His Bleeding Rose

ITALY

"It will cost you billions, sir. Think about it once," my assistant hesitated, his voice cautious.

I barely spared him a glance as I grabbed my coat. "I've thought enough. I want it to end right now." My tone was final. No hesitation. No second thoughts.

I walked out of the office, my mind already somewhere else—somewhere far from money, power, and business. Somewhere she was.

I reached home, but my heart reached her first.

The moment I stepped into the dimly lit room, the scent of fresh flowers filled my senses. There she was—still as ever. A porcelain doll untouched by time. My Rani Saa.

I sank beside her, pressing a soft kiss to her forehead. "Good evening, Rani Saa. How are you doing?" My voice was gentle, but the silence that followed clawed at my chest.

"She's not ready to wake up."

The doctor's words echoed in my mind. Days, weeks, months—it didn't matter. I wasn't going to lose hope.

Sliding onto the bed beside her, I ran my fingers through her hair, memorizing the way each strand slipped through them. "You know, Rani Saa," I murmured, "I've left one of my businesses. And I know... I know you never liked my illegal dealings in weapons. So, I've stopped. Every shipment. Every connection. Everything."

A bitter chuckle escaped me. "Now, I only supply to the government. Nothing illegal. No more bloodstained profits." My voice wavered.

I exhaled sharply. "You want to praise me, don't you? But you won't say it. You'd just pretend not to care, like always. You'd roll your eyes and say—'I don't care what you do or not, Rana Sa'—but I know you would care."

I searched her face for any flicker of movement.

"I miss that. I miss your stubbornness. I miss the way you always acted like you didn't care." My fingers traced the back of her hand. "But I know you'd be proud of me right now. I told you I'd change. And I have. Every single thing you didn't like about me—I've erased it all."

A deep silence settled between us, broken only by the steady rhythm of the monitors.

I pressed another kiss to her forehead before standing up. "I'll wait. No matter how long it takes."

Dragging myself to the washroom, I let the scalding water burn away the weight of the day. But it didn't wash away the ache.

When I stepped out, something on the nightstand caught my eye.

A letter.

My jaw tightened as I picked it up, my fingers tracing the familiar handwriting. Again.

I'd read it a hundred times over the past week, but the words still felt like a knife twisting deeper.

Bhai,

Don't be angry.

I'm leaving for Italy. I don't know when I'll return—or if I will.