The apartment door clicked shut behind her.

Silence.

For a moment, Khushi simply stood there.

The smile she'd worn all day—the one she'd forced through meetings, through tears, through Arnav Raizada's cruel words—finally disappeared.

Her shoulders sagged. The office folder slipped slightly in her grip.

And suddenly the apartment felt too quiet.

Too empty. Too safe.

Because the moment she was alone...

she didn't have to pretend anymore.

Slowly, she walked toward her bedroom.

Every step felt heavier than the last.

She sat down on the edge of the bed. Still wearing her office clothes. Still holding the folder she'd forgotten to put down. Still hearing his voice.

A bitter laugh escaped her. Then another voice echoed inside her head. Cold. Cruel. Unforgiving.

"Become my mistress."

Khushi squeezed her eyes shut.

No.

She didn't want to hear it again. But the memory wouldn't leave.

His face. His eyes. The hatred. The accusation.

The way he'd looked at her like she was a stranger. Like she was the villain of his story. Her chest tightened.

A tear rolled down her cheek. Then another.

Before she knew it, she was crying. Really crying.

The kind she'd spent six years learning how to hide.

She covered her face with both hands.

Trying to stop. Trying to breathe. Trying not to fall apart.

Failing miserably.

Then, a creak.

The bedroom door slowly opened.

Khushi froze. She lowered her hands.

A tiny face peeked through the gap. Messy dark hair. Sleepy eyes.

A stuffed dinosaur tucked beneath one arm.

Aarav. Her entire world.

"Mommy?"

The tiny voice shattered what was left of her sadness. Instantly, Khushi wiped her tears. Forced a smile.

"Hey, baby."

Aarav wasn't convinced. He walked into the room. Slowly. Suspiciously.

Exactly like a tiny detective investigating a crime scene.

"Why are you crying?"

Khushi shook her head.

"I'm not crying."

Aarav narrowed his eyes. Clearly offended by the lie.

"Mommy just had a bad day?"

The question hit harder than she expected. A bad day. Such a small description for what had happened. Such a simple explanation. And somehow...it felt perfect.

Khushi swallowed. Then nodded.

Aarav thought about this for exactly two seconds. Then immediately climbed onto the bed. And then into her lap.

Like it was his assigned seat. Like he'd been doing it his whole life. Which, honestly, he had.

"Oh."

He sat there thinking. Very seriously. Khushi waited.

She knew that look. It meant her son was solving a problem. Usually in the weirdest way possible.

Finally, Aarav looked up.

"Can we have the bad day tomorrow?"

Khushi blinked.

"What?"

"I'm sleepy today."

The seriousness on his face lasted exactly one second before Khushi burst out laughing. A real laugh. The first real laugh she'd had all day.

Aarav smiled proudly. Clearly pleased with himself.

"Okay."

He nodded. Then added:

"Tomorrow I'll fight the bad day demon."

Khushi laughed again.

"The bad day demon?"

"Yep."

Aarav sat up straighter. Completely serious.

"He made Mommy cry."

For a second, Khushi couldn't speak. Her throat tightened. Not from sadness. From love. Because in Aarav's tiny world, every problem had a solution. Every monster could be defeated. Every tear could be fixed. And if someone made his mother cry? Then clearly they were a villain.

And villains got defeated. Simple. Easy. Certain.

Khushi wrapped her arms around him and pulled him close.

"My hero."

Aarav grinned. Mission accomplished.

"Let's sleep."

A few minutes later, Aarav was already half asleep. Still clutching his dinosaur. Still talking nonsense between yawns. Within minutes, he was gone. Lost somewhere in dreams.

Later that night...the room was quiet.

Only the soft glow of the bedside lamp remained.

Khushi lay beside him. Watching him sleep. One tiny hand still clutching the sleeve of her shirt.

As if even in his dreams he needed to make sure she was still there.

Khushi smiled. A real smile this time. The kind only Aarav could bring out.

For the first time all day...she felt okay.

Then, a soft buzz broke the silence.

Her phone lit up on the nightstand.

Khushi frowned. Picked it up. And froze.

A single message. No greeting. No explanation. No signature needed.

She knew exactly who it was.

8:00 AM. Don't be late. — Arnav

The smile vanished from her face. Just like that.

Outside, the city slept peacefully.

Inside, Khushi stared at the screen.

Because tomorrow...she would have to face him again.

And this time...there would be no escape.