Author's pov

Marina knocked on Rudransh’s door.

After a while, he opened it, frowning slightly at the sight of her...

especially this late at night.

“Maasi?”

Marina smiled warmly.

“Rudransh beta, I just came to check on you. I didn’t get the time to talk to you earlier, so… that’s why. Can I come in?”

Rudransh gave a small nod.

She entered and sat on the couch, while Rudra settled on the opposite side.

“Say, Maasi?” he prompted.

Marina blinked, caught off guard.

“Ha…”

“You said you wanted to talk.”

Marina let out a faint smile.

“Oh yes… so, how’s your mission?”

Rudra nodded.

“It was smooth....and successful.”

She listened carefully, then added,

“I’ve heard you’re already working on another one.”

Rudra leaned back against the couch.

“I am.”

Marina thought hard. She wanted to reach the real point of her visit, but asking directly would only make her intentions obvious.

Rudransh’s sharp mind would catch it immediately.

“Maasi?”

Her thoughts broke when Rudransh’s questioning eyes met hers, when he noticed her zoning out.

She forced a wary smile.

“Actually, I was just thinking about Kaveri… you know how emotional and vulnerable she becomes when it comes to you.”

Rudransh didn’t respond.

Marina studied him and finally said,

“I want you to stay here this time… longer. Maybe at least a month.”

She waited carefully for his answer.

“Hmmm… I’m here,” Rudransh said after a brief pause.

Marina’s smile faltered for a second—so, he is planning to stay now.

But she quickly recovered, plastering on her sweet expression again.

“Oh my god, she’ll be so happy to hear that.”

Rudransh touched the ring on his thumb, a faint smile tugging at his lips.

Marina stood up.

“I think I should go now. You must be tired—get some sleep.”

She turned to leave, but Rudransh’s voice stopped her at the threshold.

“Uh, Maasi—tomorrow I want to visit the company. Make sure every worker is present sharp at nine.”

Marina’s face drained of color at his words. This was exactly what she had feared. Still, she managed a smile and nodded.

Rudransh gave a short nod in return.

Once she left, he walked toward the telescope.

He could never sleep more than two or three hours...and that too, only when his body is exhausted from nonstop workouts.

He had heard of drugs that people with insomnia used, but he refused to rely on them.

Such habits turned into needs, and needs eventually destroyed a person. Rudransh never allowed anything...or anyone...to have control over his life.

He really found fascination in the universe.

Its vastness always left him awestruck.

Nothing else could captivate him more.

Tonight is a lunar eclipse.

Something to occupy his sleepless night and keep him engaged.

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Marina is pacing back and forth in her room.

She is fuming and really tensed from inside.

“Mom… see, this necklace I bought is too loose—”

Sima entered holding a box with a diamond necklace, but stopped at the sight of her mother’s face. Her brows furrowed.

“Mom, what happened? You are looking stressed.”

Marina glanced at her once, then quickly shut the door and turned back to her daughter.

“Rudransh is staying here. For god knows how long. And tomorrow… he’s going to the company. He wants to see if everything is running properly. He’ll interrogate everyone.”

Sima blinked, dumbfounded. She didn’t understand her mother’s panic.

“So…?” she asked with a slow shrug.

Marina gritted her teeth.

“I’ve been planning to get the power of attorney, to transfer the company into my name. If he finds out, everything will be finished.”

Her breathing grew heavy as the words left her lips.

Sima studied her mother for a moment.

“But why are you even doing this, Mom? Rudransh bhai gives us everything. We’re family here. He already asked you to manage the company—you’re practically living as the owner. Then why—”

“But I’m not the owner.”

Marina said sharply cutting her off in the middle.

Sima flinched at the sudden harshness.

Her mother’s jaw clenched tight.

“My father left the billion-dollar company to kaveri. Even though I was the one who studied MBA, the one who prepared myself with the hope of getting everything someday. I did everything he wanted… and in the end, all I got was a 15% share, while she got everything. No. I won’t let that happen. I can’t.”

Her voice shook with fury. Tears glimmered in her eyes as she shook her head.

She is lost in her frustration.

Sima pressed her lips together, sighing heavily.

She didn’t argue further and quietly left the room.

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Rudransh stepped out of the bathroom, a towel wrapped around his torso.

His wet hair clung to his forehead as he raked it back with one hand.

A knock came at the door.

“Enter,” he ordered, not turning around.

Two arms wrapped around him from behind.

Rudransh instantly turned around instantly, ready to snap the person's wrist in the quick reflex.....but stopped when he saw the person.

“Ruchika.”

He left her hands and looked at her with a scowl.

She raised her brows, smiling broadly.

She is rita’s best friend.

And Rudransh's childhood acquaintance.

They have also dated once.....but broken up before rudransh left for the military camp.

She had also been in New York all these years for her studies.

She had returned just last week, and when she learned Rudransh is home, she couldn’t resist coming here anymore.

“You’ve become even more masculine over the years, Rudransh,” she said, her eyes tracing the hard lines of his body.

“You shouldn’t have touched me like that,” Rudransh said seriously. “I was seconds away from breaking your arms, it was dangerous."

Ruchika stepped closer, her breath quickening at the sight of him.

Such a huge and tight body that too only in a towel.

Her chest rose and fell, trembling with the storm of emotions she is feeling see him after so long time.

“So you’ve forgotten my touch after all these years?” she teased, batting her lashes at him.

He stared at her in silence, then smirked faintly, looking away.

He understood perfectly what she was trying to do.

“I need to get ready for the office,” he said, turning from her.

“Rudransh… ahh—”

Ruchika clutched his shoulder as though stumbling, her voice deliberately husky, like a moan.

Rudransh stopped, glancing at her knowingly.

“What are you doing, Ruchika?” His tone is calm, but his eyes are sharp.

She bit her lip, desire flickering in her gaze.

“What do you think?” she whispered.

He held her stare for a long moment.

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Ruchika draped the white sheet around her naked body.

Her chest is still rising and falling. She stared dazedly at Rudransh, who was wearing his suit jacket.

Her legs are still trembled from the sheer intensity...his ruthless dominance had left her gasping, yet deeply satisfied.

She can still feel him inside of her. In just one round she is sore as hell.

He looked at her once and rubbed her lower lip with his thumb, a faint smirk curve at his lips.

Ruchika closed her eyes, leaning forward, ready to suck his thumb.....but he withdrew his hand and walked out of the room without another word.

Rudransh came downstairs and sat at the dining table.

Everyone is already waiting for him.

“Bhai, my birthday is coming soon. I’m so happy that after so many years, you’ll actually be here on my special day,” Rita said cheerfully.

She is planning to introduce Sanjay to him on her birthday.

Surely, he wouldn’t get angry on her birthday

Kaveri and Ranju exchanged knowing smiles at her excitement.

“I’ll throw a grand party,” Rudransh said, sipping his black tea.

Rita’s smile widened.

Ranju looked at Kaveri, who gave her a small blink....a silent signal to go ahead.

Ranju cleared her throat.

“Uh… Rudransh baba, I want permission for something.”

His gaze shifted to her.

“Permission for what?”

Marina and Sima exchanged a quick glance.

Ranju smiled faintly, her voice is full of hope.

“I have a niece in the village. She has no one left....her father, my brother, passed away last night. Now she’s completely alone. If you permit, I’d like to bring her here.”

Her heart pounded as she spoke.

If Rudransh refused, she’d have no choice but to abandon the girl....and she couldn’t do that.

Brinda is too naive, too fragile to survive alone in the world.

But Rudransh has huge trust issues.

He never trusts anyone easily.

“What now?” Sima whispered into Marina’s ear. “Are servants’ relatives also going to live in our house?”

Marina sneered, shaking her head.

“It’s fine. At least there’ll be another servant here,” she whispered back.

Kaveri noticed the color draining from Ranju’s face at Rudransh’s silence.

Finally, Rudransh stood.

“You can bring her. But I’m agreeing only because of your years of service. She’ll be your responsibility.”

Without another word, he left. Marina followed him.

Ranju let out a breath of relief, gratitude softening her face as she looked toward Kaveri.

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Brinda stepped down from the bus, holding her cloth bag in one hand, her two goats are also there on both sides.

She scanned the busy Delhi road.

Her tai had told her to get off at this stop. She unfolded a small scrap of paper and checked the scribbled address again.

“Dada, is this the ST Road bus stop?” she asked an elderly passerby.

He nodded.

Brinda stood at the bus stand.

She wiped the sweat from her forehead.

Her eyes wide as she looked around at the bustling city.

It is her first time seeing so many big, fast-moving cars. In her village, only the sarpanch’s family owned a car—and even that isn’t half the size of these.

Passersby gave her strange looks when they noticed the goats by her side.

Brinda didn’t understand why. She thought maybe it is because she looked so tired.

Her heart ached. She was already emotionally exhausted.

Just yesterday, she had to bury her father’s body.

In her village, families too poor to afford firewood buried the dead instead of cremating them.

Tears welled up in her eyes.

It was good that her father had once told her about her tai and given her a phone number to contact in the future.

She had barely seen her...maybe two or three times in childhood....since her tai lived in Delhi.

Thankfully, a kind man at a telephone booth had let her call without asking for money.

Her little savings had already gone to buying a white coffin cloth for her father. Nothing remained.

When her tai learned of her condition, she sent enough money for her bus ticket.

It's already evening. And brinda is waiting there anxiously.

She saw an auto stop near the Stop.

She saw an old lady sitting inside.

Brinda hesitated...

she didn’t remember what her tai looked like.

So she remained silent.

Ranju saw her waiting standing there.

"Brinda?"

She called her to confirm.

Brinda immediately nodded her head.

“Come, get in,” Ranju urged.

Brinda quickly climbed into the auto carrying her goats in her arms.

Now she is feeling relief.

Ranju’s eyes widened.

“What’s this you’ve brought with you?”

Brinda looked at her.

“They’re Rimjhim and Jhilmil, tai. They have no one except me. I couldn’t leave them there.”

Ranju stared at her for a moment. Anyone’s heart would soften at this girl’s sincerity.

The last time she had seen her, Brinda was only five.

Now only her body had grown but her soul still carried the same innocence.

“Gudiya… you can’t keep them inside the house. If you do, I’ll be thrown out along with you,” Ranju said softly this time.

Brinda tensed, panic flashing across her face.

She couldn’t risk her tai’s job.

She is helping her alot.

She can't give her trouble.

But she also couldn’t abandon her goats.

Seeing her distress, Ranju thought something and said again.

“But… you can keep them in the outhouse. It’s safe there.”

Brinda let out a relieved breath.

“Thank you, tai.”