Chapter 14
KAVYA
It had been a month since our marriage, yet nothing had changed. Saurav was still cold, distant, and aloof. He refused to talk to me. Most days, he didn’t even want to see me. He was leaving for duty next Sunday, which meant I had only one week left with him. Only one week.
Tanya had decided to stay in the villa until Saurav’s departure.
I hated the way she followed him everywhere like a lost puppy.
It wasn’t as if Saurav actually wanted her there but she simply made sure she was always present.
I had caught glimpses of the irritation on his face when she became too much, but he never said a word.
Never pushed her away. Never rejected her.
Just once… I wished he would refuse her coldly.
Just once, I wanted to see her face when he did.
That evening, I was getting ready for the party. I wore the saree Mr. Chauhan had suggested. It wasn’t as though he had forced me; he just wanted me to look presentable.
I picked up the blouse and examined it carefully.
It looked perfect until I noticed the two thin strings.
My breath caught. The blouse was completely backless.
The saree itself was a delicate shade of purple.
I considered changing the blouse, but the color of the saree was so unique that I knew I wouldn’t find another blouse that matched it, so I gave up the idea.
First I started with my makeu—moisturizer, eyeliner, mascara, lipstick, and a touch of blush. My hands moved automatically, but my mind was elsewhere.
Then I opened the velvet box. diamond jewelry Mr. Chauhan had given me during my first kitchen ritual sparkling inside. It was beautiful. Too beautiful and far too expensive. What if someone snatched it? What if I lost it?
“God,” I muttered under my breath, forcing those thoughts away as I fastened the necklace around my neck and slipped the diamond studs into my ears. Lastly I styled my hair into a loose bun and tucked a rose into it.
“Well,” I sighed softly, looking at my reflection. “Time to wear the saree.”
I slipped into the blouse as cool air brushed across my bare back, making me shiver instantly. Turning toward the mirror, I froze.
“That’s… too much skin,” I groaned quietly. The blouse left almost nothing to the imagination. My entire back was exposed except for the thin strings tied across it, but I had no choice now.
Carefully, I draped the saree, adjusting the pleats again and again, trying to cover as much of my back as possible. Finally, I pulled the pallu over my head.
I stared at the mirror.
“No… now I look like someone’s overly traditional daughter-in-law,” I murmured.
My fingers moved to my bun. “Maybe I should let my hair down… ”
Just then...
“Kavya.” Mr. Chauhan’s voice echoed from downstairs.
I sighed softly, fixing my bun again before stepping out of the room.
When I reached the staircase, I paused and peeked downstairs. And then I saw him.
Saurav stood near the entrance, dressed in a perfectly fitted black suit. The sharp lines of the jacket made him look even taller, broader, almost intimidating. His hair was slightly messy, as if he had run his fingers through it impatiently. He looked devastating.
Beside him stood Tanya. She was wearing a black saree, her lips curved in a confident smile as she leaned slightly toward him. From where I stood, she looked less like a guest and more like a sly black snake coiling itself around its prey. My fingers tightened around the railing.
My heels clicked softly against the marble stairs, the sound echoing through the hall. It caught Saurav’s attention. His eyes lifted toward me.
For a moment...
I froze.
He froze.
It felt as if the entire universe had paused between one heartbeat and the next. His gaze slowly traveled over me from my face, to the curve of my shoulders, down the line of the saree. The look was slow, deliberate, almost reluctant, as if he didn’t want to look but couldn’t stop himself.
A strange warmth rushed through me. A pleasant shiver slid down my spine. And in that fleeting moment, I saw something in his eyes that wasn’t hatred. Something softer. Something dangerous.
It sent thousands of butterflies bursting inside my stomach.
How many times have I prayed for him to look at me like that? How many nights had I imagined his eyes lingering on me the way they were now?
For once… I wanted his gaze to stay. To remain glued to me.
But the moment shattered when someone cleared their throat.
Saurav pretended to be adjusting his suit while looking away.
I released a slow and shaky breath, like I had been holding it for years.
“You’ve got a sexy back, Kav,” Tanya said with a smirk. Her eyes deliberately trailed across my bare skin, lingering far too long. “Didn’t know you could pull something like that off.”
The compliment sounded sweet. But the mockery beneath it was impossible to miss.
I forced a small smile, refusing to give her the satisfaction of seeing me uncomfortable.
“Thank you,” I said calmly. Lifting my chin slightly, I walked toward Mr. Chauhan.
“You look beautiful, Kav,” he said warmly, his face lighting up with approval. “Exactly as I imagined.”
“Thank you,” I replied softly. From the corner of my eye, I felt his eyes on me.
It flickered toward me once more. When our eyes nearly met, he turned away quickly, almost as if I had caught him doing something forbidden.
I almost laughed. Looking at your own wife was hardly a crime. But Saurav behaved as if it was.
Tanya suddenly slipped her arm through his. Her gesture was possessive, as if she wanted to remind the entire room that he belonged beside her.
“We should leave, Saurav,” she said smoothly, leaning closer to him. “Everyone must already be waiting.”
He gave a short nod, and just like that, the moment from the staircase disappeared. His face returned to that familiar cold mask.
Only God knew how much I wanted this man to be happy. My husband had no idea how deeply it hurt me to see him like this.
As we walked toward the door, Tanya leaned even closer to him, speaking loudly, laughing a little too brightly. It felt performative. Almost like a show.
But Saurav didn’t look amused, not even slightly.
At one point, when her grip tightened around his arm, I noticed a faint crease form between his brows. A brief flash of irritation. It was gone almost immediately. But I had seen it.
_______
The party was out of my league. It was in one of the most expensive hotels I had never even dreamed of visiting.
I spotted many celebrities, and most of the guests were businessmen.
Everything was so fancy and modern that I felt small and out of place.
I didn't even know how to use the tap in the restroom.
Mr. Chauhan introduced me to every one of his business partners wholeheartedly. He knew many celebrities, so I got the chance to talk to actors and actresses I used to see on television. I wanted to take a selfie with them, but it would have looked too weird, so I let go of the idea.
My eyes scanned the hall, searching for him, and there I found him smiling while talking to an old lady. My heart warmed when I saw his smile. He looked exactly like the old Saurav Chauhan who used to be charming and full of life. Tanya was nowhere near him.
He was talking while gesturing with his hands, as if he was explaining something to the old lady. This was the first time I had seen him this happy after our marriage.
"So he's your husband?" a deep voice said behind me.
I turned and saw an unfamiliar man. He was tall and attractive, but also carried an unsettling aura.
"Yes," I said with a nervous smile, stepping back slightly because he was standing very close to me.
He smiled, his eyes slowly running up and down my body.
"I'm Abhiraj Sisodiya, the owner of this hotel. Nice to meet you, Mrs. Chauhan." He held out his hand.
"Nice to meet you too, Mr. Sisodiya," I said, shaking his hand.
I felt uncomfortable when he held my hand longer than he should have. I quickly pulled it back when he finally released it.
Abhiraj didn't seem offended. Instead, he took a slow sip from his wine and smiled again, as if nothing strange had happened.
"So... how are you liking the party, Mrs. Chauhan?"
"It's beautiful," I replied politely, trying to keep the conversation brief. "Though it's a little overwhelming."
"That happens to everyone the first time," he chuckled. "These events are more about showing power than enjoying the night."
"You must meet a lot of celebrities here," I said, glancing around the hall.
"All the time," he shrugged. "But after a while they become boring. Same faces, same conversations." For a moment, he studied me curiously. "But you... you look genuinely impressed. That's rare."
I didn't know what to say, so I simply smiled.
"You know," he continued, gesturing toward a hallway beside the ballroom, "this hotel has a small private museum. Old artifacts, rare paintings, things my family collected over decades."
"A museum?" I asked, surprised.
"Yes," he nodded. "Guests rarely get to see it. But since you're Mr. Chauhan's daughter-in-law, it would be my pleasure to show it to you."
I hesitated for a moment, instinctively looking toward the crowd again. I couldn't see Saurav anywhere now.
"It's just down the corridor," Abhiraj added smoothly with a charming smile. "Five minutes."
I convinced myself it would be rude to refuse the owner of the hotel.
"Alright," I said quietly.
The hallway outside the ballroom was much quieter. The music faded behind us as we walked. Soft golden lights illuminated glass displays filled with antique jewelry, sculptures, and framed photographs.
"It's beautiful," I murmured.
"My grandfather started the collection," Abhiraj explained. "He believed power should always be retained and displayed."
We walked deeper into the room. The silence there felt heavier. As I looked around, I suddenly realized we were completely alone.
When I turned back, Abhiraj was standing much closer than before.
"You really are different from the women here," he said softly.
My stomach tightened.
"I should go back," I said quickly.
But before I could move, his hand suddenly grabbed my wrist.
"Why are you in such a hurry?"
"Let go," I said, trying to pull away.
His grip tightened painfully. "Relax," he said, his voice no longer friendly. "You came here with me."
"I said let go!" I struggled harder, my heart beating so fast that I felt like I might throw up.
Instead of releasing me, he pushed me back against the wall beside one of the glass displays. I gasped as pain shot through my shoulder and fear rushed through my veins.
"Let me go, bastard!" I shouted, trying to fight him, but something from the past froze my movements.
"Don't scream," he muttered coldly. "No one can hear you here."
My heart pounded so wildly that I felt like it would rip through my chest. I tried to shove him away, but he was stronger. His hand forced my arm behind my back, twisting it until I gasped in pain.
"Please stop," I begged.
He only laughed quietly. "You shouldn't have followed me if you didn't want attention."
Anger flared through me. I glared at him before suddenly lunging forward and biting his hand. He screamed in pain and let go of me, though not before shoving me hard. I fell to the ground and moaned when something tore painfully across my back.
Ignoring the scorching pain, I broke into a run. My heels echoed loudly through the hallway as I rushed toward the ballroom, my chest heaving and my hands shaking uncontrollably.
The music and voices grew louder as I burst back into the party. My eyes searched desperately through the crowd, looking for Saurav. And there he was.
"Saurav..." I rushed to him, grasping his hand desperately.
"Kavya..." Saurav said, scanning my face. "What's wrong?"
"That man..." I pointed toward Abhiraj, who was now approaching us quickly. "He tried to—" I broke into tears. "He tried to..."
"...he tried to force himself on you?" Saurav finished for me.
I nodded quickly.
"And you think I believe you?"
I froze, my eyes widening in disbelief as I stared at him.
"You're making up the same story again?" he continued harshly, his voice rising with irritation.
"How many times are you going to repeat this nonsense? Do you really think he’s stupid enough to believe you?
Or is that what you're counting on? What do you want from him?
His money too? Are you trying to trap him now? "
Suddenly the music stopped, people paused, turning their heads toward us. Abhiraj appeared beside us.
I looked at Saurav like I was seeing a stranger. My hand slowly slipped away from his arm as I stepped back from him.
"He tried..." I whispered, but my voice carried no strength. "He tried to take advantage of me."
"But I saw you were the one who went with him, didn't you?" Saurav stepped closer, his eyes burning with anger.
"Dad is leaving for home. He'll be in the parking lot. Just go with him."
"But he..."
"Just go home, Kavya!" he shouted into my face, making me flinch in fear.
I stepped back, dizzy with shock, before turning around and breaking into a run.
I ran blindly through the crowd.
My vision blurred with tears as people stepped aside, whispering among themselves. Some of them were holding their phones up, recording everything. Their eyes followed me as if I were some kind of joker.
I could still hear the murmurs behind me.
"Did you hear what she said?"
"She accused Abhiraj Sisodiya?"
"That's impossible..."
"Maybe she just wanted attention."
I pushed open the heavy glass doors and stumbled outside the hotel. The cold night air hit my face, but it did nothing to cool the fire burning inside me.
_______