Mumbai â The Jungle
It was around seven in the morning when the soft rays of the sun touched Haya's face. She instinctively opened her eyes, only to feel an unexpected weight on her lap. Still groggy from sleep, she glanced down and found Rudraksh resting his head on her lap. For a few moments, she remained frozen in shock. The same man who, even in his intoxicated state, refused to come near her was now sleeping so peacefully, as if he had found all the comfort in the world in her presence.
As Haya shifted slightly, Rudraksh's eyes fluttered open. Stretching lazily, he lifted his head from her lap and smirked.
"You started staring at me the moment you woke up?" he teased.
Annoyed by his words, Haya retorted, "Don't flatter yourself! I wasn't looking at you because you looked good. I was just wondering if you're the same person who talks nonsense all the time and keeps praising himself with fake compliments!"
With that, she turned away, gazing outside.
Rudraksh ignored her comment entirely, knowing very well that he had no real defense against her accusations. Meanwhile, Haya's eyes fell on something outside the vehicle, and she frowned.
"Look! There's a car parked outside. Why didn't you tell me about it?" she asked, sounding surprised.
Rudraksh, who was still too lazy to react properly, lazily lifted his half-closed eyes and looked outside. But as soon as he saw the car, his drowsiness vanished instantly, replaced by surprise. There really was a car standing outside.
Getting up in frustration, he muttered, "If Max was already here, why the hell didn't he inform me?"
He ran his fingers through his messy hair, fixed his shirt, and got out of the car. Outside, his bodyguards were stationed around the vehicle in a disciplined manner, their sharp eyes scanning the surroundings. Standing in front of them was Max, his most trusted man.
As soon as Max saw Rudraksh approaching, he lowered his head slightly in respect.
"Good morning, sir. I hope you and ma'am are doing well?" he greeted politely.
Rudraksh, still irritated, shot back, "Forget the formalities! Just tell meâwhen did you arrive, and why the hell didn't you wake me up?"
Max hesitated for a moment before responding in a calm voice, "I didn't want to disturb your special moment with ma'am, sir. And... for the first time, I saw you sleeping so peacefully. I thought it was better to let you rest."
Hearing this, Rudraksh's jaw clenched in frustration. His eyes darkened, and his voice turned sharp.
"I'll deal with you later," he said in a low, threatening tone.
Sensing his anger, the guards immediately turned their backs, avoiding his gaze, while Max lowered his head even further.
A few moments later, Rudraksh returned to the car, bringing Haya along with him. He gestured for her to get inside, and once she was seated, he settled into the driver's seat.
Without another word, the car roared to life, and within minutes, they were out of the dense jungle, heading back towards the city.
Jannat Villa
By the time Haya and Rudraksh reached the villa, it was already eight in the morning. Without sparing her a glance, Rudraksh spoke in a low voice, "Go."
Haya frowned in confusion. "Go? What do you mean? You're not coming inside?" she asked, surprised.
"You've been restless all night. You should at least get some sleep," she added, her voice laced with concern.
Rudraksh turned to look straight into her eyes, a smirk playing on his lips. "Oh? Someone actually cares about me?"
Haya rolled her eyes and muttered under her breath, "This man twists every word." Then, she added with a hint of sarcasm, "Do whatever you want. I'm sure you're eager to meet that snake of yours."
Rudraksh leaned back and said casually, "I can hear you, you know."
"I said it for you to hear," Haya shot back in the same tone.
Rudraksh's sharp gaze lingered on her for a few moments before she opened the car door and stepped out.
"What if someone asks about you?" she inquired, pausing before heading inside.
Rudraksh smirked. "Just tell them we got home late at night, and I left early for the office while you lazy people were still sleeping."
Haya's temper flared instantly, and she was about to retort, but before she could, Rudraksh had already sped away, leaving her fuming. Clenching her fists in frustration, she stomped her foot angrily before heading inside.
The main hall was empty, which made Haya breathe a sigh of relief. But just as she was about to walk toward her room, someone called her name from behind.
Her heart skipped a beat, and she shut her eyes tightly, bracing herself. However, the familiar voice soon brought her relief.
She exhaled softly and turned around. "Bhabhi, whatever it is, please come to my room. Not here," she whispered, and without another word, both Haya and Areena walked toward her room.
As soon as they entered, Areena pulled Haya into a tight hug.
"Haya! What is this condition of yours? Are you okay? What happened to you? And where were you all night?" Areena bombarded her with questions, concern evident in her voice.
Haya swallowed hard and whispered, "Bhabhi..." But before she could say anything more, her eyes welled up with tears.
"Haya, please tell me! What happened?" Areena urged, her worry deepening.
Taking a shaky breath, Haya finally told Areena everything. Areena listened in stunned silence, unable to believe what she was hearing. Once Haya finished, Areena wrapped her arms around her again.
"Are you absolutely sure you're okay? No one harmed you, right? Please tell me the truth," she asked anxiously.
Haya wiped her tears and nodded. "Rudraksh reached there in time. I'm fine, Bhabhi. No one did anything to me."
Areena let out a deep sigh of relief. "Thank God! I knew something was off. Rudraksh would never have left Falak like that without a strong reason."
She hesitated before asking, "Did he say anything to you? Was he angry at you?"
Haya shook her head. "No, Bhabhi. He didn't say anything. I'm fine, really. Please don't worry about me."
Areena studied her for a moment, still unsure. "And Falak? She's okay, right?"
"Yes, Bhabhi. She's fine. But please, don't say anything to herâor anyone else in the house. I don't want anyone to worry."
Areena sighed, pulling Haya into another hug. "Alright. But if anything happens, you'll tell me, won't you?"
Haya nodded, though deep down, she wasn't sure how much she could truly share.
Jannat Villa
Areena gently patted Haya's hand and smiled. "Don't worry, I won't say anything to anyone. But tell me, where is Rudraksh?"
Haya lowered her gaze and softly replied, "He told me to come home while he had some work at the office."
Areena's brows furrowed in concern. "So, you came back alone?"
Haya quickly shook her head. "No, Rudraksh dropped me off."
Areena exhaled, relieved. "Alright, go freshen up and get some rest. I'll take care of everything downstairs."
With that, she left the room, leaving Haya in silence.
As soon as Areena was gone, Haya slipped off Rudraksh's coat. The moment she touched it, memories of the previous night came rushing backâhow he had protected her from those men. No matter what kind of person Rudraksh was, what he had done for her last night was something she would never forget.
Her fingers ran over the fabric of his coat as she whispered, "Thank you so much." Then, she carefully folded it and placed it inside her cupboard before picking up her clothes and heading to the washroom.
After a warm shower, Haya stepped out, feeling slightly better. She noticed the soft morning breeze carrying a hint of dust into her room. With a deep breath, she pulled the curtains closed, then lay down on her bed.
Exhaustion washed over her, and within moments, she drifted into a deep sleep.
Main Hall
Downstairs, the family had gathered around the dining table for breakfast.
Mannat sighed and murmured, "Everything feels so incomplete without Dad."
Shivay, her elder brother, smiled reassuringly. "I spoke to Dad. He's really happy. Besides, he rarely gets a chance to visit Germany, so let him enjoy for a few days."
Mannat nodded but then frowned. "But where are Haya and Rudraksh? Have they still not come down for breakfast? Were they even home last night?"
Before anyone could answer, Veena's sharp voice cut through the air. "Looks like they weren't. Rudraksh didn't pick up my call even once! What was he so busy with?"
Eshaan, her younger son, sighed and spoke calmly, "Mom, you know how busy he always is. If he didn't answer, there must've been a reason. I don't see why we need to make a big deal out of it."
Before Veena could argue, Areena quickly intervened. "Mom, I just came from Haya's room. They were home last nightâI saw them myself. I even had dinner sent to their room. And this morning, Rudraksh left early for an important meeting."
Mannat sighed in relief. "Why didn't you mention this earlier? Anyway, forget all this. Let's just have breakfast. Let Haya sleep; she must be exhausted."
Everyone agreed, and the conversation finally shifted to other topics.
Shekhawat Industries
The heavy glass doors of Shekhawat Industries slid open as Rudraksh stepped inside. The moment he entered, Max rushed toward him.
"Sir..." Max started, his face tense.
Rudraksh raised an eyebrow. "What happened?" he asked in a calm yet authoritative tone.
Max hesitated before speaking. "It's about... Sophia ma'am..."
He trailed off, his eyes flickering with unease.
Rudraksh's jaw tightened. He hated unfinished sentences.
His voice dropped to a dangerous tone. "What about Sophia?"
What happened to Sophia?
What will Rudraksh do now?
Find out inâ
"The Devil's Sweet Sin" ð¥ð«