Cemetery — Midnight
The moon hid behind thick clouds as the cemetery exhaled its ancient cold. Mist curled around broken gravestones… and in the center of the ruins stood a veiled woman draped in a black saree, her presence bending the air like a silent storm.
Dev approached her slowly.
The moment he reached her shadow, he bowed deeply, head lowered in reverence.
The woman's voice was low… velvet… dangerous.
"Good job, Dev."
A faint smile curled beneath the veil.
"You are quite useful to the dark forces…
despite being a divine being."
Dev lifted his head, a spark of arrogance in his gaze.
"Of course," he replied with a soft, mocking laugh.
"Goodness is boring. What do I gain by protecting the righteous?"
He stepped closer, fire dancing faintly under his skin.
"Absolutely nothing."
The woman tilted her head, studying him.
Dev's smile darkened.
"But by following your plan… by marrying Jishwa…"
His eyes gleamed with hunger.
"My power will increase tenfold. And once she becomes mine—"
His voice dipped, poisonous.
"—I can turn her to our side. Completely."
The woman's veil fluttered in the wind.
"And how," she asked quietly, "do you intend to convince Jishwa to marry you? She despises you. She trusts the light. She loves another."
Dev let out a slow, confident breath.
Then he smirked.
"My plan," he murmured, "is already in motion."
He glanced back toward the direction of the Pratap Singh mansion.
"Soon," he said with a dark certainty,
"she will have no choice but to agree.
Destiny… will corner her.
Her heart… will break.
And in her desperation…"
His smile sharpened.
"…she will walk straight into my hands."
The woman nodded approvingly.
The wind howled through the graves.
Dev's smirk deepened as he turned away—
completely certain of his victory.
✨ The Next Morning — Pratap Singh Mansion ✨
Soft sunlight filtered into the grand hall, warm but not comforting.
Kiara descended the staircase slowly… each step heavy with fear, not grace.
She wore a long flowery skirt that swayed gently, paired with a soft flower-patterned crop top.
Her mangalsutra rested against her collarbone, and a delicate streak of vermillion glowed on her hairline — sacred, proud symbols of her marriage.
But today…
Her glow was gone.
Her eyes were swollen from a night without sleep.
Her hands trembled as she held onto the railing.
Her steps lacked life — because her entire life lay unconscious upstairs.
Still, she straightened up before reaching the hall, masking her fear with dignity.
She folded her hands.
"Mother-in-law. Moti Baa. Aunt Susheela. Uncle Vinod."
Her voice was respectful, but strained.
"You… told me to come downstairs. What is it? What do you want to talk about?"
A dreadful silence settled.
Bhoomi wiped her eyes and stepped forward, her voice trembling with the weight of a thousand fears.
"Kiara… beta… you love my Yuvaan a lot. More than anything in this world."
Kiara instantly nodded, her voice cracking.
"Yes, mother-in-law. Of course. I love him more than my own life."
Bhoomi inhaled shakily.
"Then… you can do anything to save him, right?"
Kiara frowned.
"Yes. But… where is this going?"
She looked around the hall — everyone had the same expression.
Fear. Hesitation. Guilt.
Chandrika stepped forward slowly, her voice calm but heartbreaking.
"My dear… we have all come to a conclusion."
A pause.
A terrible, heavy pause.
"To save Yuvaan… you have to marry Dev."
The world around Kiara stopped.
Her breath vanished from her chest.
Her pulse began to roar in her ears.
Her fingers curled into fists.
"What…" she whispered.
Her eyes widened in pure disbelief.
And then she said it louder—
"WHAT THE FUDGE?!"
Her voice echoed through the entire mansion.
Everyone flinched.
But Kiara didn't even blink — her shock was volcanic.
Her world was falling apart… and now her own family was asking her to destroy her marriage to save it.
Her lips trembled.
Her vermillion seemed to burn.
And her heart cracked.
---
The first light of dawn barely filtered into the cave, but Varun and Dilruba were already awake, suspended by the creepers that bound them together. The vines were taut, pressing them close, forcing every inch of their bodies into intimate proximity.
Varun's chest brushed against hers; the warmth of her body was inescapable. Dilruba's hair tickled his face, and he could feel her breath near his lips.
For a long moment, neither spoke. Only the quiet drip of water from the cave ceiling filled the space.
Dilruba broke the silence, her voice soft but teasing:
"This… feels like a romantic scene, doesn't it?"
Varun's jaw tightened, irritation and something else mixing into a confusing heat.
"Shut up," he muttered, his gaze flicking away, pretending to be stern.
Then his eyes met hers, sharp and curious.
"I know you can get us released. So… why haven't you?"
A faint smirk curled Dilruba's lips. "Because… I'm enjoying this. And also…" She leaned closer, voice dropping to a teasing whisper, "I know that you know I can get us released. Then why didn't you say anything? Is it because… you wanted to be close?"
Varun's lips twitched. "Very funny."
Dilruba's grin widened, eyes sparkling. "You're blushing."
Varun stiffened, glare softening into embarrassment. "I… I'm not blushing."
Her eyes danced with mischief as she leaned even closer, the tip of her nose brushing against his.
"Sure… whatever you say," she whispered.
Before he could respond, Dilruba's lips pressed against his in a sudden, bold kiss.
Varun's eyes widened in shock. His entire body stiffened, but a strange warmth spread through him. For a moment, the world disappeared—the cave, the vines, the darkness—everything except her and the startling, electric closeness.
Dilruba pulled back slightly, her cheeks flushed, her smile soft and mischievous.
"You're blushing," she whispered again, teasing, but this time with a hint of vulnerability.
Varun's lips parted, his voice barely audible, a mix of disbelief and fluster:
"I… I'm not—"
But he stopped. Words failed him. And somewhere deep inside, he realized this moment… this closeness… was dangerously intoxicating.
The creepers held them together still, forcing proximity, forcing heat, forcing awareness. And neither of them could look away.
The cave was silent again, but now it was heavy with tension, anticipation, and something far more dangerous than the darkness outside.