RAGHAV
Next Day
Fresh from a shower, I step into the temple room, light the diya, and place flowers before the idols. This routine has been a part of my life since I moved here. Usually, when I enter this space, a strange sense of calm settles over me, where the noise inside my head quietens for some time.
But not today.
Maybe it’s because I hardly slept last night. Every time I closed my eyes, I saw Siya’s tears. I heard every word she had thrown at me, every fear, every wound she had carried since childhood because of this mafia life.
She was sleeping right next to me, but I couldn’t reach out to ease her insecurities. She had every right to be angry with me. While I spent years fighting enemies and surviving bullets and bloodshed, Siya spent those same years living with the fear of losing the people she loved to that darkness. I couldn’t blame her for wanting a normal life. A life where her husband leaves for work in the morning and returns safely at night. A husband whose death isn’t just one phone call away.
Her fear was genuine. The fear of losing the people she loved to the brutality of the mafia world wasn’t something I could simply erase with a few reassuring words. Not when both of us knew the truth.
The moment I revealed that I was alive, the moment I stepped back into the underworld and claimed her as my wife, every enemy I’d ever made became a threat once again. They would always be out there somewhere, waiting in the shadows, looking for an opportunity to strike.
The hunt would never truly end for me or for the people connected to me. And maybe that was what she hated most.Not me,but the life that came with me.
Even though I hadn’t found the right words to reassure her last night, as I stood before the idols this morning, I made a promise to myself. No threat, danger, or enemy would ever come close to Siya or her mother again. Reaching them would mean crossing my path first. And any man foolish enough to come after them… I would make his life a living hell long before I sent him to one.
Just as I offer the remaining flowers at the feet of the idol, I feel a presence behind me.
I turn and see Siya’s mother standing at the entrance. The surprise in her eyes mirrors my own. Clearly, neither of us expected company. We both stand in silence, unsure of what to say. Then she walks inside with that same look of anger and disapproval. Without acknowledging me, she places her puja thali before the idols.
As I’m about to turn and leave, she breaks the silence.
“No matter how much you pray, God will never forgive you for your sins. Especially for hurting my daughter.”
Here we go again.
My jaw clenches, not out of anger, but sheer exhaustion. I’m tired of being judged by everyone for this. So, this time, I decide to put an end to at least one misconception.
Our gazes lock as I slowly turn back to face her.
“I can never hurt Siya,” I say, loud and clear.
She lets out a humourless laugh, but I ignore it and continue, “Siya is my wife, Mrs. Vardhaan. And in this house, in my family, in my world... she will receive every bit of respect she deserves.”
Her eyes narrow.
“Respect?” she scoffs. “The man who forced her into marriage is talking to me about respect?”
I take a step forward, never once breaking eye contact.
“No. A man who’s taken a bullet for her is talking to you about respect.”
The words slip out before I can stop them. The moment they do, I realise what I’ve said. Judging by the way Mrs. Vardhaan stiffens, it’s clear that Siya never told her about the Singhal incident, how she had contacted the Singhals for help, and how they’d sent a hitman instead to silence her permanently.
Her expression shifts from confusion to shock, but I continue. “I don’t know what kind of men you’ve had in your life, but I’m not one of them. Inmyworld, a wife, a mother, a daughter, a sister… family is always protected.”
I can still see the disbelief, distrust, and anger in her eyes. I accept all of it. Because she is Siya’s mother. And because if our positions were reversed, I would probably hate myself too.
“I didn’t bring you and Siya here to destroy your dreams, Mrs. Vardhaan. If anything, I brought you here so those dreams can finally survive.”
She remains silent.
“You think I dragged you both into a gilded cage, but I didn’t. There are no chains here. No restrictions. No locked doors. You and Siya can live can live the life you always wanted. Travel wherever you want. Do whatever makes you happy. Build whatever future you want.”
I take a pause before adding, “I don’t want to control your lives. I only care about your safety. My enemies are mine to dealwith. My wars are mine to fight. Neither you nor Siya will ever be in danger because of it.”
