Chapter 57 Drowning in the Past
Ira walked into the house, her legs barely holding her up. Her hands were trembling as she unlocked their bedroom door, and the moment she stepped inside, it was like the entire weight of their memories crashed down on her.
The bed—where he used to pull her close in sleep.
The vanity mirror—where he stood behind her, kissing her neck while she got ready.
The couch—where they laughed, teased, and stole moments of love.
Everything was him.
A sob tore through her throat as she walked toward the bed. The pillows still smelled like him, that intoxicating scent that always made her weak. She gripped the sheets, her vision blurring with tears.
"Why did you kiss me like you meant it? Why did you hold me like I was your world? Why did you make me believe this was real?"
The words she had thrown at him hours ago replayed in her mind like a cruel echo. But what hurt more was his response.
"I never asked you to believe it, Ira."
A shattered cry left her lips as she curled into a ball, clutching her chest. The pain was unbearable. Her body shook as she sobbed into the sheets, into the place where he had kissed her last night, where he had whispered things that felt too real to be fake.
She hadn’t just fallen for him.
She had drowned in him.
And now she was choking.
She turned to her side, her eyes landing on the contract lying on the nightstand. That cursed piece of paper that reminded her she was nothing but a deal. A temporary wife.
Her fingers trembled as she picked it up, her eyes blurring over the words. Six months. That’s all she had. And now, even that felt unbearable.
"I hate you, Aarav Malhotra. I hate you for making me love you."
She buried her face into her hands, silent screams tearing through her as the night stretched on, suffocating her in memories.
---
Meanwhile, Aarav was losing his own mind.
He had been driving for three hours. Three long, reckless hours, the city lights blurring as his hands clenched the steering wheel.
He could still hear her voice, breaking in pain.
"What happens after the contract ends, Aarav?"
He had seen it in her eyes. The fear. The hope. And yet, he had crushed it. Crushed her.
His grip tightened as he slammed the brakes, stopping his car at an empty road. His chest was rising and falling rapidly, his head pounding with regret.
He wanted to scream.
He wanted to go back and hold her.
But he couldn’t.
Because the truth was, he had no answers.
Yes, she was a contract wife. But she was also the only woman who had ever made him feel. The only woman who had kissed him like she saw his soul, the only one who made him want to be something more than just a ruthless businessman.
And now?
Now, he had destroyed it.
"Ira." Her name fell from his lips like a prayer, his hands gripping his hair in frustration. He could still feel her—her lips, her warmth, the way she moaned his name like it was the only word that mattered.
He squeezed his eyes shut, letting out a bitter laugh. He was a fool.
She was crying alone in that room, and he was the reason for it.
And yet, here he was, suffering just as much.
Because the only thing worse than hurting the woman you love…
Is realizing that you’re the reason she’ll never love you again.
Morning.
Ira stood in front of the mirror, staring at her reflection. Her eyes were swollen, red from crying all night, but there was no point in trying to hide it. She was exhausted. Her body, her heart, her mind—everything felt heavy.
She sighed and got ready for the day, forcing herself to move. She couldn’t break. Not now. Not in front of anyone.
Downstairs, the entire family was gathered around the breakfast table, but the usual warmth, the laughter, the teasing—it was all missing.
Ira quietly placed breakfast on the table. No sarcastic comments for Kabir. No nagging Vihaan for stealing food from her plate. No laughing at Anika’s childish antics. Nothing.
Aarav entered a few minutes later. His face was blank, his usual unreadable expression in place. But his eyes—God, his eyes—they searched for her.
She didn’t look at him. Not even once.
He clenched his fists. Why did that hurt more than anything?
He sat at the table, picking up his coffee. Bitter. Just like his mood. Just like his life.
The family sensed it. The tension between them was suffocating. No one said a word.
Sunita exchanged glances with Nandini. Kabir, for once in his life, didn’t open his mouth. Even Vihaan looked serious.
Aarav finished his coffee and stood up. “I’m going to the office.”
Ira quietly wiped her hands on a napkin. “I’m leaving too.”
Aarav’s heart dropped.
She didn’t wait for him. Didn’t glance at him. Didn’t follow him like she always did.
She just left.
And fuck, that hurt.
---
At the Office
Aarav sat in his cabin, tapping his fingers against the desk impatiently. His mind was not on work.
It was on her.
Where the hell was she?
Ira always came to his cabin at least once in the morning—sometimes to ask something, sometimes to hand over files, sometimes just to annoy him. But today?
Nothing.
He checked the time. Still nothing.
He hated it. He hated this feeling.
He hated that she had that much control over him.
Without thinking, he picked up his phone and called his assistant.
“Where’s Ira?” His voice came out sharp.
The assistant hesitated. “Ma’am is in her own cabin. She hasn’t come out since morning.”
Aarav’s grip tightened on the phone.
He cut the call without another word.
His mind was screaming. He should be happy she was finally keeping her distance.
Then why did it feel like he was being punished?
The silence between them was louder than any argument.
And it was breaking them both.