The Unwanted Royal Marriage

43.What I've always wanted.

Adhyay's POV:

As we descended the stairs together, I could feel something wasn't right. Meera was acting a little too casual about the situation, and I could see the tension in her eyes as she greeted Abhimaan Bhai sa and Sarthak. The moment they started speaking, I knew something was off. There was an urgency in their voices, something I couldn't quite place.

The words they used didn't make sense, and Meera's response was just too smooth, too quick. She brushed it off as nothing more than a business matter, but I could see through her act. I knew my wife better than anyone. She wasn't the type to hide things, but when she did, it meant she was protecting someone—maybe even me.

"Sarthak, Bhai sa," I said, trying to keep my tone neutral, but I couldn't mask the confusion. "What's going on? Meera seems... fine with it, but I don't understand. What's this about the orchids and gardeners?"

They both looked uncomfortable and for a moment, I felt my heart race. I was used to the business, to handling matters that most people wouldn't dream of. But this felt different. I wasn't sure if it was my gut telling me something or just the way they were avoiding my questions, but the unease was palpable.

I looked at Meera then, and her face gave nothing away. She was the master of hiding her feelings, but this was different. She wasn't even meeting my eyes. Instead, she was busy reassuring me, trying to calm me down with that playful smile, but I wasn't buying it. I could tell that something was weighing on her, and it wasn't just about business.

"Meera, don't hide it from me," I said, my voice low but firm. "If something's wrong, I need to know. We've been through too much for you to keep things from me. You know that, right?"

Her eyes flickered, and I saw a brief flash of something in her expression. Guilt? Fear? It was gone in an instant, but it was enough for me to know that I was right. There was something she wasn't telling me.

She smiled then, a little too brightly. "I told you, it's nothing, Adhyay. Just a small issue with Flower Plus. Sarthak and Bhai sa just like to overreact."

I didn't say anything immediately, but I could feel the doubt creeping in. Meera wasn't the type to lie, but she was hiding something from me. It wasn't about the business. I knew that much.

"Alright," I said, though I wasn't convinced. "But I'm here, Meera. Don't forget that. You don't have to carry this burden alone."

She nodded, her smile softening, but I saw the hesitation in her eyes. It made my stomach tighten, and I wanted nothing more than to pull her close, to hold her and make everything go away. But I couldn't. Not when there were things she wasn't telling me.

As Abhimaan Bhai sa and Sarthak left, I stood there for a moment, watching Meera as she turned away. She was trying so hard to shield me from whatever was going on, but I couldn't let it slide. I had to figure out what was happening, for her sake—and mine.

I walked up behind her, wrapping my arms around her waist as I leaned in to kiss the top of her head. "I trust you, Meera," I whispered, though doubt lingered in my chest. "But don't push me away when you need me the most."

She leaned back into me, her body warm and comforting, but I could feel the tension in her. She didn't say anything, and I didn't press her further. For now, I would let her have her space, but I wasn't going to stop until I got the truth.

We left for work shortly after, and though the city buzzed around us, all I could think about was Meera. Her secret was eating at me. I didn't care if she thought she was protecting me—I had to protect her, and I wasn't going to let anything happen to her.