Author pov:
As she walked away from Arsalan, her thoughts lingered on the unsettling encounter. Ignoring the fleeting impression of the man she'd just met moments ago, she made her way back to the temple, her mind clouded with worry.
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The study was dimly lit, the glow of the single lamp casting long, restless shadows across the walls. I leaned back in my chair, exhaling slowly, the weight of the truth pressing against my chest like an iron vice. Between my fingers, I held an ID card-Avni Chauhan's. A name that should have been foreign to me, yet now it defined my entire existence. Daughter of Atharv Chauhan. A woman I had no reason to bring into my world. A woman I should have walked away from the moment fate threw her into my path. And yet, I didn't. I couldn't. I saved her when I should have let her go. And that one choice set everything into motion. When she lay unconscious in that hospital bed, her life hanging by a thread, I could have left. I could have let her slip away like a passing storm. But something in me refused to let go. Maybe it was my own darkness, my insatiable need for control. Or maybe... it was her. Deshmukh had tried to take her from me, using her as a pawn in a game I had no intention of playing. But he underestimated my hunger for vengeance. My hands were already stained with blood, my soul too far gone to be redeemed. And now, her memory loss was a gift wrapped in fate's cruel mercy. She didn't remember her past. She didn't remember who she was. And I intended to keep it that way. As I turned the small bottle in my hand-the medication meant to seal away her memories forever-I made my decision. I would give her a new life. Our life. One where the past never existed. One where I was the only man she knew, the only love she needed. Because she was mine. She became my happiness, the only light my darkness had ever touched. And I would never let her go. Darkness had been my only companion for as long as I could remember. It wasn't just a part of me-it was me. It was the air I breathed, the only certainty in a world that had never belonged to me. I had been born into it, cursed before I had even drawn my first breath. A child whose existence was paid for in blood. A walking omen. A mistake. A sin. Every whisper carried disgust. Every gaze was laced with loathing. Every touch left bruises. Love? Affection? They were myths meant for others. Never for me. So I embraced what I was. I became the monster they believed me to be. I built walls so high no one could reach me-not even the boy buried deep inside, the one who had once craved a single moment of warmth. That boy died a long time ago. And in his place stood a man made of steel and vengeance. Unbreakable. Unfeeling. Until her. She was never supposed to matter. She was never supposed to see me. Not the ruthless beast the world feared but the man I had long buried. And yet, she did. The first time she touched me, it was to save herself. But that moment, her arms around me, her warmth against my skin-it did something I couldn't explain. It scared me. Deeper than any wound. More permanent than any pain. I should have pushed her away. Should have let her go before she unraveled me. But she stayed. She stayed even when I was cruel. She stayed even when I tried to break her. She stayed even when I gave her every reason to walk away. And now, she was the only thing in my world that felt real. The only light I had ever touched. And I would not lose her. Her past? I would erase it. Her memories? I would rewrite them. Her love? I would make sure it belonged to me-only me. Because if she ever remembered-if she ever realized what was stolen from her-she would leave. And I would not survive that. So, I would do what I had always done. I would fight. I would destroy. I would bend fate itself. But I would never let her go. A soft sound pulled me from my thoughts. "Abhi?" I lifted my gaze to the doorway. Avni stood there, bathed in the dim golden glow of the study. She was wearing my shirt-an oversized black fabric draping over her delicate frame, falling to her mid-thigh, leaving her bare legs exposed. My body tensed, something dark and primal unfurling within me. She rubbed her sleepy eyes, her voice laced with drowsy vulnerability. "You weren't in bed... I had a bad dream." Her innocence did something to me-something I couldn't control. I pushed back my chair and stood, my feet carrying me to her in slow, measured steps. "You shouldn't be out of bed," I murmured, my voice rough. She didn't answer. Instead, she closed the space between us, wrapping her arms around my waist and burying her face into my chest. "Just hold me," she whispered. Something inside me clenched. I wrapped my arms around her, pulling her flush against me, my chin resting atop her head. Her scent-a soft blend of jasmine and rain-wrapped around me, grounding me. "Let's go," I murmured, my voice deeper, rougher than before. She looked up at me, a sleepy pout forming on her lips. "I don't want to walk anymore." A smirk ghosted across my lips. Without a word, I bent down and swept her into my arms. She let out a small gasp but instantly curled into me, her body melting against mine, her fingers gripping the fabric of my shirt like I was her only anchor. I carried her back to our bedroom; the only sound between us was the rhythmic beat of our breaths. The moment I laid her down, she instinctively reached for me, her body seeking mine. I followed. Pulling her close, I caged her in my arms, our legs tangling beneath the sheets, her warmth seeping into my skin. My hand found her waist, fingers pressing into the soft curve of her body, grounding myself in her presence. She was mine. Only mine. And as she drifted off into sleep, her breathing slow and steady against my chest, I made a silent vow. No force in this world-not fate, not memories, not the past, would take her away from me. Even if I had to burn everything down to keep her. Because she was my happiness. And I would never let her go.
“This contract represents nothing more than a mere deal to me!” he spat, his voice low and menacing, each word dripping with contempt. “I’ve purchased you from your family, and that gives me every right to control you. You have no say in this matter, do you understand?” His grip on her arm was vice-like, his fingers digging painfully into her skin—a visceral reminder of his claim over her. With a forceful shove, he released her, and her arm fell limply to her side, the sudden impact leaving her temporarily stunned, as she grappled to process his words. Tears threatened to spill from her eyes, but she steeled herself, adamant in her refusal to show any sign of weakness in front of him. Clenching her hands into fists at her sides, she summoned every ounce of strength she possessed to maintain her composure. Lifting her chin defiantly, she met his icy gaze, searching for any hint of humanity behind the cold, impenetrable facade of the man who had forced her into this unwanted marriage. “Just because you threw money at my family doesn’t mean I’ll ever consider you my husband, Mr Raichand!” she shot back, her voice firm and unwavering, determination lacing her every word as she stood her ground against him. “I will never accept this marriage or you as my husband! You’d do well to remember that!” Her voice brimmed with a fierce mix of anger and defiance, echoing in the dimly lit room, emphasizing the gravity of her stance. With a dark intensity, he stepped closer, moving slowly, deliberately, closing the distance between them as if to emphasize his power. With each step he took, she instinctively retreated until her back met the unforgiving wall, the hard surface a stark contrast to the turmoil boiling within her. "Are you sure about that, Mrs. Raichand?" he growled, a predatory glint in his eyes.
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