CHAPTER 33 #2
“Two more minutes,” Aanya muttered as she shifted in her economy class seat. That was all she could afford with a last-minute booking. As Sunny had arranged, the guards Reyansh assigned to protect her were somewhere nearby, but she had no idea who they were or where they were seated.
She opened her email, not to check Reyansh’s messages this time, but Sunny’s. His latest message included the hotel address where Reyansh was staying in Cape Town. Sunny had already informed the hotel staff about her surprise arrival.
She turned off her phone and leaned back, heart fluttering.
She couldn’t wait to see him.
Cape Town – Hotel
“Jas,” Reyansh greeted, smiling as he saw his old friend at the hotel lobby.
“I didn’t know you were staying here too,” Reyansh said, shaking his hand.
“Last-minute check-in,” Jas shrugged. “So… are you here alone? Or will we finally get to meet the mysterious Mrs. Chopra?”
“I wish she were here,” Reyansh admitted with a sigh.
“Well, see you tonight at the function,” Jas said before heading out.
Reyansh made his way towards the elevator, heading back to the presidential suite and while doing so he pulled out his phone to type a quick message to Aanya.
Wife,
I miss you. I wish you were here. Or I was there with you.
Your Depressed Husband.
Reyansh.
He stepped out of the elevator on the 18th floor just as his phone buzzed with a new email.
Husband,
Fruits of patience are always sweet.
Wife,
Aanya.
No. That wasn’t true. Not anymore. Patience wasn’t sweet...it stung. Every hour apart felt heavier than the last.
Wife,
Your words aren’t helping. I shouldn’t have listened to you and flew to California instead. At least then we’d be together.
Your repenting Husband,
Reyansh.
He got an immediate reply.
Husband,
What should I do to help you then?
Wife.
***************
Wife,
Let me come there. I can take the next flight.
Fingers crossed.
Husband.
**************
Husband,
Or I can come there.
Wife.
His breath caught. If only she could come here right now...
He unlocked the door to his suite and stepped inside, rolling his shoulders from the day’s exhaustion. But before he could even set his laptop bag down, he heard the soft, unmistakable voice that stopped him in his tracks.
“Hey, husband.”
He froze mid-step.
There, in the centre of the suite’s living room, she stood, wrapped in a black satin robe that clung to her like it was made for his hands to untie.
Her hair was damp, tendrils curling softly around her face, and droplets of water still clung to her collarbone, gleaming under the warm lights.
She looked like a dream. One that had haunted him for months.
“Aanya…” he breathed. “Am I dreaming?”
She smiled, slow, knowing, seductive. “Why don’t you touch me and find out?”
He didn’t need a second invitation.
He dropped his phone and laptop onto the couch with a soft thud and strode toward her. His arms wrapped around her instantly, as if his body had been waiting for this moment. He crashed his mouth onto hers, hungry and desperate.
She gasped into his mouth as he deepened the kiss, one hand sliding into her damp hair, the other traveling down her spine to the small of her back, pulling her flush against him.
Her satin robe offered no resistance. His hand slid through the slit to find her bare skin, igniting a shiver that matched his own urgency.
And in that moment, he didn’t care how she had pulled this off. Maybe Sunny had helped. Maybe she’d outsmarted his entire security team. But none of that mattered now.
In that moment, he didn’t care how she had made it happen.
He suspected Sunny had played a part. He was likely the only one Aanya could’ve conspired with to pull off something like this.
But at this moment, having her in arms when he missed her so much, he didn’t care what Sunny had hidden from him, of how she’d outsmarted his entire security team, or what explanation her boss had accepted for approving her leaves to travel here. None of it mattered.
All that mattered was she was here. For him.
All he wanted was to drown in his wife’s kisses because they’d both been starved of them for far too long.
His phone rang somewhere in the corner of the room, but Reyansh didn’t spare it a glance.
His focus was entirely on the woman in his arms…
his wife, his most treasured gift. Aanya gasped when he tugged at the sash of her robe loose and let it fall open, revealing her black lingerie beneath.
His eyes darkened with a fresh, smouldering hunger before he kissed her again, this time slower, deeper while hands explored her body with worshipful intensity, memorizing every dip and curve.
She arched against him, sighing his name like a prayer until the harsh sound of his phone ringing started bothering her.
“Reyansh,” Aanya tried to stop him.
“Ssh,” he whispered against her ear, holding her close, lost in the intoxicating warmth of her presence.
“Your phone,” she murmured again.
“Let it ring,” he replied, his breath brushing her skin, unwilling to let anything intrude on their stolen moment of closeness.
“It might be important,” she urged softly. “At least check who it is.”
With a frustrated sigh, Reyansh pulled away from her, dragging his gaze from the sight of her robe which had now parted just enough to reveal smooth, fair skin and the black lingerie that clung to her like a promise.
She looked deliciously tousled, impossibly tempting, and every inch of her screamed to be touched again.
“We’re not done yet,” he said as he walked over to the couch and picked up his phone and answered the call. “Good you called, Sunny,” he said coldly. “You’ve got one week to hand over everything and leave. I’m firing you.”
Aanya’s eyes widened. She stepped forward, tying the sash of her robe, to intervene, but Reyansh held out his hand, halting her.
“You knew Aanya was coming here, and you didn’t tell me?” he asked through gritted teeth.
“Boss… she wanted to surprise you.”
“I’m not buying that excuse,” he snapped.
Before Reyansh could say another word, Aanya marched over and snatched the phone from his hand.
“Sunny, no one’s getting fired,” she said firmly. “I reached here safely. Thank you for the favour. We’ll see you downstairs soon.”
She ended the call and looked up at her husband, who stood stunned, watching her take control. She wasn’t just stepping into her role as his wife—she was owning it.
Aanya wrapped her arms around his neck and leaned closer. “Please don’t be mad. It was meant to be a surprise. But Sunny made sure the guards followed me here. You were the only one who wasn’t supposed to know. That’s all.”
“That’s all?” he echoed, incredulous.
“Don’t fire him, please,” she pouted, leaning into him.
“You’re wasting that pout,” he muttered, pulling her flush against him.
She blushed. “I really wanted to surprise you, Rey,” she admitted.
The way she called him ‘Rey’ again, mellowed down some of his anger.
“I thought you hated surprises.”
“I don’t like receiving surprises,” she clarified. “But I don’t mind giving a few to my husband.”
He didn’t answer. Although he liked her little surprise, the protective instinct in him refused to be silenced.
“It was too risky, Aanya” he murmured, brushing his fingers along her cheek.
“I’m safe. Isn’t that enough?”
“I don’t want to take chances,” he said quietly. “Not with you. I loved the surprise but when things are serious, please don’t pull off stunts like that. Nothing matters more to me than knowing you’re safe.”
She saw it then…the fear in his eyes and everything that he didn’t say but was worried about. The fear of losing her.
“I’ll try to obey your commands from now on,” she promised.
“ Try? ” he repeated with a raised brow.
She sighed. “Fine. I will. I’ll do what you ask. Happy now?”
A faint smile tugged at his lips. She was relieved he didn’t push the conversation further.
“You know what?” Reyansh murmured. “For the little stunt you pulled today… you really deserve to be spanked, Mrs. Aanya Chopra.”
Her cheeks flushed a deep shade of red. The way he said it sent a bolt of electricity straight through her. It was embarrassing, yes, but undeniably sensual. Still wrapped in his arms, she shifted slightly, her fingers gripping the collar of his shirt for balance she wasn’t sure she had anymore.
She leaned in closer, lips brushing the edge of his jaw as she whispered, “Well… if it doesn’t hurt too much, I might just be into it.”
Reyansh’s entire body went rigid. His hand slid around her waist, dipping lower until his palm pressed possessively against the small of her back.
He leaned in, his mouth grazing her ear.
“Careful,” he growled, voice rough with restrained desire. “Say one more thing like that and I swear, I won’t stop until you’re begging… not for mercy, but for more.”
Aanya shivered, her body responding before she could think. The fire in his eyes promised everything her heart and skin ached for. And God help her, but she wanted every second of it.
That’s when a knock at the door cut through the tension.
“Too many damn distractions today,” Reyansh muttered and went to open it.
Room service rolled in a bottle of champagne.
“Mr. Sunny has sent this wine for you and your wife, sir,” the woman announced.
Reyansh turned to look at Aanya, who winked in reply. The woman set the bottle down and exited.
“Sunny is learning how to bribe now,” Reyansh said dryly.
Aanya giggled. “He learned from his boss.”
He raised a brow.
“Remember when you tried to bribe me with the same wine at Chopra Mansion for your ‘errant behaviour’?” she asked, smirking.
He remembered. Of course, he did. A small smile tugged at the corners of his lips.
“That was a gift. This…” he pointed to the bottle. “This is a bribe.”
Aanya gave him a playful shove. “Stop intimidating your staff and please leave Sunny alone. He’s done a lot for us.”
Reyansh rolled his eyes. “I know and he knows it too that I’ll never ever let him go.”
Aanya’s heart warmed. “You and Sunny should win an award for best boss-assistant duo. I’d be happy to present it myself.”
Reyansh couldn’t agree more. With that he recalled something else.
“You skipped your own event… for me?” he asked, his voice low.
“That’s okay,” she said. “And honestly? You matter more to me than any other award.”
She tugged lightly at his shirt again.
He too pulled her into his arms again, kissed her nose, and just looked at her.
“Even though I could stay wrapped up like this with you all day,” she whispered against his skin, “we’ll be late for your event. And I can’t miss that. The whole reason I came was to see you get that award.”
He sighed, brushing his fingers through her hair. “You’re right. Go get ready.” Then added, “Did you let Di know you arrived?”
“I did. But I didn’t tell Dad. He’s here too, right?”
“Yes. And guess who’s with him.”
Her eyes narrowed. “Kyle?”
He nodded. “She’s here.”
“Seriously?” she blinked. “That’s… unexpected. Did they drop the divorce petition?”
“I don’t know yet,” he replied. “Why don’t we find out tonight, over dinner?”
She smiled, eyes lighting up. “Yeah… we should.”
Reyansh watched her quietly, soaking in the way her face glowed with hope.
Seeing her so invested in her father’s happiness, wishing for a second chance at love for him and Kyle, only made him prouder.
His wife wasn’t just strong, she had the rare grace to root for others, even when life hadn’t always been kind to her.