"So, you're saying you're not actually married?" Niharika's eyebrow nearly threatened to disappear into her perfectly coiffed crimson hair. Acquainted for years, Sonica could read her face like an open book. And the implications, confusion, and conclusions only ended up making her feel more irritated.The plush office, usually a source of comfort for Sonica, felt sterile and suffocating today. She wasn't here for judgments."Exactly!" Sonica slammed her palms on the desk, the sharp crack echoing in the silence. "That's what I've been trying to tell you."A glint of challenge flickered in Niharika's sharp eyes as she leaned back in her luxurious office chair. Nibbling thoughtfully on the rim of her pen, she assessed Sonica, gauging the fight simmering beneath the frustration. "But why would he do this, Sonica?" She straightened, shaking her head. "Rudransh Shenoy is practically a king. Power, connections, resources and influence, he could grow gold out of grass. It just seems so absurd that he took the route that seems...""Unnecessary?" Sonica finished, the bitterness evident in her voice."Exaggerated. That's what makes it so infuriating. He could have tried anything, persuasion, charm, even a social media smear campaign if that's his taste. But this forgery? He has staked his reputation for you, Soni. It reeks of desperation—"...and a complete disregard for my autonomy," Sonica spat, the frustration bubbling over. "Like normal apologies and explanations would ever work for him. No, Niharika, for the past year, it's been like living in a stalker movie. Venice, Edinburg, Greece – everywhere I went, there he was, popping up like a bad penny."Sonica ran an angry hand through her dark locks, glowering at the shadows of the devilish memories that were still raw. "Flowers that could fill a florist's shop," She started counting on her fingers. "Cards with enough cheesy lines to make a Hallmark writer blush, and gifts that felt more like guilt bribes than anything else. Promises he never kept, apologies that rang hollow, and those desperate pleas for another chance? Ugh, it was like he was trying to drown me in a wave of insincerity."Sonica slammed her fist on the desk, startling Niharika slightly. "And the worst part? I was starting to melt even after witnessing the truth with my own eyes. You realize how horrible it is? He was tangled with another woman in a way that screamed volumes about feelings he never had for me. It was so easy for him to push himself in and out of her. His confession," An involuntary sob shook her. "h...how he...he never loved me, how our engagement was a joke to him. It took months, Niharika, months to pick up the pieces of myself after he bulldozed through my life."Sonica's voice softened, a tinge of vulnerability peeking through. Still, she blinked back the tears. She was done crying over him. She won't humiliated herself a second longer."Finally, I thought I was healing. Back at school, back at the internship at the news channel – you know, the one he mysteriously tried to buy out a few months ago? Starting to feel a flicker of my old self again. My parents thought the nightmare was over, bless their hearts."Sonica's eyes hardened with a newfound resolve. "But of course, he had to reappear, like a storm cloud scuttling back across the horizon. This time, though, Niharika," she leaned forward, her voice a low growl, "this time it's game on. He'll play his games, and I'll play mine. But this time, he'll be the one facing the consequences.""He's a..." Her fist tightened in frustration when she struggled for the right word, "a narcissistic control freak with a bottomless wallet.""Obsessed with you." Niharika stifled a smile but the glint of amusement in her eyes gave her away. "I am sorry. I just haven't heard or dealt with a case like yours in years. So, what legal action do you want to take? Annulment?""No!" Sonica recoiled at the word. "That would be acknowledging some twisted reality he's created. I want this entire farce exposed. This 'wedding' never happened. I want the authorities who changed my documents held accountable, and I want compensation for the travel ban they've placed on me!"Her voice hitched, threatening to break. "My manager's threatening to fire me if I don't attend the Munich Convention, but I can't leave the country! This is a nightmare.""Travel ban?" Niharika was stunned. Though an intern, Sonica was a journalist in-making. Her profession went hand in hand with digging for information and travelling all the time.It could ruin her."Yep." Sonica nodded with a sarcastic smile. It's shadows drew ghostly line on her face. "Apparently, my exact identity is unclear owning to my 'ambiguous' marital status." She air quoted what she thought was the absurdity of her life. "It's either I accept that he is my husband or they won't allow any movements. The man changed my passport!"Two days had passed since her attempt to reason with Rudransh. It had been a living hell. Her family was bewildered and furious, her boss on the verge of firing her, and her mental state hanging by a thread. She needed a swift resolution, a way to escape this web of lies.As if sensing her desperation, Niharika leaned forward. "Don't worry, Sonica. We'll get you out of this mess. But be prepared, this fight could get ugly. Rudransh Shenoy isn't someone who backs down easily, and his resources are vast. We need a strong strategy."A flicker of steely determination ignited in Sonica's eyes. "Ugly is my middle name, Niharika," Sonica declared. "If that asswipe is a billionaire, I'm a half-journalist. Digging dirt is a hobby. I'll tear him to pieces. Just take care of the legal side, ok?"Little did she know, the wheels of Rudransh's elaborate plan were already turning. A sharp knock on the door shattered the determined silence. Both Sonica and Niharika exchanged a wary glance before Niharika called out, "Come in."The door creaked open, revealing a uniformed police officer. His gaze swept across the room before landing on Sonica. "Are you Mrs. Sonica Rudransh Shenoy?" he boomed, his voice echoing in the tense atmosphere.Across town, Rudransh leaned back in his opulent chair, a smirk playing on his lips. The sound of Sonica's name, now seemingly attached to his, sent a thrill through him. He craved the day she would utter it with genuine affection, a day he was determined to make a reality.He wasn't blind to the absurdity of his actions. Guilt gnawed at him, a persistent echo of the heartbreak etched on Sonica's face when she discovered his infidelity. The memory fueled a self-inflicted torment that sleep couldn't banish.He readily admitted his faults: stupid, immoral, a complete jerk. The truth was, he'd never truly desired marriage with Sonica. Back then, he was young, yearning for freedom, and the engagement felt like a shackle. It was a childish rebellion that had landed him in a pit of his own making.A momentary pleasure that had cost him a piece of his soul and the whole of his heart.Only when she walked out, leaving a void in his life, did the truth dawn on him. He'd fallen for her, harder than he ever imagined. He tried denying it, ignoring it, wiping it but the feelings never vanished.He was hers—body and soul. But by the time he realized it: he was too late. The once cheerful girl had retreated into a concoon. Her light had dimmed and Sonica was merely a shell of a person she used to be.Only he knew how much he loathed himself for doing it to her. He deserved every punishment in the worst of it's form.In a way, his life has become one! Every day without her had been a colorless existence.He'd made a colossal mistake, but there was no way in hell he'd let it cost her. Redemption, that's what he craved. And in his twisted mind, he knew exactly how to achieve it.Meanwhile, back in Niharika's office, the air crackled with tension as the officer presented Sonica with a legal document. Her heart hammered against her ribs, a primal fear taking root. She knew the depths of Rudransh's madness all too well. With trembling hands, Niharika reached out and took the document, her lips pressed into a thin line as she began to read."To: Mrs. Sonica Rudransh Shenoy. This notice is served upon you under Section 9 of the Hindu Marriage Act, 1955, to seek restitution of conjugal rights."Silence descended upon the room as Niharika scanned the legal notice. Her brow furrowed in concentration, and a flicker of anger ignited in her eyes. Finally, she slammed the document down on the desk, the sound echoing like a gunshot."Restitution of conjugal rights?" Niharika spat out, her voice laced with disbelief. "What impudence from this man! Does he think a piece of paper can erase your reality, Sonica?"Sonica's breath hitched. Tears, a mixture of frustration, and a flicker of fear pricked her eyes. The battle lines were drawn, and she wasn't the one who initiated the fight. Rudransh had already set the game in motion, maneuvering her back into a position she desperately fought to escape. Was she truly powerless? Could he unilaterally decide the fate of a relationship she'd meticulously distanced herself from?Across town, a satisfied smirk played on Rudransh's lips as he signed the document. "You are mine, My Queen," he murmured, his voice laced with a possessive growl. "You were, and you will be again. This may turn into a war, but nothing, not even yourself, will keep you from me." His eyes, usually sparkling with mischief, now held a steely glint of determination that sent a shiver down his own spine.