ch 58 DiamondGold digger
Aarav's POV
The moment I stepped into the canteen, the noise dimmed in my head all I could hear was her soft, broken sniffles.
She was sitting in the far corner, small and hunched over, a plate of pasta so red it could set fire to the room.
Her hand trembled as she forked another mouthful, eyes red, nose pink, tears slipping down without her even trying to wipe them anymore.
And still, she ate. Spicy, burning, punishing herself with every bite.
My jaw clenched.
She was muttering under her breath I couldn't hear every word, but I caught fragments.
"...my fault... always my fault... I ruin everything..."
Something twisted sharply inside me.
I moved closer, slowly, ignoring the stares that followed.
Her hair was a mess, cheeks streaked with tears, and she looked... shattered. Completely undone.
"Enough," I said, my voice low but firm.
She startled, eyes snapping up at me wide, glassy, startled like a child caught doing something wrong.
A bit of sauce clung to her lip she wiped it quickly, embarrassed.
I exhaled hard, fighting the tightness in my chest. "What the hell are you doing, Ashiana?"
She sniffled. "E-eating," she muttered, pushing another forkful toward her mouth.
I caught her wrist gently before she could the fork froze mid-air. "You're not eating," I said, quieter this time. "You're hurting yourself."
Her eyes filled again, trembling lashes giving her away even as she tried to look anywhere but at me.
I crouched a little, meeting her line of sight. "You think I'd ever hate you for a mistake?"
I asked, voice barely above a whisper. "You think I'd leave you like that?"
She didn't answer just looked down, tears spilling again, silent and trembling.
I sighed, brushing a tear off her cheek with my thumb before I even realised what I was doing.
"You're impossible," I murmured. "Completely impossible."
She didn't look up just sat there, shoulders shaking, voice cracking between sobs as she spoke.
"Why you here..?" she stammered, eyes on her plate. "Go... go to her. She... she got hurt because of me... and I... I am not anything in your life now..."
She laughed then, broken, bitter, the sound that tore something in me.
"Aap... aap to waise bhi usse hi shaadi karne waale ho na... mujhe... mujhe ab akele rehna hi seekhna hoga..."
Her words hit harder than any slap could.
For a second, I couldn't even breathe.
Then she scooped another forkful of pasta, hands trembling, and forced it into her mouth, as if she wanted the pain to burn the tears out of her.
My patience cracked.
I caught her wrist again, not harsh, but firm enough to stop her.
The fork clattered onto the plate.
"Bas, Ashiana."
She flinched, whispering through a sob, "Let me go, Aarav..."
I crouched in front of her, the whole canteen watching, and I didn't care.
Her eyes were red, her lips swollen from crying and still she looked so damn fragile it made my chest ache.
"Look at me," I said quietly.
She didn't.
So I cupped her cheek, gently turned her face to mine. "I said look at me."
Her tear-filled eyes finally met mine and that was it. I couldn't hold the distance anymore.
My mouth found hers, not gently, but with a hard, consuming urgency.
This wasn't a sweet, romantic kiss this was aapology.
I tasted the salt of her tears first, sharp and immediate, then the unexpected, searing heat of the chili.
I pressed into her, trying to pour every ounce of regret and desperate love into the contact.
I kissed the hurt away, tasting the fire she was using to distract herself from the deeper pain.
My lips moved against hers, firmer, trying to be the anchor, the solid, unwavering thing she could hold onto.
I pulled slightly and kept the forehead on hers.
"You think I'm marrying Arushi?" I asked softly. "You really think I'd ever... choose anyone else when I already found you?"
Her breath hitched, confusion flickering in her eyes, but I didn't stop.
"She's a guest. That's all. Jo kuch tumne suna, wo baat khatam hone se pehle hi tum chali gayi thi." I exhaled slowly. "Mujhe koi aur nahi chahiye, Ashiana. Na tab, na ab, na kabhi."
Her lips parted.
she wanted to say something, but only a small sob escaped.
I reached forward, wiping her cheeks again. "Iam sorry, IshoulAnd don't you ever say you're nothing in my life," I murmured. "Tum meri life ho."
"A... Aarav... you... you really mean it, right?"
Her eyes searched mine like her whole world depended on what I'd say next.
Desperate.
Afraid.
Hoping against everything that I wouldn't shatter her again.
For a moment, I didn't speak. I just looked at her at the tears clinging to her lashes, at the way her fingers still trembled near her plate, at how small she looked sitting there.
Then I nodded slowly. "Yes," I said quietly, my voice rougher than I intended.
"I mean every damn word, Ashiana."
She blinked, tears spilling freely now.
I brushed them away with my thumb, leaning closer.
"When I said you're my life, I wasn't trying to calm you down. I meant it. You think I'd let you cry like this if you weren't everything to me?"
She shook her head, half believing, half still scared.
I pressed my forehead to hers, letting her feel the steadiness of my breath.
"Listen to me," I whispered.
"Main kahin nahi jaa raha. Not to Arushi, not to anyone. Samjhi?"
Her sob caught, but she nodded against me, her hands clutching my shirt like she needed to make sure I was real.
"I am sorry," I murmured, rubbing my hand on her back. "I should not say you such things.. I... I am really sorry."
She hiccupped a watery laugh, trying to wipe her eyes, and I felt the knot in my chest finally loosen.
The moment those disgusting words left their mouths, my spine snapped straight.
"Look... a normal intern with the boss... oh my god, what a scene," one snickered.
"Huh... girls nowadays sell their bodies to bosses for promotions," the other spat, rolling his eyes.
Then the first one added with a disgusting laugh, "Such a gold digger she is."
And the second chuckled, "Aur dekhna... jab boss ka mann bhar jayega na isse... to chhod denge isko. Koi ameer aadmi ek mamuli si intern se shaadi karega? Huh!"
(And mark my words.. when boss will get full from her he will leave her ... and by the way who even marry an intern )
They both laughed.
Ashiana's POV
My blood boiled so loudly I could barely hear the canteen's noises. My eyes snapped toward them, sharp like a knife.
I stood up.
Took two glasses of water from the counter.
Walked straight to them.
And splashed both glasses right onto their faces.
Water dripped down their shocked expressions.
"Yeh paani," I said coldly, "tumhari aag ko shant karne ke liye. Kya? Pad gayi shanti? Ya aur chahiye?"
(this water... for calming your fire... so.. now is it enough.. or you want more)
They froze.
"Oh yes," I added with a slow smirk, folding my hands. "You both were right."
I lightly glanced at Aarav, then back at them.
"Yes... I am a gold digger."
I paused.
Then leaned in.
"No... no... actually, I'm a diamond digger."
Their eyes widened.
"Because Aarav is a diamond. A gem rarely found."
Then my smile dropped, turning razor sharp.
"And you both?" I scoffed. "Shayad tum bhool rahe ho ke tum dono ka asal chehra kya hai."
(May you are forgetting what the real faces of both of you)
I pointed at the first one.
"Mr. Mahesh Singh... yaad hai na? Kaun har HR ke saath flirt kar raha tha promotions ke liye?"
(Mr. Mahesh Singh.. you know right..Who was flirting with every HR person for promotions)
He paled.
Then I turned to the second.
"And you, Mr. Raghu Gupta... tum to kuch bolo hi mat. Tum jaise insaan ko toh chullu bhar paani mein doob jana chahiye."
(And you.. Mr. Raghu Gupta .. you.. don't you dare say anything. A person like you should drown in handful of water)
His jaw clenched in fear.
"Apni fiancé ko chhod diya tha... sirf ek ameer aurat se shaadi karne ke liye."
(you left your fiance just to marry a rich woman )
Around us, the canteen had gone silent.
"Kya... kaun kitne paani mein hai... sabko pata hai. Samjhe?"
(Everyone knows who is in what position)
I stood tall, chin high, eyes blazing.
Aarav was watching.
Everyone was watching.
But I didn't care.
Because for the first time ever—
I wasn't crying.
I was fighting back.
Aarav's POV
The second that water splashed across their faces, the entire canteen froze.
But not me.
I froze for a completely different reason.
Because there she was
my girl—
standing like a fire I couldn't look away from.
Eyes blazing.
Voice sharp.
Back straight.
Fearless.
Not crying.
Not breaking.
Fighting.
For herself.
For me.
For us.
And those two idiots
Mahesh and Raghu
were shrinking as she tore them apart with her words.
"Because Aarav is a diamond," she said.
My heart actually stopped.
No one... no one had ever said that about me.
Not with pride.
Not with ownership.
Not with love.
For a moment, I forgot how to breathe.
Then the moment ended—
because I remembered what those men had said before she threw the water.
Gold digger.
Sell her body.
Boss will leave her.
My jaw clenched so hard it hurt.
My blood went ice-cold.
I stepped forward.
Each step heavy.
Silent.
Dangerous.
The crowd parted without me saying a word.
Mahesh saw me and went pale.
Raghu looked like he'd swallow his tongue.
Good.
Very good.
I stopped right in front of them, my voice low, deadly calm.
"Say it again."
Both shook their heads violently.
"Say. It. Again." I growled, my eyes locked on theirs. "About her. Or about me."
Silence.
Trembling.
I leaned a little closer.
"Do you know what happens when someone disrespects my woman in my company?"
Gasps around us.
Her breath hitched behind me.
They swallowed.
I smiled cold, cruel.
"You don't get a warning," I said. "You get destroyed."
Mahesh stuttered, "S-sir—"
"Save it," I snapped. "You two are fired."
People gasped.
I didn't stop.
"And I'll make sure neither of you gets a job in this industry again. Ever."
Their faces collapsed.
I wasn't done.
I felt her behind me—breathing unevenly, emotional, fragile.
I turned, reached out, and pulled her behind me gently, protectively.
My voice softened only for her.
"You," I murmured, looking straight into her red, teary eyes, "do not fight alone. Not when I'm here."
Her lips trembled.
I brushed my thumb across her cheek.
"And if anyone ever talks about you like that again..." I paused, my voice dropping even lower, "I'll burn the place down myself."
She stared up at me, breathing hard, stunned.
The whole canteen was silent.
And all I wanted was to hold her.