Only You

15•

She let out a soft, shaky breath and finally let her head fall against his chest again.

He didn't say anything after that. He just held her-securely, protectively, with one arm around her waist and the other resting on the back of her head, fingers buried gently in her hair.

Minutes passed.

Then his watch buzzed once.

His body tensed.

She noticed it immediately and started to pull back-but he didn't let her.

He kissed her hair, once.

"Stay in this room. No matter what you hear. Don't open the door unless it's me."

She looked up at him with an alarm, lips parting as if to say something-but again, words failed her.

So she just nodded, once.

Slowly.

He stepped back, but before turning, he looked at her again-as if committing her face as memory.

Then he left, and the door sealed behind him.

Tara stood there, alone again.

But not the same kind of alone as before.

Because for the first time, she wasn't scared of him.

She was scared for him .

The echo of the closing panel still lingered in the silence. Rudraksh had left. She had seen the quiet warning in his eyes before he turned.

Tara sat there, motionless. The warm air in the room felt colder now. Her fingers clenched the fabric of her dress.

She didn't know why her heart was beating so fast. She wasn't supposed to care this much... was she?

She barely knew him. Standing slowly, shakily.

She rushed to the door-but it wouldn't open. Locked. Of course.
The panel blinked red.

Her small fists hit the door once. Then again.

She wasn't trying to escape. She just wanted to see, know that what is going on why she's caged here !!

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

The grand hall of Raichand Mansion was almost too silent. The blood had been scrubbed, the floors re-polished, the shattered glass replaced within hours-as if violence had never touched this place.

But Rudraksh sat still in the center of it all-on the black leather sofa, one arm resting on the backrest, the other lazily holding a glass of wine.

The red swirl shimmered under the chandelier's low gold light.

His eyes weren't on anyone. Just the emptiness in front of him. Still. Watching. Waiting.

Across the hall, Rohan was giving final orders, checking camera feeds and security placements.

Riya stood with a file near the stair railing, speaking into her earpiece.

Everyone moved around Rudraksh-but none broke his silence.

Then- the main doors burst open.

A voice-booming, aged, poisoned with rage.

"Where is my son!" Mr. Roy.

Still in his ash-grey suit, gold rings catching the light. His face was red with fury, but his steps-hesitated when he saw him.

Rudraksh didn't move . Didn't blink.