It had only been a few minutes since Sangram and Naveen had stepped out of the party to sit quietly in the lawn when Naveen spotted someone storming their way.

“Aunty’s coming… and she looks pissed,” he muttered, barely moving his lips as he sipped water.

Sangram, ever unfazed, responded coolly, “It’s okay.”

But it wasn’t.

“Sangram! What the hell have you done?” Kaveri stormed in, fire in her eyes, voice sharp with reprimand. “Why did you lock Prerna in that room?! She’s been screaming in there, terrified out of her mind! Do you even realize how scared she was? What kind of behavior is this?!”

“She had it coming. There was a reason”

“I don’t care what she did! You don’t lock a guest in a room! She’s a guest, Sangram!”

“Mom—” Sangram barely began when the situation escalated further.

Prerna and her mother arrived, marching in like thunderclouds. Prerna was sobbing dramatically, clutching her dupatta as if the weight of the world were on her shoulders. Her mother looked ready for war.

“Mrs. Sanger, this is absolutely unacceptable! Your son has crossed all limits today with my daughter. I had no idea such disgusting behavior hid behind your family’s illustrious name! If I had even suspected this, I wouldn’t have let my daughter anywhere near him. He tried to molest her! And when she refused, he locked her up—so she couldn’t tell anyone! God knows what he would’ve done if the staff hadn’t heard her cries!”

Sangram didn’t flinch. His voice, calm but chilling, cut through the air.

“Aunty, you’re forgetting something. I’m from the Special Forces. If I really wanted to silence a target, I wouldn’t need a weapon—let alone a locked room.”

The audacity of the words landed like a slap.

“Did you hear that, Mrs. Sanger?! He just called my daughter a target—in front of you!”

“Sangram!” Kaveri turned to him, clearly horrified. “I know your heart is going through a lot, but Prerna must be mistaken. My son isn’t like that… Everyone knows that,” she said, trying to smoothen the storm. The accusation of molestation was not something that could be taken lightly.

Sangram exhaled deeply and rose to his feet. Naveen stood up beside him, both of them now done sitting through this theater.

“You’ve known my mom for years, that’s why I stayed silent till now. But this tone of yours is starting to get to me, and I don’t like it,” Sangram began, voice steady but firm. “So let’s cut the drama and come to the point. Your daughter wanted to sleep in my room. You tell me—how exactly was I supposed to show her the bed without taking her inside? She had to see it, right? So I took her to the room. And since she wanted to rest, I left. Closed the door behind me and stepped out. That’s it.”

His eyes were sharp, unwavering.

“I’m not quite sure how you twisted that into a molestation angle. Actually, if I hadn’t left the room, I’m sure your daughter would’ve been the one molesting me.”

The casual sting of his sarcasm lit the air like a fuse.

“M-Mom… he’s lying,” Prerna stammered.

“Didn’t you say, Take me to your bed?” Sangram asked, his tone almost playful.

“No! He’s lying!” Prerna clutched her mother’s arm.

“I’m asking you again—did you say it or not?” His voice hardened now. Kaveri and Naveen looked at the girl, stunned at how she was faltering.

“Sangram Sir is telling the truth. I saw it myself,” Naveen interjected, trying to back his mentor. “I’m sure the lawn security cameras captured the corridor. That girl’s lying.”

“Did. You. Say. It?” Sangram’s tone turned ice cold.

“I… I’m sorry,” Prerna whispered at last, her words barely audible.

Her mother jerked back in disbelief. “What did you just say?!”

“I’m sorry…” she repeated, then turned and bolted, disappearing before anyone could stop her.

Her mother shouted after her, but the girl was already gone.

The woman turned to Kaveri now, but Kaveri had already folded her hands in a quiet apology. She didn’t say a word, and her silence made it clear she wasn’t in the mood to hear anything, either.

The woman left, humiliated.

Once she was gone, Kaveri looked at Sangram. Concern still clouded her eyes, but before she could say anything, he stepped forward and hugged her tightly.

“No more parties here. I promise,” she whispered into his shoulder.

“It’s okay, Mom,” Sangram replied, pressing a kiss to her forehead.

Naveen stood nearby, watching the mother and son with a soft smile.

---

Around eleven that night, Nandini sat cross-legged on her bed, glaring at her phone like it owed her answers. Ever since Naveen had flown to Delhi, he hadn’t called even once.

She was already fuming inside.

All she wanted was one call… one lousy call to let her unleash all the sarcastic jabs she’d been rehearsing.

“Did this boy actually build a temple for that man?” she muttered aloud. Then, scolding herself with a playful slap to her forehead, she laughed bitterly, “Now he’s ruined my brain too. But he could’ve called at least once… But how would he? In front of his beloved Sangram Sir’s divine aura, we mere mortals cease to exist…”

Her phone buzzed.

She pounced on it.

“Hello, Didi! How are you?” Naveen’s voice poured into her ear, melting her anger instantly.

“I’m fine. You tell me, Navi—how’s your grand tour of Delhi going?” Her voice was soft again.

“It’s so good, you wouldn’t believe it!” Naveen was practically glowing.

“Then I won’t ask,” she teased.

“Come on, don’t be mad! I’m just saying—I never imagined rich people could be so nice. You won’t believe this, Sangram Sir picked me up himself from the airport. He owns a Harley! He even offered it to me, but I refused. His family is incredible, especially his mom—she’s an angel! Still remembers Vikram Sir so much. His room, his clothes, his medals—everything is just the way he left it.”

And then, like an excited child, he narrated every single incident that had happened at the Sanger residence.

Nandini listened quietly.

“Do girls like that really exist, Naveen?” she finally asked.

“You have no idea, Didi. You should’ve seen that girl’s face when Sir ignored her. If someone ends up with Sangram Sir, she’s going to be the luckiest girl alive. He’s a total one-woman man. Though, sometimes… he looks really lonely. And if I could, I’d find someone exactly like Sangram Sir for you. He’s grumpy, yeah… but you could’ve handled him. You handle everything—him too,” Naveen added, lost in thought.

“What nonsense is this, Navi?” Nandini snapped.

Her marriage was already fixed—Raman was her future. Her reality. Naveen comparing him to someone else—especially Sangram—didn’t sit well with her.

“My wedding’s been arranged. And you’re saying someone else would be better for me?! Delhi’s air has messed with your head. I get that you admire Sangram Sir, he’s your role model. But what you just said—I didn’t like it one bit, Navi. Will you compare even your brother-in-law to him now? Sure, he’s a big officer. But Raman isn’t any less. He’s a good man. Has so many qualities. But no—everything pales next to your precious Sangram Sir. Don’t you dare disrespect your brother-in-law like this, or I swear—”

“Whoa, whoa! You’re really mad! I’m not comparing him, okay? I just… I just think you deserve the best. A man who sees no one but you, a family that treasures you, a life where you never have to suppress your heart… that’s all I want.”

“And what makes you think Raman can’t give me that?” Her voice had softened again.

“I never said that! I just… never mind. How are Ma and Baba?” he asked, quickly changing the topic.

He had no idea… that the tiny seed of longing he had just planted in his heart would someday grow into something far more powerful than even he could imagine.