He said that and stood up, still holding my hand.

I also stood up and immediately tried to pull my hand free, but instead of letting go, his grip tightened.

I looked at him.

He wasn't even paying attention to me.

No...

He was busy typing something on his phone as if holding my hand was the most normal thing in the world.

"Sir..." I called hesitantly.

"Hmm?" he hummed without looking up.

"Umm... my hand... please leave it."

He finally looked at me, then frowned in confusion.

"What's the problem?"

"I... I have to pick up my file and tablet," I replied awkwardly.

He glanced at my free hand and then looked back at me.

"Your other hand is free. Use that."

I clenched my jaw.

Unbelievable.

Letting out a defeated sigh, I picked up my file and tablet with my free hand.

Then we started walking.

Or rather...

He started walking while still holding my hand.

I tried once again to free myself.

His grip tightened.

He didn't even look at me this time.

Instead, he simply continued walking ahead as though nothing unusual was happening.

I glared at him in frustration.

The hotel staff and his security guards looked at us as if we were some rare species.

If the ground had opened up right then, I would've happily jumped into it.

Soon, we reached another car.

It wasn't the one we had come in earlier.

He walked to the passenger side and opened the door for me.

I looked at him in shock.

Then instinctively looked around.

Several security guards and a few restaurant staff members were watching us.

Completely embarrassed, I quickly got inside the car.

He closed the door before walking around and sitting in the driver's seat.

As he was about to start the engine, I found myself staring at him.

No...

Not at him.

At what he was doing.

Suddenly, he looked at me.

Before I could react, he slowly leaned toward me.

Closer.

And closer.

My breathing stopped.

Those deep brown eyes kept coming nearer, making it impossible to look away.

For a second, I genuinely felt like I would drown in them.

As he leaned even closer, my heartbeat raced.

Unable to handle the closeness, I tightly closed my eyes and instinctively turned my face toward the window.

A second later...

Click.

I slowly opened one eye.

He had simply reached across to fasten my seat belt.

His face was still only inches away from mine.

He looked at me for a brief second before quietly returning to his seat.

Only then did I realize I had been holding my breath.

I let it out slowly.

Without looking at him again, I turned my face toward the window.

The car started moving.

A few moments later, I felt his fingers wrap around my hand again.

I looked down.

He had taken my hand, resting it gently over the hand he kept on the gear lever while driving.

Whenever he needed to change gears, he did so without letting go of my hand.

I looked at him.

He remained completely focused on the road, behaving as though this was perfectly normal.

Surprisingly...

I didn't even try to pull my hand back this time.

Maybe because I already knew...

He wasn't going to let go anyway.

I silently watched the passing shops, malls, and traffic outside the window.

After a while, he broke the silence.

"What do you want to eat?"

I looked at him.

"I don't want to eat anything. I just want to go home."

He glanced at me briefly, as if checking whether I was telling the truth.

Then his eyes returned to the road.

"But you hardly ate anything at the restaurant. Half of your puffed pastry was still left. Maybe you didn't like it. We can go to another restaurant."

I looked at him as if he had grown another head.

Then I muttered under my breath,

"Haan haan... kaise halk se utarti woh pastry? Achanak shaadi ka bomb sar par phodoge toh aur kya hoga?"

(Yeah, right... how was I supposed to swallow that pastry after you suddenly dropped a marriage bomb on my head?)

"What are you muttering?" he asked.

I immediately shook my head.

"Nothing."

Then I added,

"I really don't want to eat anything. And about the pastry... it was simply too much for me. I don't usually eat that much, so that's why I left it."

A few minutes later, I noticed he had taken a different route.

"No... no... take the left. My house isn't this way."

He looked at me for a moment before calmly replying,

"I know."

Then he added,

"But before going to your home..."

"We're going somewhere else."

He knows...?

How the hell does he know where I live?

Only then did I realize that during the entire drive, I had been so lost in my thoughts that I hadn't even noticed he had taken the exact route leading toward my home.

After a few more minutes, he pulled the car over.

"You wait here. I'll be back."

Without another word, he stepped out of the car.

Curiosity got the better of me.

I got out as well and looked around.

The place was almost deserted.

Only a few small shops were still open, their dim lights barely reaching where I stood. Beyond them, the road disappeared into a dense stretch of forest.

The evening breeze had turned cold.

The sound of leaves rustling against one another echoed through the silence, making the entire place feel strangely eerie.

An involuntary shiver ran down my spine.

I wrapped my arms around myself, rubbing them to keep warm while staring at the dark road leading into the forest.

Suddenly...

Something landed on my shoulder.

"Aah!"

I shrieked and spun around in panic.

The moment I saw him, I let out the breath I had been holding.

He looked at me apologetically.

"Hey... relax. I'm sorry. I should've told you before coming near you."

I shook my head.

"Aisi baat nahi hai. Main dar gayi thi ki mere kandhe par koi keeda aa gaya. Ek toh aisi jungle side lekar aaye ho."

(It's not that. I got scared thinking some insect had landed on my shoulder. And on top of that, you've brought me to a place beside a forest.)

Even while complaining, I couldn't stop shivering.

He noticed immediately.

"First, sit inside."

Without arguing, I got back into the car.

The warmth inside instantly felt comforting.

A moment later, he entered from the driver's side carrying a small box.

He handed it to me.

I looked at it curiously.

"What's this?"

"It's homemade," he replied. "Purely authentic and traditionally made Shrikhand."

A faint smile appeared on his face.

"I like it a lot."

He glanced at me before adding softly,

"I thought you might like it too. Your mood was ruined because of that puffed pastry. Give this a try. Maybe it'll make you feel better."

I looked at him for a second before opening the box.

Taking a small spoonful, I hesitantly tasted it.

The very next second...

"Mmm..."

My eyes widened.

It wasn't just delicious.

It was heavenly.

I closed my eyes for a brief moment, savoring every bite before taking another spoonful almost immediately.

After the exhausting day I'd had...

This was surprisingly comforting.

He had been watching my expressions the entire time.

"So?" he asked.

"Do you like it?"

I looked at him and nodded with a genuine smile.

"Very much."

A faint smile appeared on his lips.

"When I was thirteen, I tasted this for the first time."

He looked outside the windshield as if remembering something.

"Since then... it's been my mood lifter."

"It really is," I admitted while taking another bite.

For a few moments, silence settled between us.

Then—

"If you marry me..."

He paused.

"I can bring this for you every day."

My spoon froze midway.

The smile on my face disappeared instantly.

I slowly looked at him.

My voice turned serious.

"I've already told you my reasons."

He nodded.

"I know."

"If those are your reasons..."

He reached into the back seat and handed me the same file Shesh had given him at the hotel.

"Then let me answer every one of them."

Confused, I opened the file.

The very first page made my eyes widen.

MARRIAGE CONTRACT

"What the hell...?"

My eyes quickly moved downward.

Party A: Kartavya Raizada.

Party B: Dharini Shekhawat.

I slowly looked up at him before closing the file.

"So..."

"It wasn't a joke."

My voice had become almost a whisper.

"This is impossible."

I pushed the file back toward him.

He didn't take it.

"You don't have to be in a relationship with me forever."

He spoke calmly.

"I only want you to be my wife..."

"For one year."

He continued before I could interrupt.

"For that one year, you'll legally be my wife."

"But as you said..."

"The outside world won't know about our marriage until you're ready."

He continued explaining patiently.

"And about my family..."

"They're open-minded."

"They'll welcome you warmly."

"They'll become your family too."

My expression remained unconvinced.

Then he casually added,

"Aur rahi baat tumhare parents ki... woh pehle hi is rishte ke liye maan chuke hain."

(And as for your parents... they've already agreed to this marriage.)

My heart skipped a beat.

"W-What...?"

I stared at him in complete disbelief.

"Woh maan chuke hain? Kaise?"

(They've already agreed? How?)

He merely shrugged.

"Sab kuch abhi hi jaan-na hai kya? Kuch baad ke liye bhi chhod do."

(Do you want to know everything right now? Leave something for later too.)

I looked at him, completely offended.

Ignoring my expression, he continued,

"Relax... maine unhe mana liya hai."

(Relax... I've convinced them.)

He leaned back comfortably.

"Aur rahi baat tumhare career ki... tum use bilkul waise hi continue kar sakti ho jaise ab karti ho. Kisne kaha shaadi ke baad career nahi banaya ja sakta?"

(As for your career... you can continue it exactly as you do now. Who said you can't build a career after marriage?)

He paused briefly.

"Waise bhi yeh sirf ek saal ka contract hai. Shaadi ke baad logon ko sirf itna pata chalega ki meri shaadi ho gayi hai. Kis se hui... kaise hui... yeh koi nahi poochega."

(Besides, it's only a one-year contract. After the marriage, people will only know that I'm married. No one will ask whom I married or how it happened.)

Before I could even process everything he'd just said—

My phone rang.

The screen lit up.

Aunty Calling.

Or rather...

My so-called mother.

A deep sigh escaped my lips.

Without thinking, I was about to reject the call.

"Pick it up."

His calm voice stopped me.

I let out a tired sigh and answered the call.

The moment I picked up, my mother's sharp voice came through.

"Abhi tak ghar nahi pahunchi? Kahan ghoom rahi ho? Tumhara office toh 5 baje khatam ho jaata hai, aur ab toh lagbhag 8 baj gaye hain."

(You still haven't reached home? Where are you roaming around? Your office ends at 5 p.m., and it's almost 8 now.)

I rubbed my forehead in exhaustion.

"Mom, I'm on my way home. Actually, there was extra work at the office today, so I had to stay back. After that, I went directly to my tuition classes. Even those ended late because the students had their tests today. I'm going home now."

I finished everything in one breath before letting out another sigh.

There was silence for a few seconds.

Then she spoke again.

"Aaj tumhare liye ek rishta aaya hai. Ladka bahut ameer hai aur uska parivaar bhi kaafi mashhoor hai. Main aur tumhare papa dono iss shaadi ke liye maan gaye hain. Ladka bhi tumse shaadi ke liye tayyar hai. Usne tumhe company mein dekha tha aur usse tum pasand aa gayi. Aur haan... usne paanch lakh rupaye gift ke taur par diye hain. Hum chahte hain ki tum ussi ladke se shaadi karo."

(A marriage proposal came for you today. The boy is very rich, and his family is well-known. Your father and I have already agreed to the marriage. The boy is also ready to marry you. He saw you at the company and liked you. And yes... he even gave five lakh rupees as a gift. We want you to marry him.)

The moment she mentioned the money, I wasn't surprised.

Of course...

The moment that saand (bull) had told me they had already agreed, I knew there had to be some profit involved.

I opened my mouth to say that I needed time to think.

But she didn't let me.

"Ab tumhare papa tumse baat karenge. Agar tumne naa kaha na, toh dekh lena kya hoga. Seedha haan bolna. Aur haan, mehengi gifts aur bhi milni chahiye. Humne tumhe paala hai, toh badle mein kuch toh milna chahiye na. Bachpan se tumne mera aur meri beti ka dhyaan baant diya. Ab kam se kam jaate-jaate humein kuch dekar jaana. Isliye tumhare papa jab poochhein, toh naa mat kehna. Samjhi?"

(Now your father is going to talk to you. If you say no, you'll see what happens. Just say yes. And yes, we should receive even more expensive gifts. We raised you, so we deserve something in return. Since childhood, you've taken away my attention from my own daughter. At least before leaving, give us something in return. So when your father asks you, don't you dare say no. Understood?)

Every word pierced my heart.

A painful lump formed in my throat.

But all I could manage was—

"Hmm..."

She handed the phone to my father.

His voice came from the other side.

"He's sent his photo. Look at it. Then text me whether you approve of the boy or not."

That was it.

No "How are you?"

No "Did you eat?"

No concern.

Nothing.

"I'll text you," I replied quietly.

The call ended.

I immediately opened the photo.

The moment the image loaded...

My breath caught.

It was Mr. CEO.

Slowly, I lifted my gaze.

He was already watching me.

Not my phone.

Me.

Carefully observing every little reaction on my face.

I quickly forced my expression back to neutral before typing a single word to my father.

Yes.

After sending the message, I locked my phone and looked straight ahead.

"I... am ready for this marriage," I said quietly.

He didn't say anything.

He simply gave a small nod and started the car.

The rest of the drive passed in complete silence.

---

After some time, he dropped me outside my apartment building.

Without looking back, I got out of the car and walked inside.

As I reached the lift, I suddenly stopped.

I took out my phone and called .

She answered almost immediately.

"Khana bana mere naam ka?"

(Did you save dinner for me?)

She laughed.

"Kahan! Abhi-abhi Netra pyaaz lekar TV ke saamne baithi hai. Matlab khana raat ke 10 baje tak banega."

(No way! Netra has just sat in front of the TV with onions. That means dinner won't be ready until 10 p.m.)

I couldn't help smiling.

That was completely normal.

The three of us lived together.

I knew almost nothing about cooking.

So the entire cooking department belonged to Netra and Mhika.

"Main paani puri khane jaa rahi hoon. Kaun-kaun aa raha hai?"

(I'm going to eat pani puri. Who's coming?)

Both of them shouted excitedly,

"Hum aa rahe hain!"

(We're coming!)

It had become our little tradition.

Whenever one of us had a bad day...

Das Uncle's pani puri stall was our therapy.

According to all three of us, nobody in the world made pani puri like Das Uncle.

Within two minutes, both of them came downstairs.

The three of us happily walked toward the stall.

Das Uncle smiled as soon as he saw us.

"What kind today?" he asked.

"Extra spicy."

Both Netra and Mhika looked at me in surprise.

Normally, I always ate medium spicy.

But today...

I wanted the spiciest pani puri he could possibly make.

One plate finished.

Then another.

Then another.

With every bite, the burning sensation grew stronger.

Soon my eyes turned red.

Tears began rolling down my cheeks.

Netra immediately became worried.

"Bas! Ab aur nahi khana."

(Enough! Don't eat anymore.)

I shook my head stubbornly.

"Aur ek plate, Das Uncle."

(One more plate, Das Uncle.)

He hesitated.

Looking at my tear-filled eyes, even he seemed unsure.

But when I insisted again, he quietly started preparing another plate.

I finished the last one as well.

By now, both Netra and Mhika were staring at me with obvious concern.

After swallowing the final pani puri, I slowly turned around.

My eyes were still wet.

Tears blurred my vision.

And then...

I saw him.

I froze.