UNWILLINGLY HIS

He is hiding something

As they drove away from the office building, Samaira couldn’t stop her mind from replaying Advait’s words at the press conference. “I love Samaira more than anything now, and no matter what life throws at me, I will never let her go. I will always protect her.”

She gritted her teeth, shaking her head. She knew it was all an act, carefully staged for the media. But still, the sincerity in his voice and the warmth in his eyes—those were things she couldn’t ignore, no matter how much she wanted to.

Breaking the heavy silence in the car, she finally said, “I never knew that besides being a good businessman, you were such a talented actor. You should consider pursuing a career in acting. Your words at the conference really caught me off guard for a moment.”

Then her tone shifted, her voice dripping with sarcasm. “Oh, but wait. I should have recognized your acting skills long ago. After all, it’s because of your talent that you managed to destroy my life so perfectly.”

Advait didn’t respond immediately. His focus remained on the road, his expression unreadable. Just as she thought he’d ignore her completely, he spoke, his voice calm and unnervingly warm. “Every word I said today at the conference is the truth. Not a single word was a lie.”

Samaira almost scoffed. “What twisted game are you trying to play now? You yourself admitted you married me for revenge. And now, suddenly, you’re saying you love me?”

Advait didn’t flinch. His tone remained steady, almost gentle. “You’ll get your answers soon, Samaira. Every question you have will be answered. But right now, neither of us is ready. There are some tasks I need to finish first.”

His words hit her like a sharp knife, leaving her startled and confused. “W-what do you mean?” she stammered. “And when exactly is this ‘soon’ supposed to come? The great Advait Singh Shekhawat, admitting he has unfinished business? How ironic.”

Advait slowed the car down and eventually brought it to a stop by the side of the road. He turned towards her, his piercing gaze locking with hers, and leaned in closer. Her breath hitched, and her heart pounded against her chest.

She froze, unsure of what he was about to do. Her racing heartbeat filled the silence as he reached over—only to press the button on her seatbelt and unbuckle it. His voice was low, almost a whisper. “When the time comes, you’ll get the answers you’re so desperately searching for. But until then, just remember one thing—you’re mine. And I know how to protect what’s mine. No one can change that.”

He stepped out of the car, walked around to her side, and opened the door. “Go inside. Enjoy the time you have with your family. Tomorrow, you’re coming back with me.”

Samaira blinked in shock. Her heart still raced as she got out of the car and walked toward the house. Her mind was a whirlwind of thoughts, his words playing on repeat. She barely registered what he had said about tomorrow, too preoccupied with the storm of emotions raging within her.

As soon as she stepped into the house, her father greeted her. “So, he did what he wanted, but you gave him an unexpected shock,” he said, his tone tinged with satisfaction.

“I did what I had to,” she replied firmly. “I can’t risk him blackmailing me into submission by threatening our family business.” She hesitated for a moment, then added, “But... did I do the right thing by announcing the merger?”

Her father gave her a proud smile. “Of course, you did. This way, he won’t dare harm our business because if he does, it’ll hurt him just as much. I’ve always known you had the skills for business. Of course, you do. But you chose to become a doctor—”

“Papa,” she interrupted, her voice tired. “We’ve had this discussion before, and it’s not the time to bring it up again.”

“I know, I know,” he said with a small laugh. “But I’m proud of you, Samaira. Now go and rest. Join us for dinner later.”

Samaira nodded and headed to her room. She changed into more comfortable clothes, then reached for her mangalsutra, her fingers brushing against it. Advait’s words from earlier echoed in her mind, and she paused, staring at herself in the mirror.

A sudden notification snapped her out of her thoughts. It was a message from Advait. “Be ready at 10 o’clock tomorrow. I’ll pick you up. Don’t keep me waiting.”

She read the message twice, frowning. “Be ready? For what? The conference was today. What could he possibly want tomorrow?” She tried to recall their conversation and suddenly remembered his words: “Tomorrow, you’re coming back with me.”

Her heart sank further. Tomorrow was Naksh’s homecoming, and she couldn’t leave without meeting him.

She paced her room, debating whether to call Advait. “Should I ask him to let me stay? What if he says no? But if I don’t ask, I won’t get an answer either.”

Gathering her courage, she dialed his number. The line connected after two rings.

“Oh, wow. Look who’s calling me,” Advait said, his usual coldness replaced with a playful tone.

“Funny. But not,” she replied dryly. “I called to ask where we’re heading tomorrow. Are we going to Jaipur, or are we staying here?”

“We’re staying here,” he said, his voice calm. “I have some unfinished tasks.”

“Great,” she said, her tone softening into a plea. “So, can I stay here for two more days? Naksh is coming home after a long time, and I really want to spend time with him. Look, I’m not trying to run away or anything. I’ve already decided I won’t run. But I need this day.”

There was a pause.

“You can, but only for two days not a single minute more than it,” he said finally.

Samaira was about to argue, thinking he had refused, but then the words sank in. “Oh. Thank you!” she said, her voice brimming with excitement, before hanging up.

On the other end, Advait sat back, a small smile tugging at his lips. He had anticipated her call, and her joy was a reminder of why he couldn’t afford to let her go.

As Samaira lay in bed that night, she felt a fleeting sense of victory. But beneath it all, she couldn’t shake the feeling that the storm between her and Advait was far from over.