The morning began in the warmest way possible—with laughter, teasing, and the most heartwarming sight: Bella feeding Ruhani while Vidyut sat beside them, savoring his coffee and watching his two girls with unfiltered love.
After a delightful family breakfast, Vidyut helped Bella pack her bag for her day as a junior resident doctor. His protective nature kicked in as he went over every little detail—her lunch, a water bottle, even a reminder to call him if she needed anything.
Bella rolled her eyes but smiled, feeling overwhelmed by the love. “Vidyut, I’m going for work, not a battlefield.”
He smirked, adjusting the collar of her white coat. “Same thing.”
With a last lingering kiss on her forehead, Vidyut drove her to the hospital. Before she stepped out, he held her hand and whispered, “Call me if anyone dares to mistreat my wife.”
Bella laughed. “Yes, Mr. Overprotective.”
With that, she walked into the hospital, her heart full, unaware of the storm waiting for her husband.
---
Scene Shift: Vidyut’s Office – The Storm Returns
At Rathore Industries, Vidyut walked into his office, flipping through some reports, when his assistant rushed in with a pale face.
“Sir… someone is here to see you,” she hesitated.
Vidyut lifted his gaze, already sensing something was off. “Who?”
Before the assistant could answer, a woman barged in.
Shikha Bedi.
His ex-wife.
She stormed in like a whirlwind, her manicured fingers clutching her designer handbag, her lips curled in a sneer. Her eyes, dark with rage, raked over Vidyut as if she had the right to judge him.
“Well, well, well,” she drawled, shutting the door behind her with a loud thud. “You didn’t waste a damn second, did you?”
Vidyut’s jaw ticked. “What the hell do you want, Shikha?”
She took a step forward, her heels clicking against the marble floor. “You married her, didn’t you?” she spat, venom dripping from every word. “Your surrogate?”
Vidyut’s eyes darkened. “Mind your words, Shikha.”
“Oh, please.” She let out a mocking laugh, throwing her bag onto his desk. “You think you can fool the world? That you’re some perfect family man now? You’re a pathetic joke, Vidyut.”
His hands clenched into fists, but his voice remained eerily calm. “You have no place to talk about pathetic, Shikha. Not after what you did.”
She tilted her head, her lips curling into a smirk. “Oh? And what exactly did I do, Vidyut?”
He exhaled sharply, stepping closer, his presence looming over her. “You cheated. You lied. You broke our marriage. And now you have the audacity to question my happiness?” His voice was laced with icy rage.
Shikha’s smirk faltered for a second before she scoffed. “Cheated? Lied? Oh please, Vidyut. You were the fool who believed in love. I just had my fun.”
Vidyut’s body tensed, his fingers twitching at her disgusting confession.
“I mean, come on,” she continued, circling him like a predator. “Did you really think I was going to live my life as Mrs. Rathore, tied to a man who was so boring and predictable?”
His nostrils flared. “You disgust me.”
“And yet,” she whispered, leaning in dangerously close, “you were obsessed with me once.”
Vidyut let out a humorless chuckle. “I was blind once. There’s a difference.”
Her smirk twisted into anger. “And now you think you’re in love? With her?” She scoffed. “You’re pathetic. You replaced me with a nobody.”
The moment the word nobody left her lips, something snapped inside Vidyut.
His voice dropped to a deadly whisper. “Bella is everything you could never be.”
Shikha’s face twisted in rage. “Oh really? So tell me, Mr. Devoted Husband, if she’s so perfect, why haven’t you even announced your marriage to the world?”
Vidyut stilled.
Shikha’s eyes gleamed at the flicker of hesitation. “Ah. That’s right,” she smirked. “You’re ashamed of her, aren’t you? That’s why the world still thinks you’re single. Because no matter how much you pretend, deep down, you know she will never be good enough.”
Vidyut’s control shattered.
In one swift movement, he grabbed her wrist, his grip tight but controlled. “I haven’t announced my marriage because my wife and daughter’s safety matter more than some stupid headlines. But make no mistake, Shikha—Bella is a thousand times the woman you’ll ever be.”
Shikha’s smirk faltered.
Then, as if on cue, she suddenly stumbled—falling right onto Vidyut.
And in that exact moment—a camera clicked.
The flash was blinding.
Shikha let out a fake gasp, clutching Vidyut’s shirt dramatically. “Oh my god, Vidyut, you caught me,” she whispered loudly, knowing exactly what had just happened.
Vidyut shoved her away, but it was too late.
The damage was done.
She smirked, picking up her bag. “Oops. I wonder how Mrs. Rathore will react to this.”
Vidyut’s blood boiled. “You planned this.”
She winked. “See you in the news, darling.”
With that, she strutted out of his office, leaving Vidyut standing there, his fists clenched, his heart hammering.
Less than an hour later—
BREAKING NEWS: Vidyut Rathore Spotted in a Cozy Moment with his ex Wife! The Business Tycoon Seems Happy—Is He Moving On with her again ?
The photograph splashed across every media channel—Vidyut standing with Shikha, her body leaning into his, her hands gripping his shirt, his expression unreadable.
And the world still had no idea about Bella.
---
The ride back home was silent.
Bella sat in the backseat of the car, her fingers absentmindedly scrolling through her phone. She hadn’t been looking for it, but the news had found her anyway.
BREAKING NEWS: Vidyut Rathore spotted in a cozy moment with his mystery woman! The business tycoon seems happy—Is he moving on?
The words barely registered as her gaze fell on the picture.
Vidyut.
And her.
Shikha Bedi.
The woman who was supposed to be nothing but a forgotten name from the past was now plastered all over the internet, clinging onto Bella’s husband like she still had a claim on him.
A scandal. A perfectly orchestrated scandal.
Bella’s lips parted slightly as she stared at the image. Vidyut’s posture was stiff, his expression unreadable, but that didn’t matter. The world saw what it wanted to see.
The caption beneath it burned into her mind.
"Vidyut Rathore finally moving on! The businessman, who has kept his personal life hidden, was seen today in an intimate moment with a stunning beauty. Sources claim she is an old acquaintance—perhaps an old flame? Is Vidyut finally ready to open his heart again?"
Bella exhaled slowly.
Not in anger.
Not in pain.
Not even in disbelief.
Just silence.
Her fingers locked her phone, and she gazed out of the window as the car sped toward home.
But even as the city lights blurred past, her mind remained unnervingly blank.
---
Scene Shift: Rathore Mansion
The moment Bella stepped inside, she was met with something far more exhausting than the scandal itself.
A smirk.
Shikha Bedi sat gracefully on the plush sofa, legs crossed, one hand holding a glass of wine, the other twirling a strand of her hair with feigned innocence.
"Oh, look who finally decided to come home," Shikha drawled, setting her glass down. "How was work, darling?"
Bella didn’t respond.
She simply stepped forward, her expression unreadable, as she pulled off her scarf and placed it neatly on the console table.
Shikha continued, her lips curling into a mocking smile.
“I must say, Bella, I almost felt bad for you today.” She pouted dramatically. “Imagine being so unwanted that your husband has to hide your existence from the world.”
Bella’s fingers twitched.
But she didn’t react.
She simply removed her coat, as if Shikha’s words were nothing more than background noise.
But that only seemed to provoke Shikha further.
“You know,” she mused, standing up and circling Bella like a predator, “I really thought Vidyut would have higher standards. But then again, you were always just a replacement.”
Bella’s jaw tightened.
Shikha took a step closer, her voice dropping into a venomous whisper.
“You do know, don’t you?” She tilted her head. “That no matter what you do, he will always belong to me.”
Bella finally turned.
Her gaze met Shikha’s, dark and calm.
Too calm.
Shikha expected anger. She expected rage. She expected Bella to cry, to scream, to break.
But there was nothing.
And that terrified her.
Before she could say another word—
The doors slammed open.
Vidyut.
His presence sucked the air out of the room, his sharp gaze immediately locking onto Bella, scanning her face for any sign of pain.
Fear twisted in his chest when he saw none.
Not anger.
Not sorrow.
Just a blank canvas.
His heart clenched.
“Bella…” His voice was raw, urgent. “Whatever you saw—”
Shikha laughed.
“Oh, look at you,” she sneered, walking over to Vidyut, dragging her fingers along his chest. “So desperate to explain yourself. Why? Afraid your little wife won’t trust you anymore?”
Vidyut flinched away from her touch. His body stiffened, his glare slicing through her like a blade.
“Get out.”
Shikha gasped dramatically. “But why? I was just keeping your wife company. You know, woman to woman.”
" Also I wanted to see the child made out of you two " she said
“Shikha.” His voice was dangerous now. “Leave. Before I throw you out myself.”
“Oh?” She raised an eyebrow. “And then what? Go to your precious wife and beg for forgiveness?” She let out a cruel laugh. “What will you say, Vidyut? That you didn’t enjoy my touch? That you didn’t love the attention?”
Vidyut’s nostrils flared, but before he could respond—
Bella spoke.
“I don’t need an explanation.”
The room froze.
Shikha’s smirk faltered. Vidyut’s head snapped toward his wife, his breath catching in his throat.
Bella stood still, her gaze locked onto Vidyut’s, her expression unreadable.
Shikha let out an amused chuckle. “Well, well, that’s a surprise. No dramatic outburst? No questioning his loyalty? God, Bella, you really are pathetic.”
She stepped closer, whispering in Bella’s ear.
“Or maybe… you already know you were never his first choice.”
And that’s when it happened.
A sharp, deafening sound tore through the room.
SLAP!
Silence.
Utter, deathly silence.
The air in the room turned heavy, suffocating, as time seemed to pause.
Shikha stood frozen, her head snapped to the side, her eyes wide in shock.
Vidyut’s breathing was uneven, his fists clenched, his entire body tense.
And Bella—
Bella simply stood there, her hand still raised, her chest rising and falling in calm, controlled breaths.
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