The room explodes.

Rudra whirls around. “What bullshit are you—”

“I said,” Yug repeats evenly, his voice deadly quiet, “I’m the man she’s talking about.”

Shock freezes everyone.

Including me.

He turns slightly toward me, just enough for me to hear his next words.

“Now,” he murmurs. “You owe me two”

My heart pounds.

This engagement is over.

My family is already broken.

And now I’m standing between a furious fiancé, a fake lover,a man I should never have crossed paths with.

Yug meets Rudra’s glare without blinking.

“And if you raise your voice at her again,” he adds softly, “you’ll forget what standing feels like.”

You could hear a pin drop.

Rudra laughs first. Sharp. Disbelieving. Dangerous.

“You?” he scoffs, stepping toward Yug. “You’re my uncle. Don’t joke.”

Yug doesn’t move.

“That wasn’t a joke,” he says evenly.

Rudra’s jaw tightens. His fists clench. “So now you’re lying for her? To save face?”

I finally found my voice.

“I don’t need saving,” I say, stepping forward. “And I don’t need lies.”

Everyone turns to me.

I look at Rudra—really look at him. The man I was supposed to marry. The man who couldn’t even deny loving my step-sister.

“You humiliated me first,” I continued calmly. “I just chose to end it publicly.”

Juhi gasps. “Alia, how can you be so heartless? I never meant to hurt you. Love just… happened.”

I tilt my head. “Funny how love only happens when someone else is engaged.”

Rudra’s mother rushes forward again. “Beta, please. Think practically. Your father’s company—”

“There it is,” I cut in, my smile bitter. “The real reason.”

Murmurs spread.

“Yes,” I say loudly now. “My father’s company is drowning in debt. Debt he created. Debt they expect me to pay by marrying into this family.”

My stepmother stiffens. “Alia—”

“No,” I snap, turning to her. “You don’t get to speak now. You never did when it mattered.”

Juhi’s eyes brim again. “You’re exaggerating—”

“I grew up watching you get everything,” I say coldly. “Love. Protection. Support. While I learned how to live alone.”

Rudra snarls, pointing at him. “So this is real? You think you can just take her away and play hero?”

Yug finally looks irritated.

“I’m not taking anything that isn’t freely walking away,” he says. “And as for hero—” he pauses, eyes flicking to Rudra, “you wouldn’t recognize one.”

That does it.

Rudra lunges forward.

Gasps. Screams.

Before anyone can react, Yug moves.

Fast.

He grabs Rudra’s collar, twists, and pins him against the table in one clean motion. Glass rattles. Plates crash.

“Touch her again,” Yug says quietly, “and I’ll forget you’re my nephew.”

Rudra freezes.

So does the room.

Yug releases him and steps back as if nothing happened.

I exhale.

Then I do the last thing anyone expects.

I remove the ring from my finger.

It lands on the table with a soft clink.

“Engagement cancelled,” I say clearly. “Congratulations, Juhi. You can have him.”

Juhi stares at the ring like it might burn her.

Rudra’s mother looks devastated. “Alia, please—”

“I’m done being the solution to everyone else’s problems,” I say. “Find another sacrifice.”

I turn to leave.

Yug follows.

Outside, the night air hits my face, cool and sharp. My legs finally give a little.

“What the hell was that?” I whisper.

He stops beside me. “You needed an exit.”

“You didn’t have to involve yourself.”

His gaze meets mine. Steady. Intense. Familiar in the worst way.

“I wanted to.”

Silence stretches.

Then, softer, he says, “But this ends here. Outside—”He pauses. “—we don’t exist.Strangers”

I let out a short, bitter laugh. “Story of my life.”

He studies me for a moment, eyes sharp, assessing—not judging.

“You’re pretty bold,” he says.

I meet his gaze without blinking. “I can be bolder.”

Something shifts in his expression. A slow smirk curves his lips, equal parts amusement and warning. He doesn’t reply. Instead, he turns and walks toward his car like he hasn’t just tilted my world on its axis.

I watch him go.

Hmm.

Yug Malhotra.

Rudra’s uncle.

Powerful. Controlled. Dangerous in a quiet way.

I fold my arms, a slow smile forming as a thought settles comfortably in my mind.

I will make sure that scumbag calls me chachi every single time he sees me.

Not out of revenge.

Out of principle.

But most importantly the debt needs to get paid.