Monisha sat alone inside the back seat of her car.
The tinted windows were closed.
The driver sat several feet away, waiting quietly.
Monisha stared through the glass at the hospital entrance.
Her jaw was clenched.
Her fingers tightened around her phone.
She had been there earlier.
She had seen the hospital.
She had seen Vincenzo’s security surrounding the entrance.
And she had heard enough to know what had happened.
Purvi was alive.
Alive.
After everything.
Monisha’s breathing became heavier.
She looked down at her phone and immediately dialed a number.
The call connected after several rings.
“What happened?”
Monisha’s voice was sharp.
“What do you mean what happened?” she snapped.
“Your stupid plan failed.”
There was silence on the other end.
Monisha looked toward the hospital again.
“She was supposed to be dead.”
The person said something.
Monisha’s expression darkened.
“I don’t care what went wrong.”
She leaned back against the seat.
“I paid you to make sure that snake reached Lucia.”
Another response came through the phone.
Monisha’s eyes narrowed.
“And somehow that little idiot jumped in front of it.”
She laughed bitterly.
“Of course she did.”
The person on the other end spoke again.
Monisha’s fingers tightened around her phone.
“Don’t tell me to calm down.”
Her voice rose.
“I want a refund.”
Silence.
“I said I want my money back.”
The other person replied.
Monisha’s eyes widened.
“What do you mean no refund?”
Her voice became colder.
“Your plan failed.”
Another response.
“I don’t care if you think it wasn’t your fault.”
She leaned forward.
“Purvi is alive.”
She stared at the hospital.
“She’s alive, and now Vincenzo is going to investigate everything.”
The person on the phone said something that made Monisha freeze.
Her face changed.
“What?”
She listened.
“No.”
Another pause.
Monisha shook her head.
“Absolutely not.”
The person spoke again.
Monisha’s expression became furious.
“You said nobody would find out.”
Silence.
“You promised me.”
Another response.
Monisha’s breathing became uneven.
“Don’t threaten me.”
She suddenly lowered her voice.
“If you think I’m going to take the blame for your failure, you’re mistaken.”
The call remained silent for a few seconds.
Then the person said something else.
Monisha’s eyes widened slightly.
“You wouldn’t dare.”
A pause.
“Listen to me.”
Her voice trembled with anger.
“I paid you.”
She swallowed.
“And I want my money back.”
The other person responded.
Monisha’s expression turned furious.
“Fine.”
She ended the call.
For several seconds, she simply stared at the screen.
Then—
Crash!
She threw the phone against the floor of the car.
The device struck the carpeted surface and bounced against the seat.
Monisha’s chest rose and fell rapidly.
“Stupid.”
She ran both hands through her hair.
“Stupid!”
Her eyes burned with fury.
Everything had been perfect.
The snake had been released.
It had moved toward Lucia.
Purvi had been the one who interfered.
Monisha had watched the chaos unfold from across the ballroom.
For one horrifying moment, she had thought Purvi was dead.
Then Vincenzo had carried her away.
And now Purvi was alive.
Worse—
Vincenzo had stayed at the hospital.
He hadn’t returned to the mansion.
He hadn’t called Monisha.
He hadn’t asked about anyone else.
His entire focus had been Purvi.
Monisha clenched her teeth.
She hated that.
She hated Purvi.
She hated the way the family had welcomed her.
She hated the way Lucia called her child.
But most of all…
She hated the way Vincenzo looked at her.
Something had changed.
Monisha had seen it.
It wasn’t love.
Not yet.
But it was concern.
Fear.
Protectiveness.
And that terrified her.
Because if Vincenzo ever realized how much Purvi mattered to him…
Monisha would lose everything.
She stared through the tinted window.
“No.”
Her voice was barely audible.
“I won’t let that happen.”
Meanwhile, inside the hospital…
The atmosphere was completely different.
Purvi was sitting upright in her hospital bed.
Her hair was loosely tied behind her head.
The color had begun returning to her face.
She was still weak, but the smile everyone knew was finally back.
Isabella sat beside her.
Lucia sat on the other side of the bed.
“And then,” Isabella said dramatically, “Alessandro almost knocked over an entire table because he was trying to run after the snake.”
Purvi’s eyes widened.
“Really?”
Lucia laughed.
“He nearly fell.”
“I did not!”
Alessandro’s voice came from the doorway.
Everyone turned.
He stood there with his arms crossed.
Isabella immediately smiled.
“You did.”
“I slipped.”
“Because you were running.”
“Because there was a snake!”
Purvi laughed softly.
The sound filled the room.
Lucia smiled.
“That’s the sound I’ve been waiting to hear.”
Purvi looked at her.
“I’m sorry I scared you.”
Lucia reached over and gently touched her cheek.
“Don’t apologize.”
“But—”
“No.”
Lucia shook her head.
“You saved my life.”
Purvi smiled.
“I couldn’t just watch it bite you.”
Lucia’s eyes became emotional.
“And that is exactly why I love you.”
Purvi’s smile softened.
“I love you too.”
Isabella immediately pointed at her.
“See?”
She turned toward Alessandro.
“I told you she was officially one of us.”
Alessandro nodded.
“Definitely.”
Purvi laughed again.
She felt lighter.
For the first time since waking up, she wasn’t thinking about the snake.
She wasn’t thinking about the poison.
She wasn’t thinking about the hospital.
She was surrounded by people who cared about her.
Even if her marriage to Vincenzo had started as a contract, somehow this family had become something she hadn’t expected.
A home.
Lucia squeezed her hand.
“You frightened me terribly.”
Purvi lowered her eyes.
“I’m sorry, Grandma.”
Lucia immediately frowned.
“Don’t call me Grandma while apologizing.”
Purvi blinked.
“Why?”
“Because it makes me forgive you too quickly.”
Everyone laughed.
Purvi smiled.
Her smile was bright again.
Exactly the smile that had made the De Luca mansion feel different.
Isabella watched her for a moment.
“You know, when we brought you here, I thought you were going to be terrified.”
Purvi raised an eyebrow.
“Of what?”
“Of Vincenzo.”
Purvi laughed.
“I am terrified of Vincenzo.”
Everyone burst out laughing.
Alessandro shook his head.
“That’s the first honest thing you’ve said.”
Purvi smiled.
“He is terrifying.”
Lucia nodded.
“He’s always been.”
Isabella leaned closer.
“But you still married him.”
Purvi’s smile faded slightly.
“That wasn’t exactly my choice.”
The room became quieter.
Lucia squeezed her hand.
“I know.”
Purvi looked down.
Then she smiled again.
“But I don’t regret meeting all of you.”
Lucia’s eyes softened.
“Good.”
The door opened.
Everyone turned.
Vincenzo stood there.
He had changed clothes, but the exhaustion on his face remained.
His eyes immediately found Purvi.
She was sitting up.
Smiling.
Talking.
Alive.
Something inside him eased.
Purvi looked at him.
“You’re back.”
Vincenzo nodded.
“Yes.”
Isabella looked between them.
“Where have you been?”
“Handling something.”
Alessandro raised an eyebrow.
“Business?”
Vincenzo ignored him.
His attention remained on Purvi.
“How are you feeling?”
Purvi smiled.
“Better.”
“You should be resting.”
“I was.”
Isabella laughed.
“She was resting until we started talking.”
Vincenzo looked at Purvi.
“You shouldn’t overdo it.”
Purvi smiled.
“You sound like a doctor.”
“I’m serious.”
“I know.”
Their eyes met.
For a brief moment, neither spoke.
Then Purvi smiled again.
And Vincenzo looked away first.
He still didn’t understand why seeing that smile made him feel relieved.
He only knew one thing.
He never wanted to see it disappear again.
Outside the hospital, however, Monisha sat inside her dark car.
Her broken phone lay on the floor.
Her anger had not disappeared.
Neither had her secret.
And somewhere between the failed plan and the warning she had just received, Monisha knew one thing for certain.
The snake had failed.
But she wasn’t finished.