CHAPTER 24: "MISUNDERSTANDINGS, LOVE & SINISTER INTENTIONS"

Vishwanath’s heart brimmed with joy as he made his way to his room. Kashi had forgiven him, and it felt as if the weight of the world had been lifted from his shoulders. The warmth of her smile, her gentle words, and the relief in her eyes when she accepted his apology replayed in his mind, filling him with happiness. It was like he had finally regained the life he thought he had lost. She had forgiven him, and now, the path to a future together was clear.

As he reached his room, he went straight to the cupboard, his heart racing with excitement. He reached for the velvet box he had carefully hidden away for so long. It was a beautiful, dark-blue velvet box, small yet heavy with meaning. His fingers trembled slightly as he opened it, revealing a diamond-studded ring inside. The ring sparkled, catching the light as he held it in his hands.

He had bought this ring months ago, even before the revelation happened, when his heart was full of love and hope. But then everything had spiraled out of control and Kashi had been hurt, her trust in him had been broken. He couldn’t bring himself to propose to her without first mending what had been shattered. But now, she had forgiven him. He could finally take the next step.

"I wanted you to forgive me completely before we started this new chapter of our lives together," he murmured, staring at the ring. "Tomorrow, I'll make sure you know how much you mean to me, Kashi."

With a contented sigh, Vishwanath placed the ring back in the box and returned it to its hiding spot. He lay down on his bed, his mind filled with thoughts of Kashi. After so many restless nights, peace finally settled over him, and for the first time in days, he fell into a deep, peaceful sleep.

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Meanwhile, elsewhere, in a dimly lit study, an obsession was brewing. Neel Oberoi sat in his chair, spinning a paperweight in his hand as his gaze fixated on his phone screen. A photograph of Kashi, dancing with Vishwanath at the recent event, filled the screen. Neel’s eyes lingered on Kashi, her innocence and beauty captivating him.

"You’re mine, sweetheart," Neel muttered, his voice dark and possessive. "You’re just mine."

Neel had always harbored a deep jealousy towards Vishwanath. Vishwanath had always been the golden boy, succeeding in business with truth and hard work, admired by all. As a king and a powerful business tycoon, Vishwanath was respected and revered, always staying ahead, no matter how many underhanded tactics Neel tried to use against him. Whereas Neel had no concept of fairness, believing that the end always justified the means. But this time, Neel’s obsession wasn’t just about business,  it was something personal. He wanted Kashi, who had unknowingly become the object of his fixation. From the moment he laid eyes on her at the party, her innocence and beauty consumed his thoughts, igniting a relentless desire to possess her.

"You have always won, Vishwanath," Neel sneered, zooming in on Kashi’s face in the photo. "But this time, you’ll lose the most precious thing in your life."

Neel’s gaze darkened, and with a wicked smirk, he cropped Vishwanath out of the photo, leaving only Kashi. He stared at her picture, his obsession intensifying.

"You are mine, Kashi. And I’ll make sure you become mine soon," he whispered, a dark smile creeping onto his face as the room echoed with his twisted laughter.

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The morning sun filtered through the curtains of Kashi’s room in the Singhania Mansion, gently waking her up. She stirred, feeling unusually refreshed after a deep sleep. She blinked her eyes open. As her eyes fell on the clock, she immediately panicked. It was almost 8 AM! She had never slept in so late. Her first thought was of her job at the café, she was already late!

Kashi sat up quickly, pushing the comforter aside and swinging her feet onto the soft carpeted floor. But as she was about to rush out of bed, she paused, realization hitting her. She wasn’t in Jhansi, and she wasn’t at home. She was in the Singhania Mansion. The events of the previous day came flooding back, her time with her Veer ji, the emotions, the forgiveness, and the warmth that had enveloped her heart.

Her Veer ji..… No, Vishwanath Rai Singhania.

Kashi’s heart raced as she thought of him, the man she admired and was slowly but surely falling in love with. But every time her feelings started to overwhelm her, she reminded herself of the vast distance between them, his power, wealth, and stature, and her simple, modest life. She shook her head, trying to push those thoughts away. Now wasn’t the time to think about her emotions.

Instead, Kashi’s thoughts shifted to her mother. She hadn’t seen her since yesterday, and worry gnawed at her. Something felt off, though she couldn’t place what it was. She needed to get back to Jhansi as soon as possible.

Just as Kashi was lost in thought, a knock on the door startled her. She rushed to open it, only to find Rajmata Shalini standing there, along with a helper carrying several dresses.

“Good morning, beta,” Shalini greeted warmly. “Did you sleep well?”

“Yes, aunty. Thank you,” Kashi replied with a smile.

“That’s wonderful to hear. I brought you some dresses. You can choose whichever one you like to wear today.

Kashi hesitated. “Aunty, what was the need for this? I will wear the same dress I came in”.

“Beta, I have already sent that dress to the laundry. It was a bit dirty,” Shalini said kindly. “Please, don’t worry about it. You are just like a daughter to me.”

Kashi smiled gratefully. “Thank you so much, aunty. I really appreciate your kindness.”

Shalini waved off her gratitude. “No need to thank me, beta. Now, get ready and come join us for breakfast.”

Kashi watched as Shalini left the room, feeling a bit awkward about joining the family for breakfast. However, she couldn't keep declining Rajmata's generous offers. With a sigh, she picked out a beautiful white and pink floral suit that she absolutely adored, took a quick bath, and got ready.

As she stepped out of her room, she hoped she wouldn’t get lost in the mansion again. She remembered she needed to cross the long corridor to reach the hall. As she neared the hall, some voices caught her attention. It was Rajendra and Shalini, deep in conversation.

Kashi was ready to step away to give them privacy and avoid eavesdropping, when she heard Rajendra say, “Shalini, yesterday Rajiv mentioned about Vishwanath’s alliance with his daughter Maya”

Her heart sank. Her hands trembled as she stood there, unable to move. Was Vishwanath ji really going to marry Maya?

Shalini interrupted, “And what did you say, Rajendra?”

“I didn’t say yes, but I couldn’t say no either,” Rajendra admitted.

Kashi’s breath hitched. Tears welled up in her eyes as she interpreted his words to mean that Vishwanath was getting married to Maya. She turned and fled, tears streaming down her cheeks. She couldn’t bear the thought of her Veer ji belonging to someone else. Her heart broke, and she felt utterly defeated.

In a quiet corner, she stopped and cried, her heart shattering into pieces. She had always known that she didn’t deserve Vishwanath, but hearing that he might marry someone else was just too much to bear.

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Meanwhile, back in the room, Shalini was frowning at Rajendra. “What do you mean you couldn’t say no? You know Vishu loves Kashi. He will never agree to marry anyone else!”

Rajendra chuckled, trying to calm his wife down. “Relax, Shalini. You misunderstood. I didn’t say yes to Rajiv. I told him I would speak with Vishwanath first. When he asks again in a few days, I’ll just let him know that Vishwanath isn’t interested in that arrangement.”

Shalini crossed her arms and narrowed her eyes. “So, you are using my son to avoid offending your friend, Rajendra?”

Rajendra shrugged, a playful smile on his face. “I’m just keeping the peace, Rani Sahiba.”

Shalini shook her head, a smile tugging at her lips. “I just don’t know what to do with you and your sons. You’re always making unnecessary plans and plotting away”.

They shared a laugh, and Rajendra's expression grew serious. “I was angry with Vishwa for hiding the truth from Kashi, but I’ve seen how deeply he regrets it. He truly loves her, Shalini. Kashi is his happiness, and at the end of the day, all I want is for my son to be happy.”

Shalini nodded, her heart softening at the thought. “You’re right, Rajendra. It’s evident how much they both love each other. I  have seen the same love for Vishu in Kashi’s eyes too. Hopefully, they will be together soon.”

Both Rajendra and Shalini smiled, and then Shalini said, “Alright, Rajendra, let’s go for breakfast.” Rajendra nodded and together they left for the dining room.

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Kashi wiped away her tears, composing herself before heading down to the dining hall with a heavy heart. She entered to find everyone except Vishwanath seated at the table.

Shalini spotted her and smiled warmly. “Kashi beta, come join us for breakfast.”

Feeling awkward but unable to refuse, Kashi quietly took her seat. Shalini asked, “Would you like pancakes or paranthas, beta?”

“Parantha, please,” Kashi replied softly.

As the server placed a parantha on her plate, Shalini smiled. “I’m so glad Kashi, that you appreciate Indian food like me and Rajendra. These boys of mine only want these pancakes, waffles, and other foreign foods for breakfast!”

At that, Rudra piped up, “Maa, I eat Indian food too, on my cheat days, Okk!”

Shalini simply shook her head in amusement.

Kashi smiled at the playful banter as she noticed Rudra stealthily stealing Raghavendra's orange juice, too lazy to get his own. Raghavendra smacked his brother's head playfully in response. The light-hearted atmosphere around the table eased some of the sadness weighing on Kashi's heart.

Just then Vishwanath walked into the dining hall, exuding an air of majesty and power. Dressed in a perfectly tailored three-piece suit, his presence commanded attention. The deep charcoal suit with a crisp white shirt beneath, paired with a royal blue tie, made him look every bit of regal and dominant king of Bundelkhand. His hair was neatly combed back, and his eyes scanned the room until they landed on Kashi.

Kashi's heart skipped a beat the moment she saw him. He looked every bit the powerful man he was, but there was something in his eyes, something soft and familiar when he gazed at her. She quickly looked away, her pulse quickening as she focused on her plate, trying to hide her blush.

"Good morning," Vishwanath greeted the family, his deep voice sending a shiver down Kashi's spine.

Shalini smiled warmly at her son. "Good morning,Vishu. Come, sit."

Vishwanath took his seat which was always reserved for him as the King of Bundelkhand, and as soon as he sat down, the server approached, ready to serve him pancakes, which had been his usual choice for breakfast.

Just as the server was about to place a stack of pancakes in front of him, Vishwanath raised his hand slightly, his eyes flicking over to Kashi's plate. She was eating a parantha, and without a second thought, he said, "No, serve me parantha today."

Rudra, who had been quiet until now having his breakfast, couldn't help but smirk. He leaned back in his chair, eyes twinkling mischievously. "Bhai, since when did you start having parantha for breakfast? Pancakes were your thing!"

Vishwanath, maintaining his composure, broke off a piece of his parantha and replied smoothly, "Sometimes it's refreshing to change things up Rudra."

Rudra wasn’t about to let it go that easily, though. He leaned forward with a teasing grin. "Ah, I see. A change, or perhaps some inspiration from someone’s plate?" His gaze flicked pointedly to Kashi, and the rest of the family exchanged knowing smiles.

Kashi, observing the exchange between Rudra and Vishwanath, realized that Rudra was referring to her plate. Her eyes briefly met Vishwanath's, and her cheeks flushed as she quickly looked back down at her plate. Why had he changed his mind? Was it because of her? The thought sent her heart racing.

Vishwanath gave his younger brother a sharp look, but there was a hint of amusement in his eyes. "Mind your own breakfast, Rudra," he replied, his tone firm but not without humor.

The whole table chuckled, while Kashi’s face burned a deep red. She kept her eyes fixed on her plate, feeling completely flustered by the teasing and by Vishwanath’s subtle actions. She couldn’t help but wonder what was going through his mind as he quietly ate his parantha, the small gesture making her feel both nervous and warm inside.

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I want to thank you all for your patience and understanding. I know the target was completed earlier, but I’m sorry it took me some time to release this chapter due to my heavy college workload. Your support means a lot to me. Once again Thank you and lots of love to you all ❤️🫶🏻

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