Page 249 of One Hellish Wedlock
Aanya forced a faint smile. “Better.”
She reached for Reyansh’s hand and laced her fingers through his. “Go,” she urged again, her eyes pleading.
He shook his head. “I told you, I’m not leaving. Don’t push me on this.” He stood. “I’ll call the doctor.”
As he stepped out, Radhika leaned closer.
“He’s not going anywhere, Aanya. You might as well stop trying. The doctor said they’ll discharge you tomorrow. Everything else can be managed from home.”
A few minutes later, Reyansh returned with the doctors. They checked Aanya again and gently replaced the bandage on her shoulder. The entire time, she held tightly onto her husband’s hand.
Because his touch was the only thing keeping the pain from swallowing her whole.
CHAPTER 42
Hospital
“Don’t shut me out of this conversation, Rey. I need to know everything,” Aanya snapped, her voice sharper than usual as she faced her husband. Reyansh had been deliberately avoiding any talk related to Vicky or Shagufta, and she was done letting it slide.
Forty-eight hours had passed since she’d been admitted, and Reyansh hadn’t left her side, except for a brief two-hour window the previous night to shower and bring back fresh clothes from the penthouse. The doctors had recommended another day of observation, and he hadn’t argued. He wanted her completely stable before taking her home.
Now that Aanya was feeling better, at least physically, she needed answers. But Reyansh kept sidestepping the topic, clearly trying to protect her from any further mental stress. She watched as he handed her a glass of water and held out her next round of medication in his palm.
“The police are doing what’s needed,” he replied. “They’re building a solid case against both Vicky and Shagufta. He’ll be deported back to India and land straight behind bars. This time, neither his political father nor Shagufta’s business connections will be able to help them.”
The news brought some relief, but not enough. There were still too many unanswered questions—ones that had been haunting her since the moment Vicky mentioned Mira.
“Who is Mira?” she asked, eyes narrowed with curiosity.
“Medicine first,” Reyansh insisted.
She knew that tone. He wasn’t going to speak another word until she complied. With a soft sigh, she took the tablets and drank the water, then handed the glass back to him.
“Good girl,” he said with a faint smile, patting her cheek affectionately before sitting next to her on the bed. Aanya wasn’t lying down anymore. She was propped up with pillows behind her.
“My sources were already digging into Vicky’s past,” he began. “A few days ago, they found out about his broken engagement. It happened about a month after you joined the Client office here in California. Her name’s Mira, and from what we know, he was genuinely in love with her. But when his past resurfaced… she ended it.”
Aanya listened silently, her fingers clutching the blanket.
“He didn’t just torment you back in college, Aanya,” Reyansh continued, voice tight with anger. “He’d been abusive and manipulative with several women. Mira somehow got hold of that information through a letter she claims was sent by you. The letter outlined everything he did, with evidences, and she followed up by speaking to your old classmates. Everything she learned only confirmed the truth.”
Aanya’s brows furrowed. “But I never—”
“I know,” Reyansh nodded. “You didn’t send anything. But someone pretended to be you. And Mira believed it.”
Aanya’s breath caught in her throat. Someone framed her and the only person with motive to pit Vicky against her was the same woman who’d tried everything to destroy her marriage.
Shagufta.
“Shagufta and Vicky were family friends. You already knew that,” Reyansh continued. “At some point, she must’ve shared how much she despised you. That’s when Vicky told hereverything he’d done to you during college. She used it against him. Twisted the story. Then fed him the lie thatyouwere the reason his engagement fell apart. She manipulated his anger, stoked his ego, and convinced him to take revenge. Otherwise, Vicky had no reason to come back into our lives. He wasn’t the mastermind in this, Aanya. Shagufta was. He was just her pawn.”
Aanya stared blankly ahead, taking a few seconds to process the revelation. Reyansh gently laced their fingers and lifted her hand to his lips, pressing a soft kiss to her knuckles.
“The day you were taken from your office,” he continued, “that same morning I received solid proof of everything Shagufta had planned. I had her arrested immediately. She was our only lead to Vicky. But before we could squeeze information about Vicky, he hit us where it hurt most…by threatening Navya.”
Aanya’s body stiffened. Her heart started racing all over again.
“Why Navya?” she burst out. “If Vicky was here, who the hell kidnapped her?”
