'Not all stories end with a happy ending'
When a fierce 21st-century CEO crosses paths with a powerful King from the 15th century, their worlds collide with passion that defies time itself.
He is driven by selfishness; she is his very obsession.
He...
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The atmosphere in the palace was thick with tension as Maya and Rudra with all the soilders entered through the grand gates of the palace.
The entire court, servants, and common people seemed to have gathered in the courtyard, whispering and murmuring amongst themselves.
Their eyes fell on Maya, who walked slightly behind Rudra, her face impassive but her heart heavy with unease.
She could sense the disapproval radiating from the crowd, feel their judgmental stares searing into her skin.
Arjun had discreetly moved to the side, not wanting to draw any more attention to himself, found himself beside Avantika.
The events of the day had already spiraled out of control, and now, the eyes of the kingdom were fixed on Maya.
One of the elders stepped forward, his eyes narrowing at Maya with suspicion.
"Why did you leave the palace without informing anyone, Devi Maya?” His voice was cold, accusatory. “And with Mahashy Arjun, no less. Have you no respect for the king and the court?”
Another voice from the crowd chimed in. “How dare you roam freely when you are under the king’s protection? You’ve disgraced the honor of the palace.”
Maya remained silent, her face stoic, but inside she felt the weight of their words pressing down on her.
Her mind was racing, trying to come up with an explanation, but she knew that anything she said would only fuel their suspicions.
The whispers grew louder, and soon, the entire courtyard was abuzz with questions, accusations, and judgments.
“She disrespected Maharaj!” a woman shouted from the crowd.
“How could she leave the palace without his permission? And with another man?”
“She’s tainted the king’s honor!”
Rudra stood still, his eyes scanning the crowd, his expression unreadable.
He hadn’t said a word since they had entered the palace, and his silence only fueled the rumors further.
The crowd was growing more agitated by the second, their voices rising in a cacophony of disapproval.
Maya, though outwardly calm, felt her heart pounding in her chest.
She wanted to defend herself, to tell them that she had no ill intentions, but her voice seemed trapped in her throat.
And then, the wind blew—a soft, chilling breeze that swept through the courtyard, lifting Maya’s hair ever so slightly.
The moment her hair moved, revealing the faint red sindoor in the parting of her hair, the whispers turned into gasps.
All eyes focused on that single detail—the sindoor.
It was unmistakable, a clear sign that she was a married woman.
"She’s married!" someone exclaimed from the crowd, their voice thick with disbelief.
“How can she be married and still roam around with another man? What kind of woman behaves like this?” another voice joined in, dripping with disdain.
Questions about her character flew from every direction.
“How could she disrespect the sanctity of marriage like this?”
“Who is her husband, and why has this been hidden?”
Maya’s mind spun as she registered the weight of their words.
Married? She instinctively touched her hairline, her fingers grazing the sindoor, her eyes widening in shock.
When did this happen? Her mind flashed back, desperately searching for answers, and then it hit her.
A memory stirred from the day of the war.
She had been too exhausted, physically and mentally, to notice anything at the time.
When a enemy guard came from behind to attack, Rudra help her by shelding the sword with his left hand and the blood form the cut seeped down from his hands to her forehead.
Rudra must have noticed it when he took her to his tent to treat her wounds and one of Rudra's most trusted servants had come to help her dress.
She hadn’t questioned the elaborate hair styling, nor the extra care the servant had taken with her appearance.
She had been too tired after the war, on what was to come next.
Now, it all made sense.
Rudra—he had done this.
He had filled her partition again sindoor without her knowledge, when she was getting ready and she was too tired to notice.
For the second time wasn’t just an accident; it was deliberate.
The realization left her speechless.
She turned to look at Rudra, her eyes searching his face for some explanation, but he remained as composed as ever.
He wasn’t shocked, wasn’t surprised. He had anticipated this moment.
The crowd continued to press forward, demanding answers. “How long has she been hiding this? And why?”
“She’s a married woman who disrespects the king and roams freely with other men. This cannot be allowed!”
Maya was too stunned to speak, her mind reeling from the revelation.
How could she have been so oblivious? How could Rudra have kept this from her?
Before the crowd could escalate further, Rudra finally raised his hand, his voice cutting through the noise like a blade. “Enough.”
The courtyard fell silent, all eyes now on him.
He stepped forward, his gaze sweeping over the crowd, commanding their attention with the sheer force of his presence.
“I understand your concerns,” Rudra said, his voice calm but firm. “But there are things that need to be addressed properly, in time.”
The crowd began to murmur again, but Rudra’s next words silenced them once more.
“Tomorrow morning, I will sort everything out.” His gaze flickered to Maya briefly before returning to the crowd. “I am tired now, as is Devi Maya. The events of today have been... challenging.”
The subtle authority in his tone was unmistakable, and the crowd reluctantly accepted his words.
Slowly, they began to disperse, though the tension remained thick in the air. The whispers didn’t stop, but for now, the court would wait for Rudra’s explanation.
As the people left, Maya stood frozen, still processing everything. Her heart pounded, her thoughts in turmoil.
She had been unknowingly married to Rudra, and now, the entire kingdom was questioning her honor and character.
Rudra turned to her, his expression unreadable. “You’ll need to rest,” he said, his voice low but measured.
Maya didn’t respond, still too shocked to speak. She wanted answers, needed to know why he had done this to her without her knowledge, but now wasn’t the time.
There were too many eyes watching, too many questions left unanswered.
As Rudra walked past her, he stopped briefly, lowering his voice so only she could hear.
“Tomorrow, Maya. We’ll handle this tomorrow.”
With that, he left, leaving Maya alone in the courtyard, her mind swirling with confusion, anger, and disbelief.
