Devil's Bride

The Kings Dilemma

The phone call came just as Ayaan was about to walk out the door, his jacket half-draped over his shoulder. His attention snapped to the ringing phone, the number on the screen instantly recognizable. It was Mumbai.

“Hello?” Ayaan answered, his voice sharp, the usual commanding tone of a mafia lord taking over.

“Ayaan, we’ve cleared the disputes. The board is ready for you to return. The empire waits for its king,” the voice on the other end said, calm but urgent.

Ayaan’s jaw tightened as he stood by the window, staring out at the bustling city below. His mind raced through a dozen thoughts—his empire, his responsibilities, the people who depended on him. But then, a flicker of Maya’s smiling face crossed his mind, and the thought of leaving her behind sent a pulse of frustration through his chest.

“I… I can’t leave right now,” Ayaan said, the words slipping out before he could stop them. “I need a little more time.”

The person on the other end didn’t hide their impatience. “Ayaan, you’re needed here. The work cannot wait. You know this.”

“I’ll be there soon,” Ayaan finally replied, his voice filled with resolve. But deep down, he wasn’t sure when—or if—he could bring himself to leave.

He ended the call, his hand gripping the phone tightly. He hadn’t expected this internal struggle. The powerful man who ran his world, who took what he wanted without hesitation, was now torn. Torn between the loyalty he felt for his empire and the inexplicable pull that kept him anchored to Maya, to her innocence and warmth.

The empire called. His world, his power, his responsibilities—demanding his attention, pulling him away. But the thought of leaving Maya behind, of returning to that life, made his chest tighten with frustration.

He couldn’t leave her. Not yet. Not when everything in him screamed to stay.

Later that evening, as Ayaan sat in the study, deep in thought, his grandfather entered quietly, having overheard his conversation on the phone. There was no need for words; the old man had seen the tension in his grandson’s face, and he could tell exactly what was going on.

“You’re still here, then,” his grandfather said softly, settling into his armchair.

Ayaan looked up, trying to mask the frustration in his eyes. “I can’t go yet. There’s something here that I... I can’t leave behind.”

His grandfather studied him for a moment, the lines on his face deepening as he spoke. “It’s her, isn’t it?”

Ayaan’s heart skipped a beat. He hadn’t said anything about Maya, but his grandfather was sharp, too sharp.

“She’s the reason, isn’t it?” The older man’s voice softened. “I’ve watched the way you look at her. I’ve seen it for a while now.”

Ayaan shifted uncomfortably in his seat, his gaze turning towards the window, where the darkening sky seemed to mirror the conflict inside him.

“She doesn’t belong in your world, Ayaan,” his grandfather continued, his voice steady but firm. “She’s a good girl, full of light. She deserves better than the shadows you live in.”

Ayaan’s jaw tightened. “I’m not the same man I was before. She—she makes me feel things I’ve never felt.”

His grandfather let out a slow sigh, a deep sadness in his eyes. “You think you care for her. But Ayaan, she’s innocent, untouched by the darkness you carry with you. If you keep her close, you’ll ruin her. The world you’re in, the life you lead—it will destroy her. And you don’t want that.”

Ayaan felt a pang of guilt at his grandfather’s words, but it wasn’t enough to push him away from Maya. “I can’t just turn off what I feel. I won’t abandon her.”

His grandfather stood up slowly, walking to the window as he gazed out into the distance. “I’m not asking you to turn it off, Ayaan. I’m telling you that you need to leave—both the village and her. Leave before it’s too late.” His voice was gentle, but the weight of his words hung heavy in the air. “This village, this simple life, is all Maya needs. People here love her like she’s part of their own family. They want to protect her. They don’t see the shadows you’ve lived in, and they don’t need to. Don’t you dare break her, Ayaan.”

Ayaan’s chest tightened, and for the first time, he found himself at a loss for words. His grandfather’s affection for Maya was genuine—he could see that. The villagers, too, held her in high regard. Maya had brought a sense of calm to this place, a sense of warmth that was foreign to Ayaan’s cold world.

“You think it’s that easy?” Ayaan asked, his voice low, almost like a challenge. “Just because I’ve spent my life in the darkness doesn’t mean I can’t want something more... something real.”

His grandfather’s gaze was soft but resolute. “You want her to live in that world, Ayaan? A world where she’s constantly in danger, where the shadows will follow you everywhere? She will never be safe with you. Leave, and let her be free from all of this.”

Ayaan stood up, his hand gripping the back of the chair. “I can’t just walk away. I won’t.”

“Then you will destroy her,” his grandfather said quietly, turning to face him fully now. “You can’t have both, Ayaan. Not with the life you lead.”

Ayaan’s mind whirled. Every word his grandfather spoke was true. Maya didn’t deserve this life—the danger, the uncertainty, the constant threat that hung over everything he touched. She was like a flower in a storm, too pure for the chaos he lived in.

And yet, he couldn’t bring himself to leave. The idea of walking away from her, of leaving her here, alone with nothing but her innocence, made his stomach churn with guilt and longing.

Ayaan walked out of the study without saying another word, his mind racing with confusion and frustration. He had always known what he wanted. His empire, his power, his control. But now, Maya had become something he couldn’t control, something he couldn’t walk away from.

He stood at the door, staring out at the moonlit horizon, as the weight of his decision pressed down on him. His heart and his empire were pulling him in two different directions. And for the first time in his life, Ayaan wasn’t sure which way to go.