BEYOND UNFINISHED✔️

Chapter 23. The First Defiance

Song:- Manmuradein (Vivek Hariharan)

"Wherever you go,
Whatever you do,
I'll always be there...
Supporting you..."

RAJVANSH RESIDENCY – MORNING

Anaya hadn't slept a single moment.

The echo of Arjun's words—his cold, possessive voice from last night—still haunted her. It was as if the Arjun she'd started to know was a lie. The soft eyes, the hidden warmth... had it just been a façade?

But why? Why would he pretend when he had already shown her his worst?

No, she told herself. I can't let him back into my head. He's manipulative. Controlling. Dangerous.

She sat up with a sigh and glanced at the mail from the hospital. Perfect. Her unannounced absence had already been noticed. Thank god her father was one of the chairpersons—otherwise, she'd be suspended. Today, I'm going to work. No matter what.

She walked briskly to the closet, pulled her suitcase out, and gathered what she needed. She needed to ask Vedika for a new room—far from Arjun. If she was going to be stuck here, she needed some boundaries. Some control.

As she stepped out, clutching her bag...

Ugh. No phone.

She muttered under her breath, "Perfect. Lost my freedom, my sanity... now my phone too."

ARJUN'S ROOM

Arjun awoke to the faint creak of a closing door.

He sat upright, eyes narrowing. He walked quickly into her room—empty. Checked the bathroom. Empty.

His jaw clenched. Where the hell is she?

Storming into the hallway, he found her wandering—lost.

She was looking around the foyer, clearly trying to figure her way out.

He stepped right behind her, his voice low, husky—dangerous.

"Looking for something, Mrs. Rajvansh? Or maybe a way to escape?"

Anaya nearly jumped out of her skin, spinning to face him. Her eyes widened at the sight of him—barely awake, hair tousled, shirt hanging loosely off his shoulder. Why did he always look like sin personified?

Focus, Anaya!

He noticed her eyes on him, smirked.

"Like what you see?"

"W-what? No! I wasn't looking—I mean—I was just—ugh, forget it!" she turned away, cheeks burning.

"Trying to run away, huh?" he stepped closer.

"If I had that option, I'd be out that damn window!" she snapped.

That did it.

Before she could blink, she was pinned against the nearest wall, his arms on either side of her face, body towering over her.

His voice dropped to a growl, dark and low.

"Say that again... and I won't be responsible for what I do next. You know me, baby. I don't just threaten." His lips were inches from her skin. "You're not going anywhere. Wife."

She swallowed hard. His breath touched her face—warm and dangerously intimate.

She stared at him defiantly. "So now I'm not even allowed to go out? What am I—a prisoner in your mansion?" Her voice broke. "You manipulated my parents, made me hate my best friend, and now you're caging me like a trophy. Should I ask your permission to breathe too?!"