A savior from the shadows or a new nightmare in disguise? As David burns in the fire of jealousy, a single word from Jack has turned the Smith household into a battlefield of secrets. Who is Jack to David's mother, and what happens when the man Elina used as a shield turns out to be the biggest threat to her heart? The truth is buried deep, but the shovel is finally hitting bone.
A deep, piercing pain was clearly visible in David's eyes.The government prosecutor looked at him and asked, "What happened, David? What was it about your love that has brought you behind these bars today?"David replied in a low, broken voice, "Punishment... The deception I carried out against Elina for all those days has now become the biggest punishment of my life."With a thousand questions in his eyes and intense interest, the prosecutor waited for David's every word. David took a long breath and closed his eyes once more, letting his mind drift back...That day, the moment the name 'Lara' was mentioned, Elina had stepped back in shock. Tears began to stream down her face. Without saying a word, she threw her arms around Sharlin's mother and hugged her tightly.Mrs. Lara was stunned by this sudden gesture. Deep down, Mrs. Lara wasn't a bad person; she had a tender heart and never wished ill upon anyone. But today, as Sharlin wanted to break David and Elina's marriage, Lara stood by her daughter. After all, she couldn't bear to see her own child in pain. Just moments ago, she had been screaming at Elina, saying terrible things—but the moment Elina hugged her while crying, her anger vanished. She saw a profound pain in Elina's eyes that pierced through to her own soul.Lara stroked Elina's head gently and said, "Daughter, I know what Sharlin and David did to you is unforgivable. But still, I beg you with folded hands—please, leave David and Sharlin's lives."Elina stood there, lost in thought. Sharlin is my own sister... how can I hurt her for my own happiness?Elina held Lara's hand and asked, "Aunty, can I call you 'Maa'?"
Lara replied softly, "Yes, daughter. Why not? Of course you can."Tears flowed even faster now. Elina's lips trembled as she leaned closer and whispered, "Maa..." She kept repeating the word as if she had been longing for it her whole life. Lara felt that perhaps Elina had been missing a mother's presence, so she hugged her back warmly.Suddenly, Elina's phone rang. David's name was flashing on the screen. Elina reached out and switched the phone off. She didn't want to leave Lara, but then she remembered her childhood—the taunts she had endured, the harsh labels like 'illegitimate' she faced in school and college. Recalling her past, her eyes filled with a thousand silent questions.She turned to Lara and said, "Now you don't have to worry. No one will stop David and Sharlin's wedding." With that, she walked away. Lara tried to say something more, but Elina didn't even look back.Suddenly, the sky broke into a heavy downpour, and a fierce wind began to blow. In the middle of the road, Elina sank to her knees and cried out loud. "Why does this always happen to me, God?" she screamed into the rain. She wondered if she could ever live without David, or if she could bear to watch him marry Sharlin. Could she keep the first promise she ever made to her mother?Just then, a large car came out of nowhere and struck her. Elina collapsed, covered in blood, and lost consciousness. A handsome young man stepped out of the car. He immediately picked her up, placed her in his car, and rushed to the hospital. He had no idea who she was or where she lived.As he entered the hospital, the staff began to salute him. From his aura and style, anyone could tell he was no ordinary man—he was likely a major celebrity. When the receptionist asked for his name during admission, he replied in a deep, commanding voice— "Jack."The doctors rushed Elina into the emergency room. She had lost a significant amount of blood, and her condition was critical. It hadn't even been a week since she had donated blood to save David's father, which had already made her weak. Jack stayed at the hospital the entire day.When Elina finally woke up, Jack was there. "You really gave me a scare," he said. "How are you feeling now? Better than before?"Elina replied weakly, "Yes, I feel better. I need to go home; everyone must be waiting for me. By the way, I am Elina Thomas. Thank you so much for saving my life."Jack extended his hand and said, "My name is Jack. And there's no need for thanks; it's my duty as a human being. Come, let me drop you home."Elina tried to refuse, "Oh no, you don't need to go through the trouble. I can go alone." But as she tried to stand, she couldn't even sit up straight. Seeing this, Jack insisted on taking her home. Jack was a friendly person who made friends easily. During the drive, he talked to Elina about many things.When they reached her house, Elina stepped out of the car, but her weakness overcame her. She felt dizzy and was about to fall when Jack caught her in his arms. Elina then led Jack inside the house.Seeing the injuries on her saree, the family members rushed over. "What happened to you, Elina?" they asked frantically. Where once there was only hatred in their eyes for her, time had changed everything—now, only love and concern were visible. However, they were all stunned to see Jack standing behind her."Elina, what are you doing with him? Where did you meet him?" they questioned.A different plan began to form in Elina's mind. She blurted out, "Meet Jack... he is my would-be husband. I will sign the divorce papers for David tomorrow. You all should go ahead and arrange David and Sharlin's wedding next month... because I am getting married to him."The phone slipped from David's hand, and along with it, his heart shattered into pieces. He marched toward Elina, grinding his teeth in fury. "Stop this nonsense! Marriage, my foot! You are my wife; our divorce hasn't happened yet. And I am NOT marrying Sharlin!" He grabbed Elina's hand to drag her to his room.Elina forcefully wrenched her hand away and went back to stand by Jack. "Enough, David! You all wanted me out of the way so David and Sharlin could be together. Now that I am moving on with my life, you cannot stop me. You have no right over me anymore."Anyone watching David's desperation could tell—he was now madly in love with Elina.
Elina announced to everyone, "I am going to marry this man very soon. That's why I brought him here to meet you all. Meet—"Before she could finish, David's mother interrupted, "Yes, let us meet him... because this is the first time we are meeting 'Jack,' right?"Elina was frozen. How did David's mother know his name was Jack?Elina stepped toward her and asked, "How do you know his name is Jack?"Ignoring Elina, David's mother walked up to Jack and asked sternly, "Is this true? Are you and Elina getting married? I asked you a question, Jack—is it true?"Jack replied loudly and firmly, "Yes, Maa. Elina and I are getting married."The word 'Maa' from Jack's mouth made the world spin around Elina.