HIS POV
The morning sun touched my face, but my mind was still trapped in the shadows of last night.
I stood in front of the floor-to-ceiling window of my penthouse, a glass of bitter black coffee resting in my hand. My mornings were usually about power—meetings, deals, control.
Today, they were about fear.
Black eyes.
Shaking hands.
A silence that screamed more than words ever could.
Riya...
"Boss, your schedule is ready," Dev said from the doorway.
"And… as you asked," he continued carefully, "today's update about Riya, ma'am."
I didn't turn.
"What update?"
"She's meeting a school friend at a café near the hospital."
That was enough.
"Cancel my morning meeting," I said calmly.
"I'm going out."
Dev paused. "Boss—"
"I want to see her," I cut in, my voice steady.
"I want to know if she's still scared… or if she's trying to forget."
I chose my suit carefully.
Nothing intimidating.
Nothing sharp.
Just a gentleman.
A mask I wear too well.
The moment I stepped into the café, the smell of fresh coffee and soft music filled the air. It was ordinary. Peaceful.
A place I didn't belong in.
But my eyes found her instantly.
She was sitting in the corner, near the window. Her posture relaxed—but only on the surface. Across from her sat a girl Dev had already briefed me about.
Kavya.
Confident. Observant.
Kavya noticed me first. Her eyes lit up with curiosity.
Riya looked up next—
and immediately looked away.
As if hiding would make me disappear.
I smiled.
"Doctor," I said softly.
She turned back, surprised.
"Rishabh"
I stepped closer—close enough for her to feel my presence, but not enough to invade her space.
"Rishabh Malhotra," I said calmly.
She studied me for a second.
No fear this time.
Just confusion.
"Yes," she replied.
We talked.
Nothing heavy. Nothing uncomfortable.
Lunch came and went easily—light conversation, small smiles. She was careful around me, but not distant.
Then her phone buzzed.
Buzzz...
She looked down.
And smiled.
That smile.
It didn't belong to me.
And I hated that I noticed.
Jealousy.
The feeling hit me unexpectedly—sharp and unfamiliar.
I had never felt it before.
I said nothing.
I simply watched.
Dev, seated beside me, leaned back slightly and gave me a dramatic look—as if silently saying,
That's the boyfriend....
Kavya noticed too.
She nudged Riya playfully.
"Why are you smiling like that? Someone special?"
Riya laughed softly.
"Just a text."
That was all she said.
My jaw tightened—but my face stayed calm.
Controlled.
Unbothered.
Lunch ended naturally.
I stood up, adjusting my coat.
"Thank you for the company," I said politely.
"It was… pleasant."
She nodded, smiling gently.
I turned to leave.
But just before stepping away, I glanced back at her once more.
She didn't notice.
Good.
Some things are better watched from a distance.
For now.The café door closed behind us.
The noise faded.
The world became quiet again.
Dev followed me silently until we reached the car. The moment I sat inside, he closed the door and took the seat beside the driver.
For a few seconds, neither of us spoke.
"She smiled at her phone," Dev finally said, carefully.
I didn't respond.
"Boyfriend?" he asked.
"I don't know," I said calmly.
"And I don't care."
That was a lie....
Dev exhaled slowly. "Boss… you've never noticed things like this before."
I looked out of the window, watching the city pass by.
"She's not like the others," I said after a pause.
"She doesn't know who she's smiling for."
Dev turned slightly toward me. "You scared her last night."
I closed my eyes for a moment.
"I know."
Another silence.
"She's afraid," Dev continued, softer now.
"And still… she met her friend. She laughed. She's trying to be normal."
My fingers tightened around my watch.
"That won't last," I said quietly.
Dev frowned. "Boss—"
"I'm not going to hurt her," I interrupted, my voice controlled.
"But I won't disappear either."
Dev studied me. "So what's the plan?"
I opened my eyes.
"We watch," I said.
"From a distance."
"And the boyfriend?" Dev asked.
A slow smile appeared on my lips—calm, unreadable.
"He exists," I replied.
"That's enough for now."
Dev nodded once. "And her safety?"
"That's not a question," I said coldly.
"No one touches her. No one scares her again."
Dev hesitated, then spoke.
"You're not protecting her for her, are you?"
I looked at him.
"I'm protecting what's mine," I said quietly.
Dev said nothing after that.
After seeing that smile on Riya's face meant for someone, something ignited inside me.
A slow, burning fire spread through my chest. Jealousy? Rage? I didn't bother to name it.
All I knew was—I needed blood to calm it.
"Dev, turn the car toward the warehouse," I said in a voice colder than steel.
Dev didn't ask anything. He only looked at me through the rearview mirror.
He had seen this version of me before.
Tonight, someone wasn't going to walk away alive.
The warehouse lights flickered as we arrived. The air smelled of rust, oil, and betrayal.
Ten men stood in front of us—Khanna's men. Armed. Waiting.
They were trying to choke our supply chain, forgetting one thing—
I don't forgive. I erase.
I stepped out of the car slowly. Took off my coat. Handed it to Dev.
Then I rolled up my sleeves, feeling the tension stretch across my muscles.
"Boss, they're too many," Dev warned quietly. "Let me handle—"
"No."
My jaw tightened... "This rage… is personal."
The first man rushed at me with a metal rod.
I caught his wrist mid-air. One sharp twist—
CRACK.
His scream echoed through the warehouse as he collapsed to the ground.
Before anyone could react, I moved. Fast. Brutal.
One punch to the jaw.
A knee to the stomach.
A kick that sent another man crashing into stacked crates.
They surrounded me, attacking together now.
I welcomed it.
I grabbed one by the collar and smashed his head against the wall until he slid down unconscious. Another came from the side—I ducked, swept his legs, and stomped him down.
Breathing hard. Knuckles bruised. Blood—not all of it mine.
Then suddenly—
A sharp pain exploded in my arm.
I turned too late.
Khanna...
The knife had already sliced through my flesh.
"Ahhhhh!"
The roar tore out of my chest as blood soaked my sleeve, dripping onto the concrete floor.
The pain was real. Deep.
But it only made me smile.
I looked at Khanna slowly, my eyes dark.
"You just signed your death wish."
I grabbed him by the throat and slammed him onto the ground so hard the floor shook.
He tried to crawl back, fear finally showing on his face.
"Did you really think," I growled, landing a punch,
"that you could hurt me—" another punch,
"and survive?"
I didn't stop until his body went limp and his eyes closed.
Silence filled the warehouse.
Bodies lay scattered. Broken. Defeated.
I stood there, blood dripping from my arm, my chest rising and falling heavily.
Victory tasted metallic—like iron and violence.
Dev rushed toward me, his face pale.
"Boss! You're bleeding badly. We need to go. Now."
I looked down at the wound.
The blood.
The pain.
And then… I laughed softly.
Not because it hurt—
but because somewhere, fate was already pulling me toward something unexpected.
Something dangerous.
I smiled.
Dev insisted on taking me to the hospital.
I refused.
"Home," I said simply.
The car ride was silent. Streetlights passed like blurred memories. My arm throbbed with every heartbeat, blood dried stiff against my skin. But I didn't look away from the window—not once.
When we reached the mansion, Dev tried again.
"At least let me call a doctor—"
"Go," I cut him off. "I'll handle it."
He hesitated, then nodded. He knew better than to argue.
Inside, the house was empty. Quiet.
Too quiet.
I walked straight to the kitchen, opened the cabinet, and pulled out a bottle of red wine. The expensive kind—aged, sharp, unforgiving.
I shrugged off my blood-soaked shirt and stood in front of the sink.
The cut was ugly. Deep. Angry.
I uncorked the bottle.
Without a second thought, I poured the wine directly over the wound.
The sting hit instantly.
A sharp, burning pain tore through my arm.
I clenched my jaw, my fingers gripping the edge of the counter as my breath grew heavy. The pain spread, raw and unforgiving—but I didn't scream.
I never did.
Wine dripped down my arm, mixing with blood, staining the marble floor beneath me. My reflection in the mirror looked dangerous. Tired. Haunted.
"Idiot," I muttered to myself.
I wrapped the wound tightly, not caring if it healed properly. Pain had never scared me—it reminded me I was still alive.
I walked to my bedroom and collapsed onto the bed, staring at the ceiling.
Sleep didn't come.
Every time I closed my eyes, I saw Riya's smile.
Not for me.
My fists tightened.
Morning.
I just needed to wait till morning.
The sun would rise.
And with it—everything would change....
Rishabh is wounded, jealous, and more dangerous than ever. He is waiting for the sun to rise to change everything. What do you think is his next move for Riya? 🩸 Add to your Library and let me know your theories in the comments!"