CHAPTER 36 #2
Aanya’s heart clenched, but this time not in pain. The intensity of his concern, the fury in his voice, the protective grip of his arms around her... it overwhelmed her in the best way.
She hugged him again, tighter than before.
Then, after a pause, her voice returned.
“But Navya came in time,” she admitted. “She had kept looking for me since the party and she found me and stopped Vicky from touching me.”
Reyansh closed his eyes, a wave of silent gratitude crashing over him. He couldn’t have thanked Navya more.
“You didn’t tell your father?” he asked quietly.
“He was out of town. And Kyle…” She shook her head. “That wasn’t an option. I didn’t tell anyone. Just Navya. And now you.”
Reyansh swallowed hard, his grip tightening.
“So, on days when things go wrong, when I’m overwhelmed.
.. that night comes back. The memory. The fear.
The helplessness. It flashes through my mind like a film.
That’s when the nightmares come.” She paused, looking up at him again.
“But they’ve become rare now. Because I’m not alone anymore. I have you.”
Reyansh gently kissed her forehead, his lips lingering there as if sealing a vow.
“And I’ll be here, Aanya,” he whispered, his voice rough with emotion. “Until my last breath, I’ll be yours.”
“Don’t talk about death when our life has only just begun,” Aanya snapped.
Reyansh immediately nodded, understanding her fear. She took a moment to steady her breath, to gather the strength she had just regained.
“Now tell me,” she demanded, eyes locked onto his. “What happened in California? Was Vicky really stalking me again?”
“Not Vicky himself,” Reyansh replied, voice tight. “But his men. When my security team caught one of them, they confessed—it was Vicky who sent them. He wanted your whereabouts. Your details.”
“Why would he do that now?” Aanya asked, her brows furrowing. “It’s been years. I never filed a complaint. Never even mentioned his name publicly again. Why trace me after all this time?”
“Men like him don’t need reasons to play dirty,” Reyansh answered, jaw clenched.
“I spoke to his MLA father. Vicky’s current location hasn’t been confirmed, but his father has assured me this stops.
And if it doesn’t,” his tone dropped into something lethal, “he knows I’ll make sure he doesn’t win his next election. ”
Aanya felt the chill run down her spine. Vicky still being untraceable terrified her. He could be anywhere. Watching. Waiting.
But her surprise lay more in Reyansh. How far he’d gone to protect her.
How powerful his methods were. She finally understood why he had warned her not to use Vicky’s name in emails, and why he said their communication could be monitored or hacked.
If Vicky’s father truly wanted to shield his son from legal exposure, he’d scrub any trace that could tie him to criminal behaviour.
Reyansh had been thinking three steps ahead all along.
But something else tugged at her thoughts. She turned to him, narrowing her eyes.
“Is that why you’re shifting to California for the next three months?”
Reyansh gave a lopsided smirk, his thumb brushing along her cheek. She had guessed it.
Of course, he couldn’t depend solely on guards to protect her. He needed to be there, himself.
“It’s one of the reasons,” he admitted. “But the real reason is this—” his voice lowered as he leaned in, “—I want to shower my wife with the love and attention she has always deserved. That’s my top priority.”
Her heart clenched in the best way possible. She cupped his face and pulled him into a fierce kiss, pouring all her emotions into it. Reyansh responded instantly, rolling her gently onto the bed with him. When they finally broke apart, Aanya’s mind was still spinning, as she had one more question.
“And where does Shagufta fit in all this?” she asked breathlessly.
He exhaled, gaze turning cautious.
“I don’t know yet. It’s just a gut feeling... but I suspect she’s involved somehow. She has no business being in California right now. So why is she there? What if she’s joined hands with Vicky?”
Aanya’s eyes darkened with concern. “Do they even know each other?”
“Yes,” Reyansh confirmed with a sigh. “Shagufta’s father and Vicky’s father go way back. Old political ties. That’s what triggered me to put someone on her trail too. I’m still waiting for confirmation, but it’s not impossible they’re working together.”
Aanya pouted, frustration bubbling inside her.
“What a mess. Two people from our pasts trying to destroy the future we just built.”
“I won’t let that happen,” Reyansh vowed, pulling her closer until their foreheads touched.
“I know you won’t,” she whispered, her voice filled with faith. She kissed him again, slow and passionate, sealing the promise between them with her lips.
Whatever storm was waiting, they would face it together as soulmates—finally, completely, irrevocably in love.
A few hours later
Reyansh had taken Aanya out to explore the city, determined to make every remaining moment count.
She would be flying back to California with Radhika the next day to resume work, and the thought of parting again gnawed at his heart.
So, he held her hand a little tighter, laughed a little louder, and memorized every smile she gave him as though it were the last.
They wandered into a quaint jewelry store nestled between cafes and boutiques, drawn in by the soft glint of diamonds in the window display.
Aanya’s eyes sparkled the moment they stepped in, and Reyansh didn’t need a second to decide.
He watched her linger in front of a delicate yet radiant diamond bracelet.
“This,” he said, lifting it carefully, “is for my beautiful wife.”
He fastened it around her wrist with tenderness, brushing a soft kiss to her knuckles once it was in place.
Aanya stared at it, touched. “Reyansh… this is way too expensive.”
“You deserve to be spoiled every day,” he said, eyes fixed on hers.
She melted into him, slipping her arms around his neck. “Now what should I gift you ?” she whispered against his lips, her gaze trailing across his face with intimate curiosity.
He gripped her waist, drawing her closer. Their eyes locked in a heat-laced stare before he leaned in and whispered something sinful in her ear.
She gasped, playfully shoving him away as her cheeks flushed. “Never,” she said, fighting her grin.
“Excuse me?” Reyansh feigned offense. “I wasn’t asking. That was a command.”
She laughed, trying to push him away playfully, but he held her tighter.
“Say yes,” he murmured near her ear. “Although I’ll miss you, give me something to miss you really hard that I’ll have no choice but to fly back to you…sooner and forever.”
“Fine. I’ll think about it,” she replied, with a teasing glint in her eyes, trying to hide her blush as vivid images of what he wanted her to do flickered through her mind.
Reyansh froze for a beat, then slowly grinned…wicked, and entirely satisfied. “You do realize that’s as good as a yes to me, right?” he asked, tilting her chin up so she couldn’t look away.
Her smile deepened, “I know.”
He groaned low in his throat, clearly affected, and brushed a kiss over the corner of her mouth. “I love you, Mrs. Chopra.”
With one last lingering glance at the bracelet gleaming on her wrist, he took her hand and led her to the billing counter, already counting down the hours until he could follow her back into California. But for now, she was his. And he wasn’t wasting a second.
Later That Night
The Malhotras, Negis, and Chopras gathered for one final dinner before going their separate ways the next morning. The mood was warm, familial, and tinged with the sadness of parting.
“This dinner is divine,” Kyle said with a smile. “I don’t think I’ve felt this full in years.”
Radhika’s gaze moved lovingly around the table, then paused on Aanya. “But Aanya hasn’t eaten much.”
Reyansh turned toward his wife, his expression shifting with gentle concern. “You okay, sweetheart?”
“I’m good, thank you,” Aanya replied quickly, dodging the way his eyes softened. “Just... not too hungry. I want to keep it light tonight.”
He leaned in, his voice low enough for her alone. “Don’t overthink it,” he murmured, brushing his knuckles lightly along her arm. “It’s just a dance.”
A small smile tugged at her lips, though she bit the inside of her cheek to keep it in check.
The butterflies in her chest weren’t helping.
Because this wasn’t just any dance. It was her gift to him.
A private, sultry dance, just for him. It was the least she could offer before they parted again.
And she was confident it would keep him aching enough to return to her sooner.
“I’m just thinking what to wear tonight,” she whispered, eyes flicking toward him with mischief.
His fingers curled around hers beneath the table. “Don’t bother,” he said, voice roughened with affection. “Whatever you wear won’t stay on for long anyway.”
Her smile was shy, but the promise in her eyes made his pulse spike.
Next Morning
Aanya stirred slowly, her body still heavy from the night before. But when she opened her eyes and found her husband sprawled next to her…bare-chested and hair ruffled, and exuding his sexy charm as always, every ache seemed worth it. The mere sight of him breathed new life into her.
Last night had been unforgettable. She had given her best performance, without any filters.
The dress she chose had been a bold one, barely covering her in all the right places.
She’d hesitated while getting ready, briefly considering something safer.
But deep down, she knew that dress would leave him breathless the moment he saw her in it.
And the way his eyes darkened in that instant, it was worth everything.
Aanya had always loved to dance, but performing like that, solely for her husband, was something entirely new.
Intimate. Exhilarating. And judging by the way Reyansh watched her, like if she was a vision made just for him, she knew every second had been worth it.
Reyansh had devoured every moment of her performance, and afterward.
.. he had shown her just how deeply he loved her gift, with a passion that still lingered on her skin.
Now this morning, Reyansh reached for her side of the bed, and when he found it empty, his eyes flew open.
“Good morning, husband.”
He scowled at her groggily and pulled her back into bed.
“It’s not morning yet,” he muttered against her ear, voice rough with sleep and desire. “Where did you learn to dance like that?”
Aanya giggled shyly. “Movies. Shikha and I used to watch a lot of them in our free time at California.”
He raised a brow. “ Dirty movies?”
“Not all of them!”
Reyansh laughed softly and kissed her forehead, then wrapped his arms around her again. “I don’t mind you watching more... if it means I get that kind of show every night.”
She giggled harder, burying her face into his shoulder.
“For that you’ll have to come soon,” she pleaded quietly. “I don’t like this whole separation routine.”
“I will,” he promised. “I don’t have the willpower to stay away from you either.”
“Where will we stay?” she asked, raising her head.
“I’ve already arranged a place. Once you’re back in California, go check it out. If you like it, we’ll move in.”
“Oh… that’s good,” she replied. “I didn’t want us disturbing Di’s private life.”
“And I don’t want anyone else disturbing ours ,” he added, dragging his palm along her lower back.
“I’ll miss this,” she whispered, biting her lip.
Reyansh grinned. “Let me show you what I’ll miss.”
He rolled her onto her back, covering her body with his, and kissed her until neither of them remembered what time it was.