The Intolerable Rajvanshis [On Hold]

12. ᴀ ꜰᴀᴋᴇ ʟᴏᴠᴇ ꜱᴀɢᴀ

Armaan stepped into his room, his gaze falling upon Arzoo who sat on the bed, engrossed in a book. He approached the bedside table, placing the food tray there.

"Arzoo," he called out, but she didn't respond. Frowning, Armaan snatched the book from her hands.

"What are you doing?" he demanded, his tone firm. Arzoo remained silent, her eyes narrowing.

"Have your food first, Arzoo," Armaan ordered.

"I will when I want to," she retorted, defiance in her voice. The scene that he created in the college infornt of everyone played in her mind over and over again. A tinge of embarrassment washed over her face.

"Don't argue," Armaan commanded, his patience wearing thin. He took a spoonful of food and pushed it into her mouth as she opened it to protest.

"What kind of book is this?" Armaan asked, glancing at the title as he sat infront of her on the bed.

"N-Nothing," Arzoo stuttered.

"Haunting Adeline?" Armaan raised an eyebrow. "Is it some sort of horror novel?"

Armaan wasn't naive; he knew exactly what the book was about. But he wanted to hear it from her lips.

"No," Arzoo replied. "It's supposed to be a dark romance, Ahsaas recommended it to me but I'm not really liking it."

"Why is that?" Armaan asked, studying her expression.

"I'm more into romcoms, soft romance, and slow-burn stories," Arzoo explained. "You know, where the characters suffer a lot before they finally get their happy ending."

"Do you believe in happy endings?" Armaan asked, feeding her another morsel of food.

"Me? Yes, sometimes," Arzoo replied with a smile.

Armaan chuckled sarcastically. "Those aren't real, Arzoo. In the end, we all die, and there's nothing happy about it."

"Who is talking about dying?" Arzoo's words hung in the air, a fragile bridge between them. He clenched his jaw, resisting the urge to retort. But deep within, something twisted—a knot of longing and regret.