AUTHOR’S POV
All eyes in the crowd turned toward their King.
For the first time, people saw him—not as the unshakable ruler, but as a man who was going to lose his balance seeing that scene . A man who had just lost his peace, his love, his very reason to breathe—in the blink of an eye.
Abhimanyu’s vision blurred, his balance faltering as the weight of despair crashed over him. His chest tightened, every heartbeat slicing him apart.
But then—
“Abhi…”
A voice. Soft. Familiar.
His head snapped up, eyes wild, searching. He didn’t see her—his mind screamed it was impossible—but the voice came again, stirring something fierce inside him.
And then he saw her. Standing there. Alive. Whole. Untouched.
For a moment, his world stilled.
She’s alive…? My Shivuu… alive?
Abhimanyu ran. No guards, no barriers could stop him. He reached her, his hands trembling as they touched her arms, her shoulders, her face—desperate to assure himself she was real, that she wasn’t an illusion born of grief.
Shivnya, sensing his turmoil, placed her palm gently on his cheek. “What happened, Abhi? I’m fine… I wasn’t in that car.” Her voice was calm, steady—meant to ground him.
But he couldn’t stop. His eyes scanned her again and again—her hands, her arms, her face, her neck—until finally he pulled her into a crushing embrace. His chin rested against her hair, his breath heavy against her crown, and only then did he allow himself a deep, shuddering exhale.
But the relief quickly turned into fury.
He whirled on his guards, his voice booming across the street.
“What the hell were you all doing? I appointed you to guard her every second—then where the hell were you?”
The guards bowed their heads, trembling under his wrath. The people around stood stunned—never had they seen their King so enraged.
“I swear,” Abhimanyu roared, his voice laced with raw fire, “if even a single scratch had touched my wife—I would’ve killed you all with my bare hands. Now, get lost!”
The guards scattered, cowed and terrified. Abhimanyu’s chest still heaved with rage, but he turned back to Shivnya, clutching her hand firmly in his. Without another word, he led her through the crowd, the police quickly escorting the way.
Just as they reached the car, his phone rang. Vinod.
Shivnya’s eyes flicked to the screen discreetly. She caught the name, her heart tightening, but said nothing. Abhimanyu didn’t answer. He slipped the phone back into his pocket, opened the door for her, and made her sit inside.
Then, sliding into the driver’s seat himself, he started the car and drove straight toward his office—his jaw set, his mind a storm.
Within fifteen minutes, they reached his office. Every employee who caught a glimpse of their boss froze. Abhimanyu’s fury was like a storm contained in human form, and no one dared to breathe too loud as he strode past.
In his cabin, he pulled Shivnya inside, sat her firmly on his chair, and began pacing the room like a restless lion trapped in its cage. An uneasy silence filled the space, thick and suffocating.
Finally, Shivnya broke it.
“What happened, Abhi? Speak something…”
Her soft voice was like fuel to fire. For the first time, Abhimanyu shouted at her.
“Who told you to cook for me? And why the hell did you think of coming here? And if you decided both, why didn’t you tell me?”
Shivnya blinked at him, stunned. Her voice came meek, almost broken. “I… I just wanted to surprise you.”
“Surprise?” Abhimanyu’s anger flared like wildfire. “Who the hell asked you for surprises? This surprise would’ve cost you your life! For me—you are more important than food, or gifts, or anything in this damn world!”
Shivnya’s eyes lingered on him, suspicion growing with every second. Something was wrong—terribly wrong.
Then his next question landed like a dagger.
“Why didn’t you use your own car?”
Calmly, she replied, “Because one of the butlers said he smelled petrol leaking from it. I also smelled it… so I took the other one.”
Before Abhimanyu could erupt again, she stepped close and placed her hands on his shoulders, forcing him to sit on the couch. His jaw was still tight, his fists clenched, but she knelt in front of him.
“Look at me, Abhi. I’m fine. Nothing happened. Why are you burning yourself like this?”
His eyes flickered with something raw. “You’re telling me not to take stress? When in a second, I could’ve lost my whole life? You didn’t wait for me to love you, Shivuu—but I waited my whole life for you.”
Her breath hitched as he continued, his voice breaking but fierce.
“Back in childhood, I waited for you to be comfortable with me. Everyone told me to forget you, to live my own childhood. But I couldn’t—I was obsessed even then. I only wanted to play with you, draw with you… My affection started the day I saw you—in that little white frock with cherry prints, crying so much your cheeks puffed up. From that day, you were my puffy cheeks.”
His voice cracked as memories flooded. “And when I lost hope you’d ever love me… life moved on. But then I saw you again in London, I fell for you all over again. Shivuu, if anything had happened to you today… I wouldn’t have survived either.”
Shivnya’s tears streamed silently. She threw her arms around him, hugging him with all her strength. “I’m sorry, baby… I’m so, so sorry. I love you, Abhi. I love you so much.”
He held her just as tightly, burying his face against her hair. But even as he clung to her, something in him still burned—unanswered questions, the bitter taste of danger.
Pulling back slightly, she wiped her tears and whispered, “You know… today I’m safe only because of you.”
His brows furrowed. “What do you mean?”
She explained, voice trembling, “On the way here, I stopped at a florist’s shop. I wanted to buy flowers for you. I parked the car nearby, and just ten seconds later, there was a blast. I didn’t even have my gun—I’d left it in the other car by mistake. I froze. But the florist told me to stay low, and he went to check. When I finally came out… I saw you. You were there, almost going to broke.And in that moment, Abhi… as a wife, I couldn’t let my husband fall apart in front of his kingdom.”
Abhimanyu’s chest tightened. He crushed her into his arms again, as if holding her could erase the nightmare.
For a moment, they just breathed together, lost in the relief of being alive.
Then Shivnya pulled back, her gaze sharp and steady. “Now speak up, Abhi. What is happening? And who is this Vinod?”
Abhimanyu froze. His heart skipped a beat.
“You… you know Vinod Khanna?”
She nodded. She doesn't know anything about him—except his name. But she knows there is something wrong with this vinod and she said “ Yes and tell me yourself… or should I find out why this Vinod Khanna is bothering you?”
Her voice was steady, confident, daring him to hide the truth.
And for the first time in his life, Abhimanyu Rathore looked horrified.
Abhimanyu looked at her and said,
“It's a long story, Shivuu… it started back when dadaji was in the clan. Our great-grandfather, along with a few loyal people, had formed the clan to protect its members and the people. But not everyone agreed. Many opposed, and soon… attacks started happening.
Because of that bloodshed, your grandfather and mine left the clan. My father, after seeing all this violence, never showed much interest in the throne. But when it came to my time… I was 19 or 20 then, and I wanted to take the throne.
Many elders supported me, knowing my background and lineage. But some didn’t… especially Vinod’s father and Vinod himself. They never wanted me to rule. A clash broke out between us. Obviously, I won and became the ruler—one of the youngest ever. Yet, everyone respected me, obeyed me.
But then… I saw you. And suddenly I felt—I don’t want power, I just want you. To live with you, far from bloodshed, far from that unpredictable life. So I left the clan. The people didn’t want me to leave, but I still did.
I even offered Vinod the throne. But he refused. Instead, he said, ‘One day I’ll take your most precious thing and return it after destroying it.’ He knew reaching my family was impossible, and he thought watching me suffer would break me.
And now… now he wants to kill you in front of my eyes. To see me broken. But he never will.”
Shivnya looked at him, her brows furrowed.
“Then why don’t you just kill him, Abhi?”
Abhimanyu’s gaze darkened.
“Killing him means going back to that world again… going back to my throne.”
Shivnya chuckled softly, though her eyes glistened.
“You’re saying you don’t want to go back, but at the same time you still call it your throne. Abhi, you left your throne to live in peace with me—I’m grateful for that. But it’s your duty too. People are waiting for their ruler.
I am your strength, not your weakness. If in future I ever need you, you’ll be there. So go back… take what’s yours. And end Vinod Khanna.”
Abhimanyu froze, tension flickering in his eyes.
Shivnya frowned.
“What happened? Why are you so stressed now?”
Abhimanyu exhaled, voice heavy.
“Because that bastard… he’s here. In Rajasthan. He isn’t showing himself yet—but he said… he will kill you. Tomorrow. On Karwachauth.”
Shivnya looked at abhimanyu and said “ It's tomorrow only we have to plan something ” abhimanyu nodded and said with protectiveness “ But tension not not even a scar will touch you ”
Abhimanyu and Shivnya went back home after their discussion. As they entered, they found the whole family tense. Ridhimaa rushed forward and hugged Shivnya tightly.
“Thank God you’re safe, Shivnya! If something had happened to you, we all would—”
Ranveer gently interrupted, “Nothing has happened. Calm down, let the children rest.”
Abhimanyu nodded at his father knowingly. He was well aware that his dad already suspected it wasn’t an accident but a planned attack. With that unspoken understanding, Abhimanyu and Shivnya retired to their chamber for some rest.
Later, during dinner, Dadi reminded, “Shivnya, eat properly. Tomorrow is Karwachauth—you won’t be allowed to eat or even drink water.”
Shivnya nodded obediently. Ridhimaa added warmly, “Sleep early tonight. You’ll have to wake up before sunrise for the sargi meal. That will be your last bite till the fast ends.”
Again, Shivnya nodded with a small smile.
That night, while lying in bed, Shivnya whispered, “Tomorrow is a very special day. I’ll be fasting for you for the first time.”
Abhimanyu smiled, pulled her into his arms, and teased softly, “Me too.”
Shivnya looked at him in shock, thinking he was joking, and eventually drifted off to sleep.
At 3:30 AM, the alarm rang. Abhimanyu stirred while Shivnya slept soundly. He quickly turned it off and shook her gently.
“Shivu, wake up bacha, you have to eat,” he coaxed.
Half-asleep, Shivnya mumbled irritably, “Five minutes more…” and turned to the other side.
Abhimanyu freshened up in the bathroom and returned to find her still curled up, fast asleep. His voice turned stern but affectionate.
“I’m giving you one last chance to wake up and get ready. Otherwise, I’ll carry you to the dining hall myself.”
But Shivnya, lost in dreams, only shifted slightly without waking, she dreamed that she already stood up and started getting freshen up
Smiling helplessly, Abhimanyu scooped her into his arms. He wrapped a stole around her, knowing how she disliked moving around the haveli without a dupatta or pallu, no matter how modern she was otherwise.
As he carried his sleepy wife like a little baby to the dining hall, the entire family—Radha, Ansh, Ranveer, Ridhimaa, Dadaji, Dadima, Darsh, Amrita, and even Bua ji and Fufaji—were already waiting.
Everyone paused, watching the sight of Abhimanyu holding Shivnya with such care. Shivnya’s head rested peacefully against his chest, completely unaware of her surroundings.
The ladies exchanged knowing smiles, their eyes soft with amusement and affection at the adorable scene.
Bua ji kept a stern face, but the men of the family couldn’t help smiling at the sight. As Abhimanyu reached the dining table, he bent down and whispered softly,
“Shivuu, wake up… we’re at the table now.”
But Shivnya, still lost in deep slumber, was impossible to wake. She murmured irritably, almost half-shouting in her sleep,
“Arghh… just five more minutes! And don’t say it again, or I’ll throw you out of the room for the whole year!”
Abhimanyu froze in shock, his eyes wide, while the entire family burst into laughter at her sleepy “warning.” Taking a deep breath to calm himself, he reminded himself she was truly just sleepy.
Shaking his head with a helpless smile, he sat down on the chair and gently settled her in his lap, still fast asleep like a child.
The dining hall echoed with the sounds of clinking plates as everyone began eating. In their haveli, it wasn’t just the women who fasted on Karwachauth—the men also observed the tradition.
Abhimanyu picked up a slice of apple, took a bite, then brought the remaining piece to Shivnya’s lips.
“Eat,” he coaxed softly.
But Shivnya, still asleep, turned her face away and cuddled closer into him, making everyone chuckle.
Dadi urged in a worried tone, “Abhi, wake her up. The time is finishing.”
Just then, Shivnya let out a little yawn, her lashes fluttering as she slowly opened her eyes. In her blurred vision, she saw Abhimanyu’s face and mumbled with a sleepy smile,
“See… I told you I’d wake up in five minutes. And I did. Good morning, baby.”
Abhimanyu bit back his laughter and replied with exaggerated sweetness, “Good morning, jaan.”
The family, seizing the chance to tease her, chorused loudly, “GOOD MORNING, SHIVUU!”
Shivnya blinked, finally realizing where she was. She sat up abruptly, only to find herself still on Abhimanyu’s lap, surrounded by the entire family at the dining table.
Her cheeks flushed crimson with embarrassment. She quickly tried to jump off, but Abhimanyu’s arm tightened around her waist, holding her firmly in place.
She glared at him in helpless fury, while he only smirked, enjoying every bit of her flustered state.
Everyone looked at Shivnya with mischievous eyes and one of them teased,
“We’re done, now you can eat with your husband.”
The elders exchanged smirks, their expressions making Shivnya’s cheeks burn in embarrassment.
Radha couldn’t resist and added playfully, “Enjoy the sargi, bhabhi!”
She and Ansh ran off giggling before Shivnya’s glare could land on them.
Turning to Abhimanyu, Shivnya whispered furiously, “Are you mad or what? Why did you bring me here like this?”
Abhimanyu cupped her face gently, his tone soft but firm.
“Because it was time for sargi, bacha. You can scold me later as much as you want, but first, eat.”
Shivnya glared at him and tried to get up, but his hold tightened around her waist. Irritated, she had no choice but to let him feed her. Abhimanyu patiently fed her bite after bite, making sure she didn’t skip anything.
After ten minutes, Shivnya pushed his hand away lightly.
“I’m full… I don’t want to eat anymore.”
Abhimanyu frowned, his voice protective.
“Just a few more bites, or you’ll feel hungry the whole day.”
Shivnya reluctantly ate a little more, but soon crossed her arms.
“No. I’m not eating anything else.”
Before he could argue, she stood up and walked away, leaving Abhimanyu with no choice but to follow her back to their room.
As soon as they entered, Shivnya spun around, her eyes flashing.
“Don’t talk to me! Did you even think how much the family will tease me after what you did?”
Abhimanyu bit back his laughter at her fiery expression. Then, feigning seriousness, he said,
“But Shivuu, you yourself said in sleep, ‘Carry me and take me to the dining room.’ I was just following your order.”
He knew he had to lie, otherwise she would remain angry the entire day.
Shivnya’s brows shot up in disbelief.
“Nooo! I never said that. Do you think I’m an idiot?”
Abhimanyu scoffed dramatically.
“No, baby. But if you don’t even trust your husband, what can I do?”
Shivnya narrowed her eyes at him, searching for cracks in his words. When she couldn’t find any proof, she huffed and marched into the bathroom.
The moment the door closed behind her, Abhimanyu smiled to himself, shaking his head.
“Sorry, Shivuu… but it was necessary. If I hadn’t said that, you’d stay angry all day. At least this way, you’ll calm down and enjoy your first Karwachauth.”
SHIVNYA’S POV
I slipped into the bathroom to freshen up, still dying of embarrassment. The image of me sleeping in Abhimanyu’s lap at the dining hall with the entire family watching… God, I wished the ground had swallowed me right there.
When I came back, Abhimanyu was already in his study, busy with some work. I quietly crawled into bed again—it was only 4:30 AM, after all. Sleep came to me instantly. Funny… I’d spent half my life depending on sleeping pills, and now, just his presence was enough to make me fall asleep within seconds.
---
After about three hours, I felt him shaking me awake.
“Shivnya, wake up… everyone is calling you for mehndi. You have to take a bath too.”
I groaned, blinking my eyes open—only to find him standing in front of me, naked… ahm half-naked, with a towel slung low around his waist, water droplets still glistening on his chest. My breath caught in my throat.
And I shook my head removing any inappropriate thoughts for him and got up still sulking and sleepy, I was never that sleepy before our marriage , before our marriage i used to take sleeping pills for sleep but now just knowing and having Abhi near me i sleep but still , I dragged myself to the bathroom, showered, and got ready in a blood-red kurti, paired with its dupatta, oxidized earrings, and red-gold bangles. A touch of basic makeup brightened my face.
While tying my hair, I called softly, “Abhimanyu… can you tie the knots of my kurti?”
He came over and started fastening them. Guilt pricked me, and I whispered meekly, “Sorry for shouting at you… it was my mistake. I did say in my sleep to carry me to the dining table.”
Abhimanyu smiled faintly, his tone warm.
“It’s okay, bacha. It was nothing. I’m your husband—you can scold me anytime.”
I gave him a small smile and reached for my sindoor. But before I could apply it, he took the bottle and insisted on doing it himself. As he applied, a little slipped onto my nose.
“Why can I never apply sindoor perfectly?” he muttered irritably.
I smiled at his expression and shook my head.
“You always apply it perfectly. I love when some falls on my nose—it means you love me a lot.”
He chuckled, eyes soft. “So you want proof of my love?”
I smirked. “I already know my husband loves me a lot. But still, I like these little proofs. Do you have a problem with that?”
He shook his head instantly. “Never.”
With that, we stepped out of the chamber.
In the hall, mehndi artists had already arrived. I sat among the ladies, holding out my hands as they began applying the designs. Radha leaned closer with a teasing grin.
“Bhabhi, did you eat your sargi well?”
I glared at her. “You’re enjoying this too much, aren’t you?”
She laughed, and I sighed. “You’re the only one who understands my situation. Thank God Tanmay and Yuvraj weren’t at the table, otherwise—”
Before I could finish, a mischievous whisper came from behind.
“Bhabhi, that doesn’t matter. Whether we were there or not, we know everything.”
My heart sank. I turned to see Tanmay and Yuvraj grinning like devils.
“Bhabhi, how was your sargi?” Yuvraj teased openly.
I shot them a death glare, but they were completely unfazed. Tanmay added dramatically, “What a life… no one carries us to eat like that.”
Arghhh… these drama king boys!
Before their teasing could get worse, Abhimanyu appeared. Instantly, all three of them went silent like guilty schoolkids. I smirked triumphantly.
“You three were saying something? Speak now…”
Abhimanyu gave Tanmay and Yuvraj a sharp side-eye. They immediately straightened and said innocently,
“Bhabhi, we were only asking if you ate your sargi well… fasting without food or water is very difficult, after all.”
Abhimanyu gave them a curt nod, then walked away, leaving the boys pale with fear. I chuckled to myself.
The teasing continued, though. Dadi shook her head with a laugh.
“Why are you troubling my bahu ( child ) ? Do you all know, Ranveer was no less for Ridhimaa—he never let her fast properly. And once when she insisted, he kept forcing her to eat something. And your father Darsh—such an idiot! He accidentally made Amrita drink water during her fast. And your grandfather? He used to cook himself for my sargi.”
We all gasped, wide-eyed, before bursting into laughter. Maa and Chachi walked out of the kitchen just then and froze, suspicious.
“What’s going on? Why are you all laughing?”
With mischievous smirks, we chorused, “Maa… Dadi just told us about your first Karwachauths.”
Their faces turned crimson with embarrassment, which made us laugh even harder.
Chachi tried to defend herself. “Why are you laughing? Radha, Ansh was so stubborn that you wouldn’t fast—he even fought with his mom over it!”
I stared at Radha in shock before both of us burst out laughing.
Maa shook her head and warned me, “And don’t laugh too much, Shivnya. You’re also in the same boat.”
We all shared a heartfelt laugh, realizing how lucky we were to have such loving husbands.
Maa then turned to Tanmay and Yuvraj, raising her brow.
“And the way you both are laughing—just wait for your time. We’ll see how you treat your wives then.”
Their faces flushed instantly, and they bolted from the room, making us laugh even louder.
As the day passed, the hunger began gnawing at me. I quietly slipped into our chamber and found Abhimanyu immersed in his work. Without a word, I walked straight to him, settled into his lap, and whispered,
“I’m hungry…”
Abhimanyu looked up from his papers, then at my hands covered in dried mehndi. His eyes softened.
“Baby, what do you want to eat?”
I blinked at him in surprise. “Means…?”
He cupped my cheek, voice steady.
“You eat. I’ll keep the fast instead.”
My heart melted instantly. Smiling, I leaned down and kissed his forehead.
“Thank you so much, baby. But no… this fast is mine. For you. I’ll control my hunger.”
Abhimanyu frowned, determination in his eyes.
“But you don’t have to. I’m here, Shivuu. I’ll do the fast.”
I shook my head firmly. “No, Abhi. I’ll keep it. Now shush.”
He sighed, defeated, and I quickly changed the subject, clapping my hands together.
“Abhi, let’s go to the top of the hill… the one where you took me when I came to Rajasthan for the first time.”
He studied my face for a moment. “Are you sure you want to go there?”
I nodded with a smile.
We stepped out and informed the family, “We’re going to the top of the hill for some time. We’ll return before puja.” Everyone nodded knowingly, and we left.
On the way, I rubbed my hands together, removing the dried mehndi. After about an hour’s drive, we finally reached the hilltop.
Stepping out of the car, we slowly walked toward the boundary railings. The sunset spread across the sky in shades of orange and crimson. Abhimanyu slipped his arms around me from behind, holding me close. His lips brushed against my cheek.
“You know, na…” he whispered, “I won’t let anything happen to you.”
I nodded, leaning into his warmth.
But before I could even exhale, a pair of rough hands yanked Abhimanyu back. He was dragged away from me, his grip slipping from my waist. My eyes widened in horror.
“Abhi!” I screamed, spinning around.
Three masked men had appeared out of nowhere—two of them pulling Abhimanyu back with brute force.
I bolted toward the car, desperate to grab the gun hidden inside. But before I could reach it, I froze—cold steel pressed against my throat. A sharp knife dug into my neck, and my hands were twisted painfully behind me by another attacker.
My breath hitched. My heart pounded.
“Abhi…” I whispered, terror coursing through my veins.
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