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“You were right,” he said coldly. “You weren’t replaced. You were erased. The part of me you tried to destroy… she brought it back to life. And unlike you, I protect what I love.”

Rhea hadn’t expected this. Not this deep, raw devotion in Shaurya’s eyes for someone else. Her pride crumbled, and her nostrils flared as she crossed her arms.

“Oh, so now you are talking about protecting what you love? About not letting our past ruin our present? Then what was that stunt you pulled? Snatching the last villa at Serene Meadows? Wasn’t that personal? You knew Anirudh and I wanted that villa.That wasn’t business, Shaurya. That was payback. That was your version of revenge.”

Shaurya’s eyes burned with hatred. “You’re right. Itwasrevenge. I did it knowing exactly what it meant to you. And I won’t lie. I enjoyed watching that one dream of yours slip away. The oneyoudreamed with that cheater.”

Rhea’s composure cracked completely this time. She raised a finger at him, her voice rising. “Don’t you dare call him that!”

He took a step forward, his voice venomous. “Fine. He’s not the cheater. You are.”

Her eyes went wide.

Shaurya’s voice turned to ice. “But tell me, Rhea, what do you call a man who builds his happiness by stealing someone else’s wife?”

Her face burned with rage. “Say one more word about Anirudh and—”

“—and you’ll do what?” he snapped, cutting her off. “Do you really think I care… after everything you two have done?” He exhaled sharply, his eyes cold with hatred. “Listen to me very carefully. Yes, I lived for revenge once… after we separated. But not anymore. Now, I’m living for her, for my Nandini. And I won’t letanyone, especiallyyou, come near her or her business. You stay out of her life, Rhea. Completely.”

With that, he turned to Nandini, who stood frozen, her eyes flitting between them, her expression a mix of shock and disbelief. Without waiting for a response, he gently but firmly took her arm.

“Let’s go.”

She didn’t resist. She couldn’t. The sheer intensity of their exchange had left her speechless. The venom. The history. The hate.

Behind them, Rhea straightened, her voice edged with the desperation of someone who needed to leave a lasting scar.“Well,” she said tightly, “enjoy your little fairy tale. Let’s see how long it lasts. Weeks? Months? I bet, definitely not beyond that.”

Shaurya’s fists clenched at his sides, struggling to control his anger. Nandini’s grip tightened on his arm, silently urging him not to react. Her touch anchored him, giving him both the calm and the strength to respond to Rhea in his own way. Despite Nandini’s quiet plea, he turned to his ex-wife, a wicked smirk playing on his lips.

“I’ll send you our wedding invitation,” he said. “And invites to every celebration after that—her baby shower, our anniversary, our child’s naming ceremony, even the silver jubilee... everything. You’ll get them all. Just to remind you what real love, real effort, and real happiness looks like.”

He paused, his eyes boring into hers. “But do us both a favour. Don’t show up. Unless, of course, you want to watch your ex-husband enjoy every moment of his married life, learning, growing, and loving someone with everything he has. Of seeing me give my all to someone who values it. I did that once with you, learned from the pain you left behind, and still, you chose to betray me. So if you are curious, we’ll gladly host you, so you can see just how happy one can be with someone who’s worth it.”

Rhea’s eyes blazed with fury, but she held her tongue.

Shaurya didn’t spare her another glance. He turned back to Nandini, his hands gently cradling her face. “I’m sorry you had to witness that,” he murmured.

She didn’t reply. She just held his hand tightly as he guided her back towards the car.

Shaurya opened the passenger seat door and waited for her to step in. She did so silently. Then he circled around to the driver’s side, climbed in, and shut the door with a final slam.

As Nandini buckled her seatbelt, her eyes instinctively drifted back towards the club entrance.

Rhea still stood there, with her arms crossed, her gaze locked on their car.

And in that moment, it hit Nandini, hard and deep.

The woman she had spent the last two weeks building a professional rapport with… the woman who had believed in her startup and had offered her a future… was his past.

Not just a name in a story. Not just an ex-wife. She wasTheex-wife. The one who had broken him.

Now she wasn’t just a ghost from Shaurya’s past.

She was the investor in Nandini’s future.

And suddenly, nothing felt simple anymore.

CHAPTER 22