Bound by Fire

The Cold Light of Morning

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Sanya woke up the next morning with a pounding headache, though she wasn't sure if it was from the late-night engagement party or the mess of feelings swirling around in her head. She sat up in bed, groaning as the events of the previous night came rushing back to her.

The kiss.

*Oh no*, she thought, burying her face in her hands. *What have I done?*

She had kissed Aarav. And not just a little peck on the cheek—a full-blown, steamy, toe-curling kiss. The kind of kiss that makes you forget where you are, forget that the person you're kissing is technically your fake fiancé, and forget that everything about your relationship is supposed to be a lie.

Sanya flopped back onto her pillows, staring up at the ceiling in disbelief. This was *not* part of the plan. How had things spiraled so quickly from pretending to be in love to actually... feeling something?

Her phone buzzed on the nightstand, and she grabbed it, dreading what she'd see.

Sure enough, it was a text from Aarav.

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**Aarav:** *Good morning. We should talk.*

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Sanya groaned aloud. Talking was the last thing she wanted to do right now. What could they even say? *Oh hey, remember how we're fake engaged but we totally made out last night? Let's just forget about that, cool?*

She tossed her phone aside and pulled the covers over her head, wishing she could just hide in her bed forever. Unfortunately, her life didn't work that way. She had a business to run, meetings to attend, and a very complicated fake fiancé to deal with.

After a few minutes of sulking, she reluctantly dragged herself out of bed. She had to face this. As much as she wanted to pretend it didn't happen, she couldn't avoid Aarav forever.

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**A few hours later,** Sanya was sitting at her favorite coffee shop, nursing a cappuccino and trying to psych herself up for the inevitable conversation. Aarav had texted again, asking to meet, and she'd agreed to meet him here.

Every time the door opened, she felt her stomach tighten, wondering if it was him. And then, finally, there he was—walking in like he owned the place, looking infuriatingly calm and composed as usual.

Sanya watched him make his way over to her, her heart doing that annoying fluttery thing again. It was ridiculous. She wasn't supposed to feel like this. She wasn't supposed to care.

Aarav sat down across from her, giving her a small smile. "Hey."

"Hey," she mumbled, taking a long sip of her coffee to avoid looking at him. She could feel the awkward tension between them, thick enough to cut with a knife.

"We need to talk about last night," Aarav said, getting straight to the point.

Sanya cringed. "Yeah, about that... I'm sorry. I don't know what happened. I shouldn't have kissed you."

Aarav raised an eyebrow. "You kissed me?"

Sanya felt her face heat up. "I mean, we kissed. Whatever. The point is, it shouldn't have happened."

There was a brief silence as Aarav studied her, his gaze intense but unreadable. "Why not?"

Sanya blinked. "Why not? Because this is fake! We're fake engaged. We're not actually supposed to... you know... *like* each other."

Aarav leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms as he looked at her. "So, you're saying you didn't like kissing me?"

Sanya's face turned even redder. "That's not what I'm saying."

"Then what are you saying?" Aarav pressed, his voice calm but his eyes locked on hers.

Sanya felt flustered, her brain scrambling to come up with an answer. The truth was, she *had* liked kissing him. A lot. And that was exactly the problem. She wasn't supposed to like it. She wasn't supposed to like him.

"I'm saying it was a mistake," she finally said, her voice quiet. "We've been pretending for so long that I think maybe we... we got caught up in the moment. But it doesn't mean anything."

Aarav didn't respond right away, his expression thoughtful. He leaned forward, resting his elbows on the table as he looked at her. "What if it did mean something?"

Sanya's heart skipped a beat. She stared at him, trying to figure out if he was joking or if he was serious.

"I mean," Aarav continued, his voice softer now, "we've been spending all this time together, pretending to be a couple. Maybe it's not so crazy that we're starting to feel... something. I don't think it's just pretend anymore."

Sanya felt her pulse quicken, panic bubbling up inside her. This was exactly what she'd been afraid of. Aarav was opening a door she wasn't ready to walk through.

"No," she said quickly, shaking her head. "That's not what's happening. We agreed this was fake. Nothing's changed."

Aarav's expression darkened slightly, and Sanya could see the flicker of hurt in his eyes. "Nothing's changed? After everything we've been through, you really think this is all still just an act?"

Sanya swallowed hard, feeling a lump form in her throat. She didn't want to hurt him, but she also didn't know how to handle the confusing mess of feelings inside her. She wasn't ready to admit that maybe, just maybe, this fake relationship was starting to feel very real.

"Aarav, I... I can't," she whispered, her voice shaky. "This was supposed to be a business deal. A marriage of convenience. I don't know how to handle... whatever this is."

Aarav's jaw tightened, and for a moment, he looked like he was struggling to keep his emotions in check. "You don't have to handle it right now," he said quietly. "But don't pretend like you don't feel it too."

Sanya's heart clenched. She wanted to deny it, to tell him he was wrong, but she couldn't. She *did* feel it—the chemistry, the connection, the way her heart raced when he was near. But admitting it would mean opening herself up to something she wasn't sure she was ready for.

"I just need time," she said softly, avoiding his gaze.

Aarav sighed, running a hand through his hair in frustration. "Time for what? To convince yourself that you don't care about me?"

Sanya flinched at his words, guilt gnawing at her. She hated that she was hurting him, but she didn't know how to make this right. She wasn't ready for anything real, not after everything she'd been through.

"I'm sorry," she whispered, blinking back the tears that were starting to form.

Aarav stood up, his expression unreadable once again. "Fine. Take all the time you need. But don't wait too long, Sanya. We both know this isn't just pretend anymore."

With that, he turned and walked out of the coffee shop, leaving Sanya sitting there, her heart heavy and her mind a whirlwind of confusion.

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In this chapter, Sanya and Aarav are forced to confront the growing feelings between them, leading to a tense and emotional conversation. Sanya's fear of opening herself up to something real clashes with Aarav's desire to explore the connection between them, creating a pivotal moment in their relationship. What do you think will happen next?