Heyy readers I hope you are all well  let's start the chapter without wasting any time

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Author pov

They reached the party venue

All eyes shifted on them

Rudraksh held Ruhanika waist and

Ruhanika held his arms

Ruhanika sits alone in a chair

The music at the party was soft yet lively, and the dance floor glowed under the golden lights. Ruhanika sits on the table in the corner silence because for her it's new

she didn't like this type of party

On the other hand Rudraksh is busy with his business clients

Someone's eye fixed on Ruhanika

He sees her sitting alone the next second he stood in front of Ruhanika

"Heyy beautiful women" he called her Myself Arjun Malhotra, the person interduc his self,

Hi , Ruhanika said , can I sit here Arjun asked, yes you can Ruhanika approv " I must say Rudraksh is very lucky because he have a wife like you "Arjun Malhotra said

Ruhanika chuckled, they start talking when Rudraksh graze fixed on Ruhanika who is busy with his collage

Friend seeing Ruhanika happy with someone else his Anger boiled over him

And then, before Rudraksh could process it, Arjun held out her hand and invited her for a dance. Ruhanika hesitated for a second, her eyes flickering toward Rudraksh—who was watching from across the hall—before she nodded politely.

The sight hit Rudraksh like a knife. His jaw tightened, fists curling at his sides. He had never liked anyone touching her, and watching his friend twirl her around in the middle of the dance floor was unbearable. Every time Ruhanika’s laughter echoed, Rudraksh’s chest burned with a fire he couldn’t control.

He took a step forward, his gaze sharp and possessive, never leaving her. People around him could feel the storm brewing—his eyes dark with anger, his lips pressed into a thin line. When Arjun placed his hand a little too comfortably on Ruhanika’s waist, Rudraksh slammed his glass on the table so hard that it cracked.

Unable to take it anymore, he strode toward them, his voice rough and edged with fury

“Enough. Ruhanika, you’re done dancing.”

The party was still echoing with laughter and music when Rudraksh’s patience finally broke. His jaw was tight, eyes blazing as he stormed toward Ruhanika. Without warning, he grabbed her wrist firmly.

"Rudraksh… what are you doing? Everyone is watching." , Ruhanika wissperd "Let them watch. You think you can smile and talk to anyone, and I won’t say a word , Rudraksh said while gritted teeth

Before she could protest, he pulled her out of the hall, his grip unrelenting. The drive back was suffocating with silence, only his anger filling the car. Suddenly, he slammed the brakes in the middle of the deserted road.

"Rudraksh, why did you stop the car"  Ruhanika nervously asked

"Come here. Sit on my lap."

Rudraksh commands

Her eyes widened in shock.

Ruhanika shaking her head "No… I won’t. You’ve lost your mind."

Rudraksh is leaning closer, voice low but laced with fire "Ruhanika, don’t test my patience. Sit. Now."

Her breath hitched. His gaze was so intense, so unyielding, that her hands trembled as she slowly un-clicked her seatbelt. With hesitation, she shifted onto his lap, her heartbeat racing wildly.

The very next second, Rudraksh cupped her face and crashed his lips onto hers, fierce and desperate.

Ruhanika muffled, against his lips "Rudraksh…"

Rudraksh pulling back slightly, voice rough "You drive me insane, Ruhanika. You’re mine, only mine. Don’t ever forget that."

The rest of the drive was silent, heavy with unspoken words. Ruhanika sat still, her heart pounding, lips still tingling from the intensity of his kiss. Rudraksh’s hands gripped the steering wheel, his jaw clenched, stealing glances at her—but she kept her eyes fixed on the window, refusing to meet his gaze.

The car rolled into the grand Raizada Mansion. Before Rudraksh could even switch off the engine, Ruhanika unbuckled her seatbelt and rushed out.

"Ruhanika—wait!" Rudraksh calling after her But she didn’t stop.

Her heels clicked against the marble floor as she hurried through the hall, her vision blurring with unshed tears. Rudraksh followed, his long strides catching up, but she slipped away quickly, reaching her room. She slammed the door shut before he could enter.

Inside, she staggered into the washroom, switched on the tap, and splashed cold water over her face. The moment the water trickled down, her composure broke. Sobs racked her chest as she clutched the sink, her reflection in the mirror blurred by tears.

Ruhanika (whispering brokenly to herself): "Why do you hurt me like this, Rudraksh? Why can’t you just… love me without breaking me?"

Outside, Rudraksh’s fists pounded against the door.

Rudraksh (voice rough, urgent): "Ruhanika! Open the door. Don’t you dare shut me out."

She pressed her back against the cold wooden door, hugging herself, tears streaming down her cheeks.

Ruhanika (shouting through sobs): "Just leave me alone, Rudraksh! I can’t take this anymore!"

There was silence Rudraksh left her alone

Inside, her chest tightened at his words, torn between the love she had for him and the pain he kept giving her. She closed her eyes, her heart breaking,

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The next two weeks turned into a quiet war of avoidance between them. What once was fire and storm now became unbearable silence.

Rudraksh started leaving the house earlier than usual, his footsteps echoing down the marble staircase while the mansion still slept. He would return late at night, long after dinner, when the lights of Ruhanika’s room were already off. It wasn’t that he didn’t want to see her—he simply didn’t trust himself to.

At the office, things were no different. Ruhanika, once seated right outside his cabin, had shifted her workspace to another floor. She buried herself in files, projects, and endless tasks, refusing to cross paths with him. Even when work demanded their interaction, she sent emails instead of walking into his office.

Every night, when he came home, he would find her curled on the couch in their bedroom—pretending to be asleep. Her delicate figure looked so small against the wide cushions, her hair falling across her face. What Rudraksh didn’t know was that before lying down, Ruhanika would stand by the window, watching the driveway with silent eyes, waiting for the headlights of his car. She would wait… only to quickly turn away and pretend indifference the second she heard the door open.

He would pause at the sight of her on the couch, his hand twitching as though he wanted to carry her to the bed, to tuck her in. But instead, he would sigh, loosen his tie, and retreat to the other side of the room without a word.

The silence between them grew heavier each day.

In the office, colleagues whispered about how the boss and his wife now lived like strangers.

In the mansion, servants exchanged glances at the sight of two people bound together, yet worlds apart.

Both of them were hurting, both craving each other’s presence, yet their pride and fear kept them apart.

Every night, Ruhanika wiped away silent tears before closing her eyes, whispering to herself:

Ruhanika (broken whisper): "Why do I still wait for you, Rudraksh?"

And every night, Rudraksh lay awake on his side of the bed, staring into the darkness, thinking:

Rudraksh (to himself, pained): "Why do I only breathe when you’re near, and yet… I push you away?

It was the fifteenth day of their cold war. The Raizada office buzzed with its usual rhythm—employees moving between cubicles, phones ringing, printers humming. But beneath the professional air, everyone could feel it: the tension between their CEO, Rudraksh Raizada, and his wife, Ruhanika, who now worked on a different floor like a stranger.

That morning, a crucial meeting was scheduled with international clients. Fate, however, decided to break the walls they had built.

When the projector in the conference room malfunctioned, one of the juniors panicked.

"Ma’am, we need your assistance… it’s urgent."Junior hesitant

Ruhanika, busy at her desk, stuffed at the request. She knew exactly what it meant—going to the top floor. To his floor. To him. Still, duty was duty. She carried the files, her heels clicking softly against the tiles as she entered the conference room.

The moment she stepped inside, Rudraksh froze mid-sentence. Their eyes met for the first time in two weeks. The room fell into a strange stillness as the clients exchanged curious looks, sensing the undercurrent.

Ruhanika kept her expression professional, placing the files on the table.

"Here are the corrected reports. I’ve highlighted the changes for clarity."

Ruhanika calm, distant

Her tone was polite, detached, as though speaking to a stranger. Rudraksh’s jaw clenched. He dismissed the clients quickly after wrapping up the presentation. The second the door shut behind them, the tension snapped.

"So this is what we are now? Strangers in the same house… strangers in the same office?"

Rudraksh striding toward her, voice low but sharp

"I’m only doing my job, Mr. Raizada."Ruhanika not meeting his eyes, gathering her papers

The formality cut him like a knife.

Rudraksh grabbed her wrist before she could leave "Don’t you dare call me that. Not you."

She tried to pull away, but his grip tightened. Their faces were inches apart now, his anger laced with desperation.

"What else should I call you? You don’t act like my husband anymore. You don’t even look at me unless you’re angry."Ruhanika said  her voice was breaking, eyes filling with unshed tears

Her words silenced him. For once, Rudraksh had no retort. His hand loosened, his eyes searching her face like a drowning man searching for air.

Rudraksh (hoarse, almost whispering): "Do you even know what it’s been like for me? Staying away from you every second… when all I want is to hold you, to hear your voice, to…" he stops himself, swallowing hard "…but I’m terrified of losing you to my own madness."

Her lips trembled, but she refused to cry in front of him. She pulled her hand away, clutching the files to her chest like armor.

Ruhanika (quietly, with pain): "Then don’t come near me, Rudraksh… until you know how to love me without destroying me."

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Ruhanika pov

I don't want to face him I came back in my chember and working

I

was buried deep in files, eyes scanning through endless reports, when my phone suddenly buzzed against the desk. Without glancing at the screen, I picked it up, tucking the phone between my shoulder and ear as I continued typing.

Hello Avni....... I said with a calm voice

But instead of her bubbly voice, a trembling, unfamiliar one filled my ears Unknown girl  hesitant "Um… are you Ruhanika

My fingers froze over the keyboard. A strange uneasiness curled in my stomach.

"Yes, I am. Who are you  And why do you have Avni’s phone"Me sharply, sitting up

There was a pause, followed by a sigh heavy with concern.

Unknown girl: "I’m her hostel mate. Avni… she’s very sick. High fever since last night. She fainted in the morning. There’s no one here to take care of her… she just kept whispering your name, so I thought I should call you."

The world seemed to still be around me. My heart thudded painfully against my chest. Avi. My Avi. The girl who had been my constant, my safe place, was lying ill and alone.

Me (whispering, voice trembling): "Fainted…? Oh God."

I didn’t even realize when the tears pricked my eyes. My chair scraped loudly against the floor as I stood, pacing restlessly, mind racing.

"Why didn’t anyone take her to the hospital? How could you just leave her like that?"I said with  urgent, panicked

I sent you the  location, the girl said

Avni had always been the one to stand by me through every storm—listening to my secrets, wiping my tears, reminding me of who I was when I forgot myself. And now, when she needed me most, she was suffering alone.

I clenched my phone, a single thought screaming in my mind.

I have to go. Right now. Nothing else matters.

Without a second thought, I shut the file, shoved my belongings into my bag, and stormed out of my cabin. My legs felt weak, but my determination carried me forward.

As I pressed the elevator button, I whispered softly to myself, my voice breaking:

"Hold on, Avni. I’m coming… I won’t let you go through this alone." But what are you doing there and aunty

I have many questions but now I just want to meet my special one

The elevator ride felt endless, my fingers trembling as I dialed Avni’s hostel number again. No answer. My chest ached with panic, every second gnawing at me. The moment the doors slid open, I rushed out, not caring about the curious glances from employees as my heels clicked rapidly across the lobby.

I didn’t even notice Rudraksh standing by the reception, speaking with one of the directors. But he noticed me—storming out of the office, a bag clutched to my chest, eyes glistening with unshed tears.

His brows furrowed.

"Ruhanika!"Rudraksh calling out sharply

I froze for a second but didn’t dare turn. If I faced him, I would crumble. So I kept walking, faster this time.

Rudraksh (striding after me, his tone laced with irritation and concern): "Stop, damn it. Where are you going in such a rush?"

I spun around, my breath shaky, my voice barely holding together.

Me (choking out): "Avni is sick. She fainted… she’s all alone in that hostel. I don’t have time to explain, Rudraksh."

For a moment, the anger in his eyes softened. He saw the desperation, the fear in me, and something inside him cracked.

Rudraksh (firm, voice lower): "Then I’ll come with you."

Me (shaking my head quickly): "No. I don’t want… I can manage. Please, don’t make this about us right now."

I turned again, rushing out, but within seconds he was beside me, matching my steps. His hand caught my arm, but his grip wasn’t harsh this time—it was steady, grounding.

Rudraksh (quiet, almost pleading): "Ruhanika… let me be there. For you. For her."

We reached the hostel which location

The girl send me in hurriedly I reached in third floor in her room where she laydown in unconscious condition

Avi , I called while crushing towards her I taught her cheeks her body buring with fever

"Rooh finnally you come " she said with low energy

"We should take her hospital" Rudraksh said i nodded

Heyy my beautiful readers how was the chapter

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