In her sleep, Aish unconsciously moved closer to Raahithya, seeking warmth. A few minutes later, she shifted, draping one leg over him. The sudden weight startled him awake. His eyes adjusted to the dim light, and he found her clutching his shirt tightly, as if frightened by a nightmare.
A faint sigh escaped his lips as he watched her. To make her more comfortable, he carefully adjusted her position, resting her head on his arm. Her hand was already placed over his chest, and for the first time in a long while, he felt an unfamiliar sense of peace. His gaze softened as he admired her—so vulnerable, so breathtakingly innocent in sleep.
"How adorable can someone be?" he thought. "She looks like a fairy from heaven."
A slow determination settled in his heart. "I have to give her the best of everything. I have to treat her better." But then, the gnawing jealousy returned, burning like fire in his chest. "Why does she laugh so freely with everyone else but stays cold toward me? I don't want to control her, but... her indifference drives me insane. I lost control because of it."
As he continued watching her, his eyelids grew heavy, and before he knew it, sleep claimed him.
The Next Morning
Raahithya's eyes fluttered open to the sight of Aish's face, still resting close to him. A rare, genuine happiness filled him. He remained still, simply staring at her, soaking in the peaceful moment.
But then she stirred, blinking sleepily. As soon as she realized where she was—curled against him, her head on his arm—her body tensed. Her eyes widened in panic.
"You said you wouldn't do anything!" she accused, scrambling to push away.
Raahithya arched a brow, amused by her reaction. "I didn't do anything," he replied smoothly. "You're the one who came to me last night." He gestured toward the bed, the slightly tangled sheets proving his point.
Aish's gaze followed his, and realization dawned. She had, in fact, moved closer to him in her sleep. A flicker of shock crossed her face.
Seeing her stunned expression, Raahithya smirked. "You came to me, so now I'm staying put," he murmured. Before she could move, he wrapped both arms around her, pulling her back into his warmth. "Let me sleep for a while." He closed his eyes as if the conversation was over.
Aish stiffened. "Let me go," she demanded, pushing lightly against his chest.
He didn't respond.
She sighed in frustration. "I know you're not asleep." She even hit his chest lightly, but he didn't budge.
For ten whole minutes, they stayed like that—his arms locked around her while she remained trapped. Her mind whirled in conflict.
"When will I be free from this?" she thought angrily. But then her gaze flickered to his face, and an unbidden thought slipped in. He's… handsome. Charming. And… caring?
"Shh! What the hell, Aish? What are you thinking?" she scolded herself. "He clearly raped you. You need to expose him. You need a plan for revenge."
But another voice whispered in her mind. "Should I really take revenge? He's been treating me so gently since that night…"
"Shut up! That's not kindness—it's control, isn't it? He's trying to manipulate you."
"Ugh… I don't know. Is he?"
Her thoughts warred with each other, confusion tightening around her chest.
Just then, the shrill sound of the alarm clock shattered the moment.
Raahithya finally opened his eyes, stretching lazily. Aish bolted up from the bed, putting as much distance between them as possible.
But Raahithya? He just sat there, watching her with a satisfied expression.
This was the happiest morning of his life.
Aish was about to take a bath when the phone rang.
Raahithya, who was nearby, picked it up and handed it to her with a smirk. "It's my mother-in-law calling."
Aish shot him a glare. "We're not married, so stop calling me your wife."
Raahithya leaned against the doorframe, unfazed. "Married or not, you're still my wife."
Before she could argue, the ringing stopped.
Raahithya: "I'll take my bath first. You call her back. It's been three days since you talked, she must be worried."
And the phone rang again.
She picked it up. Meanwhile, Raahithya walked away to take his bath.
The Phone Call
Aish's mother's voice came through, slightly annoyed. "You're so busy that you forgot to call your own mom?"
Aish winced. "Mom, I'm sorry! Actually… let me be honest, but don't panic."
Her mother's tone turned sharp. "What happened?"
Aish hesitated before answering. "I was trying something new… and I ended up with a fractured hand. That's why I've been busy."
"Aishwarya!" Her mother's scolding came instantly. "You're so careless!"
Aish quickly tried to calm her down. "Mom, it's much better now. I'm consulting a doctor, so don't worry."
Her mother sighed. "Should I come there to take care of you?"
"No, Ma! I'm fine. Don't stress yourself. My friends are taking good care of me."
"That's good to hear," her mother said, finally relaxing. "You have really nice friends."
"Yeah, I do," Aish agreed, smiling softly.
They continued talking about their lives when a voice interrupted from Aish's side. "Ma'am, breakfast is ready."
Her mother paused. "Who was that?"
Aish quickly replied to the girl, "I'm coming in a few minutes," before turning back to the phone. "Umm… she's my junior."
"Then why is she calling you Ma'am?"
"She's just teasing me," Aish lied smoothly.
Her mother didn't question it further. "Alright, take care, bachcha."
"You too, Mom. And take care of Papa."
Raahithya, who had been listening from outside, smirked before stepping in. As Aish ended the call, his voice came from behind.
"Now, let's go for breakfast."
Aish sighed. "I don't eat breakfast."
"You have to," Raahithya said firmly.
She knew there was no point in arguing, so she gave in.
A Project & A Surprise
After breakfast, Agastya arrived and greeted both of them before handing Aish his project book and laptop.
Aish flipped through them eagerly, her face lighting up. "Thank you so much!" she said, looking between the two men.
Raahithya, watching her excitement, smiled. "You look really happy. What's the project about?"
Aish's eyes sparkled. "You want to know?"
He nodded calmly.
She began explaining everything with enthusiasm, her hands moving as she spoke.
When she finished, Raahithya nodded in approval. "It's really great work. It has a lot of potential."
Aish hesitated. "You really think so?"
"Yeah. It's impressive."
"Thank you," she said, feeling encouraged. "But no one is investing in it."
"Don't worry," he reassured her. "Someone will. And those who don't? They're missing out on something big."
Aish smiled at his words.
Then, Raahithya suddenly clapped his hands.
Within seconds, a line of servants entered, their arms filled with a mountain of shopping bags—each one marked with names that screamed opulence: Chanel Beauty, Dior Prestige, Hermès, Tiffany & Co., Bvlgari, Christian Louboutin, Versace, Valentino, Louis Vuitton, Balenciaga, Dior, Chanel, Rolex, and countless others.
Aishwarya's eyes widened in disbelief.
This wasn't shopping—it was a royal haul.
"All of this is for you," Raahithya said casually, as if it was no more than grocery delivery. "Pick something to wear today."
Her heart pounded as she stared at the pile—each item probably worth more than her entire college tuition. Even the simplest rubber band in those bags might cost two to three lakhs.
"I don't need all this," she said firmly.
Raahithya's expression didn't change. "It's yours. If you don't want it, burn it."
Aish scoffed. "That would be a waste. I'll keep them."
Satisfied, he smiled. "Good. Now go get ready. I'll drop you off today."
When she went upstairs to get dressed, Raahithya turned to Veer with a sharp look.
Raahithya: "Check the project details. I want an offer sent from M&B Engineering—mention collaboration, full support, and immediate execution."
Veer: (nodding without hesitation) "Consider it done, sir."
Without wasting a second, Veer pulled out his tablet and began working on it right there.
About 5–10 minutes later, she came down.
Raahithya's gaze swept over her, and a slow smile formed. "You look stunning."
He extended his hand toward her.
She ignored it and stepped past him.
Without a word, he grabbed her hand anyway and led her toward the car.
Aish made a face but didn't pull away as he led her to the car.
The day was just beginning.