The devil's Enigmatic bride

(Chapter - 18)

With a crooked and confident smile, Zara replied, "This time, nothing will go wrong, Natasha. This drug is special. Your uncle acquired it from some very dangerous people in the underworld. It's guaranteed to affect Maya."

Natasha's eyes sparkled as she took the drug from her mother, examining it closely. "I thought that arrogant Ayansh entering Maya's life would complicate things for her," she muttered. "But instead, it only brought her closer to Grandpa."

Zara, hearing Natasha's words, fell into deep thought.

Meanwhile, in Maya's bedroom, after tossing and turning for a long time, Maya finally drifted into sleep. Ayansh lay peacefully beside her.

At precisely midnight, the door to Maya's balcony silently creaked open. A masked man, clad in a full red outfit, slipped into the room.

With a swift and thorough scan of the surroundings, the intruder moved toward Maya's bed. Though the room was shrouded in deep darkness, he confidently approached, a sharp silver knife glinting faintly in his left hand.

As he reached the bed and poised the knife over Maya, the room's lights abruptly flicked on.

"Hello! Welcome to my master bedroom."

Startled by the sudden, sweet voice, the masked man turned to see Maya, calmly seated on the bed with a serene smile.

The intruder immediately became alert, attempting to strike Maya with the knife. But in a flash, Maya caught his wrist mid-air. Her swift movement and iron grip left the masked man unable to free himself, despite his best efforts.

Yawning in apparent boredom, Maya remarked, "Let it go. Your struggle is pointless. You won't break free. So, be a good boy, stop this futile resistance, and tell me—who sent you? Why are you here? Are you here to kill me?"

The masked man froze, staring up at Maya's calm, unwavering expression. Finally, he spoke in a deep, measured voice, "Stop what you're doing. Cease the excavation immediately and withdraw your people from the site. We have a right to that place. If you interfere, we will kill you."

Maya's smile deepened, her brown eyes reflecting a fearless determination. "Big dreams for someone with such small eyes," she replied, her voice tinged with disdain.

In response, the masked man abruptly dropped his knife, but in a swift, ninja-like maneuver, caught it with his other hand and launched another attack. Once again, Maya effortlessly dodged, her movements a blend of grace and precision.

With a powerful punch to his stomach, Maya sent the intruder reeling, his knife clattering to the ground. As he doubled over in pain, Maya picked up the fallen blade and advanced on him. Clutching his stomach, the masked man bolted toward the balcony, but by the time Maya reached it, he had vanished into the night, disappearing into the forest behind the mansion.

Maya's calm gaze turned icy as she watched him flee. Returning to her room, she quickly sent a message on her phone, then glanced at the bed where Ayansh still slept peacefully. A notification pinged on her phone, but Maya simply checked it and locked the balcony door and window.

She lay down beside Ayansh, holding him close, her grip tighter than before. For the first time, Maya's face revealed two rare expressions: insecurity and fear—emotions she hadn’t felt in years, perhaps due to Ayansh.

The next morning, Ayansh awoke before Maya. As his eyes fluttered open, he found himself gazing at Maya’s serene, beautiful face. For a few moments, he gently caressed her cheek with his tiny fingers, his eyes full of affection.

After admiring her for a while, Ayansh tried to wriggle out of her arms, hoping not to disturb her sleep. But even his slightest movement stirred Maya from her slumber.

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Who was the masked man?

Why did he want to kill Maya?

What was he trying to stop her from doing?

To find out…

To be continued…