CHAPTER 8
The next four days passed in a blur. Aanya spent most of her time with Sunny, sometimes at Navya’s place, other times in quiet cafés, learning everything she needed to know about Radhika, the Chopra family, and the conduct expected of her once she stepped into that house.
The entire process grated on her nerves.
Not because she disliked learning, but because of the implication behind it, that Reyansh Chopra didn’t think she was capable of pulling this off without being groomed first. That stung.
She might not be a conventional homemaker, but she wasn’t a home-wrecker either.
She knew how to keep people around her happy.
She just hadn’t been given the chance. And Reyansh?
He wasn’t offering one either. He was simply drawing his boundaries and commanding her to walk within them.
She hadn’t seen him again since the training began. And she was grateful for that. Every time she laid eyes on him, it only ignited another spark of resentment. She was winding down for the night, tucked under the sheets, when her phone rang. It was Reyansh calling her.
She picked up. “Hello?”
“How’s the training going?” he asked, jumping straight to the point.
“Great,” she replied dryly. “I thought Sunny was giving you a daily report card.”
“He is. But I wanted to hear your side.”
Aanya let out a soft laugh. “Feedback is for improvement. Are you planning to launch a grooming academy for women now?”
Reyansh smirked on the other end. “Why would I do that?”
“I don’t know,” she said with deliberate coolness. “Maybe once you get rid of me, you’ll go searching for a ‘perfect’ woman and train her in advance.”
Silence followed her jab and it lingered just long enough to make her stomach twist.
“You think I’m going to let you go that easily?” he asked, his voice dipping into something dangerous.
“Why not? If it benefits you, you would,” she replied, her tone sharp and unapologetic.
She hadn’t meant to go there, but she couldn’t shake Kyle’s voice from her mind.
Kyle had said it point blank: Reyansh never did anything unless it served his interests.
That had stuck with her. Because, deep down, Aanya still didn’t understand why he had agreed to marry her in the first place.
She had always suspected an ulterior motive. And now, she had reason to believe it.
“What the hell is that supposed to mean?” he barked.
She sighed. “Don’t yell. I’m not saying anything people haven’t already said about you.”
“ People? ” he echoed, his voice rising again. “Which people, Aanya? Who’s been putting this in your head?”
She hesitated, but his persistence left her no choice.
“Kyle Malhotra,” she said bluntly. “She told me you don’t move a finger unless you get something out of it. So yeah, I assumed one day, if leaving me benefits you, you’d do it without blinking.”
Silence returned between them.
“So should I take that as a yes?” she asked after a pause.
“Don’t judge me based on someone else’s opinion,” he replied coldly. “You’ll have plenty of time to form your own judgment once you’re living under my roof. Save your verdict till then.”
Her lips curled into a faint, bitter smile.
“You’re wicked ,” she muttered. “You didn’t deny it. You didn’t even try to prove me wrong. You just deflected. Impressive .”
“That’s two judgmental adjectives in one call,” he added.
She chuckled. “Fine. I’ll keep the rest to myself… for now. I’ll wait till I know you in and out.”
“In and out?” he repeated. “Careful how you phrase things, Aanya.”
Heat rushed to her face before she could stop it. Damn him. Of course he’d pick up on that . Twist it, let it hang in the air just long enough to get under her skin. She hadn’t meant it that way, but now she couldn’t stop thinking about it that way.
Her pulse kicked up, embarrassingly fast. Why was she reacting like this? She’d been around confident men who flirted openly, even shamelessly. But none of them had left her feeling this… off-balance .
Like every word out of her mouth was suddenly laced with hidden meaning.
And Reyansh?
He didn’t even need to flirt outright to get under her skin.
That was the worst part.
“You there?” he asked.
She snapped out of it. “Yeah. I’m here.”
Navya barged into the room, all excited, at that very moment. “Aanya, guess what—” she stopped short when Aanya held a finger to her lips.
Reyansh picked up on it immediately. “Who’s that?”
“Navya,” Aanya replied, grateful for the excuse to end the call.
“I won’t keep you long,” he said. “Just one update though. Di is arriving the day after tomorrow.”
Aanya bolted upright. “What?! I thought she was coming three days later.”
“She preponed her trip. Which means… tomorrow, you’re moving into Chopra Mansion. I want you there when she arrives.”
She froze. “That’s too soon. Why didn’t she inform us earlier? I’m not ready. I haven’t even packed—”
“You don’t need to pack anything,” he cut in.
She blinked. “What?”
“I’ve already arranged your wardrobe. You won’t need your clothes.”
“What the hell!” she snapped. “Are you serious?”
“Aanya, look,” he said calmly. “I don’t care what you wear. But Nani does. She’s particular about how things appear. Since we’re doing this my way, I need to make sure no one in my family feels uncomfortable.”
She groaned, but somewhere in the middle of that irritation, she understood. She herself had planned to buy something more modest before stepping into that house anyway.
“Fine,” she muttered. “I’ll be there.”
“Sunny will pick you up tomorrow.”
“Cool. Good night.”
She ended the call and turned to Navya, who was still sitting silently on the bed.
“You look like someone just told you I died,” Aanya joked.
“Shut up.” Navya frowned. “You’re leaving tomorrow?”
Aanya nodded. “Reyansh’s sister moved her schedule forward. So, yeah… the circus begins.”
Navya pouted, then leaned in to hug her. “Just promise me one thing. Just don’t hurt yourself in this process.”
Aanya smiled weakly and hugged her back. At least someone cared about her.
Chopra Mansion – Next Day
Aanya stepped out of the car with Sunny by her side, at the driveway of the Chopra Mansion. Despite the situation feeling every bit surreal, a wave of nerves coursed through her. She wasn’t supposed to care, but she did.
Sunny gave her a warm, if slightly nervous, smile. “So, whatever I’ve told you up to this point, this is where it starts. Time to apply it.”
She let out a shaky breath. “Feels like walking into an exam hall. I’ve done the studying, yet I still don’t feel ready.”
“I have faith you’ll do just fine,” he replied, offering his hand. “All the best.”
She returned the handshake with a hesitant smile. “Thanks, Sunny.”
The front door creaked open, and Reyansh walked out, dressed in track pants and a simple T-shirt that somehow still managed to still look designer. He looked too relaxed for a man who usually wore his arrogance like an Armani suit. Was he off work today?
He reached them and, as always, his eyes swept over her from head to toe. The way he looked at her today made her skin prickle.
“You look good,” he remarked, trying not to make it sound like a praise.
Aanya rolled her eyes. “Why are men so obsessed with simplicity? I look hotter in a miniskirt and crop top, than this plain salwar kameez.”
“This isn’t a pub,” he retorted. “It’s my home.”
“ Our home,” she corrected sharply.
Reyansh and Sunny both froze for a second at the correction.
“You need to revise your vocabulary too, Mr. Reyansh Chopra,” she added with mischief. “If we’re trying to convince your sister that we’re fixing our marriage, then there’s no more mine or yours . It’s ours . Every damn thing.”
A slow grin tugged at Reyansh’s lips as he turned to Sunny. “Looks like your hard work paid off. I can already see the results.”
Sunny flushed with a sheepish smile. “Thanks, Boss. I’ll take your leave.”
He got back into the car and drove away. Reyansh turned back to find Aanya admiring the grandeur of the mansion.
“Shall we?” he asked.
She nodded and followed him toward the entrance. But just as they reached the door, a sharp voice cut through the air.
“Stop right there!”
Reyansh instantly understood. Aanya, however, looked confused, until she spotted Nani approaching with a puja thali in hand.
“You’ve got to be kidding me,” Aanya muttered under her breath. “You told your grandmother I’m not staying forever, right? Then why is she doing this ?”
“She’s doing this because Radhika wants you welcomed like a bride,” Nani answered before Reyansh could.
He nodded to confirm. His sister had been adamant, that when Aanya returned to Chopra Mansion, it would be with a traditional grihapravesh, no shortcuts.
“You could’ve lied,” Aanya murmured, folding her arms. “She’s not here to see whether we follow through.”
“Chopras don’t lie,” Nani said curtly.
Aanya chuckled darkly. “Interesting. The entire contract we’re following is a lie. What about that?”
“Can we just get this done?” Reyansh cut in.
With a casual shrug, Aanya stepped forward. Nani circled the thali around them, then gestured for Aanya to push the rice kalash and step inside.
Aanya hesitated, unfamiliar with the ritual. She’d never done this before, not even after they were married. Their first night as husband and wife had been organized in a seven-star hotel room. The next morning, they’d had the ugliest argument of their lives, and their paths had split since.
“Come in,” Nani instructed.
Aanya suddenly smirked. “Isn’t the groom supposed to carry his bride in?”
Reyansh stared at her like she’d grown horns. “What?”
“I’m just saying,” she shrugged. “We’re following all the rituals for your sister’s sake, right? So why not this one too?”
Nani looked away, clearly offended. Reyansh exhaled sharply. “You think this is funny?”
“I think it’s hypocritical. When you ask me to perform these rituals, it’s culture. When I suggest one, it’s a joke.”