32 ~ Ruthless Kartik
Chahat's POV.
I immediately scrambled off his lap.
My face was burning so badly that I couldn't even look at him.
Without saying a word, I hurried into the other bedroom and shut the door behind me.
A low chuckle followed from the other room.
Of course, he was enjoying this.
I pressed my palms against my cheeks before looking at myself in the mirror. The woman staring back at me was visibly flustered, her cheeks still crimson and her eyes refusing to meet her own reflection for too long.
I quickly looked away.
Last night came rushing back into my mind.
The kiss, the warmth of his body and the way everything between us had suddenly felt so natural.
I swallowed.
This wasn't supposed to happen.
I had started this with a purpose. I was supposed to get close to him because I wanted my freedom. I wasn't supposed to enjoy being close to him.
And yet...I had.
That realization frightened me more than anything.
I took a deep breath and forced myself to look at my reflection again.
Get a grip, Chahat.
This wasn't permanent.
Whatever was happening between us couldn't change what I had decided.
I changed back into my saree, which had finally dried, and adjusted the pleats carefully before stepping out.
Kartik was waiting.
I held out his shirt.
"Your shirt."
He took it with a faint smile, and I deliberately avoided looking at his face for too long. He wore it immediately.
The journey back to the Singhania Mansion was quieter than the journey before it.
But this time, the silence didn't feel simple. It felt different.
And somehow, that was even more dangerous.
The moment we entered the mansion, Dadi, Seema Chachi and Krish hurried towards us.
"What happened? Are you both alright?"
"Why didn't you call us?"
"Did you get stuck somewhere?"
Kartik calmly reassured them that everything was fine and that we had simply been delayed because of the weather.
I slipped away before anyone could ask me anything else.
The moment I reached our room, I went straight to the bathroom.
After washing my hair and freshening up, I stood in front of the mirror, towel wrapped around me.
My fingers unconsciously moved toward my neck.
I froze.
A faint mark remained there. My cheeks immediately warmed.
I changed into my usual T-shirt and jeans and stood before the mirror, trying to collect my thoughts.
Then the memory of his father's demand returned.
An heir.
My freedom.
The promise I had made.
Everything became complicated again.
I was still thinking about it when two strong arms suddenly wrapped around me from behind.
I gasped.
He buried his face against my neck, inhaling softly.
My hand instinctively came over his.
I looked at us through the mirror.
For a moment, neither of us said anything, then I finally spoke.
"Kartik... you don't like women wearing Western clothes, right?"
He shrugged. "I don't."
I turned slightly, confused.
"Then why don't you stop me from wearing them? Why don't you ask me to wear only ethnic clothes?"
His expression softened. "Because that's my preference. Not yours."
I stared at him.
He continued calmly. "Yes, I like women who stay at home, cook, have children and take care of their family. That's what I prefer."
My eyebrows lifted slightly.
"But there's a difference between having that mindset and imposing it on someone else."
He turned me gently toward him.
"You're my wife, Chahat. I know your thoughts are different. I don't have a problem with that."
For some reason, those words affected me more than they should have.
He leaned forward and pressed a soft kiss against my cheek.
Before I could respond, his phone started ringing.
He glanced at the screen.
"Ayaan."
He answered.
"Yes?"
I watched his expression change as he listened.
"Everything alright?" A pause. "Fine. I'll come."
He ended the call.
"Something happened?"
"Nothing serious. Ayan wants me to check on the club and casino. There was an operational issue they want me to look at."
I nodded.
Only then did I remember that his business empire wasn't limited to Singhaniya Globals.
He owned and managed several other ventures as well.
And apparently, even though he wasn't involved in their daily operations, he still personally inspected them whenever something important came up.
He picked up his watch from the table.
"I'll be back later."
"Mujhe bhi jaana hai."
(I want to go too.)
He stopped midway, his hand still resting near his watch.
"Mujhe bhi le chalo."
(Take me too.)
For a moment, he didn't answer.
I could see the hesitation in his eyes. He clearly wanted to refuse. Probably because he didn't want me anywhere near whatever business he was going to handle.
I stepped closer and caught his hand before he could say anything.
"Please. Main tumhare saath hi rahungi, sach mein. Kahin nahi jaaungi. Mujhe bhi casino dekhna hai... please."
(Please. I'll stay with you, really. I won't go anywhere. I want to see the casino too... please.)
He looked at me for a few seconds then he sighed.
"Okay. Tum ready ho jao. Hum chalte hain."
(Okay. You get ready. We're leaving.)
I smiled immediately. "Main ready hoon. Chalo."
(I'm ready. Let's go.)
He gave me an amused look. "Okay, fine. Chalo."
(Okay, fine. Let's go.)
A few minutes later, we were sitting inside the car.
Kartik took the driver's seat, and I settled beside him.
As soon as the car started moving, I found myself stealing glances at him.
He was dressed in white today.
There was something unfairly attractive about the way he looked. His sleeves were folded neatly, his watch resting against his wrist, his attention completely focused on the road.
I had never really allowed myself to notice how handsome my husband was.
Now that I had started noticing him, it was becoming increasingly difficult to stop.
I smiled to myself.
Then, almost without thinking, I stretched my leg and lightly placed my foot against his thigh.
His eyes immediately flickered toward me.
My smile disappeared.
His one hand left the steering wheel and reached toward my ankle.
I instinctively prepared myself for him to push my leg away. Instead, his fingers closed gently around my foot.
I blinked.
He glanced at me once before returning his attention to the road.
And then his thumb slowly moved over my foot, giving it a gentle squeeze.
I stared at him.
He was driving as calmly as if nothing unusual had happened.
I couldn't stop the smile that appeared on my face.
And I noticed his lips curved slightly as well.
I leaned back into my seat, still watching him.
Maybe this was what confused me most about him.
The same man who could intimidate an entire room could be strangely gentle with me.
And somehow, every little gesture was making it harder for me to remember why I had originally decided to get close to him.
The car continued through the city until the imposing entrance of the casino finally appeared ahead.
I looked through the window, my eyes widening with curiosity.
Kartik slowed the car and turned toward the entrance.
And just like that, we had arrived.
The security guard standing near the entrance immediately straightened when he saw him.
"Good morning, sir."
Kartik gave him a brief nod. "Morning."
The guard's eyes shifted toward me for a second.
Kartik noticed.
His hand tightened around my waist. "My wife."
The guard immediately nodded. "Good morning, ma'am."
"Good morning," I replied softly.
Kartik's voice remained calm. "Take care of her whenever she's here."
"Of course, sir."
The moment we stepped through the entrance, I realised this place was nothing like I had imagined.
It wasn't loud or chaotic.
It was elegant.
The enormous lobby opened into a beautifully designed gaming floor, with polished marble beneath our feet, dark wooden walls, warm golden lighting and massive chandeliers hanging above us.
There were plush chairs and sofas arranged around small tables, while the main gaming floor stretched ahead of us.
I could see several roulette tables where people watched the spinning wheels with intense concentration.
At some tables, dealers moved cards between the players while colourful chips were placed across the felt. I recognized blackjack, at least by name, but the other games left me confused.
There were tables for poker and baccarat too, though I had no idea how either of them worked. Along the side, rows of glowing machines flashed with different symbols, drawing people toward them.
Servers moved quietly between the tables, offering drinks and assisting guests. Floor supervisors stood nearby, keeping an eye on the games, while security personnel remained discreetly positioned around the room.
I had only ever heard about casinos. Seeing one for the first time was completely different.
Everything was controlled.
Everything was monitored.
And then I noticed something else.
Everyone knew Kartik.
A man in a perfectly tailored suit approached us from the gaming floor.
"Mr. Singhaniya. Everything is running smoothly."
Kartik glanced around. "Any problems?"
"No, sir. The morning shift has been quiet. All tables are operating normally."
"Good."
The man nodded and stepped aside.
A woman from the guest-services desk greeted him next.
"Good morning, sir."
Kartik nodded again. "Morning."
Her gaze briefly moved toward me before she smiled politely.
"Welcome, ma'am."
I returned the smile.
As we walked deeper inside, I noticed something.
Dealers acknowledged him. Supervisors greeted him. Security personnel straightened whenever he passed.
A few employees even stepped aside to give us space greeting us.
Kartik responded to each greeting with nothing more than a nod or a quiet word.
He seemed completely accustomed to it.
I, however, couldn't stop looking around.