Chapter 8
Aditya
My grin stretches wider as I walk toward the gym, already anticipating her reaction the moment she sees me here.
The only reason I dragged myself out of bed at seven on a Sunday morning, instead of enjoying a lazy day, is because I found out just how much Sana loves her early morning workouts.
But I’m not sure if she’ll enjoy today… not when she sees me.
God, she’s going to hate it. But that’s exactly what will make it so much fun.
It’s been a week since I dropped that marriage proposal on her, and the only reason I’ve kept my distance is to give her time to cool off. Though, if I’m being honest, no amount of time would be enough to make her accept my crazy proposal. Yet, I still did it.
Staying away didn’t mean she was off my mind. If anything, I took it up a notch. I had my private investigator run a background check on her.
For someone like me, it’s almost amusing how effortlessly I got my hands on the blueprint of her daily routine.
Morning cardio at seven sharp. The treadmill by the mirrors on the left—her favorite spot, where she loves making silly pouty faces while working out.
The blue water bottle she carries everywhere because, of course, that’s her favorite color.
Not to mention, she’s obsessed with the rain, takes her coffee loaded with cream and chocolate syrup, and reads with music in her ears.
God, I can’t even put into words what it does to me, knowing every little habit, every single quirk.
Though I’ll admit, a part of me felt guilty going behind her back to gather all this. But that guilt disappeared the moment I got the confirmation I didn’t even know I was waiting for. She’s single.
Well, it wasn’t exactly a surprise. When I met her, I noticed the little things—no ring on her finger, no mangalsutra around her neck.
But having absolute confirmation? That hit me hard and locked in my iron will to have my name tied to hers, no matter what.
She has no clue the obsession she’s become for me, but soon she’ll see I’m here for the long game.
Soon enough, she’ll realize she’s meant to be with me, and there’s no turning back—for either of us.
And I just can’t even tell how anxious I am for the day she finally gives in and owns it.
With that thought, I push the glass doors open, my grin unshakable, ready to bask in the sight of her inevitable annoyance.
But the moment my eyes land on her, the smile slips right off my face.
And it has nothing to do with seeing Sana standing by the weights section in those ridiculously sexy, form-hugging leggings and a crop top, her ponytail swaying as she adjusts a dumbbell. No, that’s not what sours my mood.
It’s the fact that she’s not alone.
Some guy—tall, annoyingly fit, the kind that makes my fists itch—stands way too close to her, grinning like he’s in a fucking toothpaste commercial. He’s trying to talk to her, though I can’t hear what he’s saying. But I don’t miss the way he’s flexing his arms like he’s trying to put on a show.
It doesn’t take a genius to figure out what’s happening. The guy is flirting and trying way too hard to get her attention, while Sana subtly keeps inching away to maintain her distance, her focus on the dumbbells, not him. Her body language is stiff and uneasy.
Even with Sana’s clear lack of interest in him, a surge of jealousy flares in my chest. Hot, sharp and immediate. My jaw tightens, and before I can even process it, my feet are already moving toward them.
“Hey, sweetheart,” I call out. Sana’s head jerks up, her eyes widening in pure shock as she sees me. But I don’t stop.
In one fluid motion, I close the distance, slipping my arm around her waist, my hand settling possessively on her hip. The guy’s smug grin wavers, his gaze darting between me and Sana, confusion flickering across his face like he’s trying to piece together a puzzle he didn’t even know existed.
“Sorry I’m late,” I say smoothly, my tone light but with enough edge to make it clear I’m not thrilled to see the asshole hitting on her. Then I turn to the asshole, my eyes narrowing. “If you don’t mind, could you stop flirting with my girlfriend?”
“Oh… uh, sorry,” the asshole stammers, his bravado slipping away as my words sink in. His gaze flickers to Sana one last time, then back at me, before he takes a hesitant step away. “I need to go. You two… enjoy your workout.”
With that, he turns on his heel and walks away, his earlier swagger completely gone.
My arm remains firmly around her, even after the guy disappears. But in the next second, Sana jerks away, her eyes flashing as she pins me with a sharp glare.
“Girlfriend? Seriously?” she hisses, her cheeks flushed, whether from embarrassment or something else, I can’t quite tell.
I shrug, my grin back in place, this time tinged with smugness. “Would you rather I let him keep bothering you?”
Her eyes narrow, and for a split second, I swear I see the corners of her lips twitch, like she’s fighting back a smile. But she doesn’t give me the satisfaction of a reply. Instead, she simply turns on her heel and steps onto the treadmill.
I follow her lead, stepping onto the treadmill beside hers and pressing the button to match her high speed.
“I didn’t take you for a stalker, Aditya,” she snaps, keeping her pace steady.
I grin, glancing at her even though she pointedly refuses to look my way. “Stalker is a strong word. I prefer ‘dedicated.’”
“Dedicated?” she scoffs, finally turning to look at me. “To what? Annoying me? And how dare you chase after me like this? What if I already have someone in my life?”
“You don’t.”
“And what makes you so sure of that?” she asks, narrowing her eyes.
I smirk, holding her gaze head-on. “Because if you did, sweetheart, you wouldn’t be wasting your breath arguing with me.” I tilt my head. “Besides, you’re not exactly the secretive type. If there was someone in your life, you would’ve told me the moment I proposed to you.”
She abruptly stops the treadmill and turns to face me, arms crossed. “Did you ever consider that your assumptions might be ridiculous? Or maybe… I just didn’t think you deserved to know.”
I, too, stop my treadmill and lean against it.
“Ridiculous? Maybe. But wrong? Not a chance.” With my eyes locked onto hers, I add, “And as for deserving to know, sweetheart, you and I both know I’m not the kind of man you can keep secrets from or blatantly ignore.
I have my ways of getting the truth out of you. ”
She lets out an exasperated sigh, shaking her head. “You need to stop this, Aditya. It’s really getting creepy. Whatever game you think you’re playing—it’s not going to work on me.”
I shrug, completely unbothered by her outrage. “This can all stop, you know. All you have to do is accept the marriage proposal. Simple as that.”
Her eyes harden as she steps off the treadmill. “You can’t just waltz into my life, make these bold claims, and expect me to fall in line as if you are royalty or something.”
I push off the treadmill and take a step toward her. “I’m not waltzing into your life, sweetheart. I’m already a part of it. Whether you admit it or not.”
Sana rolls her eyes so hard I’m surprised they don’t get stuck. “You really need to take my advice and see a doctor. A good one. You’re completely crazy.”
“Crazy about you,” I shoot back, delivering the cheesy line that sounds odd to my ears, but nevertheless, it’s true.
“Is marriage a joke to you? You meet someone twice, decide you like them, and just like that, wham… a lifetime commitment in a jiffy? Who the hell does that?” she says, throwing her hands in the air in frustration.
“It’s not a joke, Sana. And I don’t take marriage lightly. Like I said, when you know, you know.”
She lets out a humourless laugh. “Ya, right. This isn’t a fairy tale, Aditya. Real life doesn’t work like that.”
“Who says it can’t?” I challenge. “Just because something isn’t conventional doesn’t mean it’s wrong.
” My gaze sweeps over her, taking in the fire in her eyes and the stubborn set of her jaw.
God, she’s breathtaking. “You think I don’t get how insane this sounds?
But that doesn’t change the fact that I want you.
And I don’t plan on walking away just because you have certain practical rules about how life works. ”
“Grow up, Aditya. Marriage isn’t some impulsive decision. It’s not about what you think in a moment of... whatever you think it is.”
“And what if it’s not just a passing moment?
” I ask, holding my ground. “What if I’ve thought this through more than you realise?
” I don’t take my eyes off her, even as her intensity starts to pierce through.
“I’m a smart businessman, Sana. I don’t act on impulse.
When I want something, I go all in. No second-guessing.
” My eyes search hers, hoping she understands what I’m trying to say.
“And you? You’re not just some game. You’re the one I truly want.
” I take a deep breath, trying to steady myself.
I don’t want to scare her away. “Sana, please, give me a chance to prove that this isn’t some random impulse, that it’s not something momentary. ”
She scoffs, folding her arms. “You don’t get it, do you? I don’t want this. I don’t want you. And this whole thing is crossing a line. If you don’t stop this, I’ll have no choice but to take it to the cops.”
“Go ahead. Report me. File a complaint. Do whatever you need to do. But it won’t change the fact that for me this is about something worth fighting for.”
She takes a step back, clearly exasperated. “You sound completely psycho. I don’t know what you think this is, but let me spell it out for you—it’s never going to happen. Not now. Not ever.”
I take a step forward, closing the space between us just enough to make her gulp.
“You’re scared, Sana. Scared of what this could be.
Scared of me. Scared of how you might feel.
But this very second, I’m going to prove to you that there’s something real between us,” I state, daring her to challenge me.
She parts her lips, ready to retort, but I don’t give her the chance.
Instead, I lift my hand and gently brush the back of my fingers along her cheek.
Her skin is warm beneath my touch and I can feel her breath hitch.
Luckily, she doesn’t push me away. Instead, her chest rises and falls, each breath in sync with the rapid beat of my heart.
Taking that as an olive branch, I cup her face and lean in slowly, giving her all the time in the world to stop me.
Her eyes flicker, but she doesn’t back away.
When my face is mere inches from hers, I see her lashes flutter shut, her lips parting ever so slightly.
I grin. She thinks I’m going to kiss her.
Fighting the urge to completely lose control, I bring my lips close to her ear and whisper, “You feel it too, Sana. You just don’t want to admit it. You’re scared.”
Her eyes snap open, and she instantly jerks back, making my hand fall to my side. Her cheeks are flushed crimson.
“You’re insane,” she murmurs, but the slight quiver in her voice gives her away.
“Call me whatever you want. But we both know the truth.”
Her gaze darts around before snapping back to me. “This... this seriously needs to stop.”
“I won’t stop. Take my advice—you can’t run from what you are feeling for long, Sana.”
Her lips part as if to argue, but no words come out. She shakes her head, grabs her bag and walks away, leaving me standing there, watching her go.
I know I’ve pushed her to the edge, but I had to.
I never thought I’d see marriage in my future, least of all me chasing a girl for it.
But Sana changed the whole game. She’s gotten under my skin, and there’s no way I’m letting her slip through my fingers.
She can deny it all she wants, but I’ll make damn sure she feels every bit of this pull between us—just like I do.
And this is just the beginning.