Page 49 of One Hellish Wedlock
She gasped, squirming under him like a startled kitten, her hands instinctively pushing against his bare chest.
“Stop it!” she growled, finally pushing him and sitting upright and glaring at him. “What the hell are you doing?”
He stepped back, folding his arms across his chest, smirking in amusement.
“That’s the only method I trust to wake you up.”
She blinked groggily, brushing the water off her face, still glaring, but her glare softened the moment her eyes dropped. Her gaze caught on the droplets trailing down his neck, over the sculpted lines of his chest, disappearing beneath the edge of his towel.
“You… You look hot,” she whispered, dazed.
Reyansh stiffened. Her words shouldn’t have affected him. But they did. Something primal stirred inside him, and he had to remind himself to breathe.
He cleared his throat. “Get ready. Di’s flight landed a while ago. She’ll be here any minute.”
Aanya pouted like a child who’d been forced out of bed too early but didn’t move. Just then, a knock came at the door. Reyansh assumed it was Nani and opened it.
“Rey!” came the cheerful voice.
“Di?” His face lit up as Radhika threw her arms around him. “When did you arrive?”
“Just now,” she beamed.
Aanya slipped out of bed, caught off guard by the sudden intrusion. She hadn’t expected Reyansh’s sister to march straight into their bedroom. But she kept quiet, watching the tender moment between the siblings with a strange sense of longing. The way Radhika kissed Reyansh’s forehead and held his face, it was a kind of affection she had rarely received.
Then Radhika turned and noticed her.
“Aanya!” she squealed and rushed forward, pulling Aanya into a hug before she could even react.
Aanya froze. The hug was warm and genuine, it felt like being wrapped in the arms of a mother…something she hadn’t known in years. Slowly, she returned the hug, blinking back her emotions.
Behind Radhika’s shoulder, Reyansh subtly gestured to Aanya to fix her shirt. She frowned at first, not understanding until Radhika turned and giggled, having caught the silent exchange.
Aanya’s cheeks flushed. She tugged the shirt over her shoulder and gave Radhika a sheepish smile.
“Hi, Di,” Aanya greeted softly.
“Hi!” Radhika giggled like a teenager. “You have no idea how happy I am to see you, Aanya.”
“Same here,” Aanya replied, buttoning the shirt at her chest.
Radhika glanced curiously at her brother and then narrowed her eyes. “Reyansh... isn’t thatyourshirt?”
Reyansh bit the inside of his cheek, awkwardness and confusion stiffened his posture. For once, words failed him.
“I thought I’d have to work hard to patch you both up,” Radhika teased, laughter bubbling in her voice. “But it looks like the efforts have already begun.”
Aanya instantly realized the misunderstanding. But instead of correcting it, she decided to turn the situation to her advantage. Reyansh had banned her from flirtingoutside, but surely, no rule said she couldn’t flirtwith him.
“Di, it was your Rey’s idea to make me wear this,” Aanya replied with a dramatic sigh. “I told him it might raise a few eyebrows, but you know how arrogant he can get.”
Reyansh’s eyes widened in disbelief.Rey? She called himRey? That name belonged exclusively to his sister and brother-in-law to call him. He stared at her in mute protest while Radhika blushed with amusement.
“Heisarrogant,” Radhika agreed. “But I know staying with you will soften him.”
Aanya flashed a triumphant smile at Reyansh, winking as if to sayGame on. He smirked knowing exactly what she was doing. She was testing his limits, and she was enjoying every second of it.
“Di, where’s Jeeju?” he asked, changing the topic.
