Entwined Destinies | 18+

25 - S u r p r i s e

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SAAIRA

My heart pounded in my chest, each beat echoing louder than the last. The silence stretched, making the seconds feel like hours.

I could feel my pulse in my ears, my breath coming in shallow, anxious gasps.

His hesitation made time drag painfully, each moment filled with mounting tension and uncertainty.

"I-I," Advik stammered, then fell silent again.

My heart felt like it was being crushed under a heavy weight, and I couldn't understand why.

This was how it was supposed to be, right?

Advik had clearly told me not to expect anything from this marriage or from him.

So why had he stirred hope in my heart?

I never thought I'd care for someone so deeply, that someone would become so special to me.

Without realising it, Advik had gone from being a stranger to everything.

All I had asked was if he liked me, was it really so difficult to answer?

Tears pricked the corners of my eyes, and I didn't want to cry in front of him.

I let go of his hand, avoiding eye contact, feeling the awkwardness between us.

I felt foolish for asking him such a bold question, and even worse, he didn't answer.

But his silence spoke volumes. I blinked away the tears and turned toward the closet, taking a step.

Suddenly, strong arms wrapped around me from behind, grounding me on the spot. Advik locked his hands around my waist, holding me close.

"You asked me a question. Won't you stay to hear the answer?" Advik's voice was a soft murmur in my ear, his chin resting gently on my shoulder.

The warmth of his breath sent a tingle down my spine, making my heart race and my anxiety bubble up.

Advik slowly turned me towards him, placing his fingers delicately under my chin to lift my face to meet his gaze.

The moment our eyes locked, a solitary tear escaped from mine.

Just as I was about to wipe my tear, Advik gently grasped my hand, leaned in, and tenderly kissed the tear from my cheek.

I nervously gulped, feeling an instant warmth spread across my cheeks, scolding myself internally for blushing at such a serious moment.

Advik took my hand and placed it over his chest, just above his heart. I could feel his heartbeat racing, matching the frantic pace of my own.

"Do you feel it?" he asked softly, and I nodded.

"Your question made my heart race like this," he murmured, his voice barely above a whisper.

I blinked in confusion as I looked at him.

"Saaira, I couldn't answer right away because your question caught me completely off guard," Advik said softly.

His gentle tone and sincere eyes briefly calmed my racing heart.

"Saaira, please don't misinterpret my words. Hear me out completely," Advik pleaded.

For a moment, fear gripped me again, but then I nodded.

Advik took a deep breath and continued, "It's true that I didn't choose this marriage, nor did I intend to accept you as my wife."

I understood he was explaining from his perspective, though each word still weighed heavily on me. I kept my emotions from showing on my face.