Reyansh’s POV
I woke before dawn.
The house was quiet. The only sound was the faint hum of the AC and Miki’s soft snores somewhere near the bed.
I spared a final glance at Anaya’s sleeping figure. The way she curled slightly under the blanket, her hair scattered across the pillow—it annoyed me how human she looked, how… vulnerable.
Not that I was soft. I didn’t do soft.
I swung my legs over the side of the bed and left without a sound, closing the door behind me.
By 7:30, I was in my study. Coffee black. Papers spread. Calls scheduled. Everything meticulously arranged for the day ahead.
At exactly 8:00 AM, my phone buzzed.
“Sir,” Arjun’s voice came through, hesitant. “You… may not like this.”
I didn’t flinch. “Speak.”
“There’s… a problem,” he said, voice tight. “One of the maids went to your room to wake Miss Anaya. But when she lifted the blanket… there were only pillows. We searched the entire house, checked the cameras… it’s showing she ran away.”
I raised an eyebrow, setting my coffee down carefully.
A faint smirk formed.
“Alright,” I said smoothly. “I’ll handle it.”
“Sir…?” Arjun’s tone was uneasy.
“Do not,” I said sharply, leaning back in my chair, fingers steepled, “let this reach my parents. Under any circumstances. Keep it contained.”
“Yes, sir,” he replied immediately.
I hung up and stared out the window at the morning sun spilling over the estate.
She thought she could escape.
Cute.
She didn’t understand the rules of my world yet. Not entirely.
I finished my coffee, poured another, and called Rehman.
“Get every piece of information on Anaya Mishra. Everywhere she could go. Begin discreetly.”
“Yes, sir,” Rehman replied.
I leaned back, fingers drumming on the desk.
Let her run. Let her test me.
By evening, she would know running wasn’t an option.
And tomorrow, she would have no choice but to face the reality she’d agreed to—even if she hadn’t realized just how tightly I intended to hold it.
This was not about feelings. Not yet.
It was about control.
And Reyansh Oberoi never lost control.
Anaya’s POV
I didn’t sleep.
Not even for a second.
I lay there the entire night staring at the ceiling, listening to his breathing on the other side of the bed. Every time he shifted, my heart jumped into my throat.
Three days.
One contract.
One life-changing mistake.
The moment I felt him get up in the early morning—quiet, careful—I held my breath.
The door clicked shut.
Silence.
I counted to thirty.
Then I moved.
My hands were shaking as I grabbed Miki and slipped out of bed. I didn’t dare use the door. Cameras. Guards. Staff.
The window.
It wasn’t too high—but it wasn’t safe either.
“Shhh,” I whispered to Miki, placing her down first onto the grass below.
I climbed after her.
And misjudged the landing.
Pain shot up my leg as my knee scraped hard against the stone edge.
I bit my lip to stop myself from crying out.
“Great,” I muttered, feeling the sting. “Perfect start.”
I didn’t look back.
I ran.
—
By the time I reached the club, I was breathless and limping slightly.
Nandini was near the counter when she saw me.
“Anaya?! Girl, I just heard! You and Reyansh Oberoi are getting married?! Oh my God, congra—”
I grabbed her wrist and dragged her into a secluded corner.
“Nooo!” I whispered harshly. “He’s forcing me!”
Her smile vanished instantly. “What?”
“My parents had debts. Fifty lakhs. To him. And now he needs a wife for his image. So I have to marry him!”
Her face drained of color.
“Oh.”
“I ran away,” I blurted.
Her eyes widened. “You what?!”
“I jumped out of a window! I think I broke my knee! He’s going to kill me!”
“Okay, okay, breathe,” she said quickly, looking around nervously.
Within minutes, she hailed a taxi.
We didn’t talk much during the ride. My brain was too loud.
The car stopped.
I blinked.
We were standing in front of a fancy hotel.
“Why… are we here?” I asked.
“Stay in my room.”
“You stay here?!” I stared at her.
“No! The club has benefits, genius,” she whispered urgently. “Now go before someone sees you!”
My chest tightened.
“OMG, I am so grateful I have you,” I said, hugging her quickly before rushing inside.
At the reception, I gave her name.
They handed me the key card without questions.
I almost cried from relief.
Inside the room, I locked the door immediately.
Then double locked it.
Then checked under the bed like a paranoid criminal.
Finally, I collapsed onto the mattress, panting.
Miki jumped onto my stomach.
I held her up, staring at her tiny face.
“What shall I do, yaar?” I whispered.
My knee stung. My head hurt. My heart felt like it would explode.
He told me I didn’t have a choice.
But I just proved I did.
Right?
…Right?
Except—
This was Reyansh Oberoi.
And running away from someone like him didn’t feel like freedom.
It felt like the start of something worse.
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