I went back to Varun's room.
The bag he had packed caught my attention. I opened it.
Everything was there-my brush, my face wash... everything I might need.
Then my eyes fell on the black panty.
I remembered the way he had folded it carefully and placed it inside-
the same way I used to tuck my medals away in a cupboard.
As if they didn't deserve to be seen.
As if my excitement didn't matter.
I can't change what my younger self went through...
but maybe I can heal her by changing things for Varun.
I quickly changed into something-
something my mother would call 'dressing like a whore.'
But this time-
she won't get to say I was rejected.
I wore the black panty and paired it with his black shirt from the wardrobe.
The buttons?
Obviously, I wasn't going to close them all.
Just the last two.
I let my hair fall loose, shaking it free over my shoulders.
I stopped in front of the mirror and looked at myself-from head to toe.
My curls had completely come undone, falling in soft waves down my back, brushing against my hips.
The deep cleavage.
My nipples, visible through the thin fabric of the T-shirt, slowly shaping against it.
And my hipsters-
failing to hide the soft inward curve where my hips dipped and flowed into my thighs.
I looked... irresistible.
I wished it was a lie.
Then my mother's hate would have made sense.
But it wasn't.
It's strange... almost funny.
When I was younger, I dreamed of a fairytale prince-someone I would love deeply, someone who would love me back just as much.
I thought this body would belong only to him.
That his touch would mean something.
And now...
I have three princes.
Yet I'm not in love with any of them.
And the only thing I find myself wanting-
is to be touched.
Not for love.
Not for desire.
Just to prove myself that my mother was wrong.
That I am beautiful too.
That I can be wanted.
I turned toward the bed where he was sleeping to escape what he was feeling, to forget everything that had happened, just like I used to.
To gather enough strength... to face a new day.
I sat beside him, my gaze settling on his jawline.
It was sharp, clean-impossible to ignore.
His beard suited him perfectly.
And his lips-
full, soft... the kind every woman would notice, full and soft, the kind most women would dream of.
I wanted to wake him up.
I wanted to give him a night so unforgettable-
that he would remember this day because of me, not because of Karan.
I traced his jawline slowly, barely touching-just enough to feel, not enough to wake him.
And then-
suddenly, he caught my hand and pulled me beneath him.
A sharp breath caught in my throat.
I hadn't even realized when his eyes opened.
They weren't fully awake... but they weren't unaware either.
My heartbeat stuttered.
He was too close.
Close enough that I could feel the warmth of his breath against my skin...
close enough that moving even an inch felt dangerous.
I didn't answer.
I couldn't.
His grip wasn't tight-but it wasn't letting go either.
And for a moment-
neither of us moved.
Just looked.
Just... felt.
Varun's pov-
It wasn't an enemy.
Not this time.
It was her.
Aayna.
My wife.
For a second, my reflexes didn't understand the difference.
And now she was beneath me.
Still.
Wide-eyed.
Her breath uneven.
Should I start learning control now?
Because the last thing I want... is to hurt her.
Her eyes had widened, her heartbeat racing-I could feel it.
Feel her chest rising and falling against mine.
Too close.
Everything about this was too close.
Her lips parted slightly-
and my thoughts betrayed me.
All I could think of...
was closing that distance.
I shouldn't.
Or should I?
This probably wasn't a right thing.
Aayna's pov-
Even his movements were quick.
Instinctive.
A reflex.
Just like mine-when I hear my mother's voice and my body reacts before I can think.
For him, it was survival.
For me, it was fear.
And yet... here we were.
I don't know much about him.
Not enough to understand him.
Not enough to trust him.
And still-
I crave him.
I can see it in his eyes.
That hesitation.
That quiet calculation.
He's thinking.
Questioning this moment.
Overanalyzing it.
Trying to stay in control.
And all I want-
is for him to stop.
To stop thinking.
To stop holding back.
To just... be here.
With me.
He tried to get up.
But no... that wasn't what I wanted.
I pulled him back, my arm slipping around his neck, holding him there.
"Am I not too heavy for you?" he whispered.
"Too heavy?"
A faint smile touched my lips.
When was the last time someone thought like that... for me?
"I just want to be close to you," I said softly.
A slow smile formed at the corner of his lips.
A slow smile formed at the corner of his lips.
Then he leaned in-his face resting against my neck, warm and unhurried.
His hands moved, tracing the length of my legs... before settling firmly on my thighs, as if grounding himself in me.
"You look good in black," he murmured.
And then I remembered his words from yesterday-
'I prefer black.'
Interesting.
"I saw a movie paused on your laptop... were you planning a movie night with me?"
"Yeah," he said, a quiet smile forming.
"Yesterday, you came prepared-red dress, wine, completely glammed up. So today... I thought I should be prepared too."
I laughed, shaking my head.
That was a team work remember.
He giggled.
"Yeah I do."
At that moment, he looked so innocent... so quietly happy.
"It's not just a movie," he said.
"There's a whole setup in the balcony."
"What?" I blinked, caught off guard.
"There's more?"
He let out a small breath, almost sheepish.
"This week, I won't be able to take you on a honeymoon-work won't allow it. So... I wanted to make up for it. Maybe we could go after Karan and Arun's turn."
"That's completely fine," I said, without hesitation.
Because the truth was-
The plan I had walked into this house with...
never really included a honeymoon.
"Shall we go see the setup?"
"Yeah... let's go."
He shifted, getting up from above me-and just like that, the moment between us began to slip.
I wasn't ready for that.
So I caught his arm, pulling him back just slightly.
He raised an eyebrow, questioning.
"Shirtless... please," I murmured.
A slow, knowing smile touched his lips.
"Deal."
And then-
He pulled his shirt over his head, unhurried.
For a second, I just watched.
His arms weren't bulky-
they were toned in all the right places.
The kind that made me wonder-
how it would feel to be pulled into them...
to fit against that shape, like I was meant to be held there.
He picked up the laptop and took me to his balcony, offering his hand like a man who looked like he would take care of you.
"Wow..."
That was my first impression.
"It's beautiful."
I whispered.
There were a few bouquets of red roses placed in bundles. He had set up a small canopy with draped bedsheets, softly decorated with warm lights that just melted my heart.
And then I felt his hand on my back.
My heartbeat raced as it moved lower, slipping just under my hipsters, and I was pulled softly towards him.
I was finally in his arms.
He bent his forehead to touch mine, and soft music started playing in the background.
"Magic?"
"How did the music start?"
He giggled.
"The remote was in my pocket."
I smiled.
Then I felt his grip on my hips, his other hand moving up to my neck, holding my face.
With closed eyes and my hands on his chest-
a soft, small peck on my lips.
And then...
a pause.
We just stood there.
No one moved.
It felt right.
But it wasn't enough.
I wanted to feel him again-
so I closed the distance between our lips once more.
And this time, I stayed there.
Our lips were lightly pressed against each other-
soft, still.
And then he pulled me closer.
His hold tightened, not rough... just enough to make me feel it.
He kissed me slowly-
one soft peck after another.
And with each one,
the intensity grew.
Slowly.
Quietly.
Until we both started losing control.
I pulled myself back, smiling, trying to catch my breath, looking into his beautiful eyes.
We both looked hungry for each other.
"Wanna... do it right here?" I asked, my breath uneven.
"Sure," he said. "Shall I lift you up?"
"No... let's just move."
He giggled.
Held my hand, and then we sat under the canopy, continuing that kiss.
He dipped his head into my neck-
His lips were mapping my skin so well that it made my body arch.
We then lost track of time.
The stars and the moon were watching us.
We matched our movements with the rhythm of the music.
There was no one stopping us.
No one making us feel small.
It was just us—
breathless,
feeling each other.
Our skin warm,
our bodies close,
lost in a moment that felt like it belonged only to us.
There were moments when we were breathless—
and still too consumed to stop.
Moments where there were no two separate bodies,
just one…
feeling each other.
Where every touch,
every second,
felt like a desire finally being fulfilled.
I don't remember when we fell asleep.
But when I woke up, I was in his arms—sleeping on his chest.
Both of us completely naked, with love bites here and there.
I could see my nail marks on his arms—
and I felt completely embarrassed.
I touched them, tracing lightly—
trying to feel them.
And then he suddenly spoke.
"You were wild."
I giggled.
"Do you even sleep? How do you react so fast every time I touch you?"
He smiled, still half asleep.
"Superpower." he whispered.
"Oh… great."
He pulled me closer, hugging me tighter, burying his face into my neck.
"Let's go on a bike ride today."
"Okay."
It felt so perfect—
that I couldn't help but wonder…
how beautiful my life would have been
if I didn't have to marry three brothers—
and it was just Varun.