The morning sun poured through the tall windows, casting a soft, golden glow over the sprawling mansion. Sayantika stood in front of the vanity mirror, absentmindedly brushing her hair, her thoughts still heavy from the events of the previous day. Harshvardhan had been more open with her, revealing the weight of expectations that came with being his wife. His loyalty, though reassuring, felt like a double-edged sword, one she needed to wield carefully.
The sharp ring of her phone snapped her out of her reverie. She glanced at the screen: it was her stepmother, Pratima. A knot immediately formed in her stomach. Ever since the marriage, Sayantika had kept her interactions with Pratima to a minimum, but she couldn't avoid her forever.
With a resigned sigh, she answered the call.
"Sayantika," Pratima's voice was saccharine, laced with an insincerity that Sayantika had grown accustomed to. "It's been a while. I trust you're settling in well with Harshvardhan."
"I'm fine, thank you," Sayantika replied, keeping her tone neutral.
Pratima, as always, cut to the chase. "I've been hearing things, dear. Apparently, Natasha and her mother aren't very fond of you. Be careful. You don't want to create any unnecessary drama, now do you?"
Sayantika clenched her jaw, refusing to let Pratima get under her skin. "I'm managing just fine."
"Hmm," Pratima hummed, clearly not convinced. "Well, just remember, I did everything I could to ensure this marriage happened. Don't disappoint me."
And with that, the line went dead. Sayantika put her phone down, her heart heavy. She knew her stepmother's words weren't born out of concern but rather a desire to control her from afar. Pratima had always treated her as a pawn in a larger game, pushing her into this marriage with little regard for her happiness.
But Sayantika wasn't going to let that define her. She had survived worse, and she would navigate this new life with her own strength.
Later that day, Harshvardhan returned home earlier than usual, surprising her. He rarely came back before dark, and it was unusual to see him standing in the doorway as the afternoon light bathed the room.
"You're home early," Sayantika said, her voice reflecting her surprise.
"I had some meetings rescheduled," he replied, his tone as formal as ever. But there was something different about his demeanor today—something quieter, more introspective.
Sayantika watched him as he shrugged off his coat and walked toward her. His presence always filled the room, commanding attention without even trying. She waited for him to say something more, sensing that something was on his mind, but he remained silent for a few moments, his gaze distant.
Finally, he broke the silence. "There's something I need to tell you."
His voice was low, almost hesitant, and that alone made Sayantika sit up straighter. Harshvardhan was never hesitant—never unsure of himself. Whatever he was about to say, it weighed heavily on him.
"What is it?" she asked softly.
He exhaled slowly, as though bracing himself. "It's about my first marriage. You deserve to know what really happened."
Sayantika's breath caught in her throat. He had never spoken about his ex-wife before, and though she had heard rumors, she had never pressed him for details. It had always felt like a forbidden subject, one that carried too much pain to bring up.
Harshvardhan sat down across from her, his expression hardening as memories of the past seemed to flood his mind. "Her name was Meera," he began, his voice tight. "We met when I was just starting out in the business. She was... different. Independent, strong-willed. I thought she was exactly what I needed—someone who wouldn't be intimidated by my ambitions."
Sayantika remained silent, listening intently as he continued. She could sense the undercurrent of bitterness in his words, but also the hurt that lay beneath.
"We got married quickly," Harshvardhan continued, his jaw tightening. "But things changed. She wasn't interested in building a life with me. She was more concerned with the perks of being my wife—the status, the money, the power. And when things didn't go her way, she... betrayed me."
The word 'betrayed' hung in the air, heavy and cold. Sayantika felt a shiver run down her spine.
"I found out she had been having an affair," Harshvardhan said, his voice barely above a whisper. "With someone from a rival company. Someone who was trying to undermine my business. It wasn't just a betrayal of our marriage; it was a betrayal of everything I had worked for."
Sayantika's heart ached at the pain in his voice. She couldn't imagine how it must have felt—to be betrayed not just personally but professionally as well. It explained so much about his guarded nature, his mistrust of others, and his cold demeanor toward her when they first married.
"I filed for divorce as soon as I found out," Harshvardhan said, his voice hardening once more. "I couldn't let it go on. She left, and I thought I had put it behind me. But it's hard to forget when the scars run that deep."
He looked up at Sayantika then, his eyes locking onto hers. "That's why I was so against this marriage. I didn't want to go through it again. I didn't want to trust someone, only to be betrayed."
Sayantika's throat tightened as she met his gaze. In that moment, she saw the real Harshvardhan—the man behind the walls he had built so carefully. He wasn't just a ruthless CEO, cold and calculating. He was a man who had been hurt, who had been let down by the very person he had once loved.
"I'm not Meera," Sayantika said softly, her voice barely above a whisper.
Harshvardhan's eyes flickered with something she couldn't quite place—vulnerability, perhaps. "I know," he said, his voice low. "But it's hard to let go of the past."
A silence settled between them, heavy with the weight of unspoken emotions. Sayantika wanted to reach out to him, to bridge the gap that had existed between them since the beginning of their marriage. But she wasn't sure how.
Finally, Harshvardhan stood, his walls back up again. "I just thought you should know," he said, his tone more composed now. "You deserve to understand why I am the way I am."
He turned to leave the room, but just as he reached the doorway, Sayantika called out to him.
"Harshvardhan," she said, her voice trembling slightly. "Thank you for telling me."
He paused for a moment, his back still to her. Then, without turning around, he simply nodded and left.
That night, Sayantika lay in bed, her mind racing. Harshvardhan's confession had opened a door she hadn't even realized existed. For the first time, she understood the depth of his pain and why he had been so distant. He wasn't just protecting himself from her; he was protecting himself from the ghosts of his past.
As she lay there, staring at the ceiling, she made a decision. She wasn't going to let this marriage fall into the same trap as his first one. She wasn't Meera, and she would prove that to him—slowly, patiently.
If Harshvardhan had learned to shield his heart, then she would have to learn how to break through those shields, one step at a time. She wasn't sure how, but she was determined to try.
This marriage had started as an arrangement, but perhaps, with time, it could become something more—something real.
And for the first time, Sayantika felt a flicker of hope that maybe, just maybe, they could build something lasting. Something worth fighting for.
As the darkness of the night closed in, Sayantika drifted into a restless sleep, her mind filled with thoughts of Harshvardhan, of his past, and of the uncertain future that lay ahead of them both.
But one thing was clear—she wasn't going to give up on him. Not yet.
Morning arrived with the usual hustle and bustle of life in the mansion, but Sayantika felt different. Stronger, perhaps. She had a newfound resolve. Harshvardhan had shown her a part of himself he rarely revealed to anyone, and that alone was progress.
As she got ready for the day, she couldn't shake the feeling that the tides were beginning to turn. There were still many challenges ahead—Natasha, Sunita, the Malhotra family's expectations—but Sayantika wasn't going to back down.
She was determined to stand her ground.
YOU ARE READING
Vardhan's Bride
Romantik"This marriage may be real on paper, but I don't expect us to act like we're anything more than strangers." His words stung, but Sayantika had expected no less. She had heard the rumors about his first marriage-that his ex-wife had betrayed him, lea...
