Not a gasp.

Not a blink.

Not even a single word got out of Gauri's mouth. She just stared at Rudra, who was doing the same.

How? When? Why?
She had her questions. She needed answers but whom would she ask?

Gauri was bewildered, shocked, startled; all at once.

"Wha... You... I. No, you, ah!" Gauri wasn't even able to comprehend what she actually, wanted to speak.

Rudra, however, gazed at her nonchalantly, with a smile playing upon his lips.

"You, you are delusion," Gauri stammered, looking everywhere but Rudra.

"Are you sure... Gauri?" Rudra's carved into a devilish smile. His eyes sparkled with unfathomable zest. Undeniably, he was enjoying it. Very much.

"I would beg to differ, darling. You are in love with me. Yes, you are. I have seen it in your eyes, in yourself, reflecting as a mirror," Rudra spoke solemnly.

Gauri's shivering intensified with each word uttered by him.

Rudra smiled and lifted her chin.

Gauri's eyes shinning with tears, locked with Rudra's intense brown ones. The golden flecks were more evident under the bright light.

"You were meant to fall in love with me, the moment I saw you, for the first time.
You, Gauri Singh, fell in love with me and do you know the fun fact?" Rudra paused and smirked with a glint.

"I made sure that you do," he whispered.

Gauri's eyelids fluttered shut.
She wasn't able to think, anything.
Who is he? Rudra, Rudra Pratap Rathore is so much different from the Rudra, she knew. But did it matter? Definitely, no... because she was irrevocably in love with him and...

He knew that.

He made sure of that.

Rudra's warm palm slid from her cheek to the nape of her neck, leaving a trail of fire inside her.

"Out of 7 billion people in the world," Rudra said.

Gauri opened her eyes and looked at him.

"Out of 7 billion people in the world, you fell in love with me," Rudra smiled.
"The wrong guy, who is very selfish, my Gauri."

"What I will say will sound very covetous to you. Nevertheless, it's the truth."

Rudra tucked few silky strands behind her ear.

"You are mine."

His husky voice travelled all the way long to her ears.

"And the fact that you love me is like something offered to me in a silver platter."

Gauri's lips quivered. Tears were ready on the brink, waiting for the permission to cascade down.

"You are bound with me, eternally and being the selfish person I am, I will never let you go whether or not you like it," Rudra said.

A smile was intact on his face and his eyes shinned with something inscrutable. Gauri couldn't avert her gaze from him even if she intended to.

"Rudra Pratap Rathore is one of a kind, Gauri."

Rudra smiled which soon turned into a smirk, "and you are all his."

Nothing could stop the tear from cascading down, it did. So did the sob, it rolled through her lips, unwillingly. Why was this happening? Neither did she know nor did she want to know anymore.

Her head fell on his chest.

Rudra encompassed her being within his strong arms, as if, protecting her from all the evil and darkness of the world.

However, he couldn't protect her from himself and he was aware of that.

"There is no return from the path on which I have started to walk. No station, no airport, nothing.
Neither do I get to return nor do I want to. This is what I have chosen and if given a chance I will choose it, again." He mentally proclaimed.

Rudra's hand moved over Gauri's head and caressed her. His chin rested upon her head.

"I know you deserve better, Gauri but I can't let you go.
This is who I am, a selfish, manipulative, cold hearted jerk and I plan to be like this.

You are mine. This is the universal truth."

Gauri crushed Rudra's shirt under her palms. The part of his shirt where her head lied, was stained with her tears.

"Why Rudra? Why?"

That was the only thing going on inside her mind.

"I love you, Rudra," Gauri whispered.

Rudra's lips curled into a cruel smile.

"Again. Say it," he said.

Gauri's eyes, now devoid of tears, gazed out of the window. The rain was hurtling against the glass, mercilessly.

"I love you... Rudra."

So much was there to say and hear, which remained untold and unheard in between them.

.
.
.

The peaceful slumber of Devendra Raj broke due to the continuous ringing of his phone. Cursing under his breath, he attended the call.

"What is it, that couldn't wait up until morning?" He hissed.

The person on the other side of the phone sprouted something, nervously and fearfully.

"What the f**k are you speaking, you idiot?" Devendra growled in fury.

His hand trembled with immense rage. He threw the phone which shattered into innumerable pieces, when it came in contact with the opposite wall.

"F****ng Bastard," he roared.

.
.
.

Siddharth stared at his phone's screen, feeling numb. The phone displayed the last interacted caller I.D.

'Radhika'

"I don't know why but Rudra asked me to inform you."

"Gauri has been kidnapped, Siddharth."

"Rudra has been accompanied by several men who are unknown to me. They went to find her."

"I'm scared."

"Hello, Siddharth?
'I know you are in their company right now. If he asks, tell him, I am coming. Also, he shouldn't follow me,' these were his exact words, Sid. I don't know what does it mean but he wanted me to convey it to you."

"I'm scared, Siddharth. Nothing's right over here."

Radhika's words played inside his head like a broken tape recorder. Siddharth gulped inaudibly.

He lifted his gaze from his phone's screen to the two men infront of him.

Vijayendra Pratap Rathore's eyes scanned each and every move made by Siddharth. The phone call, whatever it was, for sure wasn't something pleasant.

Veer sat near the massive study table with a wistful smile, spinning the paperweight.

Vijayendra cleared his throat,
"What is it, Siddharth?"

Siddharth looked towards him with a frown.

"Rudra said that he is coming and that he shouldn't be followed," he uttered out.

Veer let out a sardonic chuckle causing Vijayendra to grimace. Siddharth gave him a wary glance. He never liked Rudra's brother, Veer. Something had always been off about him.

"Didn't you hear what dhada bhai said? He is coming, daata. Chill," Veer said with a smirk.

"Keep your mouth shut, Veer." Vijayendra glared.

"Raghuveer," he called out.

The said man was beside him within a moment.
"Rudra isn't in the palace. You know what to do. I want him here, in 30 minutes. Am I clear?"

"Of course, my lord."

.
.
.

After her unreasonable breakdown and few sarcastic comments from Rudra, Gauri was back to being herself.

Right now she was boring holes into his skull.

The latter sat totally unconcerned, eating up the delicacies.

"Was he really that hungry? Of course, you fool. He fought so many of them. He is ought to be hungry," she mused concernedly.

Gauri then shook her head vigorously, what was she  thinking.

He was the man who coerced her into confessing her love for him.

"See, I made you confess your irrevocable, eternal, unconditional love for me.
Damn. It feels amazing."

His words rang in her ears loud and clear. How dare he?

She was the stupid one, though. Gauri hit her forehead and stomped her foot.

"Ugh, he freakin' laughed at me," she whined mentally.

Gauri lifted her gaze to glare at Rudra only to find her whole family including Radhika, staring at her without even blinking.

"Umm, Gauri. Baby are you fine?" Soumya asked cautiously.

"Have you gone nuts?" Radhika asked blandly, earning a quiet chuckle from Rudra.

Gauri glared at him, then turned her attention back to her family and gave them an awkward smile.

"Everything's fine, good, mami sa."

"Can I have a glass of water? This was kinda spicy. Although, I love spicy things," Rudra commented while staring at Gauri.

Like everytime, crimson splashed over Gauri's cheeks. Her fiery eyes spat fire at him.

Rudra winked at her and discreetly sent a flying kiss.

.
.
.

Rajveer and Rudra discussed over the involvement of police into the matter of Gauri's kidnapping. Rajveer didn't want to burden Rudra with more responsibilities, especially when he already did so much for them. However, Rudra quite cunningly, assured Rajveer that he, in fact, had a very close friend who was a D.C.P.
Also, he would be more than capable in handling it.

Rajveer complied and generously thanked him.

"I think I should go home now. My parents must be worried," Rudra said.

Gauri rolled her eyes.
Likely.

Gauri and Radhika followed him for Radhika, too, had to go back to her own home.

Rudra turned back and stood straight.

"Rads," he called sweetly.

"Yes," Radhika chirped.

"If you could please," Rudra gestured her to walk ahead.

"Okay," Radhika grumbled.

Gauri and Rudra, now stood face to face.

"You know what? I love black," Rudra said brightly.

Gauri's eyes roamed all the way long her now, dirty and once, impressive black saree.

Rudra leaned forward,
"I'm waiting. Common, Gauri. Say it."

Gauri smiled.
"Don't you think, you have already stretched your luck quite far?"

"I am not going to speak that phrase again. Understand?" She hissed.

Rudra chuckled. He, then, cupped her face and brought her face immeasurably close.

Gauri's lashes drooped, fanning her cheeks.

"See you soon," Rudra whispered.

Something about his tone made her look at him. The golden flecks swirled inside the brown eyeballs vividly, which were visible even under the considerably low light.

His face had dawned a serious expression.

Gauri couldn't help but recall, whatever happened between them in the room.

Something in her, warned her that each and every word spoken by him was true. That, whatever passed between them was unfathomable. That, Rudra was more of a Rudra than what she knew.

Without even willing, without even knowing, her eyes filled up with tears.

"What is wrong with me?" She chided herself.

Rudra embraced her tight, seeking all the warmth he needed tonight. Giving one last caress on her cheek, without any further delay, he walked away.

Gauri found herself stumbling back towards the chair. She unceremoniously, dropped herself into it.

"I love you... Rudra."

Her words remained unheard, unnoticed, unfound in the rather dark surrounding.