Page 60 of One Hellish Wedlock
“Neither I want one.”
Aanya’s nostrils flared with fury. This marriage had been her final leap of faith…a desperate hope that, if nothing else, the man she married would at least try to want her, or pretend to. But once again, she had misjudged. She wasn’t one of the lucky ones. She never had been.
Without another word, she spun on her heel and headed for the main door.
Just as she was about to exit, Nani’s cold voice sliced through the silence behind her.
“Characterless.”
Aanya froze. Her spine stiffened, and for a moment, the urge to turn around and unleash the storm she’d kept bottled for years burned hot in her veins. But what was the point? Nothing she said would change their perception. This family wasn’t looking for the truth. They were looking for a reason to condemn her. And she wasn’t about to plead for their understanding anymore.
Yes, she had made a mistake last night but she had owned it. The people whose forgiveness she sought didn’t even deserve a place in her life.
CHAPTER 11
Present
The sharp bang on the door pulled Aanya out of her reverie. She was still in the bathroom, clad in her new nightdress, haunted by the bitter memories of what could have been a night of healing, if only forgiveness and an honest conversation had existed between them. But no, their past had taken an ugly turn, shattering what little chance they had at normalcy.
“Aanya, open the door,” Reyansh’s voice thundered from the other side.
She quickly wiped her tears, splashed cold water on her face, and dried off with the towel. With a composed breath, she opened the door, finding him standing there, his gaze dark and probing.
“What took you so long?” he demanded.
She didn’t flinch. “My wish. I’ll take as much time in the bathroom as I please. That’s one right no one can steal from me,” she snapped, brushing past him and heading for the bed.
“I can’t send the food back. Di will notice you didn’t eat, and it won’t take her long to figure out we had a fight,” he said sharply.
“Why is your sister so smart all the time?” Aanya sighed, her voice softening just a little.
Reyansh smirked. “Because she ismysister.”
She rolled her eyes dramatically. “Why did I even ask?”
Muttering under her breath, she picked up her plate and began eating. Reyansh followed suit, saying nothing more. He watched her closely. She was eating like she hadn’t in days. It was a good thing he hadn’t let her go to bed hungry.
“I’ve decided something,” he said at last, breaking the silence.
She looked up. “What now?”
“We won’t talk about the past, any topic that’ll lead to another fight. That’s the only way we can survive these two months.”
Aanya let out a dry laugh. “What a convenient solution.”
He recognized the sarcasm, but before he could defend himself, she nodded. “But I agree. That’s the only way we’ll stick to this deal.”
“Good. Finally sorted,” he said with a relieved breath.
“Not yet,” she interjected with a teasing smile. “You had issues with our sleeping arrangement, remember?”
He exhaled heavily. “That can be ignored… for now.”
“Or you’ll just get used to it,” she quipped with a victorious grin.
Once they finished their meal, she flopped back onto the bed, curling on her side. The room still smelled of roses but she didn’t complain. Sleep would find her eventually. Reyansh, however, was back at his laptop, fingers tapping steadily.
“You’re working now? This late?” she asked, glancing over her shoulder.
