Chapter 28
Armaan
The party had gone better than I could have hoped. The announcement had been made. The secret was out. Viya was publicly recognized as my wife, and there was no going back now.
But she had left immediately after our dance. Had slipped away while I was still talking to board members and investors who wanted to congratulate me. By the time I realized she was gone, she had already retreated to our bedroom.
I stayed at the party for another hour, playing the gracious host, accepting congratulations and fielding questions about how we had met and when the wedding had taken place. I kept my answers vague but warm, painting a picture of a private love story that I hoped would one day become true.
When the last guest finally left and the garden began to be cleared, I headed inside. Mamta ji caught me in the hallway.
"Beta, Viya did not eat anything at the party. She needs to eat. The baby needs nutrition."
Guilt twisted in my gut. Of course she had not eaten. She had been too overwhelmed, too uncomfortable, too angry at being put on display like that.
"I will take care of it," I assured Mamta ji.
I went to the kitchen and prepared a plate myself. Dal, sabzi, fresh roti, rice. Simple, comforting food. I added some curd and a small bowl of kheer because I remembered she had a sweet tooth.
Carrying the plate and a glass of water, I made my way upstairs to our bedroom.
She was not inside.
But the balcony doors were open, curtains moving gently in the night breeze. I walked out and found her there, sitting in the cushioned chair she favored, staring out at the dark garden below.
She looked ethereal in the moonlight. The emerald saree she had worn to the party was still draped elegantly around her, her hair loose and flowing. One hand rested protectively on her small bump.
My wife. Carrying my child. Looking like a goddess and hating me in equal measure.
"You need to eat," I said softly, not wanting to startle her.
She did not turn to look at me.
"I am not hungry."
"The baby is hungry. And you barely ate anything all day."
"I said I am not hungry, Armaan."
I set the plate down on the small table beside her chair and pulled up another chair so I was sitting directly in front of her. Then I picked up the plate again and tore off a piece of roti, scooping some dal onto it.
"Then I will feed you."
She finally looked at me, her eyes flashing with irritation.
"I am not a child."
"I know you are not. But you are stubborn. And you will not take care of yourself just to spite me. So I will take care of you instead."
I held the morsel up to her lips. She pressed them together stubbornly, turning her face away.
"Viya, please. Do not punish the baby because you are angry with me."
That got to her. Her jaw clenched, but after a moment, she opened her mouth and let me feed her.
I felt a small surge of victory.
We continued like that in silence. I would prepare each bite, and she would reluctantly accept it. She did not look at me, kept her gaze fixed on the garden, but she ate everything I gave her.
When the plate was empty, I held up the glass of water. She took it from my hands herself this time, our fingers brushing briefly. I saw her shiver at the contact.
Good. She still felt something. Still reacted to my touch even when she did not want to.
After she drank the water, she set the glass down and finally spoke.
"Why are you doing this?"
"Doing what?"
"This." She gestured vaguely at the empty plate, at me sitting so close. "The party. The announcement. The feeding me like an invalid. Why are you trying so hard?"
I leaned forward, resting my elbows on my knees so I could look directly into her eyes.
"Because I love you. Because you are my wife. Because I will do whatever it takes to prove to you that this marriage is real. That my feelings are real."
She looked away, but not before I saw tears gathering in her eyes.
"I love you too," she whispered, so quietly I almost missed it.
My heart stopped.
"But I cannot trust you anymore, Armaan. You lied to me. You kept secrets. How do I know you are not lying now? How do I know this is not just guilt or obligation because of the baby?"
I reached out and gently turned her face back toward me, my fingers soft against her chin.
"Give us time. Give me time. I will win your trust back, Viya. Day by day. Moment by moment. I will prove to you that every word I say is true. That I love you more than I have ever loved anyone. That I am not going anywhere."
A tear slipped down her cheek. I wiped it away with my thumb.
"I do not know if I can," she said, her voice breaking. "I do not know if I am strong enough to risk being hurt again."
"You are the strongest person I know. But you do not have to be strong alone anymore. Let me be strong for both of us. Let me carry this weight while you heal."
She did not say anything, just looked at me with those beautiful, wounded eyes.
I stood and held out my hand.
"Come inside. You need to rest."
After a long moment, she placed her hand in mine and let me pull her to her feet. I led her back inside, closed the balcony doors, and guided her to the bed.
She sat down and I knelt in front of her, gently removing the heavy jewelry she was still wearing. The earrings. The bangles. The necklace. Each piece I set aside carefully on the dresser.
"Do you need help changing?" I asked.
"No. I can manage."
I nodded and stepped into the closet to give her privacy. I changed out of my suit and into comfortable sleep pants and a t-shirt. When I emerged, she had changed into soft cotton pajamas and was sitting on her side of the bed, looking small and vulnerable.
I turned off the main lights, leaving only the soft lamp on the nightstand. Then I got into bed beside her.
We lay there in the semi-darkness, both of us on our backs, staring at the ceiling. The space between us felt like an ocean.
Then, to my complete surprise, she moved.
Slowly, hesitantly, she shifted closer until her head was resting on my shoulder, her hand coming to rest on my chest over my heart.
I froze, afraid that any movement would make her change her mind. Then carefully, slowly, I wrapped my arm around her, pulling her closer against my side.
She fit perfectly. Like she had always belonged there.
"I am still angry with you," she murmured into the darkness.
"I know."
"And I do not forgive you yet."
"I know."
"But I am tired of sleeping alone. And the baby likes it when I am close to you. It moves more when he can hear your heartbeat."
I pressed a kiss to the top of her head, breathing in the familiar scent of her hair.
"Then stay close. For the baby."
"For the baby," she agreed softly.
Within minutes, her breathing evened out and she was asleep. But I lay awake for a long time, holding my wife, feeling her warmth against me, and making silent promises.
I would win her back. I would earn her trust again. Whatever it took. However long it took.
She was mine. And I was never letting her go.
◆◆◆
The next morning, I woke early and slipped out of bed without disturbing Viya. She was still sleeping peacefully, one hand on her stomach, her face relaxed in a way it never was when she was awake anymore.
I got ready quickly and headed to the office. I had a plan, and I needed to execute it before she arrived.
Meera, my assistant, was already at her desk when I arrived.
"Good morning, sir. How was the party last night?"
"It went well, thank you. Meera, I need you to do something for me. I want Viya's workstation relocated to my cabin. Her desk, her computer, all of it. I want it set up by the time she arrives."
She nodded.
"Of course, sir. I will have facilities handle it immediately."
"Also, make sure her chair is ergonomic and comfortable. She is pregnant and needs proper support."
"Yes, sir."
By nine thirty, Viya's entire workstation had been moved into the corner of my large office. Her desk was positioned near the window, where she would get natural light. Her computer, her files, even the small plant she kept on her desk, all of it had been transferred.
I wanted her close. Wanted to be able to see her throughout the day. Wanted to make sure she was eating, resting, not overworking herself.
But more than that, I wanted to break down the barriers she had built. Wanted to remind her every moment of every day that we were connected. That she was my wife. That we were in this together.
At exactly ten o'clock, I heard rapid footsteps approaching my office. The door flew open without a knock, and Viya stormed in, her face flushed with anger.
"Why have you relocated my desk?" she demanded without preamble.
She looked beautiful when she was angry. Her eyes flashed fire, her cheeks were pink, and her entire body radiated indignation.
I stood and walked around my desk toward her. She backed up slightly, but I kept coming until I could reach out and pull her into my arms.
"Armaan, what are you—"
I lifted her slightly and sat her on the edge of my desk, positioning myself between her legs so she could not escape. My hands rested on either side of her hips, caging her in.
"I relocated your desk because I want you close to me," I said simply. "Because you are pregnant with my child and you might need something. Because I want to be able to see you, to know you are safe and comfortable."
"You cannot just move my workspace without asking me!"
"I just did."
She tried to push at my chest, but I did not budge.
"Akshita and all the other employees are teasing me. They saw my desk being moved into the CEO's office. They know what it means. They are making comments and jokes and—"
"Good."
"Good?" She looked at me incredulously. "How is that good?"
"Because if they tease you out there, you will want to stay in here with me instead. Away from the gossip. Where I can take care of you."
Realization dawned in her eyes, followed quickly by more irritation.
"You planned this. You deliberately made it uncomfortable for me out there so I would have to stay here."
"I prefer to think of it as strategically removing barriers between us."