🖤 The unlikely union 🖤

chapter 6

Once they were seated in the car, the silence that hung in the air was deafening. Aarav looked out the window, avoiding making eye contact with Sarah, who sat next to him, her hands tightly clasped together on her lap. The air felt thick with tension, and neither of them knew what to say.

The ride back to Aarav's house was quiet and uncomfortable. Every once in a while, Sarah would glance at him out of the corner of her eye, studying his stoic profile.

She wanted to say something, anything, to break the tension, but the words wouldn't come. Aarav, too, was wrestling with his thoughts, unsure of how to act towards this woman who was now his wife.

Sarah finally gathered enough courage to speak up. "May I have some water?" She asked quietly, her voice barely above a whisper.

Aarav snapped out of his thoughts and turned to look at her. For a moment, he seemed surprised that she had spoken at all. He nodded stiffly and handed her a bottle of water from the car's console.

After a few moments of uncomfortable silence, Aarav finally spoke up. His voice was low and measured, as if he was choosing his words carefully. "We'll be reaching home soon," he said gruffly. "When we get there, we need to discuss a few things."

Sarah nodded, feeling a knot of anxiety in her stomach. She had a feeling she knew what those "things" would be. Aarav seemed like a man who would want to establish ground rules and boundaries as soon as possible.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, the car pulled up to the driveway of a massive, modern mansion. Aarav turned to Sarah, his eyes betraying no emotions. "We're here," he said curtly. "Follow me, please."

Sarah got out of the car, her legs feeling like jelly. She followed Aarav as he led her to the front door, trying to keep up with his long strides. Once they were inside, he gestured for her to sit on the pristine white sofa in the living room.

Sarah sat down gingerly, feeling like an intruder in this pristine house. Aarav sat down across from her, his gaze steely and intense. For a few moments, he just observed her, his eyes flicking from her face to her hands, which she had folded tightly in her lap.

Finally, he spoke, his voice calm and controlled. "We need to establish some ground rules," he stated, his eyes never leaving hers. "First of all, there will be absolutely no physical contact between us. This is a marriage of convenience, not a love match. Understood?"

Sarah nodded silently her heart beating fast

Aarav continued, his voice cold and business-like. "Secondly, we will have separate bedrooms. You will stay in the guest room opposite mine. I don't expect any late-night chats or any form of familiarity between us. This is a transaction, nothing more."

.

"Thirdly," Aarav went on, "I expect you to keep up appearances in public. You will accompany me to all social events and business meetings. We must present ourselves as the happy, doting couple, regardless of the truth." His eyes bored into hers, silently challenging her to object.

"And finally," Aarav added, his voice taking on an even tone, "I expect you to follow my instructions to the letter. I'll have a list of rules and tasks for you to follow, and I expect them to be completed on time and without complaint. This is my house, and I'll make the rules." He leaned back in his chair, studying her reaction.

After a few moments of tense silence, Sarah finally gathered the courage to speak up. Her voice sounded small and fragile, but she looked him in the eye, refusing to back down. "What about my needs?" she asked, her hands gripping the fabric of her skirt tightly. "I have feelings too, you know. I'm not just a robot who can follow your orders without question."

Aarav's eyes flickered with annoyance, but he remained outwardly impassive. "I don't care about your feelings," he said bluntly. "This marriage is a business arrangement, nothing more. Your role is to play the part of the doting wife in public, and to follow my instructions at home. That's all I expect from you. Any emotional connection is unnecessary and unwanted."

Sarah's pov

Sarah whispered to herself in the quiet darkness of the room. "I'm strong, I can do this," she told herself, trying to convince herself that everything would be fine. But the lump in her throat and the pricking eyes betrayed the fear and uncertainty she felt deep down.

She tried to take deep breaths, to calm herself down, but her thoughts kept racing, her mind replaying the events of the day over and over again. The cold, emotionless man she was now married to. The way he had spoken to her, as if she were nothing more than a tool. The realization that she was alone, with nobody to turn to for comfort or understanding.

Despite her tumultuous thoughts and fears, Sarah's exhaustion finally took over, and she slipped into a restless sleep. The stress and anxiety of the day had taken its toll, and her body surrendered to the tiredness that weighed her down.

Aarav's pov

Aarav sat in his bed, staring at the ceiling. He couldn't shake off the feeling of unease that had been gnawing at him since the wedding. He had gone into this marriage with a clear plan, but now that it was done, he couldn't help but question his decision.

He had expected his new wife to be meek and compliant, someone he could control with ease. But Sarah had proven to be more stubborn than he had anticipated. Her question about her needs had taken him aback, and he didn't like feeling surprised

He tried to push these thoughts away, reminding himself that he was in control, that he had the power in this situation. But the nagging feeling of doubt and uncertainty wouldn't leave him alone.

Despite his usual stoicism, Aarav found himself speaking to himself in a low whisper. "Get a grip," he muttered to himself. "This is just temporary. You're the one in charge here. Don't let her get to you."

Finally, after what felt like hours of tossing and turning, Aarav's exhaustion finally won over, and he drifted off into a restless sleep. He tried to push Sarah's image out of his mind, but her face continued to haunt his dreams, stirring up conflicting emotions that he couldn't quite understand.

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