Published on:- 22/4/25 [Tuesday]
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🍀DOUBLE UPDATE🍀

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Sunaina finally spoke, "Because what I am about to say... all of you need to hear it."

Avyaan pulled out his phone, clicked on Tarana's contact. He tapped the screen, and the video call started ringing.

A few seconds later, Tarana's swollen face appeared on the screen. Her hair was tied in a messy bun, and she was sitting on the bed, a pillow under her both swollen legs.

"Avyaan?", she asked, confusedly and then her eyes flicked toward the screen.

"Naina?", Tarana beamed.

Sunaina gave a soft smile, "Hi, Tara".

"Is everything okay? You look... Kinda tense", Tarana asked as her smile faded as she caught the expressions on everyone's faces.

Sunaina nodded slowly and said, "I am fine. I want to talk to you about something that's very important".

"Oh okay. What is it?", Tarana blinked as she had a dark premonition in her heart.

"We both are pregnant and we can't travel. Otherwise I would like to talk to you face to face", Sunaina said and Tarana sat up straighter, concerned spreading across her face.

Nilay stepped closer to Sunaina's side, and Avyaan remained on his seat as both men were torn between confusion and dread.

And then, with all eyes and ears on her, Sunaina took a deep breath and finally said, "I want vows from both of you. My brother and you, Tara".

The silence that followed was deafening.

Avyaan frowned slightly as he was unsure if he heard her right. On the screen, Tarana blinked, confused.

Nilay had a terrible headache as he could sense that his wife was about to play checkmate.

"What kind of vows?", Tarana asked cautiously.

Without answering immediately, Sunaina reached under her pillow and pulled out two sealed sheets; old parchment paper marked with red wax and the scorpion Satan symbols.

"Sign these blood contracts, brother", Sunaina said, forwarding to Avyaan.

Avyaan's eyes widened, "Blood contracts?"

"Sunaina, what is this?" Nilay asked as he knew that his wife was about to do something that would change their lives.

But Sunaina remained calm, "This is a vow of protection. Of loyalty. Of silence. I need your promises; not in words, but in blood. I trust you and Tara but I don't know what will happen in the future so you can think that it's an investment for my children's future".

Her eyes locked onto her brother's, then Tarana's face on the screen.

"What are you talking about, Naina?", Tarana asked.

"There are things I cannot tell you right now. But when the time comes, you'll understand why I made you do this", Sunaina said, not daring to look at her husband.

Avyaan stared at her in disbelief, then slowly reached out and took one of the contracts.

He unfolded it carefully as his eyes were scanning the text.

With each line he read, the color drained from his face.

His hands trembled slightly.

"Naina... These lines... they are not just about protection. This... this is a life-binding pact", Avyaan finally whispered and his voice was uneven.

He looked up at her, hurt and confusion were swirling in his eyes.

"Do you know what you are asking for?" he asked, the question barely above a breath.

On the screen, Tarana's face grew serious, "Avyaan? What does it say?"

But Avyaan didn't answer right away. He kept looking at his sister, waiting for her to explain the thing he never imagined she'd ask of him.

Sunaina met his gaze as her expression was blank.

"I know what I am asking is heavy, but I need your faith... not your fear." she said softly,

"You are binding our children's life in the blood contract", Avyaan's voice boomed.

Tarana's lips parted in shock, "What...?".

Even Nilay, who had stayed quiet, took a small step back as his eyes were narrowing, dangerously.

Sunaina closed her eyes as she continued to say, "And the last thing I want is... either the throne of the Scorpion Satan or the Empire's CEO position for my children".

Avyaan blinked and continued to stare at her.

Sunaina didn't blink, "One path is soaked in blood, the other in power. But I will make sure my children rule; whichever destiny chooses them first"

Her words were calm, but there was fire behind them. A storm that promised destruction to anyone who stood in their way.

Avyaan stared at her, the contract was still trembling in his hands.

"You are playing with darkness, Naina", Avyaan said.

"No, I am the darkness", she replied coldly and it was the truth.

The pain she was bearing was unbearable and she couldn't show to anyone. She would lose her life. She would not be able to see her husband and her children, was killing her. But she couldn't show this to anyone, she couldn't tell the truth to her husband either.

Otherwise, Sunaina knew that Nilay would try to terminate her pregnancy and she would not let him do this.

She could not lose her children now.

"Wife! You can't do this. Our children will have the right to choose their own path. We won't force them. You can't play with their lives... or their destiny. They will have rights to choose their partners as well", Nilay's tone was icy and the weight of his disappointment seeping into every word.

His sharp eyes locked onto hers, filled with fury and something deeper; fear.

Tarana's head spun. Her gaze darted between the three of them.

Avyaan was frozen, still clutching the blood contract. His hands trembled and knuckles pale.

Sunaina inhaled deeply and explained, "I broke the vow I made to father... Do you remember, brother? That blood contract... It still binds me".

Nilay, Avyaan and Tarana were took a sharp breath.

Sunaina swallowed hard, "Father is not sparing me. He haunts me; day and night".

Avyaan's heartbeat thundered in his chest. He had never heard his sister sound so... haunted. So afraid.

"Mother wants me to rule the world I built with my blood, my sweat, my tears. I can't walk away from it, not now. I want my children to inherit my legacy, but I will never take away their right to choose. Everything will depend on them. I only want to protect what I've created... what I've earned. I want to protect my children", Sunaina whispered and pain was flickering in her eyes.

She looked at Nilay then, eyes pleading; but he stood like a wall, jaw clenched, fury etched into his face.

"But why now? They are not even born yet. Can't we wait; talk about this when they are older, when they can decide? When they can choose?", Avyaan's voice cracked with disbelief.

That's when Nilay finally spoke again as his voice was rough with emotion.

"I think you are forgetting something, wife. You are carrying my children. Nilay Khanna's children. Or is it that... you don't trust me? Don't trust my power to protect them?", Nilay said coldly.

A heavy silence followed.

Sunaina's gaze didn't waver as she met Nilay's furious eyes. Her hand gently resting on her stomach. Her heart screamed; but her face remained unreadable.

She held Nilay's hand tightly and said, "Nilay! It's not because I don't trust you. It's not because I don't trust my brother or Tara. It's because I don't trust time".

Her words stunned the room. Again she twisted her words and didn't tell them the truth of her pregnancy and risk of losing her own life.

"Time?", Avyaan asked confusedly.

Nilay's heart was pounding frantically inside his chest as he stared at Sunaina.

Sunaina nodded slowly as she still didn't tell them the truth of her health and the death threat.

"There is a shadow... growing because I broke the father's trust. I broke the blood contract that I made with the father. Father's warning was still ringing in my ear. It's like a curse and this isn't just haunting me; it's binding me. I already pay the price but still, I feel it crawling under my skin, like poison. I want to break the curse. I want one of the children to get married and complete the blood contract that I made with the father", Sunaina finished speaking and Tarana covered her mouth in shock.

Nilay understood the hidden meaning behind her words. The price stabbed his heart. The price was his twin sons. His eyes turned red but her control himself.

Sunaina looked at the contract again, and then back at her husband and brother. She was torn between love and legacy, fear and faith.

"I want my first born to marry your first born, brother", Sunaina's voice echoed and left them speechless.

"We are not blood related. We were legally, separately adopted by the previous Queen and the king of the scorpion Satan. I don't think there's any problem in this", Sunaina said and Nilay lost his temper.

"Wife! I think you are crossing your limit here. If I'm not saying it does not mean that you can do anything you want. Do you get it?", Nilay's voice boomed and the door opened Aashmaan entered the room.

"Why are you shouting?", Aashmaan asked as she stepped into the room.

Nilay clenched his jaw. "Mom, she...".

But before he could finish, Sunaina broke down, sobbing as she opened her arms toward her mother-in-law.

"Your daughter-in-law has lost her senses. Put some in her", Nilay snapped coldly as his voice was hollow with rage and something unspoken; pain.

Then he turned and stormed out, slamming the door behind him.

Avyaan was stunned as he quickly slid the blood contract into his coat.

His eyes met Tarana's, full of silent apology, before he ended the video call and followed his brother-in-law out.

Tarana remained frozen, both hands protectively over her belly.

"My baby isn't even born yet... and his marriage is already fixed?".

Sunaina's sobs grew louder as her body was trembling as Aashmaan pulled her into a comforting embrace, gently rubbing her back.

Outside the room, the hallway was charged with tension.

Avyaan caught up to Nilay and grabbed his arm.

"You met with the Russians?", Avyaan asked in a low and serious tone.

Nilay's eyes narrowed as his temple was pulsing with fury and confusion.

He didn't answer immediately; just stared ahead as if trying to process a hundred things at once.

He turned his face slightly toward Avyaan as eyes were burning with the weight of responsibility.

"Yes, you are right. Because I am dealing with the Russians. Because I don't want my wife to carry this tension during her pregnancy", Nilay said in one breath.

Avyaan's brows furrowed, "But you said nothing to any of us".

"Because none of you were supposed to know. There are people watching us, Brother-in-law. Spies are everywhere. If word gets out that the Devil Princess is pregnant then my wife's life; my children's lives could be in danger", Nilay said in a lowering tone.

Avyaan's face paled. "Is that why she's pushing this blood contract? The legacy? The throne of the Scorpion Satan and the Empire?".

Nilay shook his head, "I have no idea about her doing but i know that she is scared. And I... I am trying to fight this war from the shadows. But if she finds out what I've been hiding... She will want to take matters into her own hands. And she's already done too much. She's already lost so much. I don't want her to suffer again".

Nilay ran a hand down his face.

Avyaan stared at Nilay and didn't know what to say to him.

"Don't interfere in this. Take care of your mafia world, your wife and the heir. This is my war and i know how to end this", Nilay said but deep inside, something shifted.

The war outside was closing in; and the woman he loved was on the battlefield alone and he had no idea about this.

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