Night had already depended by the time the car left the glowing skyline behind.

Istanbul looked quitter from the side of the bridge- darker streets, fewer lights, the hum of distant traffic blending with the Bosphorus wind.

Inside the car, silence lingered for a few seconds.

Then-

“YOU KNOW THEY WORSHIP YOU, RIGHT?”

Revansh kept his eyes on the road.

“THEY WORK HARD. THAT’S ALL.”

Ayaan smirked at the passenger seat.

“NO. THEY STAY BECAUSE OF YOU.”

Revansh didn’t respond.

Streetlights passed over his face in golden flashes.

“YOU COULD’VE ENJOYED MORE TONIGHT,” Ayaan added. “FOR ONCE.”

“I DID.”

Ayaan looked at him sideways.

“YOU LAUGHED. HISTORIC MOMENT.”

A faint huff escaped Revansh’s lips.

“DON’T MAKE IT A THING.”

The road ahead curved sightly.

When picked up.

And the-

A shadow.

The sudden movement.

A figure stumbling onto the road.

“REV---!”

The brakes screeched violently.

The car jerked to a halt.

For a half second, there was only sound of their own breathing.

Ayaan’s heart slammed against his ribs.

“DID WE------?”

Revansh had already opened the door.

Cold night air hit his face as he stepped out.

Ayaan followed.

A few feet ahead of the headlights-

A girl.

Bare legs scraped against asphalt.

Clothes torn at the edges.

His disheveled, falling across a tear-streaked face.

She looked like she had been running for hours.

She tried to stand-

Collapsed.

Revansh moved instantly, crouching beside her.

“HEY. CAN YOU HEAR ME?”

Her fingers gripped his sleeve.

Tight.

Desperate

Her lips trembled

And in a broken whisper-

“PLEASE……SAVE ME.”

Ayaan froze

There was a fear in her eyes.

Not fear of them.

Fear of something behind her.

Revansh’s jaw tightened.

“FROM WHO?”

She shook her head weakly.

Tears slipped down her cheeks.

“THEY’RE COMING….”

Her body gave up.

She slumped forward.

Revansh caught her before she hit the ground.

Ayaan looked up and down the empty road.

The night suddenly didn’t feel quite anymore.

It felt like it was watching.

“REVANSH……”

Headlights in the distance flickered far behind them.

Too far to be coincidence.

Revansh’s voice turned cold. Controlled.

“PUT HER IN THE CAR.”

“ARE YOU SURE?”

His eyes darkened.

“SHE ASKED FOR HELP.”

Ayaan swallowed.

As they lifted her into the back seat, her fingers still clutched at Revansh’s shirt, even unconscious.”

And somewhere in the distance-

An engine grew louder.

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The mansion gates opened in silence.

The car entered. Headlights cut across marble walls and trimmed hedges.

Ayaan stepped out first, opening the back door carefully.

Revansh lifted her in his arms.

She was burning.

Even through the thin fabric of her torn clothes, he could feel the heat radiating from her skin.

“SHE’S BURNING UP.”

Ayaan shut the door quickly.

“THIS IS BAD, REV.”

They moved fast inside.

The house was quiet — too elegant, too controlled for the chaos they had just brought in.

Revansh didn’t take her to the main guest suite.

He walked straight to the private wing.

A room that was rarely used.

Soft lights.

White sheets.

He placed her gently on the bed.

Her head rolled slightly to the side.

A faint whimper escaped her lips.

Revansh stepped back for a second, scanning her injuries.

Scratches on her knees.

Bruised wrists.

Fear still written on her unconscious face.

Ayaan stood near the door.

“WE SHOULD CALL A DOCTOR.”

“I ALREADY DID.”

His voice was calm. Controlled.

But his jaw was tight.

He pulled a chair beside the bed and dipped a cloth into cold water.

Carefully placed it on her forehead.

She flinched weakly.

“IT’S OKAY.”

He didn’t know why he said it.

Maybe to calm her.

Maybe to calm himself.

Her lips moved again.

Barely audible.

“DON’T… SEND ME BACK…”

His hand paused mid-air.

Ayaan noticed.

“BACK WHERE?”

Revansh didn’t answer.

He adjusted the cloth again.

“NO ONE IS SENDING YOU ANYWHERE.”

The words left him before he thought about them.

A promise.

To a stranger.

Ayaan crossed his arms, watching him closely.

“YOU REALIZE THIS ISN’T SMALL, RIGHT?”

“I KNOW.”

“WHAT IF SOMEONE COMES LOOKING?”

Revansh finally looked at him.

Eyes darker now.

Colder.

“LET THEM.”

Silence fell between them.

The doctor arrived shortly after.

Quick examination.

High fever due to exhaustion. Stress. Dehydration.

Nothing fatal.

Medicine was given.

Injection administered.

She didn’t wake.

When the doctor left, the room grew quiet again.

Ayaan checked the time.

“IT’S 3 A.M.”

Revansh didn’t move from the chair.

His fingers lightly adjusted the blanket over her.

“GO SLEEP.”

“AND YOU?”

He looked at her face.

Even in fever, she looked terrified.

Like she expected to wake up somewhere worse.

“I’LL STAY.”

Ayaan studied him for a long second.

Then nodded.

The door clicked shut softly as Ayaan left.

The room dimmed.

Only the bedside lamp remained on.

Hours passed.

At one point, she started shivering.

Revansh immediately leaned forward.

“HEY… EASY.”

He replaced the cloth again.

Checked her temperature.

Still high.

She instinctively reached out in her sleep.

Her fingers caught his wrist.

Held on.

Tight.

Like letting go meant falling.

His body stilled.

For a few seconds, he considered moving away.

He didn’t.

Instead—

He let her hold on.

Outside, dawn slowly began to colour the sky.

Inside that quiet room—

The man who controlled boardrooms and billion-dollar deals

Sat awake beside a girl who had crashed into his life.

And for the first time in a long time—

He wasn’t thinking about business.

He was thinking about who she was running from.

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.

Morning light slipped through the sheer curtains.

The room was quiet.

Too quiet.

Her fingers twitched first.

Then her eyes fluttered open.

White ceiling.

Soft sheets.

A room she didn’t recognize.

For two seconds, she stayed still.

Then memory crashed back.

Running.

Headlights.

Voices.

She gasped and pushed herself up.

Pain shot through her leg.

She winced but tried again.

Her feet touched the floor.

The moment she tried to stand—

Her injured leg gave way.

She stumbled, grabbing the side table.

Breathing fast.

“NO… NO… NO…”

Panic crawled up her throat.

She limped toward the door anyway.

Half-hopping. Half-dragging herself.

The door opened.

And she froze.

Revansh stood there.

Behind him, an older maid held a tray with a bowl of soup.

Revansh’s expression changed instantly.

“HEY— EASY.”

She stepped back immediately.

Fear flooded her face.

She looked around wildly.

Trapped.

She tried to move past them—

Her leg failed again.

She fell against the wall.

Revansh moved fast, instinctively reaching for her.

She flinched violently.

“DON’T TOUCH ME!”

Her voice cracked.

The maid stepped back nervously.

Revansh raised both his hands slowly.

Palms open.

“I’M NOT GOING TO HURT YOU.”

Her breathing was uneven.

She limped toward the far corner of the room and pressed herself against it.

Like a wounded animal.

Eyes wide.

Scanning the exits.

“PLEASE… I’LL LEAVE. JUST LET ME GO.”

Revansh’s jaw tightened.

But his voice remained steady.

“YOU’RE INJURED.”

“I DON’T CARE.”

“YOU HAD A HIGH FEVER LAST NIGHT.”

She shook her head desperately.

“I CAN’T STAY.”

The maid looked at Revansh for instruction.

He nodded slightly.

She quietly placed the tray on the side table and left the room.

Now it was just the two of them.

Silence stretched.

He took one careful step forward.

She pressed harder into the wall.

“STOP.”

He stopped immediately.

“FINE. I’LL STAY RIGHT HERE.”

He lowered himself slowly onto the chair near the bed.

Creating distance.

“YOU’RE SAFE.”

“NO ONE IS SAFE.”

Something in his expression shifted.

But he didn’t push.

“WHO WERE YOU RUNNING FROM?”

Her eyes flickered with fear again.

She didn’t answer.

Instead, tears filled her eyes.

Her voice dropped to a whisper.

“PLEASE DON’T SEND ME BACK.”

There it was again.

That same line from last night.

He leaned forward slightly.

Careful. Calm.

“LOOK AT ME.”

She didn’t.

“LOOK AT ME.”

Slowly… hesitantly… her eyes lifted.

He kept his tone firm but gentle.

“NO ONE IS TAKING YOU ANYWHERE.”

Her lips trembled.

She slid down the wall and sat on the floor.

Hugging herself.

Then the tears came.

Not soft ones.

Not silent ones.

They broke out of her like something she had been holding for too long.

Revansh didn’t move closer.

Didn’t touch her.

He just stayed there.

Letting her cry.

After a while, he spoke again.

Lower.

“WHAT’S YOUR NAME?”

She wiped her face roughly.

Hesitated.

Like even giving her name was dangerous.

Finally—

“…TARA.”

He nodded once.

“I’M REVANSH.”

Silence again.

Her eyes were still wary.

Still unsure.

Still ready to run if she could.

But she wasn’t shaking anymore.

And she wasn’t screaming.

It wasn’t trust.

Not yet.

But it was the first crack in the fear.

And Revansh noticed.

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Morning stretched into noon.

Revansh stood in his study, phone pressed to his ear, eyes occasionally drifting toward the hallway that led to Tara’s room.

“MR. KARAOĞLU, I APOLOGIZE FOR THE CHANGE OF PLAN.”

A pause on the other side.

“YES, I’D PREFER IF YOU CAME TO THE HOUSE.”

Another pause.

His tone remained steady.

“IT WON’T AFFECT THE DEAL. I ASSURE YOU.”

He ended the call.

Behind him, Ayaan leaned against the doorway.

“YOU CANCELLED OFFICE?”

“POSTPONED.”

“FOR A STRANGER?”

Revansh adjusted his watch.

“SHE’S SICK.”

Ayaan studied him.

“YOU DON’T EVEN KNOW HER FULL STORY.”

“I DON’T NEED TO. SHE WAS TERRIFIED.”

Ayaan sighed.

“YOU’RE GETTING INVOLVED.”

Revansh’s voice hardened slightly.

“I’M BEING HUMAN.”

Before Ayaan could reply, the doorbell echoed through the mansion.

An hour later—

Mr. KARAOĞLU, mid-40s, sharp suit, calculating eyes, sat across from Revansh in the private lounge.

Documents lay open between them.

Tea steamed quietly on the table.

“I DIDN’T EXPECT A BILLIONAIRE CEO TO HOST ME AT HOME,” Mr. Karaoğlu said smoothly.

Revansh didn’t smile.

“I DON’T MIX PERSONAL AND PROFESSIONAL. TODAY IS AN EXCEPTION.”

Mr. Karaoğlu glanced around subtly.

“FAMILY EMERGENCY?”

A slight pause.

“SOMETHING LIKE THAT.”

The meeting moved forward.

Numbers. Shares. Expansion into Ankara.

Serious conversation.

Precise negotiation.

Ayaan watched silently from the side, impressed as always.

After an hour—

Hands were shaken.

“WE’LL FINALIZE THE CONTRACT NEXT WEEK,” Mr. Karaoğlu said.

“YOU’LL HAVE THE DRAFT BY TONIGHT.”

The client left.

The house felt quiet again.

Too quiet.

Ayaan stretched his arms.

“YOU’RE INSANE, BY THE WAY.”

“WHY?”

“HANDLING A MULTI-MILLION DEAL WHILE PLAYING SECRET GUARDIAN.”

Revansh ignored that.

Instead—

He looked toward the hallway.

A strange feeling settled in his chest.

“I’LL CHECK ON HER.”

They walked together toward the guest room.

Revansh knocked once.

No response.

He opened the door.

The bed was empty.

Blanket slightly crumpled.

Window curtains moving gently.

His expression changed instantly.

“TARA?”

No answer.

Ayaan stepped inside quickly.

Bathroom door — open.

Empty.

Revansh walked to the window.

It wasn’t wide open.

But it wasn’t fully closed either.

His jaw tightened.

“SHE COULDN’T HAVE GONE FAR.”

Ayaan’s tone sharpened.

“WITH THAT LEG?”

Revansh turned toward the hallway.

Voice cold now.

Controlled anger.

“CHECK THE SECURITY CAMERAS.”

Ayaan moved immediately.

“REV…”

Revansh didn’t look at him.

His eyes were dark.

Focused.

The protective calm from last night—

Gone.

“LOCK THE GATES.”