Author's P.O.V...

Her gaze lifts, and her eyes meet Abhimanyu's. For a moment, time seems to stop.

Abhimanyu is already looking at her. His jaw is clenched, his fists curled at his sides. Rage and helplessness swirl in his eyes. The sight of her hurt -her trembling lips, the wetness on her cheeks -makes something inside him snap.

Before anyone can process it. Vikram storms forward and grabs Mr.Singhania by the collar, dragging him back and raw rage. " TERI HIMMAT KASIE HUI " shouting.

Mr.Singhania pulling away. " How dare you touch me? Do you even know who I am?" he points at Ananya, face twisting into disgust. " She's the one who bumped into me and made a scene! I was just trying to help, but this little gold-digger -she tried to seduce me. Wanted money."

Gasps echo. People start whispering. " These middle class girls are always hungry for a rich man's attention. I've seen her kind." he said.

A small cluster of media reporters rush forward, sensing scandal.

Reporter 1. " Ms. Raheja, is this true?"

Reporter 2. " You approached Mr.Singhania for money?"

Reporter 3. " He's a respected industrialist -did you attempt to extort him..kya aap paison ke liye itna gir gayi?"

Prisha stands protectively in front of Ananya, her voice cracking with disbelief. " Are you all blind? Can't you see she's terrified?"

Abhimanyu's body is rigid -he's been watching, listening, the fury inside him rising like a storm. Then his voice slices through the chaos. " ENOUGH." he said coldly.

The reporters freeze. Everyone turns. " Not.One.More.Word." his voice low , seething.

He steps forward, the force of his presence silencing the crowd. " Don't you dare utter another disgusting accusation against her.... Can't you see the pain in her eyes? The tremble in her voice? You call yourself the voice of the people -but here you are, cornering a girl who's just been assaulted, just because the man involved is rich and reputed?" he said to the media..

He turns to the crowd, his tone razor -sharp. " You weren't here. You didn't see what he did. Your job is to reveal the truth -not sell your souls to the highest bidder. So back off. All of you. "

He turns to Ananya, stepping close. his voice is gentle. " Ananya...look at me." She hesitates. Then her tear-filled eyes meet his. In them, she sees it-the storm, yes, but also the safety. A shield.

" Tell them. Tell everyone what he did. I'm here. I won't let anyone question you."

She draws in a shaking breath, looking only at him -anchored in his gaze.

" H-he...he bumped into me. Spilled his drink on my dress...I told him it was fine. I didn't want help. But he grabbed my wrist....he said..he could pay for the dress...and then he said he could pay me for.... for my body too...I slapped him..then he tried to force me."she stammered, voice trembling.

Gasps ripple again. Her eyes overflow. Abhimanyu's entire being trembles with fury. The vein in his temple throbs.

Rajeev, stern." Mr. Singhania, this is appalling. I didn't expect such filth from a man of your stature." .

Mahesh gravely. " Our family gave you respect. You chose disgrace."

Mr. Singhania, panicked. " She's lying! She's just trying to ruin my name..such a whore!"

Abhimanyu roaring " BAS!" and then-his first connects with Mr.Singhania's face. One punch. Then another.

Mr.Singhania falls back, blood on his lip. " You touched her. You humiliated her. And now... trying to play the victim card.. say one more word against her, I dare you"  Abhimanyu clenched his teeth.

He's fists land again, again. That Man is bleeding, pleading now -but he doesn't stop. The fury in his veins is blinding.

Manik rushed towards him. " Bhai! Bas! Enough!"

Aarav grabbed his arm. " Abhi, STOP! The police will deal with him! You can't lose yourself like this!

Breathing hard, his chest rising and falling, Abhimanyu pulls back, fists clenched tight, jaw locked. His eyes still burn as he glares down at that man like he's filth on the floor.

Rajeev. " Manik , Vikram take Mr.Singhania  out now." Manik and Vikram drag him away, who stumbles , coughing, face bruised and shirt bloodied. The crowd shifts, tense and whispering.

Abhimanyu turns sharply to the cluster of media, voice cold as ice, slicing through the air. " Each of you standing here -take note. Your job is to report the truth, not spread filth. This man harassed a woman and then tried to humiliate her in front of everyone...... I want his actions exposed, loud and clear. and if I see even a single line that maligns Ananya Raheja's name - God help your careers. I won't."

The reporters go dead silent. He calls out Rhea and speaks sharply. " Rhea , escort the press out. They've got enough footage for today... Coordinate with legal -make sure they know what's allowed to go out."

Rhea." Yes Sir, " she approaches with security and calmly directs the media away. " Please, this way. Let's respect everyone's space. You'll be sent an official statement shortly."

As the media is escorted out, Nisha rushed to Ananya, concerned etched across their faces. " Beta...are you okay?" Nisha asked gently.

Rajeev to Ananya, regretful. " Ananya beta, I'm sorry...We never imagined Mr. Singhania ase niklenge. You didn't deserve any of this."

Ananya forces a faint smile. " Uncle, please. Don't say sorry..this wasn't your fault... I'm fine."

She tries to stand tall, tries to hide the tremble in her fingers, the sheen of fear still clouding her eyes. But Abhimanyu sees it all....he doesn't say a word. He watches her quietly, his own heart aching. Not just with rage anymore, but guilt. Guilt that she went through this...that he wasn't there in time.

" Vikram, Manik ke sath gaya hai.. Abhi tu ek kaam kar.. Ananya aur Prisha ko ghar drop kar de. Safely." Saket said to Abhimanyu.

Abhimanyu gives a curt nod. No words. Still brooding. Still on edge..

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Abhimanyu drives silently. Prisha sits in the back, fuming but emotionally drained. She leans forward as they reach her apartment. " Ana... khayal rakhna aapna theek. And call me okay?"

Ananya nods, Prisha steps out, leaving them both alone. The car moves again. Silence settles. Ananya gazes out of the window, her arms around herself, wind brushing her hair. She doesn't speak.  Abhimanyu doesn't look at her. His knuckles still ache. His mind spins.

He's angry. Angry at Singhania. At the media. At himself. For not being there sooner. For letting her be touched by filth like that. For the pain in her eyes.

Abhimanyu internally. " I should've protected her. I should've been there sooner...and now she's sitting beside me, broken. Because I couldn't stop it in time."

The only sound is the soft hum of the road. He tightens his grip on the steering wheel. " Thank you..for believing in me." her voice is barely audible, eyes still outside.

Abhimanyu glances at her -just for a second. But says nothing. Not yet

The car slows to a stop in front of Ananya's home. The street is dim, quiet. The earlier chaos feels far away -but the weight of it still lingers in the silence.

Ananya unbuckles her seatbelt and opens the door. Before stepping out, she turns slightly. " Thank you...for everything."

She offers a faint, composed smile -the kind people wear when they're trying hard not to fall apart.

Abhimanyu still holding the steering wheel, speaks gently. " Are you-"

Before he said something, Ananya cut him quickly." I'm okay... truly."

She steps out and closes the door, about to walk away and carry her pain alone- when suddenly his hand reaches out. He catches her wrist.

Ananya turns, surprise... before she asks anything, he pulls her into a warm, firm embrace.

She freezes. His voice, low and breaking. whispers near her ear.." Don't.. don't say you're okay. There's no media here. No noise. No people. Just me. You don't have to pretend, Ananya... Not with me. You can cry if you want to. Please... don't hide your pain."

Ananya stands still for a beat, caught off-guard. His arms are strong around her. Her chest tightens. And then -she breaks.

Her fingers clutch his shirt as her body trembles in his arm. " I-I was so scared..."

Abhimanyu. " Hmm."

Tears begin to fall -hot, silent, relentless. Her voice is faint and broken, but full of emotions. " I didn't like it... w-when he touched me... It felt..it felt disgusting."

Abhimanyu's eyes shut, jaw clenched. " Hmm.."

Her tears soak into his shirt as he hold her tighter -like he wants to shield every inch of her from the world.

Ananya still in his embrace, whispering shakily. " I really didn't do anything, Abhimanyu... I didn't try to s-seduce him... I would never-"

Abhimanyu cutting in softly, " Shh..I know. I know you, Ananya."

He gently pulls back just enough to look at her tear-streaked face, brushing a trembling strand of hair away. " Don't ever say that again. You're not to blame. Not even for a second. You didn't do anything wrong.. You can never Ananya."

She leans back into his chest, still silently crying. His arms wrap around her again, this time more tender, more protective -like he wants to absorb every ounce of her pain into himself.

Abhimanyu whispered near her temple. " I'm sorry. I'm sorry for not being there sooner. I'm sorry for everything you went through. But please...trust me when I say - I'll never let this happen to you again. Not while I'm breathing."

Ananya doesn't reply with words. She just tightens her hold on him, grounding herself in the only place that feels safe -his embrace.

They stand like that for a long moment two souls battered but whole, holding on in the night's quiet comfort.

The front door clicked open quietly as Ananya stepped inside, her movements slow, as though each step still carried the weight of the day. The soft hum of the house surrounded her- familiar, safe.

But before she could head to her room, Saanvi came rushing out of the kitchen, Arun just a step behind.

" Ana!" her mother's voice cracked with emotions as she pulled her daughter into a tight embrace. " Tu theek hai na?" Her hands moved over Ananya's hair, shoulder, if checking every inch for hurt.

Arun stood beside them, eyes serious, jaw clenched not with anger toward her, but with a protective fury. " Ana , beta.. don't worry ab tum aapne ghar mein hoon."

Ananya hugged them, then looked up at them with a small, exhausted smile. " Maa, Papa... I'm okay. Really. Don't worry. I just want to rest."

Saanvi cupped her face gently, brushing back a strand of hair, eyes glistening. " Theek hai. Ja, thoda rest kar le. Hum baad mein baat karenge."

Ananya quietly walked to her room, shutting the door behind her with a soft click. The silence welcomed her. She sat at the edge of her bed, fingers clutching the bedsheet for a moment, her body still, her mind replaying flashes -

The man's leering eyes, his words the media and their questions, the sting of shame.

A faint shiver ran down her spine. Her throat tightened. But then....

Abhimanyu's arm around her. The warmth of his voice. The way he held her-not like she was broken, but like she was worth protecting. Like safety.

The memory -his embrace -wrapped around her. A small smile touched her lips. The first one since everything. Her heart slowed. Her shoulders softened.

_____

The night had settled quietly over Kalra House, but inside Abhimanyu's room, the air was thick with a storm.

He stood by the tall window, his back straight, jaw tense, phone pressed to his ear as his voice cut through the silence like steel.

" Rhea, I want every single deal with Singhania's terminated. Effective immediately. Make sure they bleed financially. Call the vendors, partners -I want every door shut for them. One by one..."

" Yes, sir. I'll coordinate with legal and finance. Consider it done. " Rhea responded on the other end.

" One more thing, Those three reporters -those who questioned her character on camera -trace their agencies. I want a formal complaint filed. Defamation, character assassination -whatever sticks. And call their bosses. If they're not fired, their media house will be blacklisted by the Kalra Empire. No exceptions."

" Yes, sir " Rhea affirmed again before he hungs up.

Abhimanyu's chest heaved as he tossed the phone on the bed. His hands clenched into fists, his brows still furrowed. He wasn't just angry -he was burning.

Just then, the door opened softly. Aarav stepped in, holding a steaming cup of coffee. " Thought you might need this, " he said quietly.

Abhimanyu didn't speak at first. He took the cup, nodding silently, then sat down on the edge of the bed, his fingers wrapped tight around the mug.

" Abhi...tu theek hai?" Aarav asked, sensing his frustration.

Abhimanyu looked up slowly. His eyes, usually calm and composed, flickered with rage and something else -guilt.

" I don't know, Aarav...h-he touched her." he admitted in a low voice. The words hung in the air, heavy.

" I-when I found out..it was like-like something snapped. I've always kept my image clean, always done what's expected of me -CEO of the Kalra Empire, calm, rational , in control." His voice broke slightly. " But today... today I couldn't. I didn't care about the image, the cameras, nothing."

He looked at Aarav, pain etched into every line of his face. " He touched her with his filthy hands. And I-I saw her eyes Aarav. The tears. The fear. From the first day I met Ananya, she's been in this calm, quiet presence... always smiling, always giving me this strange peace in the middle of my chaos."

He shut his eyes. " But today, when I saw that smile gone -when I saw her hurt -it felt like someone took a knife and stabbed it through my chest. And all I could think was... I should've been there sooner."

His voice dropped to a whisper. " I failed her." Aarav didn't speak. He let the silence wrap around them, giving space to the ache of his friend's voice.

" You didn't fail her, You stood by her. You protected her. And she knows it. Abhi, trust me." Aarav finally said.

Abhimanyu looked down into the cup of coffee, still untouched. " It's not enough. Not until she feels safe again. Not until that bastard pays. Not until every single person who doubted her sees who she really is."

His voice dropped again -calm, but laced with lethal intent. " I swear.. I've never felt the urge to kill someone. But the day anyone lays a finger on her -dares to question her character -I'll slit every fucking throat in the room if I have to. No one can touch her. No one can humiliate her. She's mine. They can throw any word to me. But the moment it reaches her -I'll burn it to the ground."

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