Chapter 29
The bowling alley chaos somehow continued for another hour.
Mostly because I accidentally became weirdly good at it.
Every strike made me more dramatic.
Every miss made Dhruv look increasingly done with life.
And somehow,
That only encouraged me further.
Meanwhile Kiara's mood visibly worsened every passing minute.
Because despite all her efforts,
Dhruv's attention kept drifting back toward me.
Always me.
Not intentionally.
Not even consciously.
His eyes simply searched for me automatically now.
Like habit.
Dangerous, terrifying habit.
And Kiara noticed every single time.
By the time we finally left the arcade section,
The atmosphere had become strange.
Heavy.
Possessive.
Complicated.
I walked slightly ahead excitedly talking about how I wanted to learn bowling properly someday.
Meanwhile Dhruv walked beside me listening quietly.
Actually listening.
Not replying much.
Still listening.
And somehow,
That felt intimate too.
Kiara followed beside him still trying desperately to reclaim his attention.
"Dhruvvvv remember when you beat five guys at bowling in college?"
"Hm."
"And remember when you carried me because I twisted my ankle here?"
"Hm."
Girl was fighting for her LIFE.
We entered the luxury shopping corridor afterward.
Bright designer stores glowing around us.
Perfume.
Diamonds.
Luxury everywhere.
I slowed near a huge glass fountain staring around quietly.
Honestly?
Places like this still amazed me.
Back then,
I used to pass malls just to enjoy the air-conditioning from outside doors.
Now I walked through them beside one of the richest men in the country.
Life felt unreal sometimes.
Meanwhile Dhruv suddenly stopped walking.
I turned slightly confused.
And immediately noticed where he was looking.
A jewelry store.
Luxury diamonds glittered behind massive glass displays.
Elegant necklaces.
Bracelets.
Precious stones glowing under soft lights.
Kiara noticed too.
And instantly,
Her entire face lit up.
Oh no.
Dhruv looked toward us calmly.
"You both go ahead."
My brows lifted slightly.
"Where are you going?"
He nodded toward the store briefly.
"I'll be back."
And before either of us could say anything,
Dhruv entered the jewelry boutique.
Kiara immediately grabbed my arm excitedly.
"Oh my GOD."
I blinked.
"What?"
Her grin widened dramatically.
"It's my birthday tomorrow."
...oh.
Something uncomfortable twisted quietly inside my chest.
Kiara practically bounced now.
"I totally forgot!"
Then laughing softly:
"He probably remembered before me."
Every word stabbed slightly deeper.
Because honestly?
That made sense.
Of course Dhruv would remember her birthday.
Of course he'd buy her something expensive.
Of course.
My stupid heart immediately started acting pathetic again.
Meanwhile Kiara looked absolutely thrilled.
"Dhruv always gives insane gifts."
Then proudly:
"One time he bought me a Rolex because I cried over exams."
EXCUSE ME?!
What kind of billionaire emotional support was this.
I forced a tiny smile.
"That's... nice."
But honestly?
My chest hurt.
Because suddenly,
I imagined him carefully choosing jewelry for another woman.
And the image ruined me more than it should've.
I quietly looked away pretending interest in the fountain instead.
Meanwhile Kiara looked smug now.
Like she'd finally won something today.
Nearly fifteen minutes later,
Dhruv finally walked out of the jewelry store carrying a small black luxury bag.
And unfortunately,
The second I saw it,
Something inside me sank completely.
Because he really bought jewelry.
For Kiara.
Of course.
Kiara immediately rushed toward him excitedly.
"DHRUV."
Before he could even speak,
She snatched the bag directly from his hand.
My eyes widened slightly.
Even Dhruv looked caught off guard for half a second.
Kiara gasped dramatically already.
"I KNEW IT."
Then proudly toward me:
"See? He never forgets my birthday."
My throat tightened quietly.
I looked down immediately before anyone noticed my expression.
Because why did this hurt so much.
It shouldn't.
This marriage wasn't real.
I had no right feeling this way.
Meanwhile Kiara excitedly pulled the jewelry box out of the bag.
And instantly,
Her eyes widened seeing the price tag.
"FIFTEEN LAKHS?!"
I physically froze.
EXCUSE ME.
Fifteen lakhs?!
For jewelry?!
Dhruv looked increasingly annoyed now.
But before he could say anything,
Kiara opened the box dramatically.
And suddenly,
She paused.
The excitement vanished from her face completely.
Confusion replacing it instantly.
Inside the velvet box rested a delicate rose-gold chain.
Elegant.
Beautiful.
And hanging from it,
A deep sapphire blue pendant shaped like a tiny moon drop.
Soft.
Graceful.
Stunning.
But not flashy.
Not Kiara's style at all.
She frowned immediately.
"...blue?"
Silence.
Kiara looked genuinely confused now.
Then laughing awkwardly:
"Since when do I wear blue?"
My heartbeat suddenly stumbled.
Because,
Blue.
My favorite color.
Dhruv knew that.
Of course he knew.
He noticed everything about me.
My breath caught softly.
Meanwhile Kiara still looked confused staring at the pendant.
Then carelessly:
"Why would you buy blue?"
And suddenly,
Everything changed.
Because Dhruv's expression hardened instantly.
Not mild annoyance.
Sharp anger.
The kind that appeared only when someone crossed a line.
Before anyone reacted,
He took the box back from her immediately.
Fast.
Cold.
Possessive.
Kiara blinked shocked.
"Dhr-"
"Don't touch things that aren't meant for you."
The sentence cut through the corridor sharply.
Silence crashed around us instantly.
Even nearby shoppers subtly looked over now.
Because the tension between us had become insane.
Kiara stared at him stunned.
Actually stunned.
Because finally,
Finally,
The truth hit her fully.
The necklace wasn't for her.
Never was.
And somehow,
That hurt her pride more than anything else today.
My pulse went completely unstable.
Because Dhruv stood there holding the jewelry box tightly while looking furious.
Not embarrassed.
Not awkward.
Angry.
Like the idea of someone else claiming something meant for me genuinely irritated him.
Then slowly,
Very slowly,
His eyes shifted toward me.
And God.
The look in them ruined me completely.
Because suddenly,
The entire luxury mall disappeared.
The people.
The lights.
Everything blurred away.
There was only him.
Standing there silently holding a necklace he chose himself.
For me.
Meanwhile my stupid heart whispered something terrifying.
This was no longer feeling like a contract marriage either.
...
The atmosphere after that changed completely.
Permanently.
Kiara stood frozen beside the jewelry store still trying to process what just happened.
Meanwhile my own brain had stopped functioning.
Because Dhruv bought me jewelry.
Fifteen lakh jewelry.
A blue pendant.
My favorite color.
And then,
"Don't touch things that aren't meant for you."
God.
My heartbeat genuinely couldn't survive this man anymore.
The mall corridor remained weirdly silent around us.
Even strangers passing nearby looked curious now.
Because the tension between the three of us had become painfully obvious.
Kiara finally laughed awkwardly trying to recover.
"Dhruv, I was just joking-"
Dhruv ignored her completely.
Not even a glance.
Instead,
He calmly placed the velvet jewelry box back inside the luxury bag carefully.
Almost protectively.
Then his eyes shifted toward me.
And immediately,
Something in his expression softened slightly.
Only for me.
Always only for me lately.
It terrified me.
Because Dhruv Malhotra wasn't supposed to soften.
Especially not like this.
Then suddenly,
He reached for my hand.
My breath stopped instantly.
Because unlike before,
This wasn't accidental.
Not protective urgency.
Not helping me walk.
He simply held my hand.
Naturally.
Openly.
Like it belonged there.
My fingers instinctively curled slightly against his warm palm.
And immediately,
His grip tightened.
The smallest reaction.
Still enough to destroy me emotionally.
Then calmly,
Without even turning back,
Dhruv spoke.
"If you still want dinner, follow."
OH MY GOD.
OH MY GOD.
The dismissal.
The dominance.
The sheer I don't care if you're upset energy.
Meanwhile Kiara looked genuinely shaken for the first time today.
Because Dhruv had never treated her this coldly before.
Never.
But unfortunately,
Miss Pick Me Billionaire Princess had absolutely zero self-respect when it came to Dhruv.
So two seconds later,
She recovered instantly.
"Oh come on, don't be dramatic."
Dramatic?!
HE JUST EMOTIONALLY OBLITERATED YOU IN PUBLIC.
But Kiara simply walked after us anyway like nothing happened.
Actually shameless.
Meanwhile my heartbeat still hadn't stabilized from the hand-holding situation.
Because Dhruv continued walking through the mall calmly while holding my hand the entire time.
Not loose.
Not casual.
Firm.
Possessive.
Like letting go wasn't even an option anymore.
People around us openly stared now.
Of course they did.
Dhruv Malhotra holding hands with someone in public probably qualified as breaking news.
And unfortunately,
The man looked devastating beside me.
Black shirt sleeves rolled slightly upward.
Luxury watch.
Sharp jawline.
Cold expression.
Meanwhile I looked like I was one heartbeat away from cardiac arrest.
Kiara walked slightly behind us now visibly irritated.
But still trying.
Still fighting.
Still refusing to accept defeat.
Honestly?
I almost admired the dedication.
We finally entered one of the luxury rooftop restaurants inside the mall.
Everything looked breathtaking.
Golden hanging lights.
Glass walls showing the city skyline.
Soft piano music playing live nearby.
Rich people whispering quietly around candlelit tables.
And somehow,
The entire restaurant subtly reacted when Dhruv entered.
Managers straightened immediately.
Staff looked nervous.
People whispered.
Because billionaire aura apparently travelled faster than light.
The manager rushed over instantly.
"Mr. Malhotra, your private table is ready."
Of course he had a private table.
Of course.
Dhruv nodded once before guiding me forward gently with his hand still holding mine.
Meanwhile Kiara immediately sped up walking beside him again.
"Dhruvvvv order for me too."
No response.
She continued anyway.
"You still remember what I like, right?"
Still nothing.
Honestly watching Dhruv ignore people professionally deserved awards.
We reached the private dining section afterward.
A beautiful secluded corner overlooking the entire city.
Candles flickering softly.
Rose arrangements.
Luxury cutlery.
Everything painfully romantic for NO REASON.
I tried pulling my hand away quietly while sitting down.
But Dhruv didn't let go immediately.
My pulse jumped instantly.
His thumb brushed lightly once against my knuckles unconsciously.
Then finally,
Very slowly,
He released my hand.
And somehow,
The loss of warmth disappointed me instantly.
I hated myself.
Meanwhile Kiara sat directly beside Dhruv before I could even blink.
Of course she did.
Pick Me Olympics gold medalist.
I quietly sat across from them instead.
The waiter arrived quickly asking for orders.
Kiara immediately leaned slightly toward Dhruv.
"Dhruv choose for me."
Girl.
YOU ARE THIRTY.
Dhruv looked emotionally exhausted again.
Then flatly:
"Order yourself."
Kiara pouted dramatically.
"You always used to order for me."
The waiter looked terrified to exist there.
Meanwhile I quietly tried not to laugh.
Dhruv finally spoke without even looking at Kiara.
"People change."
AIR LEFT MY LUNGS.
Because the sentence carried double meaning.
And everyone heard it.
Kiara heard it too.
The smile on her face faded slightly afterward.
Meanwhile the waiter nervously looked toward me instead.
"And for you, ma'am?"
I panicked slightly.
Because these menu prices looked illegal.
One soup cost more than my old monthly electricity bill.
Before I could answer,
Dhruv spoke calmly.
"She'll have what I ordered."
The waiter nodded instantly leaving afterward.
Meanwhile my stupid heart started malfunctioning again.
Because why did that feel domestic.
Kiara suddenly laughed softly trying again.
"Remember when we came here after finals?"
No response.
"Dhruv you got drunk that night and-"
"Kiara."
His tone turned colder now.
Warning tone.
Finally.
She fell silent briefly.
But only briefly.
Because unfortunately,
She had no survival instincts.
Meanwhile I quietly looked outside the glass walls toward the city lights trying to ignore the tension.
Until suddenly,
The jewelry bag appeared beside my plate.
I blinked instantly.
Dhruv had placed it there quietly.
Without words.
Without looking at me.
My heartbeat completely lost control.
Slowly,
I looked toward him.
He still stared calmly at the skyline outside.
Expression unreadable.
Then finally,
Without turning,
He spoke quietly.
"It's yours."
The world genuinely stopped.
Because somehow,
That sounded like he wasn't talking only about the necklace anymore.
.....
The drive back home felt unbearably quiet.
Not awkward.
Just heavy.
Like too many things had happened today for any of us to process properly.
Kiara stayed silent in the backseat the entire ride.
Which honestly scared me more than her talking.
Because for the first time since morning,
She'd stopped trying.
No dramatic stories.
No fake laughter.
No clinging to Dhruv.
Nothing.
She simply stared outside the window silently.
And somehow,
That felt worse.
Meanwhile Dhruv drove calmly beside me.
One hand resting against the steering wheel.
Expression unreadable again.
But every few minutes,
His eyes shifted toward me unconsciously.
Tiny glances.
Still enough to ruin my heartbeat.
The jewelry bag rested quietly on my lap the entire drive.
And honestly?
I didn't even know how to process it.
Nobody had ever bought me jewelry before.
Forget fifteen lakh jewelry.
Back then,
I used to hesitate before buying extra cheese on roadside sandwiches.
Now a billionaire husband bought me sapphire pendants like it was normal.
Nothing about my life made sense anymore.
The Porsche finally entered the mansion gates.
Security guards immediately opened the doors respectfully while the huge fountains outside glowed under moonlight.
The mansion looked massive at night.
Cold.
Beautiful.
Lonely.
We stepped inside quietly.
Kiara got out first.
And immediately transformed back into normal socialite mode.
She smiled lightly.
"I'm tired. Goodnight."
Like she hadn't spent the entire day fighting spiritually for Dhruv's attention.
Honestly iconic levels of delusion.
Dhruv barely nodded.
Meanwhile I smiled politely.
"Goodnight."
Kiara's eyes flickered briefly toward the jewelry bag still in my hand.
And for one tiny second,
Something ugly crossed her face.
Jealousy.
Real jealousy.
Then gone instantly.
She turned walking upstairs toward the guest rooms without another word.
The moment she disappeared,
The mansion fell silent again.
Only me and Dhruv remained standing in the giant hallway now.
And suddenly,
My nervous system remembered his existence again.
Dangerous mistake.
Because the silence between us had become too charged lately.
Too intimate.
I awkwardly adjusted the shopping bags slightly.
"Um... goodnight."
Then quickly,
I turned toward the guest room corridor before my heart exploded.
But before I could walk away,
Strong fingers wrapped gently around my wrist.
I froze instantly.
My pulse crashed violently.
Slowly,
I turned back.
Dhruv stood dangerously close now.
Still holding my wrist lightly.
His eyes unreadable.
But intense.
Always intense around me now.
The entire mansion suddenly felt too quiet.
Too empty.
Then calmly,
"Sleep in my room from now on."
AIR LEFT MY LUNGS.
My brain stopped functioning instantly.
"...what?"
Dhruv's expression didn't change.
Like he hadn't just detonated my entire nervous system.
"Your room is farther from security access."
I blinked rapidly.
Oh.
Right.
Security.
Because of the attacks.
Why did disappointment stab me slightly.
Pathetic.
Still,
My heartbeat refused calming down.
Because regardless of reason,
Sleeping in Dhruv's room sounded dangerously intimate.
I swallowed softly.
"But.."
"I won't touch you."
The sentence came immediately.
Flat.
Controlled.
And somehow,
That hurt more than it should've.
Dhruv noticed the flicker in my expression instantly.
Of course he did.
His jaw tightened slightly afterward.
Then quieter,
"You're safer there."
And unfortunately,
The concern in his voice melted half my resistance immediately.
Because no matter how cold he acted,
Dhruv had started caring too much.
I nodded slowly.
"...okay."
Something unreadable flashed briefly through his eyes after I agreed.
Relief maybe.
Then finally,
He released my wrist carefully.
And God.
Even that tiny loss of contact affected me now.
This was becoming dangerous.
Very dangerous.
...
An hour later,
I stood inside Dhruv's bedroom awkwardly holding the jewelry box again.
Dhruv sat on the couch near the windows working on his laptop while I quietly stared at the pendant again.
The sapphire glowed softly under the warm bedroom lights.
Beautiful.
Elegant.
Way too expensive.
My chest tightened slightly.
Because honestly?
I couldn't keep this.
Fifteen lakhs.
People like me didn't wear things worth that much.
Slowly,
I walked toward him.
Dhruv looked up immediately noticing my expression.
"What happened?"
I hesitated briefly before holding the velvet box toward him carefully.
His brows furrowed instantly.
"...what's this?"
"I can't keep it."
Silence.
The room shifted immediately.
Dhruv slowly closed the laptop.
Eyes fixed entirely on me now.
"Why?"
I swallowed nervously.
"Dhruv it's too expensive."
His expression hardened slightly.
"So?"
"So-"
I laughed awkwardly.
"NORMAL PEOPLE don't casually wear fifteen lakhs around their neck."
Dhruv looked unimpressed.
"You're my wife."
AIR LEFT MY LUNGS AGAIN.
God.
This man used that word like a weapon.
I tried again softly.
"But what if I lose it?"
"You won't."
"What if it breaks?"
"I'll buy another."
EXCUSE ME.
I stared at him in disbelief.
Meanwhile Dhruv stood up slowly now walking toward me.
And suddenly,
The air changed again.
Because he stopped directly in front of me.
Too close.
Far too close.
Then calmly,
"I bought it for you."
His voice lowered slightly.
"Not for storage."
My pulse became impossible to control.
I looked down nervously still holding the box toward him.
"I still feel weird taking it."
Silence.
Then suddenly,
Dhruv took the necklace from the box himself.
My breath caught softly.
Because now,
He stood impossibly close holding the rose-gold chain carefully between his fingers.
Then quietly,
"Turn around."
OH MY GOD.
My heartbeat nearly killed me instantly.
Slowly,
I turned around.
Hair falling softly over my shoulders.
And suddenly,
I felt him step closer behind me.
Too close.
Dangerously close.
My breathing became uneven instantly.
Dhruv gently moved my hair aside with one hand.
And the second his fingers brushed the back of my neck,
I physically shivered.
The movement paused briefly behind me.
Like even Dhruv noticed my reaction.
Then slowly,
Very slowly,
He placed the necklace around my neck.
His fingers brushed my skin while fastening it carefully.
Warm fingertips against bare skin.
Soft breathing near my shoulder.
The intimacy felt unbearable.
Then quietly,
Almost against my ear,
"Don't give my gifts back again."
The breath left my lungs completely.
Because somehow,
That didn't sound like a request.
It sounded possessive.
Terrifyingly possessive.