Aira:

I stared at my reflection in the mirror, feeling like a stranger in my own skin. The ivory lehenga embroidered with delicate silver work felt like chains rather than the luxurious attire it was supposed to be.

My hair, carefully styled, fell in soft curls down my back, framing my face like I was a princess. The jewellery - it was too pretty. Not golds or Diamonds, but stones just they way I love them.

From what I know he got the jewellery, not even bothering to wonder whether he knew my choices or was it just a mere coincidence anymore.

Forced. That was the word that echoed in my mind every time I looked at him. Arsh Oberoi - my husband, my enemy, and the man who had chained me to this fate.

I have no idea why he went to this extent to humiliate my family, to get revenge on them and although his family didn’t help me escape him, they adored me. They treated me like their own daughter, completely blind to whatever problem they have with my family.

I tightened my grip on the edge of the vanity table, trying to steady my racing heart. I wasn't nervous. No, I wouldn't allow myself to feel vulnerable, not in front of him.

Tonight will either be the end of us or atleast me.

This was my first appearance as his wife and I knew what kind of big deal that is. No one, not even the rest of the Agnihotris know about all this.

Arsh's father reached to my Dad that he wanted to keep it a secret that I was Arsh's wife on my insistence but Dad refused to acknowledge anything.

He told him to do whatever he wants because it has nothing to do with him and although that broke my heart, I just didn't know what to do or more like I didn't have any other choice.

No one knew about me, they hadn't even seen my face and that's why there was so much uproar about the most eligible bachelor's sudden wife especially after his and Varya's marriage broke off.

Tonight his secret wife will be revealed to the world and hopefully I will be gone.

I have found a way out and I am determined to succeed.

I barely noticed the sound of the door creaking open until I saw her reflection beside mine. Tara stepped into the room, her smile lighting up her face like she had no care in the world. Varya followed behind looking as beautiful as always. Always so effortlessly elegant, she was the kind of woman who could make a room fall silent just by walking in.

"Look at you," Tara cooed, her eyes twinkling. "You look so pretty, Aira."

I turned to them and tried to return the smile, but I could tell it didn’t quite reach my eyes.

"You are not so bad yourself," I teased, letting my eyes wander over their outfit. Tara was dressed in a blush pink lehenga, simple but stunning, the kind of understated elegance that made you look twice.

And Varya was dressed in a blue Lehnga, the pretties blue I have ever seen.

I looked at her for a moment before realising something and gasping like a little girl as I asked pointing at Tara, "Wait isn't that my design?"

"Finally you realised," Varya shook her head at me while Tara spun around playfully, the fabric twirling. "Ofcourse, how could I have resisted such a beautiful design?"

My eyes welled up a little with the overwhelming emotions as I awed at her, "You look so pretty."

She twirled once more, "You think? I was going for the 'I-am-not-the-center-of -attention-but-still-gorgeous' look," she winked.

I laughed despite myself. "Nailed it."

Varya came closer, adjusting the drape of my dupatta like my mom right now would have. "Everyone is waiting for you downstairs, you know. Arsh bhai included." Her tone softened when she said his name.

"Probably hates that I am making him late," I muttered.

Tara chuckled, shaking her head. "The event being too boring for him if not for his so called bestfriend or business partners."

Even since yesterday, Tara had been a little off whenever someone mentioned Rishaan and although I wanted to ask her about it, maybe she will better if she talks but I just decided to not interfere because after tonight, I wouldn't really get the chance to interfere.

"Where is Adira?" I softly ask trying to distract her from the so called mysterman.

"She was with Ma, will be here any minute now." Varya replied as Tara did the evil eyes off gesture on me making me all emotional.

"She succeeded in making her mumma Dad twin again," Tara teased, unaware of my spiraling thoughts.

"It's not like we can even so no to her cute eyes." Varya laughed softly.

I nodded, Adira is very cute.

Just then Ma and Adira entered the room, Awe, She looked so pretty in her blue Lehnga, she wore the same pattern as Varya looking the prettiest.

"Chachi you look so pretty." She mumbled running towards me as I pulled her cheeks, "Not more than you princess."

She blushed as the others smile and I looked up at Varya who blinked her eyes at me in an assuring manner.

She looked so calm and I wondered if it was actually that easy with Adhikrit bhaiya even though she was going through something similar as me who seemed to be going through a chaos.

Ma came forward, caressing my cheeks as she took some of her kohl from her eyes and applied it behind my ears, "Nazar na lage aapko kisi ki, bhut pyari lag rhi hai."

"Thnak-you ma," I try to give her a genuine smile.

She seemed like she wanted to say something but before she could someone knocked on the door, "Varya ma'am, Adhikrit Sir is looking for you." She said politely and then turned to Ma telling her that there was something she needed to check.

Varya gave me comforting smile and went out of the room, with a worried one herself while Ma gave me blessing and followed the ladystaff out along with Adira.

"Are you okay?" Tara's voice softened, drawing me back to the moment.

I swallowed hard, nodding. "I will be fine."

"Hey." Tara's hand found mine, squeezing gently. "You will be fine. I know things aren't easy with him, but... it will work out. It has to."

I wasn't sure if she believed that or if she was just trying to comfort me, but her words made me feel better. Maybe it was just the way she cared, but I was grateful for her presence.

It was all going to be over soon.

She stepped back, her eyes scanning me up and down again. "By the way, this dress..." she trailed off, an impressed smile on her face. "Arsh really outdid himself. He must have known exactly what you would love."

I bit my lip, unsure how to respond. It was beautiful, yes, but why? Did Arsh get this dress? How did he know my taste? Was this another twisted way of reminding me of his power, of how much he controlled my life?

"Him?" I glanced at her, my brows furrowing in confusion.

"Wait, you don't know?" She looked up at me a little confused as I shook my head.

"Arsh bhaiya designed this for you." She added, her eyes softening.

My heart skipped a beat. Tara, oblivious to my internal turmoil, continued admiring the details of the lehenga.

"He designs dresses?" I whispered, half in awe, half in disbelief.

Her fingers brushed over it's weavings. "I know. Isn't that a little shocking? It's more like a hobby."

"And you are the first to wear his designs." She

"Wait - what?"

"I know, they are all so gorgeous you know and yet he refuses to let them be turned into dresses and for someone to wear them."

"I begged him to let me have just one but he didn't agree." She pouted.

Wait, that's so not good. And he let me wear it?

I looked up at her with a little guilt but she didn't seem to mind that I was the first wearing her brothers design.

She shrugged her shoulders, "But he got me very pretty dresses from one of my most favourite designer - Shraddha Shaurya Singh Oberoi, so it's equal."

"Wait Shraddha Singh Oberoi? She is my inspiration too." I chirped excitedly at her mention as Tara nodded.

"Hainaa? She is so cool. The whole family is. I kind of know them because Arsh bhaiya is friends with Veer Singh Raichand." Tara said with a dreamy sigh.

"Irisha's husband I know," I mentioned without realising.

"Yes? You know her?" She asked.

Ofcourse I know them, I don't really know them but I have met them once.

"Not really, I followed her on socials and kind of stalked her because she is so aesthetic and pretty and a baker." I stopped myself from spilling how we met to her.

"So us." She chuckled giving me a pretty smile as she glanced at her phone which was rinugn continuously.

"I think you should take the call," I suggested with raised eyebrows and even though I could see, she wanted to refuse, she picked up her phone.

"I will be back in a minute." She informed before going towards the balcony as I gave her a nod.

Irisha was the girl who went against Arsh a year ago for me despite being a stranger to me when she thought I was in danger.

It happened a year ago. I was trying to move on with my life ignoring being all paranoid about soemone always watching me, the nightmares of him thinking he would never come back but he did.

He decided to give me a little visit because I was supposedly not getting out of his head. The fuck.

That was the first only and last of his visit other than the nights he sneaked into my room, but unlike those night that day he hadn't come to just see me. He had come to warn me about my interaction with other male species unless I wanted them dead and let's just say it didn't end up very well.

*******

Flashback

Aira's pov:

I should have said no.

I should have never let them drag me here. The music was too loud, the lights too bright, and the crowd too suffocating. My pulse thudded in my ears as I scanned the sea of unfamiliar faces, feeling more alone than ever in this club. My so-called friends had ditched me somewhere between the entrance and the bar. They had promised a night of fun, but now, standing in the middle of a crowd, I felt like a sitting target.

A man approached me, and even though I tried to ignore him, he didn't seem to get the hint and went to get us drink.

Me? Well I simply changed places so that he couldn't find me.

Not that I had any real reason to feel watched. He was gone. Without a word, without a trace, the moment after we had been married. I didn't even know why he had married me in the first place. All I knew was that Arsh Oberoi was powerful, influential, and dangerous. Everything else was a mystery to me, and I was left to pick up the shattered pieces of my life.

But still, even after all this time, I couldn't shake the feeling that someone was watching. Stalking. Waiting.

The eyes that seemed to follow me a few days beofre thebnightmare happened. They seem to linger even now.

Or maybe I was just being paranoid, the aftermath of it all.

I was about to text ths location to Neil to come pick me from this place, when I felt a hand wrap around my wrist. Ice shot through my veins as I looked up, the world around me blurring when I saw the face of the man in front of me.

Him.

It couldn't be. My mouth went dry as my mind screamed at me to move, but my body refused to cooperate. My heart hammered against my ribs, each beat louder than the music blaring around us. He looked exactly the same, if not more intimidating - tall, imposing, and with a gaze so cold it could freeze anyone in place. His grip tightened on my wrist, and I flinched.

Oh god, what was he doing here. Is this q coincidence or?

"You... what are you..." My voice caught in throat as he cut me off.

"Move." His voice was low, cutting through the noise around us. Without waiting for a response, he yanked me through the crowd, dragging me toward a hallway that led to the restrooms. My mind was spinning, panic taking hold as I struggled against his grip. No one noticed. No one cared.

"What the hell do you think you are doing?" I demanded, trying to yank my wrist free, but his hold was ironclad.

"Teaching you a lesson," he muttered darkly, his eyes flashing with something dangerous. "You think you are allowed to go on with your life like a normal city girl? You really thought I would allow that especially you flirting with other men?"

Flirting? My mind scrambled to make sense of his words. I hadn't flirted with anyone. Hell, I hadn't even looked at another man because I simply wasn't interested. But before I could say anything, we were interrupted.

"Hi, what's going on here?"

The voice belonged to a woman. I turned and saw her - tall, confident, her face radiating concern as she approached us. Her voice was calm, but I could see the tension in her posture.

Arsh's gaze flickered to her, a mix of irritation and amusement in his eyes. "And you are?"

She ignored him, focusing on me instead. "Are you okay? Do you need help?"

Yes. God, yes, I needed help. But before I could answer, Arsh cut in, his voice smooth and persuasive. "Miss, this doesn't concern you. Please, go back to your evening. This is a personal matter."

The woman didn’t back down. She squared her shoulders, her eyes narrowing at him. "Well, you are making it public because she doesn't seem to have given you the permission."

I swallowed, barely able to comprehend how someone would dare to stand up to him. His grip on my wrist tightened just a fraction, and I could feel the pulse of my heartbeat where his hand held me.

Arsh seemed to hold himself back as he said in an almost calm tone, "She knows me very well, you don't have to worry about it."

But she didn'tbakc out.

"Just let her go," the woman pleaded softly but firmly.

For a moment, I thought Arsh might actually listen, but instead, he sighed, clearly frustrated. He leaned closer to me, his breath hot against my ear. "Do you want to make this worse for yourself?"

My blood ran cold. His words were a warning, a threat wrapped in a whisper. He didn't need to say much for me to know what he was capable of.

Just then, another voice joined the conversation, and I felt a wave of relief wash over me as I saw a man approach.

"Irisha, what's going on?"

The woman - Irisha, as he called her, turned toward him, visibly relaxing. "Hi there," she greeted, stepping closer to him.

The man's eyes, however, were fixed on Arsh. He moved protectively toward Irisha, resting his hand on her shoulder as he addressed Arsh with a nod and shook hands. "Arsh, what are you doing here?"

I froze. They knew each other? My heart sank as I realized I was probably in more trouble than I had thought. Arsh’s lips curved into a faint, almost mocking smile. "A particular kitten won't leave me alone, so I thought I would pay her a visit."

"I am not a kitten, you fucker." The words were out of my mouth before I could stop them. My voice was shaking, my mind racing. What kind of game was he playing?

Arsh chuckled, clearly amused by my outburst. I shot a desperate glance toward the couple, but to my shock, the man - Veer, apparently looked between Arsh and me as though this was all a joke.

"Aren't you going to help?" Irisha asked, clearly frustrated by his nonchalant attitude.

Veer gave her a slight shrug, "I am sure the lady knows him. We don't exactly need to be involved."

Seriously?

Irisha muttered something under her breath and turned back to me. "Do you know him?" she asked, her voice softer now, filled with concern.

I couldn't even form words. My mind was in chaos. Did I know him? All I knew was that he was my husband - a stranger with too much power, who had decided to show up from nowhere, acting like he owned me.

Veer narrowed his eyes at us and carefully slid his hand to Irisha's waist, "Sonpapdi, this doesn't concerns us."

Sonpapdi? Awe!

Irisha threw a glare his way as he raised his one hand in surrender, "She doesn't want to go. This is kidnapping in broad daylight." She mumbled throwing daggers towards Arsh.

"Not really, it's night time actually." Arsh casually interjected clicking his tongue.

Irisha gave him an incredulous look and flashed her hand at him, "I don't appreciate the interruption."

"And I don't appreciate you being meddlesome." Arsh stated narrowing his eyes now getting bored of the drama.

"He is right." Veer pointed shrugging his shoulder.

I looked between the three definitely feeling like a clown myself, if it wasn't for his steely grip on me, I would have run away.

She opened her mouth and then closed it, blinking her eyes repeatedly in the process as she gave him an unbelievable look. "You are saying I am wrong?"

"Ofcourse not, I wouldn't dare sweetheart." He innocently said while Arsh seemed to be amused.

What's going on here?

And why are the two so cute?

"Good." She nodded and then looked back at us or more like him.

"Anyways, coming back to them," she paused moving her eyes to me. "Sir do you know it's bad manners to force someone to come with you if they don't want to?"

Arsh leaned in slightly, his eyes darkening as he glanced between us. "Will you assure your newly made friend that I am not forcing you?" His voice dripped with sarcasm, but the threat lingered beneath the surface.

"Before I count the numbers I need to kill today, it needs to be done." He whispered something in my ear, too low for anyone else to hear, and I felt my stomach drop.

"It's fine," I muttered, barely able to keep my voice steady. "I know him... I just didn't want to listen to his dumbshit right now."

The lie tasted bitter on my tongue, but what choice did I have? Arsh's grip on my wrist loosened just enough for me to breathe, but the fear remained, choking me from the inside.

"You are threatening her," Irisha accused, her voice firm despite the fear I could see in her eyes.

Arsh's expression shifted, boredom creeping in as he regarded her with mild interest. "She will be fine."

Before Irisha could argue further, Veer stepped in, pulling her back gently. "Sweetheart, that's enough. Let them handle it."

Veer then inclined his head towards Arsh calmly. "Irisha was just concerned, you can go on with your business Arsh."

Arsh gave him a nod as he loosened his grip a little on my hand and stepped towards Irisha who cowered back due to his intimidating gaze.

Veer, however, held her shoulders firmly to let her know that he was right behind her, "If you plan to threaten my wife. Think once more because that might cost you your life Arsh."

Woahh? Soemone can threaten him too? That's so cool. Do it again.

"I'd do well on that threat Raichand but unexpectedly her reaction to me just made me admire her." He replied keeping his face void of any expression.

His gaze actually softened briefly as he regarded Irisha. "You are a good and brave Woman Irisha, but I am doubting your choice because of your husband." He chuckled at the last part as Veer rolled his eyes at him.

Awe they are married? So cute!

"I thought someone claimed they'd never be a lovestruck puppy." Arsh added smirking at Veer who simply narrowed his eyes at him.

With a final nod to Veer, he turned and walked away, dragging me with him. The world felt like it was closing in, suffocating me as I followed him in silence, knowing that this was far from over.

Before I could react, Arsh's hand moved swiftly, gripping my wrist and yanking me forward, dragging me into the bathroom. My feet stumbled as I tried to resist, but he was too strong, his presence too overwhelming. He shoved the door closed with his foot, the sound of it slamming shut echoing in the tight space.

Fear spiked through me as he backed me against the cold tile wall, his large frame blocking any chance of escape. His eyes were wild, filled with something dark and possessive that made my heart pound in terror.

"Let me.." My voice broke, breathless, as I struggled to understand how we had gotten here. The last hour had been a blur, and now here I was, cornered by a man I barely knew but felt like I had known all my life in this terrifying moment.

"You should be thankful I let you be and yet you have the audacity to parade yourself like this in front of all those fuckers?" he growled, his voice low, dripping with barely contained fury. "Do you think I am a joke?"

His words cut deep, but it was the way he looked at me that truly terrified me. This wasn't a man playing games. This was real - he was real.

I don't understand. It's been a year, why is he back now?

I feel his eyes go all over me and only then do I realize what he was talking about. My clothes, they were too revealing.

So what? I can wear the fuck I want. What is his problem and who the fuck does he thinks he is yo order me around?

"What the fuck is wrong with you?" I spat, the firmness in my voice surprising even me. But deep down, I knew it was fear talking, a desperate attempt to cling to the little power I thought I had because I never thought I will be seeing him ever again.

Especially since his girlfriend was announced - Varya Rai Singhania.

Arsh's eyes darkened further, his lips curling into a cruel smile. "Me?" he whispered, his hand suddenly gripping my chin with a punishing force. His other hand shot out, grabbing my waist and spinning me around, forcing me to face the wall. Before I could even process what was happening, I felt his large palm smack down against my backside - hard.

I gasped, the sting of it shocking me to my core. My breath hitched as his hand came down again, sharp and firm, making my body jolt. The sound of the slap echoed in the small room, followed by my soft, involuntary whimper.

"Do I have your attention now?" His voice was a low, dangerous growl in my ear, and I could feel his breath hot against my neck.

I clenched my fists, the humiliation and shock surging through me in waves. "You..." I tried to speak, but my voice came out in a strangled whisper. My body was shaking, a mixture of anger, fear.

What the fuck did I get myself into?

His hand slid from my waist to my back, pressing me harder against the cold tiles. He leaned in close, his lips brushing against my ear. "I warned you in our farewell call, Aira," he murmured, his voice sending a shiver down my spine. "I won't come for you until you behave."

"This is..." I tried to turn my head, but his hand held me in place. I could feel the heat radiating off him, his control over the situation and me absolute.

"How fucking dare you think you can live your life to the fullest?" he hissed, his grip on my waist tightening. "Is this what you do? Whoring around?"

Whoring around? The humiliation presses me down as my eyes almost wells up at the insult.

So what if I am a whore? Who is he to have any say in it?

"So what if I am a whore? I could be a slut to the whole goddamned London. Who are you to have a say in it?" I forced out through gritted teeth, my voice shaky but determined. I refused to give him this power over

Another smack landed on my backside, harder this time, sending a jolt of sensation up my spine. I bit my lip, refusing to give him the satisfaction of hearing me cry out. My body trembled under his control, but I refused to break.

"You don't own me," I was shaking. Tears of frustration and fear burned behind my eyes, but I refused to let them fall. I managed to choke out, my voice barely above a whisper. My body was shaking so violently that it was hard to even stand. "I can do whatever I want."

His laughter was low, dark, and far too close. "I do, Aira." His hand slid up my back, his fingers tangling in my hair as he yanked my head back, forcing me to look up at him. "Cause any man who touches you, dies. Why do you think the man you were flirting with earlier didn't show up again?"

I gasped, my scalp prickling from the pressure of his grip and the realisation of what he was saying. Did he do something to him?

The blood drained from my face. The threat was so casual, so cold, that it sent a chill down my spine. I opened my mouth to speak, to protest, but nothing came out. I was frozen in shock, my body betraying me as fear took over.

"You are insane," I finally whispered, my voice shaking, barely audible. I tried to step back, but his body pinned me firmly in place. The overwhelming proximity - his scent, his heat - wrapped around me, suffocating.

His face was so close, his breath mingling with mine as he stared down at me with that same terrifying intensity.

"You are my fucking property," he whispered, his tone dangerous and scaring me to the hell. "And if you keep testing me, you will learn just how serious I am."

I wanted to scream, to fight back, but instead, I was frozen, trapped, caught between fear, shock and the humiliation of it all.

"I don't… belong to anyone," I whispered, my voice barely audible.

"Keep telling yourself that," he murmured, his lips brushing against my ear. His grip loosened, but the threat lingered in the air between us. "But remember, Aira, you test me again, and I will make sure you regret it."

"And we will start from your bestfriend. The one I shot last time." His face hovered just above mine, his eyes dark with a dangerous intensity. "Every man you will ever look at, every man who will triy to get close to you - you will be the one signing their death certificates. I will make sure of it."

The weight of his threat settled over me like a suffocating blanket. Every word he spoke was laced with violence, with control. I could barely breathe, my chest tight with fear. I wanted to scream, to fight, to do anything to break free from his hold, but he was too strong.

"Why are you doing this to me?" My voice cracked, barely a whisper. I hated the way it sounded - weak, vulnerable - but I couldn't help it. "What have I done to you?"

His grip tightened in my hair, pulling my head back further until my neck strained uncomfortably. "You tell me?" he growled. "And don't provoke me for even worse."

I gasped as he released my hair, spinning me back around to face him. My back hit the wall again, and his body was there, pressing against me, caging me in. His hand gripped my chin, forcing me to look up at him.

"Do you understand?" he demanded, his voice low, commanding. His eyes bore into mine, dark and possessive. "If you keep pushing me, keep trying to defy me, you won't like the consequences."

My heart pounded in my chest, my entire body trembling from the intensity of the moment. The fear, the confusion, the shock - it was all too much.

"You are a monster," I whispered, my voice barely audible. My legs felt like they could give out any second, but I stood firm, refusing to let him see how shaken I was.

He leaned in close, his lips brushing against my ear, sending another shiver down my spine. "I know," he murmured. "Go ahead, make me you villain."

"And you better get used to it." He calmly added.

I gritted my teeth, "I hate you."

Arsh's eyes narrowed, his fingers tightening in my hair for a brief moment before he released me. I staggered, my heart racing as he stepped back, his eyes never leaving mine.

He suddenly took off his jacket and before I could react forced me to wear it as I struggled against it.

"Go home," he said, his voice cold and final. "I will call you a cab and wait outside, until then calm yourself down, and be out in five minutes unless you want me to drop you home."

With that, he turned and walked out, leaving me standing there, breathless, my heart pounding in my chest. My body sagged against the wall, my mind struggling to process what had just happened. I couldn't move, couldn't breathe.

What had just happened?

I don't but I know one thing for certain - he was dangerous. And I had no idea how to escape him.

Flashback over

******

I didn't realise when Tara and Varya returned to the room but they must have sensed the change in my mood because Varya stepped closer, her expression softening. "Aira, you deserve to feel good tonight. Even if things are complicated and difficult, this is still your night. You are not alone in this. We are family."

Tara nodded, "Even if it's Arsh bhaiya, we are with you."

I looked into their warm eyes, the words sinking in deeper than I expected. For a moment, the storm inside me quieted.

Family. I need mine and I will soon be with them.

"Thank you," I whispered, my voice barely audible. I squeezed both of their hands tightly, silently grateful for the support.

They smiled, a genuine smile, and tugged at my hand as Tara remarked, "Come on, let's not keep the boy waiting any longer. He will be ready to come up any moment now."

I nodded, taking one last look at my reflection. I took a deep breath and followed them out the door holding Adira's hand in mine, ready to face whatever the night had in store.

The beautiful decor of the house blurred around me, everything blending into a haze as I focused on steadying my breath.

We reached the stairs, and I stopped short, my heart skipping a beat at the sight below.

I finally descended the stairs, and I finally looked up, my eyes falling on Arsh standing at the foot of the stairs, his dark eyes locked onto mine. His expression was unreadable, as usual, a mask.

He was dressed in a sharp black sherwani, the perfect contrast to my ivory lehenga. His gaze was intense, unwavering, as though he was daring me to look away first. I couldn't.

Beside him stood Adhikrti bhaiya, in a blue kurta, ofcourse matching with Varya.

Rishaan stood on his other side, wearing a green Kurta, his eyes fixed on Tara who avoided his gaze.

As I reached the bottom of the stairs, Arsh stepped forward. For a brief second, our eyes met again, and I saw something flicker in his gaze - something dark, something that sent a surge of adrenaline through me. I quickly looked away, focusing on the sound of my breath, willing myself not to lose my composure in front of all these people.

"You are late," Arsh's voice was low, almost a whisper, but I heard the edge in it.

"I didn't know you cared," I replied softly, keeping my eyes trained on the guests behind him, unwilling to give him the satisfaction of knowing how much his presence unnerved me.

He never had patience for anything, especially when it came to me. "The guests are waiting." He mumbled.

He stepped forward then, slowly, deliberately. My breath hitched, but I refused to look away. If there was one thing I had learned in this once month, it was that I could never afford to show weakness in front of him. But the closer he got, the harder it was to breathe.

"You look..." he paused, his eyes drifting over my face and down to the lehenga that clung to my form. For a moment, something flickered in his expression, but it was gone before I could place it. "Presentable."

"That's quite the compliment, coming from you," I shot back in a whisper, trying to mask the unease crawling under my skin as I felt eyes on me, not that they could actually see me when he was shielding me.

His lips curled into a smirk, that infuriating smirk that made me want to wipe it off his face. "Too bad, you are stuck with me." He reached out, his fingers brushing a stray strand of hair behind my ear. The touch sent an unwanted shiver down my spine, and I clenched my fists, hating how my body betrayed me in moments like this.

"Let's get this over with," I muttered, stepping back, putting distance between us.

It was only then that I realised that the whole family was there.

Dadu Dadi also joined us and her face lit up, as she hurried toward me, her smile warm and genuine.

"Oh, Aira, you look absolutely beautiful!" She clasped my hands in hers the moment she reached me.

I forced a smile, grateful for her kindness amd love for me. "Thank you, Dadi,"

She laughed softly and glanced at Arsh as she nudged hia arms, "kabhi to has diya Kar khoteya." She grumbled throwing him a glare as I tried to hide my smile.

"Shi to kh rhi hai," Dadu agreed shaking his head at Arsh. "Look at Aira and learn something. Her smile is lighting up the whole room."

I blushed at his compliment and thanked him. Abhi, Arsh's bestfriend swaggered up to us, looking at me with mock admiration. "The makeup artist must have been really talented, Aira. I almost didn't recognize you without your usual scowl."

I know, he didn't really liked me at first for obvious reasons, like shooting Arsh but as we got to know each other, I found out despite being his friend he is a good person and well he also forgave me.

Arsh shot him a warning look, but he only grinned wider, clearly enjoying riling him up. "Hey, I am just saying. She looks pleasant. Right, Bhai?"

I tried not to roll my eyes at his teasing. Arsh, however, remained silent, his jaw tight, though I could see the tension in his eyes.

"You are looking a little too polished yourself," I said, raising an eyebrow at him. "Trying to impress someone?"

"Always." He winked. "But I think you have already stolen the show tonight."

Ma laughed, playfully swatting at him. "Oh, stop teasing her. You will make her nervous."

"He is right," another voice chimed in Dad, "You look Georgeous sweetheart."

"Thank you," I murmured, feeling a pang of guilt at how genuinely they all seemed to care for me. If only they knew what I plan to do.

Before I could dwell too long on that thought, Arsh's hand slipped onto the small of my back, guiding me gently but firmly toward the center of the room where the guests had gathered. The room was buzzing with conversation, and the sound of laughter filled the air.

We moved through the crowd, greeting guests and exchanging pleasantries, all while I tried to keep my breathing steady. Every smile I offered was forced, every word spoken like a rehearsed line from a play.

I could hear people murmuring and whispering, some awing, some wondering who was I, some calling me pretty, some saying I wasn't to his standard.

"Smile," Arsh murmured under his breath, his hand tightening around mine.

I forced a small smile, though my jaw ached from the effort. As if sensing my discomfort, Rishaan caught up with us, carrying two glasses of champagne.

"Here, you will need this." He handed me a glass, then raised his own in mock salute. "To surviving this circus."

I almost laughed at the ridiculousness of it, but before I could take a sip, Arsh plucked the glass from my hand and handed it to a passing waiter.

"She doesn't drink," Arsh said curtly.

"Since when?" I shot back, surprised at his overreach.

"Since I said so," he replied, his voice low, but his gaze sharp. There it was again, that maddening possessiveness, the need to control even the smallest aspects of my life.

Rishaan gave a low whistle. "Someone is feeling extra territorial tonight." He clapped his brother on the shoulder with a mischievous grin. "Relax, dude, it's just one drink."

Arsh didn't respond, but the tension between us only grew as we continued to make our way through the crowd.

At some point, we found ourselves on the stage, surrounded by family. And then, just as suddenly, Arsh was gone from my side. I blinked, confused, until I saw him kneeling before me. My breath caught in my throat as I looked down at him, confused and wary of what he was about to do.

He reached into his pocket and pulled out a pair of delicate silver anklet. His eyes met mine, dark and unreadable, as he gently lifted the hem of my lehenga, keeping my ankle on his knees. The crowd around us hushed, all eyes on us now.

"What are you doing?" I whispered, my voice barely audible as I tried to take my leg away but he won't let go.

"Making sure everyone knows who you belong to," he said softly, fastening the anklet around my ankle and moving to the other one. His fingers lingered on my skin for a moment longer than necessary making goosebumps errupt on my skin.

The crowd erupted in applause as he stood, taking my hand in his once again. To everyone else, it was a romantic gesture, a symbol of love. But I knew better. This wasn't affection. This was a claim. A reminder that I was his possession and an act.