Up on the terrace, the girls had already settled comfortably. The snacks were opened, music played softly from a phone, and the mood was finally light.

Avnika spun the bottle dramatically.

“Okay… Truth or Dare starts now!”

The bottle stopped at Aarvi first.Aarvi groaned, “Nooo, not me already!”

“Truth or Dare?” Purvi grinned.

“Truth,” Aarvi muttered.

Avnika leaned forward with a wicked smile.

“Tell us… who was your first crush?”

Aarvi’s cheeks went red instantly.

“No way! I’m not saying that!”

“Rules are rules!” Purvi sang teasingly

Aarvi took a deep breath, still covering her face as all three of them leaned closer in excitement.

“Fine… I’ll say it,” she mumbled.

Avnika smirked. “Loudly, please.”

Aarvi glared at her, then finally spoke—

“It was… Shiv—”

She suddenly stopped.

Not because she didn’t want to say it…But because she felt like someone was watching.

The girls frowned.

“Shiv… who?” Purvi teased, leaning in.

Aarvi hesitated, her eyes unknowingly drifting toward the terrace entrance.

Hidden behind one of the pillars—Rudraksh and Shivansh stood silently. They had come upstairs while searching… But the moment they heard voices, they stopped.

And now—

They were listening.

Shivansh raised an eyebrow slightly, folding his arms, a faint smirk playing on his lips. “Interesting…” he whispered.

Rudraksh, on the other hand, wasn’t smiling.His eyes were fixed on Ruhanika—Observing her… reading her.

Back on the mat—

Aarvi finally blurted out quickly,

“Shivansh!”

Purvi gasped dramatically.

“I KNEW IT!”

Avnika burst out laughing.

“Oh my God, this is getting good!”

Aarvi hid her face again, completely embarrassed.

“ ohh our lovely bhabhi she has crush on her own husband ” Aarvi and purvi teased her

“Shut up, guys!”

Avnika spun the bottle again, still giggling.

“Alright, next—”

The bottle stopped.

On Ruhanika.

All eyes turned to her.

Avnika’s expression slowly changed into something more mischievous… deeper.

“Truth or Dare, Ruh?”

Ruhanika looked at the bottle… then at them.

“Truth.”

Purvi leaned forward instantly.

“Okay then… tell us something you’ve never told anyone.”

A silence fell.

Ruhanika’s fingers tightened slightly in her lap.

Her mind flashed—

Rain.

Fear.

That night.

And unknowingly…

Rudraksh took a step closer behind the pillar.

Listening.

Waiting.

Ruhanika took a slow breath…

“I…”

Her voice almost broke.

Ruhanika stayed silent for a moment…

The girls were still looking at her, waiting.

Avnika spoke softly, “Ruh… there’s more, right?”

Ruhanika let out a shaky breath.

“There is…”

Her voice dropped… fragile, almost breaking.

“I had a crush…”

Purvi smiled instantly. “Had? On who?”

Ruhanika’s lips curved into a faint, painful smile.

“Not had…” she whispered.

“I still do.”

The girls leaned closer, curiosity turning serious now.

“On… my husband.”

Silence.

Aarvi blinked. “You mean… Rudraksh bhai ?” Ruhanika nodded slowly. Behind the pillar—Rudraksh froze. His breath hitched.

Ruhanika’s eyes lowered, as if she was finally letting out something she had buried for too long.

“I used to admire him… even he hated me” she said softly.

“The way he talked… the way he carried himself…”

A tear slipped down her cheek.

“I thought… Maybe after marriage my husband love me he give me the love which I search for years ,maybe things would change.”

Rudraksh’s jaw tightened.

His mind flashed—

Every harsh word.

Every cold look.

Every time he ignored her in front of everyone.

Ruhanika continued, her voice trembling—

“But the night we got married…”

She paused.

“That night changed everything.”

The girls stayed quiet, sensing the pain beneath her words. “I realized… I was just his responsibility… not his choice.”

Behind the pillar—

Rudraksh’s fists clenched. Each word felt like a stab.

Ruhanika wiped her tears, but they didn’t stop. “Still…” she let out a broken laugh,

“my stupid heart didn’t stop loving him.”

Her voice softened even more—

“Every night…”

She hesitated.

Then whispered—

“Every night, before sleeping… I would just look at him…”

A tear rolled down again.

“And when he was asleep…”

Her lips trembled.

“I would kiss him… softly… so he’d never know.”

Complete silence.

The air itself felt heavy.

Behind the pillar—

Rudraksh’s eyes widened slightly.

Memories flashed—

The nights he slept without caring…

Unaware… completely unaware.

And now—

Every moment felt different.

Every night… she was there.

Loving him… silently.

And he—

He had only hurt her.

His grip loosened slowly.

Guilt settled deep in his chest.

Ruhanika’s voice broke completely now—

“I never wanted anything from him…”

“Not even love…”

She closed her eyes.

“I just… wanted him to not hate me.”

That was it.

Rudraksh couldn’t stay hidden anymore.

The weight of her words…

Her silent love…

Her pain…

It all hit him at once.

And for the first time—

He realized—

He wasn’t just distant

Rudraksh couldn’t stand there any longer, her words echoing in his mind like a storm he wasn’t ready to face. Without saying a word, he quietly stepped away from the terrace, leaving before anyone could notice him… but he carried every single word of hers with him.

Time passed…

Ruhanika finally returned to her room, her heart still heavy after everything she had said. The moment she opened the door, her steps halted.

Rudraksh was already there.

Standing near the window.

Silent.

Waiting.

Her breath hitched slightly.

“Rudra…?”

He turned slowly, and the look in his eyes was enough to make her nervous—there was no anger, no coldness… only something deep, something she had never seen before.

Guilt.

He walked toward her, stopping just a step away. For a moment, neither of them spoke.

Then finally—

“I’m sorry.”

His voice was low, raw, and real.

Ruhanika froze.

“I’m sorry for every time I ignored you… for every word that hurt you… for every moment I made you feel like you didn’t matter,” he continued, his voice breaking slightly, “I didn’t know… but that doesn’t make it right.”

Tears welled up in her eyes.

“You loved me… silently… and I…” he paused, struggling to say it, “I treated you like you were nothing.”

Ruhanika shook her head softly.

“Please… don’t say that…”

But he didn’t stop this time.

“No, I have to,” he said firmly, yet gently, “because if I don’t accept it… I’ll never forgive myself.”

Silence filled the room again… heavy, emotional.

Then slowly, he took a step closer.

“I don’t deserve your love…” he whispered, “but I want a chance… to be someone who does.”

Ruhanika looked up at him, tears slipping down her cheeks.

“And I promise…” his voice softened,

“from today… you won’t have to love me alone anymore.”

Her breath hitched.

Because for the first time—

She didn’t feel alone.

Slowly, hesitantly… he reached out and held her hand.

This time—not out of force, not out of formality—

But with care.

With intention.

And she didn’t pull away.

Instead, her fingers gently tightened around his.

A silent answer.

A new beginning.

From that night…

They didn’t just stay as husband and wife—

They started becoming something more.

Something real.

They started loving each other.

__________________________________________________

ONE MONTH LATER

Everything was good between Ruhanika and Rudraksh since from one month they loved each other as much they can do, Ruhanika also handle her job and a perfect daughter in law character softly

There was no gate of hate between them, the RAIZADA mansion filled with love and happiness Avnika and shivansh also started their lovely life together with love and understanding

In living room

“ Ruhi please come quickly we have

to go ” Rudraksh called Ruhanika, in few minutes later she finally came, she wear a black radiant colour anarkali gown Rudraksh who was rubbing his forehead he heard the jungling of ankles and that's when he saw her

And now Rudraksh didn't took off his eyes from her “ my princess ” he muttered softly his eyes bright with full of affection and love— for her

Ruhanika came near him and placed her hands on his shoulder and muttered

“chale janab,?” Rudraksh cleared his throat and nodded

Rudraksh and Ruhanika sat inside the car, silence wrapping around them like an unspoken tension. He was seated beside the driver, looking straight ahead, while Ruhanika sat quietly in the backseat… her eyes fixed on him.

She watched him for a few moments, gathering courage, her fingers fidgeting slightly. Taking a soft breath, she finally spoke—

“Suniye…”

Rudraksh turned his head a little, glancing at her through the mirror.

“Boliye.”

Ruhanika hesitated, her lips parting but no words coming out at first. She looked down, then up again… and finally said softly—

“Can we go by train… not by airplane?”

For a second, Rudraksh didn’t respond. His expression stilled, as if thinking.

Then finally, he said—

“No, Ruh… it’s not safe for us.”

His tone wasn’t harsh… just firm.

Ruhanika didn’t argue.

She simply nodded, her eyes lowering as she leaned back into her seat. Quietly, she put on her headphones and rested her head against the backrest… turning her face slightly toward the window.

And just like that—

The conversation ended.

Silence filled the car once again.

No words.

No glances.

Only distance… sitting between them.

Moments later, the car slowed down—

And stopped directly in front of their private jet.

Ruhanika’s Pov

Today… we’re finally going to meet Baba.

He called me himself.

I know… we’re not related by blood, not really father and daughter—

But he is everything to me.

How could I ever forget him?

When he called, I heard his voice…

And he said sorry.

But I know it was never his fault.

That’s why I wanted to go back…

Back to my hometown.

Before anyone in my life—

My Baba matters to me the most.

But he still doesn’t know…

That I’m married now.

Married to him—

Rudra.

I don’t want to show up as some high-class woman.

I just want to go back as who I was before—

Ruhanika Sharma…

A simple girl who never knew her life would take such a turn.

I even asked Rudra if we could go by train…

But of course, he didn’t listen.

“Huh… how rude,” I muttered under my breath,

Glancing at him—

Busy… as always.

With his second wife.

Of course… his laptop.

I don’t k

now why he’s always so occupied.

Here I am… looking at him—

And he doesn’t even glance at me once.

Sighing, I picked up a book and tried to read…

Only to feel even more bored.

Frustrated, I stood up from my seat and looked around.

No doubt—

This place was too big for just us.

We could live here for a lifetime…

But how can I—

When he’s too busy with his second wife?

Honestly… I feel like throwing that laptop out sometimes—

But I can’t. 😤

Heyyy... Cutie