Page 178 of One Hellish Wedlock
She looked down, embarrassed. But Reyansh reached across the table, took her hand in his, and gently lifted her chin until their eyes met.
“You’re here with me. I can see you. Hear your voice. That’s all that matters,” he replied.
Once again, he’d said the exact thing her heart needed.
“Where were you hiding all these good husband traits all these years?” she teased.
“In the same place you hid your real self, Aanya.”
She blinked hard trying to process his words.
“You’ve always been this thoughtful… this mature. You just hid it under indifference and sarcasm because you didn’t get the love you deserved. You built a wall. And now… now I’m sitting across from a woman who is confident, selfless, and kind. I can’t believe I marriedthisversion of you.”
Her heart swelled. Sitting across from her husband, she saw the man he had become. Reyansh had made mistakes, yes. But he’d owned them. He hadn’t just apologized; he had changed. Grown. Fought for something real.
If their relationship had any future at all, it was becausehehad made the effort.
And what moved her the most was that he had never once asked in the last six months if she wanted to continue this marriage, if she’d ever love him. He hadn’t pushed or begged. Instead, he had simply shown up…day by day, word by word, email by email…and let his actions speak.
The emails, the longing, the tenderness… It all made sense now. Everything between them had grown, even without them realizing it.
Neither of them noticed how long they had been gazing at each other until the waiter returned.
“Would you like to order some dessert, sir?” the waiter asked politely.
When Aanya shook in denial, Reyansh reached for his card. “Just the bill, please.”
The waiter nodded and walked away.
Aanya let out a small sigh. The evening was drawing to a close. It was late, and reality was waiting outside. Reyansh settled the bill, and they stepped out into the cool night air.
As they reached the car, Aanya instinctively slipped her fingers between his, locking their hands together. Reyansh stopped. The disappointment on her face was clear. She didn’t want the night to end. He knew it. He felt it too.
He was supposed to drive her back to her apartment, return to the hotel, and catch his flight to Cape Town in the morning. But something inside him refused to let this night end so easily.
He leaned in slightly to finally ask her.
“Will you stay with me tonight?”
Aanya froze for half a second, her breath catching in her throat. But she didn’t look away.
“I was waiting for you to ask me that,” she replied softly.
Reyansh didn’t waste a second. He opened the car door, for her and she slid in silently. Without another word, he started the engine and drove them toward Hotel Goldman.
Whatever the night held, they were ready to find out together.
CHAPTER 31
The Goldman Hotel
Aanya waited in the lobby as Reyansh spoke to the receptionist, clearly giving instructions she wasn’t privy to. A few moments later, he returned, slipped his fingers through hers, and silently led her to the elevator. Her cheeks were still warm with colour by the time they stepped into the presidential suite he had booked.
He slid the key card in, and the lights blinked on, casting a soft glow over the room.
Aanya took a moment to absorb the grandeur of the suite. It felt too expansive, too luxurious, stirring a faint memory of their wedding night suite back in India.
Her phone rang, snapping her out of the moment. It was Radhika.
