The next morning, Aaradhya woke before the alarm.

5:32 AM.

For several seconds, she stared at the ceiling.

Then reality returned.

Her body hurt.

Her head felt heavy.

Her mind was already counting the hours.

Nine to seven.

Ten hours at the office.

Then home.

Then another night she had to survive.

She slowly sat up.

A faint ache travelled through her shoulder.

She ignored it.

She always did.

In the bathroom mirror, she studied her reflection.

She looked tired.

Too tired.

She splashed cold water over her face.

"You're fine," she whispered.

It was a lie.

But sometimes lies were easier to live with than the truth.

She dressed carefully.

A cream-coloured full-sleeved shirt.

High collar.

Every button fastened.

A long formal skirt.

Nothing revealing.

Nothing that invited attention.

She tied her hair neatly.

Then reached for her handbag.

Her fingers touched the small medicine strip hidden inside.

She hesitated.

Then took one tablet.

She needed to work.

That was all that mattered.

At 8:41 AM, Aaradhya entered Rajvansh Group.

She expected another difficult day.

She didn't expect Rudra to be waiting.

He stood near the glass windows of the executive floor, his phone in one hand.

The moment he saw her, his eyes moved toward the clock.

8:41.

She was early.

Again.

His expression didn't change.

"Good morning, sir."

"Good morning."

She walked toward her desk.

"Aaradhya."

She stopped.

"Yes?"

"Come to my office."

She followed him.

He closed the door.

She stood in front of his desk.

Rudra picked up a file.

"The stolen-file investigation isn't finished."

Aaradhya's fingers tightened.

"Sir?"

"Someone accessed the system using cloned credentials."

"I understand."

"I want you to tell me everything you did that morning."

She thought carefully.

"I came to the office at 8:56. I checked your schedule. Then I prepared for the acquisition meeting."

"Who was around?"

"Most people hadn't arrived yet."

"Anyone come near your desk?"

She frowned.

"Not that I remember."

"Think."

She closed her eyes briefly.

"There was someone from IT."

"Who?"

"I don't know his name."

"Male?"

"Yes."

"Did he touch your computer?"

"I don't think so."

Rudra leaned back.

"You don't think?"

"I was working. I didn't notice."

His eyes narrowed.

"You're very observant when it comes to business."

Aaradhya lowered her gaze.

"I'm sorry."

"Stop apologizing."

She looked up.

He sounded irritated.

But not angry.

Something else.

"Sir?"

"From now on, don't leave your system unattended."

"Yes, sir."

"And don't share your password."

"I never do."

"I know."

Two words.

But they surprised her.

He believed her.

At least about that.

"Go."

She turned toward the door.

"Aaradhya."

She stopped again.

"Yes, sir?"

"Be careful."

Her heart skipped.

It wasn't a threat.

It sounded almost like concern.

She nodded.

"I will."

At 10:15 AM, Rudra sat in a board meeting.

Aaradhya stood behind him with her tablet.

The discussion was aggressive.

Two directors were fighting over an expansion project.

Rudra listened silently.

Then one director made a mistake.

"The projected loss is approximately twenty-two percent."

Aaradhya looked at her notes.

"Twenty percent, sir."

The director turned.

"What?"

Aaradhya immediately realized she'd spoken aloud.

Rudra glanced at her.

She continued carefully.

"The revised projection is twenty percent after the tax adjustment."

The director checked his documents.

She was right.

Rudra leaned back.

There was no surprise anymore.

He had begun expecting her to be right.

And that realization disturbed him.

At 12:40 PM, Rudra returned to his office.

Aaradhya was working.

He looked at her desk.

A lunch box was sitting untouched beside her laptop.

He stopped.

"You brought lunch."

She looked up.

"Yes, sir."

"Then eat."

"I will."

"When?"

She glanced at the clock.

"In a little while."

Rudra's eyes narrowed.

"You said that yesterday."

"I'll eat."

He walked away.

At 1:05 PM, the lunch box was still closed.

At 1:20, still closed.

Rudra came out again.

"Aaradhya."

She stood.

"Yes, sir?"

"Open it."

She blinked.

"Sir?"

"Your lunch."

She looked embarrassed.

"I was finishing the report."

"The report can wait fifteen minutes."

"But—"

"That's an order."

She slowly opened the lunch box.

Rudra looked away.

He didn't know why he cared.

He simply knew he didn't want to see her collapse at her desk.

At 2:05 PM, Aaradhya received a call.

She looked at the screen.

Kunal.

She rejected it.

The phone rang again.

She rejected it again.

Again.

Again.

Her face became pale.

Rudra noticed from his office.

When the fourth call came, Aaradhya finally answered.

"Hello?"

Kunal's voice was low and angry.

"Where are you?"

"At work."

"You're supposed to be home by seven."

"I know."

"Don't be late."

"I won't."

"And don't lie to me."

"I won't."

The call ended.

Aaradhya slowly lowered the phone.

Her hands were shaking.

She didn't realize Rudra was standing nearby.

"You okay?"

She looked up sharply.

"Yes, sir."

"You don't look okay."

"I'm fine."

He stared at her.

Again.

That word.

Fine.

She used it too easily.

"Who was that?"

Aaradhya's eyes lowered.

"My husband."

The words escaped before she could stop them.

Silence.

Rudra froze.

"Husband?"

Her face drained of colour.

She had made a mistake.

A terrible one.

She quickly corrected herself.

"I mean—"

But Rudra had already heard.

His eyes sharpened.

"You're married?"

Aaradhya said nothing.

Rudra remembered the company policy.

Certain executive-secretary positions required employees to be unmarried.

His expression hardened.

"How long?"

She couldn't answer.

"Aaradhya."

"One month."

Rudra stared at her.

One month.

She had been married one month.

And she had hidden it.

"Does HR know?"

"No."

His jaw tightened.

"So you lied."

Aaradhya immediately shook her head.

"I didn't want to lie."

"But you did."

"I needed the job."

There it was again.

That sentence.

I need the job.

Rudra stared at her.

"Why?"

She looked down.

"Because I need to work."

"That doesn't answer the question."

"It is the only answer I can give."

He stepped closer.

"Do you understand what you've risked?"

"Yes."

"You could lose your job."

Her eyes immediately filled with fear.

"Please."

Rudra stopped.

There was something in her expression.

Not greed.

Not manipulation.

Fear.

Pure fear.

He had seen people beg him for money.

For contracts.

For promotions.

For power.

But Aaradhya wasn't begging for any of those things.

She was begging him not to take away her job.

Why?

"What does your husband do?"

She looked away.

"Nothing."

Rudra frowned.

"Nothing?"

"He doesn't work."

"Then how do you live?"

She remained silent.

Rudra's eyes hardened.

"Answer me."

"He... depends on me."

Something cold settled in Rudra's chest.

A husband who didn't work.

A wife who desperately needed her salary.

A woman terrified of losing her job.

And constant phone calls demanding to know where she was.

The pieces didn't fit.

Not yet.

But they were beginning to form a picture.

"Go home on time today."

Aaradhya looked at him.

"Sir?"

"Seven."

He looked away.

"Your shift ends at seven. Leave at seven."

She nodded.

"Yes, sir."

She walked out.

Rudra remained still.

He didn't know why he had just changed his own rule.

But he knew one thing.

He wasn't going to keep her late tonight.

At 6:52 PM, Aaradhya finished her final task.

She closed her laptop.

For once, she would leave on time.

At 6:59 PM, she stood.

"Good night, sir."

Rudra looked up.

"Good night."

She walked toward the elevator.

The doors closed.

Rudra stared at the empty space.

Then his phone rang.

"Sir."

Arjun's voice came through.

"I found something."

Rudra's expression changed.

"What?"

"The person who accessed the acquisition file."

Rudra stood.

"Who?"

"We're not sure yet. But the access came through a terminal on the executive floor."

"Which terminal?"

There was a pause.

"Aaradhya's."

Rudra's eyes turned cold.

"But you said her laptop wasn't used."

"It wasn't, sir."

"Then what was?"

"The terminal directly beside hers."

Rudra's jaw clenched.

"Who sits there?"

Arjun hesitated.

"Usually Riya Sethi."

Rudra's eyes narrowed.

"Riya?"

"Yes, sir. But she says she wasn't there."

"Find out."

"Already doing it."

The call ended.

Rudra stared through the glass.

Someone had tried to frame Aaradhya.

Someone had access to her credentials.

Someone had been close enough to use the terminal beside hers.

This wasn't random.

And it wasn't finished.

At 8:06 PM, Aaradhya reached home.

She opened the door.

Kunal was waiting.

His eyes immediately went to the clock.

"On time."

She nodded.

"My boss let me leave at seven."

Kunal's expression changed.

"Your boss?"

"Yes."

"What happened?"

"Nothing."

He watched her suspiciously.

"You're hiding something."

Aaradhya's heart raced.

"No."

"Then why are you smiling?"

She touched her lips.

She hadn't realized she was.

Perhaps because, for one evening, she had left work on time.

Perhaps because Rudra had told her to go home.

Perhaps because someone had noticed she was tired.

She immediately looked away.

"I'm going to make dinner."

Kunal watched her walk away.

His eyes remained cold.

The next morning, Rudra arrived at the office earlier than usual.

8:27 AM.

He didn't know why.

He told himself it was because of the investigation.

But when the elevator opened at 8:42 AM, his eyes immediately moved toward the doors.

Aaradhya stepped out.

She looked exhausted.

But she smiled politely.

"Good morning, sir."

Rudra nodded.

"Good morning."

She walked toward her desk.

Then stopped.

A small envelope lay on it.

She picked it up.

There was no name.

No sender.

She opened it.

Inside was a single sheet of paper.

Five words.

STOP DIGGING OR REGRET IT.

Her face went pale.

Rudra saw it.

He walked toward her.

"What is that?"

Aaradhya couldn't speak.

He took the paper from her hand.

Read it.

His expression changed instantly.

The cold CEO disappeared.

Something far more dangerous took his place.

"Who sent this?"

"I don't know."

Rudra looked toward the cameras.

Then toward the employees.

His voice was dangerously calm.

"Arjun."

The head of security appeared immediately.

"Sir?"

"Lock down this floor."

Aaradhya looked at him.

"Sir?"

Rudra handed him the note.

"Someone just threatened my employee."

His eyes moved across the entire office.

"Find out who."

Aaradhya stared at him.

For the first time, she saw something behind Rudra Rajvansh's ruthless exterior.

Not kindness.

Not softness.

Something more powerful.

Protection.

And she didn't know it yet...

but the moment someone threatened her, Rudra's hatred for women had become irrelevant.

Because this time, his instincts weren't telling him to destroy her.

They were telling him to protect her.