Morning arrived at the mansion long before sunrise. Today was not an ordinary day. Today was the day Albert Romano had waited for with endless desperation, sleepless nights, dramatic complaints, and shameless obsession.

Today was his wedding day. And because of that, the entire Romano mansion had awakened before six in the morning. The usually calm mansion was overflowing with chaos, excitement, and wedding energy.

Even though the actual wedding ceremony would happen at one of Italy's most breathtaking open-air wedding palaces near the lake, the Romanos still decorated their mansion like a royal celebration. Because according to Nonna-"A wedding house should look like a wedding house." And no one dared disagree with her.

White roses wrapped around the stair railings while golden ribbons hung from crystal chandeliers. Fresh orchids decorated every table, and the entire mansion smelled like flowers and expensive perfume. Outside, luxury cars waited in line while security guards stood alert at every gate under Donato's strict orders.

Inside the mansion, the women had already started getting ready. Designer cream-colored silk gowns hung carefully in every room, paired with elegant Italian diamond jewelry. Unlike heavy traditional looks, today's wedding theme was royal Italian minimalism-soft makeup, graceful gowns, delicate diamonds, and timeless elegance.

The men's black tailored tuxedos were perfectly pressed and ready. The groom was ready too. Well- Mentally ready. Emotionally? Absolutely not. Because Albert Romano had been restless since four in the morning.

He had changed his tie three times already. His hair twice. And he had asked at least twenty people the same question-"Does Kavya still want to marry me?" At this point, even Enzo threatened to personally throw him into the wedding lake if he asked again.

After breakfast, everyone finally gathered in the massive living room to discuss the final timing before leaving for the wedding palace. The atmosphere was cheerful. Relaxed. Excited. Until- Kavya Rajput calmly stood up.

And destroyed Albert's peace within one sentence. "I have a wish," she announced softly. The entire room turned silent instantly. Albert froze where he sat. Kavya looked toward both the Rajputs and Romanos before speaking again.

"I want something from the Rajput family before this wedding happens." Her calm voice somehow sounded terrifying. Everyone stared at her curiously. "What wish?" Meera asked carefully. Kavya folded her hands in front of herself and said quietly-"And if that wish is not fulfilled..."its something that nedeed to settle a long time ago, but still its takes year.

She paused. Then completed softly, "I will not marry today." Silence. Complete silence swallowed the room. Albert's soul practically left his body. The color drained from his face so fast that even little Elio looked worried. For one horrifying second, Albert genuinely looked like he might collapse right there.

"WHAT?" Sofia screamed dramatically.

"Excuse me?" Enzo muttered in disbelief.

Even Donato blinked slowly. Meanwhile Albert...Albert looked one second away from dropping to his knees in front of everyone. His eyes widened in absolute horror as he stared at Kavya like she had personally stabbed his heart.

"Kavya..." he whispered weakly. But Kavya simply stood there calmly. Albert slowly turned pale before mumbling to himself in devastation, "I knew it..."His shoulders dropped dramatically. "My wedding is not happening today." Beside him, Donato heard the broken whisper clearly. Albert looked genuinely heartbroken now.

"Because whatever she is asking for..." Albert muttered miserably under his breath, "if it hasn't happened in so many years, how will it happen in one day?" For the first time in weeks, the always dramatic Albert truly looked scared. Scared of losing the woman he loved.

Donato looked at his younger brother for a long second before placing a hand firmly on his shoulder. "Don't lose hope, brother," he said calmly. Albert looked at him with pure suffering in his eyes. Donato gave him a small reassuring nod. "Let's just pray," he said quietly, "that what couldn't happen in years... finally happens today."

The weight behind his words made several people in the room fall silent. Especially the Rajputs. Because suddenly... Everyone understood. This was not about jewelry. Not about gifts. Not about wedding demands.

Kavya was asking for something much deeper. Something connected to the broken distance inside the Rajput family itself. And from the way her eyes slowly drifted toward Shivam Singh Rajput and Jaswant Rajput...Everyone began realizing exactly what that wish might be.

Kavya slowly walked forward through the silent living room. Every eye followed her movements carefully. The cheerful wedding atmosphere from a few minutes ago had completely disappeared now. No one laughed anymore. No one teased Albert anymore. Even the Romano siblings, who were usually incapable of staying serious for more than thirty seconds, remained silent.

Because everyone could feel it. This was no childish wedding demand. This was years of pain standing quietly in the middle of the room. Kavya stopped directly in front of her father, Jaswant Rajput. The old man sat straight on the sofa, his expression unreadable, his authority still heavy enough to silence an entire room with one glance alone.

Beside him sat Dhani Rajput. Cold. Proud. Silent. But unlike everyone else, Kavya understood her mother deeply. Yes, Dhani Rajput had once been harsh. She had humiliated Shivam. She had supported the family's anger.

But time changed people. And time had changed her too. The rage she once carried no longer existed. Now there was only guilt. Years of guilt buried beneath pride. Because beneath the title of Rajput matriarch, she was still a mother.

A mother who missed her son. A mother who wanted to ask forgiveness but no longer knew how. And the biggest reason for that sat right beside her. Jaswant Rajput. The man whose pride had kept the family divided for years.

Kavya took a deep breath before finally speaking softly. "bauji ( Father)..." The single word echoed painfully in the room. "I know Maa is not the real problem anymore." Dhani's fingers tightened slightly over her saree. Kavya's eyes softened while looking at her mother.

"Yes... she was angry before," Kavya continued quietly. "Yes, she punished Bhai and humiliated him. But anger doesn't stay forever. Time heals even the deepest wounds." Her voice trembled slightly now. "She is not angry anymore, Papa. She is guilty."

The room fell heavier into silence. Dhani slowly lowered her eyes. Because every word was true. Kavya turned fully toward her father now."But you..." she whispered. "You never allowed things to heal." Jaswant Rajput's jaw hardened immediately.

Several Rajputs looked nervous hearing her speak so directly to him. But Kavya continued fearlessly. "How long will this punishment continue?" she asked emotionally. "How many more years?" Her eyes slowly drifted toward Meera sitting quietly nearby.

"How long will Bhabhi sa continue living alone in that haveli without her husband beside her?" Meera's eyes instantly filled with tears. Kavya looked heartbroken now. "Bhai (Brother ) is growing older... Bhabhi ( sister-in-law) is growing older... their children are married now... they have their own families..."

Her voice cracked. "Only Krish is left now." She swallowed painfully. "At this age, they need each other beside them. They deserve peace now. They deserve to live together." Everyone remained silent. Because everything she said was true.

Shivam Singh Rajput had spent years trying to fix things. Years. He had tried countless times to bring Meera and the children with him. Not because he didn't care for Meera. Not because he still lived in the shadow of his first wife. No. The truth was far deeper than that.

Shivam had loved his first wife deeply. Madly. And when she lay on her deathbed years ago, slowly slipping away from him forever, she had held his hand weakly and spoken her final wish. his mind dragged him years back into a memory he had never truly escaped.

-

The hospital room smelled painfully of medicines and death. Machines beeped weakly in the suffocating silence while rain poured heavily outside the windows that night. The dim yellow light inside the room only made everything feel colder.

Shivam sat beside the hospital bed completely broken. His trembling fingers tightly held his wife's weak hand as if holding harder could stop her from slipping away forever. But it couldn't. Because death was already standing between them.

His eyes were red. Destroyed. Helpless. "Please..." he whispered for the hundredth time that night. "Please don't leave me." But the woman lying on the bed only smiled weakly. A painfully soft smile. The kind people gave when they already knew they were leaving.

Her once bright face had turned pale now. Her breathing came slowly, painfully, yet her eyes still carried the same warmth Shivam had fallen in love with years ago. She slowly lifted her shaking hand toward his face.

"Shivam..." she whispered weakly. His entire body trembled hearing how fragile her voice had become. "I'm here," he said immediately, pressing her hand against his forehead. "I'm here... please don't talk."

But she shook her head softly. "No... listen to me." Tears streamed down Shivam's face now. He couldn't do this. He couldn't hear goodbye. She looked at him quietly for a long moment before whispering the words that would change his life forever.

"Give Meera her rightful place." Shivam froze. His crying stopped for one second completely. His wife smiled sadly through her own pain. "Accept her fully," she whispered with difficulty. "She is your wife." The guilt in her eyes destroyed him. Because she knew.

She knew Meera had suffered all these years between complicated relationships, family pressure, and emotional distance. Meera had entered their lives through circumstances no one wanted. And despite everything... She never complained. Never demanded anything. Never tried taking anyone's place.

Shivam lowered his head painfully. Fresh tears fell onto her hand. "I can't..." he whispered brokenly. " i realy respect her care for her you know that but "I can't do this without you."

His wife's weak fingers slowly touched his cheek. "You can." Her breathing hitched painfully before she continued softly- "She suffered because of all this... but not anymore." Tears rolled down her own eyes now. "Love her." "Respect her." "Give her the same dignity you gave me."

Shivam closed his eyes tightly as if hearing those words physically hurt him. Because even at death's door... The woman he loved most was thinking about others before herself. Then after a long pause, she whispered something that shattered him completely. "No..." A weak smile appeared on her lips.

"Give her even more." Her fingers tightened slightly around his hand. "Because she deserves it." Shivam broke completely at that moment. His forehead dropped against her hand as sobs escaped him helplessly. "I promise," he cried. "I promise... I will never hurt her."

And he meant every word. That night... He lost the love of his life. And for months afterward, Shivam existed like a hollow shell of a man. The once powerful Shivam Singh Rajput became silent. Empty. Broken. But through all those dark years-Meera stayed.

Quietly. Patiently. Without expectations. Without complaints. She cared for him when he stopped caring about himself. She handled the house. Handled the children. Handled him. She became a mother to Ayush and Krish despite knowing they were not born from her womb.

Not once did she force herself into their hearts. She simply loved them silently until one day...They loved her back naturally. Years passed slowly. Pain healed slowly too. And eventually...Shivam finally began breathing again. Living again. For the first time after years, he looked at Meera not as responsibility.

But as his wife. His partner. The woman who stood beside him when his entire world had collapsed. when hsi own was against him. And when he finally accepted that truth fully... He returned to Rajput Haveli.

That day still burned inside him like an open wound. The massive haveli stood exactly the same. Proud. Cold. Unwelcoming. Ayush stood beside him nervously holding little Krish's hand. Shivam still remembered how hopeful he had been that day.

Hopeful that enough years had passed. Hopeful that the family would finally let him take his wife and children home with him. or maybe they will except him and his kids. But the moment he spoke-Everything shattered again.

Jaswant Rajput looked at him coldly from the center of the hall. "No." The single word echoed heavily.

Shivam's jaw tightened. "Bauji-"

"I said no."

Meera immediately lowered her eyes silently. But Shivam didn't stop that day. For the first time in years, he fought back. "They are my family," he said firmly. "Meera is my wife. Arav and Kiara are my children. They belong with me." if you don't except me and my kids in this haveli atlest let me take my other two child and wife with me."

The atmosphere inside the haveli turned deadly silent. Then Jaswant Rajput stood up slowly. The anger in his eyes was terrifying. "If you take Meera and those children with you today," he declared coldly, "then from this moment onward, Meera, Arav, and Kiara will have no relationship with the Rajput family."

Meera froze. Little Kiara tightened her grip on her mother's saree innocently. "They will be cast out from this family forever," Jaswant continued harshly. "And you..." His eyes burned into Shivam's. "You will no longer be my son." The memory still hurt even today. Because Shivam remembered the exact moment his heart broke again. Not for himself. But for Meera. Who quietly stepped back that day...And let him go alone.
_____

Present...

Kavya looked directly into her father's eyes now as tears rolled down her cheeks. "You remember what you said that day, don't you Bauji ( father )?" The old man's expression darkened slightly. Kavya's voice trembled while repeating the words that had destroyed years of relationships.

"You told Bhai ( brother)... that if he took Meera bahbhi ( sister-in-law) and the children with him that day..." Her breathing shook "then Bhabhi, Arav, and Kiara would forever lose their relationship with the Rajputs."

Silence. Painful silence. "You said they would be cast out from the family forever." Several people in the room lowered their eyes emotionally. Even the Romanos remained completely quiet now. Because suddenly they understood- This family separation was not born from hatred anymore. It was born from ego.

Old pain. Old pride. And years of silence no one knew how to break anymore. Kavya slowly folded her hands in front of her father. Tears streamed freely down her face now. "This is my wedding day, Bauji ( father) ," she whispered brokenly. "And I don't want jewelry... Money... or gifts." Her voice cracked completely.

"I just want my family back." The living room had fallen completely silent. No one moved. No one even dared breathe too loudly. The weight of years-years of separation, pride, pain, and broken relationships-hung heavily in the air after Kavya emotional confession.

Many eyes were already wet. Even the Romanos, who had only witnessed fragments of the Rajputs' complicated history, looked deeply affected now. But the moment that truly shattered everyone came next.

Kavya suddenly turned away from her father and walked toward Shivam. Shivam looked confused at first. Then shocked. Because before he could even react, Kavya folded her hands in front of him and slowly sat down on her knees beside him.

"Bhai..." she whispered brokenly. Shivam's eyes widened immediately. "Kavya, what are you doing?" he asked quickly, trying to make her stand. But Kavya shook her head stubbornly while tears rolled endlessly down her cheeks. "I know Maa Sa and Bauji hurt you a lot," she cried softly. "I know they broke your heart again and again..."

Her joined hands trembled. "But please... please forgive them." The entire room emotionally broke at that moment. Because this was not Kavya Rajput asking as a daughter anymore. This was a younger sister begging for her family to become whole again.

Shivam stared at her for a long second before his own eyes filled completely. Immediately he bent down, held her arms gently, and pulled her into his chest. "Kavya..." his voice cracked painfully. He hugged her tightly while tears gathered in his own eyes.

"I don't hold grudges against them anymore." The room became even quieter. "Yes," he admitted painfully. "I was hurt. I was angry." His jaw tightened slightly as old memories resurfaced. "But the day I came back to Rajput Haveli..." he whispered heavily, "I came with the intention to ask forgiveness from Bauji and Maa Sa."

Everyone looked at him emotionally. "I was ready to forget everything if they accepted me... my wife... and my children." His voice trembled now. "But they didn't." A painful silence spread. "They didn't even let Meera and my children come with me."

Meera lowered her face immediately as tears slipped silently down her cheeks. "They threatened us," Shivam continued bitterly. "They threatened to break all ties forever." His eyes became red now from years of buried pain. "And that day..." he whispered brokenly, "I truly broke inside."

The Romanos silently listened, their expressions darkening with emotion. Shivam laughed weakly through tears. "They humiliated my first wife..." His breathing became uneven. "They threw me, my wife, and my children out of the haveli..."

A sharp cry escaped Dhani's lips hearing it aloud from her son's mouth. "But even then," Shivam said painfully, "I stayed silent." His eyes slowly drifted toward his parents now. "I never disrespected them. Never raised my voice against them." His voice cracked completely.

"They didn't even let me live with my own wife..." Meera covered her mouth as she started crying harder. kiara hold her mother while her own eyes fill with tears.

"And still... I remained silent." The pain in his voice shattered everyone. "What wrong did I do?" Shivam finally asked brokenly. The question echoed through the room like a wound reopening after years. "I just fell in love with a woman who wasn't according to their status." His eyes filled again. "That was my crime."

Jaswant Rajput slowly lowered his head. For the first time in years... He truly heard the ugliness of his own actions from his son's mouth. And it destroyed him. What had Shivam really done? Nothing. He had only loved someone. Yet they punished him as though he committed an unforgivable sin.

Even after obeying them. Even after marrying Meera according to their wishes. Still they hurt him. Still they separated him from his own family. Shame filled Jaswant's chest so heavily that he could no longer look at his son properly. Meanwhile Shivam wiped his tears roughly before speaking again.

"But even after all this..." he whispered emotionally, "I am still ready to forget everything." Everyone looked at him in shock. "Just once..." his voice trembled badly now. "Just once let Bauji call me his son again." Dhani broke into tears completely. "Accept my children..." His breathing shook harder.

"Let my wife live with me..."He looked toward Meera emotionally. "And I will forget everything, Kavya." The room had dissolved into tears now. "They have problems with me?" Shivam continued painfully. "Fine. Let them hate me if they want."

Then his voice finally broke completely. "But what fault did my children commit?" A broken sob escaped from Dhani instantly. "Accept them..." Shivam whispered helplessly. "And I will forget every pain."

The moment those words left his mouth-Jaswant Rajput's eyes widened. A choked sound escaped Dhani's lips. After everything... After all the humiliation... After all the years... Their son still stood ready to forgive them.

And that realization completely destroyed whatever pride Dhani Rajput had been holding onto for years. Without caring about status, dignity, or image anymore-or about her husband, She stood up. And walked directly toward her son. Tears blurred her vision completely now.

"Shivam..." she cried helplessly. The next second she pulled him into her arms tightly. Years. Years of suppressed guilt, regret, longing, and motherhood burst out of her all at once. She cried loudly while holding him desperately as though afraid he would disappear again. "I am sorry..." she sobbed painfully. "I am so sorry..."

Shivam broke too. For the first time in years, he hugged his mother back like a child again. And cried in her arms. The entire room dissolved emotionally watching the mother and son finally break years of distance between them.

When Shivam finally pulled away from his father's embrace, his entire face was wet with tears. Years of pain, longing, helplessness, and buried love were breaking out of him all at once. His shoulders trembled as he looked at the man standing in front of him - not as the feared head of the Rajput family, not as the proud Jaswant Rajput everyone bowed before - but simply as his father.

Jaswant Rajput stood frozen, his proud posture broken for the first time in years. His eyes were red, his hands shaking slightly at his sides. The guilt sitting inside him for years had finally cracked open. Shivam slowly stepped closer to him again. Then, with trembling hands, he joined his palms together.

"B-Bauji..." His voice broke so badly that the entire room fell silent again. "Please... forgive your son..." The words shattered something inside Jaswant. Before Shivam could lower his head further, Jaswant grabbed him tightly and pulled him into another hug, this one even stronger than before.

"No... no, my son..." Jaswant shake, his voice heavy and broken with regret. "You forgive me... forgive your Bauji... I am sorry... I am so sorry..." Tears rolled down the older man's face without restraint.

"You did nothing wrong. The fault was mine... my ego... my pride hurt you for years. I punished my own son for loving someone. I separated you from your family... from your wife... from your children..." His voice cracked painfully. "How could I do that to you?"

Shivam broke completely hearing those words. For years, he had waited for this moment. Years. He forgot everything around him - forgot that his grown sons were standing there watching, forgot that his daughter were crying nearby, forgot that his sons-in-law and the Romanos were witnessing this deeply personal moment.

All he remembered was this: His father was hugging him. His father called him "my son." His father apologized. That alone healed wounds buried for decades. Shivam cried like a child in his father's arms, holding onto him tightly as if afraid this moment would disappear.

Around them, almost everyone had tears in their eyes. Meera covered her mouth with trembling fingers while silently crying. Dhani stood beside her husband, tears continuously falling down her cheeks as she watched her broken family slowly becoming whole again.

Kavya was openly sobbing now, while Albert stood beside her holding her hand tightly, emotionally overwhelmed. Even the Romanos, who usually handled everything with strength and composure, were deeply affected.

Donato quietly glanced toward Kiara standing beside him. Her eyes were overflowing with tears, but there was peace in them too. Years of separation were ending in front of them. After a long moment, Jaswant slowly pulled away from Shivam and looked toward Meera, who immediately lowered her gaze respectfully.

The older man walked toward her. Meera became nervous instantly. Even after all these years, the fear and respect she held for him had never disappeared. Jaswant stopped in front of her for a second. Then suddenly, he took her hand gently and placed it firmly into Shivam's hand.

His voice returned stern and commanding - the same powerful Rajput patriarch everyone knew. "I separated the two of you," he said heavily. "So listen carefully now." He pointed a finger at both Shivam and Meera. "From today onward, I want to see both of you together. Not separated for even a single minute."

The room instantly burst into soft emotional laughter through tears. Meera's cheeks turned red with embarrassment while Shivam laughed weakly through his tears and nodded obediently like a scolded child. "Yes, Bauji..."

Dhani shook her head while wiping her tears. "You still know only how to order people around." Jaswant cleared his throat awkwardly, pretending he had not cried moments ago.

That was when Krish suddenly spoke from behind. "Huff... finally Hitler Dadu broke his ego." The entire room froze. Absolute silence. Sofia slapped her palm dramatically against her forehead.

"This live radio can never keep his mouth shut," she muttered under her breath while praying internally that her boyfriend would survive this moment.

Ayush instantly turned away, hiding his laughter. Arav choked. Even Donato pressed his lips together to stop himself from laughing. Krish, meanwhile, realized what he had just said. Slowly... very slowly... he looked toward Jaswant Rajput.

His grandfather had turned toward him completely now with a dangerously stern expression. Krish gulped loudly. "Oh no..." He immediately took one step backward. Jaswant started walking toward him.

One step. Two steps. Three steps. Krish nearly stopped breathing. "Dadu, I can explain-" Jaswant raised his hand. Krish squeezed his eyes shut instantly, preparing for the slap. But instead of pain...He felt a light flick against his cheek.

His eyes snapped open in confusion. And the next second-He was pulled into a tight hug. Krish froze completely. For the first time in his life, his grandfather was hugging him. Not formally. Not distantly. A real hug.

Jaswant held the back of his head tightly, his own eyes turning emotional again. "My grandson..." he whispered brokenly. Krish's eyes instantly filled. Slowly, emotionally, he hugged him back tightly. Behind them, Dhani completely broke into tears again while Meera cried into Shivam's shoulder.

And then, ruining the emotional atmosphere exactly like himself, Krish suddenly muttered loudly while hugging his grandfather- "So... does this mean I won't get disowned for calling you Hitler Dadu?" For two seconds there was silence. Then the entire room exploded into laughter.

"No you wont, you are my younger grandson. you have my permission to do anything. jaswant rajput said. and in next sceond krish jump on him in happines, "thank you hitler dadu, he said. making everyone lough out loud."

The heavy emotional atmosphere that had filled the Romano mansion only moments ago slowly began to loosen, replaced by soft laughter and relieved smiles. Tears were still visible in many eyes, but now they carried warmth instead of pain.

After years of separation, pride, misunderstandings, and buried love, the Rajput family had finally started healing. And in the middle of that healing stood the bride herself - Kavya and Kiara watching their broken family slowly become whole again.

Across the room, Albert stood frozen beside Donato, still looking emotionally traumatized from Kavya's earlier announcement. The poor man had genuinely believed his wedding was about to collapse only hours before the ceremony. His usually sharp and confident face now looked exhausted from stress alone.

Finally, after watching the entire emotional reunion unfold, Albert carefully turned toward Kavya. His voice came out unusually cautious, almost afraid. "So... our wedding is still happening now... right?" The room instantly went silent for one second before several people burst into laughter.

Kavya slowly turned toward him with a thoughtful expression, deliberately pretending to think deeply about the answer. She crossed her arms lightly, tilting her head as if seriously considering his fate.

Albert's eyes widened in horror. "Kavyaaaa," he whined dramatically, taking a step toward her, "why are you THINKING? Just say yes!" The entire family erupted into louder laughter. Poor Albert - looked seconds away from collapsing because of one woman's silence.

Kiara laughed so hard tears gathered in her eyes. Standing beside Donato, she immediately supported her brother-in-law.. "Kavya aunt, please don't torture my brother-in-law anymore," she said between laughs. "He already suffered enough. Just say yes."

Albert pointed at Kiara dramatically. "See? Even your niece understands my pain."

But before Kavya could answer, Donato casually stepped beside her and placed one arm over Albert's shoulder with fake sympathy. "No, Kavya," Donato said seriously. "You still have time to say no. Don't ruin your life with this whiny man."

Albert slowly turned his head toward him with betrayal written all over his face. "You are my brother."

"And I'm trying to save her."

More laughter exploded around the room. Albert looked ready to cry again. That was when Dhani Rajput suddenly stepped forward and placed her hand on Albert's shoulder. Instantly, Albert stiffened. Everyone noticed it. His fear was understandable.

Their last major interaction had involved Dhani Rajput nearly forcing him into marriage during Kiara's wedding chaos month ago. Ever since then, the mighty Albert Romano had secretly become terrified of his future mother-in-law.

Dhani looked at him calmly before speaking in a firm voice. "Don't worry, damad ji," (son-in-law) she said. "Even if my daughter says no now, this wedding will still happen today."

For one full second Albert simply stared at her. Then a huge smile exploded across his face. "Oh thank you so much, mother-in-law!" he said excitedly. "You are really very talented at making people marry forcefully-"

The moment the words left his mouth, silence dropped. Albert froze. Completely. Slowly... very slowly... he turned toward Dhani Rajput. She was staring at him with one raised eyebrow. "Hm?" she said dangerously. "What did you say?"

Albert immediately started sweating. "Hehehe... nothing, mother-in-law," he laughed nervously. "Just joking. Completely joking. Very small joke."

Behind him, Donato bent his head trying to hide his laughter while Enzo openly walked away because he could no longer control himself. Even Jaswant Rajput looked like he was trying not to smile.

Albert immediately grabbed Kavya's hand before anyone else could embarrass him further. "Come," he said quickly. "We are getting married TODAY before somebody changes their mind again." Kavya burst into laughter as he practically dragged her away from the living room.

The families watched them go with warm smiles spreading across their faces. For the first time in many years, the Rajputs and Romanos were not standing as separate families bound by obligations, power, or forced ties. Today, they looked like one family. One loud, emotional, chaotic family.

Outside, the grand Italian wedding venue waited under the golden evening sky. Their wedding outfits, jewelry, and preparations had already been sent ahead. All that remained now was for the bride and groom to get ready.

_____

Other side of the city The entire office was drowning in darkness. Only the faint city lights slipping through the massive glass windows illuminated the sharp outline of Lucas sitting behind his desk. His jaw was clenched so tightly that the veins near his temple pulsed dangerously. The untouched whiskey glass beside him reflected the cold fury burning in his eyes.

He wanted to attack. Wanted to storm into Romano territory and paint the streets red with blood. But he could not. Because he knew exactly what Donato Romano's warning meant. I will not play fair next time. Those words were not a threat. They were a declaration of war.

Lucas knew very well what kind of monster Donato became when someone touched his family. If he made one wrong move now, Donato would destroy every business, every alliance, every man connected to Lucas without mercy. The Romano empire would not stop until nothing remained.

That was why Lucas was sitting here tonight instead of attacking. Planning. Scheming. Waiting. His right-hand man sat silently across from him, watching the dangerous look in his boss's eyes carefully before finally speaking.

"Sir... why do you only want to hurt Enzo and Donato's wife?"

Lucas suddenly laughed. A low, humorless laugh. The sound echoed eerily inside the dark office. "Who said I only want to kill his wife and best friend?" he asked slowly, leaning back into his chair with a cruel smirk. "I want his entire family destroyed... the same way he destroyed my only family."

His fingers tapped slowly against the desk while rage darkened his face. "For years Donato Romano has walked around Italy like an untouchable king," Lucas muttered. "Everyone fears him. Respects him. Worships the Romano name."

His expression twisted coldly. "So I will destroy that name first."

The man frowned slightly. "Then why target Enzo and Kiara?"

Lucas smirked wider. "Because they are distractions," he said calmly. "I showed them that Enzo and Kiara are in danger... and now all their attention is there." A dangerous gleam entered his eyes. "But the real target standing beside them..." he whispered, "...is someone else entirely."

The man straightened immediately. "Who, boss?"

Lucas stood slowly from his chair and walked toward the window overlooking the glittering Italian city. His reflection looked almost demonic against the glass. "His sister." The words came out soft. Deadly.

"They are busy protecting their wives, tightening security around the mansion, surrounding Kiara and Enzo with guards..." Lucas chuckled darkly. "But they don't realize Donato's own sister walked willingly into danger."

The man's eyes widened slightly. "So you're planning to kill her next?"

"No," Lucas replied instantly. That single word was colder than death itself. "I don't want to kill her." He turned around slowly, the smirk on his face making him look terrifying. "I want to destroy Donato Romano's pride."

His eyes burned with obsession and revenge. "I want to destroy the Romano reputation... their name... their honor in Italy." The room fell silent except for the ticking clock on the wall. Lucas leaned forward slightly, voice dropping lower.

"And for that..." he said softly, "my man is already beside his sister." A chill spread through the room. "When the right time comes," Lucas continued with a cruel smile, "he will play the final game." His laughter echoed again. Dark. Victorious. "And Donato Romano will watch his precious name collapse with his own eyes."

Aahhh, I was seriously shedding tears while writing this chapter, but once again Krish made me laugh too. 😭😂

And what do you think Lucas is planning? 👀

So enjoy reading, guys, and tell me how the chapter was! ❤️

And bakra-Eid Mubarak to all of you. May god fill your lives with happiness, peace, and countless blessings. 🌙✨