Chapter 4: The Storm Returns

Author's POV

Ekansh entered the mansion with his usual air of authority, his sharp eyes scanning the opulent space. His absence had been longer than expected, and though he wasn’t one to worry easily, something about the silence unsettled him.

“Radha,” he called, his voice echoing through the hall. The woman appeared almost instantly, her hands clasped nervously in front of her. He immediately noticed her uneasy demeanor.

“Where is Dia?” he asked, his tone calm but laced with an edge that demanded an honest answer.

Radha hesitated, her eyes darting toward the staircase. “She... she’s upstairs, Sir. Sleeping,” she lied, her voice trembling.

Ekansh narrowed his eyes at her, but he turned and climbed the stairs without another word. When he reached Dia’s room and found it empty, his jaw clenched. The bed was untouched, and there was no sign of her anywhere.

---

He came back downstairs, his steps measured but heavy. Radha was still standing by the staircase, wringing her hands nervously.

“Where is she?” Ekansh asked again, his voice dangerously quiet.

Radha opened her mouth to respond, but before she could spin another lie, a weak, trembling voice cut through the tense air. “I’m... in the kitchen.”

Ekansh turned sharply toward the source of the voice, his eyes narrowing. The faint sound of Dia’s voice carried a mixture of fear and exhaustion that made his chest tighten. Without sparing Radha another glance, he strode toward the kitchen.

---

The sight that greeted him stopped him in his tracks. Dia was crumpled on the cold kitchen floor, her frail body curled in on itself. Her clothes were stained with dirt and sweat, and her skin was marred with fresh bruises and red marks. Her arms bore the clear imprint of fingers, and there were welts on her back where she had been struck.

For a moment, Ekansh couldn’t move, his brain struggling to process what he was seeing. Rage began to bubble within him, cold and deadly. He knelt down, gently placing a hand on her shoulder. “Dia,” he said softly, his voice uncharacteristically tender.

Her eyes fluttered open, and she flinched at his touch, her body trembling. “I’m sorry,” she whispered hoarsely, as though she were at fault for her condition.

---

Ekansh’s jaw tightened as he carefully scooped her up into his arms. She weighed almost nothing, her exhaustion evident in the way she collapsed against his chest. He turned sharply, his dark gaze locking onto Radha, who was now pale and trembling.

“Who did this?” he demanded, his voice a low growl.

Radha stammered, trying to find an excuse, but Ekansh silenced her with a glare so fierce it made her step back. “You think I wouldn’t notice?” he spat. “You’ve crossed a line, Radha. A line you’ll regret.”

Carrying Dia, he left the kitchen without another word, his mind already racing with thoughts of how to deal with the woman who had dared to harm someone under his protection. For now, his priority was Dia.

---

Ekansh brought her to his room, laying her carefully on the massive bed. He called for the family doctor, his tone sharp and urgent, before sitting beside her. Her eyes remained closed, her breathing shallow, but her face was etched with pain.

“You’re safe now,” he murmured, brushing a strand of hair away from her face. The sight of her bruised body stirred something unfamiliar within him—guilt, anger, and a fierce determination to protect her from anyone who dared to hurt her again.

When the doctor arrived, Ekansh stood by silently, his arms crossed as he watched the man examine her. As the doctor worked, Ekansh’s thoughts turned dark. Radha’s betrayal would not go unpunished.

---

The doctor finished his examination quickly, administering a painkiller to help Dia relax. She was still unconscious, her breathing steady but labored. Ekansh watched with a simmering intensity, unable to tear his gaze away from her vulnerable form.

“Her injuries are minor, but the emotional toll is greater,” the doctor said, his voice low. “She’s exhausted, both physically and mentally. She needs rest, and someone should stay with her.”

Ekansh nodded, his expression hard. "I'll stay." He didn’t need to think twice. He’d been many things in his life—ruthless, calculated, cold—but seeing Dia like this... it stirred something inside him, something he didn’t care to name.

As the doctor left, Ekansh stood beside the bed, watching over her. He felt a strange protectiveness, a sense of responsibility he hadn't anticipated. He couldn't let this continue. Radha's actions would have consequences, and Ekansh had never been one to tolerate betrayal, especially not in his own home.

He ran a hand through his hair, exhaling sharply. There were too many questions, too many things left unsaid between him and Dia. He needed answers, and he would get them—soon. But for now, all he could do was keep her safe and make sure that whatever came next, she wouldn’t face it alone.

---

The silence in the room felt suffocating, but Ekansh didn’t leave. He sat beside her, his gaze never straying far from her sleeping form. It was then that he realized the full extent of his own internal conflict. He had always lived by the rules of power and control, never letting emotions cloud his decisions. But this girl—this fragile, innocent girl who had been thrust into his world without warning—was breaking through the barriers he had built so carefully around himself.

Dia’s soft breath and the slight rise and fall of her chest were the only sounds in the room. Ekansh stayed there, lost in his own thoughts, until the first rays of sunlight peeked through the curtains. He hadn't intended to spend the night here, but something had kept him rooted by her side. He wasn’t used to this feeling, this gnawing sensation of something he couldn’t control, and it unsettled him.

Finally, as dawn broke, Ekansh leaned forward, brushing a soft kiss against her forehead. It was an action he didn’t understand, and yet it felt right. He pulled the blanket up around her, making sure she was warm and comfortable before finally rising.

He had work to do, but this time, his priorities had shifted. Radha’s betrayal would be dealt with swiftly, and Dia... Dia would be the one thing he would protect at any cost.