š¤ Title: The Devil's Gentle Touch
š Chapter 5: A Fever in Silence
---
Three days had passed since the rain.
Aanya was recovering. Her cough still lingered, and her energy came in waves, but Dev never let her lift a finger.
He brought her food, reminded her to take medicine, and stayed just far enough for her to not notice he hadn't slept.
But she did notice.
She noticed the red in his eyes.
The fresh bruises on his knuckles.
The quietness in his voice.
Something was wrong.
---
That night, she found him in his study.
Lights off. A glass of whiskey untouched beside him.
He sat in silence. The Mafia King, brought to his knees by thoughts he couldn't share.
He didn't look at her when she stepped in.
"Dev?"
No reply.
Her bare feet padded softly across the rug as she came closer.
He still didn't look.
But when she knelt beside him, she saw it.
His eyes were glassy.
Dev Raichand was crying.
She froze. Her heart squeezed inside her chest.
She had never seen a man so strong... look so broken.
"Dev, what happened?"
He shook his head. Bit his lip hard. Still trying to act like nothing cracked.
"It's fine. I'm fine."
But she wasn't backing down.
"You took care of me when I was burning up. Let me take care of you now."
And just like thatāhe let go.
His head fell into her lap.
His arms wrapped around her waist.
And he broke.
Not loud. Not messy.
Just soft sobs that shook through her thighs.
"I'm not a good man, Aanya..." he whispered.
"I've done things I can never tell you."
She gently stroked his hair, her fingers calming the fire in his chest.
"You don't have to be perfect," she whispered.
"You just have to be real with me."
He clutched her tighter. As if afraid she'd vanish if he let go.
---
That night, he didn't sleep on the edge of the bed.
He pulled her close. Buried his face in her neck. Held her like she was his lifeline.
And Aanya?
She didn't say a word.
She just let him feel safe ā for once.
Even devils need someone to hold them when their silence becomes too loud.