The clink of spoons in coffee cups, idle chatter flowing between bites of breakfast, the air casual-until the topic changed.

Woman 1 (in a hushed, irritated whisper): "I still can't forget it. She joined few months back... how the hell is she having breakfast with Mrs. Rathod like that? Even the Vice Presidents barely get a moment with her. But she-just a regular employee, joined a few months ago-"

Woman 2 (confused, blinking): "Wait, wait-who are you guys talking about?"

Woman 3 (leaning in, voice low): "That Rida Thakur. The New Project Lead. You know, she joined barely a few months back?And there she was just casually sitting there with the boss's mother, having breakfast like it's some Sunday brunch."

Woman 1 (snorting):"And did you see how comfortable she looked? Not even a hint of nervousness."

Woman 3 (disbelieving): "And she's just what-Project Lead now? So suddenly? People wait years for that spot. But she glides in, gets the title..."

Man 1 (grinning, shrugging): "Maybe she's just... efficient."

Woman 1 (rolling her eyes): "Efficient? Huh. Than explains why the boss hasn't fired her yet. He never spares anyone. She must be... special. I've seen people more capable struggle for that position. Something's up. Either she's someone important, or she's playing this game way better than the rest of us."

Man 2 (nodding slowly): "Yeah, you're right... I literally saw Mr. Neil bowing to her. Who bows to a casual employee? That man doesn't even bow to the MD himself.She has some connections with the Rathods. I bet she has. That's why no one's questions her."

Woman 1 (smirking): "Whatever it is... she's not just a normal employee. That much is clear."

Man 1 (agreeing): "Yeah. Rathods don't keep people. They control them. Use them. If she's still here and untouched, it means one thing... She's important."

Woman 3 (soft, venomous murmur): "Exactly...Why else would Mrs. Rathod dine with a nobody?"

Woman 1 (a whisper):
"...Special treatment..."
"...Must be the boss's mist-"

Just then, the glass door swung open with a soft hiss.Time stopped.

Prakhar...

Black suit. Crisp. Imposing. Dark eyes- Void of emotion.

Phone held loosely in one hand..

He didn't speak. He didn't blink.

He simply existed-and that was enough.

The room didn't fall silent..It choked.

Breaths stilled. Spines stiffened..Voices died on tongues..

The men stiffened like prey caught in the crosshairs. The woman who spoke lastly visibly swallows air instead of words. A silence so thick it screamed.

His dark gaze steady on them..

"Finish it...."

"You were about to say something."

His eyes didn't flinch as he continued,
"I despise unfinished sentences."

His aura vacuumed the noise from the air, sucking breath, courage, and blood from the room.

Woman spoke stammering, trembling, "S-Sir... I... we didn't mean-"

He cuts her off, "You won't mean much when you're jobless."

A beat.

She gasped, trembling, "I'm-"

"Your termination will be finalized before your next hour," he spoke with finality without acknowledging her.

Woman barely holding herself up spoke, "S..Sir...I'-"

His voice boomed like a thunder wrapped in rage
"GET. OUT."

She flinched and nearly stumbled trying to reach the door.

Everyone else was frozen in place-too afraid to breathe wrong.

Prakhar's gaze swept across the remaining employees , "The next time any of you dares to open your pathetic little mouths to whisper filth about someone, you won't just be stripped from this company. You'll be out of this industry. From your damn careers."

"And I never warn twice."

And then he walked out..

✨

Prakhar stepped out of the cafeteria and walked straight toward the conference room as he had a meeting with foreign investors. An empire to expand.

But rage... rage walked beside him.

Then a soft body slammed hard into his chest increasing his anger even more at the disruption..

He stepping back instinctively thinking it was anothee woman..

But then-
Her scent.
Familiar. Dangerous. Untimely.

Rida.

His wife.

The goddamn center of every whisper he'd just silenced.

Her hands pressed against his chest where she'd collided.

She looked up-eyes wide. Breath hitched.
Just that awkward flash of apology in her gaze.

In his mind?
Everything. Everything exploded.

She opened her mouth, voice small, careful, "I-I'm sorry... it was an accident. I didn't mean-"

He cuts her off, "Of course. Of course it was an accident."

"Just like it was an accident that you were casually having tea with the Chairperson in the common area. Just like it's an accident that half this office is suddenly choking on whispers they never dared breathe before."

Her body went still.

His eyes narrowed, "You may have gotten comfortable, Ms. Thakur... but this is still a workplace. Not your living room to draw attention. Try not to invite gossip you can't control."

He didn't wait for her to speak and walked past her..

**********

( Rathod Mansion )

Prakhar stepped into his room, the weight of the day still clinging to his shoulders like a shadow.

He noticed it instantly -
Her belongings..

Sent back into his room. The same room from where he had once expelled her without a second thought..

He didn't flinch.
Didn't touch the bag.
Didn't question it.
He knew this would happen. Badi Dadi was coming.

He just walked to the bathroom, rolled his sleeves nd stood under cold water longer than necessary.
The water hit his skin.
But not his thoughts.

He came out minutes later. The room smelled faintly of her perfume now.

Still, he didn't look.

He lay down - one arm behind his head, eyes fixed on the ceiling.

His body was still.
But his mind?
Never quiet.
Never kind.

This wasn't new.
These nights - wide awake at 2 AM with nothing but old echoes crawling beneath his ribs - they weren't born with her.

They'd been with him for years.

Unspoken.
Unshared.
Unhealed.

Whatever happened back then...
He buried it.
But it still clawed at the inside of his chest when the world went quiet.

He didn't know what peace felt like.
Not really.
He'd learned to replace it with performance.

Because sleep wasn't for men like him.
Not the kind who built empires while running from ghosts.

***********

The grand double doors open wide as the white luxury car halts in the porch. Two guards quickly step forward, opening the passenger side with precision.

She's here.

Badi Dadi.

Everyone straightens without being told.

Dadi stood at the main door to welcome her.

Kanak steps beside her with the silver aarti thali in her hand - brass diya glowing, rose petals placed just right, sandalwood smoke curling into the air..

She adjusted her dupatta over her head.

Akansha and Shivansh literally ran to the entrance, bickering like stylish children who still feared their school principal.

Rida stood behind his mother wearing a delicate soft blush silk saree.

She looked like a painting - all serenity and understated richness.

She had taken leave today because Badi Dadi was coming. And her presence demanded more than work reports or project timelines. It demanded presence, respect... perfection.

She hadn't even seen Prakhar this morning. He'd left early - earlier than usual, in fact.
The car door opened.

And there she was - Badi Dadi.

Dressed in a royal beige silk saree with gold kasab embroidery, layered pearls, having more authority than some CEOs. Her grey hair was tied in a tight bun. Her eyes - unreadable.

Akansha spoke nervously whispering,
"Why does she look even scarier than last year?!"

Dadi gave her a scary glance.

But Rida. Her breath hitched.

She came forward & looked at everyone lined up. Kanak stepped forward and performed the aarti. Her smile warm, but respectful..

But badi dadi's face was a perfectly carved sculpture of authority - no warmth, no scowl, just... poised scrutiny.

Kanak softly circles the aarti applied tilak on her forehead..Then she bent down & touches her feet in respect

Badi Dadi placed a hand on her head, nodding silently..

Dadi stepped forward and pulled Badi Dadi into a warm embrace, holding her like a long-lost sister, "Kaisi hai aap, jiji?"

Badi Dadi gently, placed a reassuring hand on Dadi's shoulder as if to say, I'm alright.

Rida took two silent steps forward and touched Badi Dadi's feet.

Dadi looked down at the her. Placed a light hand on her head..

Rida straightned & stood there silently.

Badi Dadi's gaze moved across her face then from her hair partition filled with sindoor to the humble bindi that rested between her brows to her neck where that dainty mangalsutra resides..Not judging... measuring.

Badi Dadi spoke quietly, "You're the girl."

Rida smiled gently and nodded..

Then, calmly spoke, "Your saree is soft. But your eyes aren't. Good."

For a moment Rida got stilled.
A pause followed-a heavy one.
Even she wasn't sure what she meant entirely.

Dadi, unfazed, guided Badi Dadi toward the sofa-like this was routine.

Shivansh leans toward Rida & whispers, "That's the Rathod version of a standing ovation, bhabhi..Dont worry!! she didn't insult you. That's her way of giving... a blessing"

Rida blinked once..Twice. Her lips pressed into a soft smile & exhaled softly..

Rida and Akansha followed quietly, with Shivansh just behind.

But behind them all, Kanak lingered at the doorway, her eye soft with longing, silently waiting for her son.

She stood... quiet. Proud. Teary-eyed. A part of her wanted to cry. Another part - wanted to hug him tightly..Because for a mother like Kanak, her storm was finally under her roof again.

Badi Dadi sat at the center, her eyes occasionally darting to Rida like she was a chess piece newly introduced to the board.

The faint sound of footsteps followed

Rudra entered..

His mother stepped. Did his aarti and warded evil eyes off her son. She applied the tilak on his forehead.

Then, unable to stop herself - she cupped his face and kissed his forehead..

Rudra smiled and kissed her forehead gently ,"I'm fine Maa..."

Akansha squealed and jumped into his arms before he could say anything.

"Bhaaiiiii!"

He laughed lightly, hugging her back tightly, ruffling her hair like she was still ten.

"I missed you too, baccha..."

She made a face, fixing her hair. "You never pick up my calls!"

"Because you video call me during meetings," he said with a smirk.

Next came Shivansh, walking up with a dramatic sigh, arms wide.

"Thank God bhai came! Finally, someone who listens when I blabber. Prakhar bhai treats me like a server ping- keeps timing out!"

Rudra laughed, tapping Shivansh's back warmly.
"You never stop talking, that's the issue."

Rudra touched Dadi's feet.

She lifted him up gently, her hands resting on his broad shoulders, then slid one hand softly over his head and kissed his cheeks..

"You okay, Dadi?" Rudra asked quietly, pulling her into a brief, comforting hug.

She nodded..

Without a word, Rudra walked to Rida.

And before she could react, he bent down and touched her feet.

She got startled- not by the action, but by him.
He was older than her. In age, in voice, in every presence he held.

Yet he bowed, like it was the most natural thing to do.

Her eyes flickered to Badi Dadi... then back to him.

But Rudra had already straightened.

She remembered-early days, new to the Rathod family, when she once shyly addressed him as "bhai". He had corrected her - "Bhabhi.. Not by age But by relation- you're elder. Just call me Rudra, like Prakhar bhai does."

He hadn't just touched her feet - he'd honoured her place in the family.
Not because of her age. But because she was his elder brother's wife..

Then he turned toward Badi Dadi, whom he had brought all the way. His voice softened, "You okay, Badi Dadi?"

She nodded slowly.

After glancing around the house, he turned to his mother a, "Dad?"

"He's upstairs, love. His therapy session is going on."

*****

It was already night. The house had settled into silence.

She had just given her father-in-law his medicines & a warm glass of milk. They had spoken for a little while, soft smiles exchanged under the dim yellow lights of the living room.

But now... now it felt hard to move.
Hard to take that next step.
Hard to enter his room.

The clock had struck 10:30. Even if she didn't want to go inside, she had to. Reluctantly, she turned the knob.

The moment she stepped in his familiar scent wrapped around her.

Her eyes swept over the room still holding the echo of that evening.

She walked slowly toward the bed, her back to the door now. She tried not to think. But her body remembered how unwanted she felt that night.

Lost in that storm of thoughts, she didn't hear the door click open.But the moment it did, her body stilled.

She turned slightly, just a glance over her shoulder.

Her hair shifted over her shoulder revealing a glimpse of her bare back under the blush-toned saree blouse.

Her heart gave a loud thud inside her chest.

She quickly looked away, pretending not to notice.

He stood at the door for a moment. His gaze freezing the air around them fixated on her tense posture, the way she stood there trying to hide her nervousness.

His gaze raked all over her.

From the top of her head, down the soft waves of her hair... over her exposed back... the delicate fall of her saree curved along of her spine...her waist like a second skin.

Not Lustful..
But Sharp.Intense.Unblinking.

His eyes lingered on her like she was something he didn't understand or couldn't stop looking at.

Slowly, she turned.

Their eyes locked for a heartbeat.

Then she looked away blinking her eyes...
Something about the way he was looking at her... it made her skin heat, her pulse stutter.

Instinctively. Her throat worked to swallow her anxiety.

He stepped inside, finally.

Then came his footsteps.
Slow.
Deliberate.

Each one echoed through the silence like a countdown.

And with every step, her heart beat fast..
Louder like it was trying to speak for her.

He said nothing.
Did nothing.
Just kept coming closer.

And she... didn't know whether to move, speak or even breathe.

Then he stopped.
Right in front of her.
Close enough to feel. Far too close to ignore..

She hesitated, then slowly lifted her lashes-
Only to find him already looking at her.
Unmoving.

Her lashes fluttered unintentional lowering her gaze as heat crept up her neck.

But he stepped even closer and their chest brushed. Her eyes widened in shock.

She took a shaky step back but the back of her knees hit the bed. She stumbled back & landed softly on the mattress..

She barely had time to steady herself when he stepped forward and leaned down slightly, reaching across her as if to grab something from behind her.

She didn't even register what.

The heat of his body brushed against her arm. His scent surrounded her. She looked up at his face- too close..

Nervously her thudded so loud she swore the walls could hear.

His fingers grazed against hers- warm, calloused, deliberate.

She stilled. Completely.

Her eyes lifted to those grey eyes.

There was a small twitch of her brow.

Uncertainty? Defiance? Panic?

She didn't wait to understand it.

Trying to escape the tension wrapping around her like a second skin, she shifted hurriedly trying to slide off the bed to roll toward the empty side.

But just before she could, he yanked the towel beneath her.

The fabric dragged under her, throwing her balance off. She stumbled sideways, barely catching herself.

She gasped breathless "What the-"

Before she could finish, he spoke with mocking edge, like he enjoyed the mess he caused, "Careful..."

Her brows furrowed as she turned to face him completely, still catching her breath from the stumble..

But he was already watching her with that infuriating calm- loosening his tie now, a slow smirk tugging at the corner of his lips.

"Easy there," he smirked, voice dipped in dry amusement.
"Didn't know standing this close makes you lose balance too."

She snapped her head toward him, eyes sharp, chin up tilting in raw irritation.

"Shut up."

"What do you think of yourself? A hero?"

A pause. Her tone dripped sarcasm as she hissed,"No... just a bloated Zero who thinks he's bigger than he actually is."

She jerked her head away with a scoff.

He didn't flinch.

In fact, he smirked wider. Casually, like her rage was the evening entertainment.

Untying his tie, slow and smug, he turned to the bed and threw it across it like he was unbothered, or taunting.

"Just because you're not the heroine doesn't mean I'm the zero."

Mock. Brutal. Proud.

Her jaw clenched. She looked furious like she wanted to throw something back-verbally and physically.

But he didn't even glance.

His fingers popped open two shirt buttons with slow ease.
Loosened the watch from his wrist,
tossed it lazily on the bed beside the tie.

Then without a word, he pulled the phone from his pocket.

And dropped it.

It landed on the bed beside the crumpled tie with a blunt thud.

He looked at her face..
Eyes dark. Deep. Cold as ever.
The kind of gaze that made her spine stiffen without meaning to.

"Are you going to keep watching this full unbuttoning or...?"

"Yahi kaam reh gaya na jaise mujhe..", She rolled her eyes so hard they almost left orbit. She stormed past him flustered...

But then his tone dropped.

"Samaan leti jao apna."

His back still to her, "Andar closet mein hai jagah...Tumhare sone ki liye."

A pause.

"Yahan... is bed pe jagah to tumhe kabhi milne se rahi."

She turned slightly, "Haan... Waise bhi aapke Rakshas jaise shareer le liye to ye bed bhi chota hu hoga.. Aur waise bhi mai konsa mare jaa rahi hoon yahan sone ke liye."

"Mujhe kya pata," he spoke as he brushed past her into the bathroom attached to the closet.

Her teeth clenched. She dragged her suitcase with unnecessary force as glared at the the closet door..

"Ghamandi...Akadkosh"

✨

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