𝕿𝖍𝖊 𝕯𝖊𝖆𝖑 𝕭𝖗𝖎𝖉𝖊!

𝓒𝓱𝓪𝓹𝓽𝓮𝓻 2 — 𝓣𝓱𝓮 𝓦𝓮𝓭𝓭𝓲𝓷𝓰 𝓓𝓮𝓪𝓵

The pen felt heavier than it should have.

Aanya stared at the contract in front of her, the words blurring slightly as the ticking of the wall clock grew louder.

Tick… tock… tick… tock…

Every second felt like a countdown.

“This is your last chance to back out.”

Arjun’s voice cut through the silence, calm and unreadable.

She didn’t look at him.

If she did, she might hesitate.

And hesitation was something she couldn’t afford anymore.

Her father’s fragile condition flashed in her mind again.

The hospital bills.

The fear.

The helplessness.

Aanya tightened her grip on the pen.

“No,” she said quietly. “I’ll sign.”

Without giving herself another second to think—

She signed.

The sound of the pen scratching against paper echoed louder than it should have.

Scratch… scratch…

And just like that—

It was done.

A deal.

A marriage.

A trap she had willingly stepped into.

Arjun picked up the contract, scanning it briefly before placing it aside.

“Good,” he said simply.

Good.

As if she had just completed a business transaction.

Not agreed to marry him.

“Your life changes from today,” he continued, his tone steady. “You move into my house tonight.”

Tonight.

That fast?

Aanya’s head snapped up.

“So soon?”

He looked at her then—really looked.

“Did you expect time to prepare?”

His words were sharp.

Precise.

And annoyingly true.

She stayed silent.

“Get used to it,” he added. “Things move fast in my world.”

Something about the way he said it made her chest tighten.

His world.

A world she didn’t belong to.

Yet.

💍 Later That Evening

The mansion stood tall, illuminated under soft golden lights, almost unreal in its perfection.

Aanya stepped out of the car slowly, her heels touching the ground with a soft—

click.

She looked up.

This place wasn’t just big.

It was intimidating.

Cold.

Just like him.

“Don’t stand there all night.”

His voice came from behind her.

Close.

Too close.

She turned slightly, only to find him already walking ahead, not even checking if she was following.

Of course.

Why would he?

Aanya exhaled and walked behind him.

Click… click… click…

The doors opened.

The inside was even more breathtaking—

Marble floors.

Crystal chandeliers.

A silence so heavy it almost felt alive.

“This is your home now,” Arjun said.

Home.

The word felt strange.

Unreal.

“This way.”

He led her upstairs, his steps steady, confident.

Unlike hers.

She hesitated slightly at each step, her hand brushing the railing as if grounding herself.

Finally, he stopped in front of a door.

Her breath slowed.

Why was she nervous?

It’s just a room.

Right?

Arjun opened the door.

And then—

Everything changed.

🖤 The Room

It wasn’t just a bedroom.

It was his room.

Dark tones.

Minimalist.

Powerful.

And one thing stood out immediately—

There was only one bed.

Aanya froze.

Her steps halted.

Her heartbeat quickened.

“You’ll stay here,” Arjun said casually.

Her head snapped toward him.

“What?”

His gaze shifted to her, calm as ever.

“You’re my wife,” he said. “It would be suspicious otherwise.”

Her throat went dry.

“You didn’t mention this.”

“I didn’t think I needed to.”

Of course he didn’t.

Anger flickered inside her.

“This wasn’t part of the deal.”

Arjun took a step closer.

Slow.

Controlled.

Dangerous.

“Everything about this,” he said quietly, “is part of the deal.”

Her breath hitched.

He was too close again.

Why did he always do that?

“Relax,” he added, his tone slightly softer—but not by much. “I don’t touch what isn’t mine.”

The words should have comforted her.

But instead—

They did the opposite.

Her heart skipped.

Because something about the way he said it…

Felt like a warning.

Not reassurance.

Aanya turned away quickly, walking toward the window.

The city lights flickered below.

Distant.

Unreachable.

She wrapped her arms around herself.

“What are the rules?” she asked.

If this was happening—

She needed control.

Something.

Anything.

Behind her, she heard his footsteps.

Step… step…

Then his voice—

Close again.

“Simple.”

She felt his presence before she saw him.

“No interfering in my work.”

A pause.

“No questioning my decisions.”

Another step closer.

“And no falling in love.”

Her fingers tightened.

Why did he keep repeating that?

She turned suddenly—

And found him right there.

Too close.

Again.

“Don’t worry,” she said, her voice steady despite the chaos inside her. “That won’t happen.”

For a moment—

He didn’t respond.

He just looked at her.

Intensely.

As if trying to read something she wasn’t even aware of.

Then—

A faint smirk.

“Good.”

Aanya stepped back, putting distance between them.

This was temporary.

Just one year.

That’s all.

Nothing more.

Nothing real.

“Your things will be delivered soon,” he said, already turning away.

And just like that—

He was back to being distant.

Cold.

Unreachable.

But just as he reached the door—

He stopped.

Without turning back, he said—

“One more thing.”

Aanya frowned slightly.

“What?”

A pause.

Then—

“You look better in my house than I expected.”

Her breath caught.

And before she could respond—

He walked out.

The door closed behind him with a soft—

click.

Aanya stood there, frozen.

Alone.

In a room that wasn’t hers.

In a life she didn’t understand.

With a man who—

Was far more dangerous than she had imagined.