[][] Kalki's POV [][]
The morning sun filtered through the floor-to-ceiling windows of my room, casting long golden streaks across the polished wooden floor.
Normally, I would have already finished reviewing three business reports by now.
Normally.
But today, for the first time in years, I had been staring at the same file for almost twenty minutes without reading a single line.
Because my mind wasn't on work.
It wasn't on the upcoming meetings.
It wasn't on the contracts waiting for my signature.
It was on her.
Sunakshi.
The image of her crying yesterday refused to leave my head.
Her trembling shoulders.
The tears running down her face.
The way she stood there silently while everyone blamed her for something she didn't even understand.
The way she didn't defend herself.
That was what scared me the most.
I closed the file in front of me and leaned back against my chair.
Usually, when people accused Sunakshi, she argued.
She fought back.
She became angry.
She shouted.
But yesterday...
She didn't.
She simply stood there and accepted everything.
Every accusation.
Every insult.
Every harsh word.
As if she believed she deserved it.
As if she had become too tired to fight.
And that terrified me.
Because I knew exactly what happened when people kept bottling up their pain.
One day they broke.
And if Sunakshi broke...
I didn't know how to fix her.
My jaw clenched.
The memory of Dadi's words returned immediately.
"Homebreaker."
The word echoed inside my head.
Not because it was directed at me.
But because it was directed at her.
The one person who had spent years trying to hold broken people together.
The one person who constantly put others before herself.
The one person who had suffered because of everyone else's mistakes.
And somehow she was the villain.
I rubbed my forehead tiredly.
"Damn it, Sunakshi..."
Why couldn't she yell at me?
Why couldn't she storm into my room and demand answers?
Why couldn't she hit me?
At least then I would know she was angry.
Anger was manageable.
Silence wasn't.
Her silence reminded me too much of the day she walked away from me.
Too much of the week she ignored every call.
Too much of the fear that I might lose her again.
A knock interrupted my thoughts.
"Sir?"
One of my guards stood outside the door.
I looked up.
"What?"
"The breakfast is ready."
"I'm not hungry."
The guard hesitated.
Then nodded.
"Yes, sir."
The door closed again.
Silence returned.
And with it came the memories.
[] Few Hours Before The Engagement []
I pushed open the door to Noor's room.
Immediately, everyone inside became tense.
Stylists.
Makeup artists.
Assistants.
The moment they saw me, they greeted me respectfully and left.
Within seconds, only Noor and I remained.
She was standing in front of a large mirror.
The red bridal lehenga she wore probably cost more than most people's houses.
Gold embroidery covered every inch of the fabric.
Diamonds sparkled under the lights.
But I felt absolutely nothing.
No excitement.
No happiness.
No anticipation.
Nothing.
Because she wasn't the woman I wanted to marry.
Noor smiled nervously when she saw me.
"Kalki Ji?"
She took a step forward.
"You are here? Is everything okay?"
I didn't answer.
Instead, I placed a thick file into her hands.
The smile immediately disappeared from her face.
Confused, she opened it.
Page after page.
Evidence.
Statements.
Reports.
Investigation records.
I watched the color drain from her face.
Her hands started shaking.
Interesting.
Guilty people always reacted the same way.
Slowly, she looked up at me.
"Kalki..."
"Explain."
Just one word.
Her lips parted.
Closed.
Opened again.
"It... it was an accident."
My expression didn't change.
She continued nervously.
"I swear. Ayesha disappearing has nothing to do with me."
Silence.
Then I spoke quietly.
"I never mentioned Ayesha."
The room froze.
Noor's breathing stopped.
"How do you know this file is about her?"
Her eyes widened.
Fear.
Pure fear.
The first honest emotion she had shown all day.
"Vo... I..."
Before she could answer, I looked toward the door.
"Come in."
The door opened.
And Ayesha stepped inside.
The moment Noor saw her, she stumbled backward.
"No..."
The color completely disappeared from her face.
"No... no..."
Ayesha looked tired.
Fragile.
Like someone who had spent a long time trying to put herself back together.
When she looked at Noor, there was pain in her eyes.
But there was no hatred.
And somehow that made Noor even more uncomfortable.
"Tum... tum yaha kaise?" Noor whispered.
"How are you here?"
Ayesha remained silent.
I didn't.
"Since when has this been happening?"
My voice echoed through the room.
Noor started crying immediately.
"Kalki..."
"Answer me."
She flinched.
The investigation had revealed enough.
I knew what had happened to Ayesha.
I knew she had been manipulated, mistreated, and harmed by people who were supposed to protect her.
I knew her trust had been destroyed.
And every report I read had made my blood boil.
Not because she was connected to me.
Not because of business.
Not because of reputation.
Because nobody deserved that.
Nobody.
"Noor."
My patience snapped.
"When did this start?"
Finally, she broke.
"It was after I saw your college photos!"
The confession burst out of her.
Tears streamed down her face.
"I liked you."
She pointed toward me.
"I really liked you."
A bitter laugh escaped me.
Liking someone.
What a pathetic excuse.
"You rejected me."
She sobbed.
"My brother said he would help."
Ayesha lowered her eyes.
Noor continued crying.
"You were always around Sunakshi."
The moment Sunakshi's name left her mouth, my jaw tightened.
"My brother arranged everything."
"What everything?" I asked coldly.
Noor closed her eyes.
As if saying the truth out loud hurt.
"He made a deal."
The room became silent.
"A deal with Ayesha's parents."
My hands curled into fists.
Even though I already knew.
Even though I had already read the reports.
Hearing it aloud felt worse.
"If they cooperated..."
She swallowed hard.
"...their debts would be cleared."
Disgust filled me.
Some people saw children as blessings.
Others saw them as bargaining chips.
I would never understand it.
Never.
"And then?"
Her shoulders shook.
"They adopted me."
The words came out broken.
"So I could become the daughter they presented."
Ayesha looked away.
I could see tears gathering in her eyes again.
Not for herself.
For Sunakshi.
Even now.
Even after everything.
She was worried about someone else.
The room felt suffocating.
"And you expected me to marry you after this?"
I asked quietly.
The quietness was far more dangerous than shouting.
Both Noor and Ayesha flinched.
"No."
Noor's voice broke.
"No..."
I took a step forward.
"You destroyed lives."
Another step.
"You manipulated people."
Another.
"You watched innocent people suffer."
By now she was openly sobbing.
"And somehow you thought I would accept you?"
"No..."
She shook her head repeatedly.
"No..."
I looked toward Ayesha.
"The decision is yours."
Noor turned toward her.
Ayesha remained silent for several moments.
Then she spoke.
Softly.
"I don't want revenge."
Noor looked up hopefully.
Ayesha's eyes filled with tears.
"I just don't want to see her again."
The room became quiet.
"That's all."
I stared at her.
Even after everything.
Even after all the pain.
She still chose mercy.
It was more kindness than Noor deserved.
Finally, I nodded.
"Okay."
Then I turned toward Noor.
"You are leaving."
Her face went pale.
"You and your family."
"Kalki please—"
"No."
For the first time, there was absolutely no room for negotiation in my voice.
"You will leave the country."
She started crying harder.
"You will never contact any of us again."
"Kalki—"
"And if I hear your name connected to Sunakshi, Ayesha, or my family..."
I let the warning hang between us.
She understood.
I could see it in her eyes.
A few moments later, guards entered the room.
I walked toward the door.
But before leaving, I stopped.
Without looking back, I spoke one final time.
"Even after everything you did..."
My voice remained cold.
"...Ayesha still chose kindness."
Silence.
"Remember that."
Then I left.
The engagement was waiting.
And so was the woman I intended to bring home.
[] Back To Present []
I opened my eyes.
The memory faded.
The morning sunlight still filled my room.
The same file still sat untouched on my desk.
And none of it solved my actual problem.
Sunakshi.
I stood from my chair and walked toward the window.
Down below, the gardens of the Watson Mansion stretched endlessly.
Beautiful.
Peaceful.
Quiet.
Unlike my thoughts.
I had gotten what I wanted.
She was here.
She was wearing my ring.
She was inside my home.
So why did it feel like I was losing her?
For the first time since yesterday, uncertainty settled inside my chest.
I had protected her from Noor.
I had protected her from everyone else.
But yesterday proved something important.
The people hurting Sunakshi weren't always enemies.
Sometimes they were family.
Sometimes they were words.
Sometimes they were expectations.
And sometimes...
The person hurting her most was me.
I closed my eyes briefly.
Then whispered into the empty room,
"How do I fix this, Sunakshi?"
For once in my life, I didn't have an answer.
[][]Sunakshi's POV [][]
What was even happening to my life?
It was lunchtime, and the cafeteria buzzed with the usual noise—students laughing, trays clattering, chairs scraping against the floor, and random conversations blending into one endless sound. Normally, I liked the chaos. It distracted me from everything else.
But today?
Today, every sound felt like a headache.
I sat at the corner table with my friends, absentmindedly poking at the food on my tray. My appetite had disappeared days ago. Ever since the engagement.
Ever since Kalki.
The mere thought of his name made my chest tighten painfully.
I lowered my eyes and tried to focus on my food.
Failed.
Again.
"Sunakshi?"
I looked up.
Marshall was staring at me with concern.
"What happened back there yesterday?"
Krish leaned forward.
"Did he force you?"
The fork in my hand tightened.
Not this again.
Please.
Not again.
Why couldn't people leave me alone?
Where were all these people when my heart was breaking?
Why did they all want answers when I didn't even have any myself?
Most importantly...
Why did everything have to be about Kalki?
I inhaled deeply.
One.
Two.
Three.
Control yourself.
"Can we please not talk about yesterday?" I asked quietly. "Or about him? Please."
The table instantly went silent.
Maybe they sensed the irritation in my voice.
Or maybe they saw the warning in my eyes.
Either way, nobody pushed further.
Thank God.
I thought the topic was finally over.
I was wrong.
Because at that exact moment, two familiar voices echoed through the cafeteria.
"Hii Sunakshi!"
"Hii, baby's friend!"
I closed my eyes.
Not them.
Not today.
I simply didn't have the energy.
Ananya and Rishabh walked toward our table, both wearing those annoying smirks that immediately made my mood worse.
I didn't respond.
Rishabh dramatically placed a hand over his chest.
"What happened? Not happy to see us?"
Ananya giggled.
"Oh, I get it."
She exchanged a look with him.
"She's sad because she can never use Kalki Sir's name again."
The two laughed.
I clenched my jaw.
Ignore them.
Just ignore them.
"Poor Sunakshi."
"Very poor."
"Leave it," I muttered.
Instead of stopping, they became worse.
"Oh."
Ananya pretended to gasp.
"She really doesn't have an answer."
Then she suddenly pulled out her phone.
"Sunakshi, just look at the camera once."
"What?"
"I'll post it on Instagram."
Her smile widened.
"Caption: #TruthComesOut."
The people around us started looking.
My stomach twisted.
Ananya continued.
"No wait."
She tapped her chin dramatically.
"Better one."
"#KalkiSirIsNotHersAnymore."
The laughter around us felt louder.
Humiliation burned through me.
Inside, something snapped.
Not because of her words.
Not because of the engagement.
Not because of the gossip.
But because I was already carrying too much.
Too much pain.
Too much anger.
Too many unanswered questions.
And now she wanted to make me a joke.
I took a deep breath.
Don't do it, Sunakshi.
Stay calm.
They don't know anything.
They don't know what happened.
They don't know what you're going through.
Before I could respond, karishma suddenly spoke.
"I don't think you know what really happened yesterday."
Ananya rolled her eyes.
"Oh really?"
"Yes."
"And you've not even seen bride's pictures."
"What pictures?"
The atmosphere shifted.
Immediately.
Something in their expressions changed.
Ananya's confidence wavered.
But only for a second.
Then she laughed.
"So what if we haven't?"
Krish stood up.
"We have."
"And trust me..."
His voice turned cold.
"If you care about yourself, keep your mouth shut."
For a moment silence filled the table.
Then Ananya smirked.
"Why?"
The answer that came next made my blood freeze.
"Because if Kalki chose his wife over her..."
Her eyes landed on me.
"...then nobody will save her."
Ananya folded her arms.
"And you'll just keep warming his bed while he belongs to someone else."
Everything stopped.
The cafeteria.
The voices.
The sounds.
Everything.
I heard only that sentence.
Again.
And again.
And again.
Then—
SLAP!
The sound echoed through the cafeteria.
Loud.
Sharp.
Brutal.
Ananya stumbled backward.
Her chair crashed.
She fell onto the floor.
One hand immediately flew to her cheek.
The entire cafeteria went silent.
Every single person stared.
I stood there breathing heavily.
My hand stung.
But not nearly as much as my heart.
All the pain.
All the humiliation.
All the sleepless nights.
All the tears.
All the anger I had buried inside myself.
Everything exploded in that one slap.
Rishabh instantly rushed toward her.
"ANANYA!"
He helped her stand.
Then turned toward me.
His eyes burned with anger.
"You slapped her?!"
I stared back.
Fearless.
Cold.
Unapologetic.
"No."
I took a step forward.
"I warned her."
Another step.
"And she didn't listen."
For the first time, Ananya looked scared.
Good.
Because I wasn't done.
"If I ever hear you saying anything behind my back again..."
My voice shook.
Not from fear.
From rage.
"You will not meet the Sunakshi you know."
The entire cafeteria remained silent.
Even breathing felt loud.
I pointed at her.
"Take this as your warning."
Then I turned around and walked away.
Not because I was afraid.
Not because I regretted it.
But because if I stayed one second longer...
I would break down.
And I refused to cry in front of them.
Not today.
Not ever.
The hallway felt empty.
My footsteps echoed against the floor.
I walked blindly until I reached my classroom.
Thankfully, it was still half empty.
I sat in my usual seat near the window.
The cool breeze touched my face.
For a few moments, I simply stared outside.
Students walked around laughing.
Living.
Smiling.
Meanwhile, my life felt like a complete disaster.
I rested my forehead against the desk.
"Just survive the day."
I whispered to myself.
"Just survive."
Because after school...
I had to return home.
And home wasn't home anymore.
It had become the biggest drama of my life.
So until then...
I buried myself in books.
Trying desperately to escape reality.
[][] Kalki's POV [][]
The dining table felt wrong.
Too quiet.
Too empty.
Too lifeless.
Everyone sat there eating breakfast.
Yet nobody spoke.
Nobody laughed.
Nobody argued.
Nobody smiled.
And suddenly I realized why.
Sunakshi.
She wasn't here.
Not physically.
Not emotionally.
Not anywhere.
The girl who had somehow filled this mansion with life was gone.
I stared at my untouched coffee.
Back then, none of us cared about eating together.
Everyone ate separately.
Sometimes we skipped meals altogether.
Then she came.
And somehow she changed everything.
She forced family dinners.
Forced conversations.
Forced smiles.
Forced us to become human again.
And now...
The house felt empty without her.
"Where is Noor?"
Dadi suddenly asked.
I ignored her.
"Kalki."
No response.
"Kalki, I am talking to you."
Still nothing.
"Answer me."
I stood up.
Finished my coffee.
And walked away.
I couldn't do this.
Not today.
Not when my own heart felt shattered.
Because if I told her the truth...
She would break.
And if I remained silent...
Sunakshi would continue breaking.
Either way, someone suffered.
And I was the reason.
The villain.
The monster.
The selfish man.
Maybe they were right.
Maybe I deserved every bit of hate.
But nobody wanted to hear my side.
Nobody cared why I made the decision.
They only saw the damage.
Not the sacrifice behind it.
Lost in my thoughts, I entered my room.
The moment the door closed, I leaned against it.
Exhaustion washed over me.
I rubbed my face.
Everything hurt.
Then—
A knock.
Soft.
Gentle.
My heartbeat immediately accelerated.
I knew.
I knew exactly who it was.
The door opened.
And there she was.
Sunakshi.
My breath stopped.
She stood there quietly.
Looking around the room.
Looking for me.
When her eyes finally found mine...
I saw it.
Pain.
Raw.
Broken.
Unfiltered pain.
The same pain I had put there.
The same pain I would never forgive myself for.
Slowly, she walked toward me.
Neither of us spoke.
Words suddenly felt useless.
When she stopped in front of me, I couldn't take it anymore.
I pulled her into my arms.
Tightly.
Desperately.
As if she might disappear.
For a moment she froze.
And I feared she would push me away.
She should push me away.
She had every right to.
But she didn't.
And somehow that hurt even more.
I buried my face in her hair.
"I'm sorry," I whispered.
My voice broke.
She remained silent.
Then I felt her trembling.
I pulled back slightly.
The sight shattered me.
Tears streamed down her cheeks.
One after another.
Endlessly.
Her beautiful eyes were red and swollen.
As if she had cried all night.
My chest tightened painfully.
I had done this.
I was the reason.
Without thinking, I wiped her tears away.
But new ones replaced them immediately.
She suddenly grabbed my shirt.
Holding it tightly.
As if letting go would make everything worse.
I wrapped my arms around her again.
This time she hugged me back.
And that nearly destroyed whatever control I had left.
For several minutes we simply stood there.
Holding each other.
Two broken souls drowning in the same pain.
Then finally she spoke.
One word.
Just one.
Yet it carried a thousand emotions.
"Why?"
I closed my eyes.
Because I had no answer that would heal her.
Her voice cracked.
"Why did you do that to me?"
The tears came harder.
Her shoulders shook.
And hearing her cry felt like someone ripping my heart apart.
I held her closer.
As if I could somehow protect her from the pain I caused.
"I'm sorry."
My voice was barely a whisper.
She cried against my chest.
And for the first time...
I cried too.
The tears I had been hiding.
The guilt.
The regret.
The helplessness.
Everything broke free.
I rested my forehead against hers.
And cried.
Not as Kalki Watson.
Not as the powerful businessman.
Not as the man everyone feared.
Just as a man who had hurt the person he cared about most.
We stood there crying together.
Broken.
Lost.
Destroyed.
But somehow...
Still finding comfort in each other's presence.
And for that brief moment...
The world outside didn't matter.
The engagement didn't matter.
The family didn't matter.
The expectations didn't matter.
There was only her.
And me.
Two hearts wounded by the same decision.
Two souls searching for answers.
And as I held my little mess in my arms, one terrifying realization settled deep inside my heart—
I could lose everything.
My family.
My reputation.
My future.
Everything.
But losing her?
That was the one thing I wasn't sure I could survive.