𝙎𝙝𝙧𝙞𝙮𝙖𝙣 𝙎𝙝𝙖𝙣𝙙𝙞𝙡𝙮𝙖 and 𝘼𝙖𝙨𝙝𝙫𝙞 𝙏𝙧𝙞𝙫𝙚𝙙𝙞, business rivals and family friends, are forced into an arranged marriage. Bound by family duty, they must uncover hidden truths while navigating their explosive chemistry. Will their...
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"All I'm saying is that things are moving too fast, and you and I both know it," Anika's voice rang through the phone, frustration lacing every word.
Back home now, I had barely settled in, but we’d been going over everything since the photoshoot incident, and it was clear she wasn’t pleased.
"It’s not like that, Anika," I countered, though my voice lacked conviction.
"Whatever it is, Aashvi, you need to figure out your feelings. The wedding isn’t just a merger; there’s much more at stake. Don’t forget, this isn’t just about the company." Her words hung heavy, a reminder of all the expectations and personal responsibilities.
I sighed, sinking deeper into the plush cushions. Whatever had happened at the office yesterday—the almost kiss, the lingering tension—it was all too much. The aftermath of it all was giving me a headache, and the worst part was, I didn’t know how to process any of it.
Shriyan and I... we were supposed to be just business. But with every encounter, every glance, the lines were blurring. My mind was spinning, and if I didn’t get myself in control soon, everything I’d worked for—everything my parents had left behind—could be lost.
Anika’s voice snapped me back. "Aashvi? You still there?"
"Yeah," I murmured, rubbing my temples. "I just... I don’t know what’s happening anymore."
"You’re falling for his charm, that’s what’s happening," she replied bluntly. "And if you don’t get a grip, you’re going to lose yourself in this mess."
I wanted to deny it, but the truth had been circling in my mind ever since Shriyan had almost kissed me. His touch, his proximity—it had all felt dangerously right. Too right. Too natural. Too home…
"I can’t afford to fall for anyone," I said, more to myself than to her. "Not him. Not now."
Anika sighed on the other end. "Figure it out, Aashvi. Before it’s too late."
I hummed, my heart racing. The room felt smaller, the air stifling as I stood and moved toward the window. The city lights twinkled in the distance, a reminder of the world outside this emotional storm.
"Do you miss him, Ankka?" I asked, the question slipping out before I could stop myself. The silence that followed felt heavy, stretching through the phone line like a weight we both carried.
Ruhanika's response was quiet, barely a whisper. "How can I not? He was the first one to ever understand me, Aashvi. The first person to see past the chaos I carry, the 'mini monster' everyone else thinks I am." Her voice cracked, and I could almost see her biting her lip, holding back the flood of emotion.
I smiled faintly, though my heart ached at the memory. Aarav. My brother. The man who had been the center of our little world. "He was impossible not to love, wasn’t he?" I said softly, remembering his easy charm, the way he made everyone feel like they mattered.
