The devil's Enigmatic bride

(Chapter - 38)

Since birth, Maya had lived with her mother deep in the jungle. But after her mother's death, Maya vanished without a trace, and no one knew where she was for six long years.

For six years, Mr. Rudra searched for Maya like a man possessed, but she remained elusive, hidden from the world.

Then, just as Mr. Rudra had lost all hope, one day, out of nowhere, Maya was dropped off at Arya Mansion by a group of bodyguards.

After confirming her identity through a DNA test, the Arya family sought answers about Maya's mysterious past. But Maya remained silent, offering no explanation. She had always been an enigma, and her arrival at the Arya family only deepened that sense of mystery. She spoke little and kept to herself, lost in a world of her own. It wasn't long before everyone in the family began to sympathize with her.

Upon her return, Maya made a firm request to her grandfather: she would never acknowledge Mr. Rudra as her father in public.

From a young age, Maya blamed Mr. Rudra for her mother's death. In her mind, had he not abandoned them, her mother would still be alive. To preserve her dignity and shield her birthright from public scrutiny, Maya's grandfather reluctantly agreed to her terms. Fourteen years ago, Maya was introduced to the world as the daughter of his second son, rather than Mr. Rudra's daughter.

This was why, for the past fourteen years, Maya had been known as Mr. Rudra's niece, not his daughter. The world believed that Mr. Rudra was her uncle.

Maya's cold, detached gaze fell on her grandfather. Vidyut had been right. Her grandfather's words were sinking in, forcing her to realize her precarious position.

He had told her the truth-without the Arya name, Maya had no identity.

While Zara, through her cunning, had secured multiple properties under her name, Maya had nothing of the sort. She had no safety net.

As she examined her situation more closely, Maya understood that her grandfather's affection for her had never been genuine. His kindness was driven by pity, not love.

With a sudden resolve, Maya stood up.

Her gaze sharp, void of emotion, she said,“Grandfather, if you think you can manipulate my life the way you do with Natasha, you are gravely mistaken. I will decide who I am with. You will not control me, and I won't allow it. Disinherit me if you must. It won't make a difference.”

Her grandfather stared at her, dumbfounded.

Maya continued, her tone steady and firm,“Yes, money and power are important, but they're not worth sacrificing my dignity. If you think you can buy me with wealth and control my decisions, you're wrong. I will never yield to that.”

Every word felt like a dagger piercing her grandfather's heart. But he knew, deep down, that Maya was right. She was speaking the truth.

Indeed, he had hoped to use money and power to rein Maya in, as her independence had started to spiral out of control. Yet, he refused to acknowledge this. In his mind, he was doing what was best for her.

As Maya turned to leave the room, her grandfather's stern voice stopped her. "Maya! I have tolerated your defiance long enough. Don't test my patience or-"

She paused, then turned, her face hardening with rebellion. "Don't push me. If you try to impose your will, I will leave this family. And I'll make sure your illusions crumble."

Her grandfather's face darkened with anger. He hadn't expected her to go this far.

Finally, in a desperate attempt to scare her, he played his last card. "Go ahead, Maya. Leave if you want. But remember, once you do, you'll lose Ayansh forever. You cannot take him with you."

Maya's blood ran cold at the mention of her son. Her expression turned fierce as she slammed her hand on the desk. "You won't do that, Mr. Arya! Ayansh is my son. Wherever I go, he comes with me."

But instead of backing down, her grandfather smiled triumphantly. He had always known Maya's weakness-Ayansh.

Years ago, Maya's grandfather had quietly secured legal custody of Ayansh. Maya had known this, but she had never imagined that he would actually use it against her.

His smile widened as Maya's eyes filled with hatred.

"You've finally shown your true colors," Maya said coldly. "No problem. I'm leaving, without Ayansh. But I will return, and when I do, I will take him back. And if my son suffers even the slightest harm, you will see a side of me that you never imagined."

Her grandfather's smugness vanished. He had expected Maya to surrender, to be subdued by the threat of losing Ayansh, but she stood her ground.

As Maya left the room, he felt a strange emptiness. This wasn't the outcome he had wanted. He had only wanted to separate her from Vidyut. But instead, she was walking away from him.

Outside the study, Maya took a deep breath, her emotions churning inside her. Suddenly, Ayansh appeared and clung to her legs.

Maya knelt down, her heart softening as Ayansh smiled up at her, his voice gentle. "Mom, do you know how long you've been gone? I missed you so much."

Her heart swelled with emotion as she looked into her son's innocent eyes.

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What will happen next?

To know…

To be continued...