The morning sun cast harsh light through the courtyard as Vijay emerged from Aradhya's chamber, his jaw set with grim determination. The gentle man who had comforted his first wife through the night had transformed into something far more dangerous—a husband who had discovered betrayal in his own home.

Radhika sat in the main hall, her hands resting protectively over her growing belly, playing the part of the wronged woman. She looked up as Vijay's footsteps echoed across the stone floor, and for a moment, her carefully constructed mask slipped. The cold fury in his eyes made her blood run cold.