Shivaay stormed into his room and slammed the door shut, twisting the lock with a sharp click. His chest was heaving, his mind a whirlwind of chaos.
He ran a hand through his hair, pacing restlessly. "What the hell just happened?"
He had lost control. He had snapped. And in doing so, he had said something he never intended to—something he wasn’t even ready to admit to himself.
His fists clenched as he replayed the scene in his head. The way Anika had looked at him—shocked, speechless.
Shivaay exhaled sharply and leaned against the door, squeezing his eyes shut. "What is she thinking right now? Does she think I’m insane? Does she—" He groaned, shaking his head. "Of course, she does."
He didn’t even know when this happened—when she happened.
Was it when she barged into his life like a storm in that cafe, disrupting his perfect order?
Was it when she comforted him, accepting the vulnerable side of him he never showed anyone?
Was it when she became his first real friend, someone who saw him beyond Shivaay Singh Oberoi, the businessman?
Was it when she made him laugh in a way he hadn’t in years?
He didn't know. He just knew that somewhere along the way, she had become something more. Her disappearance hurt him more than it should have.
And now, he had let it slip.
Frustration built up inside him like a fire he couldn't put out. He wasn't supposed to feel this way.
And yet, he did.
"I will apologise to her and tell her to forget everything." He made a mental note
_______________
Anika sat frozen in her bed long after Shivaay had stormed out. Her heart was still racing, her mind spiraling with thoughts she couldn’t untangle.
He had admitted it. Maybe not in the most direct way, but it was clear—Shivaay liked her.
She should be happy, right? The man she had unknowingly fallen for felt the same way. It should have made her heart soar. But it didn’t.
Instead, it left her confused. Restless.
Because what did this even mean?
She had never felt this way about anyone before. She had never been in love. Never even liked a man the way she liked Shivaay.
Yes, they made each other comfortable. Yes, she could be her unfiltered self around him. But apart from that… did she even know the things that mattered?
Did she know his daily habits? The little things people needed to know to truly be a couple?
Would she ever fit into his world?
Because this—whatever it was between them—had started as a lie. A pretense. She had walked into the Oberoi mansion as his fake girlfriend.
Something that started off fake could never turn into something real. Could it?
And beyond everything, she was from the slums. She had fought her way through life, built herself from nothing. And he—he is royalty.
Even if she had feelings for him, even if he had feelings for her, where did they go from here?
She exhaled sharply and leaned her head back against the pillow, closing her eyes.
For the first time, she wasn’t sure if her heart was something she should listen to.
______________________
The Next Morning
Anika was still trying to process the storm from last night when Rudra barged into her room, his usual energy intact.
YOU ARE READING
The GIRLFRIEND Deal
Romansa"The best relationships usually begin unexpectedly" Shivaay Singh Oberoi, a heartbroken lover whose ex betrayed him after a successful relationship of 5 years. His faith on love ceases to zero. Anika, an aspiring Interior designer does local plays...
