Destiny For Unlikely Vows

Chapter 10: Agastya's Calculation

Agastya woke up that morning with a sense of grim satisfaction. The events of last night still lingered in his mind, but he had compartmentalized them. He knew he had crossed a line, but it wasn't like he cared. Riya was his wife now-there was no escaping that fact, no matter how much she resisted.

His morning had been filled with business as usual. After a quick shower, he dressed in a tailored suit and took his laptop to the room next door for his meeting. Before that, though, he had made a few calls-to his family, to hers-crafting the narrative that would protect him from any suspicion. The story about Amit was convenient, and he delivered it flawlessly. Now everyone thought of him as the noble husband, saving his wife from a dangerous man.

As he ended his meeting and prepared to head to lunch, a nagging thought crept into his mind. What if Riya had left? Panic gripped him for a split second, but he quickly dismissed it. He called his grandmother, just to be sure. When she confirmed that Riya was with them, he felt an odd sense of relief wash over him.

He wasn't sure why he cared. Maybe it was guilt, but he doubted it. No, it was something else. He had to see her, to make sure she was fine-or at least present. It wasn't about concern for her well-being. It was about control.

When he entered the lunch area, his eyes immediately found her. She was sitting quietly, her face blank, dressed in a red saree that clung to her like a second skin. Her hair was neatly done, and her lips glistened with a soft sheen of lip balm. But it wasn't her appearance that caught his attention-it was the emptiness in her eyes, the way she sat there like a ghost among the living.

For a brief moment, Agastya felt something stir in him, a pang of...was it regret? No, that wasn't it. He pushed the thought away and focused instead on how stunning she looked. The red saree, the bangles, the delicate bindi on her forehead-it all made her look like some kind of ethereal being. He had known Riya for years, but this version of her was new, and it fascinated him. She was no longer the clumsy girl from school.

She was beautiful. And she was his.

As he approached, her grandmother launched into praise for him, thanking him for protecting Riya. He basked in it, letting the words wash over him like a warm glow. But something was off. Riya wouldn't look at him.

He smirked, leaning in just enough to catch her attention. "How's my wifey?" he asked, his voice dripping with false charm.

When her eyes finally met his, it was like a shockwave. There was no warmth there, no gratitude. Only cold, hard defiance. For the first time, Agastya felt something twist inside him, a feeling he couldn't quite name.
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Hi, My Lovely Readers!

Thank you for reading this chapter of *Destiny for Unlikely Vows*. Your support means everything to me as I embark on this exciting writing journey. ❤️

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