His whispers were soft—quiet, yet loud enough for her to catch. Confused by his words, she stared into his eyes and asked, "What do you mean?"
Aarav smirked at her question but remained silent. Instead, he gently took her hand, leading her forward as they made their grand entrance together.
"Everyone, please welcome the stars of the night—Aarav and Arundhati!" the anchor's voice echoed, drawing everyone's attention toward the couple.
As Aarav and Arundhati stepped into the spotlight, the audience turned to them with awe. Applause rang out, growing louder with each passing second, filling the hall with a rhythmic echo of admiration.
The couple accepted gifts from their guests, posed for photos, and shared forced smiles. Though neither desired to be near the other, they stood side by side out of necessity. Arundhati didn't want to stir any trouble for the Trivedis, while Aarav couldn't afford to jeopardize his already fragile position within the family.
And yet, no matter how much he tried to avoid her, Aarav always found himself drawn back to her—as if fate kept pulling him closer. That pull existed not just for the man he was now, but for the original Aarav as well. Lost in this strange déjà vu, Aarav suddenly realized he was staring at her again.
Arundhati snapped her fingers in front of him, breaking his trance. "Why are you looking at me like that? It's creepy."
Aarav chuckled at her bluntness, but then, almost against his will, the words slipped out. "You don't have to worry. You see, it's not in Aarav Trivedi's league to sleep with the same woman twice."
He hadn't wanted to say that. It was idiotic—cruel, even—but necessary. That's how the original Aarav had been built. A character with armor made of arrogance.
"…"
An awkward silence hung in the air between them. But Arundhati's eyes spoke volumes—sadness, resentment, disappointment… and finally, anger.
"Aarav," she said quietly, her voice steady but heavy, "you and I despise each other. There's no need to pretend otherwise. But I want to ask one thing of you. Just think of it as a favor."
"Favor?" Aarav raised an eyebrow. "Miss Arundhati Iyer, perhaps you've forgotten—Aarav never does anything for free. But if you're interested, we might be able to strike a deal."
Calling her Iyer instead of Trivedi was his way of underlining the distance between them—a reminder that, to him, she wasn't his wife.
Arundhati, though long accustomed to his indifference, still felt the sharp sting of those words. Clenching her teeth as if to brace against the pain, she replied, "Fine. A deal it is. As you know, we'll be heading to my family home after this banquet and staying there for a while. I want you to behave yourself in front of my family. Now tell me—what do you want in return?"
She knew it was a dangerous gamble, but there was no other way to handle this arrogant man. She didn't want to bow to his cruelty, but the thought of him insulting her parents in front of others… it was too much to bear.
"Behave myself, huh?" Aarav mused aloud, then nodded. "Fine. Let's do it."
Her eyes widened in disbelief. Did he just… agree? Just like that? No conditions? That's too good to be true. Her instincts screamed that there was more to this than he was letting on.
And just as expected, Aarav smiled faintly and said, "Give me your phone."
"What? Why?"
"Arundhati, we don't have all night for chit-chat. Hand it over, or we can forget this little arrangement altogether."
Though suspicious, she handed over her phone and watched him carefully.
Aarav installed a new app and linked her phone to his. Once the setup was complete, he returned the device and spoke in a tone devoid of warmth, "I've made some changes. I suggest you don't reset your phone. And if you ever try to outsmart me or delete what I've done, this deal ends—and the humiliation your parents will face will be far worse than anything you can imagine."
His words were cold and absolute. Arundhati understood that resistance was futile.
"…I understand," she replied quietly. "But I'd like to know—what exactly did you do?"
"Nothing much. Just installed an app that lets me know if my dear wife starts plotting against me."
Though frustrated by his vague response, Arundhati kept her expression neutral. She would deal with it later. For now, she had more pressing things to handle.
The photo session concluded, and the couple stepped off stage, mingling with friends and family. Aarav, standing with a drink in hand, appeared relaxed. But his eyes never left Arundhati. He watched her, silently, almost transfixed.
There was something about her tonight—an undeniable allure. The way the soft lights played on her features, the elegance in her posture, the quiet defiance in her eyes… Aarav found himself tempted. The urge to pull her close, to feel the warmth of her skin, to lose himself in her, surged unbidden. But he shoved the thought away, burying it under the weight of memories and expectations.
Just then, two elderly women approached Arundhati.
"Are you Arundhati?" one of them asked with a smile too sharp to be genuine.
Though standing at a distance, Aarav heard them clearly. And in that instant, he could sense what was about to unfold.
Arundhati, ever composed, answered with a soft smile. "Yes."
"I heard you come from a middle-class background," the woman began, voice laced with passive aggression. "How's your new home treating you?"
Arundhati kept smiling, but her mind raced. So, this is how it starts…
She recognized the venom behind the woman's words. This wasn't a casual question—it was a carefully aimed dagger.
And yet, she held her composure. Not for herself, but for someone far more important.
She couldn't let this spiral. She wouldn't allow Mr. Kailashnath to be hurt by any fallout. He was the only person in this household who had stood by her. The one who had supported her when Aarav revealed his true nature. The reason she was able to marry into this family at all.
So, even under attack, she stood tall—graceful, calm, and quietly fierce.