Page 2 of One Hellish Wedlock
Tomorrow, their real marriage would begin—vows or not, affection or not.
He wouldn’t let his wife toss it all aside with a behaviour like this. It might have been convenience for him, and a pressure for her. But it was still a marriage. And he wasn’t about to let it spiral into chaos from day one.
CHAPTER 1
Eighteen Months later - Tokyo
Reyansh sat in a sleek, glass-walled conference room in Tokyo, closing yet another high-stakes business deal with the same calm precision he was known for.
“Mr. Chopra, we have re-evaluated your proposal,” Chi Wang announced formally. “And we find it acceptable.”
Reyansh rose from his chair, and extended a firm handshake across the table.
“Great. In that case, my manager will coordinate with your team for further communications, Mr. Wang,” he replied coolly.
Just then, a knock disrupted the sterile quiet of the room. Sunny, his personal assistant, entered the room, a bit hesitant and cautious, holding his phone like it might explode.
“Boss… you have an urgent call,” Sunny said nervously.
Reyansh despised interruptions during meetings, especially his own staff disrupting a live negotiation. For a second, he considered snapping, but with clients still present, he forced himself to remain composed. His anger simmered beneath the surface, but he buried it for the sake of professionalism.
“Excuse me, gentlemen,” he said, striding toward the door.
Outside, he took the phone from Sunny with a sharp look. “Who the hell is it?”
Sunny swallowed hard. “Your wife.”
For a beat, Reyansh froze.His Wife—two words that meant nothing more than a legal formality until now.
Ever since their marriage, Aanya had never once attempted to reach out. He doubted she even had his personal number saved. Yet here she was calling, through his assistant no less.
Without another word, he snatched the phone from Sunny’s hand and pressed it to his ear, bracing himself for whatever chaos Aanya had decided to throw his way now.
A Few Minutes Earlier – Paris
The Royal Casino buzzed with clinking glasses, rolling chips, and the manic energy of fortunes gained and lost. Laughter echoed across tables, where millionaires played recklessly with their wealth. The super rich patrons hovered around poker tables and roulette wheels, some cashing in on luck while others lost fortunes in minutes.
At one such table, Aanya, sat with flushed cheeks, dishevelled hair, and a drink in her hand. She was stunning, even in her drunken haze, dressed in a bold party dress, surrounded by empty glasses and bad decisions.
A tall blonde server wove through the crowd, balancing a tray of drinks as she approached the table where Aanya was seated, surrounded by four women and two men mid-game.
“That’s your drink, ma’am,” she said, with a wide smile, handing a glass to the most obviously intoxicated woman at the table – Aanya.
“Thaa...aank you, babes,” Aanya slurred, downing the champagne in one go. She checked her cards again, eyes squinting.
“Show, guys,” she declared, tossing her cards dramatically on the table.
The rest of the table followed suit.
Seconds later, she groaned in frustration. “Damn it! I lost again.”
The others at the table burst into laughter, amused by her drama and increasingly desperate behaviour.
Navya Singh, her childhood best friend, leaned in and rubbed her back. “Told you not to go all in, Aanya. Anyways, let’s get out of here.”
“Nooooo,” Aanya slurred, shrugging off Navya’s hand. Her eyes darted to her purse, and she began digging through it with determination. “I can’t lose. One more game. Just one.”
The women at the table laughed, this time at her sheer audacity. Navya leaned over, trying to stop her from fumbling through her bag.
