Destiny For Unlikely Vows

Chapter 41

After getting into my old room, I started unpacking. After two hours, I had finally set up the space, even though it was only temporary. I was exhausted, so I collapsed onto the bed and fell asleep.

Around 9 PM, someone knocked on my door. I was so fatigued that I didn’t want to get up, so I ignored it. A few minutes later, the knocking turned into loud banging, finally forcing me awake. As I opened my eyes, another loud bang echoed through the room. Abruptly, I got up and opened the door—only to be tackled by someone.

We both fell to the ground, and he landed right on top of me. A sharp pain shot through my back as it hit the floor. But before I could even register my discomfort, I heard him wince in pain as well.

“What the heck?! I’m the one stuck under a giant rock here!” I snapped.
Instead of standing up, he stayed there, staring down at me. And then, to my disbelief, he had the audacity to ask, “Are you alright? And why the hell weren’t you opening the door?”
He was shouting at me—at me!
“Get off me!” I pushed at his chest, trying to shove him away. But he was stubborn.

“I won’t let you go until you answer me,” he declared.
I really didn’t want to engage with him, but hell, I didn’t want him on top of me the entire time either.
“I fell asleep, okay?” I muttered, frustrated. “I didn’t hear anyone knocking.” Then, unable to hold back my resentment, I added, “And why do you even care? Wouldn’t it be better for you if I had died or just disappeared? That way, you could get rid of me easily.”
His expression darkened, and before I could process what was happening, he attacked me—with a kiss.
What the hell?!

I struggled, pounding my fists against his chest, but the man didn’t even flinch. He held me firmly in place, his lips forceful against mine. I was running out of breath, and sensing that, he finally let go.
I gasped, preparing to yell at him, but before I could utter a word, he kissed me again.

He’s a pervert! How could he do this to me?!
I had always imagined my first real kiss would be with someone I loved—someone who loved me back. But this? This was nothing but punishment, a cruel reminder of how trapped I was. Maybe I was just paying for all the money he had spent on me.

I kept struggling to break free, but this man had no intention of letting me go.
Then, suddenly—Celine walked in.
I froze.
She was blushing, probably thinking we were caught in some kind of intimate moment. I wanted to die of embarrassment, but he—the shameless jerk—smirked at me. Instead of letting me go, he rubbed his nose against mine before finally getting up.

Turning to Celine, he said, “Riya isn’t feeling well, so take care of her for the next five days. After that, she’ll be the one cooking for me.” Then, as if to torment me further, he winked at me before leaving the room.
This man has no shame.

I didn’t even know what to say to Celine. Scrambling for an explanation, I blurted out, “It was an accident! He was knocking on the door, and I opened it late, so I think he was about to break it down, and when I opened it suddenly, he fell on me.”
Celine smiled. “Relax. I know you guys are married.”

I stiffened. What?! My voice failed me.
How did she know?
Celine had always been more than just a house help to me—she was my friend. And yet, I had kept my unwanted marriage a secret from her.
As if sensing my guilt, she said, “Mr. Rathore already informed me before you arrived.” She hesitated before adding, “I was just surprised that you two are living in separate rooms.”
I scoffed. “He’s nothing but a rude, arrogant man.”

Celine, however, shook her head. “He acts like a rude and macho man, but deep down, he’s just a child—his heart is full of emotions.”
I frowned. “You don’t know him like I do.”

“You don’t know what he’s done for me, Riya,” she said softly.
Something about her tone made me pause. Out of curiosity, I asked, “What do you mean?”
She took a deep breath before beginning her story.
Celine had been nineteen when she ran away from home with the man she loved, Matthis. He was twenty-two at the time. She had no parents—only an aunt who treated her poorly, barely giving her food. She had gone hungry for days.

Then, a wealthy family moved into her neighborhood. That’s where she met Matthis. They fell in love, but his family refused to accept their relationship. So, they ran away.
For a while, things were good. Matthis had arranged everything for them, and when Celine got pregnant, he worked as an accountant at a pharmacy to support them. But then, tragedy struck.

During a robbery, Matthis was shot and killed.
That’s when Celine’s real struggle began. She was left alone, three months pregnant, with no one to turn to.
Then, one day, Agastya came to Paris. He found her working as a maid. By then, her son, Matisel, was older. But Agastya didn’t just help her—he sponsored her son’s entire education. And not just his, but also his best friend, Jules, who was an orphan and refused to be separated from Matisel.
I frowned. “He’s rich. Of course, he helped you. He should have.”
Celine shook her head. “You don’t understand. When Agastya started helping me, he was just a student himself. He worked multiple jobs to support my son and Jules. He even tutored them himself. Despite coming from a wealthy family, he refused to depend on his parents. He did it all on his own.”

I was speechless.
She continued, “And when he became successful, he didn’t stop there. He adopted 100 orphan children and personally sponsors their education. You won’t find any of this in magazines or charity reports—he never talks about it publicly. But every time he makes a decision regarding these children, he discusses it with me. He considers me his big sister.”

I stared at her, unable to believe what I was hearing.
I had gone through a lot in life, but compared to her? It was nothing.
Celine smiled and pulled me into a hug. Then, she said, “Come for dinner,” before leaving the room.
After freshening up, I made my way to the dining area. He was already there, dressed in sweatpants and a black T-shirt. His muscles were bulging under the fabric.

The only thing I actually liked about him was how good-looking he was.
Not that I would ever admit that.
I sat across from him and began eating. But when I glanced up, I found him eyeing me like a predator.
My heart pounded. I didn’t stop to analyze it—I simply finished my dinner as fast as possible and ran back to my room, slamming the door shut behind me.