Bound by Fire

Fake Fiancés and Real Feelings

The morning of the engagement party arrived much too quickly for Sanya's liking. She stood in front of her wardrobe, staring at the array of clothes with a frown. None of them seemed quite right for an event like this. What did one wear to an engagement party for a fake relationship?

Her phone buzzed, and she saw Aarav's name flashing on the screen. *Speak of the devil*, she thought, answering the call.

"Hey, are you ready for today?" Aarav's voice sounded unusually upbeat.

"Ready? Ready for what? A room full of your relatives, who'll be asking a million questions about our relationship? Oh, I'm *thrilled*," Sanya replied sarcastically, running her hand through her hair in frustration.

Aarav chuckled on the other end. "Relax. It's just one party, and I'll be there the whole time."

Sanya sighed. "That's not exactly comforting, Aarav. You're the reason we're in this mess, remember?"

"Come on," Aarav said, his tone slightly teasing, "it won't be so bad. Think of it as practice. We've got to sell this engagement, right? You and I, we're a team."

A team. Right. Sanya rolled her eyes but couldn't suppress the tiny smile that crept onto her face at his attempt to make light of the situation. "Fine. But if anyone asks me anything too personal, I'm throwing you under the bus."

"Fair enough," Aarav said with a laugh. "I'll be at your place in an hour to pick you up. Don't worry, I'll charm all the nosy relatives. You just have to smile and look pretty."

"Oh, because that's *so* easy when you're lying to half the room," Sanya grumbled.

Aarav's voice softened slightly, surprising her. "You've got this, Sanya. I'll make sure it's easy."

There was a pause, and Sanya wasn't sure if it was the calm confidence in his voice or the weird fluttering in her stomach that made her heart skip a beat. She shook off the feeling quickly.

"I'll see you in an hour," she said, hanging up and heading back to her wardrobe. Aarav's confidence in her didn't completely erase her nerves, but maybe—just maybe—it would help her survive the evening.

---

**A couple of hours later,** Sanya and Aarav pulled up to the Mehra mansion in his sleek black car. Sanya adjusted her dress—a deep red saree that she'd chosen at the last minute, hoping it would give her an air of confidence she didn't feel. The moment they stepped out of the car, Sanya felt the weight of all the eyes on them.

Guests were already milling about on the lawn, sipping drinks and chatting, but the moment they spotted Aarav and Sanya, there was a noticeable shift. Conversations paused, and heads turned in their direction. Sanya felt like she was walking into the lion's den.

"Smile," Aarav whispered out of the corner of his mouth, his hand resting lightly on her lower back. "Remember, we're the perfect couple."

Sanya plastered on a bright smile, though she wasn't sure how convincing it was. Aarav, on the other hand, looked like he was born for this. He greeted guests with that easy charm of his, shaking hands and making small talk like a pro. It was almost annoying how effortless it was for him.

As they made their way through the crowd, Sanya couldn't help but notice how many people were staring at her. She could practically hear their thoughts. *Who is she? Where did Aarav find her? How did she convince him to get engaged?*

The whispers and glances were getting to her, and she was just about ready to bolt when Aarav leaned down, his breath warm against her ear. "You're doing great."

Sanya's heart did that stupid fluttery thing again, and she cursed herself silently. This was *fake*. There was no reason for her heart to react like this just because Aarav said something nice. It was just nerves. Definitely nerves.

Before she could respond, Aarav's mother swooped in, looking as elegant and intimidating as ever. "There you are!" Mrs. Mehra exclaimed, her eyes shining with excitement. "Everyone's been dying to meet the bride-to-be!"

Sanya gave a tight-lipped smile, feeling a fresh wave of panic. "Oh, wonderful," she muttered under her breath.

Mrs. Mehra didn't seem to hear her—or more likely, she chose to ignore it. "Come, come! You must meet Aarav's aunties. They've been talking about nothing but your engagement."

Sanya exchanged a quick look with Aarav, who simply shrugged, giving her a small smirk that said, *Good luck*.

Great. Now she had to charm a bunch of aunties. This day just kept getting better and better.

---

**Fifteen minutes later,** Sanya found herself surrounded by a semi-circle of middle-aged women, all of whom seemed to be grilling her like she was on trial for a crime.

"So, dear," one of the aunties said, eyeing her curiously, "how did you and Aarav fall in love?"

Sanya froze. *Fall in love? Oh no, not that question.* She scrambled for something to say that wouldn't sound completely ridiculous.

"Oh, you know..." she began, her voice a little too high-pitched. "It was... gradual. We just... clicked, I guess."

The auntie smiled knowingly. "Clicked? How sweet. But tell me, when did you realize he was 'the one'?"

Sanya's brain short-circuited. When did she realize Aarav was *the one*? How was she supposed to answer that when she barely even liked the guy half the time? She glanced at Aarav, who was standing a few feet away, talking to his cousins. He caught her eye and raised an eyebrow, clearly amused by her predicament.

Of course, he wasn't going to help her. He was just going to stand there and watch her flounder. *Jerk.*

Sanya cleared her throat, trying to think of something that sounded romantic but not too cheesy. "Well, I guess it was when... when I saw how caring and thoughtful he could be." She cringed internally. It wasn't a total lie—Aarav *had* been thoughtful enough to call her an Uber that one time after a disastrous meeting. That counted, right?

The aunties cooed in approval, and Sanya breathed a sigh of relief. But just as she thought she was in the clear, another auntie piped up. "And what's Aarav's favorite dessert? He's always had such a sweet tooth."

Sanya blinked. Favorite dessert? Aarav hadn't mentioned anything about dessert preferences during their brief "get-to-know-each-other" sessions. She racked her brain for something plausible. "Uh... he loves gulab jamun."

Aarav, who had apparently been eavesdropping, turned his head sharply. "I hate gulab jamun," he said, his voice just loud enough for the aunties to hear.

Sanya's face turned bright red as the aunties burst into laughter. Aarav grinned, walking over to join them. "She's still learning," he said smoothly, wrapping an arm around Sanya's waist.

Sanya shot him a glare, but she forced a smile for the aunties. "He changes his mind about food all the time," she said sweetly, playing along. "I'm just trying to keep up."

The aunties laughed again, clearly charmed by the exchange. Aarav's grip tightened slightly on her waist, and Sanya was suddenly very aware of how close he was standing. Too close.

"You're a good sport," Aarav whispered, leaning in just enough for his breath to tickle her ear. "I'll make it up to you later."

Sanya's heart did that annoying flutter again, and she silently cursed herself for it. She didn't want to feel anything for him. This was all fake, just for show. But the way Aarav was looking at her right now, with that playful glint in his eye... it didn't feel fake.

And that was what scared her the most.

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