“I’m not imagining anything,” I said, my voice quiet but steady.
“Oh really?” She tilted her head, studying me like I was some puzzle she’d already solved. “Then why were you standing there like a spy? Listening to conversations that weren’t meant for you.”
Heat crawled up my neck, but I forced my face into calm. “I wasn’t spying.”
Tanya laughed, the sound light but dripping with mockery. “Please. You’re new here, Kavya, but not that innocent. Women always know when something threatens them.”
My fingers curled into the fabric of my suit. “I’m not threatened by you.”
Her brows lifted, amused. “You should be.” She leaned in, her smirk sharpening. “Because unlike you, I actually know Saurav.”
Her words made me want to claw that perfect smile off her face.
“I know what makes him angry. I know what makes him laugh. I know how he takes his coffee, how he hates waking up early, how he pretends he doesn’t care when something eats at him.” She stepped closer, her voice dropping. “And most importantly, I know how he likes to be in bed. We had nights, Kavya. Hot nights. He’s… incredible.”
“Stop it.” My voice cut sharp, my glare locking on hers.
Her smile widened, satisfaction flickering in her eyes. Seeing me break was her victory.
“Saurav told me everything,” she said, brushing her yoga pants like the conversation bored her. “He told me how much he didn’t want this marriage.”
“I didn’t want it either,” I said, my chin trembling despite my effort to hold it still.
“But you’re still here.”
I held her gaze. “So are you.”
Silence stretched, heavy, before she leaned in, her whisper brushing against my skin. “Let me give you a piece of advice, Kavya.”
I didn’t answer.
“Saurav Chauhan doesn’t fall in love,” she said softly, almost tenderly. “He ruins the women who do.”
Her smile faltered, pain flashing in her eyes as she glanced at her wrist. A scar ran across it, raw even in memory. “He ruined me.” Her voice cracked, then steadied. “And now…”
I opened my mouth, but no words came. Tanya straightened, her expression smoothing into something sweet, fake, polished.
“Anyway,” she said lightly, brushing invisible dust from her leggings. “Breakfast should be… interesting.”
She walked past me, perfume lingering like a taunt. I stood frozen, staring at nothing, before forcing a breath and wiping the corner of my eye before the tears could fall.
Two days. Just two days in this house, and already the drama was unfolding like a storm I couldn’t escape.
________
Chapter 14
KAVYA
It had been a month since our marriage, yet nothing had changed. Saurav was still cold, distant, and aloof. He refused to talk to me. Most days, he didn’t even want to see me. He was leaving for duty next Sunday, which meant I had only one week left with him. Only one week.
Tanya had decided to stay in the villa until Saurav’s departure. I hated the way she followed him everywhere like a lost puppy. It wasn’t as if Saurav actually wanted her there but she simply made sure she was always present. I had caught glimpses of the irritation on his face when she became too much, but he never said a word. Never pushed her away. Never rejected her. Just once… I wished he would refuse her coldly. Just once, I wanted to see her face when he did.
That evening, I was getting ready for the party. I wore the saree Mr. Chauhan had suggested. It wasn’t as though he had forced me; he just wanted me to look presentable.
I picked up the blouse and examined it carefully. It looked perfect until I noticed the two thin strings. My breath caught. The blouse was completely backless. The saree itself was a delicate shade of purple. I considered changing the blouse, but the color of the saree was so unique that I knew I wouldn’t find another blouse that matched it, so I gave up the idea.
First I started with my makeu—moisturizer, eyeliner, mascara, lipstick, and a touch of blush. My hands moved automatically, but my mind was elsewhere.