Chapter 74

Niharika woke up feeling like a weight had settled in her chest, making it hard to breathe. Her mind was still reeling from last night, the fight replaying in her head like a cruel reminder of how quickly everything had spiraled. She shut her eyes, willing the thoughts away, but they clung to her like a second skin.

Dragging herself out of bed, she headed to the shower, hoping the hot water would melt away even a fraction of the heaviness inside her. But it didn't. Instead, as she stood under the spray, she found herself thinking—How do I even tackle this? Did she confront it? Did she pretend like it never happened? Did she wait for him to say something first? She didn't know. And that made her feel even worse.

When she stepped out, wrapping herself in a towel, she took a deep breath and made a silent wish—I just hope I don't run into him right now. She wasn't ready. Not yet.

But fate wasn't on her side.

As she stepped into the living room, her heart nearly stopped when she saw him already there, sitting at the dining table with a cup of coffee in his hand. He looked up at the exact moment she entered, their eyes locking across the room.

For a second, she froze, waiting. Maybe he'll say something. Maybe he'd look at her with the same warmth he always had. Maybe last night hadn't completely broken them.

But he didn't say a word.

The silence stretched between them, suffocating and cold. His expression was unreadable, and the worst part was—she couldn't tell what he was thinking.

Her fingers curled into her palms as she swallowed back the bitter sting in her throat. So that's it, then? The night hadn't changed anything. He wasn't going to fix it.

Without another word, she turned and walked toward the kitchen. Once she was out of his sight, she wiped away a small tear before it could fall, exhaling shakily. She didn't want to cry. Not now. Not in front of him.

She grabbed her bag, straightened her posture, and walked back through the living room without sparing him another glance. The second the door shut behind her, Mayank let out a deep sigh, running a frustrated hand through his hair. He had seen the way she looked at him, the hesitance in her eyes, the way she blinked too much like she was holding back tears.

And for the first time since the fight, guilt started creeping in, battling with the lingering anger still simmering inside him.

He exhaled sharply, tossing back the rest of his coffee before grabbing his own things. He needed to get out of here too.

~•~

Niharika walked through the office, her eyes scanning the files in her hands, her mind too occupied to notice where she was going. Just as she turned a corner, she bumped straight into someone, the files slipping slightly from her grasp.

Strong hands caught her arms, steadying her before she could stumble. She looked up, her breath hitching for a second as she realized who it was. Mayank.

His grip tightened just a little when he saw her face, his fingers pressing against her arms as if he didn't want to let go just yet. For a brief second, something flickered in his eyes—relief, maybe even a strange sense of comfort.

But the moment shattered as quickly as it had come.

Niharika's chest tightened as his words from last night rang in her ears. Maybe we shouldn't have said yes to this marriage. Her face hardened instantly, and whatever moment they were having—if it even was one—vanished.

She stepped back sharply, pulling herself out of his hold.

Mayank noticed the shift in her immediately. He saw the way her expression turned cold, the way her body tensed like she was forcing herself to create distance. His jaw clenched, but before he could say anything, a familiar voice interrupted.

"There's my favorite couple!"

Both Niharika and Mayank turned to see Dhruv grinning at them as he approached. "How are you two?" he asked, oblivious to the thick tension between them.

An awkward silence followed. Mayank cleared his throat first, forcing a small smile. "We're good," he answered, his voice even, though his gaze flickered toward Niharika for a reaction.

Niharika met his eyes for a second, then looked back at Dhruv. "Don't call us a couple," she said, her voice calm but sharp.

Dhruv raised an eyebrow, confused. Mayank's fingers curled into fists at his sides, a sudden unease settling in.

"No one in this office knows about our marriage," Niharika continued, her tone cool and detached. Then, after a beat, she added, "So... we aren't married."

She glanced at Mayank as she said it, her expression unreadable. But her words cut deeper than she realized.

Mayank felt an unexpected pang in his chest. The way she dismissed their marriage so easily—like it was nothing, like it didn't even exist—hit him harder than he expected.

For a moment, he just stared at her. Then, forcing down his emotions, he plastered on a tight smile and looked at Dhruv. "Guess you heard that," he said lightly, his voice carrying an edge that only Niharika could catch. "So much for being your favorite couple."

Niharika felt the dig immediately, but she didn't let it show. Instead, she just inhaled quietly, nodding once at Dhruv before saying, "I need to go."

Without another glance at Mayank, she turned and walked away, leaving him standing there, his jaw tense, his hands clenched, and his chest burning with frustration he didn't know how to deal with.

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