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Guts? I want to laugh. She has no clue what I can do to stop her, but for a change, I don’t want to stop her. She can stay in Raichand Mansion with them until I announce it to the world that she is mine!! I just can’t wait to see that blow on Durga and Mohit Raichand’s faces. It will be too much fun!!

Jhanvi gets inside the same car which had driven her here. The driver waits for my instructions and as soon as I nod, he knows he has to drop her back. The moment the car drives out of the vicinity, Aman reaches back to me. He had other work assigned, so obviously he wasn’t at the front stage today where this drama happened.

“Can’t believe you let her go,” he says.

“Ignoring small losses triggers major profits, Aman. Never forget that.”

Aman rolls his eyes, but the disheartened look on his face tells me he is not in a mood for jokes.

“Won’t you congratulate me?” I openly ask. “Your friend is married.”

“I would have celebrated your wedding had Jhanvi married you by her wish. I didn’t like any of this, Aarav. You know that, don’t you?”

“So, you are team Bride then?” I mock, but even that doesn’t bring back his smile.

“You know I can never leave your side, Aarav. It’s just that I …”

“Aman.”

Placing my arm over his shoulder, I lead him to the temple stairs.

“This wedding was inevitable. Even if God himself had come down to stop me, I wouldn’t have heard him.”

“Uhh,” Aman groans. “Stop challenging God at least. He is the one who created you, not vice versa.”

“When did I deny? I am just saying that no one could stop Jhanvi from becoming mine. Not even Jhanvi herself. In the coming days, she will thank me for being her partner.”

Aman stops and stares at me with sarcasm.

“Partner? Do you even know ABC about keeping a woman happy?”

He is right. I don’t know. The only woman I loved so far and will love until the end is my mother. Apart from her, I had no one in my life. But things have changed. I have married Jhanvi, and I must keep her happy. If only she would stop taking my rival’s side. I turn back to the Holy fire where we completed the marriage rituals some minutes ago. It boosts me with its blaze to carry on with whatever plans I have laid to pull down the strings of the empire Durga Raichand has created so far.

I, the forbidden heir of the Raichands, have played my first card. Now I can’t wait for them to know what they lost and the storm that’s approaching in their lives to destroy them forever.

CHAPTER 8

Jhanvi

I can’t stop crying. I don’t think I can. It’s been an hour since I’m back at Raichand Mansion. Mohit has still not responded to my voicemail, and Daadi is yet to arrive from Advani’s home. But I can’t take the risk of her safety, so I call the driver she took along and almost threatened him to bring her back straight home, safe and sound, once her meeting is over.

Jaya. I should call Jaya. My hands shiver as I dial her number.

But Aarav hacked Jaya’s number. Is it safe to try her number now? What if he picks up? Or worse, what if he overhears what I speak to my friend? No!! I can’t take that risk. What risk? He already did what he had to. He tricked me into this marriage. Now what else do I have to lose if I call my friend?

My phone rings, scaring the hell out of me. It’s Jaya. I had tried calling her number but disconnected. So, she’s calling me back now.

“Jaya,” I say, holding my tears.

I know she will know from my voice that I am in a deep problem.

“Jhanvi? What’s wrong? Are you crying?”

“Jaya,” I shudder, listening to her voice. “Jaya I… He…”

And I break down. It’s hard to control my emotions any longer. I might have been all strong while facing Aarav Raichand today, but now that the storm has passed, all it has left me with is tears and agony.

“Jhanvi, why are you crying? You are scaring me,” Jaya scolds. “Please tell me you are fine. Where is Mohit and Daadi? Are they okay?”

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