One week had passed since Noor entered the Ranawat house, and yet she still felt like she didn’t belong anywhere. She moved quietly through the corridors, spoke only when necessary, and kept her eyes lowered most of the time. It wasn’t fear anymore—it was habit. A life of being invisible had followed her here too, into a place that still felt unfamiliar and distant.

That afternoon, Sunita Sharma arrived at the mansion, and the atmosphere shifted the moment she stepped inside.She firstly net all the ladies of Ranawat's,gave them gifts,and then apologized to them again.

After that, she asked Kavita that she want to talk to Noor alone.

Noor was called upstairs without explanation, and she followed silently, her hands folded in front of her, her gaze fixed on the floor. Sunita led her into a closed room and shut the door behind them with a soft click that felt heavier than it should have.

The air inside changed instantly. Sunita turned toward her with a calm, practiced smile, the kind that never quite reached her eyes. She looked Noor up and down slowly before speaking. “So this is your life now?” she said lightly, tilting her head. “Big house… big family… you must feel lucky, right?Meri beti ka ghar, Family and pati tumhe jo mil gya..”

Noor didn’t respond, her silence immediate as always. That made Sunita’s smile fade slightly. “Still the same,” she murmured. “Always quiet. Always useless when it comes to speaking.Useless thing.”

Inside the same room, Rivan was in the attached bathroom. The door wasn’t fully closed, and the sound of running water mixed with faint voices reached him in fragments. At first, he ignored it, focused on his routine, but then Sunita’s tone sharpened slightly, cutting through the calm. “Ek baat samjh le ladki! Tu,sirf ek kachra hai!!. "Apne pati ki izzat bachane ke liye hamne tujhe mandap me bithaya tha nhi teri aukat nhi hai Rivaan ki biwi banne ka,” she said from outside, moving closer to her.

Rivan paused mid-movement.

Slowly, he turned off the tap.

He didn’t step out immediately. He just stood there, listening now more carefully. Sunita’s voice continued, controlled but clearly irritated. “Do you even realize where you are now? This is not your father's house where you can just stand quietly and expect everything to adjust around you. And fix one thing in your head, don't be so frank ok! You are always a useless thing. You always have been burden for us. ”

Noor still didn’t respond. Not a word. Not even a breath loud enough to break that silence.

Sunita’s patience thinned further. Her voice rose again, sharper this time. “Speak! Or do you not even know how to defend yourself?” The silence from Noor remained unchanged, and that seemed to push Sunita further. “Aur ek baat aur” she snapped and moved even closer to her, pressing her mouth in her palm. "Zada bak bak karne ki koi zarurat nhi hai. Teen mahine me ye shadi tut jani chahiye,samjhi?!!! Nhi hame der nhi lagegi in logo ko tumahre khilaf bhadkane ki. Ham tumhe aise aalishan ghar me hamari beti ke pati ke sath kisi halat me nhi rehne denge."

"M..ma...." Noor whispered and,

A sudden sound followed—Sunita grabbed Noor’s arm and pushed her slightly back against the wall in frustration and slapped her hard,that red imprints were visible on her face.  "Chup!!! Ma nhi hai. Ham tumhari, mar chuki hai wo.."  she said harshly."Aur shadi tutne ke baad hamare ghar aane ki koi zarurat nhi hai..mar jana ya..kothe pe baith jana,paise  aur ladke waha bhi mil jayenge! samjhi ladki?!!"

That was the moment Rivan stepped out of the bathroom.

Water still dripped from his hands as he walked forward slowly, his expression completely still, but his jaw tightening with each step. His eyes landed on the scene instantly—Sunita standing too close, Noor pressed back, silent as ever, tears forming but not falling.

The room felt different the moment he entered.

Sunita noticed him immediately and straightened slightly. “Rivan… I was just—”

But he didn’t look at her first.

His gaze stayed on Noor.

Long. Silent. Unmoving.Tears speeding from eyes .

And

Trembling

Harshly

And for the first time that day, it wasn’t Noor’s silence that filled the room.

It was his.

The room stayed frozen for a second too long.

Sunita’s hand slowly loosened from Noor’s arm the moment she realized Rivan was standing there. Her expression shifted instantly, forcing calm back onto her face as if nothing had happened. “Rivan, I was just talking to her,” she said lightly, adjusting her dupatta. “She always misunderstands simple things.”

Noor stayed still near the wall, her head lowered, her fingers trembling slightly. She didn’t look up. She never did in moments like these. It was easier to disappear than to explain something no one wanted to hear.

Rivan didn’t respond immediately.

His eyes stayed on Noor for a long moment—long enough for Sunita’s smile to tighten slightly. Then, slowly, his gaze shifted to Sunita. Not angry. Not raised. Just… fixed.

“You’re in my room,” he said finally, voice calm but flat.

Sunita paused. “I came to speak to her—”

“She is in our room,” he repeated, slightly slower this time.

The emphasis was quiet, but sharp enough to cut through the air.

Silence followed again.

Sunita let out a small breath, trying to recover her composure. “You’re misunderstanding this. I was just correcting her behavior. She doesn’t speak, she doesn’t react—how will she survive here like this?”

Rivan’s jaw tightened slightly, but his expression didn’t change much. He didn’t argue. He didn’t raise his voice. He simply took a step forward, enough to break the distance between them.

“She doesn’t need your correction,” he said.

A pause.

“She needs space.”

Sunita blinked, clearly not expecting that response. “Rivan, I’m her mother—”

“Stepmother,” he corrected immediately, still calm.

The word landed heavier than intended.

Sunita’s expression stiffened for a moment before she forced a soft smile again. “Whatever you want to call it… I know her better than you do.”

Rivan finally looked at her properly.

Cold. Controlled. Unreadable.

“Then you should know,” he said quietly, “that she hasn’t said a single unnecessary word since I met her.”

A beat.

“And I haven’t seen her lie once either.”

Noor’s fingers tightened slightly at his words, but she still didn’t look up. She didn’t know what to do with attention. Especially not like this.

Tears streamed down her face and she trembled harshly.

Sunita exhaled sharply, clearly irritated now. “So what are you saying? That I’m wrong?”

Rivan didn’t answer immediately. His gaze shifted briefly toward Noor again. She looked small. Still. Like she was trying to make herself invisible even while standing in the middle of the room.

“I’m saying,” he said finally, “leave.”

Just one word.

No explanation. No softness.

Sunita’s face changed instantly. “Damad ji—”

“Now,” he repeated,loudly.

Still calm. But final.

A silence followed. Sunita stared at him for a moment longer, clearly holding back whatever she wanted to say. Then she adjusted her dupatta sharply, letting out a controlled breath.

“Fine,” she said coldly. “But don’t misunderstand this situation. You don’t know her like I do.”

And with that, she turned and walked out, closing the door behind her a little harder than necessary.

The door closed behind Sunita with a sharp sound that lingered in the air longer than it should have.

Silence returned to the room again, but it didn’t feel as heavy this time. It felt… different. Almost fragile.

Noor was still standing near the wall, her eyes lowered, fingers lightly trembling. She hadn’t moved since Sunita left, as if her body hadn’t fully accepted that it was over.

Rivan stood a few steps away, watching her quietly. His expression was still controlled, but something in his gaze had softened compared to before.

He exhaled slowly.

“Are you okay?”

His voice was calm. Simple.

Real.

Noor didn’t respond at first.

Not because she didn’t hear him.

But because no one had ever asked her that in a way that felt real.

Her lips parted slightly, but no words came out.

Her eyes stayed lowered.

And then something inside her gave way a little.

She took a small step forward.

Then another.

And before she fully understood it—

she clung to him.

Rivan stiffened instantly.

Completely still.

His breath paused for a second as he processed it.

Noor wasn’t speaking.

She wasn’t explaining.

She was just holding on.

Quietly.

Like she was afraid that if she let go… she would fall apart.

Slowly, his posture changed.

His hand hesitated mid-air.

Then gently… it rested on her back.

Not pulling her closer.

Just… steadying her.

Noor’s grip tightened slightly.

Silent tears slipped down her face.

No sound came out.

Only shaky breaths she couldn’t control anymore.

And she started crying, harshly.

Rivan looked down at her.

Sunita's words echoed in his mind.

'Shadi tut jani chahiye'

'hamare ghar aane ki zarurat nhi hai'

'kothe pe baith jana wahan..ugh'

And he felt, vulnerable

After some time..

The room stayed quiet for a while after Rivan’s words. Noor was still close to him, her breathing uneven but slowly settling. Her grip on his shirt hadn’t fully loosened yet, as if she was still scared that distance would bring everything back again. Rivan didn’t move away, didn’t rush her—he just stayed steady, letting the silence feel less sharp this time.

After a long pause, Noor finally pulled back slightly. Not completely, just enough to create a small space between them. Her eyes were still lowered, her face marked with silent tears she hadn’t bothered to wipe properly. She looked like she wanted to say something, but the words felt stuck somewhere deep inside her.

Rivan didn’t push her. He just watched quietly, waiting.

And then, in a very small voice, Noor spoke.

“I… I have always been like this.”

Rivan’s expression softened a little, but he stayed silent.

Noor swallowed, her fingers still lightly holding onto the edge of his shirt as if she needed something real to keep her grounded. “Since I was small… Sunita maa never let me be normal,” she said slowly, her voice shaking slightly. “Even small things became wrong in her eyes and she used to beat me.”

She paused for a second, staring at the floor.

“If I spoke too much… she would say I was disrespectful,” Noor continued quietly. “If I stayed silent… she would say I was useless. Nothing I did was ever right.Ham...ham..bardhast nhi kar pate unke words ko..."

Her voice broke slightly, but she didn’t stop anymore.

“It became easier to just stay quiet,” she admitted. “Because at least silence didn’t get me punished and beat me  every time.”

Rivan’s jaw tightened slightly, but his hand remained steady on her back, grounding her without interrupting.

Noor looked down at her hands now, speaking more honestly than she ever had before.

“In childhood… I stopped trying to explain myself,” she said softly. “Because no one listened anyway. Sunita maa always decided what I was before I could even speak, Hamari maa ke jane ke baad..jab sunita maa aayi..to papa ka muh bhi inhone band karwa diya...wo bhi hame kuch nhi bol paye the...”

A small pause.

“And I just… learned to accept it."

The room felt heavier for a second, but not in the same painful way as before. This time, it felt like something was finally being said out loud after years of silence.

Rivan exhaled slowly, his expression unreadable but controlled. He didn’t speak immediately, as if choosing his words carefully.

Finally, he said quietly, “You shouldn’t have had to live like that.”

Noor didn’t answer. But for the first time… she didn’t shut herself completely either.

And finally, his patience snapped.

"I'm...I'm..just sorry...for not understanding your pain as a husband. I'm sorry Noor.. I didn't know this lady torchers you like this. I'm sorry." Rivan pulled her into his arms and hugged her tightly, wanting to swallow her every pain she had been through.

For the very first time in his life, A tear slipped down from his eye. He couldn't imagine how a women can say these shameful things to another women.

"I promise, I'll give you the love you deserve, I'll never let  any scratch on you.You are not only my responsibility from today, you are my everything. I promise I'll let this lady feel hell. I'm sorry Noor" His voice turned soft and soft as he spoke those words to her, making her melt in his embrace.

She clutched his shirt more tightly and buried her face in his chest,sobbing quietly "Thankyou...for understanding me..."

He caressed her back and after some time, she stopped trembling.

Those were the only words she dared to speak then.

After that, Rivan pulled back and kissed on her forehead, with a smile.

Noor gave back a small smile, wiping her tears.

"Don't ever feel fragile now..you are now Noor Rivan Singh Ranawat, not any normal or fragile girl,ok?"

She nodded, feeling a hint of proudness and happiness inside her after too much years.

"Mhm...." She whispered,in her honey sweet voice.

After that, both of them descended downstairs .

"Rivan..ye sunita ji aise kaise gusse me gyi? Hamse baat bhi nhi ki.." Niharika asked to Rivan as soon as she spotted him

"I'll tell everything to you all chachi , just wait for sometime"

He said and then turned to Noor, who was holding his arm, not afraidly, but because she trusts him.

"Aap kuch kha lijiye noor, waise bhi shaam ho gyi hai and you should eat some snacks, go eat, I'll just come in few minutes"

Noor looked at him, afraidly and refused, too scared to move.

"Shh....Aap safe hai yahn Noor..don't be scared..aap jaiye Aadhya, Kabir and Aryan ke sath snacks khaiye.."

Then rivan sent Noor to dining table with Kabir,Aadhya and Aryan.

Then he called Mahendra,Kavita,Akash,Niharika and Savitri in the hall and told them everything about sunita. How she humilated her,how she slapped her and how she behaved with her in the room earlier.

"How can she do this rivan? Usne to ek battameezi ki bhi had par kardi hai! Use jail me hona chahiye abhi tak" Savitri said in extreme anger.

("How can she do this Rivan? She has even committed a crime beyond measure! He should be in jail right now," Savitri said in extreme anger. )

"Tabhi ham soch rhe the ki Shadi ke functions ke time pe Sunita Noor ko bahar kyu nhi aane deti thi and Noor itti shant kaise hai" Niharika said next.

"Hame Noor ke liye itna bura lag rha hai na...bechari itti masoom bachhi ko itne salon tak aise humilate kiya gya.." Kaviya spoke next.

Mahendra's and Akash's face was also sad and unreadable as they heard about sunita's devil side.

"Don't worry Maa...ham ab Noor pe ek nishaan bhi nhi aane denge... She deserves love..and I'll give it to her. She's my wife now, my other half, and I'll take revenge to that bitch for keeping her like for years." Rivan shot back, his eyes filled with unspoken anger.

Later that night, after dinner, Rivan took Noor to their room.

Noor wasn't feeling afraid anymore, because she knew, she's in safe arms, her husband's arms. She had expected him to be cold with her, not talk to her or be rude with her because she was his replaced bride, but he didn't did anything from them. He just accepted her,as his wife.

"Aap jake change kar lijiye..."

Rivan said to her and went to grab a pillow from bed to sleep on couch.

Noor stood on the edge of bed and looked at him before something came in her mind.

"Ae...ji..." In a soft, low, trembled voice she spoke and those words make Rivaan froze instantly. For the first time in one week, she talked him with her own.He turned back and looked at her, his ears turning deep red along with his cheeks.

"Ji...?" He said, softly, the way he never talked to anyone else.

"Wo..." Noor started saying but couldn't form words properly.

"Boliye..." He took a step closer to her, making her even more nervous.

When he noticed her nervousness, he instantly stopped amd tooked a step back.

"Aap...bed pe hi so jaiye na.." she said hesitantly, her eyes lowered. The silence stretched between them for a moment before Rivaan spoke,

"You...will get uncomfortable.."

Noor lifted up her eyes and looked at him for a moment, then slowly drifted closer to him, by gathering some confidence.

"You are my husband...I can never be uncomfortable with you...and what you did for me today..increased my respect for you even more in my life Rivaan ji.."

Her instant words made him freeze suddenly.

"What...did you just said...?" He asked, his voice low.

Noor got afraid suddenly, thinking If she said something wrong. Tears welled up in her eyes but didn't fall.

"I..wo...w..."

"Shh..shh...don't panic....I'm not scolding you noor..." Rivan calmed her down, assuring her that she's safe.

"Just..what did you said..after life.."  he asked softly, moving closer to her.

"R...ri..Rivaan...ji.." she said, and a tear  streamed  down her cheeks but Rivaan caught it and took that drop on his finger.

"I can't let this precious gem slip down of my wife's divine eyes noor... You don't need to be scared with me, I'm your husband hmm..? No need to be scared. Be comfortable with me..I'm with you always and forever.."

Rivaan wiped her teary eyes and kissed them one after another.

And this, this small things made Noor's heart bloom and something twisted in her stomach.

Without thinking, she moved closer to him, clutched his shirt and hugged him hard, letting her face bury in his chest. His hands trembled for a moment at her sudden action but then he carefully put his hands on her back and massaged it..

"Shh..don't cry again please...I can't see tears in my wife's eyes again..you have already suffered with so much problems, now it's time for happiness in your life baby.."

Noor's cheeks blushed suddenly at the  word Baby and she hide her face in his chest again, blushing hardly.

After a while, she pulled back, and looked at him and smiled. He smiled back, kissing at her forehead.

"Noor...did I made you uncomfortable by kissing.....I'm...so..sorry...I just can't take my eyes off you...you are so divine...so pure.." Noor's eyes turned bright at his words and again, she was a deep tomato.

She moved closer to him, lowering her eyes, still blushing and in a low tone she said,

"I'm.. comfortable with you now....i trust you completely Rivaan ji..and..you can never make me feel uncomfortable.."

Rivaan gently cupped her face with both hands, and leaned closer

"it's not about that baby..just remember one thing, it doesn't matter if I'm your husband, your body is yours, not mine. And if you ever...ever feel uncomfortable, just tell me...and if you want.slap me or beat me....it doesn't matters if I'm your husband also, if you will say stop, I'll stop. I'll never force myself on you or you to do anything with me. If it's your permission, then only we will do anything.. understand?"

Noor listened to his words carefully and silently, prayed in her head,

"Thankyou Mata Rani..for giving me a husband like Rivaan ji..I'm so grateful to you mata rani.. he's.. he's so good.. he's.. he's the best."

Lost in her own thoughts, noor just looked at him, meanwhile her mind was filled with prayers. Rivaan noticed this and called her,

"Did you understood it? Baby.."? Noor suddenly got out with her own thoughts, and looked at him again, and suddenly smiled blushing and ran towards the cupboard to set her clothes.

Rivaan stood their confused for a moment, that why she suddenly ran like this blushing then thought to take a shower and decided to talk to her later.

After shower,he changed into a trouser and white shirt and entered the room.

Noor was preparing the bed, completely focused on her work. He leaned against the wall and saw her, completely focused in her work, looking beautiful.

"She's so innocent, I can never hurt her...but I can't even control myself infront of her...huh..control Rivaan, she's still in college. It's not right time to become a Mom for her.." Rivaan thought in his head.

He gently pushed up and walked towards her,and stood behind her.

As Noor turned, she saw him, tall, in that white shirt and black trousers, standing in front of her, too close .

Hesitantly, she asked,

"Kya hua....maine koi..galti kar di kya..?"

("What happened...did I make any mistake..?" )

She spoked softly, afraid again.

"Nhi baby..I was just admiring my wife..."

She blushed slightly, and lowered her eyes.

"Go....change.." He said, not in an authorative tone, but in a caring tone.

She walked towards the cupboard and took out a blue nighty, velvet yet soft and comfortable, and changed into it.

When she came back, Rivaan was doing some work in his laptop, but as he heard the sound of her anklets, he lifted his head and looked at her.

"Fuck Rivaan Singh Ranawat. She's going to be the death of me...ugh..."

He just looked at her, and gulped hard. While Noor, gently sat on the left side of bed, expecting him to come.

"Ji...suniye.." she said, almost like a whisper, not wanting to disturb him.

He looked up, and raised an eyebrow,

"Hmm?"

"Aapko...hamare sath uncomfortable lag rha hai kya?"

("Are you feeling.. uncomfortable with me?")

Rivaan's eyes got confused at her sudden question. He closed his laptop instantly and step towards her, and sat beside her on bed.

"And who said this to you?" He asked, looking straight into her eyes that made something twist in her stomach.

"Ji...wo..aap waha kaam kar rahe hai..and..yahan sone nhi aa rahe to hame laga..—" Before she can say something further, Rivaan cut her off and spoke,

"Baby..you are too innocent..I was just doing some work on laptop and..aapke sath..." He took her hand in his and covered it with his other hand.

"Hame kabhi bhi uncomfortable feel nhi ho sakta Noor..."

She smiled at him, and then, he carefully laid her on bed and switched off the lights and slide beside him but still maintained a safe distance.

Noor noticed it and her face got sad again.

"Ae ji...aap hamse itna dur kyu lete hai." She said, her face becoming sad again.

Rivaan noticed it and turned towards her and said,

"Baby.. I was just thinking aapko...space chahiye..and uncomfortable—"

"Nhi hai ham uncomfortable....and I trust you completely" Noor said, shifting closer to him.

He smiled at her words and moved closer to her and opened his arms and she immediately snuggled into his embrace.

"Baby.." Rivaan whispered, caressing her hair

The room was in a dim light atmosphere that made the surrounding even more intimate.

"Jii..?" Noor replied, her small fingers playing with the buttons of his shirt.

"Aapka admission Aadhya ke college me karwa de?"

Noor's fingers stopped on his shirt and she looked at him confusingly.

"Studies? But...hamari shadi..ho chuki hai..—"

"Shadi ho chuki hai to iska matlb ye to nhi na ki aap apni studies puri nhi kar sakti Noor?" Rivaan cut her off

"But...hamare upar itte paise kharch..karna—" Rivaan's eyes darkened instantly but he chosed to be gentle with her and turned towards her.

"Listen Noor..you are my wife..and yahan sab aapko bahu nhi beti mante hai..and rahi baat paison ki to you are a part of my life, an important part and ye sare paise aapke bhi hai..khali hamare nhi..and I'll fucking spend as much money as you want on you...don't ever think you don't deserve it ok?"

A hint of proudness shined on Noor's face as she heard his words, and she clutched his shirt.

"Jii.." she softly spoke, her hands again moving to his shirt buttons.

"To..karwa de?" Rivaan asked, his hands moving to her hair and fingers massaged her scalp.

"Jii..." Noor replied softly and then the couples slept in peace that night.

Next morning....

Rivaan Opened his eyes and found the most tempting sight of his life infront of him.

His wife

In just her Blouse and Underskirt

Infront of mirror

"Fucking hell...I can't control myself when she's like this.."

He thought to himself.

Noor was struggling to tie the dori (string) of her blouse and was frustrated now

But then,her eyes fell on the mirror of the vanity and she saw him

Her husband

Looking a

t her, with that messy hair and sleepy eyes

_____

How was the chapter please let me know guyss!! 😭🎀