Ritha had to admit that Mario was a tough competitor. He was very well versed in using his pawns and knights but she also had great experience of chess as she played it a lot with her father whenever he was free.

Finally after two hours, curtains were drawn at the game when Rithambara won. Fuming Stephano was on the verge of losing his temper but masquerade his feelings in order to not let Ritha doubt him. After escorting Ritha out of the room, Stephano gently took Ritha's hand in his and kissed the back of her hand tenderly.

Rithambara watched his retreating back and turned around to see Aquila watching him with keen interest. Rithambara raised her one brow in a questioning manner while Aquila's expressions turned bedazzled. After observing her for a minute or two Rithambara went away.

After talking to Rosa and doing some other usual errands, at night time she was laying in the arms of her husband while Justus was cradled to his chest.

It was a picture perfect family scene for anyone to witness. Moonlight was pouring on them after being filtered by the white curtains though the intensity was missing. The little boy's soft breath was ticking Ritha's skin and she loved it thoroughly.

To her surprise, her husband spoke in his calm voice,"Valentina was a beautiful chapter of my life but it has ended and I've turned to next blank page of my life where we both will write a beautiful story together." Augustus spoke waving his hand in Ritha's black hair.

A smile surfaced on Ritha's lips after hearing the name Valentina and she absentmindedly stroked Justus's hair and said, "I'm thankful to her for giving me Justus and I hope that she can see from heaven that how much I love Justus, more than my own son."

"Not only Valentina, even I can see that. " replied Augustus.

Ritha had overwhelming emotions swirling in her heart and her trance was broken when Augustus readjusted his hands which was now lying on her bossom and Justus. Ritha was not used to intimacy but she accepted it wholeheartedly because that particular moment was perfect for her. Her son was lying in her arms and she was in her husband's arms.

Augustus generally asked about her day in the palace and first thing which hit Ritha's mind was Mario. She narrated the whole incidence to her husband and Augustus's expressions changed. His anger was escalated and he spoke in a shocked voice, "Mario was in the palace? Playing chess with you then who the hell was training the soldiers with me on the field?"

"Training soldiers? But he came to pay me a visit in the afternoon and game went on for around two hours? " spoke Rithambara rhetorically.

Augustus's calm demeanor changed withing seconds and he removed his hands from her bossom and stood up. Rithambara laid Justus on the bed and went near her husband.

"Explain his feature to me" demanded Augustus and Ritha told him everything from his defined jaws to eye color to his brown neck length hair and Augustus instantly knew that someone fooled his wife.

"It was not Mario. Mario is bald and his eyes are green not brown." Augustus's jaws were tightly clenched when he spoke this words. The words were enough to shock Rithambara to core and she couldn't comprehend the whole truth.

'That means he was lying to me? It was a whole facade.'

Turning around, he held Ritha's shoulder and spoke in stiff tone, "Don't believe anyone in the palace, they are frauds but I want to know that who was that person who was gutsy enough to come and play with you for straight two hours without any fear. This means that there is someone who is very close to the people of palace because no one doubts him. "

Ritha was too shocked to react anything and Augustus understood her condition so he made her sit on the bed and kissed her forehead to assure her.

When he turned around towards the balcony, he saw a shadow lingering in the dark which was about to disappear but Augustus was fast enough to catch it and when he saw the face of the culprit, he was shocked. It was.....