Page 44 of Shattered

“My wife needs some information. Would you mind giving it to her?” he asks, emphasising the word ‘wife,’ which makes my heart skip a beat once again, while the woman nods vigorously.

“Give me a moment, Mr. Kundra,” she gulps, typing frantically on her laptop.The printer whirs, and soon she hands a sheet of paper to me.

“Thanks,” I say politely as I put the paper in my bag. I turn to Reyansh to tell him we can leave, but his eyes are still fixed on the woman.

“Well, Miss...” His voice trails off as he reads her name on the badge, his tone simmering with anger. “Jaya, how dare you think of showing that attitude to my wife and treating her with disrespect?”

She looks at me nervously, then drops her head to her feet. “I’m sorry, ma’am,”she mumbles.

“It’s okay,” I say softly, not wanting to prolong this any further.

“It’s not okay, and your sorry is not good enough for me,” Reyansh adds firmly.

I glance at Reyansh, startled by his sternness.I’ve never seen this rude side of him before.

“Mr. Kundra, I’m really sorry. I didn’t know ma’am was your wife,” she says with trepidation.

“Doesn’t matter.As one of the top donors to your college, I am sure the college will happily grant my small request to have you fired from yourjob,” he says sharply, and I instinctively grab hold of his arm.

“Reyansh, that’s really not necessary,” I interject, trying to diffuse his anger.

“It is necessary. Let me handle this my way, sweetheart,” he tells me, then turns his focus back to Jaya.

“I suggest you start looking for a job elsewhere,” he says, paying no heed to her pleas. Giving her one last scornful look, he tightens his grip around my waist and ushers me out of the office. I let out a sigh once we reach my car.

“Don’t you think that was a bit harsh?” I ask, slipping into my car but leaving the door open.

With a smirk, he leans in,his body almostcaging me in my seat. “One thing you should know about me, sweetheart, is that I don’t spare anyone who dares to touch or hurt what’s mine.”

His words send a shiver down my spine, but instead of scaring me, they send butterflies fluttering in my stomach.

“You didn’t have to call me your wife.” The words escape my lips before I can stop them.

His eyes twinkle as his lips curl into a smile. “But I wanted to, and it did have a nice ring to it.”

“I am not your wife,” I point out, licking my lips nervously. God, his words and his proximity are making me jittery.

“I intend to rectify that soon,” he murmurs, his breath fanning my neck.

My eyes widen, and I open and close my mouth like a fish out of water, struggling to find the right words.

“Don’t overthink it; that’s a conversation for another day,” he says, kissing my forehead before stepping back and closing my door.

I nod at him through the window, start my car, and pull out of the parking lot.

My pulse races and my stomach tightens as his words echo in my mind. ‘I intend to rectify that soon.’ Did he really mean it... does he actually want to marry me? The mere thought of being his wife sends my heart and brain into a frenzy. They both scream that with him, my life could be the beautiful dream I’ve always longed for but never had the courage to chase.

Chapter 22

Reyansh

I slam my hand down on the dining table, causing the whiskey to spillover the rim of the glass. It’s past eight in the evening,an hour since I returned from the office, and I can’t shake off the anger that’s boiling inside me.I had thought about dropping by Kavya’s house, but I wasn’t in the right frame of mind. I am still caught in a fit of rage, and all I can think about is the chaos that has upended Kavya’s life. It fucking pains me to see her going through all of this. The fact that she’s running around, struggling to find answers, breaks my heart. What’s worse is not having her here with me in my house, where I can wrap my arms around her and calm the storm that’s raging within her.The fact that I can’t erase her fears completely leaves me feeling utterly helpless.

I slump forward, resting my elbows on the table,with my hand wrapped around the back of my neck. A grin tugs at my lips as I think about how I called her my wife.There was no need for me to address her as my wife; I could have easily gotten the information Kavya was looking for with a snap of my fingers. But calling her my wife gave me a strange, indescribable kind of satisfaction, fuelling the desire to turn it into reality. I close my eyes tightly, pondering the irony of a playboy like me finding stability, yet it doesn’t surprise me. I knew that was bound tohappen with Kavya. I knew she would change my world and become everything to me. Now, all I want is to make her mine in every way; every fiber of my being yearns for that, but I know I need to give her time. She’s gradually letting her walls down with me, so pressuring her now would be the worst thing I could do, especially considering the stress she’s already going through.

The sudden ring of my phone snaps me out of my thoughts.I lift my head to see who’s calling. As soon as I see Karan’s name flash on the screen, I answer immediately. He’s under strict instructions to call me right away if anything happens.

“What’s wrong?” I ask, my voice tinged with panic as Ishoot up from my seat. I instinctively grab my car keys from the table and head toward the door.

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