Forbidden Mania | 18+

30.

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𝑀𝒾𝓈𝒽𝓀𝒶'𝓈 𝒫𝑜𝓋~

I stared at Arsh, my heart pounding so loudly I was sure he could hear it. Kolkata. The unknown caller was from Kolkata.

Shock coursed through my veins, making my fingers tremble slightly as I reached for my glass of water. My mother… She had lived in Kolkata her whole life. Could it be someone from her past? Someone who knew something I didn’t?

I was hurt. No, wounded. I didn't want to get involved in my mother's past. I had spent years trying to separate myself from the ghost of her existence, from the weight of the secrets she had left behind. Yet, no matter how much I tried, something kept pulling me back.

And now, fear settled in my bones, a cold, suffocating fear.

What if Arsh found out the real reason his mother had called me? What if he knew the truth about Raghav? About the condition his mother had placed before me? What if he chooses Raghav over me?

I don't wanna left behind, Arsh.

I gripped the glass tightly, staring at the liquid inside, willing my emotions to settle. His gaze was sharp, unreadable. I could feel him studying me, waiting for a reaction.

Say something, Mishka. Don't let him see through you.

I forced a small, breathy chuckle, though my throat was dry.

"That's… strange." I muttered, placing the glass back on the table.

"I mean, I don't know anyone from Kolkata personally. Except for my mother, but that doesn't mean anything, right?" I added quickly.

He didn't respond immediately. He leaned forward, resting his elbows on the table, his fingers intertwined. His silence was more terrifying than his words.

"You sure about that?" His voice was calm, but there was something dangerous lurking beneath it.

I nodded quickly. "Yes. I mean, what would someone from Kolkata want from me?"

A muscle in his jaw ticked, but he didn't push further. Instead, he exhaled through his nose and sat back. "Maybe nothing. Maybe everything."

His words sent a chill down my spine.

I forced myself to smile, pretending I wasn't suffocating under the weight of my own lies. "You worry too much, Arsh."

He studied me for a moment before shaking his head. "No, Mishka. I just can't afford to lose you."

And that's exactly why I couldn't tell him the truth.

I needed to steer the conversation away from this suffocating topic before his sharp mind pieced together things I wasn't ready to reveal.

So, without thinking, I blurted out, "Have you ever thought about our marriage? I mean… the wedding and… um… honeymoon plans?"

The moment the words left my lips, I froze. My entire body tensed as the weight of my own question settled in. My cheeks burned instantly, and I wanted nothing more than to vanish into thin air.

Arsh, on the other hand, went completely still. Then, a slow, lazy smirk curved his lips, his eyes darkening with amusement… and something else. Something dangerous.

"Mishy." He said, his voice dropping an octave as he leaned forward slightly. "Are you asking me where I want to take you after I make you mine?"

I choked on my own breath. "N-No! That's not what I—"