Chapter 21: A Bold Entrance

Kiara's POV

Saturday mornings had quickly become my favorite. With no college to attend, I could simply laze around the house. Today was no different as I curled up on the couch with a book, soaking in the rare moment of peace. Reyaansh had left early for his office, though I hadn't missed the subtle frown on his face when he realized it wasn't my day off.

My serene moment was interrupted when my phone buzzed. It was Reyaansh. "Kiara," his deep voice greeted me, "I forgot an important file at home. It's in the study. Can you bring it to the office?"

"Of course," I replied instantly, setting my book aside. After telling Ma about my errand, I carefully picked up the file and headed out.

---

The drive to Rathore Enterprises wasn't too long, and soon, I found myself standing in the grand lobby of his towering office building. My eyes roamed over the luxurious interiors, feeling both awed and out of place. Approaching the reception desk, I offered a polite smile.

"Excuse me, I need to deliver this file to the CEO," I said, holding it up for emphasis.

The receptionist, a heavily made-up woman with an air of superiority, barely glanced at me. "You need an appointment to meet Mr. Rathore," she said curtly, her tone sharp.

"But I don't-" I began, only to be cut off by her scoff.

---

"Listen, sweetie," she said, her voice dripping with mockery, "every other girl in this city thinks she's special and tries to get close to him. Do you honestly think you're the first?"

I blinked, taken aback by her rudeness. "I'm not here to meet him for that," I said firmly. "I'm here to deliver something he forgot."

She snorted. "Right. And next you'll tell me you're his wife or something," she laughed, clearly amused at the thought.

Losing patience, I clenched my fists. "Please just let him know Kiara Malhotra is here," I said sharply.

Rolling her eyes, the receptionist picked up the phone and dialed. "Mr. Rathore, there's some bitchy girl here claiming she needs to see you. Should I send her away?" she said into the receiver, smirking at me.

---

I felt a flush of anger rise in me, but before I could retort, I heard Reyaansh's voice from the phone. Though I couldn't make out his exact words, his tone was sharp and commanding. The receptionist's smirk faltered, and she quickly hung up, looking uneasy.

Within five minutes, Reyaansh appeared in the lobby. He strode in with his usual commanding presence, his gaze sweeping over the room until it landed on me. His eyes softened briefly before turning cold as they shifted to the receptionist.

"What's going on here?" he demanded, his voice icy.

"Sir, I-" she stammered, her confidence from earlier evaporating.

---

"She's my wife," he said firmly, cutting her off. The weight of his words silenced the entire lobby, and I couldn't help but feel a sense of pride.

Turning to me, he softened slightly. "You didn't have to come here," he said, taking the file from my hands. "But thank you."

I smiled, but before I could respond, he turned back to the receptionist. "You're fired," he said coldly, his tone brooking no argument.

The receptionist's face turned pale. "Sir, I didn't know-"

"That's not an excuse," he snapped. "Disrespecting anyone in this building is unacceptable, especially my wife."

As security escorted her out, he placed a protective hand on the small of my back. "Let's go," he said softly, guiding me toward the elevator.

In that moment, I realized just how fiercely Reyaansh valued respect-not just for himself, but for me too.

---

As we stepped into the elevator, the tension in the air was thick, but I couldn't help but feel a sense of warmth from Reyaansh's protective gesture. The cold, formal tone he used with the receptionist had melted away, and he now looked at me with a mixture of concern and admiration. I could feel his hand lightly pressing against my lower back, as if offering silent reassurance.

"I'm sorry about that, Kiara," he said, his voice soft but firm. "I didn't expect you to face that kind of treatment here."

I shrugged, not wanting to dwell on the unpleasant encounter. "It's fine. I'm just glad it's over." I shot him a small smile, trying to lighten the mood. "Besides, I've gotten used to the occasional rude person."

Reyaansh's eyes darkened slightly, as if the thought of anyone disrespecting me upset him more than he cared to admit. "It shouldn't be something you have to get used to," he replied, his voice lowering in intensity. "No one disrespects you, Kiara. Not under my watch."

I appreciated his words, but I also realized that this was part of the life I had married into. Reyaansh wasn't just any man-he was a man with power, influence, and enemies, all of which meant that I would always be in the spotlight in some form or another. Still, his protective nature made me feel like nothing could harm me as long as he was around. It was both reassuring and overwhelming.