Ishq hua (Duet 1)

Chapter 16: Hate me

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Usse phle please chapter mat expect krna 😔 target complete kro 😭 a week and a half later mai khud chapter daal doongi

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The low hum of the car engine filled the tense silence as they drove toward the Rai Singhania mansion for their annual gala. Aira sat rigidly in the passenger seat, her posture impeccable, her hands folded neatly in her lap. The baby pink gown she wore, shimmering faintly under the passing streetlights, was Arsh's choice - one he had specifically picked for her. Her hair cascaded down her shoulders in soft waves, the picture of elegance.

Yet, despite her composed exterior, the air between them crackled with barely concealed tension.

As far as he knew it was her favorite colour and yet she didn't back down from a tantrum.

Arsh's hands gripped the steering wheel tightly, his jaw taut as he cast a glance at her. Aira's gaze was fixed on the window, her profile illuminated faintly by the glow outside. She seemed detached, her jaw set in that resolute way that told him she was not in the mood for any pleasantries. Not that they ever indulged in such things.

"I am taking you out because you said you find it suffocating back at home," Arsh said finally, his voice sharp, colder than he intended.

He had gone out of his way to do this - to appease her, to meet her unspoken demand for freedom, even if only temporarily. The gown, the evening, everything had been orchestrated for her. And yet...

Aira didn't even glance his way. Her voice came clipped and dry, laced with sarcasm. "Are you expecting a thank-you?"

His jaw ticked at her response, irritation flickering to life. "Then try to look like you are not being dragged there against your will," he snapped, his temper rising despite his efforts to keep it in check.

Her head whipped toward him, her eyes blazing with defiance. "Don't lecture me on appearances, Mr. Oberoi. You are the one who has perfected the art of playing pretend."

Her words cut sharper than he cared to admit. His fingers tightened on the wheel. "Careful, Aira."

"Or what?" she retorted, leaning toward him, her tone sharp and goading. "You will force me out of this dress just like you forced me into it?"

The car swerved slightly as he turned his head to look at her, his eyes dark and intense, locking onto hers. Her words stirred something volatile in him - a dangerous mix of frustration and the maddening urge to strip away the sarcasm she wielded so carelessly.

"Keep your tone in check," he warned, his voice low and edged with a threat.

Her gaze didn't falter. Her eyes narrowed, her silence louder than her words.

"You are making it harder on yourself, Aira," Arsh continued, his tone sharp and deliberate.

Her expression hardened as she turned fully to face him, her eyes cutting into his. "You don't get to tell me what's hard, Arsh. Dragging me to this circus is your idea of control, not mine."

The venom in her words hit like a slap. He tried to rein in the anger simmering beneath his skin. "That was not my intention."

"What else could it possibly be about?" she snapped, her voice rising, cutting through the tension. "You have already taken everything from me - my family, my freedom, my choices. Hell, even my sanity. What more do you want?"

Arsh slammed his palm against the steering wheel, the sound reverberating in the confined space. "Enough," he growled, his voice a low, dangerous rumble. "You tried to run, Aira. You brought this on yourself."