"I heard you went to meet your brother," Raghunath said as soon as his wife entered the house.

"Yes," Ishwari said.

"Will he stop his son?" Raghunath asked her.

"No," she answered.

"Does he want it all?" he questioned back.

"He finds his son more capable of handling the company," she replied.

"Capable my foot!" Raghunath growled, "That boy is a criminal. His crimes haven't come to light."

"I tried my best," Ishwari sighed.

"You love your brother so much. Doesn't he love you back?" Raghunath asked.

"He does," his wife replied, "Just like you love your sister. He loves me, too. He has always come to my rescue, so don't you talk about my brother."

"I need to. Because he didn't raise his son right," Raghunath seethed.

"How about waiting low until we prove that Ravit is not worthy? Once the board sees that he is incapable, they will try to reinstate Dev again," Ishwari said.

"You think Dev has that much time?" Raghu asked, "He might end up doing something wrong."

"I know my son. He is not blood-thirsty," Ishwari retorted.

"No person in the underworld is not bloodthirsty," Raghu replied.

"I still believe my son," Ishwari said.

"You are so naive," Raghu said, "One day, you shall see the devil that your son has hidden if your brother does not give back what belongs to Dev."

"I need all the CCTV footage you can arrange," Suraj yelled into the phone. He could not contain his anger as soon as he came to know that his sister planned to meet the same monster who made her suffer hell.

Suraj slammed the phone down, frustration coursing through his veins like a raging storm. The mere thought of his sister meeting the person responsible for her torment ignited a fire within him. Unable to sit still, he stormed out of the room, determined to beat up that monster.

He could still remember how his sister suffered. She could not speak about it without a panic attack. Every memory of her pain replayed in his mind, fueling his fury even further. His hands clenched into fists as he marched down the hallway.

"Why are you so angry?" Aahana asked him, her voice tinged with concern.

"Sona has sneaked out to meet Ravit," he replied, his voice trembling with barely controlled rage.

"What! Why would she do that?" Aahana was worried, her eyes wide with disbelief.

"I don't freaking know!" Suraj yelled, his voice echoing through the house. "But I'm not going to let him hurt her again. Not this time."

He grabbed his car keys from the table, his mind racing with thoughts of what he would do when he found them. His heart pounded in his chest as he hurried to the garage, Aahana following closely behind.

"We have to find her before it's too late," Aahana said, her voice a mix of urgency and fear.

Suraj nodded, his jaw set in determination. "We'll find her. I won't let him get away with this."

They got into the car, and Suraj started the engine, his hands gripping the steering wheel tightly. He sped out of the driveway, his mind focused on one thing: protecting his sister at any cost. The city lights blurred as they raced through the streets, every second feeling like an eternity.

"Do you have any idea where they might be?" Aahana asked, trying to think clearly despite the chaos.

"There's a park where they used to meet. She might be there," Suraj replied, his voice a low growl. He drove faster, pushing the car to its limits. The park came into view, and he pulled over abruptly, the tyres screeching against the pavement.

They both jumped out of the car, scanning the area frantically. Suraj's eyes locked onto a figure in the distance. It was Sona, standing by the lake, talking to Ravit. His blood boiled at the sight.

The soft hum of the city below echoed through the park as Sonakshi made her way to the rendezvous point. The message from Ravit Raheja had left her with a sense of unease, but she couldn't ignore the opportunity to uncover the truth behind his sudden interest in meeting her.

As she approached the designated spot, a figure emerged from the shadows, his features obscured by the darkness.

"Ms. Sharma, thank you for coming," Ravit's voice rang out, his tone dripping with arrogance.

"What do you want, Ravit?" Sonakshi demanded, her eyes narrowing with suspicion.

"Don't you remember this place?" Ravit asked with a smile on his lips, "You used to love watching the sunsets here."

Sonakshi gave him a glare.

Ravit stepped forward, a smirk playing on his lips, "I have a proposition for you, Sona. One that could benefit both of us."

Sonakshi's pulse quickened as she listened to Ravit's words, her mind racing with possibilities.

"And what, pray tell, is this proposition of yours?" Sonakshi asked, her voice tinged with scepticism.

Ravit's eyes gleamed with malice as he revealed his plan, each word dripping with venom. As Sonakshi listened, a sense of dread washed over her, realizing the true extent of Ravit's machinations.

"You expect me to betray Dev?" Sonakshi exclaimed, her voice trembling with anger.

Ravit shrugged, a cold smile playing on his lips. "It's simple, really. Choose him, and you'll both be exposed. Choose me, and you'll have the opportunity to take revenge."

"I won't be a pawn in your game, Ravit," Sonakshi declared, her voice firm with resolve.

Ravit's expression darkened, his patience wearing thin, "You're making a mistake, Sonakshi. Don't let your emotions cloud your judgment. You mean a lot to me."

"Shut your fucking mouth," Sonakshi snarled and gave him a death glare.

"I didn't want to do what I had done to you, Sona," Ravit said purposefully

"There she is," Sonakshi heard her sister-in-law's voice.

Suraj didn't waste another second. He sprinted towards them, his anger propelling him forward. "Sona!" he called out, his voice loud and commanding.

Sona turned, her eyes wide with shock and fear. "Bhai, what are you doing here?"

"Get away from him," Suraj demanded, glaring at Ravit with pure hatred.

Ravit smirked, his demeanour calm and arrogant. "What's the matter, Suraj? Can't a man talk to his friend?"

"Friend?" Suraj spat, his voice dripping with venom. "You lost that right the moment you hurt her."

Ravit's expression darkened, but before he could respond, Suraj stepped closer, his fists ready to strike. "If you ever come near my sister again, I swear you'll regret it. And remember, about last time, I will settle it for her."

Sona reached out, grabbing Suraj's arm. "Suraj, please. Let's just go home. We will not talk about the past right now"

Suraj looked at his sister, her pleading eyes softening his anger slightly. He took a deep breath, trying to regain control. "Fine. But this isn't over, Ravit. Stay away from her."

He turned, guiding Sona back towards the car, Aahana joining them. As they walked away, Suraj's mind was still racing, his determination to protect his sister stronger than ever.

The rage in Dev's eyes mirrored the storm brewing outside. Having just informed him about Sonakshi's meeting with Ravit, Natasha flinched at his outburst.

"The audacity he had!" Dev roared, pacing the room like a caged animal. "After everything he's done, he thinks he can threaten me? With my Sona?"

His voice dripped with a venomous anger Natasha had rarely witnessed. The air crackled with tension, and for a horrifying moment, she thought she saw a flicker of murderous intent cross his face.

"Dev," she stammered, her voice barely a whisper, "what exactly do you want to do? Remember you have to marry me."

Dev stopped pacing, his gaze locking onto hers with an intensity that made her breath hitch. "Marry you?" he spat, the words laced with a dangerous edge. "Marriage seems like a damn fairytale compared to the reality this has become."

Natasha's heart hammered against her ribs. This wasn't the reaction she'd expected. She'd thought reminding him of their deal would bring him back from the ledge, but it seemed the situation had ignited a firestorm within him.

"Look," she continued, forcing her voice to remain steady, "I know this is a lot to handle, but threats and violence won't solve anything. We need a plan."

Dev scoffed. "A plan? What plan, Natasha? Suraj's a loose cannon, and Ravit's a lurking viper. They both want to take something that's mine."

"They can't take her, Dev," Natasha insisted, a flicker of defiance igniting within her. "She's the Sonakshi Sharma, remember? A strong woman"

The words "a strong woman" seemed to hang heavy in the air. Dev's gaze softened for a fleeting moment, a flicker of vulnerability crossing his features. But it was quickly replaced by a hardened resolve.

"She's mine," he corrected, his voice low and gravelly. "And Ravit wants her! And that's the problem, isn't it? This whole damn charade of you marrying me puts her at risk. Every passing day with this fake marriage hanging over our heads is another opportunity for them to strike."

Natasha felt a pang in her heart. The marriage, a desperate attempt to protect Sonakshi, now seemed like a double-edged sword. It had brought Dev closer, yes, but it had also exposed them both, especially Sonakshi, to the machinations of their enemies. For Natasha however, it was her dream coming true.

"So what do you suggest?" she asked, a tremor in her voice betraying her growing unease.

Dev stopped in front of her, his face inches away. The fury in his eyes was slowly morphing into a steely determination.

"We take back control," he declared, his voice a low growl. "We don't wait for Ravit to make the next move. We expose him, unravel his lies, and make him pay for what he's done."

A spark of fear ignited within Natasha. This wasn't the calm, calculated Dev she'd come to know. This was a man on the verge, consumed by a rage that threatened to consume everything in its path.

"Dev, you can't just charge in blindly," she pleaded. "We need a plan, a smart one. Remember, Sonakshi's safety is our top priority."

He squeezed her shoulders, his grip bruisingly tight. "And whose fault is it that her safety is compromised? Mine, for not being strong enough to protect her before? Yours for suggesting this damn marriage that's made her a target?"

Natasha flinched at his words, stung by the accusation. But before she could retort, Dev continued, his voice laced with a chilling calmness.

"We need leverage, Natasha. Something to use against them. Something to silence them before they can cause any more damage."

A dangerous glint flickered in his eyes, and Natasha knew, with a horrifying certainty, that Dev was no longer interested in playing defence. She feared he was going on the offensive, and the consequences could be dire.

"What are you thinking?" she asked, her voice barely a whisper.

Dev leaned closer, his lips brushing against her ear. "We find his weakness, Natasha," he murmured, a predatory smile twisting his lips. "And we exploit it. Ruthlessly. Someone close to him. A woman he is fond of."

A shiver ran down Natasha's spine. The man she thought she knew, the man she'd grown closer to, was gone. In his place stood a stranger, his eyes blazing with a cold, calculating fury.

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