“Oh, you’re adorable,” she mocks. “Here’s the thing, Mr. Richie Rich. I don’t need your money, and I sure as hell don’t need you. So if your little stunt of insulting me is over, please, do us both a favour and get out of here.”
“That’s not what I meant. I—” I begin, but she raises her hand, cutting me off mid-sentence.
“Sure it is,” she snaps, her eyes blazing. “We’re strangers, Aditya, and you’re proposing? Worst of all, you’re throwing your money in my face like I’m some sellout who’ll fall at your feet.” She shakes her head in disbelief. “You’re just… a jerk.”
I exhale sharply, raking a hand through my hair. “I’m not trying to be a jerk, Sana. You’re right. We don’t know each other well, but sometimes… you meet someone and you just know. God, I don’t want to mess this up. I’m just trying to figure this out—”
Before I can find the right words to justify my proposal, she again cuts me off again.
“And by proposing, you think you’ll figure it out?”
“Sana, I know how this looks, but I’m serious. I mean every word of it.”
Her expression hardens as she meets my gaze. “Serious or not, you’ve got the wrong girl, Aditya. And I’m definitely not marrying you just so you can figure out your messed-up head. You’re an adult. Sort out whatever’s going on in there instead ofbarging in here, throwing proposals around like they’re casual greetings. And get this through your thick skull—your wallet might impress some girls, but it doesn’t do a damn thing for me.”
“Sana, just… think about it. Just once.” I don’t even know why I’m so desperate, but I try again.
“Aditya, you need to leave. Whatever this is, whatever ridiculous game you’re playing, it ends now.”
I slam my hands on the counter, my voice firm. “I’m not playing games, Sana. Why can’t you get that?”
She scoffs, her glare unwavering. “You really expect me to believe this is some grand, heartfelt proposal? Please, spare me. Newsflash—you don’t know me. We’re nothing but strangers. You walked in here twice, insulted my café, threw around that attitude, and now you think tossing out a marriage proposal will flatter me and win me over? Listen, Mr. Aditya, my answer is no. Now kindly leave.”
I can tell now isn’t the time to push her. No matter what I say, she’ll fight me on it. With a sigh, I rise to my feet. “Fine. But this isn’t over.”
She rolls her eyes. “Oh, trust me. It is.”
“We’ll see about that,” I say and turn to leave.
But as I reach the door, I hear her say, “Don’t forget to see a good doctor on your way. It will surely help you think straight!”
I don’t reply, nor do I turn back to look at her. Instead, I push open the door, step outside, and slide into my car. A small, satisfied smile creeps onto my face, despite the awkwardness of it all. It’s funny how, in just a few hours, everything went from arguing with Mom about marriage to me proposing to Sana. But it’s not something I want to overthink. Right now, I’m only focused on one thing—Sana can push me away all she wants, but I know she’s exactly what I want. She’s gorgeous, sharp, confident, and doesn’t take any shit—the kind of woman whostands beside you, not behind you. The kind you don’t find twice, and damn sure the kind I’d fight for and keep close.
I start the engine, a plan already forming in my mind. A plan that will have her sayingyesin the end.
Chapter 7
Sana
“You won’t believe what happened today,” I say as Kiara looks up from her coffee, her perfectly arched brows rising.
“Let me guess… a difficult customer happened to piss you off?” she asks, setting her cup down on the centre table, curiosity flickering in her eyes.
We’re in Kiara’s living room, sitting on her cosy three-seater couch, facing each other with our legs tucked beneath us. My mind has been a mess ever since that jerk left my café, and I needed someone to vent to. So, not bothering that it was ten at night, I texted Kiara, asking if we could catch up. She replied instantly, telling me to come over as her parents were out of town for a wedding.
I didn’t think twice. I sent a quick message to Mom, letting her know I’d be late, then drove straight to Kiara’s house.
I snort. “Worse. Aditya, the annoying jerk of a customer I barely know, proposed marriage to me today.”
Kiara’s eyes widened, her mouth falling open. “What? Wait, are you saying you got a marriage proposal from a random customer, just like that—out of the blue?”
I roll my eyes. “Yes, Kiara, that’s exactly what I’m saying. Can you believe the audacity of that man? I’ve met him twice, and he suddenly thinks I’m marriage material.”
Kiara raises an eyebrow, a teasing smirk playing at the corners of her lips. “It sounds like something straight out of a romance movie. Love at first sight. Though, honestly, I wouldn’t blame any man for being swept away the moment he sees you.”
I cringe, waving her off. “It’s not love at first sight, Kiara. It’s just him being a jerk. I hated the way he threw his wealth and status in my face, as if it that was supposed to impress me. Like I’m just some object he can buy. It was all about what he could offer—his money, his name… as if that was enough to make me say yes. The whole thing felt so shallow, like I was some selfish woman dying for his offer. He just didn’t care about how it made me feel.”
Kiara’s playful expression softens as she reaches across and places her hand on mine. “Don’t you dare spoil your mood for him. He was just a piece of work. It’s disgusting how some men think their money can buy everything—including someone’s feelings.” Her eyes drop to our hands, her voice quieter now. “You know about my ex-boyfriend, right? How selfish he was. When it came down to it, he chose his family business over me. Said he couldn’t ‘afford’ to put love before legacy.”
