His patience

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What was happening to me?

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What was happening to me?

I had spent years building myself up—becoming untouchable, guarded, and cold when I needed to be. I was the, Saanvi Malhotra, CEO of Malhotra Industries. But Aayansh Singh Rathore… he made me feel soo good

Love? Marriage? They were illusions that crumbled over time, turning into dust. I had seen it with my own eyes. My parents—once the picture of success and power—had torn each other apart in the courts. Their love had been a fragile, breakable thing, something that was promised but never delivered. And the scars that left on me? I wasn’t sure they would ever heal.

But this... this was different. Aayansh was different.

He wasn’t forcing me to love him. He wasn’t manipulating me with sweet words or hollow promises. Instead, he was patient. Frustratingly patient. He waited for me, gave me space. Every time I pushed him away, he stepped back—never pressuring, never demanding.

But could I trust him?

No. Trust was a dangerous thing. One I wasn’t ready to give.

There was a soft knock on the door. My breath hitched.

“Jaan, may I come in?”

His voice was soft, yet carried the weight of everything unsaid between us. I hesitated, staring at my reflection.What could he possibly say that would change anything?

“Yes,” I finally whispered, before I could change my mind.

The door opened quietly, and there he was—Aayansh . The man whose mere name could cause fear to ripple through an entire room. He was a king in every sense of the word, and yet here he stood, looking at me with something so... human in his eyes that it disarmed me.

He approached slowly, as if sensing the storm of emotions swirling inside me.

“I am sorry but I spoke to Anish,” he began. His voice was deep, steady. “I know why you’re like this. Why it’s hard for you to let anyone in.”

I flinched. Anish. My brother. He had told him. A part of me felt betrayed, but another part—a small, buried part—felt a wave of relief. Maybe now Aayansh would understand why I couldn’t just give in.

“I can’t pretend to understand everything you’ve been through,” Aayansh continued, stepping closer. “But I want you to know that I’m not your enemy, Sunshine. I don’t want to hurt you.”

His words were like a knife twisting in my chest. I had heard similar words before, promises that had turned to ash. But Aayansh… something about the way he looked at me, as if he saw the cracks I worked so hard to hide, made me pause.

“ I said I will give a chance but I don’t believe in love,” I said quietly, looking away. I couldn’t meet his gaze. “I don’t even know what it feels like.”

A long silence stretched between us. My heartbeat echoed in my ears as I waited for his response.

When he finally spoke, his voice was soft, almost tender. “Then don’t believe in it. Not right now. Just trust me enough to give this... us... a chance.”

I glanced up at him, surprised by his words. There was no force in his tone, no demand. Just a quiet request. A request to be seen. To be heard.

I swallowed hard, feeling the weight of his gaze on me. “I don’t know how to trust,” I admitted, my voice trembling. “Not after everything I’ve seen.”

“I understand,” he replied, his tone unwavering. “But I’m not asking you to give me everything right now. I just want you to take one step forward. One step at a time. I’ll wait for you, Jaan. As long as it takes.”

I had fallen for her the moment I laid eyes on her

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I had fallen for her the moment I laid eyes on her. She was fire and ice, a storm wrapped in silk, and I knew then that I wanted her in my life. But this… this was not just a simple conquest. This was a battle I wasn’t sure I could win, because the war was within her.

She didn’t trust me. And she didn’t trust herself.

But I wasn’t giving up.

“I didn’t marry you to trap you,” I told her softly. “I married you because I wanted to. Because I saw something in you that I couldn’t ignore.”

Her eyes widened slightly at my words. I could see her mind racing, trying to make sense of it all. The walls she had built around her heart were formidable, but I could see the cracks now—the small fissures that told me she wasn’t as unaffected as she pretended to be.

“You don’t have to love me right now,” I continued, taking another step closer. “But let me in. Even just a little once again.”

She was silent, her eyes searching mine for something—maybe a sign that I was lying, that I was just like everyone else who had hurt her. But she wouldn’t find it. I wasn’t like them. And I would spend the rest of my life proving that to her if I had to.

She took a deep breath, her shoulders relaxing ever so slightly. “I’ll try once more,” she whispered, and I felt my chest loosen at her words.

That was all I needed. For now.

Because love isn’t always easy. Sometimes, it’s the hardest thing in the world.

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