Praneet seethed in the shadows, her sharp gaze fixed on the sprawling haveli that seemed quieter than usual, its once vibrant energy dulled. The news of Daman’s death at the hands of Chote Thakur, followed by his imprisonment, had sent ripples of chaos through the region. For Praneet, it had been a game-changer, forcing her to step back and reassess her plans. The upheaval, however, wasn’t what truly gnawed at her—it was Srikant.

In the past month, she had studied him carefully, each movement, each flicker of emotion, each crack in his carefully constructed facade. The Srikant she saw now was nothing like the unyielding man she had known. To the servants and maids, he was still the imposing figure who ruled with an iron fist, but to her, the cracks were visible.