She turned halfway, her voice barely above a whisper. "I need to be public."
The words landed like a puzzle piece snapping into place in Rudra's mind. Of course—that's what all this was about.
Without another word, he stood, closing the distance between them in slow, deliberate steps. She didn't back away, but her breath quickened.
His arms went around her, pulling her close. "Bas kuch hafton ki baat hai," he murmured, lips brushing the top of her hair. "Ek auris… twenty-first birthday ke baad.""Just a few more weeks… after your twenty-first birthday."
It wasn't just comfort—it was possession. And when his mouth found hers in an unhurried, unrestrained kiss, Anaya froze for a heartbeat before melting into the familiarity she hated admitting she craved.
Her eyes drifted to the window when they finally broke apart, but before she could speak again, her phone buzzed on the table.
The conference room felt different now. The earlier hum of business talk had faded, leaving behind a slow, charged silence. It was the kind of silence that made the air heavier, as if every molecule had decided to pause just to watch the two of them.
Anaya's eyes were fixed outside the window, tracing the silver lines of the Singapore skyline. Sunlight caught the glass buildings, scattering sharp flashes of gold. Somewhere down below, cars moved like tiny metal beetles, their horns muffled by the thick glass.
She wanted to say something — anything to break this unspoken pull between them. But the words stayed locked in her throat.
Her phone buzzed on the table. The vibration was sharp in the quiet room.
Rudra's deep voice came, calm but edged with something else. "You don't want to pick?"
Anaya didn't look at him, just shook her head. "No."
That answer… made him turn.
He studied her for a moment — the way her lashes lowered, the way her lips pressed tight, almost hiding a smile that wasn't there. And then she turned to him, finally meeting his eyes.
Her attention was fully on him now, and Rudra never wasted moments like this.
He leaned a little closer, his chair creaking faintly. "Why don't you want to pick? Should I?" His tone dropped an octave. "Like… kaun hi karega meri wife ko call?" (Who would dare call my wife?)
Anaya's lips curved into a small chuckle, the sound soft but edged with mischief. "Oh… so tumhari wife ko koi aur call nahi kar sakta?" (Oh… so no one else can call your wife?)
Rudra didn't blink. His hand moved without hesitation, picking up her phone before she could stop him. One glance at the screen — unknown number — and he pressed reject.
" Kisi aur ki wife pe nazrein dalna buri baat hoti hai." (It's a bad thing to set eyes on someone else's wife.) His voice was low, almost dangerous.
Anaya smirked faintly, leaning on one elbow. "Haan, toh kisi ko thodi pata hai main Rudra Singhaniya ki biwi hoon…" (Yeah, but it's not like anyone knows I'm Rudra Singhaniya's wife…)
She said it while absently playing with her fingers… her fingers that had somehow found their way to lightly trace along his jawline. The touch was feather-light, casual enough to pretend it wasn't deliberate… but deliberate enough to make his jaw tighten.
Rudra caught her hand mid-movement. His palm wrapped fully around her smaller hand. "Soon to be exposed." His eyes locked onto hers — and something in his voice made her breath slow for half a second.
Then, without warning, he tugged her hand closer. "Bahut ho gaya. Ab mujhe reward chahiye…" (Enough. Now I want my reward.)
Anaya blinked at him. "Reward? Why reward, devil ji?"
His lips twitched upward — not a smile, something more dangerous. "I didn't flirt with those girls, right? And you know I only chose you to marry. So… I'm a good husband." He leaned forward slightly. "Good husbands deserve rewards. And if I don't get it…" He let the words hang for a beat, eyes darkening. "…I know how to take what is mine. Only mine."
The last two words made her stomach flutter.
Before she could reply, his hand at her wrist gently but firmly pulled her toward him.
The distance between them collapsed.
Her chair slid a fraction closer. His knees brushed hers. Her lips… were now barely two inches from his.
Her breath caught.
From here, she could see everything — the faint shadow of stubble along his jaw, the slight curve of his lips, the flecks of gold hidden in his dark irises. She could even feel the slow exhale of his breath, warm against her skin.
___✿____✿____✿____✿____✿____✿____✿___
The conference room was quiet except for the faint hum of the AC and the muffled city sounds outside. Anaya stood by the window, trying to steady herself, but Rudra's tall shadow was right behind her.
Her phone had stopped ringing. His arm was still around her waist — solid, secure… stubbornly unwilling to let go.
And then…Knock.The door pushed open before she could even react.
Two hotel staff entered — one male, one female — carrying trays of lunch. The aroma of fresh naan and aromatic curry filled the air.
Anaya's eyes widened. She immediately tried to pull away, her hands pressing lightly on Rudra's chest, but his grip didn't loosen an inch.
"Sir," the male staff said politely, "apologies if we… interrupted."
Rudra didn't even blink. His voice was calm, controlled."Place them on the table."
Anaya was practically hiding her face in his arm now, whispering in a mix of panic and irritation,"Leave me, Rudra… seriously… let go. They're here!"
But the man had the audacity to smirk slightly and tighten his hold."You're ruining the moment, Velvet," he murmured near her ear, low enough that only she could hear. "Abhi jaa rahe the best part pe."
Her heart was racing — dhak… dhak… dhak… — loud enough she was sure he could feel it against his chest.
"Rudra…" she hissed again, but he only chuckled softly."You seriously are a devil… you know that?" she muttered under her breath.
The trays were placed on the table with practiced precision, and the staff excused themselves with a polite bow. As the door clicked shut, she finally looked up at him, about to give him a piece of her mind.
Instead, he leaned in, closing the last few inches, his forehead almost touching hers.Their breaths mingled. His gaze dipped to her lips.Her knees felt like they were losing strength.
He tilted his head — they were about to kiss — when…
"Bhai!"
The voice came from the hallway, accompanied by quick footsteps.
Rudra's eyes narrowed, clearly annoyed at the interruption.
Aarav appeared at the doorway — and instantly froze when he realised what he was about to walk in on. Anaya was still in Rudra's hold, their faces way too close for it to be "just talking."
"Uh…" Aarav blinked, then in one swift motion, stepped forward, blocking the doorway entirely with his body before Janvi could enter.
"Janvi… bas, ruk… don't go in yet," he said hurriedly, stretching his arm like a human barrier.
"Kyun?!" Janvi frowned, trying to peek around him.
Aarav leaned closer and whispered, just loud enough for her to hear,"They were… uh… about to kiss."
Janvi's eyes widened, her cheeks flushing crimson."Sach?!" she whispered back, her tone somewhere between scandalized and very interested.
But before she could interrogate him further, a group of board members rounded the corner, chatting among themselves. Aarav had no choice but to step aside.
"Bas… ab gaya romance ka mood," he muttered under his breath as they all entered the room.
Rudra, somehow, had already stepped back and moved to his chair, his face a perfect mask of composure — as if nothing had happened.
Anaya, however, stayed near the window, her cheeks still burning, her pulse refusing to settle. She picked up a glass of water just to hide the fact that her hands were trembling slightly.
Rudra's eyes found her across the table. He didn't smile.But that look — slow, possessive, unblinking — told her one thing:
This conversation isn't over.
✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:* 💕💕💕 *:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧
The boardroom atmosphere shifted the moment the door opened again. Janvi stepped inside — and right behind her, the other board members filed in, still talking about market trends and project timelines. Chairs scraped softly as everyone began taking their seats again.
Janvi didn't head straight for her chair. No, her sharp eyes went first to Anaya — who was still standing by the window, trying to appear like nothing had happened a minute ago.
Janvi's lips curved in the kind of smile that screamed I know exactly what you were doing.
Leaning in just enough for only Anaya to hear, she whispered,"Sorry, behna… agar maine woh deep moment interrupt kar diya."[Sorry, sister… if I interrupted that deep moment.]
Anaya's cheeks flamed. Under the table, she reached out and gave Janvi a discreet pinch on the arm, her eyes narrowing in a warning glare.
Janvi winced, but her grin only widened."Admi ka chakkar, behna…"[It's all because of a man, sister…]
Anaya rolled her eyes and shot back quickly, pointing toward Aarav, who was already sliding into his seat,"Haan, admi ka chakkar… yeh wala."[Yes, because of a man… this one here.]
Aarav looked up at exactly that moment, catching the tail end of her words."Kya?" he asked, brows knitting in mock confusion.[What?]
"Nothing," Janvi and Anaya said at the same time — but the way they avoided each other's eyes made Aarav suspicious.
Anaya finally took her seat — right beside Rudra. She kept her gaze strictly on the table, but she could feel him next to her. Even without touching, his presence was overwhelming.
Lunch was served — silver lids lifted to reveal fragrant biryani, creamy curries, freshly baked breads, and delicate salads. Conversation began to flow again, this time less formal.
One of the Singaporean investors, a cheerful man named Mr. Wang, raised his glass of sparkling water."I must say, Mr. Singhaniya, I absolutely love your hotel's service," he said warmly.
Rudra's lips quirked at the compliment, but his reply came with a teasing edge."You love the service? And what about the technology, Mr. Wang?"
A few chuckles rippled around the table. Mr. Wang grinned."Oh, the technology is excellent too. But the hospitality… it feels like home."
That smoothly transitioned the discussion toward the AI-powered smart bracelet prototype that Rudra's tech division had been working on. The sleek device promised to integrate health monitoring, hotel service automation, and translation features for international guests — something that fascinated the foreign investors.
Halfway through the discussion, one of the new faces at the table — a representative from a Japanese investment group — leaned forward."Ms. Anaya, your presentation earlier… very innovative. We'd like to discuss a potential collaboration for your project."
Anaya's heart leapt. She nodded professionally, but inside she was buzzing with relief and excitement. Months of work, the late nights, the constant balancing between her personal storms and professional goals — it was finally showing results.
Rudra glanced at her then — and though his expression stayed neutral for the table's sake, there was a flicker of pride in his eyes.
After Lunch – The Garden Walk
When the plates were cleared and the formalities wrapped up, the group dispersed — some heading to their rooms, others taking calls.
Anaya and Janvi decided to take a walk in the hotel's garden.
The Singaporean branch of the Singhaniya property boasted an expansive garden — not just a patch of green, but a meticulously curated oasis. Pathways paved with smooth white stones wound between flowerbeds bursting with orchids, bougainvillea, and frangipani. A koi pond shimmered under the sunlight, the fish gliding like brushstrokes of orange and gold.
"Waah… Singapore ka garden bhi tumhare pati ne royal bana diya," Janvi said, running her hand lightly over a row of hibiscus flowers.[Wow… your husband has made even Singapore's garden look royal.]
Anaya smiled faintly, breathing in the mingled scents of jasmine and fresh grass."Hmm… yeh place peaceful lagta hai," she said softly.[Hmm… this place feels peaceful.]
Palm trees swayed gently with the breeze, their shadows dancing over the neatly trimmed hedges. A few guests strolled along the paths, but it was far from crowded.
Janvi, of course, wasn't going to let the earlier incident drop."So… tum dono ka romance meeting room tak aa gaya?"[So… your romance has reached the meeting room now?]
Anaya shot her a warning look."Janvi…" she said in that low tone that meant drop it or else.
But Janvi only laughed."Arre, main toh bas pooch rahi hoon… waise tumhari shakal pe woh blush abhi tak hai."[Hey, I'm just asking… by the way, that blush is still on your face.]
Anaya turned away, pretending to admire a blooming orchid."Kuch bhi…"[Whatever…]
They passed under an archway covered in climbing roses, the petals a soft blush pink. The sound of a small waterfall trickled from a rock feature nearby, blending with the gentle hum of bees and birdsong.
For a moment, Anaya let herself relax — the stress of the meeting, the teasing, even Rudra's intense gaze — it all faded under the warm sunlight and fragrant air.
But Janvi's voice pulled her back."Waise… tum dono kab tak yeh chhupane ka plan kar rahe ho? Ki tum Mrs. Rudra Singhaniya ho?"[By the way… how long do you plan to hide the fact that you're Mrs. Rudra Singhaniya?]
Anaya hesitated. Her fingers brushed over the petals of a rose."Abhi… waqt nahi hai," she murmured.[Right now… it's not the time.]
Janvi raised an eyebrow, but didn't press further. She simply linked her arm with Anaya's, and together they walked deeper into the garden, the scent of jasmine lingering in the air.