Married But Why?

Chapter 10

Rudra’s POV

As I pulled away from the kiss, I could see the fire blazing in Ananya’s eyes. She was furious, but I could also sense the confusion. She was looking at me, and I knew she would burst at any moment. I had to make her understand, but before I could say anything, she was about to speak. However, I started talking first.

“Please shut up,” I said, placing my hand on her lips and moving closer to her. “Why don’t you listen to me? I am your husband,” I continued, trying to keep my tone firm yet gentle. She can’t handle a harsh tone; it won’t work. Plus, it might make her angry and frustrated, which isn’t good for her condition.

Listening to me, she immediately retorted, “Because you are my husband, and that doesn’t mean I have agreed to be your slave.”

Her reply made me smile. At least she considers me her husband.

What?

I love finding positivity in everything.

Her words were still ringing in my ears, but I quickly snapped out of my thoughts. I wanted to make sure she listened to me, so I pleaded with her indirectly, “But you should obey me.”

I countered, my voice holding a hint of frustration that she must have noticed as she pushed me back.

“In your dreams,” she replied through gritted teeth. She looked so beautiful and irresistible that I got lost in her eyes. I was in my lala land until I saw her walking away.

“Ananya?” I called, but she didn’t reply.

“Ananya?” I called again.

“Ananya?” I called out one last time, but she had already grabbed her bag and left for the office, leaving me alone in the house.

The sound of the door closing echoed in the silence. I stood there, trying to decide what to do. My mind was racing with multiple thoughts.

I clenched my jaw, thinking about the incident that happened last night. Frustration was bubbling up inside me. This wasn’t how things were supposed to go. I pulled out my phone and scrolled through the contacts until I found the one I was looking for.

“Hello,” I said as soon as I heard a voice from the other end. My voice was low and firm, “I want every detail on Akshat’s whereabouts. I don’t care how you do it, just make sure he’s out of the picture.”

With that, I disconnected the call and thought to myself, “If I can’t stop you from thinking about him, I’ll make sure he doesn’t reach out to you anymore.”

I looked at the picture on the wall where Ananya was holding my hand during our marriage ceremony. I let out a sigh, running a hand through my hair. Ananya thought she could challenge me, but she had no idea how far I was willing to go to keep her by my side, no matter the cost.

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Ananya’s POV

As soon as I exited my home, I took a deep breath that I had been holding for a long time. I got into the driver’s seat and hit the road. Usually, I take a driver with me, but today it wasn’t possible. I needed to think about my life, and whatever happened this morning was making me confused too. I was driving, but I could still feel his lips on mine, his hand holding me close to him. His toxic fragrance lingered on me, and I was still feeling the fire that built inside me.

As soon as I reached the office, I immediately went into my cabin. I sat on the chair and closed my eyes. That scene started playing in my mind again. I tried focusing on work, but nothing helped. It’s already afternoon, and I’m so done.

I asked no one, “Is he mad or what?”

“How can he?” I asked with frustration, touching my lips.

“How can he do that?” I said, gulping some water to calm my mind and added angrily, “I will kill him in the evening.”

I looked at his picture on my table. Yes, I have his picture in my office, all thanks to my mom. She said it would make me feel at home.

Sometimes, I don’t understand her and her ideas. I picked up his picture and said, “Rudra Pratap Singh, just come in front of me and I will kill you.”

I turned around and was about to throw the picture when I yelled, “Oh no!” and heard my assistant Saket say, “Ma’am, what are you doing?”

He was trying to save himself. I placed the photo frame back on my table and said in a calm tone, “Nothing. What are you doing here?”

He walked slowly to the table and said, “I heard you speaking. I knocked multiple times, but you didn’t reply, so I just wanted to check if you were fine.”

I nodded, and he was about to leave when I asked, “Is there any update for me?”

He turned around and replied, “Yes, ma’am.”

I motioned for him to sit, and he placed a file on my desk. “Here.”

There were so many newspaper clippings with fake news claiming that I married for money, that I ditched my boyfriend, that I’m going bankrupt, and that this was my plan to save my company, and so on.

“Just sue all the papers,” I ordered, giving the file back to Saket.

He took it back hesitantly and replied, “That’s not the correct solution for this.”

This is what I love and hate about Saket—he corrects me no matter how bad my mood is. I thought for a while and asked, “Then what should we do?”

“We need help from your husband,” he said. I looked at him properly and asked, “Meaning?”

He told me his plan, and trust me, in all these years, I never thought about it. But for the first time, I wanted to hit my head against the wall.

“Do you think he will agree?” I asked sarcastically, and he nodded.

“No, Saket. He is still a rival for our company,” I said and stood up from my chair, walking towards the window. He also stood up and tried to make me understand, “But ma’am, if he agrees to do it, then we can at least try to recover our losses. The shares are falling. Please, at least try speaking to your husband.”

I took a moment, registering everything in my mind, and declared, “Okay, I will. You may go.”

As soon as I heard the door close, I held my head and cursed, “f**k, Rudra. I’m gonna kill you for putting me in this situation.”

“But not now. I need your help first,” I added and started thinking about a plan to make him agree.

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Rudra’s POV

Earlier, I never came back home this early, but after Ananya, everything changed. Now, I go to the office on time and come back on time. It’s not like we are one of those lovey-dovey couples who indulge in romance, but yes, her presence around me makes me calm. I love the aura she carries. She is like water—so calm, but when she gets out of control, she can destroy anything.

As soon as I entered home, I saw the maid making dinner and asked, “Where is Ananya?”

“Sir, ma’am is in her room,” she replied, and I left after saying, “Okay.”

Today, I have a surprise for her, and I know she will love it. I opened the door, saying, “Ananya, you know what?”

However, I got shocked seeing her and yelled, “Oh, s**t!”