Susheela and Vinod, still bristling with indignation, tried to justify Aakash's actions. "It's not entirely his fault," Susheela said, voice trembling with frustration. "This… this cursed fate of yours, Yuvaan, has caused nothing but suffering. Your mother's condition… your birth—everything—has brought misfortune to this family!"
Vinod's eyes flashed with anger. "If your father hadn't died because of you, and if your mother hadn't gone mad… none of this would have happened. You're the cause of our pain!"
Bhoomi, who had been quietly sitting in the room, felt an unease she couldn't shake. She wanted to intervene, to go downstairs, but a staff member gently stopped her. "Ma'am, please rest. You've just taken your medicine," they reminded, concern in their voice.
Downstairs, Kiara looked at Yuvaan. For the first time, she saw tears glistening in his eyes, his usual invincible aura shaken. Her heart ached seeing the warlock, the Kaal Vansh reincarnation, so human in his pain.
Before anyone could react, Angad stepped forward, his voice firm. "This isn't his fault! You've ruined him, all of you. His childhood… his life… you made it miserable with your hatred and your cruelty!"
The words hit like thunder in the room. Yuvaan, silent until now, turned sharply and stormed upstairs, his cape flowing behind him like dark fire. Kiara's gaze followed him, her chest tightening as she watched him leave, feeling both fear and concern for the man behind the warlock's mask.
Angad's voice trembled with controlled anger as he turned toward the family. "You deprived our brother of love as a child. He had to learn to be strong, to survive… You see him as arrogant, as cruel, but that's just his defense mechanism against all the cruelty you inflicted on him!"
Kiara's eyes widened as she processed his words. Her mind raced—Yuvaan, the warlock who could summon storms and command the impossible, must have endured a childhood scarred with trauma. A pang of empathy pierced her heart as she realized the depth of the pain that shaped him.
Vikram and Varun watched silently from the sidelines. Vikram whispered under his breath to Varun, "This family has no idea… no idea what he is capable of if pushed beyond his limits."
Riddhi, flustered and embarrassed, snapped at Angad. "Shut up! Stop defending Yuvaan! He is… he is exactly what they say he is!"
Kiara's head whipped toward Riddhi, her voice sharp and furious. "Just shut up!!"
The room fell into tense silence. Angad's expression was unwavering, Vikram and Varun exchanged worried glances, and Kiara's eyes burned with a mix of anger and realization. The truth about Yuvaan's past—and the strength it forged in him—was slowly settling in, and no one in that room was ready to confront it.
Kiara's voice rang out, sharp and unwavering, cutting through the tense murmurs of the room. "Just stop it all of you!" she exclaimed, pointing at the family. "Blaming a child for every unfortunate incident that has happened… and all because he was born? Cruelty, selfishness, hypocrisy—that's what this family bred! Did anyone stop to think what he must have gone through as a child in your hands? His mother absent-minded, his responsibilities forced upon him when he was barely old enough to even understand them…"
Susheela opened her mouth to intervene, but Kiara's glare silenced her instantly. "I won't hear a single word against my husband. When people have a family like this, who even needs enemies?" Her tone dripped with pity as she shook her head, imagining the hardships Yuvaan endured. The guests exchanged uneasy glances, whispering comments about the family's cruelty.
Without waiting for a response, Kiara turned and walked upstairs, her head held high. Varun and Vikram exchanged worried looks, their concern evident. "She's… she's going to get too attached to him," Varun murmured, a hint of fear in his voice.
Meanwhile, in his room, Yuvaan's chest convulsed. The sigil etched into his heart flared violently, reacting to the emotional outburst outside. He collapsed to his knees, clutching his chest in excruciating pain. Furniture began to levitate around him, suspended in the air by his uncontrolled energy. With a groan, he bit down on his arm, trying to stifle the scream that threatened to escape.
Kiara, having just reached his room, froze at the doorway. Her eyes widened in shock as she took in the scene: Yuvaan, her formidable, unflinching warlock, crumpled in agony, surrounded by floating objects, struggling to contain the pain that emanated from him.
Kiara didn't hesitate. She rushed forward, her heart hammering, and knelt beside him. "Yuvaan! What's happening?" she cried, her hands trembling as she reached out.
Her eyes widened in horror as she saw it—black veins snaking across his neck, spreading onto the fabric of his shirt, and his chest seemed to burn with an unnatural fire. Her breath hitched. His heart… his heart is on fire!
"Kiara… go…" Yuvaan rasped, his voice strained with pain.
"Shut up!" she snapped through her tears, grabbing him firmly. "I'm not leaving you!" Her palms pressed against him, holding him close as her tears fell freely.
Yuvaan, despite the agony wracking his body, wrapped his arms around her. He buried his face in her shoulder, letting her support him while he trembled. The strength of her embrace and the warmth of her presence grounded him.
And then, silently, without either of them noticing, the Trident mark on Kiara's back began to glow, a soft golden light that pulsed in rhythm with her heartbeat. Slowly, the black veins on Yuvaan's chest faded, the fire that had been consuming him dimmed, and the pain that twisted his body eased.
Yuvaan exhaled a long, shuddering breath, his eyes fluttering closed as he sank into her arms. Kiara cradled him gently, her tears still flowing, but relief washing over her. For the first time, she realized the depth of their bond—silent, unseen, but powerful enough to heal even a Warlock King in torment.
He slept in her arms, and she held him close, her heart silently vowing to never let him face such pain alone again.