Her Deviant Husband

Chapter 36

Athira's pov.

The soft hum of the car's engine filled the air, blending with the occasional meow from Luna.

She nestled in the carrier on my lap, her tiny white paw poking through the mesh to bat at my fingers.

I couldn't help but smile, despite the ache in my chest.

Stroking her soft fur, I felt a fragile sense of calm settle over me—a sharp contrast to the storm of emotions swirling in my mind.

"Luna," I whispered, letting her paw wrap around my finger.

"You're gonna be troublemaker already, huh? Reyansh's allergies are going to kill him."

She meowed softly, as if in agreement, and I chuckled.

The laughter felt foreign, like it didn't belong to me anymore. I felt so used the fake laughs and mocking smiles now that the soft laugh felt distant.

However it was better than the suffocating silence that seemed to linger recently. Luna purred as I gently scratched behind her ear, and for a moment, I forgot about everything—Reyansh, his bullshit, the suffocating life I'd been forced into.

But as the cityscape blurred outside the tinted windows, my thoughts drifted to Papa.

The man who had taught me how to fight back, how to stand tall even when the world seemed determined to push me down.

I could almost hear his voice, deep and warm, calling me his little moon.

He would've loved Luna.

He would've laughed at the idea of a kitten turning Reyansh's life into a living hell. And he would've hated seeing me like this—afraid to make decisions.

Tears pricked the corners of my eyes, and I quickly blinked them away. Get a grip,I told myself.

Papa wouldn't want me crying over this shit.

Vihaan's voice broke through my thoughts. "Ma'am, should I take the usual route home?"

I hesitated, staring down at Luna.

Her tiny face tilted up toward me, her blue eyes wide and curious, as if she could sense my turmoil. I took a deep breath, the decision forming before I even realized it.

"No," I said, my voice firmer than I expected. "Turn towards the company. My family's company."

Vihaan's hands tightened on the steering wheel, his eyes darting to me in the rearview mirror. "Ma'am, that might not be the best idea..."

"I wasn't asking for your opinion," I said evenly, cutting him off. "It's an order, Vihaan. Turn the car."

He hesitated, his jaw clenching. For a moment, I thought he might argue, but then he nodded stiffly and flicked on the turn signal. The car veered toward the route that led to the towering glass building of my company—

"Ma'am, I strongly advise against this," Vihaan tried again, his voice cautious. "Sir—"

"Don't you fucking dare," I interrupted, my tone sharp enough to make him halt. "Don't you dare mention him right now. And if you so much as utter a word about this to Reyansh, I swear to God."

Vihaan's lips pressed into a thin line, but he didn't say anything else.

I didn't need his loyalty to Reyansh complicating things further.

As the car pulled up to the company entrance, I gently placed Luna back in her carrier and zipped it up. She meowed in protest, her tiny paw pressing against the mesh as if to say, Where are you going?