Page 92 of One Hellish Wedlock
Before he could hesitate, Radhika nudged him toward his room. He didn’t argue. As soon as he opened the door, he froze.
Aanya was asleep on the bed, curled beneath the quilt, and looking exhausted. She might’ve been thrilled about stepping into her new role, but her body was still adjusting to the demands of a working life. Quietly, he stepped in and pulled the blanket up over her shoulder, tucking her in with more care than he ever had shown to her.
For a moment, he just stood there, unable to tear his gaze away. Her soft face looked nothing like the feisty woman he often clashed with. She was still a puzzle. He sat beside her, studying her silently. Each day revealed a new layer of who Aanya really was. She tested his patience and riled up histemper, but somewhere in between, she stirred something else in him too. And it had started the moment he saw her pain, the day she’d mentioned the memories of her mother.
Suddenly, in sleep, Aanya’s body shifted, her brows furrowed.
“Don’t bully me…just leave,” she murmured, whimpering in her sleep.
He leaned forward instantly, alarmed. He’d heard her say that before, more than once. It wasn’t just a dream. It was something deeper, something haunting.
“Aanya,” he said, his voice gentle but firm. He reached out and lightly patted her cheek. “Wake up.”
Her eyes snapped open, disoriented and wide. She looked around in confusion.
“It’s me,” he reassured her quickly. “You’re home.”
She exhaled sharply and tried to steady her breathing. Reyansh poured her a glass of water and handed it to her.
“Thank you,” she murmured, drinking some water and then setting the glass aside.
“Who bullied you?” he asked directly, desperate to know where these nightmares stemmed from.
Her gaze turned guarded, sarcastic even, as she began to rise from the bed. He caught her wrist.
“You can’t ignore this,” he insisted. “Did someone hurt you? I need to know.”
There was an edge of protectiveness in his voice that even he couldn’t disguise. If she gave him a name, he wasn’t sure he could control himself.
“Why should I tell you?” she snapped. “Don’t you dare throw thehusbandcard at me again.”
He inhaled sharply and gripped her wrist tighter.
“Why not? I need to know if I failed,” he said quietly. “If I failed in protecting you as a husband.”
She stared at him, stunned. Had he ever…caredenough to think like that?
“I need to know, Aanya, please,” he added, voice softening, “if this happened before I came into your life… or after.”
Aanya wrenched her hand free, her eyes flashing.
“Nothing serious happened,” she said flatly. “And it was before you. We weren’t even part of each other’s worlds then. So chill.”
“Chill?” he repeated with a bitter laugh. “You flinch and cry in your sleep and you expect me to chill?”
“I meant,” she said sharply, “stay out of my problems. Our marriage may be a permanent marriage to you, but to me, it’s a countdown. I’m here only for Di. You know it very well that when our deal ends, I’ll leave. And I want to walk away clean, without emotional shackles. So don’t try to build attachments. It’ll only make it harder.”
She stood and walked out of the room, leaving him behind with clenched fists and a hollow feeling that wouldn’t go away. She’d said it all like it meant nothing. Likehemeant nothing.
It wasn’t just his ego that hurt. What ached this time…was his heart.
CHAPTER 17
A week passed. Aanya found herself genuinely enjoying her work. She had quickly adapted to the company’s pace, immersing herself in various ongoing projects and becoming familiar with the top-tier clients essential to the firm’s growth and Chopra Group being one of them. It thrilled her to hear from Prem that Chopra Group had once been their highest-paying client. But a quiet relief settled over her knowing that project was already complete. Working professionally under her husband’s nose would have been nothing short of a distraction, a dangerous collision between her personal life and her rising professional ambitions.
Since the day she had drawn a clear boundary with Reyansh, declaring that their marriage held no meaning for her anymore, he had taken a step back. The distance didn’t bother her; in fact, she welcomed it. They only spoke in front of Radhika, and she appreciated that Reyansh had buried himself under a mountain of additional workload, returning home late each night. By the time he did, she was either fast asleep or pretending to be.
Meeting Navya had become difficult since she started working. Their last time together had been at Shagufta’s upscale pub during that celebratory dinner. Aanya missed her best friend terribly and longed to spend time with her again. Navya had stood by her during her worst days; that debt could never be repaid.
