CHAPTER 16 #2
“Icon Interiors had redesigned one of our office premises two years ago. Prem led the project. He’s competent. You’re in good hands.”
A small smile tugged at her lips. “Most importantly he is polite, humble, and knows how to behave with a woman.”
Reyansh’s jaw ticked. Hearing her praise another man, even if deserved hit a nerve he hadn’t known he had.
“Just focus on your work. People can be deceptive.”
“Thanks for the warning, darling . I’ll keep my guard up,” she said with mock sweetness. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’ve got a real job to do.”
She ended the call, leaving him staring at the screen.
So that was her now? Ambitious, driven, and fiercely independent? The woman he had once misjudged was building her own identity, one decision at a time.
And though he didn’t say it aloud, somewhere deep within, he hoped she’d make it. That she’d prove the world and him wrong.
Chopra Mansion
When Reyansh returned home that evening, he found Radhika in the living room. Without wasting time, he asked the one question that had been on his mind all day.
“How was her first day at work?”
He didn’t need to clarify who he was referring to.
Radhika immediately understood. He figured Aanya must’ve shared the details with her.
After all, the two had grown close. Whatever Aanya couldn’t tell him, she often confided in his sister.
That’s why he went to the source most likely to give him honest updates.
“She had a great day,” Radhika replied with a bright smile. “She seems to really like her job.”
Reyansh nodded slowly.
“And why are you asking me all this?” she teased. “Go speak to her yourself. I’m sure she has a lot to tell you too. Go on.”
Before he could hesitate, Radhika nudged him toward his room. He didn’t argue. As soon as he opened the door, he froze.
Aanya was asleep on the bed, curled beneath the quilt, and looking exhausted.
She might’ve been thrilled about stepping into her new role, but her body was still adjusting to the demands of a working life.
Quietly, he stepped in and pulled the blanket up over her shoulder, tucking her in with more care than he ever had shown to her.
For a moment, he just stood there, unable to tear his gaze away.
Her soft face looked nothing like the feisty woman he often clashed with.
She was still a puzzle. He sat beside her, studying her silently.
Each day revealed a new layer of who Aanya really was.
She tested his patience and riled up his temper, but somewhere in between, she stirred something else in him too.
And it had started the moment he saw her pain, the day she’d mentioned the memories of her mother.
Suddenly, in sleep, Aanya’s body shifted, her brows furrowed.
“Don’t bully me…just leave,” she murmured, whimpering in her sleep.
He leaned forward instantly, alarmed. He’d heard her say that before, more than once. It wasn’t just a dream. It was something deeper, something haunting.
“Aanya,” he said, his voice gentle but firm. He reached out and lightly patted her cheek. “Wake up.”
Her eyes snapped open, disoriented and wide. She looked around in confusion.
“It’s me,” he reassured her quickly. “You’re home.”
She exhaled sharply and tried to steady her breathing. Reyansh poured her a glass of water and handed it to her.
“Thank you,” she murmured, drinking some water and then setting the glass aside.
“Who bullied you?” he asked directly, desperate to know where these nightmares stemmed from.
Her gaze turned guarded, sarcastic even, as she began to rise from the bed. He caught her wrist.
“You can’t ignore this,” he insisted. “Did someone hurt you? I need to know.”
There was an edge of protectiveness in his voice that even he couldn’t disguise. If she gave him a name, he wasn’t sure he could control himself.
“Why should I tell you?” she snapped. “Don’t you dare throw the husband card at me again.”
He inhaled sharply and gripped her wrist tighter.
“Why not? I need to know if I failed,” he said quietly. “If I failed in protecting you as a husband.”
She stared at him, stunned. Had he ever… cared enough to think like that?
“I need to know, Aanya, please,” he added, voice softening, “if this happened before I came into your life… or after.”
Aanya wrenched her hand free, her eyes flashing.
“Nothing serious happened,” she said flatly. “And it was before you. We weren’t even part of each other’s worlds then. So chill.”
“Chill?” he repeated with a bitter laugh. “You flinch and cry in your sleep and you expect me to chill?”
“I meant,” she said sharply, “stay out of my problems. Our marriage may be a permanent marriage to you, but to me, it’s a countdown.
I’m here only for Di. You know it very well that when our deal ends, I’ll leave.
And I want to walk away clean, without emotional shackles.
So don’t try to build attachments. It’ll only make it harder. ”
She stood and walked out of the room, leaving him behind with clenched fists and a hollow feeling that wouldn’t go away. She’d said it all like it meant nothing. Like he meant nothing.
It wasn’t just his ego that hurt. What ached this time… was his heart.