Then there’s Samarjeet Vardhaan. That man is a different problem altogether. His sister is ripped away from his protection, and his mother is now living under my roof. I know men like Samarjeet don’t react immediately.They plan.That means I need to plan faster.
By evening, my men had been briefed on the additional security measures around RK Estate and the Mumbai properties. Nobody touches this estate without my permission, and nobody even breathes near my family unnoticed.
Unfortunately, Ayaan spent almost the entire day beside me, handling the same damage control. Not as my brother, but as GLEN’s Director. We barely exchanged anything beyond discussions about strategy, risk assessments, and preventivemeasures.No brotherhood. No forgiveness.I dealt with the underworld while he managed the system. That’s how the entire day passed. Like two men forced into an alliance neither of them wanted. And through it all, neither of us once spoke about Siya or why I married her.
By the time I return to the villa, it’s already well past midnight. Haider walks with me to the entrance, and we continue discussing the security measures that need to be implemented by morning. Exhausted, I loosen the cuffs of my shirt when Siya steps outside, probably noticing us there. She doesn’t pause, doesn’t hesitate. She justchargesstraight towards us. I see the same cold arrogance and hot fury burn in her eyes as her gaze locks onto Haider.
“How dare you treat my mom like that?” she starts, her voice shaking with controlled rage.
Haider visibly freezes. So do I. This isn’t what I expected.
She steps closer, looking as though she’s ready to tear him apart with her bare hands if she has to.
“Mom told me everything.” Her voice rises with each word. “About how you didn’t let her leave that room back at the Vardhaan Mansion. How you stopped her when Raghav was forcing me into that marriage. She told me everything.”
Oh!
“Had I known Mom was still inside the mansion, I would never have agreed to marry Raghav that night. Mom could have revealed herself. She could have stopped everything had you not pressed her mouth shut and kept her from leaving,” she shouts angrily. “How dare you, Haider?”
Haider opens his mouth, caught off guard by the accusation, but nothing comes out.
“Ever since I came back here,” Siya continues, “I was waiting for the chance to ask you this. I only held back because the family was here and I didn’t want to create more drama than wealready had.” Her eyes harden further. “But now, you’d better answer me.”
That’s when I step forward.
“Haider did exactly what I told him to,” I say coldly. “If you have a problem with what happened, talk to me. Not him.”
Siya turns towards me, and her eyes lock with mine.
“You don’t get to speak between us tonight,” she replies.
I narrow my eyes, but her voice rises again. “The last time I was at fault when you took a bullet for me from the Singhal hitman, Haider gave me an earful because he was protective of you. Did you interfere between us then? No, right?” she continues, looking back at Haider again, “So now, when I finally have every right to question him about my mother, no one gets to come between us either.”
Haider exhales slowly and finally speaks. “Look, Siya, I had no intention of hurting your mother. I was only taking her safely to the jet as instructed. I didn’t want this marriage to happen either, especially not this way.”
Siya shakes her head immediately. “No matter what you say now, you can’t justify this, Haider. I won’t forgive you for it. And the next time you so much as touch my mother, I won’t stay quiet, even if the order comes directly from him.”
Haider doesn’t respond. Anger coils inside my chest as I watch her challenge me so openly.
“Enough,” I say, turning to Siya. “Get inside the house.”
“I’ll go inside when I’m done,” she shoots back. “And I’m not done yet.”
Then she looks at Haider again.
“I need a couch,” she says to him.
For a second, both Haider and I simply stare at her.
“A… couch?” he asks, confused.
“Yes. The kind one person can sleep on,” she replies dryly. “Get one placed in our bedroom by tomorrow morning.”
Oh. Now I already know where this is going.
“Not happening,” I cut in immediately. “I already warned you. You’re sleeping in my room. On my bed.”
“I remember that very well.” Siya folds her arms and meets my gaze head-on. “But it’s not for me. It’s for you.”
