The morning sun filtered through the gauzy curtains, spilling soft gold across the silk sheets. For once, the estate was quiet—no echoes of footsteps, no urgent knocks or calls. Just the slow breathing of two people tangled in warmth.
Ryan Ashworth stirred first.
His eyes fluttered open, blinking against the sunlight. It took him a moment to remember where he was—India, the estate, Jane. And then he felt the subtle weight against his chest. Jane Blackwood lay curled beside him, her dark hair fanned across the pillow and a loose T-shirt—his T-shirt—slipping off one shoulder. Her expression was peaceful, vulnerable in a way only sleep could allow.
He smiled softly and stayed still. For once, he wasn't in a rush to be anywhere.
Minutes passed. Then Jane stirred. Her lashes fluttered, and her body shifted ever so slightly, her hand tightening around his waist.
"You're awake," she murmured, voice husky from sleep.
"So are you," Ryan replied, brushing a strand of hair from her cheek.
Jane propped herself up on one elbow, her eyes still heavy with sleep. "What time is it?"
"Almost nine."
She blinked. "Huh. I took today off."
Ryan raised an eyebrow. "You did?"
Jane leaned in and placed a soft kiss on his collarbone. "Consider it a reward. For surviving Armani yesterday. And for making me laugh."
He chuckled. "I think that's the first time I've been rewarded with a day off for buying a couple's watch."
"Well," she said, sitting up and stretching slowly, "when you look as flustered and adorable as you did, it counts."
They shared a lazy breakfast downstairs, still in their nightwear. The dining hall felt less like a palace and more like home today. A small table was set with croissants, fresh fruit, omelets, and two cups of strong coffee. The staff remained invisible, their presence barely a whisper.
Jane sat cross-legged in her chair, hair loose, sipping coffee like a regular woman—not the intimidating executive or elusive power broker. Ryan couldn't help but admire the way she looked without pretense. She caught his gaze and smiled knowingly.
"You're staring."
"I'm allowed to stare," he said. "I'm your husband."
She raised her cup. "Touché."
They lingered after breakfast, lounging on the veranda outside. Jane leaned into Ryan's shoulder as they sat on a cushioned bench. He played with her fingers absentmindedly, watching birds dart through the trees at the edge of the estate.
"This is nice," she said softly.
"Yeah," Ryan agreed. "It really is."
Just as he was about to say more, Jane's phone buzzed on the side table.
She reached for it, unlocked the screen, and went still.
Ryan watched her expression tighten just slightly.
"What is it?" he asked.
She didn't answer immediately. Instead, she handed him the phone.
A message from Aditya Singh glowed on the screen:
"Hey, Jane. Want to go shopping this afternoon? I found a few boutiques you might love. I promise not to flirt… too much 😏"
Ryan's jaw clenched. "He's still messaging you?"
Jane sighed and set the phone down. "He's persistent."
"How long has this been going on?"
"Since I arrived in India."
Ryan turned to her, surprised. "And you never reported him and handled him ? Told him off? You're Jane Blackwood. You don't tolerate this kind of behavior."
"I know," she said calmly. "But I was new here. I had just established this estate, my networks weren't secure, and I didn't want to draw unnecessary attention. Especially from someone as connected as him."
Ryan frowned. "Connected how?"
"Pharmaceutical dynasty," Jane said. "His family's tied to private hospitals, biotech firms, government procurement. If I pushed too hard or made him feel insulted, it could've made trouble I didn't need—at least not right then."
He leaned forward, voice low. "But you have your family. Why didn't you tell them? Get their support?"
Jane looked at him, her gaze steady. "Because that's not how it works, Ryan. In families like mine… you're expected to prove yourself on your own. The elders only interfere in life-or-death situations. Otherwise, every heir must stand alone, carve their own legacy."
Ryan blinked. "That sounds harsh."
Jane gave a faint smile. "It's the way of the top five families."
He tilted his head. "So… what are the other families? Who are they?"
She shook her head gently. "Not yet. You'll learn everything… in time."
Ryan's expression darkened as he glanced at her phone again. "But seriously… if you couldn't report him, couldn't you have just... taken him out?"
Jane raised an eyebrow, amused. "You mean kill him?"
"I mean… yeah. Quietly. Or hired someone. No strings attached."
Jane chuckled softly, then leaned back, folding her arms.
"Ryan," she said, "here's something you need to understand—when you're part of a family like mine, there is never an action that goes unnoticed. If I had him killed, his father might not know right away who did it, but my cousins? Oh, they'd know. And they'd tell."
Ryan looked at her, trying to piece it together. "Why would they snitch on you?"
"Because," she said coolly, "they'd benefit from it. They're three to five years older than me. They've already established their territories, their businesses, their power circles. I, on the other hand, just started building mine. They see me as a threat—not because I'm stronger, but because I'm new. If I make one wrong move, they'll drag me down before I grow too big to be touched."
She paused, then continued, voice thoughtful. "The elders won't directly interfere. That's the rule of equal trial and the one who would excel at this trail get the position of the head of their families. But others—our rivals, cousins, political players—they can. And the moment I give them ammunition, like a murder linked to me? They'll bury me before I even finish building my foundation."
Ryan leaned back, absorbing her words. "So... you've been playing a long game."
Jane nodded. "Exactly. The only reason I'm not at a total disadvantage is because, unlike some, I wasn't made to start from scratch. The family gave me two to three assets—businesses, networks—that were already somewhat established. My cousins had the same. It's their way of ensuring a fair competition... but the rest? I've had to earn every step of it."
She looked out at the trees in the garden. "Everything I have now—I bled for it. I learned patience, strategy, restraint. That's how I survive."
Ryan was silent for a long beat, watching her in a new light—this woman who smiled with confidence but carried a thousand calculations behind her eyes.
"I get it now," he said finally. "You weren't afraid of Aditya. You were afraid of making the wrong move."
She turned to him, a slow smile spreading across her lips. "Exactly."
He leaned in closer. "Then tell me, Jane... when the right move comes—will I be part of it?"
She didn't answer with words. She took his hand and squeezed it gently.
Her eyes said everything.
They didn't speak much after that. The afternoon passed quietly, the warm sun washing over them as they sat side by side. But beneath the silence, something had shifted.
A promise had been made.
And Ryan Ashworth, once a boy grieving in the shadows, now sat with fire in his chest and steel in his spine—ready to protect the woman beside him, no matter what shadows they'd have to walk through next.