Ishaan was in the guest room, standing before the mirror wearing only his trousers. His shirt, blazer, and other accessories were neatly laid out on the bed. There was a knock at the door and Ishaan called the person in. His PA entered, and Ishaan picked up his shirt to get ready for the reception party.
“Sir, the guests have started arriving. Your family has begun receiving them. I also checked with Madam’s PA, she’ll be ready in about thirty minutes,” his PA reported.
Ishaan hummed in acknowledgment as he began buttoning his shirt. His stylist quickly picked up the blazer and stood behind him to help him wear it. There was another knock on the door, and Ishaan’s PA opened it to find Pari’s PA, Swathi, standing there with a tray in her hands.
Ishaan’s PA received the tray from her and returned inside. On it lay a beautiful diamond lapel pin, matching diamond cufflinks, a tie, and a pocket square — all coordinated perfectly to match Pari’s outfit. Ishaan’s lips curved into a faint smile as he touched the accessories, clearly recognizing her thoughtful choice. His stylist began fixing them on him, ensuring every detail was perfect.
Once Ishaan was ready, he instructed his stylist to leave the room and waited for the door to close before turning to his PA.
“I want a close watch on Varun and everyone associated with him. I don’t want any mess until the party ends. Any mishap should be brought to my attention immediately. Keep a close eye on that man and his family. Update me with every single detail after the event. Also, make sure the security stays alert for the family’s safety,” Ishaan ordered firmly.
His PA nodded, as usual, giving a prompt confirmation and opened the door for him.
Ishaan stepped into their bedroom and froze for a moment. Pari stood before the mirror, ready in a delightful rosy-brown lehenga made of pure silk, intricately decorated with zari-thread embroidery, sequins, pearls, and gold embellishments. The full-sleeved choli shimmered with rich detailing, and the matching dupatta, pinned gracefully to her shoulder, flowed freely down her arms. Her hair was styled in soft, bouncy curls adorned with a diamond brooch.
She was glowing, adorned in pure diamond jewelry and accessories Ishaan had gifted her specially for the reception. But what caught his eyes the most was the delicate, thin waist chain resting against her bare, curvy waist, the diamond embedded in it gleaming under the warm light.
With slow, predatory steps, Ishaan closed the distance between them. He snaked one arm around her waist, pulling her closer and pressed his lips softly against her forehead.
“Gorgeous,” he murmured.
Pari smiled at his words, her palm resting against his chest as she leaned in to kiss his cheek.
“As much as I’d love to keep you locked away with me forever, we have guests waiting for us. Let’s get through this party… and then I’ll wait patiently to devour you later.”, Ishaan whispered against her ear, his voice deep and teasing.
He pulled back with a mischievous wink, leaving her flushed and smiling.
They held hands and made their way toward the party hall.
As the guards opened the grand doors, Ishaan and Pari stepped in—hand in hand. Every head turned toward them. The soft music filled the hall, creating a serene and elegant atmosphere as the couple walked gracefully to the front.
Reyansh and Vaishu, Mithun and Kajal, along with Kajal’s parents, were the first to wish the newlyweds, followed by the siblings.
Businessmen, partners, and ministers from both the central and state governments lined up to greet and bless the couple. Reyansh, Mithun, and Pari’s grandfather busied themselves attending to the VIP guests. Friends and business associates from across the globe had arrived, and the entire city was under tight security, especially since the Prime Minister was expected to attend.
Pari’s grandfather soon received a message that the helicopter would be landing at the manor’s helipad shortly. Without delay, he, Reyansh, and Vaishu rushed to the top of the manor. Within ten minutes, the helicopter touched down, and they received the Prime Minister with the utmost respect. The guards and the PM’s special security team cleared the pathway to the main hall, ensuring his safe entry.
Inside, Ishaan and Pari received the PM’s blessings and a special gift from him.
Moments later, photographs of the grand event flooded social media and news channels. All the VVIPs of the country had gathered under one roof for the magnificent occasion. Vaishu and Reyansh personally thanked the Prime Minister for gracing the event, even if only for a few minutes.
The images of Ishaan and Pari standing beside the PM, along with the entire Rey family and high-ranking ministers, began trending instantly. To the world, the Rey family appeared powerful, united, and untouchable.
But beneath that shining surface, everyone within the family knew one truth, this glittering celebration was also a silent warning to their enemies. And they all knew too well… their enemies wouldn’t back off so easily.
Ishaan and Pari looked like the perfect pair. The way Ishaan held her waist or intertwined his fingers with hers created picture-perfect moments worth capturing. Every now and then, Ishaan’s gaze would shift toward his PA, who would subtly tuck one hand into his pocket, a silent sign that everything was under control.
By the time the clock struck past midnight, the grand celebration had finally come to an end. The guests had all departed, leaving only the family behind. Ishaan and Pari sat together on a couch, and Pari leaned against his shoulder, her body relaxing after hours of greetings and smiles.
One by one, the family members retired to their rooms. Ishaan and Pari too made their way back to theirs. He helped her carefully remove her outfit, his movements gentle after the long night.
Pari stepped into the washroom for a hot bath to unwind, while Ishaan decided to meet his PA in the study.
He pushed open the door and saw his PA and PI already waiting for him.
“Did you find anything?” Ishaan asked, loosening his tie as he sat on the couch. His PA immediately handed him a glass of whiskey.
“Sir, everything is under control so far,” his PA began. “That man still refuses to confess anything. But we did find something suspicious about his wife. She went to pick up her daughter from school this evening, carrying a vegetable bag but that bag was missing when she walked out of the school premises. We found it odd and decided to follow her, but she simply returned home without any unusual calls or meetings. We then contacted our person stationed near Varun and Meghna’s house to check if any vegetables were delivered there, but there weren’t.
“So, we retrieved the school’s CCTV footage and found that she had handed the bag to another woman. Unfortunately, her face wasn’t visible. She left in an auto but got down midway at a bus stop and boarded a bus. She’s definitely cautious and clever.”
Ishaan exhaled sharply, running a frustrated hand through his hair.
“Damn it. If communication is happening through that vegetable bag, then someone in Varun’s circle either Varun himself, his father, or his mother has to be receiving the information. Inform our men in their house to verify what you found. Keep a close watch on that woman from now on. Also, run checks on any suspicious activities from our business partners both local and international. I want to find out who our enemy is.”
Both the PA and PI nodded firmly in response. Ishaan dismissed them and returned to his room.
Pari walked out of the bathroom wearing a robe, her damp hair glistening as droplets trickled down her neck. Just like that, all the frustration drained from Ishaan’s mind. A smirk tugged at his lips as he stepped toward her.
Pari bit her lower lip, her toes curling against the floor as her heart raced, it felt as if they were truly alone for the first time since their wedding. Ishaan stopped close to her and pressed a soft kiss on her forehead.
“I’ll let you rest today, My baby must be exhausted from all the rituals and the party.” he murmured.
Pari playfully pushed him away and crawled onto the bed, pulling the sheets over herself. Ishaan chuckled, getting changed before joining her.
Although they had decided to postpone their honeymoon due to the ongoing issues, Reyansh and Mithun later convinced them otherwise. They urged the couple to live their life and not let worry consume their newlywed days.
After the discussion, Ishaan and Pari finally agreed and soon prepared to fly to their own private island, the exclusive destination they had chosen for their honeymoon.
Pari was packing her things while Ishaan helped her, carefully folding and organizing the luggage for their trip. Suddenly, his phone blared with a call from his PA. Ishaan’s expression changed instantly. He excused himself from Pari and stepped onto the balcony before answering.
“Sir, we’re in trouble,” his PA began, voice tight with urgency. “The gardener’s daughter from Varun’s house studies at the same school. It turns out she was the one who exchanged the vegetable bag with that woman. But here’s the problem, today, she entered the school and walked out carrying another vegetable bag. We stopped her and checked it. Inside, we found a hidden note that read- ‘Execute plan.’. We’ve been interrogating her, but she refuses to say anything. She’s terrified but stubborn. We’re sure she knows more.”
Ishaan’s jaw clenched, his patience snapping. “Damn it. Take her to her husband. Threaten to kill either one of them if she doesn’t talk. Seize her phone, wreck her house if you have to but find out what she’s hiding. I want answers now. Connect me on a video call during the interrogation. Hurry.”
Without wasting a second, Ishaan stormed out of his room and headed straight to his parents’ suite. Reyansh and Vaishu were standing on the balcony when he burst in, his face grave.
“Appa, we need to go to the study, Our men caught the woman. She’s been passing information through vegetable bags all this time.”, Ishaan said quickly.
Reyansh and Vaishu exchanged tense glances, immediately following Ishaan to the study. They gathered around the large desk, waiting as Ishaan’s men set up the video call.
Within an hour, the screen flickered to life. On it, the man and woman were seen tied to chairs, fear written all over their faces.
Ishaan’s guards stood nearby, their expressions cold and unflinching. One of them landed a hard punch across the man’s jaw, demanding answers, but he stayed silent, eyes defiant despite the pain.
Ishaan’s voice came through, calm yet deadly. “Make him talk.”
At his signal, one of the guards stepped forward, grabbed a knife, and without hesitation severed two of the man’s fingers. The man’s scream echoed through the room, blood spilling across the floor. His wife began to cry uncontrollably, trembling as she watched the horror unfold.
“Please, Don’t kill us. I’ll tell you everything. A few days ago, I was given a pen drive and they told me to leak the video from it. Today’s message was to release it through random social media accounts. Two days ago, I sent a message saying my husband hadn’t come home… maybe they realized we were being watched. That’s why they ordered me to leak it today. I swear I don’t know anything else. Please, let us go” she screamed, her voice cracking.
One of the PIs stepped forward, pulling the trigger on his gun and aiming it directly at her head, awaiting Ishaan’s command.
“Where is the pen drive?” Ishaan asked sharply, his tone low but menacing.
The woman shook her head frantically, tears streaming down her face. “The maid who works in our house, she was appointed by them. She has the pen drive. Today, as soon as I received the message, I passed it to her before I even walked out of the school premises. Please, let us go. We only did this for our daughter. They threatened to kill us if we didn’t obey. We didn’t want to leave her an orphan,” she sobbed, pleading for their lives.
Before Ishaan or Reyansh could respond, Vaishu suddenly raised her hand to stop them. Her face had gone pale. She turned her mobile screen toward them, showing something that made their expressions freeze.
At that moment, the door to the study swung open. Ishika, Ayaan, Zara, and Pari rushed in, all holding their phones, their faces reflecting shock and disbelief.
On every screen, the same video was playing.
It was the old college footage, the one showing Ishaan forcing himself on Pari. Though the voices were muted, the visuals were unmistakable: Ishaan’s grip, Pari’s struggle, and finally, the moment she slapped him and ran away.
The room fell into suffocating silence. Ishaan stood frozen, staring blankly at the screen. His chest tightened as the past he had buried came crashing back in front of everyone.
Pari’s eyes brimmed with tears. She stepped closer and wrapped her arms tightly around him, crying into his chest.
“I’m so sorry, Ishu… please forgive me, None of this would have happened if I hadn’t misunderstood you back then. You’re suffering because of me… again and again. Please, forgive me.”, she sobbed.
Ishaan gently placed his hand on her back, holding her close. His voice was calm but firm.
“Calm down, Pari. This isn’t the time to cry over the past. We’ll handle this. You don’t have to worry about anything. I’ll take care of it.”
He met Ishika’s gaze and gave a subtle nod, silently instructing her to take Pari away. Ishika understood immediately, moving forward to lead the distraught Pari out of the room, while Ishaan turned back toward the screen — his expression hardening with silent fury.
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