Anaya-His heartbeat

CHAPTER -14

 Shivarth's Perspective**

I was sitting in my cabin, pretending to focus on the endless pile of work in front of me. The truth was, my mind was in a complete mess, just like the chaos this engagement was stirring up in my life. Tomorrow. Tomorrow, I'd be getting engaged. The thought alone made me feel trapped, and yet... there was this odd feeling in my chest. I couldn't explain it. My phone rang, shaking me out of my thoughts. I glanced at the screen—Vivaan. Of course, he would call now."Hey," I answered, sounding more exhausted than I meant to."Hey, what's up, Mr. Groom-to-be?" Vivaan's voice held that familiar teasing tone that always got under my skin.I rolled my eyes. "Don't start, man. I didn't even want this." I leaned back in my chair, rubbing my temples. My head was pounding.Vivaan chuckled on the other end, clearly enjoying this way too much. "Oh come on, Shiv! Tomorrow's the big day. You're getting engaged! How's it feel to be tying the knot with someone you barely know?""Annoying," I muttered. "I don't love her. Hell, I barely know her."

"and on top of that I insulted her"

I explained hm everything

"Yeah, but you insulted her," Vivaan's tone turned more serious. "That whole 'gold digger' thing? Not cool. You should apologize."I groaned, dragging a hand down my face. "I know. But I'm not good with this stuff, Vivaan. What do I even say? 'Hey, sorry for calling you a gold digger'? That's not going to fix anything."Vivaan laughed again. "Just apologize, man. Write her a letter if you can't say it in person. You're always better at writing your feelings than talking about them.""A letter?" I paused, letting the idea settle. A letter seemed... old-fashioned. And a little ridiculous. But at the same time, it felt less awkward than apologizing to her face. "Yeah, a letter. Besides, it's romantic." He snickered."Romantic," I scoffed. "I'm not writing poetry, Vivaan.""Who said anything about poetry? Just write what you're feeling. Say you're sorry, explain your frustration. You don't have to love her to be decent."I sighed heavily. He was right. Not that I'd admit it. "Fine. I'll think about it.""You better," Vivaan warned. "And maybe, just maybe, try to smile tomorrow?"I hung up, shaking my head. A letter. What had my life come to?After a few minutes of staring at my desk, I grabbed a piece of paper. My mind kept running in circles as I tried to think of what to say. *Anaya,**I know I haven't been the kindest person...*I scratched that out. Too formal. Too stiff. Frustrated, I tried again.*Anaya,**I know I said some things the other day that hurt you. I shouldn't have called you a gold digger. I was angry, confused...*Why was I even doing this? I didn't owe her anything. I didn't love her. Yet, despite it all, I felt bad. Maybe it was guilt. Or maybe it was that strange tug I felt every time I thought about her standing there, silent but clearly hurt. She didn't deserve my anger. Not entirely.I continued writing, the words flowing a little easier now, though every sentence felt strange. When I finished, I folded the paper and put it aside, not knowing if I'd actually give it to her. Just then, the door burst open, and Ayaan and Samaira walked in, their usual energy filling the room."So, big brother, ready for some shopping?" Ayaan asked, grinning like an idiot.I glared at him. "Shopping? You're joking, right?"Samaira smirked. "Nope. You're getting engaged tomorrow, and you can't look like you just rolled out of bed."I groaned, leaning back in my chair. "I don't need this."Ayaan clapped me on the back. "Yes, you do. Come on, it'll be fun. We'll pick out something nice, and you can thank us later when you don't look like a grumpy caveman."I glared at both of them, but my lips betrayed me, curling into a reluctant smile. As much as they annoyed me, I couldn't stay mad at them. "Fine. Let's get this over with."As we headed out for shopping, Ayaan and Samaira kept teasing me relentlessly, throwing out ridiculous suggestions for what I should wear—everything from glittering sherwanis to outfits with more embroidery than a wedding dress. I shot them death glares every chance I got, but every now and then, I felt my lips twitching upward.Maybe... maybe this wouldn't be so bad.

ANAYA'POV

I walked through the bustling streets, my eyes scanning the colorful lehengas and jewelry on display, but my heart wasn't in it. Tomorrow, I'd be getting engaged. To Shivarth. The man who had insulted me, who'd called me a gold digger. The memory of his words stung, filling my chest with a mix of anger and disbelief.*No one—no one on this Earth—can disrespect me like that.*My jaw clenched, my fists tightening at my sides as I tried to push the thoughts away, but they kept creeping back in. How had my life come to this? I had never imagined I'd be marrying someone who thought so little of me, and yet, here I was—preparing for an engagement I didn't even want."Hey," Annie's voice broke through my thoughts, pulling me back to the present. She nudged me lightly. "You look like you're about to punch something. You okay?"I glanced at her, forcing a small smile. "Just thinking.""Well, stop," Annie said with a grin, her tone teasing. "You're getting engaged tomorrow. Shouldn't you be... I don't know, at least pretending to be excited?"I couldn't help but laugh softly. "Excited? About getting engaged to him? After what he said?"Annie rolled her eyes dramatically. "Okay, point taken. But look, let's just get through this shopping trip. You can be mad at him tomorrow—while looking absolutely stunning, by the way."I sighed but couldn't stop the chuckle that escaped me. Annie always knew how to pull me out of my darker moods, even when I felt like the world was closing in. "Fine," I said, trying to lighten up for her sake. "But only because you promised I'd look stunning.""That's the spirit!" Annie beamed, and we continued browsing through the stores, her constant jokes and banter making the day a little easier to bear.But the weight of everything never really left me. It hovered in the back of my mind like a dark cloud, ready to burst at any moment. No matter how many dresses I tried on or how many times Annie tried to distract me, I couldn't shake the feeling of betrayal—first from Shivarth and now from my own father. By the time we finished and headed home, I felt drained. I stepped into the house, already wanting to shut myself away from everything. But as I walked through the hallway, I saw my father standing by the staircase. His face was etched with worry, his voice soft when he called my name."Anaya," he said, taking a small step toward me.I froze for a moment, my heart aching with everything I hadn't said to him. But I couldn't deal with him right now. Not after he had told me that my value was tied to this marriage, that I needed to sacrifice for the sake of the business. The hurt was too fresh, too raw.Without a word, I turned away, heading straight for the stairs."Anaya, please," he called again, his voice pleading.But I didn't stop. I couldn't. I felt too hurt, too betrayed to even look at him. When I finally reached my room, I closed the door behind me and leaned against it, letting out a shaky breath. My father had always been my rock, my safe place. But now, even he had become a part of this confusing mess.I quickly changed into something comfortable and slipped into bed, pulling the covers over me as if they could shield me from the whirlwind of emotions inside. Anger. Confusion. Hurt. I didn't know what to feel anymore.Tomorrow, I'd face Shivarth. Tomorrow, I'd smile and play the role I was expected to play. But tonight... tonight I just wanted to forget.With a sigh, I closed my eyes, praying that sleep would offer me some kind of escape, even if just for a few hours.

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guys I Kept  this chapter very simple 

hope you guys like it

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