Page 152 of Since You Stole My Heart

She searched his face, gently caressing his cheek. ‘Are you okay?’

‘I don’t think I can be after finding out he hurt you because I refused to let myself be sold off to some rich family as a son-in-law,’ he said through gritted teeth.

‘It wasn’t just that. I ended up telling Dhruv everything because I got drunk at his bar, and he and Vihaan went after Viraj. They beat him up and stole his phone.’

‘Is that so? I owe them a huge thank you then.’

Kashvi shook her head reluctantly. ‘I do too. But it didn’t work because he has backups. Viraj came here specifically to show me that, and then he took my phone. He’ll leak my images through it if I don’t give him hundred crores and leave you.’

His eyes went wide with disbelief when he heard Viraj’s demand. ‘The bastard knew exactly where to twist the knife,’ Swayam said, livid.

‘Is that why you didn’t go to the engagement last night? Did you suspect something about him?’

‘No, I didn’t know then,’ he said.

‘Then why didn’t you go?’ she asked carefully, no longer able to hold it back.

With a sigh, Swayam gently eased her onto the pillow before getting off the bed. Kashvi straightened as he walked to the toppled dresser and picked something up from the floor. He briefly touched the object to his forehead before coming back to her.

Swayam stopped in front of her, close enough that she had to tilt her head back to look at him.

Then he opened her tiny silver sindoor box, and her breath caught.

Swayam dipped two fingers into the crimson powder and gently dragged it along the parting of her hair. A shiver ran through her at the touch as it claimed every broken part of her heart, just like he did when they got married.

‘I hope that answers your question.’

‘I...’ she tried, but the words dissolved beneath the steady intensity of his gaze.

A faint smile broke across his face. ‘You really made it your mission to make me work hard to get you, huh?’

‘I’m not trying to...’ she began, but he shook his head. His gaze moved slowly over her bruised face, as if it physically hurt him to see her injured.

‘I know you’re not, but you still don’t truly understand how much you mean to me.’ He tilted her chin up with his finger as he leaned down. ‘I didn’t go because I can never be with anyone else. I already belong to you. Only you.’

Her lips parted, but he pressed his thumb gently against them. ‘This isn’t easy for me to say, and I need to say it before you decide anything about us.’

She couldn’t find a single word to explain the storm of emotions surging through her, so she simply nodded.

His eyes shone as he said, ‘I know things have been chaotic lately, but through all of it, one thing never changed. I’m married to the woman I love, and I never want to let her go.’

She looked at the man who had every reason to walk away, yet still held onto her, his gaze full of love. Tears burnedinstantly behind her eyes, and she had to press her lips together to stop them from trembling.

‘Even if you decide this is just friendship, even if that’s all you ever want from me, I’ll still always be yours. There has never been anyone else for me, and there never will be. I love you, and only you, Kash.’

A sob tore out of her chest, thick with disbelief, guilt, and hope.

All this time, she had been so consumed by fear, survival, and protecting everyone around her that she had failed to see the man who loved her quietly with everything he had.

‘And yeah, marrying you was always my plan. I was going to ask you out on your birthday anyway.’ He stared at the floor for a moment before laughing under his breath, the sound hollow and shaken. ‘But I know none of that matters anymore.’

‘Why not?’ she asked quickly, hating the thought instantly.

The resigned devastation in his eyes made her chest ache. ‘Because nothing changes the fact that I’m tied to Viraj, the man who hurt you. I mean, it’s affected you so much that you flinch every time you hear a camera shutter.’

She went speechless at the fact that he had noticed.

He dragged his gaze away. ‘Even I don’t know how to come to terms with that either. So if you still want to divorce me... I’ll understand.’