Myra Pov:-

I was feeling numb while looking at him. It felt as if he had just stabbed me straight through the heart with a knife. My throat burned while thousands of emotions crashed inside me all at once.

"I... I..."

Before I could even complete my sentence, he stepped closer.

"Shhh..."

Agastya pressed his finger softly against my lips, silencing me instantly. The gesture should have felt gentle... but somehow it only made my chest tighten more painfully. His dark eyes held mine with terrifying calmness, as if my tears, my fear, my breaking heart—none of it could change what he had already decided.

"You need to get ready for the wedding."

Wedding.

That one word shattered something inside me completely.

I stared at him in disbelief, my breathing turning uneven. Did he not understand what he was doing to me? Or maybe he understood everything perfectly and simply did not care.

"Shaurya," he called out coldly.

"Yes, sir."

Within seconds, Shaurya entered the room along with a group of women carrying heavy bridal outfits, jewellery boxes, makeup kits, and trays decorated like this was some grand celebration instead of the destruction of my life.

My fingers instinctively tightened around Pipi, who immediately whimpered softly against my chest sensing my distress.

"No..." I whispered weakly, finally finding my voice. "Agastya... please..."

But he did not let me finish.

His jaw hardened while he looked at me with dangerous possessiveness.

"Don't make this difficult, Myra." His voice dropped lower, calmer... deadlier. "Today, you are becoming mine in front of everyone."

The words wrapped around my throat like invisible chains. I stared at him silently while my heartbeat turned painfully erratic. The room suddenly felt too suffocating... too small... as if the walls themselves were closing in on me.

Mine. How easily he said it. As if I was never a person to begin with. As if I was only something he could claim.

Pipi let out another soft anxious squeak in my arms, trembling against me. I hugged him closer instinctively, almost desperately, like he was the only thing grounding me right now.

Agastya's gaze softened for the briefest second when his eyes fell on my trembling hands, but it disappeared just as quickly. "Take her," he ordered quietly. The women immediately stepped toward me.

Fear crawled down my spine. "No..." I took a step back instantly. "Don't touch me." The women hesitated nervously before looking toward Agastya for permission. But his eyes never left mine.

"Myra." My name rolled off his tongue slowly, dangerously calm. "Don't test my patience today." A broken laugh escaped my lips. "Your patience?" My voice shook badly. "You kidnapped me... dragged me here against my will... and now you're forcing me into a marriage while talking about patience?"

For the first time, something flickered in his expression. But it vanished before I could fully understand it. The atmosphere inside the room instantly turned heavy.

Shaurya lowered his gaze while the women stood frozen in fear. Agastya, however, remained terrifyingly still. Then slowly... he walked toward me.

I could hear the muffling sound of my brother and daadu. But i can't focus on them. I don't know why. I look at them clutched in the hands of his gaurds.

He also ignore them and start moving toward me. One step. Then another. Until my back hit the wall. My breathing stopped. He caged me between his arms, his face only inches away from mine. I could feel his warmth... his anger... his madness.

"You still don't understand anything, do you?" he whispered. I tried turning my face away, but he gripped my chin firmly, forcing me to look at him. "If I hadn't brought you here..." His voice turned dangerously low. 

"I would have gone mad," he said in a low, terrifyingly calm voice. "I could have destroyed everything in that madness. Anything... everything." His fingers tightened slightly around my chin. "And that includes you, me, your family and even mine."

My breath hitched instantly. I looked at him in shock. For the first time, I truly saw it. The madness inside him. Its neither just  anger nor obsession. Its something far more dangerous.

It was the kind of madness that could burn the entire world down without regretting the ashes afterward. And somehow... that terrified me more than his threats. I swallowed hard while staring into his dark eyes. They looked exhausted... restless... almost broken beneath all that control.

He really meant every single word. "N-No..." I stuttered weakly. My voice barely came out. Agastya closed his eyes for a brief second like even hearing my refusal was pushing him toward the edge.

When he looked at me again, his expression had turned colder. "Don't," he warned quietly. A tear slipped down my cheek. "You can't force me into this..." 

"I can." The answer came instantly. My chest tightened painfully. 

"You're scaring me..." I whispered. Something flickered across his face at those words. Then he slowly leaned his forehead against mine, his voice dropping into something dangerously soft.

"You think I don't know that?" My hands trembled against Pipi's tiny body.

"I never wanted you to see this side of me, Myra."

"Then let me go..."

He suddenly pressed the cold barrel of the gun against my brother's head before slowly turning toward me. His sinister eyes locked onto mine—empty, cruel, terrifyingly calm—as if my brother's life meant absolutely nothing to him. Maybe it truly didn't.

Fear crawled down my spine while my brother stood frozen beside him, barely breathing.

"Go," he ordered coldly. "And get ready."

The command wasn't loud, yet it carried enough danger to make my knees weak. I stared at him in disbelief, silently begging him to stop, but the dark smirk on his face only deepened. He looked completely capable of pulling the trigger without a second thought.

My lips trembled. "Please... don't hurt him."

He tilted his head slightly, almost amused by my desperation. "Then don't test my patience, sweetheart."

"Mimi, don't bacche. You don't need to do that!" Aarav shouted helplessly, fury burning in his voice as he struggled against the guards holding him back.

"Leave her!" Daadu roared angrily, trying to move toward Myra, but before either of them could do anything, Agastya's guards forcefully pushed them inside a room and slammed the door shut.

"Daadu! Bhaiya!" Myra cried out in panic before rushing after them.

But suddenly, a strong hand gripped her wrist tightly.

She gasped as Agastya harshly pulled her back against his chest. The force of it made her stumble, and before she could free herself, his fingers tightened painfully around her arm.

"I will not repeat myself again," he said coldly near her ear.

Myra's breathing turned uneven while tears burned in her eyes. "Please... let them go."

Agastya slowly tilted his head, his dark gaze fixed entirely on her trembling face. There was something terrifyingly calm about him at that moment—like chaos itself stood wrapped in expensive clothes.

"You're in no position to beg for conditions, Little Finch," he murmured dangerously. "Now be a good girl and do exactly what I said."

When she didn't move, his jaw clenched.

"Or should I remind you," he whispered darkly, "how easily a bullet can end someone's life?"

Agastya silently gestured toward the makeup artists standing nearby. "Take her," he ordered coldly. "And get her ready." 

Without wasting another second, the artists hurried forward nervously. None of them dared to look directly at Myra or question what was happening around them. Myra stood there motionless for a moment, her eyes still fixed on the locked door behind which her daadu and Aarav were trapped. Then slowly, like a puppet whose strings no longer belonged to her, she allowed them to lead her away.

She walked lifelessly beside them. No tears fell now. No words left her mouth. It was as if the fear, the helplessness, and the heartbreak had hollowed her out from inside. Her body moved, but her soul felt left behind in that hallway.

The makeup artists exchanged uneasy glances while guiding her toward the room. Even they could sense the heaviness surrounding her. As soon as the door closed behind them, one of the women spoke softly, almost sympathetically, "Ma'am... please sit."

Myra sat down mechanically in front of the mirror. The moment her eyes lifted toward her reflection, her breath hitched. She barely recognized herself anymore. The girl staring back looked shattered.

Suddenly, amidst the suffocating silence surrounding her, Myra felt something was wrong. Her eyes slowly moved around the room while an uneasy feeling crept into her chest. It felt like something was missing... no, someone.

Her heartbeat instantly quickened. Then suddenly, it clicked in her mind. "Pipi..."

The name escaped her lips in a broken whisper as panic flooded through her entire body. She abruptly stood up from the chair, startling the makeup artists around her. "Where is Pipi?" she asked frantically, her trembling eyes searching every corner of the room.

Nobody answered. Fear clawed at her throat. "Where is my Pipi?!" This time her voice cracked louder.

That little creature had been with her through everything—through loneliness, fear, sleepless nights, and broken memories. Pipi wasn't just a pet to her anymore. He was her comfort. Her safe place.

And now he was nowhere to be seen. Without caring about anything else, Myra rushed toward the door, but before she could open it, one of the women hurriedly stopped her.

"Ma'am, please—" 

"Move!" Myra shouted, completely losing control for the first time since arriving there. "I want my Pipi!"

Tears finally rolled down her cheeks as dread consumed her mind. Because with Agastya... She didn't know what he was capable of doing anymore.

Myra pushed the woman's hand away and hurried out of the room, her heartbeat pounding violently inside her chest. "Pipi!" she called desperately while running through the long hallway. "Pipi!"

Her trembling voice echoed against the cold marble walls, but no familiar chirp answered her back. Fear tightened painfully around her chest.

What if he got scared?
What if someone hurt him?
What if—

"No..." she whispered shakily, refusing to even think further. The guards standing outside immediately straightened upon seeing her, but Myra didn't care. Her tear-filled eyes searched every corner frantically.

"Where is he?" she demanded breathlessly. "Where is my Pipi?" None of them answered. One of the guards lowered his gaze awkwardly while another completely avoided looking at her, and that silence terrified her even more.

"Tell me!" she cried, panic finally breaking through her numbness. Just then, heavy footsteps echoed through the hallway.

Agastya appeared at the end of the corridor, his dark eyes instantly landing on her trembling figure. Her hair was messy, tears stained her cheeks, and fear completely consumed her face. The moment she saw him, she rushed toward him without hesitation.

"Where is Pipi?" she asked desperately while clutching his arm. "Please... please tell me where he is." Agastya looked down at her trembling hands gripping him before his jaw tightened slightly.

"He's fine," he answered calmly. 

"I want to see him."

For a moment, Agastya simply stared at her. Then slowly, his fingers curled around her chin, forcing her tearful eyes upward toward him. "You're crying this much for a penguin?" he asked in a low, unreadable voice.

"He's not just a penguin," Myra whispered brokenly. "He's my baby." Something shifted in Agastya's expression at those words. His gaze darkened slightly.

"My baby." The possessiveness in her voice seemed to awaken something dangerous inside him. His thumb brushed beneath her wet cheek almost harshly before he leaned closer.

Just when Myra was about to break down completely, a loud offended voice echoed through the hallway. "Excuse me? Why is everyone acting like I kidnapped the penguin?" Myra instantly looked up.

At the other end of the corridor stood Shaurya casually leaning against the wall while holding Pipi comfortably in his arms. The tiny baby penguin was wrapped inside his expensive black jacket like a spoiled child.

Pipi looked perfectly fine. In fact... 

He looked happy. Myra blinked in disbelief. Shaurya narrowed his eyes dramatically at her. "You know, this little criminal almost bit my finger off."

Pipi immediately let out an angry chirp as if protesting the accusation. "Oh, don't act innocent now," Shaurya scoffed while pointing at him. "You have attitude problems." To everyone's shock, Pipi chirped again and smacked his tiny beak against Shaurya's jaw.

A guard nearby instantly looked down to hide his laugh. Myra stared at them speechlessly for a second before rushing forward. "Pipi!" The moment Pipi saw her, he became excited and tried climbing out of Shaurya's arms toward her.

But Shaurya pulled him back protectively with an offended gasp. "Wow. Betrayal," he muttered dramatically. "After everything we've been through together?"

Myra almost laughed through her tears. Almost. "Give him to me," she said while reaching for Pipi. Shaurya stepped back immediately. "No."

Her eyes widened. "What?"

"He likes me." Pipi suddenly pecked Shaurya's chin hard.

Shaurya looked down at him silently. "That was unnecessary." Pipi chirped proudly. Myra couldn't stop the tiny smile appearing on her lips at the ridiculous scene in front of her.

Shaurya noticed it instantly. And for the first time since she arrived there, the heaviness around her face eased slightly. "There," Shaurya said smugly while adjusting Pipi in his arms. "See? I fixed her mood. Unlike certain emotionally constipated mafia men in this house."

The guards immediately looked horrified. Because Shaurya...

Agastya was dangerously glaring at him. A dangerous silence fell over the hallway. Shaurya slowly turned around and gulped looking at his expression.

Shaurya blinked once before casually lifting Pipi toward him. "In my defense... the penguin said it, not me."

Pipi chirped loudly at the perfect timing. Myra accidentally let out a laugh. A real one with tear in her eyes. And everyone in the hallway froze. Including Agastya.

The faint smile on Myra's lips disappeared the moment Agastya's cold voice echoed through the hallway.

"Now go and get ready."

Reality crashed back onto her instantly like icy water.

The laughter faded from her face, and the fear she had momentarily forgotten returned just as quickly. Her fingers curled slightly at her sides while she slowly looked toward him.

Agastya was already watching her.

Waiting.

Myra lowered her gaze and gave a small silent nod before turning toward Shaurya to take Pipi back into her arms.

But the moment she reached for him, Shaurya stepped back.

"I'll take care of him," he said lightly while adjusting the tiny penguin against his chest. "You go get ready."

Myra immediately shook her head. "No, he'll get scared without me."

"As if he isn't already traumatizing me," Shaurya muttered while looking down at Pipi. "This tiny mafia penguin attacked me three times."

Pipi chirped proudly. Despite her anxiety, Myra's lips twitched faintly again.

Shaurya noticed the hesitation in her eyes and his expression softened slightly beneath all the chaos.

"Relax," he said quietly this time. "I won't let anything happen to him."

Myra looked at Pipi uncertainly. The tiny penguin stared back at her before suddenly snuggling deeper inside Shaurya's jacket like he had already chosen his temporary caretaker.

The traitor. Shaurya smirked immediately. "See? He likes me."

Pipi instantly pecked his chin again. "...Violently," Shaurya corrected with a sigh.

Even a few guards struggled to hide their amusement. But Agastya's patience was clearly running thin. "Shaurya," he warned coldly.

"Right, right," Shaurya waved casually before looking back at Myra. "Go before Mr. Sunshine here starts threatening everyone again." Agastya's gaze darkened dangerously.

Myra nervously looked between them before leaning closer to Pipi and kissing the top of his tiny head. "I'll come back soon, baby," she whispered softly.

Pipi let out a tiny chirp in response. Then slowly, with one last glance toward him, Myra turned and walked away with the makeup artists again.

This time...

She didn't feel completely alone.