Chapter Nineteen
One Year Anniversary
Advika woke to sunlight streaming through unfamiliar windows and the sound of waves crashing against shore. For a moment, she was disoriented—this wasn't their bedroom at the estate. Then she remembered.
The anniversary trip. The secluded coastal estate Sidharth had rented for the weekend. Just the two of them, away from everything.
She rolled over to find him already awake, propped on one elbow, watching her with that soft expression he reserved only for her.
"Morning," she mumbled, her voice still rough with sleep.
"Good morning, Mrs. Singhania." He leaned down to kiss her, slow and sweet. "Happy anniversary."
"Has it really been a year?"
"Three hundred and sixty-five days since I married the most incredible woman in the world." His hand cupped her cheek. "Best decision I ever made."
"You didn't make it. You were forced into it."
"And then I chose it. Chose you. Every day since." He kissed her again, deeper this time. "Want to know what I was thinking about just now?"
"What?"
"Our wedding. How miserable we both were. How cold everything was." His thumb brushed across her lips. "And how different everything is now."
It was true. A year ago, she'd walked down the aisle feeling like she was going to a funeral. Had stood beside a stranger who looked at her like a problem to solve. Had gone to bed alone on her wedding night, wondering if she'd made the worst mistake of her life.
Now, she woke up beside a man who loved her desperately. Who looked at her like she hung the moon. Who made her feel cherished and desired and essential.
"We've come a long way," she agreed softly.
"We have. And I wanted to celebrate that. Just us, no family, no business, no distractions." He stood, gloriously naked, and held out his hand. "Come on. I want to show you something."
She let him pull her up, wrapping a silk robe around herself. He led her through the beautiful estate—all white walls and floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the ocean—to a private terrace.
Breakfast was laid out—fresh fruit, pastries she recognized from her own bakery, coffee that smelled divine. And beyond the terrace, a private beach stretched out, white sand meeting impossibly blue water.
"It's beautiful," she breathed.
"Not as beautiful as you." He pulled out her chair. "Sit. Eat. Then I plan to spend the entire day showing you exactly how much I love you."
"The entire day?"
His smile was wicked. "And night. And tomorrow. We have the whole weekend, and I intend to use every minute."
They ate slowly, feeding each other bites of fruit, talking about nothing and everything. The anniversary of their wedding, yes, but also the months that had led to this moment. The fights and reconciliations. The slow building of trust. The moment everything finally clicked into place.
"I should have told you I loved you sooner," Sidharth said, his fingers intertwined with hers across the table. "Should have said it that first night I felt it."
"When was that?"
"Honestly? I think I started falling for you that night I found you baking at 2 AM.
You had flour on your cheek and chocolate on your fingers, and you looked so passionate, so alive.
" He brought her hand to his lips. "I didn't recognize it then.
Told myself it was just attraction. But looking back, that's when you started breaking down my walls. "
"I was in love with you by month four," she admitted. "Maybe earlier. But I knew for sure after you took care of me when I was sick."
"I was terrified." The confession was raw. "You were so fragile, so vulnerable, and all I could think was that I'd already let myself care too much. That losing you would destroy me."
"You're not going to lose me." She squeezed his hand. "I'm not going anywhere."
"I know. But sometimes I still wake up scared. Like this is all a dream and I'll wake up back in that cold house, alone, before you."
"Then I'll just have to keep reminding you it's real." She stood, moving to straddle his lap, her robe falling open. "That I'm real. That this is real."
He groaned as she settled against him, already half-hard. "You're going to be the death of me."
"What a way to go."
She kissed him, pouring a year of love and passion into it. His hands slid up her thighs, pushing the robe off her shoulders until it pooled around her waist. The morning sun was warm on her skin, the ocean breeze salt-sweet.
"Inside," he growled against her mouth. "I need you in a bed where I can do this properly."
"Why wait?" She rolled her hips, feeling him grow harder beneath her. "We're alone. Private beach. Who's going to see?"
His eyes darkened with lust and something more primal. "You want me to take you right here? Where anyone with a boat could potentially see?"
"There's no one for miles. You made sure of that." She bit his lower lip. "And the thought of you taking me out here, under the sun, where we're technically exposed but actually completely safe... it's hot."
"Fuck." He stood, her legs wrapping around his waist, and carried her to a large daybed on the far side of the terrace. It was positioned for privacy but still exposed to the elements—sun, wind, the distant sound of waves.
He laid her down, his body covering hers, and took his time. Kissed every inch of exposed skin. Used his mouth and hands to drive her wild. When she was gasping, begging, he finally pushed inside her with one smooth thrust.
"God, you feel incredible," he groaned, his forehead pressed to hers. "Always so perfect for me."
"More," she demanded, nails digging into his shoulders. "Harder."
He obliged, his thrusts becoming deeper, faster. The daybed creaked beneath them, the cushions soft against her back. The sun beat down, warm and bright, and the possibility of being seen—however remote—added an edge to everything.
"Touch yourself," he commanded. "I want to watch you come."
Her hand slid between them, finding her clit. The added stimulation made her gasp, her back arching.
"That's it," he encouraged, his eyes locked on where they joined, watching her fingers work. "So fucking beautiful. Mine. All mine."
"Yours," she agreed breathlessly. "Always yours."
She came with a cry that probably carried across the empty beach, her body clenching around him. He followed seconds later, her name a prayer on his lips.
They lay tangled together afterward, breathing hard, the sun warm on their cooling skin.
"I can't believe we just did that," Advika said, laughing.
"I can't believe it took us a year to do that." He kissed her shoulder. "We're definitely doing it again later."
"On the beach?"
"On the beach, in the pool, in every room of this estate." His hand traced lazy patterns on her hip. "I have a year of anniversaries to make up for."
"We only have one anniversary."
"Then I'm making it count."
That evening, after a lazy afternoon of swimming and napping and more lovemaking, they found themselves in the infinity pool as the sun set over the ocean.
The water was warm, heated to perfection. Advika floated on her back, watching the sky turn pink and orange and purple, feeling more relaxed than she had in months.
"Come here," Sidharth said, his voice rough.
She swam over to find him sitting on the pool's edge, the water lapping at his waist. "What?"
"I want you to ride me. Right here, under the stars."
"The stars aren't out yet."
"They will be by the time I'm done with you." He pulled her between his legs. "And I want to watch you take your pleasure. Want to see you use me."
Heat flooded through her at his words. She positioned herself over him, sinking down slowly, savoring every inch.
"Fuck," he breathed, his hands gripping her hips. "You're so tight like this."
"You're so deep," she countered, rolling her hips experimentally.
"Take control," he said. "Set the pace. I just want to watch you."
She did, moving slowly at first, then faster as pleasure built. His hands roamed her body—cupping her breasts, thumbs teasing her nipples, one hand sliding between them to rub circles on her clit.
"You're so beautiful," he murmured. "The way you move, the sounds you make. I could watch you forever."
"Less watching," she gasped. "More helping."
He grinned, then lifted her slightly and changed the angle, hitting that spot inside her that made her see stars. She cried out, her rhythm faltering.
"That's it," he encouraged. "Ride me, baby. Take what you need."
She did, chasing her orgasm with single-minded focus. When it hit, she threw her head back, crying out to the darkening sky. He followed her over, his groan of pleasure mixing with the sound of the water and the distant waves.
They stayed like that, connected, as the first stars appeared overhead.
"I love you," she whispered.
"I love you too." He pulled her down for a kiss. "More than I thought possible."
The next morning, Advika woke to the feeling of Sidharth's mouth between her thighs.
"Mmm, good morning," she mumbled, her hands sliding into his hair.
He hummed in response, the vibration sending pleasure racing through her. He took his time, learning her responses all over again, even though he'd mapped this territory a thousand times before.
When she came, it was slow and sweet, pleasure rolling through her in gentle waves rather than the sharp peaks of the night before.
"Your turn," she said, pushing him onto his back.
"You don't have to—"
"I want to." She settled between his thighs, wrapping her hand around his length. "I love doing this. Love watching you fall apart."
She took him into her mouth, using everything she'd learned about what he liked over the past year. The way he responded to suction, the spot just under the head that made him groan, the way his hands fisted in her hair when she took him deep.
"Advika," he gasped. "I'm close—"
She didn't pull away, taking him deeper, wanting this. He came with a shout, his hips jerking, and she swallowed it all.
When she crawled back up his body, he pulled her into a fierce kiss.
"You're going to kill me," he said.
"Death by orgasm. Could be worse."
"Much worse." He rolled them over, settling between her thighs. "Now let me return the favor properly."
He made love to her slowly, sweetly, their bodies moving together in perfect synchronicity. This wasn't about dominance or possession or even raw passion. This was about connection, about love, about the bond they'd built over the past year.
When they came together, it was with soft sighs rather than shouts, gentle waves rather than crashing tides.
Perfect.
Later that afternoon, they sat on the terrace, wrapped in robes, drinking wine and talking.
"I've been thinking," Sidharth said. "About the future."
"Oh?"
"Your bakery. It's doing incredibly well. Five regular clients, constant orders, the ambassador's event led to international interest." He turned to face her. "Have you thought about expanding? Really expanding?"
"I've thought about it," she admitted. "But it seems like a lot. Managing multiple locations, hiring more staff, the logistics—"
"You could do it. You're brilliant at management, at strategy. And you love it." He took her hand. "What if we made it a real empire? Five locations, ten, a full catering business. You could write a cookbook, do television appearances, make Sinfully Sweet a household name."
"That's... ambitious."
"So are you." He kissed her knuckles. "And I'd support you. Whatever you need—financing, connections, muscle to deal with difficult clients—it's yours."
"What about you?" she asked. "What do you want for the future?"
"Honestly? I want to spend more time with you. Travel. Build a life that's about more than just survival and power. I want a different kind of life. One where I'm not constantly looking over my shoulder, where I can actually enjoy what we've built."
"What else?" she asked softly. "What else do you want?"
"Children. Eventually. Maybe in a few years, when things are more stable." His hand slid to her stomach, resting there. "I want to give our kids everything I didn't have. A childhood without fear, parents who are actually present, a home filled with love."
Advika's eyes filled with tears. "I want that too. Not right now, but someday."
"Someday," he agreed. "We have time. All the time in the world."
They sat in comfortable silence, watching the ocean. Then Sidharth shifted, reaching into his robe pocket.
"I have something for you," he said.
He pulled out a small velvet box. Advika's breath caught.
"This isn't—I mean, we're already married—"
"Open it," he encouraged.
Inside was a ring. Not the massive diamond from their wedding—that one had been chosen by jewelers, meant to impress, a symbol of a transaction. This one was different. A sapphire, deep blue like the ocean, surrounded by smaller diamonds. Beautiful but not ostentatious. Personal.
"I wanted you to have a ring that actually means something," he said softly.
"One that symbolizes what we really are, not what we were forced to be.
" He took it from the box. "This is me choosing you.
Asking you to be my wife, my partner, my everything.
Not because of treaties or alliances, but because I love you.
Because I can't imagine my life without you in it. "
"Sidharth," she whispered, tears streaming down her face.
"Will you marry me?" He smiled. "I know we're already married. But will you choose this? Choose me? Choose us?"
"Yes," she said, laughing and crying at the same time. "Yes, a thousand times yes."
He slid the ring onto her finger. It fit perfectly, catching the light, the sapphire glowing deep blue.
"It's beautiful," she said.
"It's us," he corrected. "Strong, beautiful, real."
She kissed him, pouring everything into it. A year ago, they'd been strangers bound by contract. Now they were partners, lovers, best friends. They'd built something real from the ashes of an arranged marriage.
And it was only the beginning.