Pact To Passion

14: Promise

"Break up, break free, break through, break down,
You would break your back to make me break a smile.
You know how much I hate that everybody just expects me to bounce back."

RUHAAN

A smirk lifted on my lips as she mentioned herself as my wife. For the very first time, I don't feel the urge to squeeze her throat at the mention of being called my wife.

We sat in my car to find her glaring at me like a typical partner does when the other doesn't do something in accordance.

"Stop glaring at me." I spoke as I revved up the engine and she sneered faintly tossing her bag at the back.

The minute I offered the truce, there has been this sudden change in her mien that it manages to always put me in an idea as to how reposed true Raina really is?

She's gotten a little blithe and airy like some set of millstone has been uplifted and as much as it averts me out of my plan, I want to keep up with my promises.

"I thought you already forgot the terms and were on your ignoring spree again." She explained and I readily smirked glancing at her to find her already staring at me.

"I stick up to my truces, Raina. No backing away. Not yet." I stated clearly gearing up straight on the highway.

"What's the timeline?" She asked with a certain unsurity lingering behind her question.

"Not quite sure, let's see." I replied half truthfully because with the pace everything's going on, I wonder if this truce would even last four weeks.

"How much are you willing to share?" She asked again, this time confidence filling her blood.

"I am not here to share anything. You can ask questions but don't be so sure about my answers. If I don't answer it in once, don't stretch it more." I declared profoundly and she hummed in response.

"I get it. You're an introvert but don't worry, I get plenty through people's walls." She added with a tease in her tone and I know that this is one truth I am not ready to face.

"My walls are of steel." I interjected trying to crack a joke but I managed to display my humorous statement as one which has dawned on me as my reality.

This is how I am now. Cold, dark, humourless, hollow, although not an asshole as she calls me and in all honesty, I am just an ordinary human struggling with my own damn problems on course of which I create casualties for people involved around me. The man I never wanted to become.

"Then I am the furnace who will melt your walls and you won't realise until it's too late for you to back down again." She joked but peeping at her expressions, it seemed more as if she was determined to break in.

A silence filled in the emptiness of the situation. I tried initiating something but all my thoughts led me to a dead end leaving me with nothing but potential repercussions of this truce.

The whole day went by me brainstorming one thing or the other. The urgent call from Vihaan this morning have me going to Italy in next three days and I don't know if my father is going to agree to it considering the coronation's near and soon enough, I'll have to engage with media, press and other so called VIPs, this issue is currently accorded the status of my personal priority so I don't really care what my father has to say.

"Did you eat anything?" Her voice came and I narrowed my eyes at this differently new woman she has turned to.

"Why are you acting up suddenly like a very concerned wife?" I asked trying to shade in the rudeness but guess, I blurted it out in the meanest way possible.