CHAPTER 39
SIYA
Next Day – RK Estate
We arrived at RK Estate only yesterday, but somehow, it already feels as though the baby shower happened days ago.
This morning, I leave my room dressed in fitted blue jeans, knee-high boots, and a cream cashmere sweater, originally planning to meet Esha in the resort lobby.
Instead, I end up wandering through the estate, lost in my own thoughts.
The night Raghav finally confessed how guilty he felt for forcing me into this marriage… I think I truly forgave him that very night. Not because what he did was right, but because his guilt and regret were real.
A few weeks ago, I would never have imagined forgiving him so easily. But now, I think this marriage was always meant to happen. Forced or not. With consent or without. The thought stays in my mind as I finally step into the resort lobby.
I’m looking around for Esha when Kriti catches my attention. She’s standing beside one of the staff members, scanning the lobby before asking, “Where is Raghav?”
The employee immediately answers, “Sir was here a little while ago, ma’am, but I don’t know where he is now.”
Then he notices me. “But Mrs. Kundra is here.”
Kriti turns. Her eyes land on me and instantly harden.
It’s obvious she still hasn’t come to terms with Raghav marrying me, and that the title she wanted for herself now belongs to me.
For a brief moment, neither of us speaks.
Then I walk over and stop right in front of her.
Sensing the tension, the staff member quietly excuses himself and leaves us alone.
“Still looking for Raghav?” I mock. “I thought you would’ve stopped doing that by now.”
Her jaw tightens. “What do you mean?”
I fold my arms and hold her gaze. “Stop pretending, Kriti. I know you like him.”
She stiffens ever so slightly.
I continue. “You wanted him so badly that you were ready to marry him by any means necessary. I know exactly what you were planning that night at the Shivtara Mata Temple.”
The colour slowly drains from her face.
“I overheard you telling your friends how you were going to put the garland around Raghav’s neck and claim him as yours. And even if he refused, you already had a backup plan.”
I take one step closer.
“You were going to use Kailash Uncle to force his hand because you knew Raghav would never refuse anything his Baba asked of him. You were ready to trap him into a marriage he never chose, just to get what you wanted.”
“Oh,” Kriti lets out a short laugh. “So that’s why you decided to steal the spotlight that night? By doing exactly what I was planning to do? Wow.” She claps slowly. “Tell me then, what’s the difference between us? You did exactly what I wanted to do.”
My eyes narrow as anger burns through me. “Don’t you dare compare yourself to me. I would never stoop that low.”
She tilts her head, mocking me. “Then what are you doing here? In this place? In the role of his wife? Face it. I deserve to be Raghav’s wife more than you.”
That does it.
“F*ck off, Kriti.” The words leave my mouth before I can stop them.
“You are living in a delusion. Even if I had never met Raghav in my entire life, he still wouldn’t have looked at you.
You’re just another employee to him. You never stood a chance of having a permanent place in his life.
The sooner you accept that and move on, the better it’ll be for you. ”
The anger in her eyes deepens, but I’m not finished.
“Stop chasing my husband,” I warn quietly. “I’m Mrs. Siya Raghav Kundra now. And if we’re being completely honest, even when I was just Siya Vardhaan... you were never my competition.”
Her brows pull together, but I hold her gaze steadily. Whether she likes it or not, it’s the truth. Raghav is my husband, and any other woman trying to come between us will have to face me first.
With that, I turn on my heel and storm away angrily. She doesn’t deserve another second of my attention. But, just like every other time I walk too quickly in slip-on sandals, one of them slips off my foot.
“Not again,” I mutter, bending slightly to fix it myself when, once again out of nowhere, Raghav appears.
And before I can react, he bends down in front of me again and gently slips the sandal back onto my foot. My lips twitch into a smile. I think he likes doing that. Pampering his princess with such royal treatment.
Although the sight of Raghav helping me wear the sandal gives me goosebumps, I can’t help but notice Kriti’s reflection in one of the lobby mirrors.
Her eyes are fixed on us, burning with anger as she watches him kneeling before me and helping me so tenderly.
With a huff, she turns around and walks away.
Raghav slowly rises to his full height, his expression still serious as he looks at me. “I’m not going to fix your sandals every time, Princess,” he says flatly.
A small smile tugs at my lips. He’s warning me, yet ends that statement with my nickname. Who’s going to take him seriously that way?
“Really?” I ask, raising a brow. “A man who has kept my sandal safely tucked away in his wardrobe all this time is the one telling me this?”
He looks at me in surprise.
“Yes, I saw it,” I admit. “Actually, I was getting bored of seeing you in nothing but black. So much so that I almost developed a phobia of black clothes. So today, I decided to replace your entire wardrobe with colourful shirts.”
“You did what?” His jaw drops.
I laugh. “Relax, I’m just kidding,” I reply before he can protest any further.
“I didn’t do any of that. It was just a thought.
I was only making space for my clothes in your wardrobe when I found my missing sandal...
neatly packed inside a box. Honestly, it was kept more carefully than most museum exhibits. ”
He keeps looking at me before letting out a quiet scoff. “So now you’ve started invading my wardrobe?”
“I wasn’t invading—”
“You’ve been doing a lot more than that lately.
” He shifts closer. “Making sure I don’t skip my meals.
Calling up Haider to check if I’ve eaten at the resort.
Making me coffee every morning exactly the way I like it.
Charging my AirPods before the battery runs out.
Rearranging my things in the bedroom without even asking me.
And now... making space for your clothes in my wardrobe. ”
His gaze never leaves mine. “Looks like you took Ayaan’s words to heart. You know… taking care of me.”
I blink at him.
“Of course. If I told him I would, then I intend to keep my word. Whether you like it or not, I’m going to look after you now, Mr. Kundra. Taking care of this family is no longer only your responsibility. It’s mine too.”
Something shifts in his expression. In a sudden move, he closes the rest of the distance between us, one slow step, then another, until my back hits one of the pillars. His hand braces beside me, not touching, but trapping me in place with his presence.
“Keep doing things like this,” he murmurs, his eyes locked on mine, “and I’ll start thinking you’ve already forgiven me for forcing you to marry me.”
My breath catches, but I don’t look away. “I never heard an apology,” I retort. “Maybe if you had given me a proper one… I might have considered it.”
His gaze falls on my lips. He’s about to lean in and claim my lips, right here in the middle of his resort lobby, where anyone could catch us.
Just then, someone nearby clears his throat, breaking our moment.
We both glance over to see Haider standing a few feet away, and the look on his face is enough.
He wants to discuss something important.
Raghav exhales deeply. Then, stepping back, he gives me one last look before turning away and walking off with Haider. As they leave the lobby, Esha appears beside me. I frown, continuing to watch the two of them disappear down the corridor. I turn to Esha.
“I really don’t understand who Raghav’s actual partner is? Me or Haider?”
Esha bursts out laughing.
“Sounds like somebody is jealous,” she says, nudging my shoulder.
“I’m not jealous,” I protest, narrowing my eyes. “But don’t you think their bromance is getting a little out of hand?”
That only makes her laugh harder.
“Seriously, Esha. Every time Raghav and I are having a meaningful conversation, Haider calls. Or Haider appears. Or Haider interrupts. It’s always Haider. Haider. Haider.” I throw my hands up in exasperation. “Honestly, it’s not even funny anymore.”
Esha shakes her head, still chuckling. “Well, it’s a good thing he keeps interrupting.
At least he’ll learn a thing or two from watching the two of you together.
Someone has to teach that man what a relationship looks like, and how beautiful it can be.
Just being alert and broody all the time is not life. It’s much more than that, isn’t it?”
Something in the way she says it makes me pause. There it is again. That look I’ve noticed before. And suddenly, everything starts making sense.
“Okay.” I fold my arms. “How long has this been going on?”
Esha instantly looks guarded. “What… what has been going on?”
“This.” I point at her. “Whatever this is that happens every time Haider’s name comes up.”
Her eyes widen. “Nothing is happening.”
“Right.”
“Siya—”
“No. Don’t ‘Siya’ me.” I shake my head. “I’ve been noticing this for a long time now. Ever since I first came here.”
She looks away, which is an answer in itself.
“You really like Haider, don’t you?” I ask.
At first, she says nothing. Then a small smile appears on her face, and she gives a shy nod.
I knew it. But before I can say anything, she continues, “But that man is impossible. He’s so emotionless when it comes to all this. It’s like he has no feelings. Like his heart is made of stone.”
I try not to smile.
“No, seriously,” she insists. “He’s like a mountain that refuses to move. A man who probably doesn’t feel anything. Ever.”
I chuckle. “How can you be so sure?”