Chapter 1: A Deal with the Devil

Author's POV

The Das household was cloaked in an unsettling quiet. Dia Das sat on the living room couch, her petite frame slouched, her legs curled up as she dozed lightly. She wore a bunny-printed nightdress, her hands cradling her stomach as a sharp cramp throbbed through her. Despite the discomfort, her soft features carried a vulnerability that made her look innocent, almost childlike.

Her look~

The sudden slam of the main door jolted her awake. She blinked in confusion as several men, dressed in black and radiating a dangerous aura, entered the house. Their leader was a tall, imposing figure with sharp features, piercing dark eyes, and an air of authority that made the room feel suffocating. Ekansh Raghuvanshi had arrived.

Dia’s parents, Arun and Aarti Das, rushed into the room, their faces pale with fear. They knew this day was inevitable, yet they weren’t prepared to face the Mafia King of the underworld.

Ekansh’s gaze, cold and calculating, swept across the room until it landed on Dia. She was trying to sit up straight, her eyes wide with a mixture of confusion and pain. Her messy hair framed her delicate face, and the sight of her clutching her stomach in discomfort caught him off guard. There was something disarming about her innocence in such a grim moment, a contrast to the ruthless world he inhabited.

He turned his attention back to her parents, his voice dangerously calm.

“Mr. Das, it’s been a year. Where is my money?”

Arun stammered, his voice trembling. “I—I need more time. Business hasn’t been good… I swear I’ll pay you back soon.”

Ekansh’s jaw tightened, his patience wearing thin. He stepped closer, his presence overwhelming. “Time? Do you think I’m running a charity? You took my money, and now you want more time?” He glanced at Aarti, who was clutching her husband’s arm, her eyes brimming with tears. “Both of you should be begging for your lives right now.”

Aarti fell to her knees, sobbing. “Please, sir, give us another chance. We’ll repay you, I swear. Please don’t hurt us!”

Ekansh’s gaze darkened, but then, as if struck by an idea, he paused. His eyes drifted back to Dia, who was now staring at the scene with wide, horrified eyes. A slow, calculating smirk spread across his face.

“No need to pay me back,” he said, his tone dripping with mock generosity. Arun and Aarti looked up, confused but relieved, until his next words sent them into despair. “Instead of the money, I’ll take your daughter.”

“What?!” Dia’s voice finally broke through, trembling with disbelief. She tried to stand, but the cramps in her stomach made her falter. “You can’t do this! I’m not a—”

“Quiet,” Ekansh said sharply, cutting her off. His tone softened unexpectedly, almost amused. “You don’t get a say in this.”

“Please!” Aarti wailed, grabbing at his arm. “She’s just a child! Don’t take her!”

But Ekansh was unmoved. He signaled to his men, who stood guard, preventing the Das parents from getting closer. With a swift motion, he bent down and scooped Dia into his arms.

“No!” Dia screamed, struggling against his hold, but she was no match for his strength. Her mother’s desperate cries and her father’s pleading voice echoed in the background as Ekansh carried her out the door.

A fleet of black cars waited outside. Ekansh opened the door to his car and gently placed Dia in the passenger seat. She clutched her stomach, her face pale from pain and shock. The other cars, filled with his armed men, followed closely as he started driving.

The silence in the car was heavy, broken only by Dia’s quiet, pained breaths. Ekansh glanced at her, his cold demeanor softening slightly. “Are you in pain?”

She didn’t respond, too overwhelmed to process anything. Her hands remained pressed against her abdomen. To her surprise, he reached into the glove compartment, pulled out a small bottle of painkillers, and handed it to her along with a bottle of water.

“Take this,” he said, his voice surprisingly gentle.

Dia stared at him, confused. “Why do you care?”

He smirked, his eyes briefly meeting hers before returning to the road. “Because you’re mine now. And I don’t like my things broken.”

Her heart sank at his words. She didn’t know whether to feel anger, fear, or betrayal. But one thing was clear—her life was no longer her own.

---

Dia hesitated, staring at the bottle of painkillers he had handed her. She didn’t want to take anything from this man—this stranger who had just turned her life upside down—but the sharp cramps in her stomach left her little choice. With trembling hands, she opened the bottle and swallowed a pill, washing it down with the water.

Ekansh’s eyes flicked toward her as he drove, his voice low but demanding. “What’s wrong with you? Why were you clutching your stomach like that?”

Her fingers tightened around the bottle. She considered lying, but his piercing gaze made her realize there was no point. After a moment of hesitation, she muttered under her breath, “It’s... my period.”

For a split second, she thought she saw surprise flash across his face, but it was quickly replaced by an unreadable expression. He didn’t say anything for a moment, his grip on the steering wheel tightening. Then, to her shock, his voice softened. “You should have said something earlier. Did you eat anything?”

Her brows furrowed in confusion at his unexpected concern. “No,” she replied quietly, unsure of what to make of his tone.

The rest of the drive was silent, save for the hum of the engine and the occasional sound of her shifting uncomfortably in her seat. When the car finally slowed and pulled up to a massive wrought-iron gate, Dia felt her stomach twist with unease. Beyond the gate, a sprawling mansion loomed in the darkness, its grandeur almost suffocating.

As the gate opened and the car rolled forward, she realized she was entering a world completely alien to her own. The mansion was surrounded by perfectly manicured gardens and fountains that sparkled under the moonlight, but to her, it felt more like a gilded cage than a home.

Ekansh stopped the car in front of the grand entrance. He stepped out first, his men quickly surrounding the vehicle. Opening her door, he extended a hand, but Dia ignored it, climbing out on her own. She winced as a cramp shot through her, and to her embarrassment, he noticed. Without a word, he placed a hand on the small of her back, guiding her inside.

The interior of the mansion was even more intimidating than the exterior—marble floors, towering ceilings, and an air of luxury that only deepened Dia’s sense of unease. She turned to Ekansh, her voice trembling. “Why did you bring me here? What do you even want from me?”

Ekansh’s dark eyes met hers, a faint smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. “You’ll find out soon enough,” he said cryptically before gesturing to one of his men. “Prepare a room for her. And bring her something warm to eat.”

To her shock, there was no malice in his tone, only authority. As the men hurried to follow his orders, Ekansh turned back to her, his gaze steady. “You’re not a prisoner here, Dia. But you’re not leaving either. Not until I decide.”