Chapter 53: CHAPTER 49:THE DANCE

Adolph

Pranav leaned against the pillar next to me, arms crossed, a wicked smirk plastered on his face. I didn't need to look at him to know he was about to start.

"So..." he drawled, rocking on his heels. "Excited for your first dance as an engaged man?"

I didn't answer.

Pranav took that as encouragement.

"Must be nice, huh? Holding her so close in front of everyone—oh wait, you've already done that, haven't you?" He nudged me with his elbow, wiggling his brows. "Bridal style and all?"

I sighed. "Pranav—"

He raised a hand, stopping me. "No, no, don't ruin this for me. I mean, I can already picture it—Neti, all flustered, you being all stoic but secretly enjoying it. Maybe she'll trip, and you'll have to catch her—so romantic—"

I turned my head, finally looking at him. "Are you done?"

"Not even close," he grinned.

I exhaled slowly, pinching the bridge of my nose. "Then make it quick."

"Oh, don't worry. I'm savoring this."

Pranav straightened up dramatically, clearing his throat. "Oh, Neti!" he started in a deep, exaggerated voice, imitating me. "Come, let me sweep you off your feet on this grand night—"

I deadpanned. "You sound like an opera villain."

He ignored me, now switching to a high-pitched voice, clearly meant to mimic Neti. "Oh, Adolph! I can't! It's too embarrassing! What if I trip?" He gasped dramatically, clutching his chest. "Will you catch me?"

I sent him a glare. "Do you have a death wish?"

"Only if Neti is the one carrying it out," he shot back, grinning.

I had half a mind to strangle him, but before I could act on it, Aliya and Neti returned.

Neti looked breathtaking.

The dress was pure elegance—flowing, soft, and designed to move like a dream. Her hair was styled to perfection, and there was a hint of nervousness in her eyes as she smoothed down the fabric.

Aliya was smirking at her side, arms crossed. "Told you he'd look at you like that."

Neti flushed instantly. "Aliya—"

Pranav gasped theatrically. "Oh no! Adolph, are you blushing?" He gripped my arm. "My poor heart can't take this!"

Aliya snorted, Neti groaned, and I sent Pranav a warning glare.

This dance was going to be long.

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Neti

{Flashback}

The stylist’s hands were on me again—dragging me like a puppet, as usual, for the final preparations. She had a way of being gentle but firm, like she was assembling some delicate artwork, and I was the canvas.

“Sit up straight, dear,” she chided as she pulled me up from the bed, making sure I didn’t slouch.

I tried to avoid her eyes in the mirror, focusing on the floor instead. Every time she spoke, I could feel the weight of her voice pressing against my skin. I was only moments away from the engagement, and everything felt... off. This wasn’t my life, wasn’t the path I would have chosen, but here I was—trapped in a life I had no control over.

The stylist fussed with my hair, fingers swift but careful. "It’ll look beautiful once it’s all done."

I nodded, not trusting my voice.

I could hear her humming as she worked, but my mind was elsewhere. Adolph... He was there in the distance, always around the corner, and yet, we were miles apart. Sometimes I could almost feel his gaze on me, like a heavy weight that threatened to crush my chest, but at other times, he was as distant as the moon. The weight of his indifference made me ache.

"Don’t worry, dear," the stylist continued, her voice gentle, "You’ll be perfect. He won’t be able to take his eyes off you."

I didn’t believe her.

No matter how perfectly my hair was styled, or how flawless the makeup made me, it didn’t change the fact that deep down, I knew nothing could change the way things were. This marriage... it was happening because I had no choice. Not for love, but for something else. Some deal that was beyond my understanding.

I glanced at myself in the mirror for a moment, unsure of what to feel. This version of me... the girl in the mirror, dressed in silk and looking like she had stepped out of a fairytale... she wasn’t me. She was a stranger.

The stylist finally stepped back, hands on her hips. "There! You look exquisite. Absolutely perfect for the night."

But I didn’t feel perfect. I felt trapped, like a puppet wearing a beautiful costume for a show she never auditioned for.

Before I could gather myself, the door opened with a soft creak, and there was Aliya.

She stepped in with a grin that didn’t quite reach her eyes, looking at me up and down. "Well, well, Neti," she teased, "I’d say you’re ready for your big night, but I think you’re already trying to escape, aren’t you?"

My stomach dropped at her words.

I wasn’t escaping. Not yet. But every second felt like a countdown to something I couldn’t control. And Aliya—she knew it.

She always knew how to push me.

Aliya smirked as she turned to the maids and the stylist. “Out. Now.”

They didn’t even hesitate. One glance at her sharp eyes and commanding tone, and they practically ran out of the room, shutting the door behind them.

I barely had time to process before Aliya turned back to me, her grin widening like a cat that just caught its prey.

“Well, well, well,” she drawled, stepping closer, arms crossed. “You look stunning, princess.”

I rolled my eyes. “Don’t start.”

“Oh, I haven’t even begun.” She grabbed the edge of my silk dress, admiring it. “Red, huh? Adolph’s going to devour you tonight.”

I nearly choked on air. “Aliya!”

“What?” She feigned innocence, placing a hand over her heart. “I’m just stating facts. He’s already obsessed with you, and now, looking like this? You’re lucky the engagement isn’t after the wedding night, or you’d never make it to the ceremony.”

My face was burning. “You’re impossible.”

She laughed, circling me like a lioness. “You know, I used to think this marriage was just some mafia arrangement, but now? The way he looks at you? The way he wants you? Oh, honey, you’re in trouble.”

I groaned, hiding my face in my hands. “Stop it.”

She leaned in, lowering her voice dramatically. “Do you think he’ll be gentle tonight? Or do you think he’ll—”

“ALIYA!”

She burst into laughter, stepping back with a victorious smirk. “I swear, I don’t even have to try to make you blush. You’re too easy.”

I crossed my arms, glaring at her. “You’re evil.”

“And you’re adorable,” she shot back. “Now, let’s go before Adolph himself comes in here and carries you out like a caveman.”

I groaned again, but she was already dragging me toward the door, laughing the entire way.

Aliya did not let up.

The entire way down the hall, she kept whispering the most embarrassing things into my ear, smirking every time I squeaked or turned redder.

“Oh, Neti, do you think Adolph will even let you walk tomorrow?” she mused, tapping her chin. “I mean, the way he looks at you, I doubt he’s planning on letting you sleep—”

I shoved her. “SHUT UP!”

She laughed. Laughed! Like she was having the time of her life tormenting me.

By the time we reached the entrance to the ballroom, I was glowing red. I was convinced that if Adolph saw me now, he’d think I had a fever.

But then—it clicked.

She was teasing me mercilessly. But what about her?

A slow, wicked smirk spread across my lips. “You know, Aliya,” I said sweetly, “I just realized something.”

She raised a brow. “What?”

“You and Pranav matched today. How cute.”

Her expression faltered. Just a little. “So?”

I gasped dramatically, placing a hand over my chest. “Oh my god. Do you think it was on purpose? Was it fate? Matching black outfits, both looking ridiculously good—oh no, Aliya, you’re in trouble.”

She scoffed, but I saw the way her cheeks twitched like she was fighting not to react.

I grinned. Oh, this is gonna be fun.

“You know, I saw Pranav staring at you earlier.” I leaned in. “And not in his usual annoying way. He was checking you out.”

Aliya stiffened. “Shut. Up.”

“Oh nooo, what if he confesses to you tonight?” I continued, pushing my luck. “What if he—”

“NETI.”

I gasped at her red face. “Oh. My. God. You’re blushing.”

“I am not—”

I cackled, pointing at her. “You so are! This is amazing—”

She grabbed my arm. “I will throw you into that fountain.”

“Oh, please do,” I shot back. “Then Adolph will have to save me bridal style in front of everyone—”

Aliya groaned, covering her face with her hands. “I hate you.”

I smirked. “No, you don’t.”

She glared at me but was still blushing. And that was so worth it.

Aliya tried to recover. She really did. But I wasn’t going to let her get away with what she did to me.

“Oh, what’s wrong, Aliya?” I cooed, batting my lashes at her. “Cat got your tongue? Or was it the thought of Pranav staring at you all night?”

She scowled. “You’re playing a dangerous game, Neti.”

“Oh, I know.” I smirked. “But it’s not my fault you and Pranav are already acting like a married couple. Matching outfits, bickering like an old couple—oh, should I start planning your wedding now?”

Her eye twitched. “Say another word, and I swear—”

I gasped, placing a dramatic hand on my chest. “Aliya, you wouldn’t hurt a bride, would you? Your best friend? I mean, I am Adolph’s fiancée, his soon-to-be wife. If anything happens to me, he will be very, very concerned.”

Aliya froze.

Bingo.

I grinned, leaning closer. “Oh, did I hit a nerve?” I whispered. “What’s wrong? Afraid of what Adolph might do if he finds out you were bullying his precious fiancée?”

Her jaw locked. “You wouldn’t.”

I grinned wider. “Oh, I would.”

She glared at me so hard I thought I’d burst into flames. But I held my ground. Because for once, I was winning.

Finally, she sighed, running a hand through her hair. “Fine. I surrender. Happy?”

I beamed. “Very.”

She muttered something under her breath, probably a threat, but I just looped my arm through hers and pulled her towards the ballroom.

“Well, let’s go, my dear best friend,” I said cheerfully. “Wouldn’t want to keep our men waiting, now would we?”

Aliya groaned like she regretted every life choice that led her to this moment.

_______________________________

Adolph

The moment Neti and Aliya stepped into the ballroom, Pranav and I exchanged a single glance—and that was all it took.

They were red. Both of them. Not the usual annoyed red. No, this was the embarrassed-but-trying-to-act-normal kind of red. And the way they were smiling, beaming like two mischievous little devils who had just set something on fire and were pretending they didn’t, was all the confirmation we needed.

Pranav smirked, elbowing me. “Looks like our girls had a very interesting conversation.”

I scoffed. “You’re one to talk. Aliya looks like she’s about to explode.”

He grinned. “Yeah, but so does your fiancée.” He wiggled his brows. “Must’ve been something juicy. Maybe about you.”

I rolled my eyes. “Oh, please. If it were about me, Neti wouldn’t be smiling—she’d be trying to run away.”

Pranav snorted. “Fair point.” He then leaned in slightly. “What do you think? Aliya’s blushing because of me?”

I smirked. “Absolutely not.”

His face dropped. “Wow. Okay. No faith in me at all.”

I patted his shoulder. “None whatsoever.”

Pranav groaned. “You’re the worst.”

I shrugged. “I know.”

But before he could shoot back, Neti and Aliya reached us. And just like we suspected, they knew we knew.

I raised an eyebrow at Neti, watching as she quickly averted her eyes, pretending to admire the chandeliers. Aliya, on the other hand, was glaring at Pranav, as if daring him to say one word.

So, naturally, he did.

“Sooo, Aliya,” Pranav started, dragging out her name obnoxiously. “What exactly were you two lovely ladies talking about?”

Aliya’s eye twitched. “Nothing.”

Neti nodded aggressively. “Absolutely nothing.”

I chuckled. “Right. And I’m a florist.”

Neti scowled at me. “Could you not?”

Pranav gasped dramatically. “Ohhh, it was about us!”

Aliya groaned so loudly it echoed in the ballroom. “Pranav, I swear on everything holy—”

But he wasn’t listening. He was too busy turning to me, smug as ever. “Looks like I am winning Aliya over, after all.”

Aliya froze. Then—

WHACK.

She smacked him so hard on the back of his head that even I winced.

Pranav stumbled forward, rubbing the spot. “Okay, okay! Maybe not winning, but—”

Aliya raised her hand again.

“Alright, alright! I’m shutting up!”

I smirked, watching him retreat behind me for protection. “Coward.”

He pointed at Aliya. “Do you see her? That’s self-preservation.”

Aliya scoffed. “Oh, please. If I really wanted to kill you, I wouldn’t have stopped at one slap.”

Neti sighed beside her. “I tried to warn you,” she muttered to Pranav.

He pouted. “No, you didn’t.”

She grinned. “Exactly.”

I chuckled under my breath, shaking my head. These three were going to drive me insane. But, well… I wouldn’t have it any other way.

As I watched her—dressed in elegance, cheeks still tinged pink from whatever conversation she had with Aliya—my grip on my glass tightened.

Neti.

My fiancée. Soon to be my wife.

The thought should have settled something inside me. Should have given me control. But it didn’t. Because the truth was, I was trapped in the worst kind of torment—an obsession that ran too deep and a hatred that refused to let go.

I wanted her. Desperately. In ways that were beyond reason, beyond control. She was mine—I had made sure of that. Yet, at the same time, I resented her. For what, I wasn’t even sure anymore. Maybe for the way she had always gotten under my skin, even back then. Maybe for the way she had the audacity to look so damn beautiful while I was trying to keep myself sane.

Or maybe because, no matter how much I told myself I had won, it never felt like I had.

I brought the glass to my lips, the bitter taste doing nothing to drown the storm inside me.

She was the only one who had ever made me feel. And I hated that. Hated that even now, when she was right in front of me, I still wasn’t satisfied.

Because Neti wasn’t just mine in title. I wanted her to know it. To feel it. To accept it.

And yet, there she was, laughing at something Aliya said, her eyes bright, free—like she wasn’t standing beside the very man who had ruined her life.

Like she wasn’t afraid.

And that… that both infuriated me and made me crave her even more.

Pranav turned to Aliya with a grin that could only mean trouble.

Author

“Well, well, well,” he said, dramatically adjusting his suit. “Since our lovely couple is about to share their first dance, I, as the best man, should find myself a dance partner too. And who better than you, Aliya?”

Aliya raised an unimpressed brow. “No.”

Pranav gasped as if she had just broken his heart. “Aliya, cara mia, how could you refuse me so coldly?”

“Easily,” she deadpanned.

But Pranav wasn’t giving up. He stepped closer, lowering his voice just enough that only she could hear. “Come on, just one dance? It’s a beautiful night, you look stunning, and if we’re being honest… I’d be the luckiest guy here.”

Aliya’s breath hitched for a second—just a second—but she quickly masked it with a scoff. “You’re impossible.”

“And you’re breathtaking.” His smile softened, losing some of its usual teasing edge. “One dance, Aliya. Just one.”

Neti, watching the whole thing, pressed her lips together to hold back a smirk. Adolph raised a brow but said nothing, observing quietly.

Aliya sighed, looking everywhere but at Pranav. “Fine. Just one.”

His grin returned, but this time, there was something different about it. Something softer. He gently took her hand, leading her toward the dance floor.

As the music began to play, Pranav placed one hand on Aliya’s waist while she rested hers on his shoulder. Their fingers intertwined as they swayed to the rhythm, the golden chandeliers above casting a soft glow around them.

“You dance well,” he murmured.

Aliya rolled her eyes. “You sound surprised.”

“Not surprised. Just… enchanted.”

Aliya’s cheeks warmed, and she looked away, pretending to focus on the music. But Pranav wasn’t letting her off that easily. He tilted his head, watching her with quiet amusement.

“You’re blushing.”

“I am not,” she said quickly.

He chuckled, pulling her just a little closer. “Liar.”

For the first time that evening, Aliya didn’t have a comeback. She just let him lead, let herself get lost in the warmth of his touch, the steady rhythm of the music, and the way his eyes never left hers.

Maybe, just maybe, one dance wasn’t so bad after all

_______________________________

Author

As I pulled Neti onto the dance floor, my grip on her waist was firm—possessive, yet careful. Like she was something precious, something I refused to let slip away. The moment my fingers intertwined with hers, a slow, burning sensation settled in my chest. It wasn’t just a dance. It was a silent declaration.

She was mine.

The soft glow of the chandeliers above us bathed her in golden light, making her skin look even softer, her eyes even more mesmerizing. She looked up at me, hesitant, almost shy, yet there was something else in her gaze. A wariness. A knowledge of what I was. Of what I could do.

But still, she stayed.

The music was slow, elegant, and I moved us in perfect sync, my hold unyielding. I could feel the heat radiating from her, the way her breath hitched every time I pulled her closer. My thumb absentmindedly brushed over the back of her hand, and she shivered—whether from the cold night air or my touch, I wasn’t sure. But I liked it.

“You’re nervous,” I murmured, leaning down just enough that my lips brushed the shell of her ear.

Her breath hitched again, and she stiffened in my arms. “I—I’m not.”

I smirked. “Liar.”

She glared up at me, but it was weak—her face was too flushed, her lips too soft and parted, betraying her.

The thought of anyone else ever holding her like this made my jaw clench. She didn’t know just how much she affected me. How much I wanted to drown in her, own every piece of her.

My fingers on her waist tightened instinctively, and her hands, small and warm, pressed against my chest. “Adolph…” she whispered, a warning, maybe. Or a plea.

I didn’t care.

I tilted her chin up, my thumb tracing the side of her jaw. “You’re mine, Neti. Do you understand that?”

Her lips parted slightly, her breath shaky. But she didn’t pull away.

Didn’t deny it.

And that was enough for now.

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The dance finished gracefully, don't worry