“I don’t want to be a burden to you,” she whispers, looking down again, but I don't let her. I pull her face up with my little hold on her. “Because… as you said… it’ll take time and effort.”
The air between us feels thick.
I take a breath. “I don’t know what you’ve gone through to feel this way,” I say, my voice lower but firm. “But the moment you become my wife, you’ll be family. And I may hate the world, but I don’t hate my family. I’d do anything for them. You won’t be a burden, Shivani. Not ever.” My words weren't just words; they were promises.
A tear escapes down her cheek. I’ve never seen a girl cry over marrying me. Usually, they’re thrilled. But she’s vulnerable in a way I don’t know how to handle. And that scares me. What scares me more is the urge to do something about it. To wipe her tears. To comfort her. But suddenly an unknown feeling wreaks havoc on my chest, and I yank my fingers from her chin as if her skin had burned me.
I try to shake the feeling off. It’s just a moment. I’m not someone who ignores emotions—Ma made sure of that. She always told us that understanding what’s inside makes the outside easier to handle. And right now, I know one thing for certain—I will care for her. She won’t be alone in her darkness. I don’t know what her past looks like, but from now on, she’llnever question her worth again. That’s a promise. And I’m a man of my word.
“If that’s your list of reasons not to marry you, Shivani, it doesn’t scare me.” I say, meeting her eyes.
“I’m going to marry you.” My decision comes out with finality in my tone, leaving no place for argument.
Because for the first time, I feel this powerful urge—not to possess her, but to save her. Even if it’s from herself.
04
SHIVANI
“If that’s your list of reasons not to marry you, Shivani, it doesn’t scare me.” He pauses and stares in my eyes.
“I am going to marry you,” he then announces gruffly, not breaking eye contact.
I’ve never felt this intimidated—not even by my father. There’s a moment of silence, yet he doesn’t look away. Not even for a second. He’s made up his mind—he really wants to marry me.
“Will you marry me, Shivani?” he asks calmly, gently taking my hand and rubbing his thumb across the back of my palm. This is the second time he has touched me in the span of one hour—his touch doesn't make me feel uncomfortable, surprisingly. I can’t believe this man has asked me five times if I want this marriage—when my own parents never asked even once. They just imposed their decision on me.
I nod slowly, giving him my answer. I barely know him, but from this encounter—especially the way he handled my outburst—I know he’s already better than my parents.
Still, I regret my emotional breakdown. Because if my mother finds out—and she always does—I’ll be dead. To my parents, this is just another business deal. And they hate losing.I remember as a child, whenever my father failed to close a deal. He’d come home, pour himself a drink or two, light a cigarette, and call me in. A slap for every investor who walked away. I screamed. Called out for help. No one came. Eventually, I learned it was easier to stay quiet and endure it.
If Rudraksh hadn’t agreed to marry me, I don’t even want to think about what they would’ve done to me. But I still told him the truth. I needed to say it because I don’t want to ruin someone else’s life for my benefit. That’s not who I am.
I warned him. I told him about me. If he still wants to marry me, I won’t stop him.
“I need words, darling,” he says, pulling me out of my thoughts. The word slips out unexpectedly, and we both notice it—but neither of us says anything.
Darling? My breath catches in my throat. Did he just call me darling? Was that... on purpose? Maybe it was just a slip of the tongue.
“Can I ask you something first?” I ask carefully, and he nods, signaling me to move forward with my words.
“Do you have anyone you like? Like... a girlfriend or something?” I don’t expect anything from him, and I won’t stand in his way if he does. I just want him to keep her out of his house so I can ignore it.
“I think you didn’t hear me properly,” he says, his tone sharper now, his eyes assessing mine as if searching for something.
“Once we’re married, I’m yours. And you’re mine, Shivani.” His voice is rough, but there’s a surprising gentlenessto it. His jaw tightens. Then he exhales and softens, as if reminding himself not to scare me.
“I don’t enjoy repeating myself. So answer the question, Shivani. Will you marry me?” I can’t wrap my head around the fact that he wants to know my answer. That he said he’d treat me with respect. That he promised loyalty. That he is still willing to marry me even after knowing about my flaws. I won’t find that anywhere else.
Should I really trust him? A question ceases my breathing, and my eyes flicker to his face. He is already staring at me. Will he be worth my decision? But I already have so little left to lose, and maybe it's because I don't really have another choice, but right now... this feels right.
This feels safe.
“Yes, Rudraksh. I will marry you,” I say, gathering every bit of courage, and stare back into his dark brown eyes.
“Good.” He nods, reaching into his coat pocket and placing a sleek black card in front of me.
“I’m not good at this stuff, so Ma will handle all the wedding arrangements. This is my credit card. Use it however you want. Don’t worry about the price. That won’t be a problem. Got it?”
