CHAPTER 12 （mahi）
The sunlight filtered through the curtains, warming the room with a soft golden glow.
I slowly opened my eyes.
For a moment, I simply stared at the ceiling.
Then realization hit me.
Sunday.
Thank God.
No alarms.
No emergency calls.
No surgeries.
No hospital.
A smile tugged at my lips.
Sunday had always been my favorite day of the week.
I stretched lazily beneath the blanket and turned onto my side.
My gaze landed on the couch.
Aryan.
The smile disappeared immediately.
Every memory from last night came rushing back.
The party.
Kavya.
The restroom.
The tears.
Aryan sitting on the floor beside me.
Because you are my wife.
I squeezed my eyes shut.
No.
Absolutely not.
I refused to remember any of that.
Maybe if I went back to sleep, I could wake up in a timeline where none of it had happened.
I pulled the blanket over my head.
A very mature solution.
I knew.
Unfortunately, my brain had other plans.
Every embarrassing second replayed itself perfectly.
Wonderful.
Now I wanted to bury myself six feet underground.
I groaned into the pillow.
The universe clearly enjoyed my suffering.
Slowly, I lowered the blanket and peeked toward the couch again.
Aryan was still asleep.
Good.
At least I had a few minutes before I had to face the man who had witnessed one of the most humiliating moments of my life.
I stared at the ceiling.
Maybe I should move to another country.
That seemed reasonable.
I kicked the air in frustration.
The blanket landed somewhere on the floor.
I didn't care.
"Why?" I whispered dramatically.
Why did I cry in front of him?
Out of all the people in the world...
Why him?
I pressed both hands over my eyes.
As if that would somehow erase the memory.
Unfortunately, it didn't.
The image replayed immediately.
Me crying.
Aryan sitting beside me.
Aryan wiping my tears.
I groaned loudly.
This was a disaster.
A complete disaster.
I stared at the ceiling.
Okay.
It's fine.
Everything is fine.
You had a bad day.
It happens.
Aryan happened to be there.
That's all.
Nothing embarrassing happened.
Right?
I stared at the ceiling a little longer.
Then immediately answered my own question.
Wrong.
Everything about it was embarrassing.
I buried my face in the pillow for a second.
Then forced myself to sit up.
No.
I was not spending my Sunday hiding beneath a blanket.
I was a grown woman.
A surgeon.
A responsible adult.
I could survive one awkward morning.
Probably.
Slowly, I got to my feet.
My eyes drifted toward the couch automatically.
Aryan was still asleep.
Good.
Very good.
That gave me time.
Without wasting another second, I grabbed my clothes and practically speed-walked toward the bathroom.
The moment I stepped inside, I closed the door behind me.
Firmly.
Securely.
Safely.
Then I leaned against it and released a breath.
Mission One.
Avoid Aryan.
Successfully completed.
Okay.
Today was Sunday.
And Sunday had rules.
Very important rules.
Rule number one:
No thinking about last night.
Rule number two:
No thinking about Aryan.
Rule number three:
Books.
Lots of books.
I stood in front of the mirror and applied sunscreen to my face.
The familiar routine helped calm my thoughts.
Usually, on Sundays, I would drag Alina to the library with me.
We would spend hours reading.
Then argue about fictional characters.
Then get food.
Then argue some more.
It was tradition.
Unfortunately, tradition had been betrayed.
I picked up my phone and looked at her last message.
Sorry, darling. My husband is taking me on a date.
I rolled my eyes.
Traitor.
Absolutely shameless.
Some people forgot their friends the moment romance entered their lives.
I shook my head dramatically and put the phone down.
Fine.
Let her enjoy her date.
I didn't need her anyway.
I was perfectly capable of spending a Sunday alone.
Books didn't cancel plans.
Books didn't disappear on dates.
Books were loyal.
Satisfied with this logic, I finished applying sunscreen and brushed my hair.
A few minutes later, I grabbed my bag.
Library.
Peace.
Silence.
And absolutely no awkward conversations with Aryan.
The plan was perfect.
Which meant life would probably find a way to ruin it.
I carefully opened the door and peeked inside the room.
Empty.
Thank goodness.
Aryan was nowhere to be found.
I released a breath of relief and quietly stepped out, closing the door behind me.
Finally.
Peace.
Freedom.
"Where are you going?"
I froze.
Of course.
Of course he was there.
I closed my eyes briefly before turning around.
"What do you think?"
Aryan stood a few steps away, a towel in his hand, rubbing it through his damp hair.
His hair was still wet, messy in that effortless way that somehow looked intentional.
This man washed his hair more than I did.
I didn't understand it.
I probably never would.
He glanced at me through the towel.
"Going out with Alina, obviously."
I narrowed my eyes.
"No."
His hands paused for a second.
"Oh?"
"She's on a date," I said flatly.
"And I'm going to the library."
A beat of silence.
Then Aryan tilted his head slightly.
A faint smirk appeared on his face.
"Poor thing."
I frowned.
"What?"
"Your best friend betrayed you."
I rolled my eyes immediately.
"She did not betray me."
He shrugged, still looking far too entertained.
"Left you alone on a Sunday."
I crossed my arms.
"She has a husband."
Aryan nodded slowly.
"As I said."
I glared at him.
He didn't even try to hide his amusement now.
And somehow... I hated how that smirk looked so calm.
So normal.
Like nothing in this house had changed since last night.
Like I hadn't cried on the floor in front of him.
Like he hadn't stayed.
I looked away first.
"Anyway," I muttered.
"I'm leaving."
Aryan stepped slightly aside.
But before I could walk past him, his voice stopped me again.
"Library?"
I sighed.
"Yes."
A pause.
Then softer—
"Don't get lost."
My eyes snapped back to him.
He was already walking away.
I closed my eyes for a moment.
Relax, Mahi.
Be normal.
Just be normal.
With that thought, I straightened my shoulders and stepped out of the room.
The mansion felt quieter than usual.
Or maybe I was just noticing everything more today.
I made my way down the corridor and toward the entrance.
The guard opened the door for me.
Cold morning air brushed against my skin as I stepped outside
I inhaled deeply.
In.
Out.
Better.
Much better.
No awkward conversations.
No teasing voices.
No Aryan smirking at me like he knew something I didn't.
Just peace.
Just books.
I adjusted my bag on my shoulder and started walking toward the library
Step by step.
Normal Sunday.
Nothing unusual.
Nothing emotional.
Just me.
And for once, I almost believed it.
I stepped inside the library and my lungs filled with the smell of books.
It had been so long.
Almost four weeks.
I resisted the urge to smile too widely.
There were people around.
I had dignity.
At least I was trying to maintain it.
Today was Sunday.
And I wanted peace.
Nothing dramatic.
Just books.
My feet moved on their own toward the familiar section.
Romance novels.
Of course.
I picked up the new release from my favourite author and held it like it was something precious.
Then I found a quiet table near the window.
I sat down and opened the book.
And for a few minutes, the world finally felt normal again.
No Kavya.
No party.
No tears.
Just me.
And a story that wasn't mine.
I leaned back slightly and started reading.
One page.
Then another.
Slowly, my breathing steadied.
My thoughts quieted.
For the first time today, I actually felt relaxed.
I turned another page.
One chapter became two.
Two became three.
And before I knew it, I had completely forgotten about the world around me.
The heroine was currently making terrible life decisions.
Which meant I was fully invested.
I turned another page.
Then another.
Then another.
At some point, I abandoned all dignity and rested my chin on my hand while reading.
A librarian passed by and smiled knowingly.
I ignored her.
She understood nothing.
This was a critical moment.
The hero had finally realized he was in love.
Only three hundred pages late.
I shook my head in disappointment.
Men in books were just as hopeless as men in real life.
Actually...
No.
Book heroes were slightly smarter.
Slightly.
A laugh escaped me.
Earning a few curious glances from nearby readers.
I immediately lowered my head and pretended nothing had happened.
For the next several hours, my biggest concern was fictional people making fictional mistakes.
And honestly?
It was wonderful.
My phone suddenly rang.
The sound dragged me back to reality so forcefully that I nearly dropped my book.
I blinked several times and looked at the screen.
Aryan.
I stared at the name.
Then stared some more.
Why was Aryan calling me?
Had something happened?
Was he kidnapped?
After a few moments of intense overthinking, I finally answered.
I remained silent.
If he called me, he could speak first.
"Hello."
His voice came from the other side.
A strange sense of relief washed over me.
Interesting.
Very interesting.
I chose to ignore it.
"Yes?"
"Where are you?"
I frowned.
"In the library."
A pause.
Then,
"What are you doing in the library?"
I stared at the phone.
"Reading."
Silence.
Then another pause.
"I am dancing, Aryan."
A longer silence.
"What do people usually do in libraries?"
I continued.
"Obviously reading."
He released a breath.
The kind of breath people released when questioning their life choices.
"Did you check the time?"
Time?
My eyes drifted toward the clock mounted on the wall.
For a second, my brain refused to process what I was seeing.
Then my eyes widened.
Six hours.
I had been reading for six hours straight.
"Oh."
Aryan immediately caught that tone.
"You forgot, didn't you?"
I looked at the clock again.
Then at the book in my hand.
Then at the clock.
"...maybe."
"You forgot."
"Maybe."
"You absolutely forgot."
I sighed.
"Fine."
A pause.
"I forgot."
His silence somehow felt victorious.
Which annoyed me greatly.
"Are you coming home today," he asked calmly, "or should I inform the library that they've accidentally adopted you?"
I closed the book.
Very slowly.
"I hate you."
"No, you don't."
The irritating part?
He sounded completely certain.
"I'm coming to pick you up."
I removed the phone from my ear and stared at it.
For several seconds.
Then I checked the screen again.
Aryan.
Definitely Aryan.
Slowly, I put the phone back against my ear.
"Are you really Aryan?"
A pause.
Then his dry voice answered,
"No."
Another pause.
"I'm an alien."
I rolled my eyes.
"An alien would be much better than the human version."
His sigh reached me through the phone.
"I knew I shouldn't have called."
"You should have sent a text."
"And let you ignore it for another three hours?"
I opened my mouth.
Then closed it.
Fair point.
I hated when he had fair points.
"I was reading."
"You were living in another dimension."
"Same thing."
"No, Mahi."
"Very similar."
I could practically hear him rubbing a hand across his face.
The thought made me smile.
Unfortunately.
"Stay where you are."
I narrowed my eyes.
"That sounded like an order."
"It was."
"Goodbye."
Before I could hang up, his voice stopped me.
"Mahi."
"What?"
"Don't disappear."
The teasing tone was gone.
Completely.
For a moment, neither of us spoke.
Then I looked down at the book resting on the table.
"I'm not disappearing."
"Good."
The line disconnected.
I stared at my phone for a few seconds.
Then shook my head.
Aryan Rathoore was voluntarily driving across the city to pick me up from a library.
If I told Alina this, she would never let me hear the end of it.
Not for the next hundred years.
And somehow...
That thought made me smile.
I packed my things and stepped outside the library.
The evening air was colder now.
A breeze brushed against my skin.
For a moment, I simply stood there.
Waiting.
Aryan would probably take another ten or fifteen minutes.
My fingers tightened around the strap of my bag.
A strange feeling settled in my chest.
As if someone was watching me.
I frowned.
Then looked around.
Cars.
People.
Streetlights.
Nothing unusual.
I released a breath.
Maybe I was imagining things.
The breeze returned.
Stronger this time.
And with it came that same feeling.
Watching.
Waiting.
My heartbeat slowed.
Then quickened.
I turned my head again.
And froze.
A familiar figure was walking toward me.
Black hair.
Hazel eyes.
Tall.
Confident.
A face I hadn't seen in years.
For a second, my mind went completely blank.
No.
It couldn't be.
The distance between us shortened.
One step.
Then another.
Until there was no room left for doubt.
Raj.
My fingers tightened around my bag.
The world around me seemed to fade into background noise.
Cars passed.
People walked by.
Someone laughed nearby.
I heard none of it.
Raj stopped a few feet away from me.
His expression shifted from surprise to something softer.
Something familiar.
Something that once would have made my heart race.
Now it only made me feel tired.
"Mahi."
My name sounded strange coming from him.
As if it belonged to another life.
I stared at him.
Unable to decide whether fate hated me...
Or simply enjoyed making jokes at my expense.
A wave of nausea rose in my stomach the moment he said my name.
I hated it.
The familiarity.
The memories attached to it.
The way he spoke as if years hadn't passed.
As if nothing had happened.
I looked at him.
Raj smiled.
The same smile that had once fooled me.
"It's nice to see you again, Mahi."
I looked away and focused on the road instead.
"I wish I could say the same."
His smile faltered slightly.
Good.
"Why are you here?" I asked.
Raj shoved his hands into his pockets.
"I missed you."
I rolled my eyes so hard they nearly hurt.
Of all the things he could have said...
That was the one he chose?
"You know," I said dryly, "I actually forgot you existed."
The words landed exactly where I wanted them to.
His jaw tightened.
Just a little.
For the first time since he'd appeared, his confidence cracked.
"Mahi—"
"No."
I cut him off immediately.
"You don't get to do that."
His brows furrowed.
"Do what?"
"Show up after years and act like we're old friends."
The evening breeze swept past us.
Neither of us moved.
Raj stared at me.
Carefully.
As if trying to figure out who I had become.
Unfortunately for him, I wasn't interested in helping.
"I've changed," he said quietly.
I laughed.
A short, humorless laugh.
"Congratulations."
His expression hardened.
I adjusted the strap of my bag.
"Was there a point to this conversation?"
He took a step forward.
I immediately took one back.
The movement didn't escape his notice.
Something flickered across his face.
Regret.
Maybe guilt.
I wasn't interested enough to find out.
"Mahi."
His voice softened.
"I'm sorry."
I stared at him.
"For whatever I did to you."
A bitter laugh almost escaped me.
Whatever I did.
As if he couldn't even name it.
As if it was some small misunderstanding.
I looked away.
"If you're really sorry, then go back to the past."
His brows pulled together.
"Undo your mistakes."
I finally met his eyes again.
"Then come back and apologize."
Silence.
The evening breeze swept between us.
For the first time since he appeared, Raj had no answer.
Good.
Because neither did I.
After a few moments, he spoke quietly.
"Mahi, I was young."
I rolled my eyes.
Of course.
There it was.
The excuse.
"I was stupid."
I looked straight ahead.
"I was enjoying myself."
The words made something cold settle in my chest.
Because that had always been the problem.
He had been enjoying himself.
While I had been the one dealing with the consequences.
I adjusted the strap of my bag.
"Then keep enjoying yourself."
His expression tightened.
I continued calmly.
"And go away."
"Mahi—"
"No."
My voice came out firmer this time.
"I don't want explanations."
"I don't want apologies."
"And I definitely don't want a reunion."
His jaw clenched.
For a moment, neither of us spoke.
I glanced toward the road.
Where was Aryan?
For the first time in my life, I was actually hoping someone would arrive quickly.
Raj noticed my distraction.
His eyes followed my gaze toward the street.
Then back to me.
As if he was trying to figure out what—or who—I was waiting for.
And I prayed Aryan would show up before Raj decided to continue this conversation.
"Mahi, I want to come back into your life."
For a second, I simply stared at him.
Then I laughed.
Actually laughed.
I even wiped away an imaginary tear.
"Wow."
Raj frowned.
I shook my head.
"That's amazing."
"Mahi—"
"No, seriously."
I pointed at myself.
"You think my life is a store?"
His brows pulled together.
"What?"
"A store."
I spread my arms dramatically.
"You leave whenever you want."
"Then years later you walk back in and expect everything to be exactly where you left it."
His jaw tightened.
"I didn't mean it like that."
I raised a hand immediately.
"I don't want to know what you meant."
The evening air suddenly felt much colder.
Raj took another step forward.
I didn't move.
Not this time.
His gaze searched my face.
As if he was looking for someone.
Someone he used to know.
"Where is that Mahi who loved me?"
The question hung between us.
For a second, neither of us spoke.
Then I smiled.
A cold smile.
Not angry.
Not sad.
Just tired.
"Good."
Confusion crossed his face.
I adjusted my bag on my shoulder.
"Because it's better if you don't recognize me."
Silence.
I held his gaze.
The same gaze that once had the power to make me nervous.
Now it did nothing.
"That Mahi trusted people too easily."
My voice remained calm.
"That Mahi kept giving chances."
"That Mahi thought love was enough."
Raj looked away first.
A small victory.
I continued quietly.
"And that Mahi learned her lesson."
For the first time since this conversation started...
Raj had absolutely nothing to
He took a step forward.
"Mahi, you're overreacting."
I stared at him for a second.
Then smiled.
A slow smile.
"Okay."
Raj frowned.
"Okay?"
I nodded.
"Then let me overreact."
With that, I turned to leave.
His hand shot out.
And grabbed my wrist.
My entire body froze.
The grip was tight.
Painfully tight.
A flash of anger surged through me.
I looked down at his hand.
Then back at him.
He touched me.
After everything.
He actually thought he had the right to touch me.
Without warning, I yanked my wrist free.
The force surprised even him.
I immediately took a step back, putting distance between us.
"Don't."
My voice came out dangerously calm.
Raj opened his mouth.
I cut him off.
"If you touch me again, I swear I'll rip your arm off."
His eyes widened.
For a moment, neither of us spoke.
My heart was pounding.
I could feel anger crawling beneath my skin.
Relax, Mahi.
Inhale.
Exhale.
Don't lose control.
I forced myself to take another step back.
Raj shook his head.
"Why are you so different?"
I laughed softly.
There was no humor in it.
"I don't like this Mahi."
That made me smile.
A genuine smile this time.
"Good."
Confusion crossed his face.
I adjusted my bag and looked him straight in the eye.
"Because this Mahi doesn't live on other people's opinions."
His expression hardened.
Mine didn't change at all.
For the first time in years, I wasn't the one trying to be understood.
And somehow...
That felt freeing.
He took a step forward.
Anger was no longer hidden.
It was written clearly across his face.
Instinctively, I took a step back.
Before I could move any further, a warm arm wrapped around my waist.
I froze.
For a second, my mind went blank.
Then relief washed over me.
Aryan.
I looked up.
His expression was calm.
Too calm.
The kind of calm that usually meant trouble.
His gaze never left Raj.
Not even for a second.
Raj's eyes dropped to Aryan's arm around my waist.
Then to me.
Then back to Aryan.
Disbelief flashed across his face.
"What is this?" he demanded.
Neither of us answered.
Raj took another step forward.
"Are you seriously going to stand there, Mahi?"
His voice rose.
"When this man is touching you?"
I stared at him.
Then looked up at Aryan.
For the first time since he'd arrived, his eyes briefly met mine.
Steady.
Questioning.
As if asking whether I was okay.
Only then did I look back at Raj.
And answer.
"He's my husband."
Silence.
Complete silence.
Raj blinked.
Once.
Twice.
As though his brain had stopped working.
"What?"
I almost felt sorry for him.
Almost.
"I said," I repeated calmly, "he's my husband."
Raj's face drained of color.
His gaze snapped toward Aryan.
Aryan didn't move.
Didn't speak.
Didn't remove his arm.
If anything, his hold tightened slightly.
Possessive.
Protective.
Maybe both.
Raj looked between us again.
Shock slowly giving way to realization.
And for the first time since this conversation started...
He looked completely lost.
"That can't be true."
I clicked my fingers together and smiled.
"Wake up to reality, Raj."
His jaw tightened.
"It is true."
For a moment, he simply stared at us.
As if repeating the same thought in his head over and over again.
No.
No.
No.
Raj took a step forward.
Anger flashed across his face.
My body immediately tensed.
The movement was small.
Almost invisible.
But Aryan noticed.
Of course he noticed.
Without a word, he stepped in front of me.
Positioning himself between Raj and me.
A silent barrier.
Raj's gaze snapped to him.
Aryan's expression remained calm.
Dangerously calm.
"It is true," Aryan said.
His voice was steady.
Controlled.
"And I suggest you accept it."
Raj laughed bitterly.
"And who are you to tell me anything?"
For a second, silence settled between them.
Then Aryan adjusted the cuff of his sleeve.
A simple movement.
Yet somehow it felt threatening.
When he finally spoke, his voice dropped lower.
"Listen carefully."
Raj's smile disappeared.
"If I ever see you making my wife uncomfortable again..."
A pause.
A very deliberate pause.
"I will make sure you regret it."
Neither man looked away.
The air between them felt charged.
Tense.
Dangerous.
I rolled my eyes.
Men.
Give them one problem and suddenly they behaved like characters in an action movie.
I stepped around Aryan and looked directly at Raj.
"You heard him."
Raj's gaze shifted to me.
For a moment, I thought he would argue again.
Instead, he looked away.
The first sign that he had finally realized this conversation was over.
Good.
Because I was tired.
And unlike certain people, I had spent six hours reading and would like to go home.
Raj looked straight at Aryan.
Then laughed bitterly.
"You think you can take her away from me?"
My eyes widened.
Was he serious?
Had he completely lost his mind?
A strange smile appeared on Aryan's face.
Not a warm smile.
Not an amused smile.
The kind of smile that made my chest tighten immediately.
No.
Absolutely not.
This conversation was already heading in the wrong direction.
Aryan took a single step forward.
The smile never left his face.
Instinctively, I stepped forward too.
Closer to Aryan.
The movement was unconscious.
I didn't even realize I had done it until both men noticed.
Raj's expression darkened.
Aryan's eyes flickered toward me for a fraction of a second before returning to Raj.
"You still don't understand."
His voice was calm.
Terrifyingly calm.
Raj clenched his jaw.
Aryan continued.
"You can't take something that was never yours."
Silence.
The words landed harder than any threat.
Raj stared at him.
Then looked at me.
As if expecting me to disagree.
I didn't.
For years, I had belonged to nobody except myself.
And I wasn't about to start now.
Aryan slipped one hand into his pocket.
Completely relaxed.
Completely in control.
"You keep talking about her as if she's an object."
His gaze hardened.
"She's a person."
Another step forward.
Raj didn't move.
"And judging by the fact that she keeps asking you to leave..."
Aryan tilted his head slightly.
"The answer seems pretty obvious."
For the first time since he appeared, uncertainty crossed Raj's face.
Good.
Maybe now he was finally listening.
I folded my arms across my chest.
"Raj."
He looked at me immediately.
"Go home."
My voice was firm.
"Todays's conversation is over."
And this time, I meant every word.
Aryan looked at him.
The smirk had vanished completely.
Raj's eyes never left mine.
"Mahi."
His voice was filled with stubborn determination.
"I'll get you back."
My stomach turned.
"No matter what I have to do."
A strange sense of danger settled in my chest.
The kind that appeared right before something went terribly wrong.
Aryan took a step forward.
Immediately, I grabbed his sleeve.
Hard.
Much harder than I intended.
His movement stopped.
For a moment, neither of us spoke.
Aryan looked down.
At my hand.
At the way my fingers were practically digging into the fabric.
Only then did I realize how tightly I was holding him.
I hadn't even noticed.
His eyes lifted to mine.
The anger in them softened slightly.
Just slightly.
Enough for me to notice.
Enough for him to understand.
Don't.
Without a word, he took a step back.
Toward me.
Still standing in front of me.
Still blocking me from Raj.
But no longer moving forward.
A silent promise.
I felt strangely safer behind him.
The realization annoyed me immediately.
Raj noticed everything.
My grip.
Aryan stopping.
The way I remained behind him.
His expression darkened.
For the first time, I could see it.
The realization.
He had lost.
Not years ago.
Not when we broke up.
Now.
Standing here.
Watching me choose where I wanted to stand.
And it wasn't beside him.
Aryan's voice was calm when he finally spoke.
"Leave."
Just one word.
Nothing more.
Nothing less.
Raj's jaw tightened.
For a second, I thought he would argue again.
Then his gaze found mine one last time.
I stared back without flinching.
Without guilt.
Without regret.
Slowly, he nodded.
Not because he accepted it.
But because he finally understood there was nothing left to say.
A few moments later, he turned and walked away.
I watched his figure disappear into the crowd.
Only when he was completely gone did I release Aryan's sleeve.
The fabric was wrinkled from how tightly I had been holding it.
Wonderful.
Now I had to pretend that never happened