Page 10 of Twisted Deceit
*****
Aadhya was ecstatic but sat patiently as her friends worked on getting her decked up for the evening reception. The morning event was a super hit, and her friends were convinced Nakul was madly in love with her. She would accompany him as his date for one more event, and her friends would not let her go with her minimal makeup look.
Shortly after, she walked down the hallway toward her date and potential fake husband, her friends watching from afar. If her date looked hot and unruly in casual clothes, he was stunningly swoon-worthy in a suit. They planned to meet early, chat over a drink, and then join the group for the evening. She had, at best, a couple of hours to address any concerns the man would have to move forward with the contract.
She didn’t tell him she had already started drafting contract terms for their upcoming fake marriage. Her smile broadened as she approached the entrance of the highly-rated restaurant. “Good evening, you look stunning.” She meant every word but she was being extra chirpy on purpose.
“And you are beautiful.” She knew his words were a formality, but it made her heart skip a beat.
What do you expect when such a handsome man compliments you?
“Thank you. I’m looking forward to our date.” She had a hard time keeping her voice steady as they stepped into a modern setting restaurant. To her surprise, no one else was there, considering it was happy hour.
He directed them toward a table by the window as if he had read her mind. “I figured it’d be better for us to talk when no one else was around.”
She didn’t want to know how he managed to reserve the entire restaurant at such short notice. He held the chair for her, and she sat down. The table was set up indoors with a large window opening, creating a beautiful mix of both experiences.
“Such a lovely location,” she said, looking out into the open gardens that extended from the deck next to the window. Even as she admired the location, she felt super nervous and unknowingly avoided his eyes.
“Good. We could check out the gardens after a drink. Looks like something caught your attention.” He was being somewhat formal, almost businesslike. Was it because of the potential contract? Whatever the case, she wanted to get things rolling and move toward the plan fast.
“Nakul, what are your absolute requirements for the contract from me—or any other woman?” She was getting right into business.
One end of his mouth twisted up in amusement. “Very direct, I like that.” He looked at her for a long moment. “You are a beautiful, educated woman from an Indian family. That gives you a huge advantage. One year is long, and I want to ensure I’m not stuck with someone boring.”
She narrowed her eyes, somewhat offended that he wasn’t convinced she was terrific and fun to be with, but that was not her focus. “What would give you the confidence that I’m not a bore.”
“I’m not saying you are, but—”
She didn’t let him finish. “What would you like to ask me?”
He leaned forward and asked, “What’s the craziest thing you’ve ever done?” His tone was casual, but she panicked for a moment. She had a long list of things to list, but what would be branded as crazy vs fun-loving was the challenge. “Well, there are many, but the most memorable one was when my friends and I went on stage while the music concert was going on, and I sang with the lead singer.”
He raised a curious eyebrow. “Oh, fun and you sing too? Trained, I suppose?”
A talent she barely shared with anyone. She nodded, surprised he picked up on the detail. “I did train as a kid and stopped once I got into college.”
“My grandma sings too and connects well with people who share her interest and talent.” He smiled like it brought back happy memories for him.
Ding. Ding. Ding. Ding. Ding…
“Great! I’m happy to sing with her if that helps her recover.” She was throwing out anything and anything to seal the deal on the contract. Thank goodness for her Sales class in her first year of business administration.
“Good,” he hesitated like he was debating his next question. “How close are you to your family?”
She felt a tug in her chest. “I don’t have a lot of family left. Just my aunt and uncle.”
His brow furrowed. “And it’s your uncle and aunt forcing you into an arranged marriage?”
She shook her head. “They never would. It’s just that the family is well known, and it’s part of the tradition to build alliances between the…” she paused, not wanting to give out too much information about the clans and the rift between them. “Arranging marriages within the same region is what is tradition, but I have my aspirations.”
“What if your aunt or uncle convinces you or forces you to agree to the arranged marriage?” His question sent a shiver down her spine.
Her aunt would never force her, but if she insisted, Aadhya would agree, even if it meant she was stuck in Singoor forever. “She would never. I’m confident. Especially if I tell her, I like to be with someone else.”
“I see.” He scanned her face like he was looking for a reaction to her next question. “How many serious relationships have you had prior?”
She was taken aback, but she knew why he was asking. She had never been on a date or been in a relationship. Would he consider her not experienced if she confessed? Just then, she remembered something he had said on the phone the other day. “No serious relationships. I’ve been focused on studying and having fun with friends. One of the reasons I’m not interested in anything but a contract marriage.”
