Mumbai
Shekhavat Industries
As soon as Max mentioned Sofia, Rudraksh spoke softly, "Tell me properly, what happened?"
Max quickly replied, "Sir, Sofia ma'am has locked herself in her room. She said she won't open the door until you arrive, nor is she talking to anyone. Sir, what should we do now?"
Hearing this, Rudraksh calmly said, "Don't do anything. No one needs to take any action. Just focus on your work." Saying this, Rudraksh walked toward his cabin.
Cabin
Rudraksh knocked on the door and spoke firmly, "Open the door, Sofia. What is this drama?"
The moment he spoke, Sofia unlocked the door. Rudraksh stood there, staring at her with pure anger and hatred. He hadn't slept properly last night, his mind was already disturbed because of Haya, and now Sofia was adding to his frustration. This thought made him glare at her with intense fury.
For a few moments, Sofia was stunned by his cold gaze, but the next second, she rushed forward and hugged him tightly. However, without wasting a second, Rudraksh pushed her away with force. Without saying a word, he stepped inside his cabin.
With fake tears welling up in her eyes, Sofia walked toward him and pleaded, "Rudraksh... at least listen to me. Why are you so angry? It feels like you were just looking for a reason to leave me. I don't even understand what you want. Yes, I made a mistake, but I swear, I promise I will never do it again. Please, Rudraksh," she begged like a madwoman.
Rudraksh, in his rising fury, slammed his hand onto the table. He had given Sofia three chancesâthree chances that she had wasted by humiliating him every time. She never took his words seriously, and each time, she had only disgraced him more. His patience had worn thin.
Sofia was still talking when, in the next moment, Rudraksh pulled out a gun from his pocket. Taking a deep breath, he aimed it forward and pulled the trigger. One shot, and then another. Without stopping, he fired all the bullets left in the magazine.
Within moments, Sofia's lifeless body collapsed onto the floor.
Taking a long drag from his cigarette, Rudraksh exhaled slowly and muttered, "For the first time in my life, I gave someone two chances, and even that turned out to be my mistake."
With that, he called Max and spoke in a calm voice, "Clean up this mess from my cabin."
Ending the call, Rudraksh continued smoking as he coldly stared at Sofia's lifeless body lying before him.
Jannat Villa
The morning had slipped into the afternoon, yet Haya was still fast asleep. The entire villa was bathed in golden sunlight, but her room remained dim, the curtains drawn to keep the brightness at bay. A soft knock on the door broke the silence. Half-asleep, Haya stirred slightly before lazily opening her eyes. She blinked a few times, adjusting to the soft light seeping through the curtains. Her gaze shifted toward the clock on the wall, and the moment she registered the time, her eyes widened in shock.
"Three o'clock?" she thought, startled. "I've been sleeping for so long?"
Panic shot through her as she quickly threw off the blanket and rushed toward the door, her bare feet barely making a sound against the cold floor. Without a second thought, she yanked the door open.
"I'm so sorry! I justâ" she began hastily, her voice still laced with sleep when she saw Falak standing at the door with a soft smile, holding a steaming cup of coffee.
Falak quickly interrupted, shaking her head. "Relax, bhabhi, it's just me. I thought you might be awake by now, so I brought you some coffee. But no worries, if you're still tired, you can go back to sleep. After all, you came home late last nightâyou must be exhausted."
With that, Falak turned to leave, but before she could take a step, Haya reached out and gently held her arm.
"No, Falak, come inside," Haya said warmly, stepping aside to let her in. "And thank you so much for the coffee."
She took the cup from Falak's hands and gestured toward the bed. Falak followed her inside, the rich aroma of freshly brewed coffee filling the room as Haya moved to make space for her on the bed. She pushed the blanket aside and patted the empty spot next to her.
"Sit down," Haya urged with a small smile. "What's on your mind?"
Falak hesitated for a moment before sitting beside her. She looked thoughtful, as if she was choosing her words carefully. Finally, she spoke in a soft voice.
"Bhabhi... I needed to talk to you."
Haya took a slow sip of coffee before nodding. "Go ahead. What is it?" she asked, her voice calm. "By the way, this coffee is really good. You've made it perfectly."
Falak smiled shyly. "Thank you so much, bhabhi." But then her expression turned serious. She took a deep breath before continuing. "Bhabhi, I know you must be angry with me. And you have every right to be. You called me so many times, and I didn't answer even once." Her voice cracked slightly with guilt. "Please forgive me... I swear, I didn't ignore you on purpose. It was just too noisy, and I didn't hear my phone ring."
As she spoke, her words became rushed, as if she were afraid that if she stopped, she wouldn't be able to say them at all.
Haya reached forward and gently held her hands, squeezing them reassuringly. "Falak, calm down. Please, just take a deep breath," she said softly. "Listen to me. I'm not upset with you at all. I understand you were busy, and that's completely okay. I have no complaints, no hard feelings."
Falak's eyes glistened as she looked at her.
"And the most important thing," Haya continued, "is that you came to apologize. You realized your mistake, and that means more than anything else. What else could I possibly ask for?"
Hearing this, Falak could no longer hold back her emotions. Without thinking, she threw her arms around Haya in a tight hug.
"Bhabhi, you have no idea how much you've just relieved my heart," she whispered against Haya's shoulder. "I was so stressed about thisâI can't even explain it. I was afraid I had hurt you, and I hated that feeling."
Haya smiled softly, wrapping her arms around Falak in return, offering silent comfort.
But just as Falak pulled away, her gaze shifted toward Haya's face. Her smile faltered as she noticed somethingâfaint bruises, barely visible but still there. Her brows furrowed, and her eyes flickered down to Haya's hand, where she saw another small mark.
Her stomach twisted in concern.
"Bhabhi... what's this?" she asked hesitantly, gently taking Haya's hand in her own. "These marks... Did you get hurt? Did something happen?"
Haya stilled for a fraction of a second before quickly composing herself. She gave Falak a reassuring smile and gently pulled her hand away, tucking it into her lap.
"It's nothing, Falak," she said smoothly. "Just a small accident. I slipped in the bathroom, that's all. Nothing to worry about."
Falak studied her carefully, trying to read between the lines. But Haya had already masked her emotions behind a calm expression. She let out a soft sigh and decided not to push further.
For now.
Falak glanced at Haya before speaking softly, "Bhabhi, should I leave now? Will you have your lunch here in your room, or will you come downstairs? By the way, everyone has already finished their lunchâyou're the only one left."
Hearing this, Haya smiled slightly and replied, "I've been in my room since morning. I'm starting to feel bored. Do one thingâgo downstairs, and I'll join you. We'll have lunch together. I know you've already eaten, but at least have a little with me. I'll just freshen up and come."
Saying this, Haya disappeared into the washroom.
Main Hall
A few minutes later, Haya and Falak were seated across from each other at the dining table. The servants were setting the food in front of them, and the aroma of freshly prepared dishes filled the air.
Falak sighed and shook her head playfully. "Bhabhi, I already ate properly, but I'm eating again just for you."
Haya chuckled and replied casually, "That's okay, at least keep me company. Besides, you're already so skinnyâyou could use some extra food."
Falak couldn't help but smile at her words. They continued eating, making light conversation between bites, when suddenly, Haya asked, "Falak, which college do you go to?"
Falak was taken aback by the sudden question. She blinked in surprise before answering, "I go to [college name], but why are you asking, bhabhi?"
Haya shrugged slightly. "No reason. Just like that."
Falak gave her a knowing look before nodding. "Alright. By the way, bhabhi, you do remember that we're going on a trip in a few days, right? And after that, the admissions for the new session will begin."
Hearing this, Haya's hand paused mid-air as she processed Falak's words. "Wait... you mean new admissions are about to start?" she asked carefully.
Falak, unaware of Haya's growing curiosity, replied nonchalantly, "Yes, bhabhi. Do you want to get someone admitted?"
Haya hesitated for a second before shaking her head. "No, I was just asking."
Falak didn't think much of it. She quickly finished her meal and stood up. "Alright, bhabhi, I should get going. I have something important to take care of."
She washed her hands and walked out, leaving Haya lost in her thoughts.
Her mind kept replaying Falak's wordsânew admissions are about to start.
Wouldn't it be a great opportunity if she applied now?
The thought lingered in her head, refusing to leave.
With that in mind, Haya walked back to her room, deep in contemplation. She knew she had to talk to Rudraksh about this. She wasn't sure if that despicable man would even listen to her, but asking wouldn't hurt, right?
With a determined sigh, she shut the door behind her, preparing herself for what was to come.
Areena's Room
Areena handed Ishan his coffee, her eyes filled with uncertainty. As he took a sip, she hesitated before finally voicing the thoughts that had been weighing on her heart.
"Ishan... everyone keeps saying things to me. What should I even say in response?"
Still focused on his laptop, Ishan barely looked up. "About what, Areena?"
She took a deep breath, lowering her voice slightly. "Ishan... our child? I mean, it's been two years since our marriage, but we still haven't given our family a child. Mom is right, isn't she?"
Ishan immediately put his laptop aside, his full attention now on her. "Did Mom say something to you, Areena?" His voice was sharp, filled with concern.
Areena lowered her gaze, playing with the edge of her dupatta. "She doesn't need to say anything, Ishan. I can see the questions in her eyes. You might think all of this is easy, but it's not for me. You have no idea how much it worries me. And honestly... everyone's words aren't entirely wrong, are they?"
Hearing the pain in her voice, Ishan reached out, gently taking her hand in his. With a swift motion, he pulled her closer, his grip firm but comforting.
Would Haya be able to gather the courage to talk to Rudraksh about her education?
Would Rudraksh even listen to her?
To find out, read The Devil's Sweet Sin...