His shoulders finally relaxed.
I looked around at the beautiful setup, then back at him. “You did all this?”
He looked away, looking almost awkward. “Not me. Dhruv did it.”
“But you asked him to?”
He nodded without looking at me. “I wanted it to be a surprise.”
Something twisted painfully in my chest. “It’s beautiful,” I said softly. “I mean it.”
He gave a small nod. “Happy anniversary, Kavya.”
“Happy anniversary,” I replied.
A faint, fragile smile passed between us. I picked up my fork, feeling a little more like myself. “Are you going to eat?”
He raised an eyebrow. “Is that an invitation?”
I rolled my eyes. “Don’t ruin the moment.”
A faint smirk tugged at the corner of his lips as he finally picked up his cutlery. For a while, the tension that usuallysuffocated us began to thin, replaced by a conversation that felt almost normal. He spoke about his duty in the Air Force, his voice dropping into a low, rhythmic hum as he described the adrenaline of the cockpit and the grueling discipline of his drills. I found myself watching his hands as he moved his fork, wondering how those same fingers that could handle a fighter jet could also be so gentle when they touched my wrist.
In return, I told him about the chaos at his father’s office, the endless meetings, the demanding clients, and the pressure of keeping a business empire running while he was away. He listened more than he spoke, his dark eyes fixed on me in a way that made my pulse skip. Then he mentioned Spain, describing the upcoming international military exercises with a sense of duty that both impressed and intimidated me. For a few moments, it wasn't about the scandals or the family name; it was just two people sharing the details of their separate lives, trying to bridge the miles that always seemed to exist between us.
“So, are we cool?” I asked tentatively.
Saurav frowned in confusion before realising what I was talking about. “Not 'cool,' but we’ll work on the relationship,” Saurav said, studying me. “I want to make my father happy. I haven’t done much for him, so I figured keeping our marriage together would be a start.”
The bitterness returned. “So this whole display was just a show for your father?”
“It wasn't a 'show,' Kavya,” Saurav sighed. “I did it for you, too.”
“I think I’m tired,” I said, standing abruptly. I felt like a fool. I thought he’d done this for me, but he was just playing the part of the good son.
I went upstairs, changed out of my saree, and climbed into bed. A few minutes later, I heard him enter the room.
“Are you sleeping here?” I asked, turning to face him.
“Yes,” he said shortly, lying down beside me.
“I’ll go to the guest room then,” I said, starting to move, but he caught my hand firmly.
“Just stay right here.”
I lay back down, stiff and silent. A moment later, I felt his powerful arm wrap around my waist. He pulled me close until I felt his soft breath against my neck. Within minutes, he was fast asleep.
_________
Chapter 26
KAVYA
Muffled shouts from the next room pulled me from sleep. I reached out, but the sheets on Saurav’s side of the bed were already cold. He was up early?
I followed the sound of his voice. The closer I got to the study, the sharper the words became. It was Saurav, and I knew exactly who he was screaming at. His father. Who else would ignite such a fire in him?
I hovered by the door, watching through the narrow crack.