Chapter 14
The next morning felt strangely peaceful.
Sunlight poured softly through the giant mansion windows.
The rain from last night had stopped.
And for once,
Dhruv actually looked less stressed.
Not relaxed.
Never relaxed.
But less murderous.
Which honestly counted as progress.
I sat in the living room trying to answer work emails one-handed while the house staff moved around quietly.
Across from me, Dhruv worked on his laptop again.
Black t-shirt.
Grey trousers.
Hair slightly messy.
Coffee beside him.
And somehow—
The domesticity of this situation still felt illegal.
Every few minutes his eyes lifted toward me automatically.
Checking.
Monitoring.
Like his brain had developed permanent surveillance instincts.
Meanwhile I remained blissfully unaware of the psychological warfare happening inside his head.
I typed another email slowly.
Then suddenly,
The sound of multiple cars entering the mansion echoed outside.
Instantly,
Dhruv looked up.
And this time?
The change in his expression was immediate.
Sharp.
Cold.
Alert.
Not again.
I blinked in confusion.
Before I could ask anything,
The head guard entered hurriedly.
"Sir."
Silence filled the room.
Dhruv slowly closed his laptop.
"Who is it?"
The guard hesitated for half a second.
Then answered:
"Mr. Armaan Khanna is here."
Oh.
My face brightened immediately.
Dhruv's somehow became even colder.
Interesting.
Before I could react further, the front doors opened.
And Armaan Khanna walked inside.
God.
The man genuinely looked like he walked out of a luxury magazine cover.
Tall.
Broad shoulders.
Dark charcoal suit.
Sharp jawline.
Expensive watch glinting beneath the sunlight.
And behind him,
Two guards carried large flower bouquets and fruit baskets.
Like an entire hospital visit package.
I stood up carefully from the couch.
"Sir..."
Armaan's eyes immediately softened after seeing me.
Especially the bandage still visible near my shoulder.
And before I could say anything else,
He walked directly toward me.
Then gently hugged me.
Carefully.
Like he was scared of hurting my shoulder.
The sudden contact shocked me slightly.
Not because it was inappropriate.
It genuinely wasn't.
It felt warm.
Protective almost.
And probably normal in his world.
But unfortunately,
The temperature in the room dropped approximately fifty degrees.
Because across from us,
Dhruv had gone completely still.
Oh no.
Armaan pulled back slightly before speaking apologetically.
"I'm sorry I came late."
His voice sounded genuine.
"There were important family issues I had to handle."
I smiled softly.
"It's okay..."
Armaan studied my face carefully now.
Then frowned slightly.
"You look pale."
Before I could answer,
A cold voice interrupted.
"She's recovering."
The atmosphere shifted instantly.
Armaan finally looked toward Dhruv fully.
And wow.
The tension between these two men could probably power cities.
Dhruv stood up slowly.
Tall.
Intimidating.
Expression unreadable.
But those dark eyes?
Ice cold.
Armaan remained calm though.
Almost amused.
"Dhruv."
"I didn't know you personally visit every injured or sick employee of your office" Dhruv said coldly.
Excuse me WHAT kind of greeting was that?
I looked between them nervously.
Meanwhile Armaan smiled faintly.
"Good to see you too."
No it wasn't.
Nobody believed that.
The guards placed flowers and fruit baskets nearby before leaving quietly.
And somehow,
The mansion staff looked terrified watching this interaction.
Like they sensed billionaire war approaching.
Honestly same.
Armaan looked back at me again.
"How's the shoulder?"
"Better now."
He frowned slightly.
"You should still rest longer."
Dhruv immediately responded before I could.
"She is."
My eyes widened slightly.
Because excuse me since when did Dhruv answer questions on my behalf?
Armaan noticed too.
A strange little look crossed his face.
Not mocking.
Observing.
Like he found something interesting here.
Then casually,
Very casually,
He asked me:
"Did you finish the report I sent yesterday?"
Before I could answer,
Dhruv spoke again.
"She's not working."
Okay now even I looked at him.
Armaan raised one eyebrow slowly.
"Oh?"
Dhruv's expression stayed calm.
Too calm.
"Doctor's orders."
Technically the doctor never said work emails were illegal but alright.
Armaan's gaze shifted between us quietly.
And suddenly,
Something amused flickered in his eyes.
Oh no.
I knew that look.
That was the look of a man noticing dynamics.
Dangerous dangerous dangerous.
I quickly changed the topic.
"Would you like coffee, sir?"
Armaan smiled softly.
"Only if you're having some too."
Before I could answer,
"I'll tell the staff."
Dhruv.
Again.
At this point he was basically participating in the conversation against his own will.
Armaan noticed it too.
Definitely.
Because now the amusement in his eyes deepened slightly.
Meanwhile I remained hopelessly confused.
Why were men so weird?
Dhruv calmly instructed a servant for coffee.
Then silence settled awkwardly between us.
Well.
Awkward for me.
For Dhruv and Armaan this looked like some silent billionaire dominance battle.
Armaan finally sat across from me on the couch.
Relaxed.
Composed.
Meanwhile Dhruv remained standing beside the table.
Not sitting.
Interesting.
Then suddenly Armaan looked at me again.
"You scared everyone at the office, by the way."
I blinked.
"What?"
"When I mentioned you were injured, your entire team panicked."
My chest warmed unexpectedly.
"Really?"
Armaan nodded.
Then smiled slightly.
"Though I think your manager was more scared of me than concerned about you."
A small laugh escaped me.
And immediately,
Dhruv's eyes shifted toward me.
The atmosphere changed again.
Because for one tiny second,
Dhruv looked strangely affected by hearing me laugh with another man.
Not angry exactly.
But intensely aware of it.
Like the sound itself bothered him unexpectedly.
Meanwhile Armaan remained completely calm.
Comfortable.
Too comfortable.
And somehow,
The contrast between these two men suddenly felt dangerously obvious.
One warm.
One cold.
One openly kind.
One silently protective.
And somewhere in the middle,
I sat completely oblivious to the storm quietly building around me.
...
The coffee arrived quickly.
Too quickly.
Probably because every servant in the mansion sensed the dangerous atmosphere and wanted to escape alive.
I sat quietly on the couch while the maid placed cups carefully onto the table.
Armaan thanked her politely.
Dhruv didn't even look at the coffee.
His attention remained fixed entirely on Armaan.
Not openly hostile.
Worse.
Controlled.
Calculated.
Like two businessmen standing inside a boardroom instead of a living room.
Meanwhile I sat between them mentally begging the universe for survival.
Armaan finally leaned back slightly against the couch.
"So," he spoke calmly while stirring his coffee, "how's the investigation going?"
The room shifted instantly.
Dhruv's expression hardened.
"The traitor is being handled."
His voice came cold.
Final.
Armaan nodded slowly.
But his eyes sharpened slightly.
"Internal betrayal isn't something to take lightly."
Silence.
Dhruv stared at him blankly.
"I don't need advice on security."
Okay wow.
The tension physically increased.
I quickly tried changing the topic again.
"The flowers are really beautiful, sir. Thank you."
Armaan immediately looked toward me again.
And just like that,
The cold intensity around him softened.
"It felt inappropriate coming empty-handed after you nearly died saving someone."
Dhruv's jaw tightened visibly.
Very visibly.
I noticed.
Armaan noticed.
Probably the entire staff noticed.
But nobody said anything.
I smiled softly.
"It was really sweet."
And unfortunately,
That word somehow made things worse.
Because Dhruv suddenly stood up from beside the table.
"I have a meeting."
I blinked.
What?
Armaan looked completely unsurprised.
Almost like he expected this reaction.
Dhruv picked up his laptop calmly.
Then looked directly at me.
"You should take your medicine."
The sentence sounded normal.
But something about the way he said it felt loaded.
Like a reminder.
Or warning.
Before I could respond, he walked toward the staircase.
But right before disappearing upstairs,
His eyes briefly met Armaan's.
And God.
That one look contained enough silent tension to write an entire war.
Then Dhruv disappeared upstairs.
The room finally exhaled.
I looked toward Armaan awkwardly.
"I'm sorry if he seemed rude."
Armaan actually laughed softly.
"No, he seemed exactly like Dhruv."
Okay fair enough.
I relaxed slightly.
Then suddenly frowned.
"You know him well?"
Armaan took a sip of coffee before answering.
"Our families move in similar circles."
Something about his answer felt intentionally vague.
But before I could ask further,
His gaze shifted toward the staircase where Dhruv disappeared moments ago.
Then back toward me.
And slowly,
Very slowly,
A knowing look appeared in his eyes.
Oh no.
Men noticing things again.
Dangerous.
Armaan leaned back slightly.
"You know," he said casually, "I've never seen Dhruv leave work unfinished for anyone."
I blinked.
"What?"
"He hasn't stepped out of the mansion in two days."
My brows furrowed slightly.
How did he know that?
Armaan continued calmly.
"Dhruv Malhotra cancelling external meetings is practically business news."
Wait.
What?
I stared at him in confusion.
"He was just working from home."
Silence.
Then unexpectedly,
Armaan smiled.
Not mocking.
Almost amused.
And somehow,
That expression made me nervous.
"You really don't notice anything, do you?"
Excuse me why did everyone keep saying that to me?!
I frowned immediately.
"Notice what?"
But before Armaan could answer,
A cold voice interrupted from the staircase above.
"Khanna."
Both of us looked up instantly.
Dhruv stood there again.
And wow.
He looked dangerous.
Black shirt sleeves rolled up now.
One hand resting against the railing.
Expression calm.
Too calm.
Armaan looked mildly entertained seeing him back already.
"I thought you had a meeting."
"I do."
Dhruv descended the stairs slowly.
Eyes fixed entirely on Armaan.
"But apparently my living room is hosting guests longer than expected."
Okay wow.
That definitely sounded rude.
I immediately looked toward Armaan apologetically again.
But surprisingly,
The billionaire only smiled faintly.
Like he found Dhruv's behavior interesting rather than offensive.
Honestly rich men were psychologically concerning.
Dhruv reached downstairs and stopped beside the couch.
Close to me.
Very close.
And for some reason,
That tiny detail did not go unnoticed by Armaan.
The room became quiet again.
Then suddenly Armaan looked toward me softly.
"I should leave. You need rest."
I nodded politely.
"Thank you for visiting."
He stood up smoothly.
Tall.
Composed.
The guards immediately moved near the entrance again.
Armaan looked down at me one last time.
"Call if you need anything."
Before I could answer,
Dhruv responded instead.
"She won't."
Silence.
Armaan slowly looked toward him.
And finally,
For the first time since entering the mansion,
The warmth in his expression disappeared slightly.
Not angry.
Just sharper now.
More aware.
Then calmly,
"I wasn't asking you."
OH MY GOD.
I literally stopped breathing.
Meanwhile Dhruv's face became unreadable.
Which somehow looked more threatening than anger.
The room fell dead silent.
The servants nearby looked ready to resign.
I stared between them nervously like a child watching two lions.
And then,
Unexpectedly,
Dhruv smiled.
A small cold smile.
Dangerous.
"That's where you're mistaken."
My heartbeat stumbled slightly.
Because something about the way he said that sentence felt different.
Possessive almost.
Armaan noticed too.
Definitely.
The two men stared at each other silently for a long moment.
And suddenly,
I felt like I was witnessing a conversation without words.
Something territorial.
Something competitive.
Something dangerous quietly forming beneath politeness.
Then finally,
Armaan looked away first.
Not defeated.
Just thoughtful.
He adjusted his watch calmly before looking toward me again.
"Take care, Riya."
I smiled softly.
"You too, sir."
Dhruv's jaw visibly tightened at the sir again.
Armaan definitely noticed that this time.
Because the billionaire's eyes flickered briefly toward Dhruv before a faint almost-smirk appeared.
Oh no.
He was enjoying this now.
Absolutely terrible.
The guards opened the mansion doors.
Armaan walked out calmly.
But right before entering his car,
He turned once more toward the mansion windows.
Toward me standing inside.
And then his gaze shifted slowly,
Toward Dhruv beside me.
The air itself felt tense.
Then finally,
Armaan left.
The gates closed behind him.
Silence filled the mansion immediately afterward.
Heavy silence.
I slowly looked toward Dhruv.
Big mistake.
Because he was already staring at me.
Dark eyes unreadable.
Expression cold again.
But something about him tonight felt sharper.
More restless.
I blinked nervously.
"What?"
Silence.
Then slowly,
Dhruv stepped closer.
Close enough that my heartbeat instantly betrayed me again.
His gaze dropped briefly toward the flowers Armaan had brought.
Then back to me.
And quietly,
Dangerously quietly,
"He hugged you."
I blinked.
What?
"He was being polite."
Dhruv stared at me blankly.
"No businessman is polite."
Okay now he just sounded emotionally traumatized.
I frowned slightly.
"Why are you acting weird?"
Silence.
Then suddenly,
Dhruv laughed softly.
A tired frustrated laugh.
Like he himself couldn't believe this conversation.
He stepped even closer now.
Close enough that the entire room suddenly felt too small.
And when he finally spoke,
His voice dropped low.
Intense.
"Because another man walked into my house looking at my wife like she matters."
The room went completely silent.
My breath caught instantly.
Because somehow,
That sentence felt far more dangerous than a confession ever could.
Dhruv stood inches away from me.
Dark eyes fixed entirely on mine.
And his last sentence still echoed heavily between us.
"Because another man walked into my house looking at my wife like she matters."
My heartbeat felt uneven suddenly.
Not because of romance.
Because there was something dangerously honest hidden beneath those words.
And somehow,
That honesty scared me more than his coldness ever had.
I swallowed softly before looking away first.
Trying to steady myself.
Then quietly,
"It's just a contract marriage."
Silence.
I continued softly.
"There's barely eight months remaining anyway."
The second those words left my mouth,
Something changed in Dhruv's expression.
Subtly.
But enough for me to notice.
His jaw tightened slightly.
The atmosphere shifted.
Like the mention of eight months physically irritated him.
I kept speaking carefully.
"So why does it matter?"
There.
The question finally existed between us.
Raw.
Dangerous.
Because honestly,
I genuinely didn't understand.
This marriage was temporary.
Forced.
Cold from the beginning.
Dhruv himself had built walls around us from day one.
No emotions.
No expectations.
No love.
So why did Armaan bother him?
Why did every interaction suddenly feel tense?
Why did he keep looking at me like something was slipping from his control?
Dhruv stared at me silently.
Long enough to make my heartbeat uncomfortable.
Then suddenly,
He looked away first.
A muscle ticked sharply in his jaw.
"It doesn't."
The answer came too fast.
Again.
I folded my arms slowly.
Ignoring the slight pain in my shoulder.
"You're lying."
His eyes snapped back to mine immediately.
Dangerous.
Cold.
But underneath that,
Something unsettled.
Dhruv stepped closer again.
"So now you read my mind too?"
I frowned slightly.
"No."
Then quieter,
"But you haven't stepped outside this mansion in days."
Silence.
"You keep acting strange whenever Armaan's name comes up."
Another silence.
"And today..."
I hesitated slightly before finishing softly.
"You looked angry when he hugged me."
The room went still.
Completely still.
Because suddenly,
Everything had been said aloud.
Dhruv's expression darkened instantly.
Not because I was wrong.
Because I wasn't.
I could see it now.
Clearer than before.
He stayed silent for so long that I almost thought he wouldn't answer.
Then finally,
Very quietly,
"You notice that."
I blinked slightly.
The sentence sounded strange.
Almost bitter.
Like he was surprised I'd noticed that but not something else.
I frowned softly.
"What else am I supposed to think?"
Dhruv laughed once under his breath.
A quiet humorless sound.
Then suddenly he walked past me toward the giant windows.
One hand sliding into his pocket while the other rubbed tiredly against his jaw.
The city lights reflected faintly against the glass.
And for the first time,
Dhruv Malhotra looked conflicted.
Actually conflicted.
I watched him quietly.
He stayed silent for several seconds before speaking again.
"You think this is about marriage?"
His voice came low.
Controlled.
I blinked.
"Isn't it?"
Dhruv turned slowly toward me.
And God.
The look in his eyes nearly stole my breath.
Not love.
Not softness.
Something darker.
More dangerous.
Like emotions he himself didn't want to name.
"You almost died because of me."
The room fell silent instantly.
His gaze stayed locked onto mine intensely.
"And two days later another man walks into my house bringing flowers for you."
Another step toward me.
"You smile at him."
Another.
"You laugh with him."
Another.
"And suddenly everyone in this mansion is watching whether my wife looks happier around someone else."
My breath caught slightly.
Because somehow,
This conversation didn't feel simple anymore.
Dhruv stopped directly in front of me again.
Too close.
Always too close.
His voice lowered.
"And you're asking me why it matters?"
The atmosphere felt dangerously charged now.
I stared up at him speechlessly.
Because this wasn't jealousy in a normal way.
This was something more complicated.
Possession.
Control.
Fear.
And something deeper hidden beneath all of it.
Something Dhruv himself refused to acknowledge.
I looked down briefly before speaking softly.
"You said this marriage meant nothing."
The sentence landed heavily between us.
Because he had.
From the first day.
No expectations.
No attachment.
No love.
Just a contract.
Dhruv went silent again.
And suddenly,
For the first time since meeting him,
He looked affected by his own words.
His eyes stayed fixed on me.
Sharp.
Unmoving.
Then quietly,
"It didn't."
My chest tightened unexpectedly.
Didn't.
Past tense.
The realization hit me instantly.
Dhruv seemed to realize what he said too.
Because his expression hardened immediately afterward.
Walls returning.
But too late.
I had heard it.
The room suddenly felt too small.
My heartbeat too loud.
I swallowed softly.
"Then what changed?"
There it was.
The real question.
The dangerous one.
Dhruv stared at me for a long moment.
And for one horrifying second,
I genuinely thought he might answer honestly.
His eyes dropped briefly toward my bandaged shoulder.
Then toward my face again.
Something raw flickered there.
Barely restrained.
And suddenly,
I remembered him holding me after the shooting.
Hands trembling.
Voice shaking.
Terrified.
The memory made my chest ache strangely.
Dhruv stepped even closer now.
Close enough that I could feel the warmth radiating from him.
Close enough that breathing suddenly felt difficult.
Then slowly,
Very slowly,
His hand lifted.
I froze.
His fingers brushed lightly near the bandage at my shoulder.
Careful.
Gentle.
Like even touching the injury upset him.
And when he finally spoke,
His voice came almost rough.
"You stood in front of a bullet for me."
The words wrapped around the room heavily.
Emotionally.
Painfully.
My throat tightened unexpectedly.
Dhruv's eyes stayed locked onto mine.
"And ever since that night..."
He stopped.
Jaw tightening sharply.
Like continuing the sentence physically hurt him.
I waited quietly.
Heart pounding.
But suddenly,
Dhruv stepped back.
Abruptly.
Like he caught himself revealing too much.
His expression closed off instantly again.
Cold billionaire mode returning.
He turned away toward the windows sharply.
"Forget it."
The words came flat now.
Controlled.
And somehow,
That hurt more.
Because for one tiny second,
He almost let me see behind the walls.
Almost.
I stared at his back quietly.
Then softly—
"You don't know what to do with feelings, do you?"
Silence.
The city lights flickered outside.
Dhruv didn't move.
Didn't turn around.
But after a long moment,
A quiet bitter laugh escaped him.
And somehow,
That was answer enough.