Is cheating always meant to be physical? What if he emotionally betrays you? But what do you call it when your husband shares his dreams, emotions, victories, and time with another woman... slowly forgets that you even exist? (Short story)

Rabya was unwillingly tied up in a knot of marriage with the only son of a big Zamindar; Adhrit Singh Chauhan. She once had a happy life, trying to achieve her dreams in the metropolitan city by striving to become independent so that she can financially support her family. But then, her one mistake and she was forced to marry Adhrit who's a decade older than her and lives in that regressive part of a small town in Uttar Pradesh where girls are not even allowed to step out of their house. Will Adhrit ever be able to be loved by his wife? Or will she always remain his unwilling bride?

𝐀𝐀𝐑𝐀𝐕 𝐌𝐀𝐋𝐇𝐎𝐓𝐑𝐀 × 𝐑𝐈𝐘𝐀 𝐜𝐞𝐨 × 𝐚𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝕮𝖆𝖓 𝖇𝖊 𝖗𝖊𝖆𝖉 𝖆𝖘 𝖘𝖙𝖆𝖓𝖉 𝖆𝖑𝖔𝖓𝖊..... ══ ❀•°❀°•❀ ══ Riya... Just riya. No surname... She left that behind for good. For the past three years, she had been his personal assistant. Efficient, smart, and unfailingly reliable. From not even knowing how to work a coffee machine to anticipating what Aarav wanted before he even asked, she had grown so much. To most people, she seemed simply reserved, maybe even distant. But there was a heaviness in her eyes, an unspoken story she carried in silence, waiting for the moment it could no longer stay hidden. --- Aarav Malhotra... a man people didn't argue with. CEO and director of his father's legacy, he ran his office like a battlefield. Mistakes weren't forgiven. Mediocrity wasn't tolerated. He was sharp, cold, and precise, a presence that demanded attention. Yet behind the suit and the stern expressions, there was another side to him. Around family, his walls came down. The sharp edges softened. He became gentle and caring. To most, he was unapproachable. But to the few he allowed close, he was everything he seemed not to be. --- What happens when aarav asks Riya's hand in marriage for convenience? Would their story only be limited to convenience? Or will the two lives bloom into something beautiful? --- Age gap (6 years) Arranged marriage Trauma healing Slow burn --- #2 in india (29.04.2026 and more)