(Rudra’s POV)

The air inside Vikram’s safe house was thick — stale with the scent of alcohol and smoke. Rudra’s men surrounded the perimeter, weapons drawn, but he didn’t wait for backup.

He stormed inside, boots thudding heavily on the wooden floor.

“Vikram!” Rudra’s voice thundered through the house. “Come out!”

A shadow flickered near the stairwell — Vikram’s figure emerging from the dimness. He wasn’t surprised. In fact, he smirked.

“I wondered when you’d show up,” Vikram sneered, swirling a glass of whiskey. “Looks like you’ve finally grown the guts to confront me.”

Rudra didn’t waste words. He crossed the room in three steps, grabbed Vikram by the collar, and slammed him against the wall. The glass shattered to the floor.

“You tried to kill me,” Rudra growled, voice low and lethal. “You threatened my wife. My child.”

Vikram’s smile twisted. “And yet… she’s been coming to me, hasn’t she?”

Rudra’s grip tightened. “She’s not working with you.”

“Is that what she told you?” Vikram’s chuckle was cold. “Rudra, you’re blind. She's been feeding me information for months.”

“Lies,” Rudra spat.

“Did she tell you about the deal we made?” Vikram’s grin widened. “The price she paid to keep you alive?”

Rudra’s blood turned cold. “What deal?”

“Your precious Ayesha promised me something in exchange for your life.” Vikram leaned closer, voice dropping to a whisper. “And soon enough, I’m coming to collect.”

Rudra froze. His mind spun. What had Ayesha done? What was Vikram planning?

In a sudden burst of rage, Rudra slammed Vikram’s head against the wall. Blood trickled from his temple, but Vikram only laughed.

“You’re too late,” Vikram taunted. “The game’s already started.”

---

(Ayesha’s POV)

The night felt colder than usual. Ayesha paced inside the bedroom, her fingers trembling. Rudra had been gone for hours, and something in her chest wouldn’t stop twisting — a gnawing feeling that something was terribly wrong.

Her hand instinctively moved to her stomach.

Stay strong, baby.

Suddenly, a faint noise echoed from downstairs — footsteps... heavy and slow.

“Rudra?” she called out. No answer.

Her pulse quickened. Heart hammering, she reached for the drawer — pulling out the small knife Rudra had forced her to keep “just in case.”

The footsteps grew louder. Closer.

A shadow appeared in the doorway. Not Rudra.

Vikram.

Her breath caught.

“Well, well,” Vikram’s voice was dangerously soft. “I told you I’d come to collect.”

“Stay away from me,” she warned, gripping the knife tightly.

Vikram stepped closer, unconcerned. “That’s no way to talk to the man who kept your husband alive. Remember our little deal?”

“I never agreed to—”

“Oh, but you did,” Vikram interrupted, his gaze dropping to her stomach. “And now, I’m here for the price.”

Ayesha backed away, heart racing. “Rudra will kill you.”

Vikram smirked. “He won’t get the chance.”

In a flash, he lunged. Ayesha slashed blindly with the knife, feeling the blade slice across something — skin. Vikram cursed, clutching his arm.

But before she could run, he grabbed her wrist, twisting it hard. The knife clattered to the floor.

“Let go!” Ayesha cried out, struggling against his iron grip.

“You should’ve kept your promises,” Vikram sneered.

---

(Rudra’s POV)

Rudra’s car screeched to a halt outside the mansion. Something was wrong. The lights inside flickered — a power surge.

His gut twisted. He bolted for the door.

“Ayesha!” he roared as he rushed inside.

He heard her scream from upstairs — raw, terrified.

Too late.

His feet pounded against the steps as he charged toward their room. He shoved the door open —

Vikram stood over Ayesha, one hand on her throat, his face twisted with rage.

“Get away from her!” Rudra barked, his gun already drawn.

Vikram’s grip tightened. “Lower the gun, or she dies.”

“You’ll die first,” Rudra warned, his finger tightening on the trigger.

“Maybe,” Vikram sneered. “But not before I take something from you.”

He reached down, grabbing a shard of glass from the floor — aiming it toward Ayesha’s stomach.

The baby.

Rudra didn’t hesitate.

Bang.

The gunshot cracked like thunder. Vikram staggered, blood blooming across his chest. His hand fell away from Ayesha, and he collapsed to the floor.

Rudra was beside her in an instant.

“You’re okay,” he whispered, pulling her against his chest. His hands shook as he touched her face, her hair — like he couldn’t convince himself she was real.

“He tried to hurt the baby,” Ayesha whispered, her voice breaking.

“He won’t touch you again,” Rudra swore, his voice low and deadly. “I’ll burn down the whole damn world before I let anyone hurt you.”

For the first time in weeks, Ayesha didn’t pull away from his touch. Instead, she leaned into him — her fingers curling weakly around his shirt.

Ayesha’s eyes welled with tear.

His voice broke. “I didn’t deserve to be happy about it. Not after everything I did to you.”

“You’re wrong,” Ayesha whispered, voice shaky but certain. “You’re the only one who can protect us now.”

Rudra held her closer, feeling the soft warmth of her against him — the life he had almost lost.

But deep inside, one thought lingered like a shadow.

If Vikram knew about the baby… who else did?

And what if they weren’t finished yet?

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