Chaos erupted the moment the stone struck Rudra.

His security team immediately surrounded him while the police rushed toward the protestors…

"Arrest that woman!Take her into custody."

"She assaulted Mr. Rudra Pratap Singh!" - The police inspector signaled his officers.

Just as they were about to move...

"No.” - A cold voice stopped them from inside the car..

Everyone turned toward Rudra.

Blood still trickled down the side of his face as he wiped it away with the back of his hand.

"Sir?" - the inspector asked in confusion.

"You don't want us to arrest her?"

Rudra's eyes never left Shivani, who continued shouting slogans from behind the barricades.

"No." - His jaw clenched.

"She won't go to jail."

The inspector frowned listening to Rudra Pratap Singh's answers ..

"But, sir, she attacked you in front of the media."- the police officer said..

"Jail ends a punishment.” - Rudra said and a faint, dangerous smile appeared on Rudra's lips.

"Fate will punish her..."-Rudra spoke in a voice only those around him could hear.

He paused, his eyes hard as steel.

"And I'll make sure I'll am that fate."- Rudra said and without another word, without another glance at her - he left from there..

.

.

.

The moment Rudra Pratap Singh returned to the haveli, the entire household was on alert.

"Doctor ko bulao!"- the head staff of haveli said seeing the blood on Prince Rudra's forehead…

Within minutes, the family doctor and two staff nurses arrived at the Singh Haveli with their medical bags.

Rudra sat on the sofa in his private sitting room, his suit jacket discarded, blood still dried near his temple.

"Sir, this needs two few stitches," - the doctor said, examining the wound.

"Do it." - Rudra said and didn't even flinch.

The nurse cleaned the blood while the doctor carefully dressed the cut.

Rudra's jaw tightened.

The doctor finished wrapping the dressing around his forehead.

Rudra slowly stood and looked at himself in the mirror…A white dressing crossed his forehead.

“ It's not serious Choti raja saab… I will get cured in 10 days…”- doctor muttered …

"Not serious?"- Rudra's eyes darkened.

He gave a humorless smile.

" This stitches - I don't care… but that woman has no idea what she just started."- He picked up his jacket and walked towards the exit…

That's when devyani singh - the rajmata of haveli came with a slight concern flickered in her eyes seeing white cross bandaid on her grandson’s forehead…

She held his elbow and looked at it …

“ Daadi maa …it's a small thing…don't worry..I'm fine..”- Rudra tried to say…

In the next minute seeing Rudra so calm and composed -rajmaata devyani singh felt something’s wrong..

And Rudra took a few steps leaving the chamber…

"Rudra, don't do anything stupid."- Devyani singh said, making his footsteps halt..

Rudra paused at the door…Then he looked back with that cold, familiar expression.

"I don't do stupid things, daadi maa ."- he said

"I do calculated ones." - He smirked and he walked out…

.

.

.

Emergency Board Meeting -

The atmosphere inside the conference room was suffocating…

Around the long mahogany table sat the investors, directors, and business partners of the ₹3,000-crore heritage hotel project.

Every television screen displayed the same headline…

" Rudra Pratap Singh Injured During Environmental Protest."

Another flashed,

"NGO Worker Leads Massive Protest Against

Aravalli Heritage Project."

The room erupted with whispers and deep discussions.."This project has become a public relations disaster!"

"Our international investors are asking questions."

"Our shares are already taking a hit."

"I want to withdraw my investment.” - One of the senior partners pushed the project file away.

"If this continues, we're out."-Another immediately agreed…

Silence followed.At the head of the table ,

Rudra Pratap Singh sat unmoved.

A fresh bandage rested across his forehead.

His fingers tapped the table once.

The room instantly fell silent.

"So..." - His deep voice echoed.

"A week of slogans...A few college students...Some stupid NGO..."- He paused looking at the investor who proposed to withdraw investment..

"And suddenly, seasoned businessmen want to run?"- Rudra asked and no one answered.

"What changed?"-His eyes narrowed.

One director hesitated to say - "The media is against us,Choti raja saabThe public sympathy is with those protestors…And that women became the face of the protest..”

The words hung heavily in the room.

For the first time...

Rudra's expression hardened.

Not because of the bleeding.

Not because of the protest.

But because one woman had managed to turn public opinion against him.

He remembered her fearless eyes...

The stone - The blood - And her voice rising above the cameras"Nature isn't your property!..we will protect our forests" - His jaw clenched remembering her…

He closed his eyes and gave a small sign with his hand to all to leave the conference room…

And soon - everyone left quietly , except his personal assistant standing beside him..

"Name.”- Rudra asked, still closing his eyes..

"Shivani, sir."-His secretary immediately replied.

"She is an NGO worker."

“Raised in an orphanage." - Rudra leaned back in his chair.

A slow, dangerous smile appeared on his face.

"So...This entire project...Has come to a standstill because of one woman.."- He said and then looked at his secretary and personal legal advisor Mr.mehra..

"I don't lose…I want every detail about Shivani…Her routine.Her NGO.Her supporters…Everyone she trusts."- Rudra said..

They nodded at his boss words and the room remained silent

Rudra rose from his chair and buttoned his coat.

"If she wants to fight me..." - His voice turned ice cold.

"...she'll learn that emotions don't win wars.They only create casualties… And now I will hurt her with those same emotions.."- rudra pratap singh said with a smirk, already planning to hit her…

And soon Rudra walked out.

The Aravalli project was no longer just a business deal..It had become a battle between two unyielding people.

.

.

.

After 24 hours -

Rudra had barely stepped into his office when his intelligence officer entered with a thick file.

"Sir... we've completed the background check."- The intelligence officer said..

Rudra didn't look up.

"Speak."- Rudra said..

"Her name is Shivani. She was abandoned as an infant and raised in Shiv Prasad Orphanage."- The officer said..

The name made Rudra pause.

"Shiv Prasad?"- Rudra asked, turning towards the officer…

"Yes, sir. It was established decades ago by your late grandfather, Raja Shiv Pratap Singh. He donated a portion of the palace estate for the orphanage and allowed it to function there."- The officer continued…

"File.” - Rudra extended his hand.

He flipped through the old land records.

The original stamp papers…The estate maps.

The survey numbers..Then his eyes stopped on one line.

“Ownership: Singh Royal Estate.”- the moment he read this line his lips twitched into a winning smirk already…

The orphanage had only been granted permission to occupy the land…The title had never left the Singh family.

A slow smile curved across Rudra's lips.

"So..." - He closed the file.

"The land beneath her feet belongs to me."- He smirked dangerously..

The room fell silent…

"Sir... are you thinking what I think you are?"-His legal advisor Mr.mehra looked at him cautiously..

Rudra rested the file on the table.

"For a week, she's tried to stop my project.Now it's my turn."- Rudra said with a winning smirk..

He looked at his legal team…

"I want every document related to that property…If there are any expired permissions, incomplete renewals, or legal irregularities..I want them on my desk by tomorrow morning."- he said ..

"Yes, sir."- they said and Rudra walked toward the floor-to-ceiling window overlooking the city.

His reflection stared back at him.

"She chose to fight a businessman…Now she'll learn that every battle has a price”- He thought and his fingers touched the white cross bandaid on his forehead , and remembered the person who is the reason for it…

The lawyers exchanged uneasy glances.

They knew that when Rudra Pratap Singh turned a personal grudge into a legal strategy.. And he rarely left any move uncalculated.

.

.

.

That same - evening ,

By the time Shivani returned to the orphanage that evening, the peaceful home she had left that morning had turned into chaos.

Workers were carrying out beds, cupboards, books, utensils, and children's toys, throwing them onto the open ground.

"Please... don't throw that!" - one of the ayamma’s pleaded, trying to save the children's belongings.

But no one listened.

The frightened children stood huddled together, crying.

A little boy sobbed as his schoolbag was tossed onto the ground.

The women who had grown up in the orphanage alongside Shivani - and now worked there as caretakers - could only watch helplessly, tears streaming down their faces.

Just then - A scooter screeched to a halt outside.

Shivani jumped off before the engine had even stopped…

"What's happening here?" - she shouted, running inside.

One of the caretakers rushed to her.

"Shivani... they're throwing us out!"

"What?"-She froze..

A man in a black coat stepped forward, surrounded by security guards.

"I'm Advocate Mehra, representing Mr. Rudra Pratap Singh." - He said and held out a set of legal documents.

"You're illegally occupying this property. The land belongs to the Singh Royal Estate. As the legal heir of Late Raja Shiv Prasad Singh, Mr. Rudra Pratap Singh has exercised his ownership rights and ordered possession of the premises."- Mr.mehra said in a professional tone…

Shivani snatched the papers from his hand.

Her eyes raced over the documents...

Until they stopped at one name - Rudra Pratap Singh.

Her grip tightened on the papers and she slowly looked up.

"...Is he the same man?The owner of the Aravalli Heritage Hotel project?"- she asked her friend…

But she got the reply from the lawyer gave a calm nod."Yes.”

For a moment - Everything went silent.

Then a little girl tugged at Shivani's dupatta.

"Di… they took my doll and threw it away somewhere..."

Shivani turned and then saw the children standing in open ground …

The children stood under the open evening sky, clutching whatever little they had managed to save.

Some hugged torn teddy bears…Some held their schoolbags close to their chests.

Others cried in fear, not knowing where they would sleep that night.

Shivani's eyes reddened.

This wasn't just a legal notice..It was retaliation.

She slowly folded the papers..

"So this is your answer, Rudra Pratap Singh...You couldn't silence my voice.....so you chose to punish innocent children."- She mumbled and then she looked at the crying orphans behind her and made a silent promise…

The women working at the orphanage gathered around Shivani.

"Shivani... please do something.We can't let them throw these children onto the streets."-

One of the older caretakers held her hands.

"Just apologize to him."- one of the old caretakers said…

"Apologize?”- Shivani looked at her in disbelief.

“ Yes…! Whatever you did , you made him bleed…that's wrong shivani…. Why did you let your anger control your thoughts?? Just apologise to him!! You made a mistake too”- the old caretaker who raised Shivani since her childhood said…

Shivani thought for a second and then her eyes moved towards the children…and those children had knew no place except this and they had no one to go….

A small boy stood silently, holding his broken toy close to his chest and looking at the dried tear marks on his cheeks - Shivani's anger slowly faded.

For them - She could bend.

Taking a deep breath, Shivani walked towards Advocate Mehra.

"Can I talk to him, please?"- She asked..

The lawyer looked at her silently.

She stepped closer, her voice softer.

"These are innocent children.Where will they go?There are more than seventy people living here... children, caretakers... some of them are physically and mentally challenged."-

Her eyes filled with helplessness.

"They don't have another home.Please... let me speak with Mr. Rudra Pratap Singh once."- She said…

Before the lawyer could reply, a security guard standing nearby suddenly raised his hand.

Everyone stopped…

The workers immediately paused.

The men who were clearing the orphanage stepped back.

The security guard received a call and listened quietly…

After a few seconds, he sighed to his men to come back and the work had stopped.

Advocate Mehra looked at Shivani.

"Seems like Mr. Singh doesn't want this situation to escalate." - Mehra said, adjusting his coat.

"I'll arrange a meeting with choti raaja saab..”- Mr.mehra said..

"Really?"-Her eyes lifted with hope.

"Come to Mr. Rudra Pratap Singh's office tomorrow."- he said and Shivani quickly nodded.

"Please...Let us stay until then."- Shivani pleaded…

"I'll talk to choti raaja saab . I'll convince him."- Mr.Mehra said…

"Please.”- The caretakers joined their hands.

The lawyer Mr.mehra looked at the crying children and sighed..

"Fine…Only until the meeting … After that, whatever happens will depend on Mr.Rudra pratap singh"- Mr.mehra said..

He turned and walked away.

As the vehicles left the orphanage gates, Shivani looked at the children standing around her.

For the first time - The battle wasn't about a forest - It was about their home.

.

.

.

And the next morning itself was sharp at 8 am itself - she went to Rudra Pratap Singh's office…

Shivani waited - waited - waited…

But that first day- receptionist walked towards her saying “ Sir is in client conference mam… I'll arrange a meeting with you tomorrow “- the lady receptionist said ..

And with a small nod and smile - she mumbled “okay” and soon she went away…

.

.

.

Then for next seven days

Every morning at exactly 9 AM, she reached Rudra Pratap Singh's corporate office.

And every evening at 6 PM, she left with the same answer.

"Sir is busy."

"Your meeting has been postponed to tomorrow."

"Sir has an urgent flight."

"Please come again."

Every single day - The same words.

The same excuse.

At first, her friends Geethanjali , Raghav ,and other volunteers waited beside her.

They sat in the reception area, hoping that Rudra would finally give them a chance to explain.

But as the days passed, their own responsibilities forced them to leave.

From the fifth day onwards - Only Shivani came…Alone.

She sat on the same chair from morning till evening.

No complaints - No anger - Sometimes, she didn't even have a proper lunch.

Her only focus was the children waiting for her at the orphanage.

The receptionist watched her silently.

The employees whispered among themselves.

Everyone knew one thing - This woman wasn't leaving and their boss is taking calculated revenge on her …

.

.

.

On the seventh day - she came and waited …

“ Shivani… shhhh ... .no…no…stop yourself…”- she tried to control herself…but she remembered the past week , how she is being treated here …

After hours of waiting - without even having lunch , the peon walked towards her again…

"Ma'am... sir is unavailable today too."- The peon said…

"Today too?”- Her eyes slowly lifted.

"Yes ma'am. Please come tomorrow.”- The peon said..

Something inside Shivani finally broke listening to the word ‘Tomorrow.’

The word that had been repeated for seven days.

"No.”-She stood up fuming in anger…

"Ma'am?” - The peon looked confused.

"I came here politely.I waited patiently.I requested.But every day, your answer is tomorrow." - Her voice grew firm.

"Not today."- She said in finality ..

"Ma'am, you can't go inside - " -The peon stepped forward to stop her.

But Shivani had reached her limit.

She moved in a rush with long strides and pushed open the large conference room doors…

The entire conference room went silent the moment the door barged open…

Inside sat Rudra Pratap Singh's executives, investors, and senior officials.

Everyone turned toward the unexpected interruption…

At the head of the table - Rudra slowly lifted his eyes from the documents in front of him.

For the first time in seven days - Shivani was finally standing in front of him.

Not through cameras - Not behind protest barricades - they are now Face to face.

Her eyes carried exhaustion, anger, and determination.

"I need to talk to you, Mr. Rudra Pratap Singh."- She said and the room fell completely silent.

Rudra leaned back in his chair…A faint, unreadable expression crossed his face - maybe a small smirk unknowingly…

The woman who had challenged him in front of the world had finally entered his territory.

And now he is planning to ruin her future - for halting his 3000 crore heritage project and making him bleed in front of the whole world ..

He looked at her straight into her eyes with his hunter gaze … As if two enemies are silently fighting !!

Hey dear laal tamatars 🍅

Are you ready for their first proper conversation ...? 🤭

How's the second chapter ?? Comment down your opinions !!

Yaarr - I don't know , why rudra singh rajput is boiling my blood !! But yeah - even shivani is wrong at some point of time..she can't hit someone randomly with stone...!

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