Page 37 of Entangled Vows

“Itisnormal. We walk in, sign the papers, and walk out married. Simple.”

She wanted to scream. Nothing about this was simple. Not the way they were always at each other’s throats. Not the way he always looked at her. Not the way her body betrayed herevery time he got too close. And certainly not the way her mind refused to stop spiralling, dreading and craving whatever was about to come next.

She wasn’t ready for this. But she would do it anyway. For the beach house she had always been promised, and for the life she had always dreamed of.

Because in their world, readiness never really mattered.

Only going through with it did.

15

The SUV rolled into a shaded parking space on the grounds of the government building where the marriage registrar’s office was located.

Mahika went to open the door, but Vikram’s hand closed around her wrist, stopping her. His grip was firm, but gentle. She glared at him, but he only gave a small shake of his head.

She let out a sigh. “I’m perfectly capable of opening the door.”

“I don’t doubt that.” His voice was smooth. “But I’m here. So you don’t have to.”

There was something about the gesture; it was not arrogance, it was not dominance, but an old-fashioned, gentlemanly instinct. And that was the most baffling part. She hadn’t believed Vikram Khurana had a single courteous bone in his body. With a quiet sigh, she let him have his way, watching as he stepped out first and circled around to open the door for her.

The moment she stepped out, her gaze landed on Mohit and Ishika. Mohit stood by his car, arms crossed, watching her with that caring gaze she knew so well. He had been her anchor for as long as she could remember. Her responsible, overprotective big brother, always showed up when it mattered the most. She felt the tension in her chest dissipate as she approached her brother and gave him a quick, reassuring hug.

“I’ll see you inside, babe,” Ishika murmured, her fingers tightening around Mahika’s hand for a heartbeat before she moved towards the office doors. Mahika nodded, giving her a grateful squeeze in return.

Just as she turned back to Mohit, it hit her… that familiar prickle at the back of her neck. The eerie tingle that told her she wasn’t alone. It felt like invisible eyes were staring at her, their gaze crawling up her back. She couldn’t explain it, this feeling of paranoia she always felt, especially in public places. It had haunted her for a year now. It could be nothing. Maybe she was just being crazy, letting her mind run wild with impossible thoughts. Or maybe there really was someone out there, watching.

She shook her head as if to ward the thoughts away, and glanced at Mohit. “Hey,” she said softly.

“Hey, drama queen,” Mohit replied, ruffling her hair fondly.

She pulled back with a half-smile and gave him a light shove. “Don’t call me that.”

He shrugged with a grin. Mahika’s eyes drifted to Vikram standing by the door, realising he was giving them space, before returning to Mohit.

“So you and Vikram… you guys okay?” she asked.

Mohit let out a breath. “Kind of. We didn’t exactly hug it out, but we’re getting there.”

She gave a quiet nod. “That’s progress.”

“Listen, Mahi, that day when I punched Vikram… yeah, I lost it. I was angry. Angry that you were being pushed into something you didn’t ask for. And I’ll admit I was pissed aboutthe share percentage too. He left, practically vanished for years, and somehow still ended up with more.”

“You don’t have to explain.”

“I do. But then I thought about it. It was Suraj who messed up. Vikram is just trying to fix the mess he’s made. He’s doing what needs to be done. For the company, and for the family.”

She opened her mouth to speak, but he held up a hand.

“I’m your big brother. It’s my job to protect you. To make sure you’re okay. And the more I think about it, the more I believe you’re safe with Vikram. And who knows? You might even be happy. He’s not perfect, and I’m not gonna lie about it. But he’s loyal. And even if he’s too stubborn to say it out loud, he cares about you.”

Her throat tightened. “This isn’t ideal. But… what am I even supposed to say?”

“Nothing. For what it’s worth, I think he’s always had a thing for you.”

She scoffed. “That’s a really terrible joke.”

“No, I’m serious. I’ve had this hunch for years. I could be wrong, but I think there’s some truth in that.”