Page 122 of One Hellish Wedlock
She let out a short laugh. For once, the imaginary argument felt oddly therapeutic… until a chill ran down her spine. A quiet gust of air brushed her skin, and that’s when she turned.
There he was.
Leaning against the doorway, his arms crossed.
Reyansh
He had seen everything.
She froze mid-move, heat rising to her cheeks. “I—I was just…” she fumbled. “Rehearsing. For... something.”
She started walking toward the door, hoping he’d step aside.
He didn’t.
He just looked at her. “Is that what I sound like to you?”
Her jaw dropped. This was going downhill fast. Should she backtrack or double down?
Either way, she was caught red-handed.
Just minutes ago, she had been brimming with confidence, rehearsing her lines with conviction. And now, with himstanding right in front of her, she was scrambling for words like a lost schoolgirl.
“Forget what you just saw…” she shrugged before meeting his eyes. “So, you heard about my onsite offer, didn’t you?”
“Yes. I saw you switching roles and practicing how to break this news to me,” he replied calmly.
She swallowed hard. “And? What do you think?”
He didn’t answer her question. Instead, he posed his own. “Ifyouwere in my place…if the person you had feelings for was about to walk away from you for a year,would you let them, go?”
She blinked. “I wouldn’t know. Because I can’t relate to that feeling. Don’t trap me in these hypotheticals, Reyansh. Just say it. Do you want me to go or not?”
Reyansh’s gaze held hers. “Does my decision even matter?” he asked. “Would you give me the power to stop you?”
Her heart clenched. His eyes were brimming with hope, but she couldn’t give him what he wanted.
“No,” she said, firm and fast.
He smiled faintly. So she hadn’t changed her mind. Who said Aanya Malhotra was fickle? To him, she was stronger than all the women he had met so far.
Reyansh stepped forward and held her hand, not in anger, not to dominate, but simply to connect. No pulling. No pushing. Just to feel her presence.
“If you ask me again, Aanya, I may never let you go,” he whispered. “But I won’t stop you. Because that’s what a good husband should do. I don’t want to hold you back. I want to watch you fly. And maybe one day… if you ever let me… I’ll stand beside you while you soar.”
Her breath caught. His words were too much. Too tender and full of love.
“Go. Chase your dreams. Earn your success. Rebuild your confidence. Live the life you’ve imagined. But remember this…when the noise fades, and you’re left in the quiet of your victories, when you sit alone in silence, there will be a moment you’ll wish someone was there to share it all with. Someone to cheer you on, to steady your path, to celebrate your wins like they’rehisown. I’ll wait for that moment, Aanya... when you finally understand the worth of love, of companionship, of what we could be. And when that day comes, I hope it’s my name that fills your heart.”
Her heart pounded, so loud she could hear it echoing in her ears. Voice caught in her throat, her eyes refused to look away from his. Why? What was this feeling spiralling inside her? Was this part of his plan? To rattle her, confuse her, and make her stay?
But before the thought could take full shape, he gently released her hand and turned away, disappearing into the bathroom. Only then did she exhale, feeling the tension uncoil from her chest.
Was that his way of saying yes? Had he truly given her his approval to leave for California? He’d wished her luck, hadn’t he?
A smile curved on her lips… but it faltered just as quickly. Why did he say she would sit alone one day and think of him? That she’d crave his presence? That she would want this marriage to work?
Would that really happen?
