Page 100 of One Hellish Wedlock
Her pulse skidded.
It was Shagufta.
Aanya stiffened, caught off guard and instantly annoyed.
“Where is my husband?” she snapped.
“He’s just shaking hands with a client. His phone rang, and I answered for him,” came the syrupy reply.
Aanya ground her teeth. Damn it! She should’ve checked before spewing all that. Now Shagufta had ammunition and theone thing that woman would never waste was an opportunity to meddle.
She ended the call with a hiss and clutched her forehead in fury. If Reyansh found out what she’d just said and who had overheard it he was going to explode.
Back at Chopra Group Office, Reyansh’s gaze hardened the moment Shagufta disconnected the call on his mobile.
“Did you just answer my phone?” he asked snatching the device from her grip.
She hadn’t expected that kind of reaction, not from him.
“Yes, I did,” she said, recovering quickly. “You were busy with the clients, and—”
“No, Shagufta,” he cut her off sharply. “That’s not acceptable. We may be old friends, but I don’t give anyone the right to touch my things. And answering my personal calls? You crossed a line.”
Shagufta flushed with embarrassment at the rare reprimand.
“I’m sorry. I thought I was close enough to you,” she murmured, stepping in and brushing her fingers against his arm. “Reyansh… you know I like you. Hopelessly.”
He immediately shrugged off her touch. He’d always overlooked her subtle advances, but this had gone far enough.
“We are just friends,” he replied. “You’ve known me for years. Have I ever, even once, given you the impression that I saw you as anything more?”
“You never stopped me either,” she snapped.
“That was my mistake,” he growled. “I should’ve made myself clear long ago. Stop dreaming of anything beyond that.”
He turned toward the door, but her voice stopped him mid-step.
“This is because of your wife, isn’t it?”
Reyansh stilled and slowly turned to face her. Her gaze didn’t waver.
“Don’t tell me you’ve suddenly developed feelings for Aanya,” she mocked. “She’s not your type, Reyansh. She’s a pampered brat with no direction. You really think she’s worthy of you? Come on. And from what she said on the call, it didn’t seem like she’s too fond of you either. You’re wasting time. Unless… this is all about her mother’s will, isn’t it?”
“Enough,” Reyansh roared, fury erupting in his voice. “Not one more word.”
Shagufta flinched, stunned by the fury etched across his face.
“I don’t owe you any explanations,” he snapped, his eyes like fire. “Stay out of my marriage, and stay the hell away from my wife.”
He didn’t wait for her response. Turning on his heel, Reyansh stormed out. But a single thought nagged at him. How the hell did Shagufta know about Aanya’s mother’s will?
Shagufta stared angrily as Reyansh left her alone. She had known Reyansh since their college days. And in all those years, she had never seen him take any woman seriously, let alone get emotionally entangled. He was the kind of man who had girls falling at his feet, desperate for even a flicker of attention, but he’d remained untouched. His focus was always on academics, sports, and success. His ambition had always burned brighter than desire.
He had one goal - to conquer everything that challenged him, to possess anything that caught his eye. That relentless hunger for victory had drawn her to him in the first place. His magnetism hadn’t faded; if anything, it had intensified with time.
Years ago, she had let her interest in him show, unable to help herself. But when he hadn’t reciprocated, she chose to wait for the right moment, for his attention to finally shift her way.
Then, out of nowhere, like a cruel twist of fate, Reyansh had announced his marriage… to Aanya.
