CHAPTER 3
The next morning, the mansion felt colder somehow.
Maybe because now the wedding was over.
The guests were gone.
The cameras were gone.
And reality had finally settled in.
I sat quietly at the massive dining table, nervously holding the teacup with both hands.
Everything around me screamed wealth.
The silver cutlery.
Fresh imported flowers.
Servants standing silently nearby.
Even the breakfast looked too expensive to eat.
And then...
Footsteps echoed through the dining hall.
Every servant immediately straightened.
The atmosphere shifted instantly.
Dhruv Malhotra had entered.
God.
How could one man look this intimidating at eight in the morning?
Black shirt.
Grey trousers.
Hair slightly messy.
Expensive watch on his wrist.
Cold expression already fixed on his face like emotions offended him personally.
He didn't even look at me while sitting across the table.
One servant quickly poured coffee for him.
Dhruv picked up the newspaper calmly.
Like we weren't married.
Like I didn't exist.
The silence stretched painfully.
Then his mother entered happily.
"There you both are."
Her eyes softened seeing me.
But Dhruv barely reacted.
She sat beside him carefully. "Dhruv, beta, you should take Riya shopping today. She needs..."
"No."
The answer came instantly.
Flat.
Cold.
Without even looking up from his newspaper.
The room went silent.
His mother sighed tiredly. "At least try to behave like newlyweds."
Dhruv finally looked up.
And those dark eyes immediately landed on me.
Sharp.
Unreadable.
Dangerous.
Then he folded the newspaper slowly.
"I have a board meeting in an hour."
His gaze stayed on me.
"After breakfast, come to my office."
Something about his tone made my stomach tighten.
He stood up before anyone could respond.
And walked away.
Just like that.
Like storms casually leaving destruction behind them.
..
The Malhotra mansion office was bigger than my entire school building.
Floor-to-ceiling windows overlooked the city.
Black interiors.
Bookshelves.
Awards.
Power.
Everything about the room screamed Dhruv.
Cold.
Perfect.
Untouchable.
I stood nervously near the door while he sat behind the massive desk, typing something on his laptop.
He didn't acknowledge me for almost two whole minutes.
The silence was intentional.
A power move.
And somehow it worked.
Because I already felt small.
Finally he closed the laptop.
Then leaned back in his chair.
His eyes met mine.
"Sit."
I quietly sat across from him.
Without a word, he opened a drawer and tossed a thick file onto the table.
The file slid toward me.
I frowned slightly.
"What is this?"
Dhruv's expression didn't change.
"Our agreement."
My heartbeat slowed.
Agreement?
I opened the file slowly.
And my breath caught.
DIVORCE SETTLEMENT CONTRACT.
My fingers froze against the paper.
The room suddenly felt too quiet.
Too heavy.
I looked up at him slowly.
Dhruv sat there calmly, one hand resting against the armrest, looking completely unaffected.
Like this conversation meant nothing.
"This marriage lasts one year," he said casually.
"After that, we divorce."
Every word felt colder than the last.
I stared at him.
Unable to speak for a second.
He continued.
"You'll continue living here publicly as my wife."
"Attend events when needed."
"No scandals."
"No interviews."
"No emotional drama."
The way he said emotional drama made humiliation crawl up my throat.
Then he slid another paper toward me.
A number was written there.
A huge number.
More money than I'd ever seen in my life.
My eyes widened.
Dhruv noticed immediately.
"You'll receive that amount after the divorce."
Silence.
Pure silence.
And then,
Something inside me cracked.
Not because of the divorce.
Not because he didn't want me.
I already knew that.
But because he genuinely thought I married him for money.
Slowly, I looked back at him.
"You think I'm doing this for cash?"
His expression stayed emotionless.
"I think nobody marries into this family for free."
The words hit hard.
Because maybe he truly believed that.
Maybe every relationship in his world had always been transactions.
Deals.
Benefits.
Status.
Never feelings.
Never sincerity.
I swallowed the hurt in my throat.
Then quietly closed the file.
"I don't want your money."
For the first time..
Dhruv's eyes sharpened slightly.
Not softer.
Just... interested.
Like I'd said something unexpected.
"You should take it."
"I won't."
His jaw tightened faintly.
"Don't be stupid, Riya."
I looked directly into his eyes for the first time during the conversation.
"I'm not staying because of money."
Something dangerous flickered across his face then disappeared instantly.
He stood up slowly.
Tall.
Intimidating.
The entire room suddenly felt smaller.
He walked toward me with calm steps.
One.
Two.
Three.
Until he stood directly beside my chair.
My heartbeat became uneven immediately.
Not because of romance.
Because Dhruv Malhotra's presence felt overwhelming.
Like standing too close to fire.
He leaned down slightly.
One hand resting against the table beside me.
And God,
Why did he always invade personal space like this?
His voice dropped lower.
"Then why are you staying?"
I opened my mouth.
But no words came out.
Because honestly?
I didn't know anymore.
Guilt?
Responsibility?
Pity?
Maybe all of it.
Dhruv stared at me for a long moment.
Then suddenly straightened.
Cold again.
Walls back up instantly.
"Sign the papers."
My fingers curled slightly.
"What if I don't?"
His eyes darkened.
The atmosphere shifted immediately.
"You don't want to test my patience."
There it was.
The real Dhruv.
Ruthless.
Powerful.
Used to control.
Used to getting his way.
And yet...
Something stubborn inside me suddenly pushed back.
Maybe because I'd spent my whole life being powerless already.
I slowly placed the pen back on the table.
"I won't sign today."
Silence.
Dead silence.
Dhruv looked at me like nobody had denied him anything in years.
His jaw clenched sharply.
The air itself felt tense now.
"Excuse me?"
I stood up slowly despite my nervousness.
"I married you because your family needed help."
I swallowed hard.
"Not because I wanted a business deal."
His expression became colder with every second.
"And before you treat me like some gold digger.."
My voice shook slightly.
"Remember that I was the one who lost everything too."
For the first time,
Something in Dhruv's expression flickered.
Very briefly.
Then disappeared.
He stepped closer again.
Too close.
His dark eyes locked onto mine with dangerous calmness.
"You think this hurts you?"
His voice became quieter.
More deadly.
"I built an empire at eighteen while people twice my age waited for me to fail."
Another step closer.
"I learned very early that emotions are weaknesses."
His gaze hardened.
"And love?"
A cold smile appeared briefly.
"The stupidest weakness of all."
The room fell silent.
Completely silent.
And suddenly,
I understood him a little.
Not romantically.
Not emotionally.
But painfully.
This wasn't a man who hated love because someone broke his heart.
This was a man who never allowed himself to have one in the first place.
Dhruv picked up the contract again and placed it firmly in front of me.
"This marriage survives because of rules, Riya."
His eyes met mine.
"So don't make the mistake of expecting anything beyond them."
Then he walked past me.
Stopped near the door.
And without turning around,
"Tonight there's a charity gala."
His voice turned coldly professional again.
"You'll attend with me."
A pause.
"And try not to embarrass the Malhotra name."
The door shut behind him.
Leaving me alone.
Holding divorce papers.
Still wearing his surname.