Anindita :HIS Ardhangini

Chapter 13

Anindita sat at her desk, her mind drifting away from the charts and medical notes spread before her. Her heart still raced, caught between disbelief and confusion, as she replayed the scene with Avinash over and over in her mind. His proposal had come out of nowhere, sudden and intense, as if he expected her to just say yes. But how could she? Someone like him, with power and influence, couldn't possibly mean it. She was sure he was toying with her, enjoying her discomfort.

Yet, she couldn't deny the strange warmth that crept into her chest at his words. You'll be mine, whether you admit it now or later. The memory of his steady gaze, his unwavering determination, left her both unsettled and, to her surprise, intrigued. She hated to admit it, even to herself, but the thought of him pursuing her, insisting on her, made her feel noticed-wanted-in a way she hadn't felt before. It was ridiculous, she told herself. She was being foolish, allowing herself to be pulled in by his words.

Lost in her thoughts, she was startled when a nurse knocked on the door, bringing her a bouquet of fresh white lilies, delicate and fragrant. Her breath caught. She wasn't used to receiving flowers, and for a moment, she wondered if there had been some mistake.

"There's a note, Dr. Aggarwal," the nurse said with a knowing smile, placing the flowers on her desk before leaving the room.

With a cautious hand, she picked up the note, her pulse quickening as she recognized the bold, decisive handwriting. This is just the beginning. I'm a man of my word, Anindita, and I always get what I want.

A faint shiver ran through her as she set the note down, her mind racing. This was no ordinary gesture, and the certainty in his words unsettled her. She wanted to dismiss it as his arrogance, his overconfidence. But the more she thought about it, the more she felt the cracks in her defenses widening.

She stood up and paced her small office, muttering to herself, "What does he even want with me? This can't be real. He's just... he's testing me or something."

Yet, in the silence that followed, a small voice whispered to her: What if he's not? She quickly dismissed the thought. How could she even consider the possibility? Men like Avinash didn't simply fall for people like her-ordinary, unnoticed, even looked down upon in her own home.

Later that evening, as she arrived home, the weight of the day settled heavily on her shoulders. The house was quiet, her father and stepmother nowhere in sight. Anindita was used to the solitude; it was often her only refuge. But tonight, she felt a restlessness, a longing for something she didn't fully understand.

She sank onto her bed, replaying Avinash's words once more, his commanding tone, the certainty in his gaze. And then his parting words echoed in her mind, words he had spoken with such confidence that they had stayed with her. "Get ready to marry me soon, Princess." He had said it with an unwavering conviction, as if her resistance was merely a passing inconvenience.

Anindita wrapped her arms around herself, torn between fear and an unfamiliar excitement. She wanted to believe she could brush off his advances, that she could ignore him and go on with her life. But she couldn't deny that he was beginning to affect her, that his words lingered longer than she liked.

Lying in bed that night, she stared at the ceiling, restless thoughts churning in her mind. Despite herself, she wondered what it would be like to let her guard down, to let him close enough to truly see her. She had always held herself back, built walls to protect herself from the pain of rejection, the sting of not being enough. But Avinash... he didn't seem the type to be swayed by her doubts or fears. He had shown her a side of himself that was relentless, determined, and somehow-against her better judgment-she found herself drawn to it.

But no matter what she felt, she reminded herself that she had to be careful. She couldn't let herself be swept away by his charm, his intensity. She had worked too hard to build a life for herself, one that was steady, even if it was lonely. Letting Avinash in would risk everything.

And yet, as sleep finally claimed her, she couldn't shake the image of his face, his promise, and the way he'd looked at her as if she was the only person in the world.

........