew that behind Maysha’s door, she wasn't just going to find her sister—she was going to find the person Maan was using as a pawn to dismantle her life with Ishaan.

Maira pushed the door open to find Maysha sitting by the window, staring blankly at her phone awaiting for Maan's message after dropping a text "Maan...I think am pregnant". She looked hollow, her eyes shadowed with a fatigue that no amount of sleep could fix. She was also wondering if she should drop a text to Ayush since she doesn't know whose child is she carrying and she drops a text to Ayush as well."Ayush...there is something I need to tell you.I think am pregnant". When she saw Maira, she jumped, feminine instinct taking over as she fumbled to lock her screen.

"Di? You're here?" Maysha rushed forward, forcing a smile as she wrapped her sister in a hug. "I’m so elated for you. Congratulations, Di."

"Thank you," Maira said, her voice soft but guarded.

"How did you find out?" Maysha asked, her voice trembling with a hidden agenda. "Was it a home test or a blood test?"

"A home test. Honestly, I’ve been so consumed with getting my life back on track since the wedding that I didn't even realize I’d missed my period. It was your Jeeju who suggested I take it. Being a doctor, Ishaan didn't need much more confirmation to know we’re finally expecting our first."

"That’s amazing, Di..." Maysha started, her heart hammering. She wanted to ask—to describe the symptoms she was feeling, to seek the guidance of an elder sister. But before she could find the words, Maira’s expression shifted to one of stern gravity.

"Maysha, please consider this a humble request from me," Maira interrupted.

"What request, Di?"

"Stay away from Maan. As far away as possible."

Maysha recoiled. "But why? You know him! He’s your coach, your dance partner..."

"He is far more than what meets the eye, Maysha. He is a man who recorded an intimate moment with you just to get back at me." Maira’s voice hardened. "He’s been punishing me for a misunderstanding that wasn't even cleared until the Mehendi night."

"What? That’s impossible!" Maysha cried out, shaking her head. "Maan wouldn't do that. He loves me! Infact..." She choked back a sob of confession. "It was me who had a moment with Ayush just before I slept with Maan. I feel horrible about how it happened, but Maan has been my sanctuary."

"But do you love him? Tell me honestly."

"Di, I’m in a relationship with him!" Maysha countered. "And what happened that night? Did you forgive him once the truth came out?"

"I didn't," Maira said firmly. "I didn't let his intimidation break me, even if our past never had a proper closure. But hell broke loose when he tried to use you to blackmail me into divorcing Ishaan."

Maysha’s breath hitched. "He blackmailed you? Using... the video? Is it true?"

"Yes, Maysha. The video is real. But don't worry—Roshni helped me delete it from his cloud and his devices. The leverage is gone. But this man is a leech; he’s still hounding me, demanding to know if I’ve started divorce proceedings. I’m pregnant, Maysha. I want to live my life with Ishaan without this shadow over us. I don't know how he’ll react when he realizes he has nothing left to hold over me."

"No... Maan isn't bad," Maysha whispered, her voice rising in a desperate, delusional defense. "He just needs love. I know he loves me... he was so concerned about my health. He carried me to my room, wrapped me in a blanket, turned on the heater... he’s not a monster! You’re only saying this because he loves me now and not you!"

"Maysha, listen to yourself! You are in total denial," Maira pleaded, reaching for her. "Please, break all ties with him. He doesn't deserve you."

"No, Di! He loves me... he loves me..."

Maysha’s voice trailed off into a weak whimper. The combined stress of the two messages, the mystery of her child's paternity, and the crushing weight of Maan’s betrayal became a physical weight she could no longer carry. Her vision went black.

"Maysha?" Maira’s anger vanished into pure terror. "Maysha!"

Before Maira could catch her, Maysha collapsed, hitting the floor with a sickening thud.

"Mom! Dad!" Maira screamed, dropping to her knees and cradling her sister's head. "Help! Someone help!"

*

The atmosphere in the hospital corridor was clinical and cold, the hum of the air conditioning the only sound against the heavy silence of the Wadhwa family. Ishaan stood apart from them for a moment, his professional instincts overriding his personal shock.

As a pediatrician, Ishaan was a fixture in this hospital, but he knew when to step back and let the specialists lead. He stood by the nurse’s station, huddled with two other doctors: the General Physician who had initially admitted Maysha, and the Gynecologist who had been rushed in once the preliminary blood work raised flags.

"The HCG levels are significantly elevated for a first-trimester collapse," the Gynecologist explained, handing Ishaan the chart. "We need to perform an ultrasound as soon as she’s stable to determine the exact gestation and check for any complications given the stress she’s under."

Ishaan’s eyes scanned the data with a practiced, rapid precision. He took the details from the team, his mind automatically calculating risks and protocols, but his heart was racing for a different reason. He nodded curtly to his colleagues, thanking them for the handover, and turned back to the family waiting in the shadows.

"Ishaan? How is she?" Shaira rushed forward, her hands trembling as she clutched Mayank’s arm.

Ishaan took a breath, his gaze shifting briefly to Maira before settling on his parents-in-law. "The blood tests are back. Maysha is stable, but the shock of her collapse was a combination of severe emotional stress and... a sudden shift in her system. She’s pregnant. I’ve handed her care over to the OB-GYN team; they’ll be taking the lead from here."

The silence that followed was absolute.

Mayank nearly stumbled back, his face turning a ghostly pale, while Shaira let out a sharp, strangled gasp.

Maira felt the world tilting. The secret she had been carrying, the threats from Maan, and the desperate messages she had seen on Maysha’s phone all crashed together. She couldn’t let her parents believe this was a simple mistake.

"It’s not that simple,Mom-Dad and Ishaan," Maira’s voice broke the silence, sounding hollow in the long hallway.

Ishaan looked at her, his brow furrowing. "Maira? What do you mean?"

"You all know she has been dating Maan currently, and previously it was Ayush," Maira whispered, her eyes brimming with tears as she looked at Ishaan, Mayank, and Shaira. "On the night before the wedding, she slept with both of them—one out of seeking closure, and the other out of what she terms as love. And Maan... he didn't do this out of love. He’s been using her to get back at me because of our past."

The corridor felt colder than before. Mayank’s hand dropped from Shaira’s arm as he stared at Maira in utter disbelief. Shaira covered her mouth, her eyes darting between her daughter and her son-in-law.

Ishaan stood frozen. The word past echoed in his mind, sharp and jagged. He knew Maan was her coach, but he had never known there was a history—a relationship deep enough to spark a vendetta this cruel.

As a doctor, his instinct was to focus on the patient, but as a husband, he felt a sudden, sharp distance open up between him and Maira. He looked at the woman he had just found out was carrying his child and realized how much she had been hiding from him.

Not now, he told himself, clenching his jaw to keep his emotions in check. This isn't the time to discuss where our marriage stands. This isn't the time to demand why she kept his identity a secret. He believed in Maira, but the sting of the omission—and the fact that Maan had been targeting her right under his nose—was a bitter pill to swallow.

"We need to focus on Maysha's recovery for now," Ishaan said, his voice clipped and professionally distant. He didn't meet Maira’s eyes. "The rest... the details of who, how, and why... we will deal with that when she is conscious."

He turned back toward the consultation room, leaving Maira standing there, feeling the weight of her husband’s unspoken questions more heavily than the threat of Maan’s revenge.

*

While the hospital corridors hummed with tension, the world outside moved on.

In the dance academy, Maan looked at his phone. He saw the text from Maysha—"I think I’m pregnant"—and felt nothing but annoyance. The leverage was gone; the game was over. With a cold, practiced motion, he blocked her number and deleted her contact. When Maira’s name flashed on the screen a moment later, he simply flipped the phone face down, letting it vibrate into silence as he turned back to a new batch of students to demonstrate a high-energy routine.

Ayush, however, was a different story. The moment he saw the text and Maira’s follow-up call, he abandoned everything and raced to the hospital, his heart hammering against his ribs.

Upon arriving, Ayush was met with a reality that felt like a fever dream. Standing before the grim faces of Mayank, Shaira, and a distant, clinical Ishaan, the truth was laid bare: the child Maysha was carrying could just as easily be Maan’s.

Ayush stood frozen. He recalled the chemistry he’d tried to ignore—the way Maan looked at Maysha during the wedding, the "M" scrawled on Maan’s hand during the Mehendi that everyone thought was a joke, and their electric performance at the Sangeet. He had seen them together constantly on the wedding day, but he had never imagined a betrayal this deep.

Determined to know the truth, Ayush immediately provided a DNA sample for an expedited prenatal test.

An hour later, the Gynecologist stepped into the hallway, looking puzzled as she held the preliminary report. "The results are... unusual. We have a match for the DNA sample provided by Ayush, but the data indicates it only accounts for one of the biological markers we are seeing. We are still awaiting a sample from the other individual—Maan—to complete the picture."

"One of the markers?" Mayank asked, his voice trembling. "Doctor, even if it’s a twin pregnancy… why would Maan’s DNA sample be needed, when Ayush’s DNA is already a match?"

The Gynecologist looked at him, her expression a mix of professional intrigue and deep-seated concern. "I understand your confusion, Mr. Wadhwa. Normally, a match for one twin is a match for both. But here, the markers are conflicted. Which shouldn't be the case if the babies are identical twins or fraternal twins. This is why I must insist on waiting until Maysha is conscious. We need a high-definition ultrasound to confirm what the blood work is hinting at."

"That is what the initial blood work and basic scan suggested," the doctor replied cautiously. "However, the markers are conflicted. We need Maysha to regain consciousness so we can perform a high-definition ultrasound. There is something we need to confirm."

*

The sterile smell of the hospital was the first thing to hit Maysha as she blinked her eyes open. The bright overhead lights felt like needles, and for a moment, the world was nothing but a blur of white coats and the steady, rhythmic beep of a heart monitor.

As her vision cleared, she saw the medical team hovering over her—the General Physician and the Specialist Gynecologist.

Her family and Ayush stood at the edge of the room, a wall of tense, shattered faces.

"Maysha, stay still," the Gynecologist said softly, placing a hand on her shoulder. "You had a severe collapse due to shock and exhaustion. We’ve stabilized you, but we need to discuss the results of your blood work."

Maysha’s hand instinctively went to her stomach, her heart hammering. "The... the test? Am I...?"

"You are pregnant, Maysha," the doctor confirmed.

Maysha let out a ragged breath, her mind immediately racing who could be her baby's father. Maan or Ayush? Which one?

"However," the doctor continued, her tone shifting to something more clinical and grave, "the initial DNA screening we ran using the sample Ayush provided created a significant amount of confusion. The first test we ran on one of the fetal markers didn't confirm Ayush as the father. We thought it was a negative match."

Maysha’s heart sank. Maan. It has to be Maan.

"But then," the doctor said, glancing at the chart, "a second marker targeted test which we did randomly as a test did confirm him as the father. This inconsistency was highly unusual. It suggested that what we were seeing wasn't a simple mistake in the lab, but a rare biological anomaly we discovered during your preliminary ultrasound."

Maysha looked toward Maira and Ishaan and then at the doctor, her eyes wide with fear. "What do you mean? How can it be both?"

"That is why we’ve waited for you to be fully conscious," the Gynecologist explained, gesturing toward the ultrasound machine standing by the bed. "We found something during the first scan that we need to confirm with a high-definition study. We want to run this second ultrasound now, with you awake and your family present, so we can show you exactly what is happening."

Maira stepped closer, her face pale, her hand gripping the bedrail for support as her other hand instinctively touched her own stomach, a protective gesture for the child she was carrying amidst this chaos.

Ishaan stood behind her, his eyes fixed on the monitor with a professional intensity that masked his internal turmoil as a husband and a doctor.

"Maysha," Ishaan said, his voice low and steady despite the chaos. "As a doctor, I need you to prepare yourself. This isn't a standard pregnancy."

The room went silent as the doctor applied the cold gel to Maysha’s abdomen. The transducer moved slowly, and the screen flickered to life. Two distinct, pulsing shapes appeared on the monitor, nestled in separate sacs.

"There," the Gynecologist pointed. "This is why the DNA tests were conflicting. You aren't just carrying one child, Maysha. There are two. And because of the timing and the genetic markers we've identified... one of these babies belongs to Ayush. The other... belongs to Maan."

The air left the room. Maysha stared at the screen, the two gestational sacs representing a future she never could have imagined.While Ayush, standing at the foot of the bed, felt the floor drop out from under him. He stared at the monitor.One was his—his flesh, his blood, his second chance of a future with Maysha. The other was a living testament to the man who had played them all. He felt a nauseating mix of possessive love and absolute revulsion; he wanted to reach out for his child and simultaneously tear the screen away from the presence of the other.

"What you are experiencing, Maysha," the doctor concluded, "is an extremely rare medical phenomenon known as Heteropaternal Superfecundation. You are carrying twins, but they have two different biological fathers."

Maysha’s world shattered. She was now tethered to both men forever—the one she had sought closure from, and the one who had spent the last month trying to blackmail her sister.

*

The soft, amber glow of the high end bistro’s candlelight danced in Aarohi’s eyes as she leaned across the table, a playful smile tugging at her lips. Shayaan had outdone himself; the rooftop view of the city was breathtaking, and the private corner they occupied felt like their own world.They clicked a picture for keepsake.

"You've been remarkably charming tonight, Shayaan Wadhwa," Aarohi teased, her fingers tracing the rim of her wine glass. "For someone who told his parents he was 'clubbing with the boys,' you seem very focused on a party of one."

Shayaan laughed, his expression softening as he reached across the table to cover her hand with his. "Well, the boys are boring. And you... you look incredible. I figure if I’m going to use a cover story, I might as well make the reality worth it."

He was about to lean in when his phone vibrated against the mahogany table. He intended to ignore it, but the caller ID stopped him cold. Maira. She knew he was on a date—she wouldn't call unless the house was on fire.

"I have to take this," he whispered, his tone shifting instantly.

Aarohi nodded, her smile fading into curiosity. Shayaan swiped to answer, but before he could say a word, Maira’s voice came through, jagged and breathless.

"Shayaan, don't speak. Just listen. You’re on speaker," Maira’s voice was a low, hurried whisper. "Maysha fainted, we had to rush her to the hospital. But Shayaan... it’s a nightmare. Maan didn't just date her. He recorded an intimate moment with her to blackmail me because of our past.Which I will give you the details later but he’s been threatening to leak the video, to ruin her, unless I divorced Ishaan. He’s been hounding me for weeks while I’m carrying my own child... and now, this. I’m going into the ultrasound room now. Just stay silent."

Shayaan’s hand tightened around the phone. Aarohi leaned in, her breath hitching as she caught the raw tension in Maira’s voice. Shayaan’s eyes darkened, the romantic atmosphere of the restaurant evaporating into a cold, clinical frost. He felt a vein pulse in his temple. Maan. The "coach of Maira's". The "Reel collab partner of Maysha". The man who had been smiling during their family function while holding a knife to his sister’s throat.

There was a muffled sound of a door opening, the rustle of fabric, and then the rhythmic, mechanical whoosh-whoosh of a heart monitor. Shayaan and Aarohi sat frozen, the phone resting between them on the table like a live grenade.

Then, the Gynecologist’s voice cut through the static, clear and devastating:

“...One of these babies belongs to Ayush. The other... belongs to Maan. It is an extremely rare medical phenomenon known as Heteropaternal Superfecundation. You are carrying twins, but they have two different biological fathers.”

The line went dead.

The silence that followed was deafening. Shayaan stared at the darkened screen of his phone, his face a mask of frozen fury. Aarohi’s hand flew to her mouth, her eyes wide with horror, but she didn't dare speak.

Shayaan’s thumbs moved with a lethal precision as he opened his browser, typing the words the doctor had just spoken.

Heteropaternal Superfecundation.

He scanned the search results: ...two different fathers... same pregnancy... separate fertilization. The biological impossibility was a physical reality. Shayaan stood up so abruptly his chair scraped harshly against the floor, the sound echoing through the quiet bistro. His usual charm was gone, replaced by a cold, murderous clarity. He thought of Maan’s smug smiles, the way he had danced with Maysha while plotting to destroy Maira’s marriage.

"Shayaan?" Aarohi whispered, her voice trembling. "What... what does that word mean?"

Shayaan didn't look at her. His gaze was fixed on the city lights, but his mind was already miles away. He thought of the "M" on Maan's hand during Palki's mehendi ceremony—a mehendi design that showed his affection for Maysha but actually it was for Maira that felt like a mockery now.

"He thought he was playing a game," Shayaan said, his voice dropping to a terrifying, guttural whisper. "He thought he could record my sister, blackmail my family, and just walk away with a trophy."

He gripped his phone until his knuckles turned white, his eyes flashing with a resolve that felt like a blade being unsheathed.

"Maan Singh Khurana... you just signed your own death warrant."