RUDRANSH'S POV

Since I arrived here, nothing has felt right. First, the road incident. Then, early this morning, Tauji and I got a call from the construction site. Something had happened.

Not wanting to disturb my sleeping wife, I left quietly, thinking I'd be back before lunch.

When we got there, we found the head worker dead on the top floor of our under-construction building.

No one had seen him, and no one knew why he was there at night. There were no signs of foul play, but the workers were terrified.

We spent the whole day trying to calm things down. I told them the police were investigating, but it was Tauji's words that really reassured them. They respect him deeply.
But don't know why they were looking at me like I had ripped his throat.

As night fell, there were still no answers. I knew the police wouldn't do much, so I asked my men to investigate everything about the worker and his death.

Back home, I went to see Dadi Sa, who was worried too.

"Any updates, Rudransh?" she asked, standing up as I entered.

"Not yet, Dadi Sa," I said. "But the police and my men are working on it."

"This must be resolved quickly. The people here trust us," she said firmly.

"Don't worry, Dadi sa. I'll take care of it," I assured her.

"Good. Now rest, you've had a long day," she said.

I went to my room, hoping to see my wife, but she wasn't there.

I knew where she'd be. After changing, I went to our private garden in the backyard. She had designed it beautifully, with blooming flowers, a cozy swing, and a small pond. It was her sanctuary, and every time I saw it, I felt proud of her creativity.

At the entrance, I asked the maid, "Is my wife inside?"

She nodded and opened the gate for me.

As I stepped in, I froze. The sight before me was breathtaking. I had to hit my chest to make sure my heart was still beating.

There she was, lying on the couch, her long hair cascading onto the floor. One hand held a book, and the other absentmindedly played with her silky strands. Her pallu was missing, and her blouse was not helping in covering , revealing just enough to make my throat dry.

Moonlight bathed her face, chest, and bare waist, making her glow like a goddess. She was so engrossed in her book that she didn't even notice me standing there, staring at her like she was the only thing that mattered in the world. The garden was lit with soft lamps, and fireflies danced around, adding to the magic of the moment.

In that instant, all my worries melted away.

I wanted nothing more than to pull her into my arms and lose myself in her warmth.

Quietly, I closed the door behind me and moved closer. Sitting down at her level, just behind her, if perfection had a face, it would be hers in this moment-moonlit, serene, and utterly mine."

Then I whispered near her ears,"Rani Sa, aapke saath har pal, har lamha ek nayi musibat hai-main khud ko sambhalta hoon, lekin aap hai ki hamari niyat khrab krne k piche padi hui hai."

She froze at my words, her almond-shaped eyes widening in surprise. She sat up quickly, turning to face me, and in that moment, she managed to look both irresistibly hot and adorably cute.

I smirked and teased her, "Thanks for the best view, by the way."

Her cheeks turned the color of blooming roses as realization struck her. She began hurriedly adjusting her saree, trying to cover herself.

In her soft, shy voice, she said, "You came back... You must be tired. Let me set up food; you must be hungry." She tried to stand, but I gently held her hand, stopping her.

Sitting down beside her, I whispered with a teasing smile, "Wait, biwi... I'm not hungry for food."

Right now, all I wanted was to take in the sight of her-every little expression, every tiny movement.

She looked at me, her brows slightly furrowed in concern, and softly asked, "What happened? Why are you so tense? You left in the morning without even telling me, and now you look so worried. What's wrong?"

Her genuine care and concern for me made my heart skip a beat, fluttering like a teenage boy who just got a reply from his first crush.

I teased, "Aww, so my biwi missed me?"

She quickly replied, "No, no, it's not like that! I just… well, Dadi Sa asked about you, and I had no idea what to say. Next time, make sure to inform me about your whereabouts. Got it?"

I nodded with a playful smile and said, "Yes, Rani Sa, your hukum is my farmaan. From now on, I'll report all my movements to my queen. But," I leaned closer, lowering my voice, "only if you promise to miss me every time I'm away."

Her cheeks turned a soft shade of pink, and she quickly looked away, murmuring, "It's not about missing you... it's about responsibility."

I chuckled, watching her try to act stern while clearly flustered. "Of course, biwi," I teased, "all about responsibility... and a little bit about me, isn't it?"

She turned her face away, trying to hide her blush, and said, "Dream on, Mr. Tanwar. It's only about responsibility."

But her voice betrayed her shyness, and I couldn't help but smirk. "Haan, haan, responsibility hi sahi," I said, leaning closer. "Par biwi, apki aankhein toh kuch aur hi keh rahi hain."

She glanced at me, her almond eyes narrowing, but the soft smile tugging at her lips gave her away. "Bas, zyada mat sochiye," she replied, trying to sound firm but failing miserably.

She said, getting up with a playful smile, "Ab chaliye, Hukum. I'm waiting for you in dining hall ," and before I could say anything, she ran away giggling, her payal jingling softly with every step.

I leaned back, watching her retreating figure, the sound of her laughter and payal echoing in my ears. "What you have done to me ," I murmured to myself, shaking my head with a smile, before following her like a moth drawn to its flame.

Everyone gathered around the long table, sitting on soft cushions on the ground as the maids served us, following Vanya's instructions to perfection. She had trained them so well that the flow of dinner was seamless. Yet, instead of letting the maids serve me, Vanya herself brought over my plate.

The delicious aroma of the food tried to pull my attention, but my eyes refused to leave my tempting wife. Her every move, every detail, captivated me more than the feast before me.

As she turned to leave after serving, I grabbed her wrist gently, pulling her back. She lost balance and fell into my lap.

Her shy and surprised expression made my smile widen. She quickly sat straight, scooting off my lap, her eyes darting around to ensure no one had noticed.

She glared at me, her cheeks a rosy hue, but before she could say anything, I leaned in and whispered, "Sit here and have dinner, Vanya."

Dadi sa, looking up from her plate, added, "Yes, beta, you should eat as well."

Vanya nodded hesitantly, but I signaled the maid to serve her next to me.

She began eating while I found myself dreaming of tasting her .

Her sharp glare brought me back to reality, silently ordering me to eat, and I chuckled softly before finally taking a bite.

****

The next morning, I went to the construction site early to check on the work. The project had been going on for two years, and it still wasn't finished. Neither Tauji nor Tejveer had a proper reason for the delay, and I wanted to get it done as soon as possible.

After a quick visit to the site, I headed to the Tanwar Textiles office in Bagru. Aarav, the one I trust the most, was waiting for me there. Without wasting time, I went straight to his cabin.

"Good morning, Sir," Aarav greeted me. "I've called the key people for the meeting-the construction manager, the engineer, and the site superintendent."

He introduced them to me one by one. "This is Mr. Raghav, who manages the construction work, Mr. Mehta, the chief engineer, and Mr. Sharma, the site superintendent who handles the labor team."

Then he said, "Sir, this is Mr. Raghav, the construction manager, responsible for overseeing daily operations. This is Mr. Mehta, the chief engineer, handling the structural and technical aspects. And finally, Mr. Sharma, the site superintendent, supervising the laborers and ensuring smooth execution on-site."

I nodded at each of them, gesturing for them to sit. Aarav handed me a file containing detailed reports about the project's progress-or lack thereof.

Flipping through the pages, I couldn't help but frown. "Two years and still no completion. What's the issue? Budget? Resources? Or is it just poor management?"

Mr. Raghav spoke up first, stammering slightly, "Sir, there have been unforeseen challenges... labor shortages, material delays..."

"Save the excuses," I cut him off, my voice firm. "If I wanted to hear problems, I wouldn't have called this meeting. I need solutions."

Aarav intervened, sensing the tension. "Sir, we believe restructuring the workflow and delegating clearer responsibilities can expedite the process. I've drafted a plan we can discuss."

"Good," I said, my tone softening slightly. "Show me the plan, Aarav."

We started the meeting, and Aarav explained the plans clearly. I listened carefully, making sure everything made sense. By the end, I felt confident that with Aarav's help and strict monitoring, the project could finally move forward.

Once everyone left, Aarav turned to me and said, “Sir, I have someone I’d like you to meet.”

I nodded, and Aarav called a man into the cabin.

“Sir, we need someone who knows Bagru and its people inside out,” Aarav began. “Handling the locals can be challenging, so we need a skilled communicator. This is Arjun. He’s from this village, highly educated, and has excellent knowledge of textiles and management. He can be a valuable asset to us.”

I observed Arjun for a moment before replying, “You’re right, Aarav.” Turning to Arjun, I added, “Since you’re from the village, I want you to quietly gather information about what’s going on with the construction site. You can take whatever resources you need from Aarav. Just make sure no one finds out you’re working for me.”

Arjun nodded confidently. “Don’t worry, sir. I’ll be a valuable asset to you.”

I leaned back in my chair, silently hoping everything would go smoothly.