𝐇𝐢𝐬 𝐀𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 (𝐄𝐝𝐢𝐭𝐞𝐝)

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟑𝟕 : 𝐏𝐨𝐩𝐮𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐥

Pov AUTHOR

The award ceremony was a grand affair, filled with dazzling lights and well-dressed businessmen swarming around the winners. Anvi had long grown weary of the constant fake smiles and hollow compliments. Only a few people seemed genuine; the rest reeked of insincerity. She maintained her decorum, though inwardly she craved solitude.

Across the room, Ranvijay watched his wife intently. He could see the exhaustion etched on her face despite her best efforts to mask it. Noticing her discomfort, he motioned subtly to Shekhar. Picking up the cue, Shekhar approached with his usual cheeky grin.

"Excuse me, can I steal my bhabhi sa for a moment?" Shekhar asked without waiting for a response. Before Anvi or anyone could react, he whisked her away from the crowd.

"Thank God," Anvi sighed as they reached a quieter corner. She adjusted her dress with one hand and gave Shekhar a grateful smile. "What's up, Shekhar? Did you need something?"

"Nothing urgent. Just sit here and relax. Here, have some juice. Ranvijay ordered it for you," Shekhar replied in a mock-commanding tone, handing her the glass with a wink.

Anvi chuckled softly. "So bossy, just like your friend"

Moments later, Ritvik and Rajveer joined them, and the four of them began chatting animatedly. Rajveer, the group's self-proclaimed comedian, had everyone laughing with his jokes, especially Anvi. She leaned back in her chair, finally at ease.

From across the room, Ranvijay's sharp eyes narrowed as he observed the scene. His jaw clenched at the sight of Rajveer sitting too close to Anvi, his arm casually draped around her bare shoulders. A wave of possessiveness surged through him. His wife's laughter was like music to his ears, but the fact that someone else was the cause of her happiness gnawed at him.

As his gaze lingered on her, Ranvijay found himself mesmerized. The way her off-shoulder dress revealed hints of her flawless, milky skin made it nearly impossible for him to focus on anything else. His thoughts spiraled into dangerous territory, imagining dragging her back to their villa and claiming her in ways that would leave no doubt of her belonging to him.

But his heated reverie was abruptly interrupted when he saw Anvi excusing herself and walking toward the corridor alone. Without a second thought, he followed her.

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Anvi grumbled under her breath as she navigated the long hallway, her heels clicking against the polished floor. "These damn heels. I swear I'm throwing them away as soon as I get home."

The empty corridor echoed with her words, but before she could take another step, a strong hand gripped her elbow and yanked her backward.

"Hey!" she gasped, instinctively raising her hand to slap the intruder.

But before she could land the blow, her wrists were pinned to the wall. Her resistance melted the moment she recognized the familiar intensity in her captor's dark eyes.

"Rana sa" she whispered, her breath hitching as his lips crashed onto hers in a heated, possessive kiss. He poured every ounce of jealousy and desire into the kiss, claiming her in a way that left no room for doubt. Anvi surrendered completely, matching his passion as her body relaxed under his touch.

When he finally pulled back, she was gasping for air. But Ranvijay wasn't done. He tilted her head, exposing her delicate neck, and left a trail of fervent kisses until he marked her with a deep red hickey. His lips curved into a satisfied smile as he admired his work-her lipstick smudged, her hair disheveled, and his mark prominently visible on her bare skin.

"Don't you dare hide this," he growled, caressing the fresh bruise. "Let everyone know who you belong to. Now go fix yourself and be ready for your punishment, babygirl"