Chapter 5:
5:19 p.m.
Arnav's POV
I tapped my fingers on the steering wheel, heaving out a frustrated sigh. She had been inside her room from the past twenty minutes. I had even called her but all I received was a text,
'I'm coming '
But she never appeared.
This woman was really something not to mess with. I glanced at the fourth floor's balcony, where I could see lights were on and it meant she was still there. I liked the audacity she had to make me wait.
Biting onto my lower lip, I tapped my fingers on the steering wheel and the moment I was about to close my eyes, I heard the clicking of heels.
My eyes shot open as I turned my attention to the lady walking towards my car.
Clad in a strapped black dress fitting till her waist, which had a deep cut running till her lower cleavage enhancing the outlines of her bosoms. The lower part was lose and flowing to the ground with a slit on the right leg. The sound of her black heels clashing against the pathway was the only sound in the silent neighborhood.
Her hair tied up into a low ponytail exposed the pearl studs on her ears.
Her strong gaze never left mine as she stopped by the window of my side.
I didn't know I was staring at her through the closed black tinted window of my car until she knocked on it.
Rolling down the window, I stared back at her.
"Mind opening the door for your date?", she spoke. Her voice was so elegant and smooth like silk, perfect choice of a song to my ears.
I smirked, "Sure". I got down before walking over to the other side while she followed me.
Opening the door I forwarded my hand motioning her to get in. The moment she passed by, my nostrils sucked in the sweet vanilla fragrance of the perfume she used.
She's so fucking addictive.
What the hell—I wasn't meant to appreciate her like that. I had a motive to fulfill. That's why I hated women. They're such a distraction.
Cursing under my breaths I closed the door before walking back to the other side.
.
The car ran on the road, the silence inside consuming us. She'd been staring outside from the moment she sat inside.
"What are your thoughts on this marriage, Ms Anika?", I don't know why but I spoke first.
She turned her head towards me before looking back at the road.
"An unwanted marriage", she replied simply. Her voice held no emotion or softness.
I nodded.
"What about you?", She asked.
I didn't speak for a moment recalling everything I had in my mind from the past two months.
"My benefits"
She tilted her head and I could see her confused face through my periphery.
"What benefits? I didn't sign any deal with you for your benefits and as per my information, my family also isn't involved in any such thing", she spoke.
I smirked, "There's much more beneath the surface you could see".
Taking a right turn, I spoke again, "Don't stay confused. You'll know everything after the marriage".
"Bastard", she muttered under her breaths.
I chuckled, "I don't tolerate misbehaviour, princess".
She chuckled. Her boldness really amused me.
"Mr. Rai Mehrotra, I ain't your secretary or your personal maid to run on your orders. I'll behave how I want to", she replied throwing a glare at me before talking out her phone from her purse.
"We will see", I replied gripping tightly onto the steering wheel. No matter if I was dying to take her through hell, I was also losing my senses because of the way she was so tempting.
Get a fucking hold on yourself you dick! I groaned internally.
"Why did you bring the proposal to my family out of millions of families in the world?", she asked all of a sudden. I glanced at her and saw she was staring straight at me.
"Because I wanted to", I replied.
She chuckled, sarcastically.
"Why'd you do that? You don't even know me?", she asked further, gritting her teeth.
"I do what I want, Mrs. Rai Mehrotra", I replied, smirking again. I knew it irked her and that's what I tend to do.
She shot her head towards me with wide eyes but the moment she realised, her stoic face came back.
"Humari shadi abhi tak hui nahi hai Mr. Rai Mehrotra", she replied. I saw her nails digging into her palms causing me to chuckle slowly.
(We aren't married yet Mr. Rai Mehrotra)
"It's just nineteen days away from today. Seven days from today is our engagement. So we are each other's fiancé, sweetheart", I replied.
"Fucking stop with your nicknames. I ain't a teenager dying to hear nicknames from her crush. Call me Anika or better—shut up", she yelled.
Damn this woman. She really had some strength and boldness to yell at me or else, who'd dare dig their own grave on their own?
I clicked my tongue, "Oh my lady, aap janti nahi hogi ki hum wahi karte hai jo hume pasand hai. Aap apna awaz niche rakhiye".
(Oh my lady, you might not know that I do whatever I like. Keep your voice low)
She glared at me. She looked so mesmerizing with her beautiful orbs glaring at me. I'd have worshipped her, had she entered my life in a different situation. But she chose the wrong one.
"Stop eye fucking me or else I'll fuck you against the backseat and trust me, I'm a man of my words", I replied earning some inaudible curses from her.
Who knew that the great she-devil herself would blush at my comments?
She did blush given that she had turned her head to the other side when I said those words.
I smirked.
How cruel love is right? It comes unannounced and when you're unprepared. It shows you stars making you oblivious to its dark side.
And when it leaves, you're devastated, you're shattered.
Same is what she did to Dhruv; the heart of my family.
I gritted my teeth. I loathed her beyond one can think of. The more she was near me, the more I wanted to see her in pain. I ain't a forgiving and letting go type person. I'll rip you to your heart before stepping on it till it's crushed to its pulp.
She was fragile from inside, I knew. No matter how fast and far she ran, because now, the more she was nearer to her nightmares. She'll see her nightmares in daylight, that's what I've promised to Dhruv.
Moments of silence passed before we arrived at a seven star fancy hotel. It was the best hotel in Jaipur.
Taking off my specs, I saw repoters standing at the entrance of the restaurant. I sighed frustratingly, inside.
"Stay here", I muttered nonchalantly before getting down the car.
•
Anika's POV
I was sitting at a table reserved for him and me near the railing of the tenth floor of hotel Royal Jaipur.
The view of the bustling city was mesmerizing from here. The golden, yellow, red and orange lights blinked as if stars twinkling that fell from the sky. The zephyres blowing past me erupted a feeling of warmth inside me unlike the ice berg in front of me elegantly having his grass and leaves.
I was having Italian pasta with white sauce. It was specially made by the main chef of the hotel. Its sweet and spicy taste burst my taste buds and its creamy texture melted on my tongue.
I'd have moaned at its heavenly taste but I ain't embarrassing myself.
But this man, he said he was health conscious so just ordered a plate of Italian salad.
He was none of my concern, anyways.
Moments ago...
I kept sitting inside his car, eyes tracing his buffed figure walking over to my side. He asked me to stay sat so I did .
Opening the door by me, he held out his hand. I glanced at his stoic face staring somewhere else so I threw a quick glance at his outfit.
He was wearing an iron-grey suit and pant with a black shirt beneath. The shirt fitted his buffed chest so well that the buttons were kind of fighting for their lives. A thin silver chain ran around his neck dropping a deep green rectangle sapphire in the middle.
The golden YSL brooch on his coat gleamed under the lights in the surrounding. His hair was brushed back and the mullets were tied up at the bottom. He was indeed hot as per the description made by his fangirls in his insta comments.
The more the irresistible urge to deny his hand ate me up, still I couldn't deny. Because? Beca—
"Are you gonna eat and sleep there tonight?", he muttered under his breaths. Now his grey orbs were staring down at me. I just couldn't decipher what they spoke...
Keeping my hand on his, I got out of the car before we walked over to the entrance. The reporters clicked our pictures and I heard some of them speaking,
'Mr. Arnav Rai Mehrotra is with his fiancée here tonight'
'They look so good together as if a match made in heaven'
'Did they have some chemistry from before? Were they hiding that from the world?'
'Ms. Anika Roy Chowdhury, one of the the top-most model and businesswoman, has been seen with her lovely fiancé Mr. Arnav Rai Mehrotra at ROYAL JAIPUR tonight. Is there any special occasion today?'
Etc. Etc. They were just blabbering bullshit which would just increase their channel's TRP and nothing else.
No matter how much I avoided and hated media or specifically the camera flashes, I couldn't ignore them because that's what a part of celebrity life was about.
I dove out of the sea of thoughts when I heard the sound of metal clicking against cutlery sets.
I saw him keeping down the fork on his plate. His plate was clean unlike mine, filled with half-finished food.
I didn't have any appetite.
Why'd I when everything was happening against my will?
Wiping his mouth with a napkin, he looked up at me. He took a short glance at my plate and my right hand holding the fork, its tip resting on the leftover pasta.
"Are you done?", he asked clasping his hands on the table. His eyes held some emotions I've been unable to read till today, from the day we met.
I nodded keeping down the fork. He motioned a waiter who came quickly before taking away our plates.
A waitress came with a red wine bottle and two wine glasses on a golden tray in her hands, covered in a red velvet piece. Placing a glass each for both of us, she poured the wine before bowing and taking her leave.
I glanced at him who texted someone on his phone before keeping it back and looked back at me.
I stared back and for now I could see he's going to say something—that I might not like.
"Today I'm here not for a date. I need to tell you something", he spoke as I stared back at him silently.
I didn't know why but a few moments ago everyone in this floor left. This was the top-most floor of the hotel and it was a rooftop area. Above us was the clear sky with twinkling stars but the moon was home today.
Taking a sip from my wine, I nodded.
"Go ahead"
"Sign a contract for this baseless marriage"