Page 8 of One Hellish Wedlock
The couple sat in stunned silence. It was going to be a monumental task convincing Aanya to return, let alone play the role of a doting wife.
Reyansh stood. “Well then, I’ve got other meetings lined up. I’ll see you both at the party next month…”
He paused, flashing a wry smile as he added, “With Aanya, of course.”
With that, he turned and strode out of the lounge, leaving behind a pair of stunned in-laws and a storm already beginning to form.
A Few Hours Later
“Kyle, what kind of mess have we landed in?” Anand asked, pacing anxiously across the room. “This feels impossible. Aanya won’t come back. Not at any cost.”
Kyle sat composedly on the edge of the bed, casually filing her nails while her husband wore a path into the carpet. She had been calm ever since their meeting with Reyansh, but Anand had been spiralling since hearing his son-in-law’s request.
“So, does that mean you’re finally going to say no to Reyansh?” she asked in sarcasm.
Anand stopped mid-step, frowning at her tone. “I wish I could deny him,” he muttered. “But you know that’s next to impossible. He’s my son-in-law, after all.”
Kyle let out a soft hum. “And he isn’t asking for anything outrageous. Aanya is his wife, Anand. All he’s asking is to make a public appearance with her at his sister’s birthday party. If you ask me, his request is entirely reasonable.”
Anand sank onto the bed beside her. For the first time that evening, Kyle set aside the nail file and turned her full attention to him. She leaned her head on his shoulder, entwining her fingers with his.
“Just make up some excuse and call Aanya here,” she suggested.
He nodded slowly. She was right. If he told Aanya the real reason, she’d bolt in the opposite direction. No, he’d need to come up with something clever, something that wouldn’t spark her suspicion.
“I’ll call her tomorrow,” he said at last. “I’ll think of something.”
Kyle smiled, closing her eyes. “Make it good. You know how impossible it is to convince your daughter.”
Anand chuckled dryly. No one knew better than he did. Aanya had always been stubborn, clever, and impossible to fool. She never gave in without a fight, and if she sensed manipulation, she’d push back tenfold. He would have to tread carefully and lie better than he ever had before.
Paris
Aanya sat cross-legged on the bed, her eyes glued to the iPad screen as she scribbled numbers in a notepad beside her, trying to track the balances in each of her bank accounts. Navya walked in and handed her a chilled beer. Aanya accepted it with a grunt, took a long swig, and put the iPad away with an irritated huff.
“That’s it? That’s all I have left?” she snapped. “This isn’t even enough to buy a dozen beer bottles!”
Navya took a sip from her own drink and nodded in mock sympathy. “You should’ve spent it wisely,” she teased.
Aanya shot her a glare. Navya raised both hands in a dramatic apology. “Sorry, sorry. But seriously, that Reyansh is no less cunning than a fox. He paidonlywhat was due at the casino that night. Not a penny more.”
Aanya rolled her eyes and gave her a silent glare. Navya took the hint and dropped onto the bed beside her.
“Did you talk to your dad?” Navya asked.
“No. His wife screwed that up,” Aanya muttered bitterly.
“Oh no. So that means we’re stuck until our accounts reload—what, five more days?”
“Yeah, babes,” Aanya pouted. “What about you? Did your dad come through?”
“Mine?” Navya scoffed. “Yeah, and guess what? He scolded me for calling during his business meeting.”
Aanya sighed in disgust. “Our fathers are so irresponsible, Navya. How did we even survive them this long?”
“Because we had our mothers,” Navya said softly. “They were the bridge between us and our dads. The moment they left… everything fell apart.”
Her words stung. Aanya’s gaze dropped to her hands. She remembered how different life had been when her mother was alive—school, home, laughter, love. Her mother had been her whole world, teaching her values, managing her studies, building a home that felt safe. Her father wasn’t bad either. He used to pamper her, surprise her with toys and chocolates, take her swimming and on weekend outings.
