It’s been a week since I dropped that marriage proposal on her, and the only reason I’ve kept my distance is to give her time to cool off. Though, if I’m being honest, no amount of time would be enough to make her accept my crazy proposal. Yet, I still did it.
Staying away didn’t mean she was off my mind. If anything, I took it up a notch. I had my private investigator run a background check on her.
For someone like me, it’s almost amusing how effortlessly I got my hands on the blueprint of her daily routine. Morning cardio at seven sharp. The treadmill by the mirrors on the left—her favorite spot, where she loves making silly pouty faceswhile working out. The blue water bottle she carries everywhere because, of course, that’s her favorite color. Not to mention, she’s obsessed with the rain, takes her coffee loaded with cream and chocolate syrup, and reads with music in her ears. God, I can’t even put into words what it does to me, knowing every little habit, every single quirk.
Though I’ll admit, a part of me felt guilty going behind her back to gather all this. But that guilt disappeared the moment I got the confirmation I didn’t even know I was waiting for.She’s single.
Well, it wasn’t exactly a surprise. When I met her, I noticed the little things—no ring on her finger, no mangalsutra around her neck. But having absolute confirmation? That hit me hard and locked in my iron will to have my name tied to hers, no matter what. She has no clue the obsession she’s become for me, but soon she’ll see I’m here for the long game. Soon enough, she’ll realize she’s meant to be with me, and there’s no turning back—for either of us. And I just can’t even tell how anxious I am for the day she finally gives in and owns it.
With that thought, I push the glass doors open, my grin unshakable, ready to bask in the sight of her inevitable annoyance. But the moment my eyes land on her, the smile slips right off my face. And it has nothing to do with seeing Sana standing by the weights section in those ridiculously sexy, form-hugging leggings and a crop top, her ponytail swaying as she adjusts a dumbbell. No, that’s not what sours my mood.
It’s the fact that she’s not alone.
Some guy—tall, annoyingly fit, the kind that makes my fists itch—stands way too close to her, grinning like he’s in a fucking toothpaste commercial. He’s trying to talk to her, though I can’t hear what he’s saying. But I don’t miss the way he’s flexing his arms like he’s trying to put on a show.
It doesn’t take a genius to figure out what’s happening. The guy is flirting and trying way too hard to get her attention, while Sana subtly keeps inching away to maintain her distance, her focus on the dumbbells, not him. Her body language is stiff and uneasy.
Even with Sana’s clear lack of interest in him, a surge of jealousy flares in my chest. Hot, sharp and immediate. My jaw tightens, and before I can even process it, my feet are already moving toward them.
“Hey, sweetheart,” I call out. Sana’s head jerks up, her eyes widening in pure shock as she sees me. But I don’t stop.
In one fluid motion, I close the distance, slipping my arm around her waist, my hand settling possessively on her hip. The guy’s smug grin wavers, his gaze darting between me and Sana, confusion flickering across his face like he’s trying to piece together a puzzle he didn’t even know existed.
“Sorry I’m late,” I say smoothly, my tone light but with enough edge to make it clear I’m not thrilled to see the asshole hitting on her. Then I turn to the asshole, my eyes narrowing. “If you don’t mind, could you stop flirting with my girlfriend?”
“Oh… uh, sorry,” the asshole stammers, his bravado slipping away as my words sink in. His gaze flickers to Sana one last time, then back at me, before he takes a hesitant step away. “I need to go. You two… enjoy your workout.”
With that, he turns on his heel and walks away, his earlier swagger completely gone.
My arm remains firmly around her, even after the guy disappears. But in the next second, Sana jerks away, her eyes flashing as she pins me with a sharp glare.
“Girlfriend? Seriously?” she hisses, her cheeks flushed, whether from embarrassment or something else, I can’t quite tell.
I shrug, my grin back in place, this time tinged with smugness. “Would you rather I let him keep bothering you?”
Her eyes narrow, and for a split second, I swear I see the corners of her lips twitch, like she’s fighting back a smile. But she doesn’t give me the satisfaction of a reply. Instead, she simply turns on her heel and steps onto the treadmill.
I follow her lead, stepping onto the treadmill beside hers and pressing the button to match her high speed.
“I didn’t take you for a stalker, Aditya,” she snaps, keeping her pace steady.
I grin, glancing at her even though she pointedly refuses to look my way. “Stalker is a strong word. I prefer‘dedicated.’”
“Dedicated?” she scoffs, finally turning to look at me. “To what? Annoying me? And how dare you chase after me like this? What if I already have someone in my life?”
“You don’t.”
“And what makes you so sure of that?” she asks, narrowing her eyes.
I smirk, holding her gaze head-on. “Because if you did, sweetheart, you wouldn’t be wasting your breath arguing with me.” I tilt my head. “Besides, you’re not exactly the secretive type. If there was someone in your life, you would’ve told me the moment I proposed to you.”
She abruptly stops the treadmill and turns to face me, arms crossed. “Did you ever consider that your assumptions might be ridiculous? Or maybe… I just didn’t think you deserved to know.”
I, too, stop my treadmill and lean against it. “Ridiculous? Maybe. But wrong? Not a chance.” With my eyes locked onto hers, I add, “And as for deserving to know, sweetheart, you and I both know I’m not the kind of man you can keep secrets from or blatantly ignore. I have my ways of getting the truth out of you.”
She lets out an exasperated sigh, shaking her head. “You need to stop this, Aditya. It’s really getting creepy. Whatever game you think you’re playing—it’s not going to work on me.”
I shrug, completely unbothered by her outrage. “This can all stop, you know. All you have to do is accept the marriage proposal. Simple as that.”
