Chapter – 3....

The night felt longer than ever....Every tick of the clock echoed like a question inside Shehnaazz’s head ....Kya main ye sab kar sakti hoon? Ek crore ki baath hai, saari problem uske phele hi solve bhi karne ka bol Rahe hain ..phir kya hi soch rahi hai shehnaaz...she ask herself.....

Her mother’s cough came from the next room, her father slept restlessly, and Aryan’s old textbooks were lying open on the floor. She looked at her family ,their faces, their pain ,and she knew the answer ,she nod herself wiping her tears ..

She picked up her phone with trembling fingers and typed a message.

Sir, main kal aapse milne aa rahi hoon. Contract ke baare mein baat karni hai.

Next Morning......

The Shergil Mansion was wrapped in luxury , marble floors, golden frames, chandeliers ,everything shining but empty.

Shehnaazz stood before Raghvendra Shergil’s desk once again, her heart beating wildly.

Soch liya?.... decided??

She nodded slowly.

Haan, sir… main ... main taiyaar hoon...

Raghvendra smirked , a satisfied, cruel smile.

Good. Tumhari himmat mujhe pasand aayi.....

He signaled to his lawyer. The man placed a stack of papers on the table.

Each page was a trap disguised as opportunity.

Yeh contract hai. Dhyaan se padh lo....

Her fingers trembled as she flipped through the pages. Every line felt heavier than her breath.

Marriage for one year… payment after heir… no emotional claim…

Par aapne kaha tah saari loans and bills pay kardenge...she ask reading payment after heir ...

Ya this is the cheque of 20 lakhs ...you can pay your bills and whatever...he replied coldly....

She check that 20 lakhs signed cheque...then closed her eyes for a moment and then signed at the end.

Her tears dropped on the paper , sealing her fate before the ink could dry.

Raghvendra’s tone turned businesslike.

Shadi kal subah hogi. Private ceremony. Press ko kuch nahi pata chalega.

Ji...…she whispered....

Aur yaad rakho, Shehnaazz , ek baar haan keh diya to peeche mudne ka koi rasta nahi....

She nodded silently. The deal was done....she take her cheque with trembling fingers...

Sham ko Ghar aa jana mere se bete se milna hai....he said before leaving from there....

Shehnaazz clutch her eyes to make herself strong to face the upcoming consequences....

Later That Evening....

Raghvendra walked with her toward the garden....

From afar, laughter and broken giggles echoed ,the sound of a grown man playing with butterflies.

Wo dekho… mera beta....

Shehnaazz turned....Her eyes froze on the sight before her...

Sidharth Shergil, the man she had only seen in news headlines and magazines , the ruthless billionaire ,now sat on the grass barefoot, wearing a white shirt with mud stains.

He was trying to catch a butterfly, his face lit with a childlike smile.

Pakad liya!....he said, clapping.

Then the butterfly flew away, and he pouted like a small kid.

Nahi… chali gayi…

Raghvendra smiled coldly.

Ab se tumhara kaam hai uska khayal rakhna, usse sambhalna, aur…

He paused meaningfully....…usse ek heir dena....

Shehnaazz lowered her eyes, her lips trembling...her cheeks turned red....

Sidharth noticed her presence and walked toward her, curious. His eyes were innocent , like a child seeing the world for the first time.

Tum kaun ho?.....His voice was soft, almost excited....

Shehnaazz looked at him, her throat tightening.

Main… Shehnaazz....

He smiled widely....

Shehnaazz… achha naam hai. Khelogi mere saath?

Tears welled up in her eyes as she nodded faintly.....Haan… khelungi.

He giggled and ran toward the swing, calling her again.....Chalo na, jaldi aao!

Raghvendra’s smirk widened as he watched them....Perfect... he muttered...

The pieces of his cruel plan were finally in place.

That night, Shehnaazz couldn’t sleep. The image of Sidharth laughing, innocent and unaware of his own truth, kept haunting her.

She sat by the window, whispering into the darkness....

Main paap kar rahi hoon, Maaf kar dena ..… par meri majboori bhi meri kasoor ban Raha hai...

Her tears fell silently.

Tomorrow, she wouldn’t just be a caretaker ,she would become a wife in a deal written by greed and sealed by destiny....

To be continued...