Chapter 46
Raghav stared at his phone, his jaw tightening as another call went unanswered.
"That damned bastard!"
He tossed the phone onto the table and dragged a hand through his hair.
Kaasi had disobeyed orders, gone after Riya, and disappeared without a trace. And now Raghav was left to deal with the consequences of that fool's stupidity.
He was almost certain Druve had caught him. What he didn't know was whether Kaasi was still alive, or worse, whether he had already started talking.
That thought made his stomach twist.
Kaasi knew him. He knew who had given him orders, who he reported to, and whom to contact whenever something needed to be done.
If Druve managed to make the idiot talk, Raghav would be the first person he came looking for.
And Druve Prathap wasn't a man Raghav wanted hunting him.
For years, Kaal had gone to extraordinary lengths to keep his existence hidden from Druve. Every move had been calculated, every connection carefully concealed.
And now one fool's disobedience threatened to undo it all.
If Druve found Raghav, he could eventually trace the connection to Kaal. And if Kaal discovered what had happened, Raghav would be held responsible regardless of whose mistake it was.
He knew what awaited him.
Druve on one side. Kaal on the other.
Either way, he was a dead man.
Unless he did something about it.
He needed to find Kaasi before the bastard revealed anything more. And if he was still alive, Raghav had no intention of letting him remain that way.
But where the hell was Druve keeping him?
His house was the only place Raghav could think of to begin looking. There was no guarantee Kaasi was there, but he had to start somewhere.
Then he remembered Amir's call.
Riya.
Amir had warned him that an opportunity to target her might present itself soon. He was supposed to keep the men alert, maintain their distance, and wait for orders.
Instead, Kaasi had gone and ruined everything.
"Damn it! Everything at once!"
Raghav clenched his fists.
He couldn't ignore Amir's instructions. Missing the opportunity to target Riya would only give Kaal another reason to turn against him.
There was only one thing he could do.
Keep Druve's house under observation.
He would look for anything that might lead him to Kaasi while remaining alert for the opening Amir had mentioned.
Raghav picked up his phone and headed out.
He had no idea whether Druve or Kaal would destroy him first.
But he wasn't going to sit still and wait for either of them.
At the Prathap residence, lunch had stretched well beyond its usual hour.
Rajveer's two elder sons had joined the celebration with their wives. Arav, the eldest, was a Deputy Commissioner of Police, while Karthik, the second son, held the rank of Colonel in the Indian Army. Their wives, Ananya and Harini, were already familiar with Rana's family, and the gathering had settled into the easy warmth of people who had known one another for years.
"I told you to take the other route," Arav said, looking at Karthik.
"And I told you there was construction work."
"Which was cleared last week."
"According to whom?"
"The traffic department."
Karthik gave him an unimpressed look. "And yet we spent twenty minutes at the same junction."
"Because you insisted on leaving at the worst possible time."
"I left when you told me to!"
"Then why are you blaming me?"
"Because you're the one who suggested the route!"
Ananya slowly shook her head.
"There they go again."
Harini sighed, though a smile tugged at her lips. "I was wondering how long they'd last."
Rana chuckled, while Rajveer continued eating, apparently accustomed to such exchanges.
Riya had been listening with quiet amusement. She leaned slightly toward Druve.
"Are they always like this?"
Druve was removing the pieces of green chilli from the curry on her plate. Without looking up, he answered, "Always. Hard to believe one's a Deputy Commissioner of Police and the other's a Colonel in the Army."
The conversation stopped.
Arav turned toward him.
Karthik stared.
Even Ananya and Harini fell silent for a moment.
It wasn't merely what Druve had said. It was the fact that he'd joined their conversation at all—and with such perfectly timed criticism.
Karthik was the first to recover.
"Did our little brother just insult both of us?"
Arav looked at Rajveer. "Dad, you heard that, didn't you?"
Rajveer's lips twitched.
"Every word."
Rana laughed, and Sharadha covered her smile.
Riya, meanwhile, was watching Druve.
He had finished removing the chillies and was moving her plate back into place, looking entirely unconcerned by the attention he'd attracted.
She smiled at him, warm and quietly delighted.
Karthik was still staring at his little brother when he turned toward Riya.
"Riya, how did you do that?"
She looked at him, puzzled.
"What did I do?"
"Make him talk!"
Riya blinked.
Karthik gestured toward Druve. "Do you know how difficult it is to get more than two words out of him? Half the time, he just looks at us with that poker face of his."
"Half?" Arav interrupted. "You're being generous."
Karthik ignored him. "And here he is, making jokes at our expense!"
Arav leaned back in his chair, shaking his head.
"Enjoy it while it lasts, Riya. You've got the short end of the stick. Give him a few days and he'll bore you out of your mind."
"Arav!" Ananya laughed.
"What? I'm looking out for her!"
Riya turned toward Druve.
He was listening to his brothers with his usual unreadable expression. When their eyes met, however, the corner of his mouth lifted.
Riya smiled.
She slipped her hand into his, interlacing their fingers, and leaned against his shoulder.
"No. I got the best one."
Arav raised an eyebrow.
"You're certain about that?"
"Absolutely." She looked at the two brothers with quiet amusement. "And who told you Druve doesn't talk?"
Karthik gave a disbelieving laugh.
"Are we talking about the same man?"
"Of course we are." Riya's smile widened. "He talks plenty. And that poker face you're so worried about? I hardly ever see it."
Arav looked at Druve, then back at her.
"Now I know you're exaggerating."
"I'm not!" She gave Druve's hand an affectionate squeeze. "He's such an entertainer."
Karthik nearly laughed into his glass.
"Druve? An entertainer?"
"And very, very clingy," Riya added.
That did it.
Arav lowered his glass without taking a sip.
Karthik stared at his little brother as though he'd just heard something impossible.
"Clingy?" he repeated.
Ananya began laughing, while Harini turned toward Druve with open curiosity.
"Now that's something I'd like to see."
Riya glanced at her husband, whose expression had grown suspiciously still.
"What?" she asked him, smiling. "It's true."
Druve raised an eyebrow.
"Very clingy?"
"Very."
His thumb moved slowly over her knuckles as he looked down at her, a small smirk playing at the corner of his mouth.
"You don't seem to be complaining."
Riya lifted her face toward his. She caught the teasing glint in his eyes and smiled.
"I never did."
His smirk softened into a smile that he made no attempt to hide. For a few moments, neither seemed particularly aware of the people sitting around them.
Arav had been about to make another remark, but the words died on his tongue.
Karthik was still looking at Druve, trying to reconcile the man sitting before him with the little brother he knew. Druve wasn't doing anything extraordinary. He was merely sitting beside his wife, smiling at something she had said, his hand comfortably entwined with hers.
Yet it was a sight neither brother had witnessed in years.
They had seen him angry. They had seen him exhausted, indifferent, and frighteningly composed in situations that would have shaken other men. They knew his silences, his stubbornness, and the rare, dry remarks he offered when he felt inclined to speak.
But this easy affection, the teasing glint in his eyes, the smile that lingered as he looked at Riya—it was something they had almost forgotten they could hope to see again.
At the head of the table, Rajveer had fallen silent too.
How many years had it been since he had seen his youngest son smile so freely?
After Meera's death and everything that followed, the laughter that had once filled their home had slowly disappeared. Druve had grown into a man who kept his emotions so deeply guarded that even those closest to him rarely caught a glimpse.
Rajveer had learned to be grateful for the smallest signs that his son was doing well. A visit home. A quiet conversation. The occasional smile that vanished almost as soon as it appeared.
He had never imagined that one afternoon he would sit at his own dining table and watch Druve look at someone with such unguarded happiness.
Meera... look at our boy.
The thought came so suddenly that his chest tightened.
You would have been so happy today.
He could almost imagine her sitting beside him, her eyes shining as she watched Druve with Riya. She would have been delighted by the way Riya spoke to him without hesitation, by the quiet affection with which he attended to her, and most of all, by the smile that had finally returned to their son's face.
Rajveer swallowed and lowered his gaze for a moment.
Beside him, Rana noticed the change in his expression. He followed Rajveer's gaze toward the newlyweds and understood without needing an explanation.
He rested a hand briefly on his old friend's shoulder.
Rajveer looked at him and managed a small smile.
Across the table, Riya was still looking at Druve. She said something softly, too quietly for the others to hear, and he shook his head with a faint chuckle.
Karthik leaned back in his chair, exchanging another glance with Arav.
For once, neither brother felt the need to tease their little brother.
They were simply happy to see him like this.
As lunch came to an end, the family gradually moved into the living room. Conversations continued, with Ananya and Harini joining Sharadha in discussing the unexpected wedding, while Rajveer and Rana settled into their usual comfortable exchange.
Vikram and Karthik, meanwhile, had taken charge of the wedding gifts.
The sudden marriage hadn't given everyone much time to prepare, but that hadn't stopped relatives, friends, and business associates from sending their congratulations. By the time the last deliveries arrived, the gifts had accumulated into quite a collection.
Vikram examined the sender's details on another package before passing it to Karthik.
"Verified?"
Karthik glanced at the information and nodded. "It's on the list."
They had been careful from the beginning. Every delivery had been checked, every sender accounted for, and anything suspicious set aside for further inspection. Neither man was willing to take chances where Druve and Riya were concerned, especially after everything that had happened.
Only after the security checks were completed did they have the gifts brought inside.
Among the carefully wrapped boxes, flower arrangements, and congratulatory cards was a small package containing a USB drive.
It had passed through the same scrutiny as the others.
There was nothing outwardly unusual about it. Nothing that suggested danger. Nothing that gave either Vikram or Karthik a reason to separate it from the rest.
And so it remained among the wedding gifts, waiting to be opened.
Neither man knew that the greatest threat to the newlyweds' happiness had already made its way into their home.
It wasn't an explosive. It carried no weapon, no poison, and nothing that a routine security inspection would identify as dangerous.
Yet the little USB drive was a ticking bomb of another kind.
One that needed only to be opened to unleash the horrors buried within it.
And while Druve and Riya remained surrounded by the warmth and laughter of their family, unaware of what awaited them, the gift lay silently among the others.
Ready to shatter the fragile peace they had finally found.
Outside, Vikram, Karthik, and Arav were busy loading the wedding gifts into Druve's car. What had initially seemed like a manageable collection had turned into several trips between the house and the driveway.
"There's another one," Vikram called as Arav returned with two neatly wrapped boxes.
Karthik looked at the remaining space in the boot. "Give me the smaller one first."
Arav handed it over before looking at Vikram. "Are you sure that's everything?"
"Unless someone decides to send another wedding present in the next five minutes."
"Don't tempt fate," Karthik muttered, adjusting the boxes to make room.
By the time they finished, every gift had been carefully arranged and secured for the journey.
Inside, the family was preparing to see the newlyweds off.
Sharadha was speaking to Riya, reminding her to take care of herself, while Rana stood nearby with Rajveer. Ananya and Harini had joined the conversation, occasionally offering their own affectionate remarks.
Aadhira had been unusually quiet throughout the farewells, but the moment she found Riya alone, she moved closer.
"So... tonight."
Riya looked at her. "What about tonight?"
Aadhira smiled. "Nothing. Just wondering whether I should call you tomorrow morning or wait until afternoon."
Riya caught the meaning almost immediately.
"Aadhira!"
"What? I'm being considerate."
Riya tried to look stern, but a smile betrayed her. "Since when?"
"Since you got married to a man who barely lets you out of his sight."
Riya glanced toward Druve before looking back at her. "You're imagining things."
"Am I?" Aadhira leaned closer, lowering her voice. "Then why are you turning red?"
"Because you're talking nonsense!"
"All right." Aadhira nodded thoughtfully. "I'll call in the evening."
Riya couldn't help laughing. "You're shameless."
"Only with you."
Aadhira slipped an arm around her for a brief hug, then murmured near her ear, "Seriously, though... I hope you have a lovely night. A very, very lovely night."
Riya buried her face against Aadhira's shoulder for a second.
"Will you please stop?"
Aadhira laughed and released her.
A short distance away, Druve had been speaking to Rajveer when his gaze drifted toward Riya.
He noticed the colour rising in her cheeks, the way she was trying to silence Aadhira, and the hurried glance she cast in his direction.
He hadn't heard a word of their conversation, but judging by Riya's expression and Aadhira's barely concealed amusement, he had a fairly good idea of what was being discussed.
A small smile tugged at his lips.
Riya looked toward him again, only to find him watching her. Their eyes met, and the knowing amusement in his expression made her cheeks grow warmer.
Druve's smile deepened slightly.
"Riya."
She straightened at once. "Hmm?"
"Come. We're leaving."
Aadhira leaned close enough to whisper one last time.
"Ooo... someone can't wait!"
Riya shot her a flustered look, which only made Aadhira grin wider.
When Riya reached Druve, he held out his hand. She slipped hers into his, still avoiding his eyes.
He glanced at her flushed cheeks but said nothing. The faint smile on his lips, however, told her he had understood far more than she would have liked.
The rest of the family gathered near the entrance.
Sharadha embraced Riya, holding her for a moment longer before reluctantly letting go.
"Take care of yourself, sweetheart."
"I will, Mom."
Rana placed a gentle hand on his daughter's head, his expression soft with affection. Vikram came forward next, drawing her into a brief hug.
"Call me if you need anything."
Riya smiled. "I know, Vikram."
Rajveer turned toward Druve, resting a hand on his shoulder.
"Take care of each other."
Druve nodded.
Arav and Karthik joined them after finishing with the car. Karthik gave his youngest brother a light pat on the back, while Arav smiled at Riya.
"Welcome to the family, officially."
Riya returned his smile.
Ananya and Harini embraced her in turn, promising that they would meet again soon.
After the last farewells, Druve guided Riya toward the car. He opened the passenger door for her, waiting until she was comfortably seated before closing it.
As he walked around to the driver's side, Riya looked back at the family gathered outside.
They were still smiling and waving.
She lifted her hand, waving back until Druve started the engine.
A moment later, the car pulled away from the Prathap residence, carrying the newlyweds toward Druve's home.
Riya settled into her seat, her fingers resting lightly over the wedding ring on her hand. Beside her, Druve drove with his usual quiet composure, though the faint trace of a smile remained on his face.
And behind them, tucked safely among the wedding gifts, the little USB travelled with them.
Neither knew what it carried.
For now, there was only the warmth of the afternoon, the lingering happiness of their wedding, and the quiet comfort of being together.