Several days passed after the terrifying night at the hospital.
Slowly, life at the De Luca mansion returned to normal.
The security around the estate had doubled.
Every entrance was monitored.
Every employee was questioned.
Vincenzo had ordered his men to investigate the snake incident from every possible angle, and nobody dared tell him to stop.
But despite all the precautions, the mansion had finally begun to breathe again.
And most importantly—
Purvi was home.
She had been discharged after several days of observation.
The doctors had warned her that the venom had taken a serious toll on her body and that she needed plenty of rest.
Purvi had agreed.
At least, she had agreed to rest.
Actually resting was another matter.
That morning, sunlight streamed through the enormous windows of the De Luca mansion.
The kitchen was already busy.
Lucia was sitting in the breakfast room, complaining that everyone was treating her like she was made of glass.
Isabella was laughing at her.
Alessandro was arguing with one of the cooks about breakfast.
Serafina watched everything from her chair.
For the first time in days, there was laughter in the mansion again.
Purvi smiled as she walked past them.
“Good morning.”
Lucia immediately turned.
“My child, where are you going?”
“To give Vincenzo his tea.”
Lucia frowned.
“You should be resting.”
“I’ve rested.”
“That is not what the doctor said.”
Purvi laughed softly.
“I’ll be back.”
Isabella shook her head.
“She’ll never learn.”
Alessandro smiled.
“She’s married to Vincenzo.
She has to have some courage.”
Purvi rolled her eyes.
“Very funny.”
She picked up a cup of hot tea.
Then she headed upstairs.
Vincenzo’s study was quiet.
The enormous room was filled with shelves of books, dark wood furniture, expensive artwork, and floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the estate.
Vincenzo sat behind his desk.
His attention was fixed on a stack of documents.
His cold expression had returned.
The man who had spent days beside Purvi’s hospital bed seemed almost gone.
The warmth he’d shown at the hospital had disappeared behind the familiar walls he kept around himself.
He was Vincenzo De Luca again.
Cold.
Controlled.
Distant.
Purvi knocked once.
No response.
She opened the door.
“Vincenzo?”
He didn’t look up.
“Busy.”
Purvi walked inside anyway.
She placed the cup of tea on his desk.
“I brought you tea.”
He continued reading.
“I don’t want it.”
Purvi stared at him.
“You haven’t had anything this morning.”
“I’m not hungry.”
“It’s tea, not breakfast.”
“I said I don’t want it.”
Purvi folded her arms.
“You’re welcome.”
Vincenzo finally looked up.
His eyes narrowed.
“What?”
“You heard me.”
“I said I don’t want tea.”
“And I heard you.”
“Then why are you still standing there?”
“Because you’re going to drink it.”
Vincenzo stared at her.
“You’ve been home for five minutes and you’re already irritating me.”
Purvi smiled.
“You’re welcome.”
He looked back down at his papers.
“Take it.”
“No.”
“Purvi.”
“Vincenzo.”
His eyes lifted again.
She smiled sweetly.
“Drink.”
He stared at her for several seconds.
Then looked away.
“I don’t have time for this.”
“You always have time for tea.”
“I don’t.”
“You do.”
“No.”
“Yes.”
“No.”
“Yes.”
Vincenzo’s jaw tightened.
“You are impossible.”
“And you’re stubborn.”
“I am working.”
“And you can work after drinking.”
He sighed.
Purvi smiled triumphantly.
“There.
You’re already agreeing with me.”
“I wasn’t.”
“You were.”
Vincenzo shook his head and returned to his documents.
Purvi remained beside the desk.
She watched him for a moment.
He looked tired.
There were faint shadows beneath his eyes.
He had barely slept since she returned home.
She knew he would never admit it.
“Vincenzo.”
“What?”
“You should rest too.”
“I don’t need rest.”
“Everyone needs rest.”
“I’m not everyone.”
Purvi smiled.
“Of course you’re not.”
He looked at her suspiciously.
“Why does that sound like an insult?”
“Because you make it easy.”
For the briefest second, the corner of his mouth almost moved.
Almost.
Then his expression returned to normal.
Purvi looked at the tea.
“Please drink it.”
“I told you—”
His hand suddenly moved.
Too fast.
He reached toward the papers, accidentally knocking against the cup.
Purvi reacted immediately.
She pushed her hand forward to catch it.
The cup tipped.
Hot tea spilled directly across her hand and wrist.
“Ah!”
The cup fell onto the desk.
Vincenzo immediately stood.
“Purvi!”
She pulled her hand back.
“I’m fine.”
He stared at her reddening skin.
“You just burned yourself.”
“It’s nothing.”
“Nothing?”
He grabbed her wrist carefully.
His expression changed.
“You’re hurt.”
“I’m okay.”
“Stop saying that.”
Purvi looked at him.
He sounded genuinely worried.
Vincenzo immediately released her hand as though he’d remembered himself.
He looked toward the bathroom.
“Go run cold water over it.”
“I will.”
“Now.”
Purvi smiled.
“You worry too much.”
His eyes narrowed.
“And you don’t worry enough.”
She shrugged.
“I’m fine.”
“You almost died days ago.”
The room went quiet.
Vincenzo stared at her.
“Do you really think you’re invincible?”
Purvi blinked.
“What?”
“Quit acting like you’re invincible.”
His voice was low.
“And quit acting like you have to care about everyone.”
Purvi’s smile faded slightly.
“There is no reason for you to keep doing this.”
“Doing what?”
“Putting yourself in danger.”
“I didn’t—”
“You pushed my grandmother out of the way.”
His eyes hardened.
“You took a snake bite meant for her.”
Purvi remained silent.
“Then you spent days in a hospital fighting for your life.”
His voice became quieter.
“And now you’ve been home for barely any time, and you’re standing here worrying about whether I’ve had tea.”
Purvi looked down at her injured hand.
Vincenzo continued.
“Why?”
She looked back at him.
He seemed genuinely frustrated.
But beneath the frustration was something else.
Fear.
Fear he didn’t want to admit.
Purvi smiled gently.
“Because you’re my husband.”
Vincenzo’s expression tightened.
“No.”
“Yes.”
“You don’t have to do these things.”
“I know.”
“You don’t owe me anything.”
“I know.”
“Then why?”
Purvi took a small step closer.
“Because until the contract is over…”
She smiled softly.
“I’m your wife.”
Vincenzo stared at her.
Purvi continued.
“And no wife watches her husband get hurt and does nothing.”
His expression changed.
For several seconds, he couldn’t speak.
Then he looked away.
“You make this contract sound like something it isn’t.”
Purvi shook her head.
“I’m not changing anything.”
She smiled.
“I remember the rules.”
Her voice softened.
“When the contract ends, everything ends.”
Something inside Vincenzo tightened.
He didn’t like hearing that.
He didn’t know why.
Purvi continued.
“But until then, I’m your wife.”
She glanced at the tea-stained desk.
“And you’re my husband.”
She picked up the cup carefully.
“So I’m going to care about you.”
Vincenzo looked at her.
“Even when I tell you not to?”
Purvi smiled.
“Especially then.”
He exhaled.
“You really are impossible.”
“You’ve said that before.”
“And I’ll keep saying it.”
Purvi turned toward the door.
“Good.”
She paused.
Then looked back.
“Drink the tea.”
Vincenzo stared at her.
She smiled.
“Please.”
Then she walked out.
The door closed behind her.
Vincenzo remained standing.
His eyes moved toward the cup.
Then toward the doorway.
He slowly sat down.
For several seconds, he stared at the tea.
Finally, he picked it up.
He took a sip.
It was still warm.
His eyes lowered.
Until the contract ends.
Those words echoed in his mind.
He hated how easily they had unsettled him.
Because suddenly, for the first time…
He didn’t like the idea of that day arriving.