Chapter 3: A Debt of Blood and Heart

Half an hour ago, the bodyguard called and told me a truth Rohan had deliberately hidden:

There’s always that one phone call in your life that changes everything—the one that comes late at night, when the city’s hush makes every word echo. The bodyguard’s voice was steady, but I could sense the tremor beneath.

"Miss Sharma, do you remember five years ago, when Second Young Master took you trekking in the mountains and you accidentally fell into a gorge?"

I could almost smell the crisp pine air of Manali, the snow crunching beneath our boots, and the distant sound of temple bells below. My heart skipped as the memory flashed.

"The eldest young master led us in the rescue, searching for three days and nights before finding you, already frozen in the snow. By then, you had stopped breathing!"

My chest tightened as I imagined Kunal, normally as distant as the moon, carrying my limp body through the blizzard. Suddenly, every filmi rescue scene I’d ever mocked felt too real.

"The eldest young master told the second young master that werewolves can split half their lifespan with their partner, as long as a blood ritual is performed on the night of the full moon!"

The words hung in the air, as strange and weighty as the pandit’s chants during havan, their meaning only half-understood but deeply felt.

"The blood ritual is another form of marking!"

"Once the blood ritual is performed, you become their only partner for life!"

"But the second young master refused, unwilling to accept your death, holding you and crying his heart out!"

"In the end, it was the eldest young master who saved you!"

The image of Kunal—always stoic, always distant—making such a sacrifice for me, hit me harder than any heartbreak ever had.

"You were really lucky; that night happened to be a full moon!"

"The eldest young master, to save you, performed the blood ritual and split half his lifespan with you, marking you as well. For the rest of his life, he can only treat you as his only partner!"

"The second young master begged the eldest not to tell you about this!"

"For five years, every full moon night, the eldest young master has endured it alone, never disturbing you, and strictly forbade anyone from telling you about the blood ritual!"

"But tonight he really can’t hold on, he’s seriously injured and at death’s door, and it’s the full moon again. Without you, he won’t make it through!"

"Please, can you come help him?"

My hands trembled, phone slippery with sweat. I wanted to scream, to run, but my legs felt rooted to the cold marble floor.

I never imagined that five years ago, I had actually died once.

Rohan, who had cherished me since childhood, was unwilling to sacrifice half his lifespan to save me, but it was his cold, king-of-hell brother who saved me from death!

But I still hardened my heart and told the bodyguard:

I took a shaky breath, summoning every ounce of stubbornness Ma ever praised and every drop of pride Papa’s silence taught me.

"Sorry, Rohan needs me more tonight!"

I’d rather be ungrateful and rush over to help Rohan get through it!

But I was mocked by Rohan as a puppy who comes whenever called, a worthless plaything!

Yes, I really am cheap!

Deserving to be looked down on!

But, I won’t be cheap again from now on!

With that, I wiped my tears on the corner of my dupatta, the fabric scratchy but oddly comforting. The fluorescent lights above flickered in sympathy—reminding me that, no matter what, the world keeps spinning.

I wiped away my sad and humiliating tears, gripped my phone and said to the bodyguard:

"Is it still in time for me to repay the life-saving favour now?"

"If tonight Kunal needs me, I’ll go now—whatever it takes!"

The bodyguard was overjoyed, his voice trembling with tears:

"It’s not too late, it’s not too late!"

"Miss Sharma, I’ll send you the location right away!"

"If the eldest young master weren’t gravely injured and at death’s door this time, and if it weren’t the full moon, I would never dare to disobey his orders and tell you this. The eldest young master is very strict!"

I understood, Kunal probably just wanted to save my life, nothing more!

He doesn’t want me to get attached!

And I just want to repay his life-saving favour!

It’s not because I was hurt by his younger brother and am now throwing myself into his arms!

I pressed my palm to my chest, feeling the thud of my own heartbeat, as if it was asking me to choose myself for once.