"Where is she?"
"I don't know."
And that terrified him more than he wanted to admit.
His wife had secrets. Places he didn't know about. A whole life he'd never bothered to learn about.
Because he'd been so focused on keeping her at arm's length that he'd never asked.
Never cared to know.
Until now.
Until she'd disappeared, and the thought of losing her had made him feel something he hadn't felt in years.
Fear.
"Take me home," he told Abhay.
"Boss—"
"Home. Now."
The drive back to the estate felt endless.
When they arrived, Saroj and Kritika were waiting.
"Well?" his mother demanded. "Where is she?"
"Somewhere safe. She'll be back tomorrow."
"That's it? That's all you're going to tell us?"
"That's all I know."
"Samarth, this is unacceptable. She can't just disappear—"
"She can do whatever she wants," he said coldly. "She's my wife, not my prisoner."
Even though he'd treated her like one.
He left them standing there and went to his office, locking the door behind him.
He poured a whiskey. Then another.
And waited for tomorrow.
For his wife to come home.
And when she did, things were going to change.
Because he'd learned something today.
The thought of losing her terrified him.
And that meant she'd gotten under his skin in ways he'd sworn would never happen.
She'd become important.
