Cracks in the Ice
614 Words
The media had bought their engagement. For now.
But the real challenge wasn’t convincing the press—it was surviving each other.
The Ride Home
Aarini sat beside Kian in the car, the city lights flashing past them. The air between them was charged, the weight of the evening settling in.
Kian hadn’t spoken since the press conference, but she could feel his irritation like a storm ready to break.
Finally, he spoke. “You shouldn’t have lied about the proposal.”
Aarini turned to him, unfazed. “Would you have preferred I told them the truth?” She deepened her voice in imitation of him. “‘It was a business deal, so I wired the money to her account and called it a day.’”
Kian’s lips twitched—almost. “I would have handled it.”
“You mean you would have given them a polite, robotic answer, and they would have seen right through it.” Aarini smirked. “You’re welcome.”
He didn’t respond, just studied her with that unreadable expression that made her pulse skip for no reason at all.
“You’re dangerous,” he murmured after a moment.
Aarini blinked. “Excuse me?”
Kian’s gaze didn’t waver. “You’re unpredictable. It’s dangerous.”
Aarini tilted her head. “For who? You?”
For the first time that night, Kian had no answer.
The Unwanted Guest
When the car pulled up in front of Kian’s penthouse, Aarini stiffened.
There was a woman standing outside the building, arms crossed, eyes sharp.
Kian cursed under his breath. “Not tonight.”
Aarini narrowed her eyes. “Who is she?”
Kian sighed, his jaw clenching. “My stepmother.”
Aarini blinked. Of all the things she’d expected, that wasn’t on the list.
The moment they stepped out, the woman turned, eyes scanning Aarini with razor-sharp precision.
“So,” she said, voice cool. “You must be the fiancée.”
Aarini forced a polite smile. “Aarini Verma. It’s a pleasure to meet you, Mrs. Malhotra.”
“Oh, dear,” the woman chuckled, her gaze shifting back to Kian. “She’s good. Almost convincing.”
Kian exhaled sharply. “What do you want, Meera?”
Meera Malhotra ignored him, stepping closer to Aarini. “Tell me, dear. How long have you two been together?”
Aarini’s pulse quickened, but she kept her composure. “A little over a year.”
Meera smiled—a sharp, knowing smile.
“And in all that time,” she mused, “has Kian ever told you about his father?”
Aarini’s stomach twisted.
Kian’s entire body went rigid.
“Enough,” he said, his voice like steel.
Meera’s eyes gleamed with something close to victory. “Hmm. Thought so.”
She patted Aarini’s arm lightly. “Well, good luck, dear. You’ll need it.”
And with that, she walked away, leaving an eerie silence in her wake.
Aarini’s First Real Doubt
Inside the penthouse, the tension was thick enough to cut with a knife.
Aarini turned to Kian. “What was that?”
Kian loosened his tie, his expression closed off. “Nothing. Forget it.”
Aarini folded her arms. “She was testing me.”
“She was testing us.”
Aarini sighed, frustration bubbling up. “You should have prepared me. If I’m supposed to be your fiancée, I need to know who I’m dealing with.”
Kian looked at her then, his gaze dark. “You don’t need to know anything.”
Something inside Aarini clenched.
The worst part? It wasn’t anger. It was something else.
Something that felt an awful lot like disappointment.
End of Chapter 4
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- Writer
