Stuck with the boss

Ch -18 Wicked

Shreya's POV

I was gliding down the stairs.

Nervous? Yes.

But absolutely not giving that beast the satisfaction of seeing it.

So I wore my best weapon—my smile.

A calm, composed, "I-am-totally-not-panicking-about-marrying-a-man-I-used-to-insult-on-a-daily-basis" smile.

I avoided his gaze completely and locked eyes with my dad instead.

He looked emotional.

I looked like I was entering a battlefield in couture.

Same thing, really.

I felt like a princess.

But what's the point of looking like one when you're basically walking into a legally binding agreement with a devil?

Still... a stupid thought crossed my mind.

What if devils can change?

Then I immediately rejected it.

Because that only happens in movies... and I am unfortunately not delusional enough for that genre.

I was pulled out of my thoughts when my mother snapped.

"Stop travelling in your dream world."

"I'm not."

She gave me that look.

I shut up.

⸻

I was asked to sit beside Reyhansh.

Of course.

Because destiny loves comedy.

He was already sitting there in royal blue Indian attire looking like he personally invented arrogance.

And unfortunately... good looks.

That was his only tolerable feature.

I sat down carefully.

No eye contact.

No reaction.

No oxygen to his ego.

Easy.

Or so I thought.

⸻

From the side, I heard whispering.

Aayush: "He looks like a villain in a high-budget film."

Aryan: "I like his watch."

Abhay: "Focus. This is an engagement, not a product review."

I wanted to disappear into the floor.

⸻

Rey leaned slightly closer.

"Relax," he murmured. "You look like you're about to attend your own execution."

I whispered back without looking at him.

"Because I am."

He chuckled softly.

That annoying, confident chuckle.

⸻

The ceremony went on.

45 minutes of rituals, rings, people smiling like everything was normal.

It wasn't.

Nothing about this was normal.

This was a well-dressed hostage situation.