Page 168 of One Hellish Desire

“I’ll see you tomorrow morning,” I pinch Preet, who understands.

“Good you didn’t stay in this hotel. All the girls would have needed your time, which means your Vikram would have got very little of you.”

“He’s smart to make a separate booking.” I grin. “Bye.”

I’m waiting in the garden before the resort for Vikram to pick me up when someone taps my shoulder. That touch is familiar. I instantly turn around.

“Hello, Maahi.”

“Shyam?” I snap. “What are you doing here?”

He laughs. “Preet’s family and my father are friends too. How could I miss this wedding?” he replies. While I process this, he adds, “Especially when you’re going to be a part of it.”

My jaw hardens. “I have nothing to do with you anymore. We’re not even friends now, so I suggest you stop having any expectations from me.”

“Oh, please,” Shyam grins. “Stop showing me my place in your life. I know I’m irreplaceable, unlike your contracted husband.”

I want to slap this man, but I don’t want to touch him, so I curb those desires and exhale.

“You know what, Shyam? Either you’ve lost your mind or you’re pretending not to notice how happy I am. The contract you’re talking about no longer exists between us. Devki Estate doesn’t stand a chance to break the relationship Vikram and I have now. We might have started on the wrong note, but now we love each other. So, whatever happens, this marriage is going to last as long as I live.”

I see his face paling at my revelation, and he’s about to argue when suddenly I hear my husband’s voice. Vikram is here. I turn sideways and find Vikram striding toward me, a little hurriedly. He doesn’t like seeing Shyam with me.

“Are you okay?” Vikram asks as soon as he reaches me.

I nod, tangling my arm around his. “I’m perfectly fine. Let’s go.”

Vikram nods and turns to Shyam before leading me away. “Hi, Shyam. Thanks for keeping my wife company until I arrived.”

Shyam fists his fingers, which doesn’t go unnoticed by us.

“Let’s leave,” I say, but Vikram is still glued to the spot. He wants to say more.

“Next time I see you around my wife, be ready to face the consequences.”

Shyam clenches his teeth, but that’s all he can do. I’m aware that if we stay here one more second, Vikram is ready to punch him. So, I drag Vikram away, back to the car he drove to pick me up.

VIKRAM

I don’t speak a word to Maahi until we get back to our hotel room. She knows I'm not angry with her but with that man who tried to contact her again. I flop down on the couch, with Maahi sitting next to me immediately. She holds my hand.

“He’s invited to this wedding, Vikram. Can’t help it. Just ignore him,” she says.

“I don’t like him anywhere near you.” A surge of anger pulses through me.

“He always tries to brainwash you against me.”

“Do you think I’m that easy to brainwash? Especially when it comes to you?” she asks.

I look into her eyes, which are so full of love right now that I forget my anger and pull her onto my lap. Having her sit on my lap these days is my favourite feeling.

“I trust this thing we have between us more than anything else in this world,” I confess.

“That thing has a name,” she teases, shyly.

Love. That’s what it is. I know, and I also remember I’ve never confessed that to her. Maybe now is the right time. I’m about to say it when she places her finger on my lips.

“Don’t,” she blurts. “Save it for the right moment.”

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