Page 93 of One Hellish Wedlock
Lately, Shagufta had tried reinitiating contact by sending her another friend request online. Aanya had been tempted to decline, but ignoring her altogether would only make things messier. With a roll of her eyes, she reluctantly accepted the request and tossed the phone aside just as Prem entered her cubicle.
“Aanya.”
“Yes, Prem?”
“You need to accompany the team to the client location today. Remember the Mishra house décor I told you Shikha’s team was handling?”
“Yes,” she nodded attentively.
“Good. Take Shikha with you. Mrs. Mishra wants to finalize the wall artwork, and though Shikha will guide her, I want you there to observe and offer suggestions if needed.”
A spark lit Aanya’s eyes. Her first opportunity to directly assist with a client had finally come.
“I’ll go,” she said with confidence. “Mrs. Mishra will get nothing but the best from us.”
“I like that answer,” Prem replied, offering her a playful wink before leaving. Aanya admired his leadership style. He was confident but never overbearing. He understood his team’s strengths and gave each of them space to grow.
Just as she was packing her things to leave with Shikha, her phone buzzed again with a social media notification. Curious, she unlocked it and found an update from Shagufta Khanna. It was a picture from a lavish social gathering at a luxury hotel two days ago. And in it, Shagufta had clasped Reyansh’s hand.
Aanya’s expression froze. Her heart didn’t race, but jealousy churned within. She remembered Radhika mentioning that Reyansh had plans to attend a hotel inauguration. So this was where he was? He looked cool and entirely too comfortable beside Shagufta.
She knew Shagufta had always thrown herself at him, yet Reyansh had never reciprocated. He tolerated her, perhaps even enjoyed her attention. But beyond that? Nothing. It seemed like Shagufta’s new tactic was to provoke jealousy, baiting Aanya with carefully curated posts meant to sting.
Poor girl.
If only she knew, no matter what kind of bond Aanya and Reyansh shared now, Reyansh would never step into Shagufta’s arms anytime soon. That much, Aanya was sure of. She locked her phone and left the cubicle to join Shikha.
Mishra Residence
Aanya and Shikha were welcomed by Mrs. Mishra, a gracious woman in her late forties. She was warm, hospitable, and genuinely interested in the designs Shikha presented. They went over multiple options, discussing layouts, colours tones, and textures. Aanya offered subtle but effective suggestions, thoughtful touches that impressed Mrs. Mishra enough to note them for immediate implementation.
They were preparing to leave, pleased with the outcome, when the unexpected happened.
Kyle Malhotra walked in.
Both Kyle and Aanya froze, stunned at the timing and location.
“Kyle… welcome, darling! I’m so glad you came to help with the colour palettes,” Mrs. Mishra exclaimed, hugging her friend.
Kyle’s expression changed as she spotted Aanya.
“Aanya?” she said, narrowing her eyes. “What are you doing here?”
“You know her?” Mrs. Mishra asked curiously. “She’s got a real eye for décor.”
“I work for the décor company handling this project,” Aanya replied calmly, trying to keep her composure.
Kyle let out a disbelieving laugh. “Are you kidding me?”
Shikha sensed the shift and quietly stepped away at Aanya’s request. Mrs. Mishra excused herself to answer a call, leaving them alone.
“I never thought you’d take me seriously,” Aanya said sharply.
Kyle’s smile faded. She knew what Aanya meant.
“You took up a job?” Kyle asked. “And you didn’t even tell your father? Does Reyansh know?”
“He does,” Aanya said firmly. “And I texted Dad. He probably ignored it or maybe he was too busy to read.”
