The next morning, as they met for their daily commute, Arin’s gaze lingered on Astha with unmistakable possession. As she approached, he smiled and greeted her, “Hello, wife.”
Astha’s eyes widened, and she quickly shushed him. “Arin! Someone will hear us.”
He chuckled, his expression far too amused for her liking. “So?”
Rolling her eyes, she climbed into the car. The moment she settled in, she felt the warmth of his hand resting on her thigh. She glanced at him, arching a brow. “What do you think you’re doing?”
Arin leaned in slightly, his breath warm against her ear. “At least when we’re alone, you can be my wife.”
Astha didn’t say anything, but her pulse quickened. His touch, possessive yet gentle, sent an unfamiliar thrill through her. She looked out of the window, pretending not to notice, but Arin wasn’t letting this go.
“You know,” he continued, his fingers tracing lazy patterns on her skin, “I’m the happiest man in the world.”
She turned to him, smiling but intrigued. “When did you realize you loved me?”
Arin exhaled, his smile softening. “It wasn’t just one moment. It was every moment.” His gaze turned thoughtful. “Every time you fought me, every time you made me laugh, every time you wrote something that made my heart stop. The way you take care of your parents, the way you’re so stubborn about your independence, the way you love Shanaya more than anything in the world. Every little thing made me fall harder.”
Astha’s throat went dry. No one had ever spoken about her like this. She was used to being admired for her work, for her intellect, but this… this was different.
She cleared her throat, trying to push back the overwhelming emotion rising in her chest. “And here I thought you just liked arguing with me.”
Arin chuckled, his fingers tightening around hers. “I do. I wouldn’t trade our banter for anything.”
She hesitated before asking, “And what if I had never loved you back?”
Arin shrugged. “I would’ve kept loving you anyway.”
Astha swallowed, overwhelmed by the sincerity in his voice. She turned her hand over, lacing her fingers with his. “You want to know when I fell in love with you?”
Arin tilted his head. “I do.”
She took a deep breath. “It started in Udaipur. When you cared for me, made sure I was okay without asking for anything in return. And then, when my mother fainted, the way you took care of my father, of Shanaya… of me.” She hesitated before admitting, “That’s when I knew.”
Arin’s fingers tightened around hers, his expression unreadable. “And yet, you kept running.”
Astha smiled. “Of course. You were too smug. I couldn’t let you win so easily.”
Arin laughed, shaking his head. “You’re impossible.”
Astha leaned her head back against the seat, smiling to herself. “I prefer the term ‘challenging.’”
Arin brought their joined hands to his lips, pressing a lingering kiss to the back of her palm. “I wouldn’t have it any other way.”
They drove in comfortable silence for a while, but Astha’s practical side kicked in. “Arin, we need to be professional about this in the office. I don’t want people gossiping.”
Arin raised an eyebrow. “You think people don’t already gossip about us?”
She rolled her eyes. “I mean it. No unnecessary attention. No calling me ‘wife’ in the middle of meetings. No unnecessary touching at work.”
Arin sighed dramatically. “Fine. I’ll behave. But only at work.”
She eyed him suspiciously. “And outside work?”
His smirk returned. “No promises.”
Astha huffed, shaking her head. “Hopeless.”
Arin leaned in just before they reached the office parking lot. “Hopelessly in love with you, Mrs. Verma.”
She groaned. “You’re insufferable.”
“And you love it.”
Astha didn’t respond, but the small, hidden smile on her lips told him everything he needed to know.
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