Page 196 of One Hellish Wedlock
Aanya.
Day 265
Aanya finally boarded her flight to Cape Town. The past few days had been exhausting. Convincing her boss to let her skip the certificate ceremony hadn’t been easy. But she’d managed it. She got four days of leave.
Radhika had been thrilled when Aanya told her she was flying to be with Reyansh, and even Nani hadn’t raised an eyebrow. For the first time in months, Aanya had seen something close to satisfaction in Nani’s eyes. No scepticism. Just quiet acceptance. Maybe she had finally started to believe that Reyansh and her happiness lay in each other.
“Ma’am, please switch off your phone. We’re ready for take-off,” the flight attendant reminded her gently.
“Two more minutes,” Aanya muttered as she shifted in her economy class seat. That was all she could afford with a last-minute booking. As Sunny had arranged, the guards Reyansh assigned to protect her were somewhere nearby, but she had no idea who they were or where they were seated.
She opened her email, not to check Reyansh’s messages this time, but Sunny’s. His latest message included the hotel address where Reyansh was staying in Cape Town. Sunny had already informed the hotel staff about her surprise arrival.
She turned off her phone and leaned back, heart fluttering.
She couldn’t wait to see him.
Cape Town – Hotel
“Jas,” Reyansh greeted, smiling as he saw his old friend at the hotel lobby.
“I didn’t know you were staying here too,” Reyansh said, shaking his hand.
“Last-minute check-in,” Jas shrugged. “So… are you here alone? Or will we finally get to meet the mysterious Mrs. Chopra?”
“I wish she were here,” Reyansh admitted with a sigh.
“Well, see you tonight at the function,” Jas said before heading out.
Reyansh made his way towards the elevator, heading back to the presidential suite and while doing so he pulled out his phone to type a quick message to Aanya.
Wife,
I miss you. I wish you were here. Or I was there with you.
Your Depressed Husband.
Reyansh.
He stepped out of the elevator on the 18th floor just as his phone buzzed with a new email.
Husband,
Fruits of patience are always sweet.
Wife,
Aanya.
No. That wasn’t true. Not anymore. Patience wasn’t sweet...it stung. Every hour apart felt heavier than the last.
Wife,
Your words aren’t helping. I shouldn’t have listened to you and flew to California instead. At least then we’d be together.
Your repenting Husband,
Reyansh.
