Chapter - 43
It was evening, and I was sitting in the library that Aarav had made for me.
The soft light from the lamps created a cozy atmosphere, but I felt anything but cozy.
My annual exams were approaching, and I had barely studied.
I flipped through the pages, but every time I reached a new chapter, I realized I had forgotten everything from the previous one.
My mind was a jumbled mess of thoughts and worries. I was so lost in my studies that I didn't notice the time passing until I heard a familiar voice.
"Siya."
I froze for a second. Then, without thinking, I jumped up from my chair and ran straight to him.
The moment I saw him, all the emotions I had been holding inside came rushing out. I threw my arms around his waist, holding him tightly.
As soon as his arms wrapped around me, my eyes filled with tears. I had missed him too much.
Aarav hugged me close, his warmth making me feel safe. "I'm sorry for making you wait so long," he said softly. "Please don't cry, Siya baby. I don't like it."
But I couldn't stop. The past week had been so hard, and now that he was here, I just couldn't hold it in anymore.
Aarav sighed and gently pulled me to the sofa. He sat down and pulled me onto his lap, holding me like I was something precious. I buried my face in his shoulder, feeling his heartbeat against mine.
"I missed you," I whispered, my voice shaky.
He smiled softly. "I know," he said, hugging me tighter. "I missed you too, baby. More than you think."
He gently lifted my face and wiped my tears with his thumb. His eyes were warm, filled with something that made my heart race.
That's when I realized—I was sitting on his lap.
My face turned red with embarrassment. I quickly tried to move, but Aarav held me in place, a smirk playing on his lips.
"Where do you think you're going, hmm?" he teased, his voice low and playful.
"I—I should get up," I stammered, looking anywhere but at him.
Aarav tilted his head, pretending to think. "No, I don't think so. It took me a whole week to get you in my arms properly. Now that you're here, I'm not letting you go so easily."
His teasing made my cheeks burn even more. I lightly hit his chest, but he only chuckled, pulling me closer.
"Avi!" I whispered, my voice filled with shyness.
He leaned in, his lips brushing my forehead. "Hmm? What is it, baby?" he murmured, making my heart race even faster.
I gave up, hiding my face in his chest as he laughed softly, clearly enjoying my embarrassment.
Just when I was about to say something, his phone rang.
I stiffened, feeling disappointed that our moment was interrupted. Aarav sighed and reached for his phone, but I instinctively held onto his shirt, hoping he wouldn't answer
He looked at me, then at his phone. Instead of picking it up, he silenced the call and placed it on the table.
"Nothing is more important than you right now," he whispered, cupping my face again.
And just like that, my heart melted all over again.
After dinner, I lay beside Aarav, my head resting on his chest. His strong arms held me close, and I tightened my grip around him as if afraid he might disappear. His warmth made me feel safe, yet my heart was heavy with thoughts I couldn't escape.
I wanted to tell him about the FD papers. About Tauji. About everything they had done to me. But how? Where would I even begin? Should I tell him everything or just about the documents?
But what if I tell him, and Tauji really sells the house? That house... I barely remember my time there, but I know it was built by my parents with love. It's the only thing I have left of them. Whenever I think about it, it makes me feel like they're still close to me. I can't lose it.
I was so lost in my thoughts that I didn't even realize I had fallen completely silent until Aarav's deep voice broke through.
"Don't you have to sleep?" he asked, his fingers gently caressing my back.
I blinked, hesitating. "No... I want to talk."
He shifted slightly, cupping my face in his hands, his eyes searching mine before pressing a soft kiss on my forehead. "Okay then, let's talk. What's on your mind?"
I swallowed. My words refused to come out. I couldn't tell him. Not now. So instead, I asked, "Why were you coming home late for so many days? Do you have a lot of work?"
Aarav sighed, his grip on me tightening slightly. "Yes, my angel. I was handling royal matters. The responsibilities of a king never truly end."
I looked up at him, curious. "What kind of responsibilities?"
He exhaled deeply before answering. "There was a case. A man's daughter went missing after going to work in Delhi. The police refused to help him, so I had to step in."
I listened carefully as he told me about Sunaina, the missing girl. The way the police ignored her father, the agency that took her, and how, when he finally found her, there were many other girls trapped in the same situation.
My heart clenched. "That's horrible... Were they okay?" I whispered.
He nodded. "They are safe now. But the people behind it won't be." His voice was calm, but there was a dangerous edge to it. "They will pay for what they did."
I shivered slightly. Aarav was so different from me. He didn't hesitate to fight for justice, to punish those who did wrong. Meanwhile, I was struggling to even tell him about a piece of paper. Maybe that's why he was born to rule... and I was just trying to survive.
I shouldn't tell him now. He already has too much to handle.
I curled up closer to him, my fingers clutching his shirt. "You must be so tired," I murmured.
He kissed the top of my head, his lips lingering for a second. "It doesn't matter. Coming home to you makes everything worth it."
His words made my heart swell, but at the same time, something stirred inside me.
Until now, I never thought about my responsibilities as his wife.
No one ever told me that I had any, and honestly, I never thought about it myself either.
But shouldn't I? Aarav was doing so much—helping people, protecting them. Shouldn't I do something too?
I hesitated for a moment before asking, "Why did Sunaina have to go to Delhi for work? Couldn't she have found work here or near her village?"
Aarav sighed. "I've opened many NGOs that provide jobs and facilities, but if people want to leave, what can I do? I can't stop them from going."
I frowned. "But if she went to Delhi, that means she couldn't find a job here, right? Maybe... maybe people don't even know about the opportunities you've created."
He looked at me, silent for a moment. "I didn't think about it that way... Maybe you're right."
For the first time, I felt a spark of purpose."Aarav, I want to help you. I want to be involved in your responsibilities."
His brows furrowed. "But Siya, you—"
Before he could finish, I interrupted him. "I really want to help you. Please don't say no." My voice was quiet but firm.
For a moment, he just stared at me, and I thought he would refuse. But then, he exhaled deeply and nodded. "Okay. But on some conditions."
I smiled, relief washing over me. "Okay, whatever they are, I agree."
And just like that, we started discussing ways to make sure no girl—or anyone—had to leave their home for work if they didn't want to.
And for the first time, I felt like I was truly a part of his world.
I sat quietly in the car, my hands resting on my lap, trying to ignore the nervous flutter in my chest. Dressed in a navy blue Anarkali suit, the sheer embroidered dupatta draped over my shoulders, I clutched the fabric tightly, as if it could somehow steady my thoughts.
With each passing second, as we neared the college, I whispered to myself, It's just a signature. That's all.After this, I won't have to meet them again. This is the last time... after this, everything will be okay.
Then why did it feel like something inside me was slipping away?
The car slowed down near the same café, and my heartbeat quickened. Tauji stood there, waiting. His expression was unreadable, but I knew better than to expect warmth.
Taking a deep breath, I stepped out. He said nothing—no greeting, no acknowledgment. Just cold indifference.
Without sparing me a proper glance, he pulled out a stack of papers and thrust them toward me. "Sign these."
I hesitated, my fingers trembling as I took them. My gaze lowered, trying to make sense of the words on the page, but before I could read past the first line, his sharp voice cut through the air.
"What are you doing? I don't have all day. Just sign!"
I flinched. The harshness in his tone made my throat tighten, my heart hammering against my ribs. A part of me wanted to resist, to demand answers, but the other part—the part that had spent years fearing him, obeying him—held me back.
With a small nod, I lowered my gaze and signed. My hand felt heavier than it should, the ink spreading across the paper sealing something I wasn't sure I wanted.
The moment the pen left the paper, Tauji snatched the documents and walked away. No thank you. No goodbye.
Just like that... it was over.
I stood frozen, my fingers still curled around the pen. A lump formed in my throat, and before I knew it, my vision blurred with unshed tears.
"I should feel relieved... shouldn't I?"
But the ache in my chest said otherwise.
Swallowing hard, I wiped my eyes quickly, scanning my surroundings as if making sure no one had witnessed my moment of weakness. Then, taking a deep breath, I turned back toward the car—each step feeling heavier than the last.
Suresh entered the house, rubbing his forehead in frustration. Meenakshi hurried toward him, her eyes filled with anticipation.
"Did the work get done?" she asked.
Suresh nodded, a smirk forming on his lips. "Yes. Siya signed the documents, and I handed them over to the lawyer. He assured me that I'll receive the money by evening."
Meenakshi let out a relieved sigh, but Suresh wasn't finished. "I also spoke about the house. The broker already found a buyer who's interested. Once that's settled, we'll have the money in hand. Half of our problem will be solved."
Her expression hardened. "And what about the other half?"
Suresh exhaled sharply, irritation flashing in his eyes. "I'll talk to the investors, ask for more time. God knows why they suddenly want their money back so urgently." He clenched his fists. "I've been trying to find someone willing to invest in my business, but no one is interested."
Meenakshi thought for a moment before suggesting, "You should talk to Aarav. Maybe he will help us."
Suresh's face twisted in irritation. "Don't you think I've already tried? I can't enter his office, nor his house. After the marriage, he made it clear—we are not allowed near him. Do you really think he'll help us?"
Meenakshi pursed her lips. "And what if you don't find any investors?"
Suresh hesitated for a second before admitting, "Then I'll have to take a loan against our house." His voice carried an edge of desperation. "I even called Dev, but he isn't picking up my calls."
Meenakshi's frustration bubbled over. "This is all happening because of that useless girl! If only she had died with her parents, then—"
Suresh cut her off sharply. "If she had died, we wouldn't have gotten anything! Her survival worked in our favor."
Meenakshi scowled but stayed silent.
Suresh ran a hand through his thinning hair. "You talk to Tara. Tell her to make Dev call me. He might help us. I can't handle this anymore. The investors are pressuring me, and I have no new investors lined up. If this doesn't get resolved soon, we'll be out on the streets!"
The tension in the room crackled like a fire about to erupt. And then it did.
Suresh turned to Meenakshi, his anger spilling over. "This wouldn't have happened if Natasha hadn't run away from the wedding! If you had controlled her, we wouldn't be in this mess!"
Meenakshi's eyes flared with fury. "Oh, so now it's my fault? If YOU hadn't married Siya to Aarav, we wouldn't be in this situation either!
Suresh scoffed. "I did what I had to! You think we had another choice? If I hadn't done it, people would've questioned us, and Aarav would've destroyed us for humiliating him!"
Meenakshi crossed her arms, her voice laced with bitterness. "And now you're running around trying to fix things? Do you think what you did will save us? Look at where we are, Suresh Ji! Everything is slipping out of our hands!"
Their shouting filled the house, both blaming each other, neither willing to accept their own mistakes.
And then—Suresh's phone rang.
Seeing the lawyer's number, he quickly answered. "Hello?"
He expected good news. Expected to hear that the money was on its way.
But what the lawyer said shocked him to his core.
I know I haven't written a long chapter this time, but I've been really busy these days.
First, it's my parents' anniversary on 1st April, so I'm caught up with all the preparations.
Second, we have the Gangaur celebration at home tomorrow, and today is Navratri, so there's a lot of cleaning to do.
I'll try to make the next chapter a little longer and much better. Honestly, I'm not satisfied with this one myself—my mind is just not working properly. ??
Hope you all understand! ??