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“Vikrant, you’re not lying to me, right? Did something happen related to your mafia connections, and you’re hiding it from me?”

“None of those sheep were part of any mafia,” Vikrant jokes dryly.

Jhankar gives him a bewildered look at his strange humor. He kisses her forehead and says,

“If you don’t believe me, you can ask the driver yourself. And think about it—if there was going to be a mafia attack, wouldn’t it have happened at the cottage, where we were alone? Who stages an attack in the middle of a road like that? And okay, even if there was an attack, imagine me as the hero saving you. Wow, I am the villain of many lives but the hero of your life.”

Jhankar chuckles lightly at his words, then gently pushes him back by placing her hand on his chest and says,

“When you joke like this, I honestly have no idea what’s going on with you. Sometimes I feel like that non-expressive look of yours suits you better. I’ve mostly seen you like that—it just fits your face more.”

Vikrant just smiles quietly. He has absolutely no intention of telling her about Chandel. He knows that if Jhankar finds out, she will be deeply worried about her brother too. At this moment, his primary goal is to protect her from everythinghappening around them. He’s already ensuring Vyom and Sonakshi’s safety and is confident that if necessary, he can relocate them somewhere else. However, Viren Chandel is targeting Jhankar because he cannot reach Sonakshi. Vikrant is determined; he will not let Chandel succeed, and he will not let him reach Sonakshi. More importantly, he won’t let Jhankar suffer because of any of it. Laying her head back on his chest, Jhankar speaks softly:

“So that means… we didn’t get to meet my parents at all. Then tomorrow, we’ll go meet them.”

“Please, not tomorrow,” Vikrant says immediately. “I have to go with Dad; I’ve told you that before. And after the accident, you really need rest. I’ll call Uncle and Aunty here instead. You can complain to them about me all you want. Call Sharda Ma in too, make it a full house, do whatever you like.”

She smiles and nods. Vikrant knows that he must somehow trap Jhankar in the web of his lies and keep her away from everything, because he is aware that, somewhere deep inside, she is scared about certain things—and he cannot allow that fear to overpower her. He has already made a huge mistake, and now he would rather not make any kind of mistake again, especially when it comes to anyone’s safety. He has prioritized the safety of Vyom and Sonakshi above all else and has already placed people around them who could act as friends and help them in every possible way. He is completely sure now that no one can even touch Raghunath and Chitrali. And yet, despite Jhankar being with him—right beside him—she was still being kidnapped. This thought is deeply disturbing him. He cannot leave Jhankar alone even for a moment, which is why he is slowly beginning to think about torturing those people. However, one thing he knows forsure is that whenever he gets to them, their condition is going to be truly terrible.

CHAPTER 34

THEIR CLOSENESS

Jhankar had spent the entire day with her parents, and Sharda had also stayed with her throughout. Everyone had, for the first time, openly shared their thoughts. Even after Ravindra and Vikrant left at night, everyone had dinner together. It was the first time that Vikrant and Jhankar’s parents were able to meet in such a warm and positive way.

Jhankar had been noticing Ravindra very closely, and even Ravindra could feel it clearly—that she was paying a lot of attention to him. Yet, each time he caught her gaze, he would simply smile and immerse himself in conversation with her father.

Because of everything happening around her, Jhankar was feeling a unique kind of joy, especially after seeing Ravindra’s behavior toward her parents. She realized how little she truly knew about Ravindra until now. They had never had a chance to talk properly, as he was rarely at home. And even when he was, he would either not speak at all or say something so off-putting that she never found it necessary to try understanding him. Vikrant had to leave again for some work, and so Jhankar walked out into the garden, where Ravindra was already sitting, petting his dogs.

“You haven’t slept yet...?”

Hearing her voice, Ravindra looked at her and then turned his attention back to petting the dogs as he replied,

“Sometimes, staying in different countries for so long messes up my sleep schedule. I find it difficult to adjust to the time. I should be asleep by now, but I’m not sleepy. And I thought, since I haven’t spent time with them in a while, I’d come and be with them. Vikrant has gone out for some important work; he’ll be back in a while. I just spoke to him. You should get some rest.”

“Yes, I was about to... but then I thought I’d walk around the garden for a bit.”

“Good…”

Ravindra turned his focus back to the dogs, and Jhankar began glancing around. When Ravindra noticed her, he said,

“If you want to misunderstand me, you’re free to do so. But I want to say something. The way this marriage happened and the circumstances in which it took place, neither was I happy with the marriage, nor was I happy with you, nor with anything else. I wanted Vikrant to get married because I believe he should have love in his life. I’ve known Sonakshi since childhood, so I chose her for him. I don’t know you, and let me be completely honest—I’m not assured about you either. But you’re the one my son loves, and so I’m willing to accept you into this family, to welcome you with open arms. However, I’ll make it very clear—if Vikrant suffers in any way because of you, I will be the first person to destroy you and your family.”

Hearing this, Jhankar froze slightly and stared at him. Ravindra quickly added,

“To understand a parent’s emotions, one has to be a parent. I only have Vikrant. You can’t possibly understand what he means to me. Today, he loves you and cares for you, so I expect that you will respond with the same love. Be good to him. Live a happy life with him. But I’ve lost my ability to trust completely. That’s why I won’t be able to trust you easily.”

Jhankar made a sincere effort to understand his words and immediately said,

“I understand now... someone you loved deeply must’ve betrayed you, and that’s why you’ve lost faith in people. But is it fair to assume that everyone will do the same? Just because one person failed you doesn’t mean the rest should be punished for it. What I believe may not be what you believe, and every person is unique, with their own thoughts and principles. You can’t judge everyone based on one mistake.”

“I know that very well,” he replied calmly. “But occasionally, when a wound cuts too deep, you start to observe everything around you more cautiously. Because you’re terrified of experiencing that pain again.”

Jhankar nodded slowly, trying to truly grasp the depth of what he was saying. Then, with a soft smile, she said,

“You loved her very much... didn’t you?”

“I didn’t just love Sonia... I still love Sonia. And maybe I’ll keep loving her until the day I die. No matter how hard I try, I can’t stop loving her.”