Page 27 of Mrs. Rathore

Something else. Something I wasn’t ready to name.

My throat tightened. One more breath. One more inch and we would’ve crossed a line.

No.

I looked away, breath shaky. He still didn’t move.

Then, slowly, he straightened, ran a hand through his hair, and walked to the door.

He didn’t look back.

But he didn’t need to.

The scent of his cologne still lingered in the room. So did the storm he left behind.

_______

Chapter 9

ARYAN

Inhale. Exhale. Inhale. Exhale. Inhale... Fuck! That’s not working.

I slammed my fist against the nearest wall, rage bubbling under my skin as I glared at my father’s back. He paced for a moment, then turned to face me, wearing that same damn stern look he always did when he thought I needed discipline.

“I don’t recognize you anymore,” he said coldly, his voice laced with disappointment. His eyes locked onto mine like that alone would somehow douse the fire in my chest. “You were never like this. You never disrespected me in public, and you never disobeyed me.”

I scoffed bitterly. “You’ve got to be kidding me, Father. You married me off to a complete stranger while the love of my life walked away and now you’re questioning my reaction?”

Running a hand through my damp hair, I shook my head. “I’m cancelling my two-month leave. There’s nothing here for me anymore. I can’t breathe the same air as her. She acts like she owns the place. She owns my room, my bed, my bathroom. Her clothes are in my wardrobe. It’s insane!”

“You can’t leave. Your grandmother’s arriving today. She knows you took a two-month leave, and you’re well aware she only stays here as long as you do,” my father said, calmly settling into his chair. He motioned for me to sit, but I didn’t move.

“I know you're heartbroken,” he continued. “You hurt someone you love. But think about Avni too, don’t treat her like a wife if you can’t, but at least treat her with respect. You walked out on her, with your girlfriend, in front of all those guests. That must’ve been humiliating. It hurt her.”

“Hurt?” I snapped. “She enjoyed it. She feeds off my misery.”

His jaw tightened. “What have I always taught you? Take responsibility for your actions. Learn from your mistakes, don’t stay shackled to them. If you keep drowning in your anger, you’ll never grow, Aryan. You’ll never move on.”

He reached across and placed a firm hand on my shoulder.

“Don’t lose yourself, son.”

I stood abruptly, shrugging off his hand. “You asked me to marry her, I did. But don’t expect anything else from me. You married me off to a gold-digger.”

I stormed toward the door.

“Aryan, listen...” my father called after me, but I was already gone.

The house was decorated with flowers and glowing with soft lights for the pooja. It looked like a celebration, but all I felt was suffocation. My grandmother was due to arrive any minute and I knew she wasn’t leaving anytime soon. She lived with my father’s sister, my bua, ever since she refused to stay under the same roof as my mother. The hatred she harbored for my mom ran deep.

I caught sight of my sister Rhea chatting with Avni. Laughing. Laughing. My jaw clenched. She laughed with a woman who just ruined my life.

Rhea had never acted that way with Ira. She never even tried to like her. They couldn’t stand each other because they both loved me too much to share space.

Whenever I was on leave, I spent nearly every waking moment with Ira. Rhea hated that. She never said it, but I could feel it.

In the eight years I’ve served, I’d never taken a full two-month leave. I only did this time because it was my wedding.