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Chapter 14 – Torn Between the Past and the Future
Shivanya felt a deep unease in her chest as she walked through the dimly lit corridors. The house seemed eerily silent, adding to the dread in her heart.
"Where is Rudraksh Sir?" she asked one of the house staff as soon as she spotted him near the staircase.
The man hesitated before answering, his face clouded with worry.
"We don’t know, ma’am… Sir has been working non-stop for the past week, barely eating or sleeping. And at night…" He trailed off, unsure if he should continue.
Shivanya's heartbeat quickened. "At night… what?"
"He has been drinking… a lot. And his anger has been uncontrollable."
Her breath hitched. Rudraksh was never someone who let emotions control him. Something must have happened.
Ignoring the servant’s warning, she quickly ascended the stairs, making her way to his room.
"Mam, Sir has been in a really bad mood lately," the servant called after her, but she was already knocking on his door.
No answer.
Shivanya didn’t wait any longer. She pushed the door open and stepped inside.
The air was thick with the smell of alcohol. The dim glow from a small lamp cast shadows across the room, highlighting the mess—papers scattered, a half-empty bottle of whiskey on the table, and shattered glass near the window.
His back was to her, his head slightly bowed. He didn’t turn, but she could see the tension in his shoulders.
"Aiden—" he began in a sharp tone but froze when he felt her presence.
His grip on the glass tightened, his body going rigid. The moment he had been dreading had arrived.
"Hope she is not here," he muttered under his breath, his jaw clenching as anger flared within him.
Shivanya took slow, cautious steps toward him and placed her hand gently on his shoulder.
His reaction was instant. He grabbed the bottle and hurled it onto the floor, shattering it into countless pieces.
She jumped, startled by his sudden outburst.
"Why are you here?" His voice was dangerously low, laced with a coldness she had never heard before.
