"Your Highness, the jet has been prepared according to your instructions," Abhyansh's secretary informed him, keeping his head bowed.

"Rajputs..."

That was all Abhyansh said before settling into his car. The single word was enough. His secretary immediately understood.

Before leaving for his business trip, his boss was going to deal with the nuisance Kailash Rajput had become. Soon, Abhyansh arrived at the Rajput Palace.

He was welcomed with grand arrangements befitting a king.

One glance at the lavish reception was enough for him to realise that Kailash Rajput had laid a much bigger trap than usual. Abhyansh had no intention of falling into it.

Unfortunately... Fate had other plans.

Kailash Rajput and his wife welcomed him before escorting him to the grand dining hall, where an extravagant feast had been arranged.

"Kailash..." Abhyansh's cold, menacing tone echoed through the hall. "Come to the point."

Kailash forced himself to suppress the fear rising within him and led Abhyansh to his office.

"Mr. Ranawat," Kailash began, his voice unusually sweet, "you want me to stay away from your business. I accept all your conditions. In return... I need a small favour."

Abhyansh merely looked at him. The greedy old fox asking for a favour wasn't surprising. He expected him to ask for money... Or property.

What Kailash asked instead caught even him off guard.

"Marry our princess..." He paused deliberately. "Isha Rajput."

The moment those words left Kailash's mouth, Abhyansh grabbed him by the neck and lifted him off the ground.

There was no controlling his anger.

"Y-You... gave your word..." Kailash choked out, struggling to breathe.

Abhyansh shut his eyes for a brief moment. Slowly... he reined in his anger. Without another word, he threw Kailash to the floor and turned to leave.

"She is my elder brother's daughter."

Abhyansh's footsteps came to an abrupt halt. A wicked smile crept onto Kailash's face. He knew exactly how much Abhyansh hated his elder brother. Why wouldn't he? 

He also knew what would happen if Abhyansh married Isha. The Beast would make her life a living hell.

"Marry her," Kailash continued, getting back onto his feet. "You'll gain authority over her share of the Rajput properties... authority you'll allow me to manage. That's all I ask in return."

He wanted control over the vast fortune legally belonging to Isha. At the same time... he wanted to condemn her to a fate worse than death.

And there was no man more suitable to fulfil both his desires than...

The Royal BEAST.

For the first time since entering the palace... Abhyansh considered the offer. It solved more than one problem. His family wanted him to marry. His people had long wished to see a queen beside their king. No one dared say it to his face but he knew.

Now in his early thirties, marriage was something he intended to get over with sooner or later. The proposal also rid him of the constant nuisance called Kailash Rajput.

And above all... it gave him the opportunity to make the daughter of the man he hated suffer every single day of her life.

Only one question remained. Would she agree?

He was The Royal BEAST. The most feared man in the country. Despite his godlike features... his beastly aura alone was enough to keep every woman away.

Kailash Rajput understood exactly what was going through Abhyansh's mind.

A smirk slowly crept onto his face.

"I know what you're thinking. Whether Isha will agree to marry you or not." He chuckled softly. "After all, she's my brother's daughter... just like him. Hungry for power and money. She knows that by becoming your wife, she'll gain access to both. That's why she has already agreed."

His words intensified Abhyansh's hatred for the girl tenfold. But Abhyansh knew better than to trust Kailash Rajput's words.

"I want to hear it from her," he said in his cold tone.

"Of course. Why not?" Kailash replied before ordering his men to bring Isha.

A few moments later... Isha walked into the room with her head lowered.

"Isha, this is the man you're going to marry. Just like I told you... do you agree?" Kailash asked.

Without looking up... she nodded. Her eyes brimmed with tears.

Abhyansh's jaw clenched at her silent approval.

"Don't play games, Rajput." His cold voice echoed through the room. "Tell her who I am... then ask again."

The command made Isha shiver. Abhyansh noticed it. He wanted to make sure she knew exactly whom she was agreeing to marry.

"Isha..." Kailash said cautiously. "He is Abhyansh Singh Ranawat. Are you willing to marry him?"

Once again... she nodded without lifting her head.

"Answer with your mouth. Your would-be husband wants to hear it from you," Kailash said, almost smirking as his plan unfolded exactly the way he had expected.

"Y... yes, Kaku Sa," she whispered.

The very next second...

Abhyansh slammed his palm against the table. The loud thud echoed through the room. Isha flinched violently, her entire body trembling.

"I'll marry her in a week, immediately after I return from my business trip."

The declaration left no room for discussion. Without waiting for anyone's response, Abhyansh turned around and strode out of the office.

The room fell silent. Tears streamed down Isha's cheeks. She knew exactly who Abhyansh Singh Ranawat was.

The man the entire country knew as... The Royal BEAST. The cruelest man alive.

"Kaku Sa..." she called, trying to hold back her tears. "You said... you would let me work for a few months before the marriage."

"Oh?" Kailash smirked. "Princess Isha is feeling betrayed?" He laughed mockingly. "What should I do? Had he asked me, I would've told him to marry you after a few months. But he made the decision himself. So... What can I possibly do?"

Leaving behind a broken, sobbing Isha... he walked away.

Along with him... went every dream she had dared to hold on to. Now... her only hope was her brother. But even that hope felt impossible.

She couldn't contact him without Kailash finding out. And if her uncle discovered even the slightest attempt... he would make her suffer long before Ranveer could return to India.

----------------

That evening, Isha was serving dinner to her uncle and aunt when Kailash's phone rang.

The moment her eyes fell on the caller ID... hope flickered within her.

"Don't look so happy," Kailash warned, noticing the change in her expression. "If you utter a single word to Ranveer, I'll make your life a living hell."

He leaned back in his chair, looking straight into her frightened eyes.

"Even if your brother leaves for India this very moment, it'll take him at least ten hours to reach here. You can't even imagine what could happen to you in those ten hours." Fear gripped Isha's heart.

"What?" Kailash smirked. "You don't believe me?" 

"Madan... come here."

The moment she heard his name, a sob escaped her throat. She looked at the disgusting man shamelessly throwing lustful glances at her.

"Would you like to enjoy our princess?" Kailash asked casually, as though discussing the weather, but his words caused her to shiver.

"I would love to ravish the princess, Your Highness," Madan replied, his eyes roaming over her body.

Isha immediately dropped to her knees and clutched her uncle's feet.

"Please, Kaku Sa... don't do this to me. Please... I beg you..." she cried.

"He won't lay a finger on you..." Kailash said, looking down at her. "...provided you make your brother believe this marriage is happening with your consent."

A broken sob escaped her lips. She slowly nodded. Kailash knew his son would never agree to this marriage.

Ranveer knew exactly how cruel The Royal BEAST was. There was no way he would willingly let his sister marry Abhyansh Singh Ranawat.

That was why Kailash had made every effort to keep the alliance hidden from him. But someone... Someone still loyal to his elder brother... had evidently informed Ranveer. Now there was only one way to convince him. He had to hear it from Isha herself.

The phone continued ringing. Only when it rang for the fifth time did Kailash finally answer.

"What the hell, Father?" Ranveer's furious voice echoed through the room. "Why haven't you been answering my calls? And what am I hearing? How could you even think of getting Isha married to that Ranawat? You know how cruel he is! I won't let this happen."

The moment Isha heard her brother's voice... she covered her mouth and broke down.

Her brother.

The only person who had ever stood between her and this hell. She spoke to him occasionally. But every conversation was monitored by her uncle.

She had never told him about the torture she endured. Not because she wanted to hide it... but because she never wanted her brother to hate his own parents.

Today... for the first time... she wanted to tell him everything. She wanted to beg him. To save her. But Kailash's threat echoed in her mind.

She couldn't.

She simply couldn't.

Would her fate... ever change?

"Isha wants to marry him. I didn't force her, son," Kailash said in his fake sweet tone.

"Like hell I would believe your words! Stop the wedding. I'm leaving for India immediately," Ranveer said angrily.

"Alright, come if you don't believe me. Or better yet... ask Isha yourself." He handed the phone to Isha. "Lo beta, baat kar lo apne bhai se. (talk to your brother beta)"

Isha took the phone with trembling hands.

"Ishu... I know you don't want this marriage. Don't worry, I'm coming there. I won't let you marry that BEAST," Ranveer said lovingly.

"Bhai... I..."

She wanted to tell him everything. But before another word could leave her lips... two filthy hands landed on her shoulders. Her eyes widened.

Dread filled every inch of her.

"Yes, bacha... tell me," Ranveer encouraged her gently.

Kailash shot her a look that clearly said...

'Convince Ranveer. Only then will the hands stop.'

Isha folded her hands before her uncle, pleading silently.

But Madan didn't stop. His filthy hands continued wandering over her shoulders.

She kept jerking them away in disgust, but Kailash tightened his grip around her wrists, making it impossible for her to resist.

Slowly... Madan's hands began moving lower. Isha's eyes widened in horror. Just before they reached her breasts...

she spoke.

"Bhai... I-I'm okay with this marriage... I... I like him."

The filthy hands immediately moved back to her shoulders. She sighed in relief.

Looking at her uncle with pleading eyes, she silently begged him to make Madan stop this torture.

In return... Kailash merely glanced at the phone in her hand.

The message was clear.

'Make Ranveer believe you.'

All this while, her aunt continued eating her dinner peacefully, as though her husband wasn't busy torturing a helpless girl right in front of her.

She hated Isha to the core. She believed Isha possessed everything that rightfully belonged to her son.

Though... that was only one of the many reasons behind her hatred.

"What?" Ranveer's voice rose in disbelief. "Ishu... I know you're lying."

Before Madan's filthy hands could begin wandering again, Isha hurriedly interrupted him.

"Bhai... no. What's there not to like about him? He's rich... powerful... and he can give me everything. I'm tired of living like a caged princess. I want my freedom... and he's willing to give me that. I don't need anything else."

"Are you even my Ishu?" Ranveer asked, completely shaken. "What are you saying? I know you're desperate for freedom, but that doesn't mean you marry just any man... and certainly not Abhyansh Singh Ranawat. That man is bad news, Ishu. You won't be happy with him."

His voice softened.

"Please don't do this, bacha. Listen to me. I'll be there tomorrow. We'll talk about everything."

Kailash threw her a challenging look before silently mouthing...

'Stop him from coming to India.'

"No, Bhai..." Isha said, forcing herself to sound cold. "You don't have to come here. I know what I'm doing. I'm old enough to make my own decisions."

She closed her eyes.

"I'm not backing out of this marriage."

Hearing his sister speak those words shocked Ranveer to the core. It angered him like never before. And in that moment... he did the one thing Isha had never expected him to do. He snatched away the last hope she had.

"Fine!" he snapped. "Do whatever you want. I'm not coming there. In fact, I don't even want to attend this wedding. When that man tortures you every single day, don't come running to me."

With that... he disconnected the call and Madan moved away.

The moment Madan's filthy hands left her body, Isha collapsed onto the floor. All her hopes came crashing down. Now... there was no one left to save her.

Deep down, she secretly hoped her brother had understood her helplessness. But she knew... she was hoping against hope.

How could he possibly trust her words? Didn't he know his Ishu?

Days passed. Ranveer called her twice more. But every single time, she was forced to repeat exactly what her uncle had instructed her to say. Eventually... he gave up. He couldn't understand why his sister was behaving that way.

At first, he believed she was under pressure. To make sure she could speak freely, he deliberately called her mobile phone late at night, well past midnight, certain that his parents would be asleep by then. But even then... she told him the same thing. That she was happy with the marriage.

Gradually, Ranveer convinced himself that his sister had truly accepted the proposal.  After all... he knew how desperately she had always wanted to escape that house.

Believing her lies became easier than questioning them. What he didn't know... was that every phone call Isha received was secretly monitored by her uncle. The day her brother... the only person she had ever believed truly loved her... gave up on her... she cried until she had no tears left.

She didn't sleep the entire night. And when the sun finally rose the next morning...she didn't see the beautiful rays lighting up the sky.

She saw herself... slowly burning in that very fire.

Precap - Marriage and Isha's first introduction with her beast of a husband...