I squeeze Sana’s hand, leaning in just enough for only her to hear. “I’m proud of you.”
She doesn’t speak, but her fingers tighten around mine for a brief second before she exhales softly.
I watch her for a beat before a smile tugs at my lips, ready to distract her. “I have a surprise for you.”
She blinks up at me, curiosity flickering in her eyes. “A surprise? What is it?”
“Come with me.”
Hesitantly, her gaze flickers to the guests around us. “Aditya, everyone’s here…”
“They can survive a few minutes without us. Trust me, they won’t even notice we’re gone,” I argue.
Before she can protest, I gently hold her hand, leading her away from the stage. She follows, though there’s a hint of hesitation in her steps, her gaze flickering over her shoulder tothe guests. But I don’t give her a chance to overthink it—I tighten my grip just enough to reassure her and keep moving forward.
Once we step inside the house, away from the watchful eyes of the guests, I guide her down the quiet hallway. Stopping in front of my dad’s study, I push open the door and turn to her. Holding her gaze, I gesture for her to step inside.
Sana looks at me with uncertainty. “Aditya, what are we doing here?”
“You’ll see,” I say with a small smile, placing my hand gently on her back as I nudge her inside. Once she steps in, I shut the door behind us.
My fingers move to the buttons of my coat, undoing them slowly, my eyes never leaving hers. Sana’s breath catches, her eyes widening slightly, and the reaction makes me chuckle.
Before she can let her thoughts spiral, I reach out, cupping her face gently. My thumb brushes against her cheek as I tilt her chin up and bend my head towards her. But just before I reach her forehead, her hands instinctively rise, resting over my chest.
“Aditya, we can’t…” she whispers.
I grin, pressing a kiss to her forehead before pulling back to meet her gaze.
“Relax,” I murmur. “It’s not what you’re thinking.”
Her brows furrow slightly, but before she can question further, I slip my hand into my coat pocket and pull out an envelope. Holding it up, I say. “Your engagement gift.”
Sana blinks, her gaze flickering between me and the envelope, uncertainty clouding her eyes. Slowly, she reaches out and takes it from my hands, her fingers trembling slightly as she opens it.
She pulls out the papers from inside, her brows knitting together as she begins to read. I watch her closely, anticipation thrumming in my chest, waiting for the moment she realises what’s in her hands.
Sana’s eyes widen as she stares at the papers, her lips parting in shock. “Aditya…” she breathes, looking up at me. “These… are land papers.”
I grin, nodding. “Yes, a land for my soon-to-be wifey, so she can open a new branch of her café.” I cup her face. “In fact, I’ve already spoken to the architect, and the project can commence as soon as you give your inputs.”
Her fingers clutch the papers tighter as she shakes her head. “Aditya, this is too much. I—I can’t accept something this expensive.”
“Expensive?” I ask, annoyance creeping into my voice. “Sana, don’t reduce this to money. This isn’t about the price—it’s about you. About giving you what I know will make you happy.”
She exhales shakily. “You’re wrong, Aditya. This exorbitant gift isn’t something that will make me happy.”
I drop my hands from her cheeks, my excitement from earlier dimming. “Oh, so now I have to check the price tag before I give to-be wife something?”
Sana steps closer, cupping my face, her thumbs brushing against my jaw. “Aditya, please try to understand. Accepting something so extravagant would only fuel the rumors and doubts that I’m here for anything but love.” I open my mouth to argue, but she shakes her head. “I know you want to say that what people think shouldn’t matter, but, Aditya, sometimes it does. Ignoring it won’t make it go away.” She takes a deep breath, her voice softening yet firm. “I know you mean well, and I love you for it. But Aditya, you need to understand who I am and what I stand for. I don’t want you to give me an exorbitant gift to make me happy. I want our relationship built on trust and respect, not flashy displays that could overshadow what truly matters—us.”
For a moment, I just look at her—damn, I love her even more, if that’s even possible.
I rest my hands over hers. “I just… I wanted to do something for you, something that would make you happy. But if it doesn’t feel right to you, then that matters more to me than anything else.”
She smiles softly, resting her forehead against mine. “Thank you.”
I exhale as I change the subject. “I didn’t like how that aunty spoke to you.”
