Then, without a word, he gave a small nod.

A simple gesture.

Yet somehow, it felt like an answer to a thousand unspoken questions.

Rudrani's smile widened ever so slightly.

Releasing his wrist, she stepped beside him.

Not behind him.

Not ahead of him.

Beside him.

Together, they turned away from the haveli.

The rain continued to pour, washing over the path before them.

Neither knew where this road would lead.

Neither knew who had bound their fates together that night.

But for now...

They walked forward.

Side by side...

Rain poured steadily from the dark sky, turning the streets into shimmering rivers of light.

They walked through the narrow lanes in silence.

The rain had softened into a gentle drizzle by then.

Small shops lined the streets, their colorful signboards glowing beneath strings of warm lights. The scent of freshly brewed tea drifted through the air while laughter echoed from crowded stalls that refused to sleep.

The city was alive.

Bright.

Warm.

Beautiful.

And somehow...

Rudrani loved it.

She loved the golden lights reflected in rain-soaked streets.

She loved the chatter of strangers.

She loved the little food stalls crowded with people who had no idea that her world had changed just hours ago.

For the first time in years, she wasn't thinking about the past.

She wasn't thinking about responsibilities.

Or expectations.

Or the strange marriage that had tied her life to a man she barely knew.

She was simply...

Happy.

The realization caught her off guard.

A small smile found its way onto her lips as she looked around.

The happiness felt unfamiliar.

Like meeting a forgotten part of herself.

And for the first time in years...

Rudrani felt alive.

Tears welled up in her eyes.

And even through the rain...

He noticed.

He noticed the way her smile trembled.

The way she kept blinking as if trying to hold something back.

The way her gaze lingered on the lights, on the people, on the life around her.

He noticed it all.

But he didn't ask.

Some questions carried wounds.

And wounds deserved time.

So he simply kept walking beside her.

The rain continued to fall, soaking through their clothes.

He wanted to tell her to stop.

To find shelter somewhere.

To at least stand beneath one of the shop awnings.

She would get sick.

They both would.

The words reached the tip of his tongue more than once.

Yet each time, he swallowed them back.

Because the look on her face stopped him.

For the first time since he had met her, she looked free.

As though every raindrop was washing away years of silence she had carried within herself.

As though she was afraid that if she stopped walking...

The feeling would disappear.

So he said nothing.

He simply matched her pace.

One step after another.

The city glowed around them while the rain painted silver streaks beneath the streetlights.

And somewhere between the crowded lanes, the laughter of strangers, and the rhythm of falling rain...

He found himself slowing down.

Just so she could enjoy it a little longer.

After some time, they reached a farmhouse on the outskirts of the city.

By then, the rain had stopped.

Their clothes still clung to their bodies, damp from the storm, while the cool night breeze carried the scent of wet earth through the air.

He wasn't heading home.

Not yet.

"Yaha..." he said, stopping near the gate.

The guards immediately stepped aside and opened it.

Rudrani glanced at him but asked no questions.

Together, they walked inside.

The farmhouse grounds were quiet, surrounded by lush greenery washed clean by the rain. Warm lights glowed from the house ahead, standing in gentle contrast to the darkness of the night.

"This place is beautiful..." Rudrani murmured, looking around.

A faint smile touched his lips.

"Yeah."

For a moment, neither spoke.

Then he looked towards the house.

"Let's go inside."

Rudrani nodded and followed him.

The rain had stopped, but it had already done its work.

Their clothes were damp and heavy, carrying the lingering chill of the storm. Tiny droplets still rested in Rudrani's hair, catching the golden light spilling from the farmhouse windows.

A few moments later, they stepped inside.

Warmth immediately wrapped around them.

The farmhouse was quiet.

Too quiet.

Only the soft ticking of a clock echoed through the living room.

A staff member appeared almost immediately.

"Sir."

He gave a small nod.

"Prepare two rooms."

The man looked surprised for a brief second before lowering his head.

"Yes, sir."

Rudrani noticed the reaction but said nothing.

A maid soon arrived with towels and a set of fresh clothes.

"Ma'am, this way."

Rudrani accepted them with a small smile.

"Thank you."

Before following the maid upstairs, she glanced back.

He was standing near the large window, staring into the darkness outside.

Lost in thought.

For a moment, she wondered what was going through his mind.

Then she quietly turned away.

Nearly thirty minutes later, Rudrani stepped out after changing.

The farmhouse felt different now.

Warmer.

Calmer.

Safer.

As she walked downstairs, the smell of fresh food reached her.

At the dining table, he was already seated.

A cup of coffee rested beside him.

He looked up when he heard her footsteps.

For a second, neither spoke.

The silence wasn't awkward.

Just unfamiliar.

Like two strangers standing at the beginning of a story neither of them understood yet.

He stood up and pulled out a chair for her.

"Sit."

Rudrani blinked in slight surprise before taking her seat.

"Thank you."

He gave a small nod and sat across from her.

The aroma of freshly cooked food filled the room.

He silently picked up the dish and placed a portion onto her plate before serving himself.

Rudrani looked at him for a moment.

"Thank you."

He gave a small nod.

For a few seconds, neither moved.

Then, realizing he hadn't touched his food, Rudrani picked up her spoon.

Only after she took the first bite did he begin eating.

They ate quietly.

The farmhouse remained peaceful, filled only with the soft clinking of cutlery.

Once dinner was over, both of them rose from their seats.

"You should rest," he said before walking upstairs towards his room.

Rudrani nodded.

After a few moments, both disappeared into their respective rooms.

The farmhouse slowly fell silent as the night stretched on around them.

The next morning...

He was already awake.

Soft sunlight filtered through the large windows, bathing the farmhouse in a warm golden glow.

After getting ready, he stepped out of his room.

The hallway was quiet.

As he stepped out, the ringing of a phone echoed through it.

His gaze shifted towards Rudrani's room.

The door was slightly ajar.

The phone continued to ring.

Once.

Twice.

Three times.

His steps slowed.

The ringing continued relentlessly.

After a moment's hesitation, he walked towards the room.

As he looked inside, he found Rudrani asleep.

For a moment, he considered leaving.

He didn't want to disturb her sleep.

But the phone kept ringing.

Again.

And again.

Without much choice, he stepped inside, careful not to make a sound.

Though judging by the fact that the ringing hadn't woken her up yet, a little noise probably wouldn't have made much difference.

His gaze fell on the phone resting on the bedside table.

Still vibrating.

Still ringing.

He hesitated.

His gaze fell on the glowing screen.

The caller ID flashed repeatedly.

Demon Uncle...

One of his eyebrows lifted in confusion.

The phone continued to vibrate against the bedside table.

Meanwhile, its owner remained completely unaware of it.

Rudrani was fast asleep, hugging a pillow.

For a moment, he wondered if it was an urgent call.

Maybe he should wake her up.

His gaze shifted towards her.

Then he paused.

A strange realization hit him.

He didn't even know her name.

He stepped closer to the bed.

For a moment, he simply stood there, unsure of how to wake her up.

The phone continued to ring.

His gaze flickered to the screen before returning to her.

Carefully, he reached out and gently nudged her shoulder.

No response.

The phone kept vibrating.

A little more firmly this time, he shook her shoulder.

Still half asleep, Rudrani frowned.

Then, without even opening her eyes, she grabbed the pillow and blindly threw it in his direction.

"Kon hai be..." she mumbled sleepily.

A second later, she pulled the blanket over her head.

And went right back to sleep.

Silence.

The phone continued to ring.

He stood there, pillow in hand, staring at the blanket-covered figure on the bed.

For the first time that morning, he found himself questioning every decision that had led him to this room.

The phone had finally stopped ringing.

He glanced at the pillow still in his hands.

Slowly, he placed it back beside her.

Without another word, he took a careful step back and quietly slipped out of the room.

For the first time in a long while...

He was slightly concerned about his own safety.

A few hours later...

He was seated on the sofa in the hall.

A laptop rested on the table in front of him while his fingers moved across the keyboard.

The farmhouse was calm, bathed in the gentle warmth of the morning sun.

Rudrani entered the hall.

Her eyes wandered around the room as though searching for something.

Or someone.

The moment her gaze landed on him, she walked over.

He noticed her approach but said nothing.

Closing the distance, she sat down beside him on the sofa.

She opened her mouth to say something but then closed it.

The moment she sat down, he subtly shifted a little farther away.

Rudrani blinked.

Her eyebrows rose in surprise.

She looked at him.

Then at the empty space he had just created between them.

Then back at him.

A few seconds passed.

"Any problem?" she asked, genuinely confused and a little concerned.

His fingers paused over the keyboard.

For a moment, he simply looked at her.

Then he remembered a pillow flying directly at his face.

"Uh... n-no," he said.