Silk and Scars
Chapter 1
The skyline of Delhi shimmered under the soft golden light of the setting sun. From the 32nd floor of the Rajawat Corporate Tower, the city looked almost peaceful — nothing like the storm brewing behind the bulletproof glass walls of the topmost office.
Eshaan Rajawat stood in front of the massive window, hands in his tailored black trouser pockets, the glow casting a warm hue on his sharply carved jawline. His charcoal grey suit fit him like a glove, Italian-made, much like the dark reputation that clung to his name.
He was the name whispered in awe and fear. The number one businessman in Asia. Clean. Charismatic. Untouchable.
And yet… the rumors never ceased. Ruthless. Cold-blooded. Mafia.
No one knew the full truth. Not the media, not the government, not even his enemies. But in the underworld corners of Italy, the name "Baaz" — the Hawk— was feared.
But right now, that Hawk was texting his mom.
Eshaan Rajawat (Ml)
texting: Khana kha liya na aapne?! please don't skip again, warna I'll fly back tonight...
meenakshi Rajawat (Ml Mom)
📲 Haye Ram! You're the one skipping meals and threatening me?
Eshaan Rajawat (Ml)
📲 Nahin maa , bas i was missing you. And Delhi's weather is nothing like our garden in Italy.
meenakshi Rajawat (Ml Mom)
📲 jaldi shaadi kar lo. Bahu aa jayegi toh koi toh tmhara khayal rakhega.
Eshaan Rajawat (Ml)
* chuckled softly, shaking his head*
His mother was his soft spot — the only human who saw the real him. The version that joked, that hugged, that smiled, That lived
But outside that bubble?!
Eshaan was everything that world feared.
he turned from the window and walked towards the desk, where a few files lay open — all legitimate business. Steel, Pharmaceuticals, real estate, fintech — he had branches in every sector, in every corner of India and world and his empire's nerve centre remained in Italy.
Built from Scratch. Every rupee. Every drop of blood.
Eshaan Rajawat (Ml)
*tapped a button on the intercom*
Eshaan Rajawat (Ml)
📠 Siddharth. Flight to Banaras. Tonight, I want details of the hospital project site by 7❄❄
his tone dropped, the warmth from his voice erased like a wiped slate.
Siddharth Kumar( Ml assistant)
📠 Sir, 8 PM jet. It's ready.
Eshaan Rajawat (Ml)
Good. And the local fixer? ❄
Siddharth Kumar( Ml assistant)
📠 waiting at Banaras terminal.
Eshaan Rajawat (Ml)
📠 tell him not to act smart. I'm going there quietly. No noise. ❄❄
Later that night — Banaras
The Ganga flowed in silent reverence under the moonlight, its surface glimmering like spilled pearls. The narrow lanes of Banaras bustled as usual — noise, chaos, scent of incense and burnt oil mingling in the warm air.
Eshaan walked alone, dressed down in a simple white kurta, jeans, a cap pulled low. No security. No entourage. Just him.
little writer
( can't found an image similar to the outfit I imaged so decribed it)
Because tonight wasn't about business.
the girl he had watched silently for months. Not in a creepy way— more like... fate had dragged him into her story.
the soft- hearted Banarasi girl who worked 2 jobs, smiled through pain, bent herself backwards to please a family that did nothing but..
Eshaan Rajawat (Ml)
📲 She's at the flower shop, right?!
unknown
* take him as a fixer for now
unknown
📲 yes sir. Same shift as usual. Dadi and aunty not around today.
Eshaan Rajawat (Ml)
📲 good. Stay out of sight. No interaction.
He stood across the narrow street, watching her gently arrange marigolds into garlands, tucking stray strands of hair behind her ear.
Her eyes looked tired. Her wrists had faint bruises.
Eshaan Rajawat (Ml)
* jaw clenched *
Eshaan Rajawat (Ml)
📲 ( to siddharth) Make sure her bank account gets that anonymous transfer tonight.
Siddharth Kumar( Ml assistant)
📲 Done, sir. ₹ 50,000 added. labeled: Temple Grant Donation.
Pranavi didn’t know him. Not yet. She didn’t know the invisible shield he’d wrapped around her world, fixing leaks before she drowned, silencing predators before they struck.
He didn't plan to interfere directly.
Until fate— and a greedy grandmother — changed everything.
kalindi Sikarwar ( Fl grandma)
Shaadi ke liye hnn hai. Paisa milega na?!
unknown
bahut kuch milega. Ladki ki zindigi bhi sudhar jayegi
kalindi Sikarwar ( Fl grandma)
humein usse koi matlab nhi. Paise milne chahiye.
unknown
done. rishta fix samjho
And just like that.... Pranavi's marriage was sold.
But her life was about to change forever
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Chapter 2
The sun rose lazily over the ghats of Banaras, casting golden hues across the sacred waters of the Ganga. Life buzzed awake in the old city, the aroma of incense blending with the sounds of conch shells and temple bells.
Inside a small two-room house tucked in a crowded bylane, Pranavi Sikawar folded her hands in front of a tiny temple tucked into a corner. Her eyes were calm, but her heart — weighed heavy.
Behind her, harsh footsteps stormed in.
kalindi Sikarwar ( Fl grandma)
Aaj phir se subah 5 baje uth gayi? Yeh naatak band kar. Zyada sanskaari banne ki zarurat nahi.
Pranavi Sikarwar (Fl)
Mandir ka kaam pehle kar leti hoon toh baaki sab time se ho jata hai, Dadi* said softly*
kalindi Sikarwar ( Fl grandma)
Zyada zubaan chal rahi hai teri. Jhaadu le aur verandah saaf kar. Mehmaan aane waale hain.
Pranavi Sikarwar (Fl)
*nodded and quietly picked up the broom
Pranavi was used to it now — the early mornings, the never-ending chores, the taunts, the slaps.
Ever since her parents’ demise, her life had shrunk to four walls and countless expectations. She never questioned it. Not aloud, at least.
She had dreamt once — to become a doctor, to heal people. She still worked at the flower shop in the morning and tutored two kids in the evening. That money barely covered her own books and food. Her Dadi and bua never gave her a single rupee. Yet, they took everything from her.
until lately - strange things had begun to happen.
Like the time her medical book order got cancelled due to lack of funds — and someone anonymously re-ordered the entire set and sent it to her with a note: "Keep studying. The world needs more healers."
Or when she got harassed at the local bazaar — and the next day, the man disappeared from Banaras.
She'd started to feel... watched. But not in a scary way.
Later that evening — At the flower Shop
Pranavi Sikarwar (Fl)
*busy stringing marigolds
unknown
Ek gajra milega, please?
Pranavi briefly glanced up and found a tall man with white kurta, calm eyes, soft voice
Pranavi Sikarwar (Fl)
Jasmine ya Mogra?!
Eshaan Rajawat (Ml)
Jasmine, like your name — pranavi, Pure
Pranavi Sikarwar (Fl)
*froze* aapko mera naam kaise pata?!
Eshaan Rajawat (Ml)
*smiled**brushing it off
Eshaan Rajawat (Ml)
umm.. this stall is famous. Naam sun rakha hai
Pranavi Sikarwar (Fl)
*cheeks slightly flushed* handed over the jasmine gajra
Eshaan Rajawat (Ml)
*handed over the exact change
little writer
and like every other story of noveltoon, their fingers brushed giving shivers to our fl
Eshaan Rajawat (Ml)
*walked away*
Pranavi Sikarwar (Fl)
*looking at her fingers
Eshaan Rajawat (Ml)
*glanced back once and then blended into the Banaras crowd
At Rajawat Mansion, Delhi
meenakshi Rajawat (Ml Mom)
*sipping her tea, going through some photographs
Her son's assistant has handed her a dossier— details about Pranavi Sikarwar
meenakshi Rajawat (Ml Mom)
*smiling* simple, soft hearted girl... bas waisi hi jaise mere Eshaan ko chahiye
Her husband had built an empire but her son built the world.
And now she wanted to built her son's future with someone worth it.
meenakshi Rajawat (Ml Mom)
*reached her hand for her phone
meenakshi Rajawat (Ml Mom)
*texting her son*
meenakshi Rajawat (Ml Mom)
📲 Tum Banaras mein ho?
Eshaan Rajawat (Ml)
📲 hnn, maa. Just met her. She's more than I imagined.
meenakshi Rajawat (Ml Mom)
📲 toh phir rishta fixed samjhu?!
Eshaan Rajawat (Ml)
📲 Not yet. pahele use samjhna hai. Dosti se shuru karte hai.
Pranavi Sikarwar (Fl)
*staring at her jasmine gajra.
Something about that stranger felt... different. Gentle. Familier.
kalindi Sikarwar ( Fl grandma)
paise mile? 15 lakh bol rahe the.
unknown
Sab milega. Shaadi fixed samjho.
Pranavi didn't hear that part.
but her fate had already been sold
To Eshaan Rajawat
chapter 3
The morning air in Banaras was crisp, carrying the scent of marigolds and the distant echo of morning chants from the ghats. Pranavi stepped out of the flower shop early today, the jasmine gajra still fresh in her memory—and so was that stranger.
Her mind wandered as she walked past narrow lanes, crossing the same spot where she was once shoved by a drunkard.
Pranavi Sikarwar (Fl)
*paused*
Pranavi Sikarwar (Fl)
That drunkard had vanished. Just like the man who tried following her a week ago. *mumbled *
People disappeared around her…only the dangerous ones.
Pranavi Sikarwar (Fl)
Is someone protecting me?*mumbled*
Pranavi Sikarwar (Fl)
gosh! Pranavi stop running your imagination.
Fantasy. That’s all.
She brushed the thought away. Yeah! Fantasy. That’s all.
Eshaan’s Private Suite, Hotel Taj, Banaras
Eshaan stood by the window, dressed in a crisp black suit. He was on a call, his tone clipped and cold.
Eshaan Rajawat (Ml)
Sikka se kehna Kalim chowk ke aas-paas koi bhi lafanga na dikhe. Pranavi wahan se guzarti hai har shaam.
Voice on Phone: "Samajh gaya, Boss. Aur woh Seth ke bete ka kya?"
Eshaan Rajawat (Ml)
Uski zubaan band karwa do. Permanently.
Eshaan Rajawat (Ml)
*Ended the call and glanced down at the crowded street.
Eshaan Rajawat (Ml)
*His eyes softened
Eshaan Rajawat (Ml)
Lips curved slightly as he spotted someone
Pranavi Sikarwar (Fl)
*holding a basket of flowers and talking to a small girl.
From this height, she looked fragile. But Eshaan saw more—resilience. Fire. Grace.
Eshaan Rajawat (Ml)
(murmuring) Aap meri duniya ban gayi hai, Pranavi. Aur aapko kuch bhi nahi pata.
At Rajawat Mansion – Delhi
Meenakshi Rajawat walked into the living room, where her elder sister-in-law, Ratan devi, sat sipping tea with a smirk.
Ratan Devi ( Ml bua)
Sunaa hai Banaras se ladki dekh aayi ho?
meenakshi Rajawat (Ml Mom)
Nahi. Ladki toh usne khud chuni hai. Maine toh bas milke haan ki.
Ratan Devi ( Ml bua)
what was the need to choose someone holding a poor background? We are Rajawat's. At our one signal, there will be instantly a queue of girls from good families waiting for the boy
meenakshi Rajawat (Ml Mom)
(calm but firm) Gareeb! (scoff) dil se ameer ho toh kaafi hai. Aur Pranavi mein sab kuch hai jo meri bahu mein hona chahiye.
Ratan Devi ( Ml bua)
*Grudgingly sips her chai* Bas dekh lena. Gareeb ladkiyaan aksar sapne zyada dekhti hain.
Banaras – Sikawar House, Night
kalindi Sikarwar ( Fl grandma)
your marriage has been fixed.
Aur haan, tujhe bolne ka koi haq nahi.
Pranavi Sikarwar (Fl)
*Shocked* Par mujhe toh kuch bhi nahi pata... kis se?
Kamini Sikarwar ( Fl bua )
(gruffly) Rajawat parivaar se. Delhi ke sabse bade business gharane se rishta aaya hai. Shaadi se tumhari kismat chamak jaayegi.
Pranavi Sikarwar (Fl)
But I want to be independent. Become a doctor..
kalindi Sikarwar ( Fl grandma)
*Slaps her hard *Zyada sapne dekhne ki zarurat nahi. Tere maa-baap ke marne ke baad humne tujhe pala hai. Ab kuch toh hamare liye bhi kar.
Tears brimmed up in her eyes, but she didn’t cry. Not anymore
Pranavi Sikarwar (Fl)
Par main tayar nahi hoon…*whispered to herself
Outside, an anonymous black SUV was parked across the lane. A man inside typed a message:
Eshaan Rajawat (Ml)
📲 She’s scared. Don’t rush. Let her feel safe first.
Pranavi Sikarwar (Fl)
*silent tears escaping her blank eyes
Pranavi Sikarwar (Fl)
*looked towards her phone and ignored it
Pranavi Sikarwar (Fl)
*sighs* reached for her phone
Pranavi Sikarwar (Fl)
*opens the message*
it was from some unknown person.
unknown
📲 It’s okay to be scared. But I promise, not all strangers are monsters.
Pranavi Sikarwar (Fl)
now, who is this human giving me free gyan at this moment?! * mumbled
Pranavi Sikarwar (Fl)
📲 Who is this?
unknown
📲 Let’s say... someone who believes in your dreams. And knows you're meant for more than just pain.
At first she thought to block the person's contact but later don't know what got into her, she replied
Pranavi Sikarwar (Fl)
📲 Why me?
unknown
📲 Because you're stronger than you know.
She stared at the message, heart pounding. She didn’t know if it was a dream or reality.
But for the first time in years, she smiled.
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