CHAPTER 7
Singh’s Residence – Next Day
“What? Did he really say that to you?” Navya nearly shrieked in disbelief as Aanya recounted everything that had transpired between her and Reyansh the previous night at the disco.
“Yes,” Aanya replied, her tone clipped with irritation. “He wants me to play the doting wife in front of his sister. The same man who parades around with his spotless morals and perfect manners is now asking me to lie straight to a pregnant woman’s face. Tell me that’s not peak hypocrisy, Navya.”
Navya tilted her head thoughtfully. “Yeah, it does sound twisted. But... she’s critically pregnant, Aanya.”
“Exactly!” Aanya shot back. “That’s what worries me. What if she finds out we’re faking it? What if she falls ill because of the stress? God forbid, something happens, how will I live with that guilt? I already feel terrible for her.”
Navya watched her friend quietly for a few moments, a soft smile tugging at her lips.
“What?” Aanya frowned, catching the look.
“You’re already sounding protective about the Chopras. That’s new.”
“She’s a Negi. Radhika Negi,” Aanya corrected curtly.
“But she’s his sister,” Navya teased, undeterred.
“Whatever!” Aanya grumbled, stuffing a piece of toast into her mouth to avoid continuing the discussion. She chewed her toast aggressively and swallowed, then wiped her lips and stood up.
“I’ve got to be in his office in an hour. Can I take your car?”
“Of course, baby. It’s all yours,” Navya replied with a grin.
“Thanks. Bye!”
Without waiting another second, Aanya dashed out, keys in hand.
She had no intention of giving Reyansh Chopra an excuse to call her late or unprofessional.
Her only objective was to secure her father’s business deal with Reyansh and walk away with her share of the inheritance.
And this time, she would leave this city for good.
Chopra Group Office
“Good morning, Ma’am,” Sonya, the same receptionist who had failed to recognize Aanya during her previous visit, greeted her this time with extra sweetness—borderline buttered-up flattery.
“Hey, Sonya. Where’s your boss?”
“He’s in a conference, Ma’am. But he’s instructed me to take you straight to Sunny Sir.”
“Oh, great.”
Sonya led her to Sunny’s cabin. As Sonya exited, Sunny greeted Aanya warmly and gestured to the seat.
“Reyansh Sir informed me about your agreement,” Sunny said professionally. “These are the papers. You can review the terms and let me know if anything needs to be amended.”
“As if my input matters,” Aanya muttered under her breath, snatching the file from his hands and flipping through the pages.
“This covers my term in the deal as well?” she asked, eyes narrowing.
Sunny pointed at a clause. “Yes, Ma’am. It’s here.”
“Three months? Reyansh told me his sister is only staying for two.”
“He added a buffer, just in case Radhika Ma’am extends her stay. Purely precautionary.”
“Not okay with me,” she grumbled.
“You’re welcome to discuss it with Boss,” Sunny offered, a little too politely.
She considered it. But confronting Reyansh would lead nowhere. He was too stubborn and she, unfortunately, was the one in need. What was the point in arguing?
“Fine. I’ll sign.”
Sunny indicated the signature lines, and Aanya quickly signed each one. She handed the file back.
“I’ll need a copy,” she said.
“Of course. Once Boss signs, I’ll get one sent to you.”
She stood to leave, but Sunny stopped her.
“So, shall we begin phase two?”
Aanya blinked. “Phase two?”
“The etiquette training. Boss must’ve briefed you?”
She rolled her eyes. “Does he really believe I don’t know how to behave?”
“You do have behavioural issues,” came an unmistakable voice behind her.
Aanya spun around, and there he was…Reyansh, standing at the door, eyes locked with hers.
Clad in a sharp grey suit, a hint of stubble on his jaw, he looked maddeningly put-together.
..exactly the kind of man she had no business obsessing over.
Especially not after their little zipper moment in the car last night.
She pushed away the thought and stared him down.
“How can you say that?” she snapped. “You barely know me.”
“I learned enough in one night,” he replied without hesitation.
Her jaw dropped. Sunny, wisely, excused himself from the room.
“I’ll wait outside.”
Thank God, Aanya thought. One more second and Sunny might have fainted from second-hand scandal.
“You can’t say such personal things in front of your staff!” she hissed.
“I didn’t disclose anything scandalous. I made a statement,” he replied with irritating calm. “Nothing that should embarrass you.”
“Whatever,” she huffed, slamming her bag onto the table and crossing her arms. “So? What exactly did I do that night that makes you think I need etiquette lessons?”
He sighed. “Let’s not get into that now.”
“Oh, here we go again. That’s what I hate about you. You’re secretive. Self-centred. You point fingers, but when it’s time to explain, you conveniently walk away.”
“Because we’re at my office and I have work.”
“Is your work right now more important than me ?”
The words escaped before she could stop them. Her heart thudded. Why did she say that?
Even Reyansh seemed thrown off. She quickly twisted her statement.
“I mean more important than this deal between us?”
He recovered quickly, his gaze darkening as he took a step toward her.
“You have no idea how much this deal matters to me. And just so we’re clear—I’m the one in charge. You’ll follow every condition I set. No questions, no pushback. Got it?”
Aanya clenched her fists. Every nerve screamed for her to hit him. But she swallowed her fury.
“Crystal clear,” she gritted out, grabbing her purse and storming out of Sunny’s cabin.
Once the door shut behind her, Reyansh leaned back against the desk, releasing a breath he hadn’t realized he was holding.
He knew he’d come across too harshly. But he also knew that to keep this farce under control, every string had to stay firmly in his grip.
One loose thread and everything would unravel.
Later that day
Aanya sat alone in the wide conference room, sipping her second black coffee and staring at the empty chair across from her.
She waited for Sunny to arrive and begin what Reyansh so diplomatically termed as her “etiquette sessions.” The whole idea grated on her nerves.
She wasn’t opposed to learning. But this wasn’t learning.
This was acting. Pretending to be a well-mannered daughter-in-law when the truth was, she didn’t belong in their polished little world.
The idea that she needed grooming to be considered acceptable by his family left a bitter taste far worse than her black coffee.
“Apologies for the delay, Ma’am,” Sunny finally entered.
“That’s fine. I didn’t exactly have other thrilling plans,” she said with a wry smile. “And please, can you drop the ‘Ma’am’? Just call me Aanya. That title feels like it belongs to someone with a crown and a kingdom.”
Sunny chuckled. “Are you buttering me up so I go easy on you during the training?”
She laughed. “Not at all. Just that I’ve done nothing so extraordinary to earn such high designations.”
“But you’re Reyansh Sir’s wife,” he pointed out. “And he’s a powerful man in this city. That alone is enough to demand respect.”
Aanya’s expression darkened. She hated when people reduced her identity to just being someone’s daughter or someone’s wife.
Anand Malhotra’s daughter. Reyansh Chopra’s wife.
Those labels clung to her like dead weight.
But outside Delhi, away from the gilded cages of expectation, she was just Aanya.
And people had respected her without needing those tags.
Sunny snapped his fingers, bringing her out of her brooding thoughts.
“Hey… all okay?”
“Yeah. Let’s begin,” she muttered.
“Sure.”
Sunny retrieved an old photo album and slid it toward her. Aanya opened the cover and saw a photo of two children—one slightly older girl protectively holding the hand of a little boy. The girl’s arm was wrapped around the boy with such intensity, it looked like she was guarding her whole world.
“Who are these little munchkins?” she asked, genuinely curious.
“That’s Reyansh and his elder sister Radhika Negi.”
Her smile faded slightly. “He looked hot in those half-pants,” she quipped to cover her discomfort.
Sunny flushed, clearly unsure how to respond. Aanya, as always, was impossible to categorize. Her unfiltered behaviour was far too casual for the wife of his boss, hence the training. Still, he continued.
“Reyansh and Radhika were always close. She got married when he was still in his teens, moved to California with her husband, but distance never touched their bond. They speak daily, share everything, and still manage to give each other space.”
“Sounds like the perfect sibling duo,” Aanya admitted.
“They are,” Sunny said proudly.
A frown crept over her features. “Then why didn’t Reyansh invite her when he got married to me?”
“He did,” Sunny replied softly. “But she was recovering from a miscarriage at the time. She couldn’t travel.”
Aanya’s heart dipped. That, she hadn’t known.
“She and her husband recently celebrated eight years of marriage,” Sunny continued.
“They’ve been trying for a baby for years.
This is the second time she’s conceived, and it’s going well so far.
After the last miscarriage, the doctors put her under strict supervision—no stress, no emotional turbulence. ”
Aanya listened intently, feeling an unexpected pull in her chest.
“Her birthday’s in two weeks. And this time, she asked for just one gift: for Reyansh to reconcile with you. That’s why the deal.”
Aanya exhaled sharply. “So let me guess. The deal conveniently ends when she’s in her final trimester. But what happens after that? You really think she won’t break when she finds out we faked it all?”