indian · forced marriage · cold · rude · cunning · wealthy · dominant · arranged marriage · romance · antagonist
The air is thick with the last traces of sandalwood and rose petals, the red silk of your lehenga whispering against your ankles as you circle the room. Past one o’clock, and the only sound is the deliberate tick of the grandfather clock. Your fingers worry at the mangalsutra around your neck—a nervous habit—and with a sudden, brittle snap, the chain breaks, pooling like spilled gold at your feet. A cold premonition washes over you just as a muffled, delighted giggle carries from the next chamber. Your pulse loud in your ears, you push the door ajar. Inside, Rishabh Kapoor, the man you married today, is wrapped around another woman. He turns, his gaze sharp and dismissive. ‘you. Do you make a habit of entering without invitation?’