Her passion for food to be known by all
She is endowed with a sweet and kind nature.
Families are aware that she is unable to keep anything from her father.
They fail to realize, though, that she is keeping her greatest life secret from everyone...
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Adira sat curled up in the cold hospital lobby, her body shaking uncontrollably. She hugged the jacket to her chest, trying desperately to hide the torn edges of her tight dress and the pain burning across her skin. Her vision was blurry partly from tears, partly from the shock of everything that had happened in the last hour.
Footsteps echoed down the silent corridor.
Heavy. Familiar. Safe.
She lifted her swollen eyes and the moment she saw her father standing in front of her, concern etched across his face, her entire façade shattered.
“Dad…” her voice cracked as fresh tears spilled down. “Bhai… he’ll be fine, right?”
Rudra didn’t speak. He just pulled her into his arms, holding her with the gentleness only a father could give. For Adira, his embrace had always been the safest place on earth.
But today… even that safety felt fragile.
As he stroked her back, her jacket slipped off her shoulder and Rudra froze.
The moment his eyes registered the bruises, something inside him snapped.
Blue marks around her arms. Scratches across her collarbone. A torn sleeve hanging loose. A faint trail of dried blood on her lip. A handprint burning red across her cheek. A bandage wrapped around her head.
Rudra slowly stepped back, jaw clenched so tight his veins stood out. His eyes normally calm, composed turned a terrifying shade of red.
“Adira,” he said, voice low. Too low. Deadly low.
Before she could react, he removed the jacket from her hands in one swift, trembling motion to look at her injuries properly. Adira flinched, not from fear of him but from the memory of what had been done to her.
For a second, Rudra couldn’t breathe.
His daughter… his princess… looked broken.
He swallowed hard, then wrapped the jacket around her with infinite care like she was made of glass.
Just then, Adhya rushed in. The moment she saw Adira’s bruised face and trembling body, her hand flew to her mouth.
“Adira…” she whispered, tears filling her eyes.
Adira collapsed into her mother’s arms, sobbing helplessly. Adhya held her, but her gaze shifted to Rudra and she recognized that look.
That same look from years ago.
The beast had awakened again.
“Take care of her,” Rudra said quietly.
Quiet. But dangerous.
Adhya nodded, fear creeping into her bones ..not of Rudra, but of what he was about to do.
Without another word, Rudra turned and walked out of the lobby, each stride sharp, determined, fueled by a rage that could burn the world.
He dialed a number.
The moment the call connected, his voice was ice.
“I want him in front of me. Now.”
And the line went dead.
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