chapter 5

At Suryavanshi Villa

Mihir watching kiara without bilinking.When Mihir regained consciousness, he composed himself and walked straight to the dining area. Kiara was sitting on the living room couch, calm but distant. Her eyes were lost in thought, and her fingers absentmindedly played with the hem of her dupatta.

Without even glancing her way, Mihir instructed the maid curtly, “Bring my breakfast.”

Kiara didn’t respond. She wasn’t expecting warmth from him. Those expectations had died long ago.

Suddenly, the quiet was broken by the creak of the main door—which was slightly open and never locked during the day. Kiara’s gaze snapped toward the entrance, and her entire face lit up as she saw who was standing there.

“You all are here... this early?” she asked, her voice rising with surprise and joy.

At the threshold stood the Rathore family—Her father Shubham ji, mother Bhawna ji,sister Mayra , grandfather Digvijay ji, and grandmother, entered the living room, followed closely by Vishal ji, his wife Anita ji, and their son Kabir—Kiara’s cousin, her childhood partner-in-crime who had always treated her like a little sister.—all carrying warmth in their eyes and concern in their hearts. Kiara instinctively rose to her feet, eager to embrace them.

But before she could take more than a step, Mihir’s hand reached out and gently yet firmly held her back, guiding her back onto the couch.

“You shouldn’t strain yourself,” he said with a tone as cold as ice, not bothering to look at her.

Kiara stared at him in disbelief, her green eyes wide and hurt. But Mihir, unaffected, turned to Akay who was quietly standing behind him and said, “Let’s go, we’re getting late.”

He picked up Akay’s school bag and, without so much as a glance at the guests or Kiara, walked out of the living room.

The door remained ajar, the wind slightly fluttering the curtain, but the chill now came from the void Mihir left behind.

Bhawna ji rushed to Kiara and embraced her tightly. “You should’ve called us earlier, beta,” she whispered. Bhawna ji hugging her lovingly. Her grandmother blessed her with a shaky hand, while Digvijay ji patted her head. Kiara forced a smile, trying to act normal.

Kabir noticed the hesitation in Kiara’s movements and the faint trace of emotional exhaustion on her face. His fists clenched. He leaned toward his father and muttered, “Papa, something's not right. Mihir’s behavior was off. Controlling and cold.”

Vishal ji—the elder brother of Shubham—nodded grimly, but kept silent, watching Kiara intently.

Outside, in the car

As the family drove back, the tension finally broke.

Shubham ji, visibly agitated, vented to his father, “Did you see that? No respect. No manners. He didn’t even bother to say a polite word. I agreed to that marriage for Kiara’s future, but this… this is not how I imagined it.”

Bhawna ji sat quietly, wiping the corner of her eye, her heart heavy for her daughter.

vishal ji sighed, “No, Shubham… I saw it too. He didn’t even make eye contact. He ignored everyone, just walked off like we were strangers. His behavior was insulting. Disrespectful.”

Bhawna ji’s voice quivered, “And what about Kiara? She tried to hide it, but she’s clearly not happy. I saw the pain in her eyes.”

Anita ji nodded, holding her pallu tightly, “That poor girl has changed… she’s not the same Kiara who used to laugh with her whole heart.”

Kabir, who was driving, spoke next. “If that man hurts her emotionally or otherwise, I won’t stay quiet. I swear, I’ll show him what it means to mess with the Rathores.”

Shubham ji’s voice grew firmer. “I will not let my daughter live like this. If this continues, I’ll bring her back myself. At least in our house, she’ll be loved.”

Digvijay ji didn’t respond, but his furrowed brows said everything—he too was worried.

grandmother also worries about her granddaughter .

Meanwhile, on the road

Mayra drove with one hand, her phone on speaker.

“Kiara,” she said, her voice sharp and protective, “I saw Mihir’s behavior today. You don’t deserve that. Don’t tell me you’re still holding onto hope?”

Kiara’s silence said more than words ever could. She closed her eyes, inhaled deeply, and replied, “Not hope. Just... some feelings don’t go away that easily.”

Mayra didn’t hold back. “If you’re not happy, leave him. Divorce isn’t shameful—it’s survival.”

Kiara’s heart clenched. She didn’t answer that, afraid her voice might betray her.

Instead, she changed the subject. “What about you? What will you do to that ex of yours?”

Mayra’s smirk was audible. “He broke me once. Now I’ll break his career. He’ll regret ever touching Mayra Rathore’s life.”

Kiara gave a soft, bitter chuckle. “We both have fire in us now.”

“Yes,” Mayra replied, eyes on the road. “This time, we fight back.”

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