A Business Proposal and a Late-Night Confession

The chaos at her bakery had been a cold, stark splash of reality. Anika had spent the last two days processing it all. The men from the Khans had been a clear message—no matter where she went, she was not safe. But Vikram's response, his quiet, ruthless authority, had been an even clearer one. He had not just protected her; he had claimed her and her family as his own. She was his now, a part of his world, and there was no going back. Her quiet defiance had given way to a new kind of resolve. If she was to be a weapon in his war, she would be a sharp and efficient one. She would no longer be a prop or a passive bystander.