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She ran after Agastya, and I just smiled, feeling ecstatic to see her like that again.

Once she left, I stepped into the bathroom and quickly refreshed myself.

I took a quick bath and finished my morning routine.

Just as I came out, I saw Ranvijay waiting for me.

“Here it is,”

he said, handing over the extra pairs of clothes I had asked him to bring yesterday.

I changed into a fresh white kurta and ran my fingers through my damp hair.

And just as I was ready, my eyes caught her father entering the chamber with a few officials.

I didn’t know why, but a strange uneasiness settled in me.

Still, I couldn’t avoid him—this was his kingdom.

“Rana Dev Singh,”

he said with a wide smile, opening his arms for a hug.

I walked up to him with a heavy heart and gave him a loose hug.

He patted my back in affirmation, and I managed a weak smile.

“Happy Holi, ,”

he wished me.

“Happy Holi to you too, Rajaji.”

Releasing the hug, I wished him back with a flat voice as he patted my shoulder.

We looked at each other, and honestly, I had no idea what to say or how to begin.

And then, suddenly, he started speaking.

“, pehle to humaare madhya jo bhi hua un sabke vishay mein baat karne ka humein avasar hi nahi mila.

Kintu ab hum chaahte hain ki hum dono kuch samay ke liye saath bethe, ek sasur or jawai ke bhaanti nahi apitu do Rajao ki tarah baat karein,”

(, first of all, because of everything that happened in the last few months, we didn’t get enough time to talk.

But now, I want us to spend some time together and talk about things, not as a son-in-law and father-in-law, but as two kings.) He said, and I nodded.

I didn’t exactly know what had changed between us, but something had.

I stayed with these people for three months when I first came disguised as Abhinandan's friend.

Despite knowing I was the son of Suryadev Singh, they welcomed me with open hearts, and for that, I have always been grateful to them.

“Ji, humein bhi aapse kuch baat karni hai,”

(Sure, I too want to talk to you.) I spoke, and he gestured toward the outside of the chamber.

The three of us—Ranvijay, her father, and I—walked through the corridors, possibly towards a hall.

That’s when my eyes caught Nandani yelling at Agastya, running behind him.

She was soaked, completely drenched in colour from head to toe, and charged toward us.

When Agastya hid behind her father for cover, she warned him to move aside.

And before he could react, she flung a pot full of water straight at him, leaving her father dripping in colored water.

He scolded her lightly, but she tried to justify herself.

And I just stood there watching them, sharing small laughs and chatter.

I couldn't help but feel a twinge of envy at the warmth this family shared.

I felt unlucky.

But even with that feeling, I was happy for her.

She never said it, but I knew how much she missed them.

I had seen it on her face countless times.

And now, she looked more than happy, alive in a way I hadn't seen before.

But seeing her shed tears for her brother twisted something inside me.

I knew I had wronged both Abhinandan and Nandani by punishing them for their parents' actions.

I was pulled from my thoughts when her father said, “You all must enjoy.

and I have something to talk about.”

She gave a nod before I followed her father to the meeting hall.

Once we arrived, Rajaji said, “Please, have a seat.”

I sat beside Ranvijay and watched attendants come in carrying large platters of food, fruits, and juices.

“Have something, ,”

he said kindly.

I picked up a glass of juice and looked at him.

“I want to apologise… for everything that happened at the wedding,”

I said.

He shook his head and smiled.

“Do not worry about that.

What ends well is all well.”

I returned a faint smile and took a sip of the juice.

I wasn’t sure where to begin.

But then, I noticed him standing, and I rose with him.

Walking closer, he stood before me, and I looked at his expression, which was turning a little emotional, as if something unspoken lingered between us.

Suddenly, the sound of anklet bells reached my ears, and I turned to see her mother entering the hall, a delicate veil drawn down to her nose.

She walked with quiet grace and came to stand beside him.

“, Maharani Abhishree aapse kuch baat karna chahti hai,”

(, Queen Abhishree wishes to talk to you.) He said, and I nodded lightly.

“Ji,”

“Ranaji, isse poorv humein kabhi ye baat kehna aawashyak nahi laga, kintu ab aap keval Abhinandan ke mitra nahin hain humaare jawai bhi hai,”

(Ranaji, until now, we never felt the need to say this, but you are no longer just Abhinandan's friend, you are our son-in-law now.) Her mother said, and my palms tightened around the glass.

“Please, I don’t want to talk about any of this.

I love Nandani and that's the only thing that matters to me now,”

I tried to say.

But her parents joined their hands in front of me.

“Ranaji, aaj se bees varsh poorv jo bhi hua, hum nahi kahenge ki tab hum sahi the.

Kintu kam se kam humaare mann ki shaanti ke liye hum batana chaahte hain ki kya hua tha.

Kyunki hum nahi chahte ki humaare madhya kisi bhi anuchit dhaarna ke kaaran Nandani ko dukh pahuche,”

(, we won’t say that we were right about what happened twenty years ago.

But at least for our peace of mind, we want to tell you what really happened.

Because we don’t want Nandani to be hurt because of any misunderstanding between us.) Her father spoke, and I drew a deep breath, blinking nervously.

My heart sank deeper, and I didn’t know what to say or do.

Did any of it even matter when I had already chosen to let go of my revenge?

“Rajaji, please, I don—”

“Please, Jawai-sa,”

her mother gently cut me off.

I paused, inhaling deeply.

I could feel the emotion in her voice, the weight of her words pressing into the silence.

“I was around nineteen or twenty when Rajaji's army attacked Pratapgarh… and killed my brother,”

she began.

“He had me captured, and the only hope I was left with was the Prince of Suryagarh—your father.

Because my brother, Abhidev Pratap Singh, had promised me to him.

Without asking me.

Without even telling me. And yet… I accepted it wholeheartedly. Because I trusted my brother blindly,”

her voice was steady but heavy with memories.

The mention of my father refreshed a few memories of my father and mother altogether.

“He came to Mahabaleshgarh to help me escape Rajvardhan and his torture.

But I had no idea he was already married… not just once, but to nearly fifteen women.

He was in his forties, and the kind of intentions he had towards me were sickening.

I didn’t know any of this.

Neither did Raj tell me. Instead, he forcibly married me. But the very next day, when I saw him for the first time and spoke to him, you know what he said?”

She paused, her eyes fixed on me, with a sad and quiet disappointment.

“He called me a 'whore.' And then he said he would come back and make me roam naked through the streets of Mahabaleshgarh.

Being a girl, I was thankful to the man who had forcibly married me to protect me from another man.

And even though that man was once my fiancé, he humiliated me, called me filthy names,”

she spoke, and I lowered my gaze, unable to meet her eyes.

“We let him go only because he was a guest in Mahabaleshgarh then.

But he didn’t stop there.

One day, when I was on my way to Devi Maa’s temple, he attacked me.

He abducted me and tried to force himself on me.

That day, he confessed—he had had his eyes on me since the first time he saw me. He had befriended my brother only to drag him into the pit of alcohol, drugs, and gambling. Slowly, he drained Pratapgarh’s wealth. And when my brother had nothing left, he asked for my hand in exchange for a hundred thousand gold coins. They traded me, . It was worse than a political alliance. And if you don’t believe me, see this.”

She handed me a scroll.

Honestly, my hands were trembling.

All my life, I believed she had been promised to my father as part of a political arrangement.

If what she was saying was true… then everything I had known was a lie.

If it were true, I didn’t deserve to be alive.

If it were true… I didn’t want to live anymore.

With shaking fingers, I unrolled the letter.

The first thing I saw was the seal of Suryagarh… and Pratapgarh.

My eyes instantly welled up as I recognised my father's handwriting without a second thought.

I silently begged the gods inside—let it be false.

Let everything she said be a mistake, I wished.

But as I began to read, my breath slowed, and my heart started to race.

In the back of my mind, every sweet memory I had of my father flickered, only to fade and twist into doubt.

The scroll slipped from my hands, and I stumbled back onto the couch.

That meant… my father never loved my mother.

All those marriages weren’t just political; they were to feed his physical hunger.

And even with so many wives and children, he had set his eyes on her, just to satisfy himself.

I couldn’t believe it.

I couldn’t believe he had fallen that low.

How could he?

Tears began to stream down my face as Ranvijay held my shoulders.

“Bhaisa…” “…”

Their voices grew distant, fading into the surrounding blur.

I stood up and walked away, unable to speak or stay.

My body trembled.

Every step felt heavier than the last.

My mind spiralled with questions—what part of my life had ever been true? What part of my struggle, my sacrifices… had ever meant anything?

“Bhaisa!”

“, wait!”

Their voices called out, but I couldn’t stop.

I needed to escape.

Everything felt too tight, too suffocating, like something heavy was crushing my chest, not letting me breathe.

I cupped my mouth with a shaking hand as I walked through the corridor, lost in a sea of people, searching for some corner to be alone.

Suddenly, in the snap of a finger, everything had changed.

My mind felt shattered, scattered into pieces I couldn’t gather.

I held back my tears until I reached her chamber.

Closing the door behind me, I slid against it as the dam inside me broke.

I cried—loud, broken sobs tearing through my chest.

My mother loved him.

She sacrificed everything for that man.

And what did he do? He ran after another woman, throwing it away just to claim her.

How could he try to force himself on her? How could he fall so low? Why?

Why didn’t anyone ever tell me?

Who had I been fighting for all these years? Who had I been sacrificing myself for? A man who didn’t deserve it.

A man who deserved to die.

And if he were alive—if he had done that in front of me—I swear, I would have killed him myself.

Was it all a lie? Was my entire life built on a lie?

I had lived with one goal—to avenge his death.

Because I believed he died fighting for something just, something noble.

But all along… It was just lust—just his filthy hunger.

“Bhaisa, open the door… Bhai-sa,”

Ranvijay’s voice pulled me back.

I wiped my tears and tried to steady my breath.

“I’m okay, Ranvijay… I just need a little time alone.”

I heard him sigh before replying, “Alright.

But please, take care of yourself.

Remember, you’re like a father to Agastya and me, a big brother, Bhabhisa’s husband, and now a king.

Don’t do anything you’ll regret.”

His words broke me all over again.

“I know,”

I whispered, my voice shaky.

And I cried helplessly.

***