The rain had stopped, but the silence felt heavier than ever.
Meera Verma stood in her room, staring at the small bag Kabir Rajvansh had told her to pack.
Her hands didn't move at first.
Because packing didn't feel like leaving home…
It felt like stepping into a life she didn't understand.
Behind her, Kabir stood near the broken doorway, watching quietly.
He didn't rush her.
He didn't force her.
For once… the mafia boss who controlled cities was waiting.
For her decision.
Meera finally whispered,
"If I come with you… will my life ever be normal again?"
Kabir didn't hesitate.
"No."
A pause.
Then softer—
"But you will be alive."
That answer hurt more than she expected.
Because it was honest.
Too honest.
Meera turned to look at him.
"And what about you?"
Kabir's eyes darkened slightly.
"I stopped having a normal life a long time ago."
A pause.
"Mine ended the moment I chose this world."
Silence again.
But this time, Meera didn't look away.
She was trying to understand him.
Not the mafia boss…
But the man behind him.
Outside, engines roared in the distance.
Kabir's men were preparing.
The enemy wasn't gone.
It was closing in again.
Faster this time.
Kabir stepped forward slightly.
"We don't have time," he said quietly.
His voice wasn't harsh.
It was urgent.
Controlled fear hidden behind discipline.
Meera tightened her grip on the bag.
"I didn't agree yet…"
Kabir looked at her for a moment.
Then said something unexpected—
"I know."
A pause.
"But I still won't leave you here."
Meera's breath trembled.
"Why do you care so much?"
That question hung in the air like a blade.
Kabir looked away for the first time.
Because answering it wasn't simple anymore.
It wasn't strategy.
It wasn't duty.
It wasn't protection.
It was something worse.
Something real.
He finally said quietly,
"Because the moment I saw you… I lost the ability to ignore what I feel."
Meera froze.
Her heart skipped.
Not because of danger.
But because of truth.
Before she could respond—
A loud explosion echoed outside.
The ground shook slightly.
Kabir's expression changed instantly.
"They're here," he said coldly.
In seconds, everything shifted.
His men moved into position.
Weapons ready.
Orders silent but sharp.
The world outside turned into chaos again.
Kabir turned to Meera.
This time… his voice was final.
"Stay behind me."
Not a request.
A promise.
Meera's fear returned instantly.
But something else returned too.
Trust.
As footsteps approached and shadows surrounded the house again…
Kabir Rajvansh stepped forward.
Between her and the world.
For the first time… not as a mafia boss protecting his asset.
But as a man protecting the only thing he couldn't lose.
And as the door shook under impact…
Meera realized something she couldn't deny anymore.
She wasn't just following him.
She was choosing him too.
Even if she didn't fully understand why.
To be continued… 💔