Published on:- 1/3/25 [Saturday]
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🍀DOUBLE UPDATE🍀

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A few days later:-

"Come to the point, Mr. Lockwood. What do you want to talk about?", Sunaina said while coming towards him.

Joseph Lockwood's jaw tightened as he watched Sunaina move closer. The sound of her heels clicking on the floor filled the silence. She stopped a few steps away, crossing her arms and lifting her chin.

She was calm and confident.

His hands twitched at his sides, like he was holding back the urge to do something violent. The anger burning in his heart only grew stronger.

He wanted to kill her.... no, he needed to.

But Sunaina didn't seem scared.

"Speak," she said firmly, while her gaze was daring him to say something meaningful.

Joseph gave a cold smile and said, "You've always been bold. But today, Devil Princess... that boldness might cost you".

His voice was low and full of anger.

The air between them felt heavy, full of anger and something even darker.

"Are you done? Then come to the point," Sunaina said in a sharp tone.

T-Rex stood beside her while his towering was frame radiating fury.

"Where is she?" Joseph asked as his voice a rough growl.

Sunaina blinked. "Who?"

"My wife", Joseph snapped.

A brief silence hung between them before Sunaina's brows furrowed. "Isn't she dead?"

Joseph fists tightened at his sides. "Devil princess," he gritted through his teeth, his rage was barely contained.

"Where is her body?", Joseph asked her.

Sunaina took a deep breath as her face was calm but her eyes were cold.

"I don't know," she said.

Joseph's fists tightened as he shouted, "You killed her."

A slow smirk crept onto Sunaina's lips.

"Yes, I did. So what? Are you here to take revenge? Then be ready for a blood war", She said in a tone that almost daring him to react

Joseph's glare darkened, but Sunaina didn't flinch. She took a step closer.

"Your boss already gave me his word that the American mafia won't get involved in my matters. Especially related to your wife", Sunaina said.

Joseph glared at her.

"One move and you'll be kicked out of the mafia organization. Do you dare? You won't dare because a mafia can't, will never live a normal life. This darkness won't spare you", Sunaina said in an ice-like tone.

Joseph's jaw tightened, but Sunaina didn't stop.

"And why would you even dare? for what? For her? That woman who used everyone, from innocent love of a woman to her own husband. She engaged herself with a Python member and became the new leader of Python. And for what? To steal my husband? For her obsession she did everything, Mr. Lockwood", Her voice dropped lower, colder.

Joseph's nostrils flared and his anger was simmering just beneath the surface. His fists clenched at his sides, but he didn't move, not yet.

Sunaina tilted her head and a cruel smile was tugging at the corner of her lips.

"Tell me, Mr. Lockwood! was it love... or just another pawn in her game?", she said softly but her words were like poison.

His silence was answer enough.

"You think avenging her will bring you peace? She didn't care about the one who supported her. She didn't care about you. All she ever thought about was herself", Sunaina's eyes darkened.

Joseph's throat bobbed as he swallowed his fury.

Sunaina took another step forward, her voice was like a deadly whisper this time, "So go ahead, make your move. But know this... It won't be me who falls".

Her gaze burned into his.

Both of them standing on the edge of violence, one step away from chaos.

Sunaina shook her head slowly, a cold finality in her eyes.

"This is the last time we're seeing each other," she said and her voice was sharp as a blade.

Joseph's glare remained unyielding, his rage was simmering beneath the surface.

Her lips curled into a faint, unforgiving smile.

"The next time, one of us will die. Remember this and you also know who will die", she whispered coldly.

And the silence that followed was suffocating, a deadly promise hanging between them. Neither blinked, nor backed down but the war had already begun.

Sunaina turned around and walked away, her heels clicking against the cold floor. But then, she suddenly stopped. Without looking back, she said, "In a relationship, love has its place, and respect has its place".

Joseph looked at her back.

"Your wife, neither loved you nor respected you", Sunaina finished and her tone was grave and unyielding.

Joseph's heart pounded in his chest, her words slicing deeper than he expected.

'Be careful.... Storm is still around you', Joseph thought while looking at Sunaina's figure.

Meanwhile, without another glance, Sunaina walked away, leaving him standing there, consumed by a storm of anger and pain.

***

Sunaina slid into the back seat of the car and T-Rex took his place behind the wheel, his grip firm on the steering wheel, eyes fixed ahead.

Sunaina leaned back, resting her head and her eyes drifting closed.

"To the exhibition hall," she said and T-Rex gave a small nod. "Understood."

As the car glided through the quiet streets, T-Rex's voice broke the silence.

"Princess! What should we do about Lockwood?"

Sunaina didn't open her eyes. Her expression remained calm as she said, "No need to do anything".

T-Rex gave a slight nod. He knew better than to question her decisions, even when the fire of unfinished business still burned.

The car rolled to a smooth stop in front of the exhibition hall. Without a word, Sunaina opened the door and stepped out, her heels clicking against the pavement.

Her sharp gaze swept across the crowd, scanning every face, until she found him.

Her husband.

Suddenly her jaw tightened, and her eyes darkened when she saw him standing there, laughing softly with a woman.

The sound of his laughter, the ease in his posture and the way his hand hovered just a little too close to the woman's arm, it all fueled the fury burning inside her.

Sunaina's expression hardened and her lips curved upward sinisterly. The air around her seemed to shift, a silent warning to anyone who dared cross her path.

Without hesitation, she started walking toward Nilay, each step steady, each breath controlled, but her rage was unmistakable.

Nilay's laughter faded the moment he noticed Sunaina approaching. His smile deepened but the next second, it wavered, and a flicker of tension crossed his face, like a man who knew a storm was coming but couldn't run from it.

'What's wrong with her expressions?', Nilay thought.

The woman beside him also looked at Sunaina and Sunaina's fury sharpened.

"Husband", she said in a cold tone.

The woman paused, sensing the change, her gaze shifting between Sunaina and Nilay.

Nilay straightened and responded, "Wife...."

But before Nilay could say a word, Sunaina ordered, "Step away".

While her eyes locked onto the woman. It wasn't a suggestion. It was a command.

The woman blinked, clearly confused, but the intensity in Sunaina's gaze left no room for argument.

Suddenly, that woman smiled.

Nilay opened his mouth, but Sunaina's next words silenced him.

"Is this what you do when I'm not around? Laugh with strangers like nothing else matters", she asked and her voice was laced with venom.

The tension between them was suffocating, and the woman, sensed danger but continued to stay there.

But Sunaina didn't even spare her a glance. Her full focus was on Nilay, and the storm she was about to unleash.

"Divita"....

This name and familiar yet unfamiliar manly voice startled her.

She looked at the owner of the voice and a familiar face with a flashback popped up in her mind.

Nilay sighed weakly as he held Sunaina's hand and said, "Wife! No need to be jealous. She is Perna, Shlok's girlfriend".

Sunaina's anger faded into surprise. Shlok... The name brought back memories, the blood donor.

Realizing her mistake, she looked down slightly. "I'm sorry, Nilay", she said quietly.

Nilay gave a small smile but spoke firmly. "You don't need to apologize to me. You should apologize to Perna. She did nothing wrong. She's just here to support me", he said.

Sunaina's jaw tightened for a moment, but then she looked at Perna. "I'm sorry", she said in a low voice.

Perna waved her hand casually and said, "It's okay. As long as it's not that bitch. I don't mind seeing Nilay with anyone. By the way, I like your spirit".

She said the last line with a playful smirk.

Shlok chuckled softly, clearly used to Perna's blunt personality.

Nilay, however, kept his voice steady as he looked at Shlok.

"And you, stop calling her Divita. Her name is Sunaina and to you, she is your sister-in-law", he said.

The words were simple but clear, a reminder that Sunaina held an important place in Nilay's life.

Shlok bowed his head and admitted his mistake.

Nilay cleared his throat, held Sunaina's hand and said to Perna and Shlok, "I want you guys to meet my wife, Sunaina".

Sunaina's heart bloomed at Nilay's action. Both Sunaina and Perna clicked instantly as they both had spirit and fire within them.

Nilay glanced at Sunaina while his hand was still gently holding hers.

"Let's go inside. The exhibition is about to start", he said.

Without another word, they all moved toward the entrance.

....

At the exhibition, Sunaina stood still while her gaze was fixed on the black and white sketches displayed before her.

Each stroke of charcoal, every careful line, all of them reflected one person.

Nilay.

Her eyes mirrored the sketches which were dark and intense and a silent storm brewed within her.

Each piece seemed to capture a different side of him, his calmness, his anger, his rare moments of vulnerability.

For a moment, Sunaina forgot the people around her. It was just her, the art, and the man who had unknowingly carved himself into every corner of her mind.

"Beautiful" Sunaina whispered as her voice was heavy with emotion.

The word slipped from her lips before she could stop it, it was a quiet confession to the art before her.

Each sketch of Nilay seemed to pull her deeper into his world, capturing moments she had never seen but could somehow feel. His silent intensity, the unspoken pain in his eyes, and the strength hidden beneath his calm exterior all laid bare in black and white.

Lost in the lines and shadows, Sunaina didn't notice Nilay watching her from across the room, his gaze was unreadable.

Before Sunaina could gather her thoughts, a firm hand slid around her waist. In one swift motion, Nilay pulled her close, the suddenness of it making her gasp softly.

Her heart pounded against her ribs, but she didn't pull away. The sketches blurred in her vision, replaced by the man himself, the very subject of the art surrounding them.

"Admiring your husband's talent, wife?", Nilay's voice was a low murmur against her ear, a mix of teasing and something darker, something possessive.

Sunaina's lips parted, but no words came out. The warmth of his hand against her waist, the steady rise and fall of his chest so close to hers, it all left her momentarily speechless.

The world around them faded. It was just the two of them, standing there, caught between a past drawn in charcoal and a present burning with unspoken desire.

Sunaina's voice broke the silence between them. "Why is there no color on the canvas? Only sketches..."

Nilay's grip on her waist remained steady as he gazed at the artwork surrounding them.

Finally, he spoke with a quiet intensity. "Because colors lie, Naina."

Her eyes flickered with confusion, but before she could ask more, he continued.

"Sketches show the unfiltered truth. No distractions, no illusions. Just what's there... and what's not."

Sunaina's heart thudded against her ribs. There was something deeper in his words, a reflection of himself, perhaps.

He was like his art, black and white, bold and bare, hiding nothing yet revealing only what he wanted others to see.

Sunaina's gaze didn't waver as she spoke. "But I saw colors and paints in your room".

For a brief second, something flickered in his eyes, surprise, maybe even a hint of vulnerability , but it was gone just as quickly, replaced by his usual calm.

"That's different. Those colors... they're not for the world to see", Nilay replied.

Sunaina's brows furrowed. "Then who are they for?".

Nilay's hand tightened slightly on her waist, his thumb grazing the fabric of her dress. His answer came softly but with a weight that pressed against her heart.

"For someone who can see beyond the sketches".

Sunaina's heart skipped a beat at his words. She searched Nilay's face for answers, but his expression remained calm... too calm, like a storm hidden beneath a still surface.

A bitter smile touched her lips. "And who might that be?", she asked.

Nilay didn't blink. His hand stayed firm around her waist, pulling her even closer, until there was barely any space left between them.

"You tell me, wife", he murmured, his breath warm against her cheek.

Sunaina's fingers curled at her sides. His words were a trap, a silent game of who would break first.

The sketches around them blurred once more, but the colors she had seen in his room... those stayed vivid in her mind. Hidden, untouchable, just like the man before her.

A voice suddenly broke the silence between them.

"Sir! the charity work is done", a man said calmly.

Sunaina's heart was still racing as Nilay loosened his hold on her waist, though his hand didn't fully move away.

Looking at the man, Nilay gave a small nod. "Vardhaan, meet my wife, Sunaina Khanna", He said and there was a slight stress on the word wife.

Sunaina's expression returned to its usual calm and cold look.

Nilay then turned to her. "Naina, this is Vardhaan Thapa, my manager".

Vardhaan gave a polite smile and a small nod. "It's nice to meet you, Mrs. Khanna".

Sunaina gave a faint smile. "Nice to meet you too".

As Vardhaan left, Sunaina's gaze shifted back to Nilay.

"What charity?", she asked curiously.

Nilay's expression remained steady. "The profit from my exhibition always goes to orphanages, hospitals, and other charitable trusts in Shimla" he replied.

Sunaina's eyes widened in surprise. She hadn't expected that.

Noticing her reaction, Nilay's lips curved into a faint smile. It was mixed with amusement and something deeper.

"That's why it was easy for me to know you were never from an orphanage. Your name, even if it was fake, your photo, your records... there was no mention of you in any orphanage", he said softly.

Sunaina's heart skipped a beat. His words were like a quiet storm, revealing just how closely he had been watching her, even before she realized it.

"You?" Sunaina's voice came out in shock and disbelief.

Nilay took a step closer, his gaze steady and unyielding.

"I told you, Naina. You don't know the color, the depth, or the intensity of my love", he said softly but firmly.

Sunaina's heart pounded against her ribs. She searched his face, but all she found was a quiet storm, a love so fierce, it scared her.

Nilay wasn't just a man who loved her, he was a man consumed by her.

"Then why were you so angry in the party when you found out about your brother and also that I wasn't an orphan?" Sunaina asked confusedly.

Nilay's jaw tightened and his eyes darkened. "Because you never told me the truth. I hate lies, Naina... and all you did was lie, again and again", he replied and His words were sharp enough to make her chest ache.

Sunaina opened her mouth to speak but couldn't find the right words.

Nilay's love was intense, but so was his hatred for deception.

"But it was all in the past. We already sorted out everything", Nilay said.

His eyes were still held at that unshakable intensity, the kind that made Sunaina's heart race.

Because Nilay wasn't just stating a fact; he was reminding her. Whether a storm would come or a hurricane, Nilay was with Sunaina and would always be with her.

....

Gosh, completed 175k word count in 100 chapters 😭😍🧿

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