The temple was abuzz with the sounds of chanting and the sweet scent of incense wafted through the air. Rajat stood tall, his eyes fixed on some distant point as he held the phone to his ear. Savi, resplendent in her bridal finery, gazed up at him curiously, her brow furrowed in concern.

"What's wrong, Rajat?" she mouthed, but Rajat didn't respond. He was too engrossed in the conversation, his face growing increasingly grim.

Tara and Riddhi chattered excitedly, oblivious to the tension that had suddenly descended upon Rajat. Bhagyashree, however, noticed the change in Rajat's demeanor and exchanged a worried glance with Dolly Bua.

As Rajat listened to the sounds of violence and Ashika's terrified pleas, his eyes seemed to glaze over. Savi's hand on his arm was the only thing that anchored him to the present.

"Kiaan, go out!" Ashika's voice was shrill with fear, and Rajat's grip on the phone tightened.

"You bitch, I'll tell you today what the cost of betrayal is!" Arsh's voice was like a slap, making Rajat's head jerk back.

The temple, with its joyful atmosphere and cheerful chatter, seemed to fade into the background as Rajat's world narrowed down to the horrific scene unfolding on the other end of the line.

Savi's voice cut through the chaos, her tone soft but insistent. "Rajat, what's wrong? You're scaring me."

Rajat's eyes snapped back into focus, and he looked down at Savi, his expression apologetic. But before he could respond, Ashika's screams pierced the air, making Rajat's heart skip a beat.

With a muttered apology, Rajat turned and strode away from the gathering, the phone still clutched in his hand. Savi's concerned gaze followed him, but Rajat didn't notice. He was too busy trying to process the nightmare that was unfolding before his ears.

Savi's eyes welled up with tears as she watched Rajat walk away, his face etched with worry and concern. For a moment, she felt a pang of hurt and rejection. But then she took a deep breath and reminded herself of why she had married Rajat in the first place - for Sai's sake.

She consoled herself with the thought that she had no feelings attached to Rajat, that their marriage was a practical arrangement rather than a romantic one.

Meanwhile, Bhagyashree looked flustered and worried, her eyes darting between Rajat's retreating back and Savi's tearful face. She rushed over to Savi and Isha, apologizing profusely for the sudden disruption to the wedding celebrations.

"I'm so sorry, Savi beta, Isha ji," Bhagyashree said, her voice trembling with concern. "I don't know what's going on, but please forgive us for this chaos. We'll get to the bottom of this and make sure everything is okay."

Isha Maa placed a reassuring hand on Bhagyashree's arm, her expression calm and soothing. "It's not your fault, Bhagyashree ji," she said. "These things happens."

Savi nodded, wiping away her tears and forcing a smile onto her face. "It's okay, mummy ji," she said. "Really, it's fine. Let's just...let's just focus on the rest of the celebrations, okay?"

But despite her brave words, Savi's heart was racing with uncertainty and concern. What was going on with Rajat? And why was he so affected by that mysterious phone call?

..........................................................................

As soon as the words left Ashika's lips, she felt a searing pain on her cheek. She turned to face her attacker, and her heart sank as she saw Arsh's twisted face. His eyes blazed with fury, and his hand was still raised, ready to strike again.

Kiaan's terrified face was frozen in the doorway, his eyes wide with fear. Ashika's instincts kicked in, and she knew she had to protect her child. "Kiaan, go now," she said, trying to keep her voice steady.

But Arsh was relentless. He grasped Ashika's hair, yanking her head back, and slapped her again. "You double-crossing me," he snarled, his breath hot against her face. "I warned you, I'm not that loser Rajat who will let you go for your betrayal."

Ashika felt a wave of fear wash over her as Arsh's grip on her hair tightened. He pushed her onto the bed, and she felt a jolt of pain as her bruised body hit the mattress.

Arsh's hands moved swiftly, unrolling his belt with a menacing slowness. "You don't like your bruises to heal, that's why you're doing the same mistake again and again," he sneered, his eyes glinting with sadistic pleasure.

Ashika's heart racing with terror, she knew she was in for another brutal beating. She closed her eyes, bracing herself for the pain that was to come, and prayed that Kiaan would stay safe.

Kiaan's small hands trembled as he picked up the knife from the dining table. His heart was racing with fear, but he knew he had to be brave. He had to save his mummy.

He crept back into the room, his eyes fixed on Arsh's back. He saw the belt rising and falling, each strike landing with a sickening thud. Ashika's cries of pain filled the air, and Kiaan's fear turned to rage.

With a fierce determination, Kiaan raised the knife and plunged it into Arsh's back. Again and again, he struck, the blade sinking deep into Arsh's flesh. The sound of Ashika's cries was drowned out by the thud of the knife, and the room was filled with the scent of blood.

Arsh's body jerked and convulsed, but Kiaan didn't stop. He kept stabbing, his small hands moving with a deadly precision. It was as if he had become a different person, driven by a fierce protectiveness towards his mother.

Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, Arsh's body slumped to the floor. Kiaan stood over him, the knife still clutched in his hand, his chest heaving with exertion.

Ashika's eyes fluttered open, and she saw Kiaan standing over Arsh's lifeless body. She felt a wave of horror wash over her, mixed with a deep sense of pride and gratitude towards her brave little boy.

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Rajat's eyes widened in horror as he stepped into the room. The scene before him was one of utter chaos and destruction. Arsh's lifeless body lay on the floor, a pool of blood spreading out from beneath him.

But it was Kiaan who held Rajat's attention. His small hands were still clutching the knife, his eyes wild and unfocused. Rajat felt a chill run down his spine as he took in the sight of his son, transformed into a miniature beast.

Rajat's mind reeled as he tried to process what he was seeing. He knew that Kiaan was a sweet and gentle soul, but the boy standing before him was almost unrecognizable.

And then Rajat's eyes landed on Ashika, her battered body slumped against the bed. A wave of anger and resentment washed over him, mixed with a deep sense of sadness.

He knew that Ashika was the reason for Kiaan's transformation. She was the one who had brought violence and chaos into their lives. Rajat felt a bitter taste in his mouth as he thought about the past, about the way Ashika had left him for Arsh.

"What have you done to my son?" Rajat spat, his voice venomous with anger.

Rajat's mind began to racing as he thought about Savi, the woman he had married for the sake of their daughter, Sai. Savi was a kind and gentle soul, and she had been a good mother to Sai. But Rajat knew that he had to protect Kiaan now, and he wasn't sure how Savi would react to the situation.

As he looked at Ashika's broken body and Kiaan's traumatized face, Rajat felt a pang of guilt and regret. He knew that he had to act fast to protect Kiaan, but he was torn between his loyalty to his son and his duty to Savi and Sai.

Ashika's battered body slowly rose from the floor, her eyes fixed on Kiaan. Rajat watched as she stumbled towards their son, her movements weak and unsteady.

As she reached Kiaan's side, Ashika gently patted his hair, her voice barely above a whisper. "Mumma loves you a lot, baby," she cooed, her eyes filled with tears.

Rajat's expression remained stoic, but he felt a pang of emotion as he watched the tender moment between Ashika and Kiaan.

Ashika's gaze then shifted to the knife that Kiaan had dropped, and she slowly picked it up. Her eyes locked onto Rajat's, and she spoke in a voice that was both resolute and resigned.

"Rajat, it's my redemption for betraying you. Please don't tell anyone that my son is behind all this," she said, her words dripping with a mix of guilt, shame, and desperation.

Rajat's eyes narrowed, his mind racing with the implications of Ashika's words. He knew that she was trying to protect Kiaan, but at what cost?

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