Marriage was never supposed to feel like this.
Car ki window ke bahar shehar blur ho raha tha, par mere dimaag mein sirf ek hi cheez repeat ho rahi thi—
I just married a stranger. On paper.
Anaya bilkul chup thi. Back seat par seedhi baithi, haath lap mein bandhe hue. Uski aankhen window par thi, jaise woh shehar nahi, apni purani life ko dekh rahi ho.
"Driver, Malhotra Residence," maine kaha.
Usne jhat se meri taraf dekha.
"Main wahan nahi rahungi."
I raised an eyebrow. "Contract padha nahi?"
"I did," usne jawab diya, thoda sharp. "Usmein sirf public appearances likha hai. Living arrangement nahi."
Interesting. She was right.
"Maine kaha tha na," maine calmly bola, "no emotions. Sirf rules."
Main phone se ek aur document open karke uski taraf badha deta hoon.
"Addendum."
Usne file li.
Eyes scan karte hue ruk gayi.
Clause 7: The couple will live together to maintain public credibility.
"You planned this," usne dheere se kaha.
"I plan everything," maine reply diya.
Silence phir se car mein bhar gayi.
Malhotra Residence shehar ke sabse exclusive area mein tha—glass, steel aur power ka symbol. Gate khula aur car andar chali gayi.
Anaya ne ghar ko dekha. Shock, phir discomfort.
"This isn't a home," usne kaha.
"It is," maine bola. "For one year."
House staff already line mein khade the.
"Mrs. Malhotra," kisi ne kaha.
Anaya ka body stiff ho gaya.
"Don't call me that," usne instinctively kaha.
Maine uski taraf dekha. "Get used to it."
Room ke andar pahunch kar maine seedha point par baat ki.
"Rules simple hain," maine kaha.
"Rule one: No questions about my past."
"Rule two: Media ke saamne perfect wife."
"Rule three: Personal space ka respect—jab tak main na kahoon."
Usne meri baat khatam hone ka wait kiya, phir boli:
"Mere bhi rules hain."
I looked at her. "Excuse me?"
"Rule one," uski awaaz firm thi, "tum mujhe touch nahi karoge."
"Rule two: Main tumhari employee nahi hoon."
"Rule three: Ek saal ke baad, tum mujhe rokne ki koshish nahi karoge."
For the first time…
I smiled.
"You're brave," maine kaha.
"Ya bewakoof," usne reply diya.
"Mujhe brave log pasand hain," maine kaha. "Deal."
She relaxed a little. Bas thoda sa.
Us raat, main apne bedroom mein tha.
Aur woh guest room mein.
Contract clear tha.
Distance clear tha.
Phir bhi, jaise hi lights band hui, mujhe pehli baar laga—
yeh ek saal simple nahi hone wala.
Kyunki Anaya Sharma
meri control wali duniya mein
apne rules le aayi thi.
And that…
changed everything again