The Gala was still in full swing, but for Avani, the air had become suffocating. Aryan was nowhere to be seen. He had disappeared into a private study with a group of investors, leaving her to fend off the prying eyes of the elite.
"I need air," she whispered to herself, slipping away from the crowded ballroom and toward the dark, sprawling gardens of the estate.
The night air was cool, smelling of wet earth and jasmine. She walked toward a secluded stone bench near a fountain, but a low, frantic voice stopped her. It was coming from behind a thick hedge.
"I told you, she's just a temporary fix! If the board finds out the truth about the hospital records, we're all dead!"
Avani froze. That was Aryan's voice. But he sounded different—desperate, almost human.
"We need to keep her under control, Aryan," another voice replied. It was his lawyer, Mr. Khanna. "She's smart. If she starts digging into the old Singhania files, she'll find out why you really needed a bride from a middle-class family with no connections."
Avani stepped back, her heel clicking on a pebble. The voices stopped instantly.
"Who's there?" Aryan's voice was sharp as a blade.
Before she could run, Aryan stepped out from the shadows. His eyes widened for a fraction of a second when he saw her, then narrowed into slits of ice. He signaled Mr. Khanna to leave.
"Eavesdropping is a dangerous habit, Avani," he said, walking toward her. Each step he took felt like a predator closing in on its prey.
"What records, Aryan? What am I a 'fix' for?" Avani stood her ground, though her knees were shaking. "Was my father's surgery even real? Or was that just another lie to buy my silence?"
Aryan grabbed her arm, pulling her into the shadows of a massive oak tree. His face was inches from hers. "Don't push me. You have the money, your father has the best care. That was the deal. Anything else is none of your business."
"It is my business when my life is a lie!" she shouted, trying to pull away.
But Aryan didn't let go. His grip was firm, but his touch felt strangely hot against her skin. For a moment, the anger between them shifted. The moonlight filtered through the leaves, illuminating the raw, painful tension in their eyes.
"You think I'm the monster here?" Aryan whispered, his voice cracking. "I'm trying to keep this entire empire from crumbling, and you... you're the only thing that's making the world believe I'm still sane."
For a heartbeat, Avani saw a glimpse of the man behind the mask. He looked exhausted, haunted by a past he couldn't escape. Her hand involuntarily reached out, her fingers brushing the sleeve of his tuxedo.
But before the moment could break, a loud crash came from the ballroom, followed by a woman's scream.
Aryan's protective instincts kicked in instantly. He pulled Avani behind him, his hand reaching for the concealed weapon under his jacket.
"Stay behind me," he commanded, his voice once again that of the Heartless King. "Whatever happens, do not leave my side."
The secrets were coming out, and tonight, the 'Gilded Cage' was about to be attacked from the outside.