Chapter 32: ❗ 31 ❗

The next morning, I threw myself into work like my life depended on it. Maybe, in some ways, it did.

I needed something to ground me, to remind me that I was still Avni Rajput. Not just some pawn in a business deal.

My schedule was packed, and I made sure of it.

Back-to-back meetings, endless presentations, phone calls that felt never-ending—every single second was accounted for. There was no room to think about him, about the absurdity of this whole situation, about the fact that in just a week, I was going to be someone's wife.

I didn't want to think about Aditya Singhania.

I didn't want to think about the way he smirked at me last night, like he knew exactly how much this marriage was messing with me. Like he enjoyed watching me squirm.

Bastard.

So I kept my head down, my focus sharp, and my patience thinner than ever.   By the time my last meeting ended in the evening, I was exhausted. My temples throbbed slightly, my body screamed for a break, and my mind was just as restless as it had been all day.

I needed air.  I needed to be somewhere that wasn't my office, my house, or anywhere that reminded me of responsibilities and expectations.

At evening i went to park . The park was quieter than usual, the golden hue of the setting sun casting a soft glow over everything.

The air was crisp, the faint scent of fresh earth and flowers surrounding me as I walked down the familiar path.

This place had always been my escape. A place where no one expected me to be Avni Rajput, the businesswoman. Here, I was just... me.

I found my usual spot under an old, towering tree, where the shade was just perfect, the ground soft enough to sit on. Pulling out my book from my bag, I let out a slow, satisfied breath as I settled in.

The moment I flipped open the pages, reality faded. Nothing existed except for the words, the story pulling me in, wrapping around me like a warm blanket.

For the first time in days, I smiled—a real, genuine smile.

Every now and then, my gaze lifted, watching the children playing in the distance. Their laughter was infectious, their energy boundless, and I found myself admiring how simple their world was. No business deals, no forced marriages, no heavy burdens of expectation—just pure, unfiltered joy.

A little girl, no older than five, was running after a boy with pigtails bouncing and tiny feet kicking up dust as she giggled loudly.

Something about the scene made my chest feel lighter. This—this was peace. This was what I wished my life could be.

But Then, of Course, He Had to Ruin It.

I didn't feel his presence at first.  But there was a shift in the air, an awareness that crept up my spine before I even looked up. And then, just as I turned the page of my book, I saw him.

Aditya Singhania.

Standing just a few feet away, hands in his pockets, watching me like he was seeing something he wasn't supposed to.

His expression wasn't smug this time. It wasn't arrogant or taunting like it usually was when he was around me.

No.

He was just... staring.  For a second, I was caught off guard.

The Aditya I knew—the one who lived to annoy me, provoke me, make my life hell—was nowhere to be found.  This Aditya looked almost lost.

Like he had just stumbled upon something he didn't expect.

I blinked, shifting uncomfortably under his gaze. "What the hell are you doing here?"  The spell broke instantly.

His lips twitched, that signature smirk making its appearance as he took a step forward. "Relax, Ms Rajput. Didn't know this park was yours."  I rolled my eyes. "It's not. But you being here feels like an invasion of privacy."

He let out a soft chuckle, and for some reason, that irritated me even more.  "Didn't expect you as the type to sit under trees and read books," he mused, glancing at the novel in my hand.

I raised a brow. "And what exactly did you expect me as?"  His gaze flickered over me—too quick, but I caught it. "Someone who's always working. Or threatening to throw something at me."

I pursed my lips. "Tempting."

Aditya took a few more steps until he was standing right in front of me. The golden light of the setting sun highlighted the sharp edges of his face, the slight tousle of his hair, and for some reason, he looked... different.

Less like the arrogant businessman I despised. More like... I didn't know.  Something else.

I shook the thought away before it could fully form.  "I didn't expect to see you here either," I muttered, returning my attention to my book, hoping he'd take the hint and leave.

He didn't.  "Was driving by. Saw you."  That made me pause. "And you just decided to stop?" Aditya tilted his head slightly, amusement flickering in his eyes. "Curiosity got the best of me."

I scoffed. "There's nothing curious about me sitting in a park, reading a book."  "Actually..." He slipped his hands back into his pockets, rocking slightly on his feet. "It's very curious."

I narrowed my eyes. "How so?"  He shrugged. "Because for the first time, you don't look like you're carrying the weight of the world on your shoulders."

That caught me off guard.  I blinked up at him, his words sinking in faster than I wanted them to.

But before I could come up with a sharp retort, one of the little kids I had been watching earlier suddenly came running towards me, tripping at the last second.  Instinctively, I reached out, steadying the little girl before she could fall.

She looked up at me with big, teary eyes, and I smiled softly. "Careful, sweetheart."  The little girl sniffled, then giggled, nodding before running off again.

When I looked back at Aditya, something in his gaze had changed.

He wasn't smirking.  He wasn't teasing.  He was just watching.

And for the first time, I saw something in his expression that I didn't know how to name.

Something softer.  Something dangerous.

Something that made my heart beat just a little too fast.

I cleared my throat, suddenly feeling way too exposed. "You're staring again."  Aditya blinked, and just like that, the moment shattered.

His smirk returned, as lazy and irritating as ever. "What can I say? You're fascinating, Ms Rajput."  I rolled my eyes, shoving my book into my bag as I stood up. "Well, this fascinating person has had enough of your presence."

He chuckled, watching as I dusted off my clothes. "Running away?"  I shot him a glare. "I don't run."  Aditya took a step closer, leaning in slightly. "No, you don't. That's what makes this fun."

I clenched my jaw.  I hated him.  I hated  how he got under my skin.

With one last glare, I turned on my heel and walked away, ignoring the way my heart was still beating too fast.

Because this wasn't real.

It couldn't be.

Could it?

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