"Marry me."
Those two words with seven letters echoed in my ears like a drum and made all my fucking senses numb.
Marriage--where two strangers are tied in a scared bond for seven upcoming lifetimes sounds so dangerous yet beautiful.
To have someone in your life to hold, to love you for seven lifetimes seems so dreamy & nice but to me it sounds so forbidden.
My parents had a love marriage. My father went against his own mother and married my mother because he loved her and wanted her as his wife.
My mother happily married her love of her life.
But what happened ?
My father cheated on her. He cheated on her with someone who my mother deeply cared for.
My father cheated on their love.
He betrayed his wife and had an affair with his wife's so-called best friend who shamelessly betrayed her friend who helped her when no one did.
What happened to that love ? which made my parents go against others so they can be together.
That love died. At least from my father's side it died.
I knew my mother still loved my father and she hoped that whatever was wrong with him, with them will be solved soon and that her husband will change and will love her again like he used to do.
She hoped that their marriage will be stable again and that it will regain its colour of happiness soon.
But her hope died. She died not knowing the man she was so in love, her husband was fucking cheating on with her fucking best friend behind her back in her fucking home.
So what's the point of marrying someone ? What's the point of fighting for someone against the world ? What's the point of promising someone to be theirs for seven lifetimes ?
There is no point.
I watched as Anamika who stared at the papers in front of her with her usual neutral face making once again hard for me to decipher what exactly she was thinking.
Her manicured fingers held the folder firmly. I can see her whole body going stiff the moment I uttered those two words.
I have never thought of marrying someone. I was sure I would die single. My two assholes of best friends were sure about it as well.
But that was before I saw her.
Anamika Chauhan, she was the woman I didn't know I needed. I didn't know I desired someone like her in my lifeless life.
I was never that interested in a woman to actually have a thought of marriage passed in the back of my mind.
But when I saw her, met her, talked to her--I knew I needed her to be beside me forever. I needed her in my lifeless life to make it alive once again.
And now I will do anything to make her mine. No matter what strategies I have to use or what dirty games I need to play in order to get her. I will fucking do it.
By hook or by crook the woman in front of me is going to be mine, forever.
I want to stick her with me for upcoming seven lifetimes and even further more lifetimes if there is one and the only way is possible is the sacred bond of marriage.
"How dare you ?" Anamika whispered alarmingly under her breath as her hold on the file got even tighter than before.
She wanted nothing more than to burn this file to ashes right in front of those jet black eyes that stared back at her intensely.
"I said--HOW DARE YOU ?" Anamika said loudly almost shouting as she stood up on her legs with such force that made her chair fall back down with a thud sound.
Her green eyes glowered at the man opposite to her with pure anger. She slammed the file on the table and the white flower vase crashed down on the floor and break it into small pieces but Anamika was far away to notice that as her sole focus was on the man, glaring at him, madly.
She was mad right now.
She didn't expect him to say something like that to her. She didn't expect those two words from him. She didn't want to hear those two words from him or anyone else for that matter.
She refuses to hear it. That's it !
"Did you lose your senses ? How dare you even ask me or order me something like that huh ?!" She asked loud & clear as her green eyes continued to glare at Aviraaj with great intensity that can make anyone quiver in their places except Aviraaj of course.
It would be a lie if he said he wasn't fucking enjoying the reaction he was getting from her right now.
He expected her to be calm like ice after he sprouted out those two words but here he was getting a total wild reaction from her making it hard for him not to smirk and keep a neutral face in front of the woman who was looking like she would punch him any moment.
"I did not. I am in my senses Miss.Chauhan." Aviraaj replied, calmly as he stared at Anamika whose green eyes sharpened more before she said.
"Yes. You fucking did Mr.Rajvanshi."
Aviraaj sighed. "Calm down. Take the seat back. We can tal--" Anamika cut him off, sharply.
"Excuse me but I am not in the mood to talk to you anymore calmly Mr.Rajvanshi. You fucking had tested my patience enough. Now I need you to fucking leave me alone, understood ?" Anamika stated, firmly as her eyes bored into Aviraaj's black eyes which went darker than it was already at the mention of leaving her alone.
"I don't know what made you think that I will agree to what you said but let me make myself clear to you. I am not interested in any of your stupid games or whatever plans you have in your mind. I don't fucking have time to waste on you. I have enough things to take care of that are more important to me than your stupid plans or games. So I don't care who you send these pics to. I don't give a flying fuck even if you send them to my father. I know how to deal with him or anyone for that matter."
Anamika exclaimed in her hard yet firm voice. She noticed the vein popping on Aviraaj's head after hearing her. She knew no one talked to him like that because people feared him.
But she was Anamika Chauhan who fucking don't fear him nor anyone else. She will fucking show him that she is someone he shouldn't be messing with or thinks he can order her whatever or whenever he wants.
She is nothing like the people who are afraid of him instead she is something he should be afraid of.
Anamika kept her palms at the end of the table as she leaned forward and stared directly in Aviraaj's jet black eyes before saying dangerously in her cold deep voice.
"Do not be mistaken. You hit me with force and I promise you I hit you back with double force. That's how it works for me. So respectfully stay the fuck away from me."
Aviraaj's jaw clenched tightly as he tried to control his fury which was building every second in his body due to Anamika's words.
He knew he was playing with fire--a fire which can burn him alive but still he refused to back down when he felt that this fire will only make him alive more than anything in this world can.
He knew the woman in front of him wasn't any normal woman and that's why he was so attracted to her. She wasn't someone to get quiver back from him instead she will fucking fight back with him and he admire her for that.
He admires her strong & bold personality which she solely possessed. The devil inside him admires the darkness which she carries around herself.
He admires everything that the woman opposite to him possessed beautifully.
And now he wants nothing more than just to possess the woman he started to admire so much.
After saying whatever I want to say to him I picked up my handbag & phone and started to move towards the door to leave from here.
There was no reason to stay here. Besides I didn't want to hear anything from him. I had heard enough from him now.
I almost held the door handle to open it when suddenly all the lights went out. I ceased on my steps and all my senses went alarmed.
Was he going to attack me now ? Just because I refused his proposal of marriage ? I thought.
But again he doesn't seem to be a man who will go down that lower. Yet I shouldn't judge someone that easily.
People change in a second when they don't get what they desire.
I frowned when I heard some noise behind me and suddenly the light was peeking behind me. Taking a deep breath I turned around only to be surprised when I saw a projector being set up at the end of the room's wall.
I squinted my eyes when something started to show on the white screen.
My eyes went big in shock before it went dark and my jaws clenched and my hold on my handbag tightened until I could feel my knuckles going paler than my skin tone.
I started to walk forward and ceased just behind his chair with 2-3 step gap where he was still rooted. I stared at the white screen while taking sharp short breaths.
How ? Just how ? How the fuck did he managed to get them ? I thought as I felt myself being more consumed by confusion & shock.
He slowly stood up with his back still facing me and walked behind me. I can't see his face entirely due to the absence of light but I can still make the outline of his facial features due to the little amount of light that was given by the projector.
I went more alert than I was already when I felt his huge presence behind me, close to me enough not to get touched by but enough to get goosebumps roll over my body.
"Enough things to take care of ? Like how to destroy your own father's company hmm not bad." He whispered in my ear in his manly voice, slowly.
"You fucking hacked my laptop." I said as a statement and not a question.
"Yes. Just to be prepared enough if you don't fucking listen or talk to me in the first place." He said while still being close to my right ear. His breathing fanning over my neck & ear makes my skin crawl with something I can't pin point.
"Fine. Say the fuck what you want to say." I greeted out with clenched jaws as I glared at the white screen in front of me.
I don't know how he managed to hack my laptop which was guarded by multiple security locks but now as I stared at all the confidential & illegal documents displayed on the big white screen that can clearly cause my father's company aka 'Chauhan Industries' go bankrupt I knew I had no choice but to listen to him.
I just can't let all my hard work for years go in vain.
I won't let anybody ruin my plan not even him.
If anyone is going to destroy Prithviraj Chauhan & Chauhan Industries then it is me only.
It's just not the right time for the destruction.
I know what I did was wrong. Completely wrong. But I was never the right man to begin with.
I never exclaimed to be a good man.
Even if I wanted to be a good man the situation or people around me wouldn't let me one.
And when I wanted someone so badly I knew I would do anything--doesn't matters if it is good or bad.
I can be worse just to get the woman I wanted so hacking her laptop is a small thing to order though.
But what surprises me is what I got after I hacked into her laptop. She fucking has all the evidences that can entirely destroy her own father's company.
She has all the records of her father's legal & illegal business saved in her laptop. It's like she has been collecting them all for a very long period of time.
I knew she was in Italy for the last 15 years. She has done her graduation and all there itself. But how did she manage to get hands on all this confidential information ?
I am sure her father must never share anything related to his business with her. I knew that an old man prioritised his business & company more than anything so sharing such important matter that can clearly cause him to go downhill I don't think so he will share it even if the person is his own blood related daughter.
Besides how far I have seen the father-daughter it seems that they don't share a normal relationship so it was clear someone from here was helping her to collect those secret information but who ?
One more question arises--why does she want to destroy her father ? Because he is marrying some other woman ? Maybe that can be one reason but I have a feeling that there is more to the story.
No problem I will unfold this story in the upcoming future by her sharp like knife mouth only. She will herself tell me all the story from beginning to the end. She has to.
For now I will let that slide and focus on the present. I can use this information for my advantage just to have the woman who caught my attention like no one did.
I clicked my fingers twice and all the lights came back and we both faced each other. Her green eyes look at me with an icy fire in it. I am aware that I made her mad. I knew she didn't expect me to get hands on her years of hardwork in such period of time but I am Aviraaj Singh Rajvanshi nothing is fucking impossible for me.
My hacker guy did inform me that her laptop was secured heavily but again I am paying him for what ? To do his job duh !
Not to forget he saved himself from death, once again.
"Speak." She commanded in her cold voice as her beautiful green eyes gazed directly at me in the eye.
She impressed me once again. She doesn't let me see the desperation on her face.
Desperation of getting her plan ruined in a second for which she had been working all the passing years.
She knew I could use all the information for my benefit. To take her father down in the next minute.
But what she doesn't know is that I am desperate as well.
Desperate to have her as mine, solely mine.
"Let's take a seat shall we first ? I wouldn't like to hurt your pretty legs by making you stand in those high heels." I said as I glanced down at her feet where she was wearing black pointed heels.
Even though they would look amazing while dangling down by broad shoulders.
Don't go there Aviraaj. Stay focused here. I remind myself as my eyes caught her nodding and moving to her side but before she bent down to pick up the chair which herself made it fall back I stopped her.
"Sit here."
"Sit here." I ceased as I looked at him who gestured for me to sit in his chair where he was sitting a few mins ago.
He pulled out the chair for me and gestured at me once again to sit there. I scoffed but nonetheless moved to the other side and settled myself there.
Woah ! after hacking my laptop and blackmailing me to listen to his demands he is being a gentleman to me. How ironic he can be more ? I wondered as I watched him pick up the fallen chair and sit on it.
"Let's come straight to the point Miss.Chauhan. I want you to marry--" I cut him off.
"And I don't want Mr.Rajvanshi. Just because you hack into my laptop and get all this information you don't succeed--" This time he cut me off.
"We both knew that I did succeed." I glared at him and he smirked.
"No you don't."
"Yes I did."
"Why-Why are you so hell bent on marrying me ?" I asked, frustrated. He stared at me for a second before replying.
"I have reasons."
"And I have no reason to marry you." I said keeping my voice cold & honest.
For fuck sake. I just met him a few days ago how am I supposed to marry him ? Besides I have no plans to marry him or anyone. I have so many things that I need to do.
And marrying someone is definitely not on my plate right now or even in the future.
"You do have a reason if you think properly Miss.Chauhan." I frowned slightly listening to him.
"Care to explain your words." I stated as I folded my arms once again around my breasts. I caught his eyes glancing down at my chest area for a millisecond. I rolled my eyes. I can't blame him though I knew my noticeable boobs became more noticeable to other eyes when I folded my arms like these.
"You seem not to like your soon-to-be stepmother...that much." He stated instead of asking me.
"And what is that supposed to do with you ?" I asked, coldly.
"I suppose you aren't happy with the marriage which is going to happen this month." He said.
"So ?"
"So I also suppose that you are unhappy with your father as well." He said as his jet black eyes bore into my green ones. Before I can snap at him for saying who the fuck he is to decide if I am happy or not he bit me to it.
"How about you make your father unhappy as well ?"
"By fucking marrying you ?" I asked, scoffing but he nodded.
"I am 100% sure. He will be far from unhappy instead he will be pissed to hell knowing his one & only daughter married his greatest business competitor of all times."
I blinked my eyes twice. His words are registering in my mind. He wasn't speaking all nonsense after all. His words do make sense a bit though.
Wait no ! Fuck Anamika don't let his nonsense corrupt your sharp & sexy brain for fuck sake. I remind myself.
"What do you think I am huh ? Do you see me as a 5 year old girl ?" I snapped at him, glaring.
He tilted his head to the right side slightly as he brushed his index finger on his chin while looking at me up & down, intensely.
"I think you are one fine as hell of a woman. Besides I would be a blind man if I registered you as a small girl after seeing those sexy curves that only a beautiful woman like you can possess."
I parted my lips after listening to him.
He just--He fucking did not just flirted with me like that ?! At least not in the situation we are in right now.
"Stop flirting with me. I am being serious here." I snapped at him who raised his eyebrows almost looking astounded for some reason.
"Flirting ? I wasn't. I was just answering your previous questions you asked me." I scoffed, listening to his innocent words which were far from being innocent.
"Right. Back to the point. If I want to make my father unhappy I have many other ways to do it and marrying you isn't one of them." I stated, firmly.
"You just don't want to include it." He said shrugging his shoulders but I noticed his jaw clenching slightly.
"You are right. I don't want to." I said back, coldly.
He sighed. "Then do it because by marrying me you will make your father the unhappiest man."
"I---" He cut me off. "And it's not like I want to marry you for love."
I frowned. "What do you mean ?"
Instead of answering me he slides me the file which I banged on the table a few minutes ago.
"Read it."
I glanced down at the file then at him who urged me with his eyes to read the file. I grabbed the file and opened it as I started to read it carefully. My eyebrows raised as I read it further more. I looked up at him who was closely watching me.
"A contract marriage ?"
He nodded. "Yes I want us to have a marriage but a contract one."
"Why ?" I asked, confused. Before when I opened the file I didn't read the papers carefully and after he said those two words I shut myself from reading this file further more.
"A contract marriage will benefit both of us." He stated, leaning back on his chair.
"Explain how it will benefit you ?" I asked. I mean by marrying him my father will definitely be annoyed and I will like that very much.
"Well my family is actually forcing me to get married. I am in my 30's already so they are pressuring me to get married & settle down as soon as possible." He said as he slightly scratched his temple with his index finger.
I stared at him. Trying to figure out if he was saying the truth or not. I mean his reason does make sense. In India, the family has this different type of weird sense to make their children marry as soon as they can. It feels like if their kids don't get married they will die. I never understand that concept and I am not interested either.
"So the conclusion is that, to get away from your family pressure you want to marry..me, right ?" He nodded.
"Right."
"A deal that will make my father pissed and you will be free from your family nagging, right ?" He nodded twice.
"Right."
"So it is like a marriage of convenience as it will benefit both of us ?" I exclaimed, cautiously. He again nodded, the third time.
"Yes you can name it like that."
I stared down at the papers in my hands and pondered over this so-called deal which he offered me. I looked up at him when a question crossed my mind.
"Why me ? You can hire a professional actor who will play the role of your contract wife in front of your family. It's safer that way." I voiced out,seriously.
"Not entirely safe." He paused. "I can do what you said but what are the chances that the actor I hired wouldn't turn out to be a blackmailer or a gold digger and most probably won't be caught by ?" He inquired back while raising his right eyebrow at me.
I kept silent because his words weren't entirely wrong. He continued when I didn't say anything.
"Besides I thought you were completely capable of playing the role of my contract wife. You have the status & recognition that matches mine well. So the outer world or my family wouldn't be that doubtful if I made you..my wife someday."
I listened to his words with attention. His voice was casual but my ears did find the last few words more serious than the rest. I examined his face which remained calm & collected. He wasn't giving out much but was letting me know how much I should know and for now I wasn't able to pin point if whatever he said was the entire truth or was there something more to the story he said to me.
I had always been good at reading people's intentions or thoughts as a lawyer I had got that power but when it comes to the man opposite to me. It seems I am unable to read him or his secretive thoughts that he kept hidden inside him.
He was a cunning man who knew what could advantage him & what not. It makes sense why he was one of the top businessmen in India & the whole of Asia. Yeah I got to know that when I 'accidentally' read about him on Google two days ago.
Fuck maybe it was the damn curiosity inside me that ended up searching about him on Google. There were multiple articles about his success & how powerful man he is. The Google baba clearly tells me that messing with him can end you in great trouble.
But again I am Anamika who isn't afraid of getting in trouble. Yet I like the trouble when it is caused by me only not someone else though.
"For how long does this contract work for ?" I asked closing the file and dumping it on the table back.
"Should I take that as a 'yes' ?" He prompted, his lips lifting at the side.
"No." I said as I watched him pressing his lips in a thin line. He nodded his head but I can clearly see the vein popping on the side of the neck.
His patience was running out. I bet he wasn't used to people denying him for anything. But again I am not people and here anything--we are fucking talking about sacred bond like marriage even if it is a contract one.
"I need time to think about this..deal." I said after a few minutes of silence. He tilted his head a little before saying.
"24 hours."
"You want me to decide if I should marry the man I just met a few days ago in 24 hours ?!" I exclaimed in disbelief and he has the audacity to shrug his shoulders in return.
"Yes. This is the longest time I have given a person to decide something."
"Something here we are talking about is a freaking marriage." I stated firmly.
The fuck I need time but I assume the man in front of me wasn't going to negotiate and I was correct when he said.
"24 hours is the time limit I can offer you. Know this I ain't the man who likes to wait or...denied." He vocalized as his jet black eyes gazed right back at me in the eye.
He was clearing saying--denying me will cause me a problem. I clenched my fist.
"And what if I denied ? What will you do ? Will you use those for your benefit ? Or will you use those against me for denying you ?"
"Well.." He trailed off just to make me more anxious I fucking knew it.
Anamika Chauhan doesn't get anxious when she talks to the scariest & notorious criminals but here this tall,dark & annoyingly handsome man is making her feel fucking nervous.
Fuck him !
"Well what ?!" I practically snapped at him and in return he airly chuckled making me confused.
"Well I will do nothing."
"Wait--What ?" I blinked twice. More confusion in me and he noticed it.
"You heard me right. I will do nothing and leave you alone. Like I said before I hacked your laptop just so I can have something if you don't listen to me in the first place. Remember you try to walk out on me before not even hearing what I wanted to say further to you." He explained and I pressed my lips in a thin line.
"So you are telling me that you will leave me alone & not use those even if I don't agree with your deal ? Is that right ?" I asked cautiously once again and he took a moment to answer me.
"Yes I will not use those...but."
I fucking knew he wasn't letting me go that easily. He isn't a man who accepts his defeat at least with that ease.
"But what now ?" I asked, pressing my temple with my index finger. Great. Just great. I am beginning to have a headache now and the reason of that headache is sitting opposite to me fucking calmly.
"I won't use your years of hard work for my advantage instead I will just dig out something else that still can cause your father & you great trouble."
Woah ! If someone who wasn't able to hear him will think that he was casually talking about the weather but here is happening the exact opposite.
"Mr.Rajvanshi you are threatening me." I stated the fact. He chuckled as he threw his head back and shook his head.
"Of course no. I am just warning you in advance Miss.Chauhan."
"How should I believe that you will do the exact what you said." I vocalized.
"I am a man of words. I don't go back on my words as well as I do as I said and that includes the warning part." He ended with a simple nod.
I nodded back. Clearly not taking his words as trustworthy at least for the time being.
In today's time, trusting someone is like a piece of paper. Anyone can just crumble your trust and throw it in a dustbin without a second thought.
"Okay so Mr.man of words I will see if you ended up being on your words or not in the upcoming future." I said as I stood up from the chair.
"Take the file with you. Go through it thoroughly. We can make the changes once you agree." He said looking up at me. I took the file in my hold and turned around and began to move towards the door to finally leave this time.
"Anamika.." I ceased in my track just when I was going to open the door.
"What ?" I asked while not turning around nor looking at him. Him calling me by my name in his deep manly voice does fucking something to me and I don't want to decipher what that something is.
"You have 24 hours in your hands. Think about it carefully. Do not forget this deal is as beneficial as for me. It is for you as well. So I hope you made the correct decision. You are an intelligent woman who knows what is advantageous for her and what not."
"What can cause you trouble & what not.You knew it." He further added. I can feel his intense stare on my back.
I nodded still not turning around to face him.
"You also knew it." I said.
"Knew what ?" He asked.
"Knew about how you are going to face the trouble back." I opened the door and took one step out when I heard him.
"Exact after 24 hours I expect a call from you to know your decision. Your time starts now." He said and I completely walked out from the door and stride in the silent corridor of the Paradise hotel.
24 hours. I got that much time in my hands. I thought to myself as the door of the lift opened to the ground floor.
•**•**•**•**•**•**•**•**•**•**•
Hey yo so this was Chapter 12. Hope you like it.
What are your thoughts about this chapter guys ? Share them with me in the comment box.
Let's see if Anamika agrees or not ? What Aviraaj will do if Anamika disagrees ? Any guesses ?
Please Like & Comment down !!
Thanks for waiting for the chapter. I was out for one week so I didn't type anything but I wrote this chapter in three days. Hehe.
I would appreciate it if you comment your opinion about the story or anything related story other than just asking me to update soon. I would be happy to reply to y'all.😊
Let's see you in the next chapter.
Bye Everyone Take care :)
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