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Ranveer hadn't intended to share more, but Maya persisted, and he no longer wanted to keep it hidden from her. She deserved to know.
“Ever since my mother's death, her unfinished words about Dev Malik have haunted me day and night. I was losing my sanity, Maya.” He gripped her arm again on the table, seeking either strength from her or giving her some. “One night, I secretly went to Malik's house to kill him.”
Maya's eyes widened in shock. He had gone to kill Dev Malik?
“I was so close to ending his life with a gun. He was peacefully asleep, and I had the gun pointed right at his head.”
“Ranveer...?” she held his trembling hand.
“I was about to pull the trigger when Dhruv knocked on the door and woke him up. I had to flee. I ran away like a coward.”
His eyes welled up with tears. For the first time ever, Maya saw this vulnerable side of Ranveer Malhotra. She didn't know if she should feel sorry for him, scared of him, or annoyed that he had come so close to committing such a grave sin.
Chapter 52
Paradise
“Does that scare you?” Ranveer asked guiltily. “I could have been a murderer.”
His blunt question about his past motives made Maya's insides clench. But she responded wisely, “Would you feel guilty if you'd committed that crime?”
“No,” he replied almost immediately. “If he killed my mother, he deserves no life. His death by my hand would be honorable, not just natural or by another. I just need solid proof against him. I've tried for years to get it.”
His intense gaze frightened her, leaving her speechless.
“Do I scare you?” he asked, touching her arm.
“Yes, you're scaring me, Ranveer. Not because you want to be a murderer, but because that would end everything.”
He looked confused, so she explained, “You're not single anymore. You married me, took on family responsibility. As your wife, I won't let you take the law in your hands, no matter how heinous Dev Malik's crimes are. If he really harmed your mother, we'll drag him to court, ensure he never sees freedom. But I'll never back you killing that man for revenge. I won't let you spend life imprisoned. I’m sure your mother would agree with me. She wouldn’t want to see you like this either.”
Ranveer was conflicted, wanting to argue yet also realizing from her concern how important he was to her now. And that touched his heart.
Just then Laura interrupted, “Mr. Patel is here urgently to see you both.”
Ranveer wiped his mouth. “Send him in. I'll see what it's about. You finish the rest of your meal,” he said to Maya.
“I want to know too what Patel is here for.”
“You can listen, but finish eating first. I don't want you to starve.”
Before she could argue, he left for the living room.
“Sorry for the unannounced visit,” Patel apologized.
After sitting, Patel removed an envelope from his briefcase. “We've found the culprit.”
Ranveer recalled last time Patel had traced Maya's accident car to Vivek Bajaj. The news had devastated Garima. He opened the envelope to find pictures of the same maroon car, with a woman inside. But her face was unclear.
“We got these from the CCTV cameras near the accident site. This car followed Maya's and just minutes later, the accident happened. A woman was driving.”
Maya had come in and took the photos. “Has to be Adira,” Ranveer fumed. “I'll have her arrested. She's crossed the line if she'd go this far.”
He started making a call but Maya stopped him. “I don't think it's Adira.”
“What's wrong with you?” he shouted. “That's Bajaj's car. Adira's the only woman who'd drive it and there's no report of it missing. Despite the proof you think it's not her?”
“Yes, look closer. This woman is thinner than Adira. And she's wearing a cap, you can't see her face clearly. It may not be Adira after all.”
