Bound by Fire

Negotiations Over Tea

Sanya stared at the cup of chai in front of her, wondering how her life had spiraled into this situation. She was sitting on her family's floral-patterned sofa, opposite Aarav, the man she absolutely did not want to marry. Her mother had just cheerfully served them chai, as if this was the most natural thing in the world, while Sanya's mind raced to find a way out of this absurd situation.

Aarav, for his part, seemed completely relaxed, sipping his tea like they were at a casual business meeting. Which, Sanya realized with growing annoyance, was exactly how he saw this marriage—a transaction.

"So," Aarav said, setting his cup down and leaning back in the chair, "let's talk about this arrangement."

Sanya almost choked on her chai. **Arrangement**? Was that what he called it? She had barely agreed to consider the idea, and he was already treating it like they were negotiating the terms of a merger.

She narrowed her eyes at him. "You make it sound like a contract. Are we supposed to discuss terms and conditions now?"

Aarav shrugged, completely unfazed. "It's better to be clear about expectations, isn't it? We both know this isn't some romantic fairy tale."

Sanya rolled her eyes. "Trust me, I wasn't expecting a fairy tale. But this is ridiculous. We don't even like each other."

Aarav raised an eyebrow, a small smirk playing on his lips. "That's putting it mildly. But I don't think we have to like each other to make this work."

Sanya set her cup down with a loud clink. "Work? What exactly are we trying to make work here? A marriage? Because that usually involves at least a little bit of affection, not two people who barely tolerate each other."

Aarav leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. "Look, I know this is... unconventional. But let's be honest—neither of us is getting what we want out of life right now. My family wants this for business reasons, and yours—"

Sanya cut him off, crossing her arms. "Don't you dare bring my family into this."

He held up his hands in mock surrender. "Fine. But you have to admit, this marriage would solve a lot of problems for both of us."

Sanya blinked at him. "For you, maybe. What exactly am I getting out of this 'deal'?"

Aarav paused, thinking. "You get me."

Sanya snorted. "Wow, what an offer. How could I ever resist?"

Aarav chuckled, the sound catching her off guard. He had one of those annoyingly charming laughs, the kind that made people like him even when they didn't want to. But she wasn't going to let that distract her.

"I'm serious, Sanya. Think about it. This marriage would take a lot of pressure off both our families. And we can make it as... business-like as you want. No strings attached."

Sanya stared at him, trying to wrap her head around what he was suggesting. No strings attached? Was that really possible? And why was he so calm about all of this? It wasn't like they were talking about a partnership in a startup. They were talking about **marriage**—the thing that most people spent years dreaming about, not drafting up like a corporate deal.

"Okay," she said, leaning back on the couch, "let's say, hypothetically, I agree to this insanity. What's your plan? We get married, then what? We just go on living our lives like nothing happened?"

Aarav nodded, as if this was the most reasonable thing in the world. "Exactly. You live your life, I live mine. We put up a united front when necessary, but otherwise, we stay out of each other's way."

Sanya raised an eyebrow. "So, basically, we're roommates who occasionally attend family functions together."

Aarav shrugged. "Something like that."

She sighed, rubbing her temples. "You really think this could work?"

He smiled, that infuriating, confident smile of his. "Of course it can. You don't have to worry about me interfering in your life. You can keep working with your NGO and doing all the things you care about. I won't get in your way."

Sanya shook her head, still trying to process this bizarre offer. "And what do you get out of it? Besides the obvious business benefits."

Aarav's smile faded slightly, and for the first time, Sanya saw a hint of something more serious in his expression. "I get the freedom to live my life the way I want, without my family constantly pressuring me to settle down. This marriage gives me space."

She studied him for a moment, surprised by the honesty in his voice. Maybe he wasn't as cold and detached as he seemed. Maybe, like her, he was just trying to navigate the expectations placed on him by his family.

But still—this was marriage they were talking about. A lifetime commitment, not a convenient business arrangement.

"I don't know, Aarav," she said finally, shaking her head. "This sounds like a disaster waiting to happen."

Aarav smiled again, but this time it was softer, almost understanding. "It's not forever, Sanya. Just long enough to get our families off our backs. Then, if we want, we can part ways. No harm, no foul."

Sanya blinked. "You're proposing a temporary marriage?"

Aarav nodded. "Why not? We'll set a time limit. A year, maybe two. We'll see how it goes."

Sanya couldn't help it—she laughed. The whole thing was so absurd, so completely ridiculous, that she couldn't hold it in anymore. Aarav Mehra, one of India's most successful businessmen, was sitting in her living room, proposing a **temporary marriage** as if it were the most normal thing in the world.

"I can't believe I'm even considering this," she said, wiping tears of laughter from her eyes.

Aarav grinned. "It's not the craziest thing you've ever heard, is it?"

"Oh, it absolutely is," she replied, still chuckling. "But I guess... stranger things have happened."

Aarav's grin widened. "So, is that a yes?"

Sanya sighed, shaking her head in disbelief. "I'll think about it. But don't get your hopes up, okay?"

Aarav raised his cup of chai in mock toast. "Fair enough."

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