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Third pov:

Reena paced the floor like a caged animal, her nails digging into her palms from sheer frustration. Her heart hammered in her chest, panic and anger fighting for control. Ajay—her Ajay— was locked up behind cold steel bars, and every second he spent rotting in that prison felt like a knife twisting deeper into her gut.

She couldn't let this happen. No way. Not when their baby was growing inside her.

Reena paused, her hand automatically going to her stomach. A small, broken smile tugged at her lips as she rubbed her barely-there bump.
Our baby, Ajay... yours and mine. Our future.

The thought of raising their child alone, without Ajay's dark laughter, his wicked smiles, his rough hands she loved it was unbearable. She needed him. No matter what the world said about them, how messed up, how poisonous their love was— it was theirs. And she wasn't giving up.

Not now. Not ever.

She snatched up her phone and made the call, her voice low but steady.

Ten minutes later, she sat across from a man in a cheap leather jacket at a dingy roadside tea stall. His eyes were sharp, cold. Dangerous. Exactly what she needed.

"You sure you wanna do this, lady?" he asked, stirring his tea lazily. "A clean record's not something you can buy back once you dirty it."

Reena leaned in, her gaze fierce.

"I don't care," she said. "Money, favors, whatever it takes—I'll pay. Just get Ajay out."

The man smirked, looking her over like he was weighing her desperation.
"Your guy's in deep. Attempted murder, bribery, smuggling charges stacking up like building blocks. You got any idea what kinda mess you're stepping into?"

Reena's hand tightened on the table.
"He's mine. That's all you need to know."

He chuckled darkly. "Well, there's ways. Judges who like gifts. Cops who forget evidence. Witnesses who suddenly change stories."

"Do it," Reena said immediately, her eyes gleaming with reckless hope. "I'll get you the cash. Just tell me how much."

The man shrugged, scribbling a number onto a napkin and sliding it across the table.

Reena didn't even blink. She'd find the money. Sell her jewelry. Beg, borrow, steal—whatever it took.

Because in her twisted, stubborn heart, there was no world where Ajay stayed locked away. No world where she raised their child without him.

As the man stood up and left, Reena sat back, cradling her stomach protectively.

Hold on, Ajay, she thought fiercely. I will save you.

Eswaran mansion.

Today, the entire mansion buzzed with excitement. After all, it wasn't just any day—it was the 50th anniversary of their company, and everyone was running around, getting ready for the grand celebration.

Inside Rudhran and Aaradhya's room, the air was a little quieter... but definitely not calmer.

Rudhran stood in front of the mirror, adjusting his tuxedo. He looked deadly handsome—the crisp silver-white shirt underneath, black tailored slacks, the sleek black coat sitting perfectly on his broad shoulders. His hair was neatly gelled back, a subtle gold chain glinting at his neck, and a costly designer watch on his wrist. A man who commanded attention without even trying.

But his eyes...
They drifted away from the mirror the second he caught sight of her.

Aaradhya stepped out of the wardrobe, a vision in a silver-embroidered designer saree. Her long hair flowed down her back, silky and dark, reaching all the way to her waist. Diamond earrings dangled delicately from her ears, catching the light every time she moved. Her tiny waist peeked out, making Rudhran's throat go dry.