Page 47 of Protect my Heart
And just like that, my patience snaps. “But you don’t have to do it alone!" I fire back, stepping closer. "I’m your husband, Anika. You’re not supposed to carry everything on your shoulders by yourself anymore.”
She flinches like I’ve hit a nerve, taking a step back. And in that moment, I catch it—the flicker of fear, the vulnerability she’s desperately trying to hide. "You wouldn't understand," she says, voice cracking ever so slightly.
"Try me," I say, softer now, almost begging her to just let me in. For a second, it looks like she might. Her eyes dart to mine, full of something that looks dangerously close to trust. Butthen she looks away, walls slamming back up with a finality that makes my chest ache.
"Just drop it, Aarav. Please."
I clench my fists at my sides, swallowing the frustration that's burning my throat. "Fine," I say after a beat, my voice low. "But I’m not letting this go completely. I can tell those flowers didn’t make you happy. Whoever sent them… upset you. And I need to know who it is."
She turns away, hiding her face from me. "It doesn’t matter," she whispers.
The hell it doesn’t. Every instinct in me is screaming to find out who did this—who dared to put that broken look in her eyes. I step closer again, lowering my voice. "It matters to me. It matters because it’s affecting you, and if someone’s hurting you, Anika, I swear to God—"
Before I can finish, she whirls around, her eyes blazing with anger and something else... fear, maybe desperation. “Why can’t you just leave it alone?! Not everything is your business, Aarav!”
I suck in a breath, trying to keep my temper from flaring. “When it’s about you, it is my business. You're my wife. I can't stand here and watch you suffer and pretend like it’s none of my concern.”
She stares at me for a long, heavy moment. And slowly... slowly, I see her anger start to crack. Her expression softens, and tears well up in her eyes, clinging to her lashes stubbornly. "Please, Aarav," she whispers, voice trembling. "Please just leave it be."
My heart shatters at the way she says it. She’s not fighting me anymore—she’s pleading. My Anika. My fierce, stubborn Anika. Pleading. I panic. A lump forms in my throat, and I swallow hard. I want to push. I want to demand answers. But the look on her face stops me.
I reach out, brushing my fingers lightly against her arm. "Okay," I say quietly. "Okay, I won’t ask again. But you have to promise me something."
She hesitates, wiping at her eyes roughly before looking up at me. "What?"
"Promise me you’ll talk to me when you're ready. No more bottling it all inside."
She closes her eyes for a second like she’s weighing the promise, like it’s costing her something. And then she nods, slow and tired. “I promise. I’ll tell you when I’m ready.”
I study her for a moment longer, making sure she’s not just saying it to shut me up. She looks so small right now, so fragile. And it kills me that I can't protect her from whatever this is.
Without thinking, I wrap my arms around her, waiting for her to shove me away like she usually does. But she doesn’t. She stands frozen for a moment, then, slowly, she melts into me. She sags against my chest like she’s finally letting herself fall apart, and I tighten my hold around her.
I bury my face in her hair, breathing in her scent, feeling her arms wrap tightly around my waist like she’s scared to let go. My hand strokes her hair gently, the other resting at the small of her back, holding her as close as humanly possible. She fits against me so perfectly, like she always was meant to be here.Like maybe, even if she doesn’t say it yet, she knows she’s safe here. With me.
I close my eyes, tightening my arms around her.
It’sokay, Anu. Whatever it is, whoever it is—I’ll find out. And when I do, I swear, I'll put an end to it. Because no one gets to hurt you. Not while I'm here. Not ever.
CHAPTER 29
ANIKA
Unknown:
How are you liking my gifts, sweetheart?
I stare at the message, my stomach twisting into knots. I have had enough of this. Enough. Whoever this is has been sending me flowers, dresses—exactly my size—and bangles that fit perfectly. It’s not just creepy anymore. It’s terrifying. They know too much about me.Way too much. It feels like it has to be someone close... but no matter how much I rack my brain, I can’t think of anyone. If this had started a month ago, maybe I would have suspected Aarav. But now? No. Not a chance. He’s been nothing but genuinely caring. I know him. He would never, ever scare me like this. Never hurt me.
I grab my phone with shaking hands and type furiously, my fingers trembling with a mix of anger and fear.
Me:
STOP SENDING THOSE TO ME. AND STOP CONTACTING ME.
My chest heaves as I hit send. I clench my jaw, trying to calm down, but my heart is pounding so loudly it’s all I can hear.
Unknown:
