Welcome back, dear readers, to another pivotal chapter of Mine Yes! Forced to be Yours Mr. Devil. In this chapter, you'll see the walls Rudra has built around himself begin to crack as he and Anaya delve deeper into the mystery of the Singhaniya legacy. The tension between them, both personal and professional, reaches a turning point as they unlock not only secrets from the past but also emotions that have long been buried. Get ready for a blend of revelation, vulnerability, and perhaps a spark of something deeper.
/////___ AUTHOR POV:-
Rudra's gaze flicked between the key and Anaya. His usual cold, distant demeanor had softened slightly, though his face still held that familiar guarded expression. But there was something different in his eyes—a kind of relief, perhaps even gratitude. For the first time in years, he wasn't carrying this burden alone.
"We should head back," Rudra said, breaking the silence, his voice steady but lower than usual. "We have everything we need."
Anaya nodded in agreement, her heart still racing. She slipped the two previous keys into the bag with the wooden locker, the third one now completing the set. As they turned back toward the staircase, the sound of their footsteps echoed eerily in the empty crypt, a reminder of how long this place had been forgotten.
They climbed the winding staircase back up into the main house, the cool air of the crypt slowly giving way to the warmer, musty air of the upper floors. Anaya's thoughts swirled as they moved through the mansion's halls, replaying everything they had discovered over the last few days. She couldn't help but feel a growing anticipation for what lay ahead, for what secrets the locker might hold.
But more than that, she was thinking about Rudra—about how this journey had changed him. She had seen glimpses of the man behind the cold exterior, seen him let down his walls, if only for a moment. There was something undeniably vulnerable about him now, something that made Anaya feel even more connected to him than before.
---
As they stepped out of the old Singhaniya house and into the bright afternoon sunlight, Rudra led the way back to the car. Anaya followed, her mind still focused on the keys and the locker. But just as she reached for the car door, she felt Rudra's hand on hers, stopping her for a moment.
She looked up at him, her breath catching slightly at the unexpected contact.
"Anaya," Rudra began, his voice quieter than usual. "I don't think I've ever thanked you—for all of this."
Anaya blinked, taken aback by his sudden sincerity. She had never expected him to express gratitude, not like this. She had been helping him because she wanted to, not for any thanks or recognition.
"There's no need to thank me," she said softly, her voice steady but warm. "I did this because… I wanted to help you. I wanted to understand you."
Rudra's eyes darkened for a moment, as if her words had struck something deep inside him. He held her gaze for a long, quiet beat before he nodded and released her hand, his touch lingering for just a second longer than necessary.
Without another word, they both climbed into the car, the weight of the moment still hanging between them as Rudra started the engine. The drive back to the Singhaniya mansion was filled with a different kind of silence than before—not awkward, but contemplative, as if they were both processing everything that had led them to this point.
Rudra's thoughts were still swirling around what Anaya had said. She had helped him without expecting anything in return, and that was something he wasn't used to. In his world, everything had a cost—every favor, every action, every word spoken. But Anaya had shown him something different, something he hadn't known how to accept at first. Care. It was foreign to him, and yet… he had begun to rely on it.
He had always viewed his grandfather's riddles and the locker as a burden—a test he had to complete alone, to prove himself worthy of the family legacy. But now, with Anaya beside him, the weight felt lighter, as if the puzzle had become something more than just a duty.
As they sped down the national highway, Rudra couldn't help but glance at her from time to time, his thoughts shifting between the mystery of the locker and the woman sitting beside him. She had come into his life unexpectedly, and now she was the one unravelling the very secrets he had guarded for so long. But for some reason, he wasn't angry. He was curious.
---
Back at the mansion, the atmosphere had shifted. Komal and Rakhi were still sitting in the garden, chatting over their tea when Rudra's car pulled into the driveway. Rakhi, always observant, noticed them first. She nudged her mother gently, her eyes lighting up at the sight of Rudra and Anaya stepping out of the car together.
"They look… different," Rakhi murmured, a smile tugging at the corners of her lips. "I've never seen Rudra like this with anyone."
Komal glanced over, her experienced eyes taking in the scene. She nodded slowly, a soft smile crossing her face. "I told you, Rakhi," she said. "Anaya is good for Rudra. I've seen it from the beginning. She's bringing out something in him that none of us could reach."
Rakhi sighed contentedly. "I think you're right, Mom. She's the perfect match for him."
They watched in silence as Rudra and Anaya walked side by side toward the mansion, the quiet conversation between them visible even from a distance. Komal and Rakhi shared a knowing glance but didn't call out to them, letting the moment between Rudra and Anaya unfold naturally.
---
As they approached the front door of the mansion, Ravi, ever attentive, appeared and walked toward Rudra.
"Sir, should I take care of the car?" Ravi asked, his usual polite demeanor in place.
Rudra shook his head. "No, Ravi. I'll handle it. You can go."
Ravi hesitated for a moment, glancing at Anaya once more, as if expecting some further explanation. But he knew better than to question Rudra. With a respectful nod, he stepped back and disappeared around the corner.
Anaya smiled faintly at the exchange. She knew Ravi was probably wondering what they had been doing and why Rudra was being so protective of the car, but there was no need to explain. This journey had been for them and them alone.
As they entered the house, the familiar warmth of the mansion wrapped around them. The house was quieter than usual, with most of the family members occupied with their own activities. Anaya glanced around, feeling the anticipation rise in her chest. They were finally back, with all three keys in hand, and the locker waiting to be unlocked.
Rudra led the way up the staircase, his long strides purposeful. Anaya followed closely behind, the bag with the locker still slung over her shoulder. As they reached Rudra's private study, the same place where this journey had begun, Anaya felt her heartbeat quicken.
Once inside, Rudra closed the door behind them, shutting out the rest of the world. The atmosphere in the room felt charged, as if something monumental was about to happen.
Anaya placed the wooden locker on Rudra's large desk, the weight of it heavy with significance. She carefully pulled out the three keys, laying them next to the locker, each one representing a part of the mystery they had solved together.
Rudra stood beside her, his gaze fixed on the locker, but his thoughts seemed far away. Anaya could feel the tension in the air between them—the culmination of everything they had been through, the weight of the past finally coming to a head.
"Are you ready?" Anaya asked quietly, glancing up at him.
Rudra's eyes met hers, and for a moment, the distant, cold exterior he always wore slipped away. There was something raw and unguarded in his expression, a vulnerability he rarely allowed anyone to see.
"I've been ready for this for years," he said, his voice steady but filled with emotion.
Anaya nodded, her fingers trembling slightly as she took the first key and slid it into the lock on the wooden box. Rudra watched intently as she turned it, the soft click echoing through the room. One by one, she inserted the other two keys, each one unlocking a different compartment of the box.
Finally, with all three keys in place, Rudra stepped forward. His hand hovered over the lid for a moment, as if he were hesitating, as if this final moment were too overwhelming. But then, with a deep breath, he lifted the lid.
Inside the locker, nestled carefully between layers of old, worn papers, was a single object—a small, intricately designed envelope sealed with wax. The seal bore the Singhaniya family crest, the same emblem that had been engraved on the locker itself.
Rudra reached inside, his fingers brushing against the envelope as though it held the weight of everything his grandfather had left behind. He picked it up slowly, turning it over in his hands before meeting Anaya's eyes.
"This is it," he whispered.
Anaya held her breath as Rudra carefully broke the wax seal and unfolded the envelope. Inside was a letter, the handwriting old and precise, unmistakably his grandfather's.
Rudra's fingers trembled slightly as he unfolded the aged paper, the weight of his grandfather's words pressing down on him. Anaya stood close by, her heart pounding, the significance of this moment hanging heavily in the air. This letter wasn't just a final piece of the puzzle; it was a revelation, a part of Rudra's legacy that had been hidden for so long.
He began reading aloud, his voice steady but thick with emotion.
"My dearest Rudra,"
"If you are reading this, then you have unlocked the final part of the puzzle I set before you. I know this journey hasn't been easy. It was never meant to be. But if you've come this far, you've proven your strength, resilience, and ability to shoulder the responsibility our family demands."
Rudra paused, his jaw tightening, and Anaya could sense the deep emotions stirring behind his composed exterior. The weight of his grandfather's legacy had always loomed over him, pushing him to live up to impossible expectations. Yet, something about this letter felt different—more personal, more revealing.
He continued reading, his voice gaining an edge of tension.
"Our family's legacy goes beyond wealth and power. These things, as you know, are fleeting. What truly matters, what will carry the Singhaniya name forward, is something more—wisdom, patience, and the relationships that will support and protect this legacy."
Rudra's brow furrowed as he read on, his eyes narrowing. Anaya could feel the shift in his tone. These weren't the typical words of a family patriarch passing down a business empire. These words were more intimate, as though his grandfather was speaking to the man, not just the heir.
"Rudra, this puzzle wasn't a test of your intellect or strength. It was a lesson. One I hope you've learned by now. The true burden of our family can never be carried alone. You must let others in. You must trust those who stand beside you."
Rudra stopped again, his hands clenching slightly around the paper. Anaya could see the internal struggle in his eyes—the years of solitude, of doing everything on his own, weighing heavily on him now. The realization was setting in. The puzzle, the keys, the riddles—it had never been about testing his ability to solve them. It had been about teaching him that he didn't have to face everything alone.
He continued, his voice quieter now, almost as if he were speaking to himself.
"When the time is right, you will know who to trust. Your strength lies not in isolation, but in unity. You cannot protect this family alone. The person who stands beside you now is the one who will help you navigate the challenges ahead. Don't push them away."
As Rudra finished reading, the room fell into a heavy silence. The air was thick with unspoken emotions. Anaya could see the vulnerability in his face, the way his grandfather's words had stirred something deep within him. He stood there for a moment, his eyes fixed on the letter as though it held the answers to everything he had struggled with for so long.
But then, something shifted.
Beneath the stack of old papers in the locker was a false bottom, nearly invisible, but Anaya's sharp eyes caught it. She gently lifted the compartment lid, revealing a hidden section of the locker. Inside were two sleek, metallic bracelets, intricately designed with the Singhaniya family crest engraved on them. They weren't just ordinary jewelry—they were advanced tech devices, the kind of innovation that seemed far ahead of their time.
Anaya's breath caught. She had heard about projects Singhaniya Corporation had been working on years ago—high-tech, cutting-edge devices meant to revolutionize communication and tracking—but none of those projects had ever seen the light of day. These bracelets were part of that lost project.
She turned to Rudra, her eyes wide with realization. "These… these were part of the tech your family was developing, weren't they?"
Rudra's face hardened, and he took the bracelets into his hands, inspecting them closely. His mind raced with the memories of his grandfather's secretive projects. Singhaniya Corporation had once been on the verge of launching something extraordinary, a piece of technology that could change the way people interacted, stayed connected, and navigated the world. But when his grandfather passed away unexpectedly, the project had disappeared—shelved indefinitely, never to be mentioned again.
"Yes," Rudra said slowly, his voice thick with emotion. "These were prototypes. They were never launched… no one ever found the research after he died."
The bracelets, designed to be worn by two people, were more than just trackers. They were part of a sophisticated system that allowed the wearers to stay connected, no matter where they were in the world. It was rumored that these devices could detect changes in the wearer's emotions, track locations, and even send alerts if the other person was in danger. It was the kind of technology that would have made Singhaniya Corporation the leader in innovation.
Anaya ran her fingers over the smooth surface of one bracelet, marveling at the sleek design. "Why didn't this project ever go public?"
Rudra sighed, his eyes clouding with memories. "When my grandfather passed, the project was abandoned. No one could find the details, the prototypes—nothing. It was as if the whole thing disappeared along with him."
Anaya glanced back at the letter, realizing that his grandfather hadn't just left a message for Rudra.
##To be continue...**