Two weeks passed and nothing had changed between them. Ayaan woke up alone in the bed and the empty space beside him gnawed at him more than he wanted to admit. He pushed the blanket away and hurried to the closet.
Zara stepped out of the washroom just then, dressed in a robe, droplets of water sliding down from her wet hair and tracing her neck. For a moment, everything around him blurred. He walked up to her, leaned in, breathed in the familiar warmth of her fragrance from the crook of her neck and pressed a quick kiss there before moving past her into the washroom without a word.
She moved around him like a ghost, silent, distant, her eyes filled with betrayal and a hurt she never voiced. It was eating at him. Her silence was worse than anger, worse than accusations. Every unspoken word clawed at his chest, every avoided glance suffocated him. He would have endured her screams, her tears, even her hatred but this quiet withdrawal was killing him, inch by inch.
After breakfast, Ayaan entered his study and found the CSO already waiting for him.
“Did you find something?” Ayaan asked, his voice firm.
The CSO bobbed his head, “Sir… there’s something you need to hear,” he said quietly.
Ayaan sat in his comfy seat behind the desk and leaned back. “Stop dragging it. Just say it.”
The CSO took a slow breath. “I spoke to the doctor who handled the DNA analysis. He explained something crucial… something I think you never considered. Identical twins, they share exactly the same DNA. “
Ayaan stiffened leaning forward hearing his words.
The CSO swallowed, choosing the simplest words. “If one of the twins has a child… that child’s DNA will match both twins perfectly. The test can’t differentiate.” he said more clearly.
Ayaan stared at him, the weight of the revelation settling like a stone. “So you’re saying that she could be true of her father having a identical twin and the report can’t prove which brother is her father?”
“Yes, sir, the DNA test can’t tell them ” the CSO confirmed.
Ayaan’s fingers curled slowly into a fist as the truth unraveled in front of him. “If what she said was true, then one of them is still alive… and if the one alive is her uncle, then the danger is still lurking around all of us.” Ayaan thought, the realization hitting him hard. He rose to his feet immediately.
“I need you to form a reliable, trustworthy team and start looking for the man. Her father or her uncle whoever it is, we need him. He is the key to uncover the truth behind the blast.” Ayaan ordered.
The CSO nodded firmly and walked out.
Ayaan stood there, lost in thought, when his PA, Rohan, entered the study carrying his laptop.
“Sir, you have an invite to the Internal affairs Minister’s daughter’s wedding reception party next week in Delhi. Only high-profile businessmen and ministers are invited,” Rohan informed.
Ayaan paused, thinking for a moment, before nodding. “I’ll attend the party… with Zara.”
He entered the bed room and as usual, found Zara in the balcony. He stepped out quietly and lay on the couch, placing his head on her lap. Zara ignored him, her gaze fixed on the garden, but Ayaan wasn’t one to give up easily. He caught her hand and began kissing the tips of her fingers.
“Mrs. Ayaan, did you forget we’re newlyweds? You’ve been sitting out here all day and the staff might assume we’re having issues. Cheer up, wifey. Let’s do something romantic. Also… we’ll be attending a wedding reception in Delhi next week. Ministers and top businessmen will be there.” he said casually.
Zara’s brows knitted together. “Why do you want to parade me in your elite circle? What if you end up gathering more proof that I m really the daughter of the man who destroyed your peace? Or that I have some hidden motive?” she scoffed.
Ayaan chuckled, amused at her attempt to provoke him.
“You’re right, Mrs. Ayaan. I am taking you there because I want everyone to know you have me and whoever is behind my family might come out looking for you again ” He said to provoke her, hoping she would at least speak to him, even if it meant fighting.
Zara swallowed the ache forming in her chest and looked away.
“Come on. Let’s cook and later we’ll go out for dinner. A special dinner for my beautiful wife.” he said, kissing her cheek before pulling her along with him.
They walked into the kitchen and Ayaan dismissed the staff with a wave of his hand.
“I’ve never stepped inside a kitchen, so I’ll just stand here and watch you cook for me. I will cheer you up though” he announced proudly.
Zara exhaled dramatically and began picking out the ingredients. She was chopping vegetables when Ayaan came up behind her, wrapped his arms around her waist and pressed a slow, lingering kiss to her nape.
“You look beautiful, wifey ” he murmured.
Her mind instantly flashed to the poster in their bedroom, twisting her heart. Ayaan slid one arm firmly around her waist and with the other he guided her hand as she stirred the pot. Zara’s breath hitched at the warm brush of his lips against her cheek.
When she finally covered the pot with the lid, Ayaan turned her to face him and cupped her cheek gently, his thumb tracing her lower lip.
“I’m starving, Zara. It’s been so long since I’ve tasted these beautiful lips. You know how much I m addicted to them ” he whispered and leaning in, he brushed a soft kiss over her lips, then deepened it slowly, savoring her, groaning at the taste that had become addictive to him. His hands moved across her back, pulling her flush against him.
“I didn’t know you cook, Mrs. Ayaan. Do you enjoy it, or are you doing it just because I asked?” Ayaan murmured, resting his chin on her shoulder.
Zara kept stirring the pot, her voice steady but her heart tightening. “I love cooking. Back at the orphanage, I used to help the staff all the time. I always wished I had have someone of my own to cook for… but I wasn’t that lucky. It’s a blessing to have a home… a family… and do all the little things together. But not everyone gets that kind of luck.” She swallowed hard, blinking back the sting in her eyes.
Ayaan’s thoughts drifted to the past, a faint smile tugged at his lips as an old memory surfaced.
“Zara, stay home today. Let’s spend some time together. How about we cook? I’ll be your helping hand. Maybe we’ll end up with a disastrous kitchen and burnt food… but at least it’ll be made with love.”
“Ayaan, stop it. I haven’t stepped into a kitchen in a long time. What if we end up with burnt skin or blisters on our hands? You have a whole business empire to run, and I can’t skip work either.”
“Argh, this is exactly why I want you to quit being Mom’s PA and maybe work for me instead. We’d get more time together.”
“You know how much I love my work. It’s my dream, Ayaan.”
“Of course you love your dream… I just doubt you love me even half as much.”
His trance broke when Zara served the food onto a plate. Ayaan moaned softly at the very first bite of the food, his eyes fluttered shut as he savored the taste. Then he caught her hand and pressed a kiss to the back of her palm.
“Wow… this is incredible, Zara. I wish I could taste this once in a while. Thank you for the food,” he said sincerely and before she could react, he scooped another spoonful and gently pushed it into her mouth, feeding her without a pause.
Later, Zara lay on the balcony couch with a random novel in her hand, trying to distract herself. Ayaan settled at the other end, stretching out comfortably. When she tried to pull her leg away, he stopped her with a gentle press of his palm and began playfully tracing circles on her toes.
Zara froze to his actions.
“Isn’t he the same man who wanted to destroy me? Then why does he touch me… look at me… play with me like he actually loves me?” she wondered, keeping her eyes fixed on the page she wasn’t actually reading. Her mind spun in confusion while her heart betrayed her, reacting to every casual stroke of his fingers as if it belonged to him.
Zara eventually drifted into sleep under the slow, rhythmic pressure of Ayaan’s fingers on her toes and ankles. Ayaan watched her for a long moment, his gaze softening, unable to tear his eyes away from her peaceful face. His phone suddenly blared, snapping the silence and he immediately silenced it before it could disturb her.
He gathered her gently into his arms and carried her to the bed. He laid her down with a care he didn’t even know he possessed. Then he stepped out to his study to finish his work.
Late in the evening, Ayaan walked out dressed in a crisp, tailored formal shirt and dark slacks. At the same moment, Zara stepped out in a black designer saree, the fabric hugging her curves with elegant precision. For a heartbeat, Ayaan forgot how to breathe.
He took her hand, wordlessly and they got into the back seat of the car.
At Rey’s Hotel, the manager welcomed them warmly. Ayaan guided her to his private suite, beautifully decorated for their date night and pulled out a chair for her before taking the seat opposite her.
Zara didn’t look at him even once. She served the dishes quietly, her gaze fixed anywhere but on him.
“You haven’t looked at me since we left home, Mrs. Ayaan. You can look at me, you know… I promise you do have a handsome husband,” he teased.
For a fleeting second, her eyes flicked to his. He caught it instantly and winked making her instantly lower her gaze back to her plate.
They barely ate. Ayaan finally shifted closer, taking the dessert plate with him. He sat beside her and scooped a spoonful.
“Are you upset, wifey? Let me cool you down,” he murmured and fed her.
Zara pulled back and wiped her lips, rising to her feet. She walked to the balcony and held the railing, staring at the dark sky.
Ayaan followed her, slipping his arms around her from behind.
“You know, it’s getting impossible to stay away from you. What magic did you cast on me, Mrs. Ayaan?” He asked placing a soft kiss on her earlobe.
“May I have a dance with my beautiful lady?”
He turned her around, wrapped an arm around her waist and began to sway. He twirled her twice, her saree fluttering around her, before pulling her into his chest again. They stayed like that, swaying, bodies brushing, breaths mingling.
Then Ayaan scooped her into his arms and carried her to the bedroom.
He set her on her feet slowly… almost reverently. His knuckles grazed her cheek, tracing the delicate lines of her face. Then his lips followed the exact path, soft, slow, claiming. His breath fanned the sensitive skin of her neck as he pressed a kiss to her pulse.
” I’m burning for you. I want you, Mrs. Ayaan, all of you. “ he whispered in a husky voice.
Ayaan pushed her hair to the front, his fingertips brushing her spine as he pressed a lingering kiss on her nape.
” Do you want me to stop ? ” he murmured continuing with his kisses.
Zara trembled, not from desire but from the weight settling inside her chest.
“You enslaved me and wanted to play your wife. Do I even have the freedom to deny you?” she thought and Ayaan mistook her silence for acceptance.
Zara felt the gentle tug as he removed the pin holding her saree together, each unfastened fold making her heartbeat stutter.
With slow, deliberate movements, he guided the fabric down her shoulder, his touch contradictory, soft yet claiming. He pushed her gently onto the bed and hovered over her, his breath ghosting over her skin.
She didn’t want to see his gaze. She didn’t want to see who he was truly looking at.
“He’s not seeing me… he’s seeing her.” she thought and kept her eyes shut tightly.
Ayaan brushed his knuckles along her cheek and lowered his lips to hers in a deep, consuming kiss. Zara didn’t respond, she couldn’t. Every time his lips moved against hers, the same fear echoed through her mind, “He’s imagining her… not me.”
Her fingers clutched the sheets, not him. She kept her eyes closed, as if opening them would confirm her worst nightmare. Ayaan paused for a moment, sensing her stiffness. His forehead rested against hers as he breathed her in.
“Relax, wifey, I got you. Its me, your Ayaan ” he murmured, his voice low and coaxing as he pressed a soft kiss to her forehead, then another on her cheek…his lips brushing slowly down to hers, lingering just long enough to steal her breath…before trailing lower, capturing the fluttering pulse at her neck.
He undressed her gently, letting each layer fall away as he took in her beauty with a slow, reverent breath. Then he stepped back just enough to discard his clothes, returning to hover over her.
Ayaan caught her hand, pressed it flat against his bare chest before lifting her palm to his lips for a lingering kiss. Then, with deliberate tenderness, he guided her arms around his neck, drawing her closer.
Her mind tried to stay in control, but her body betrayed her, responding helplessly to his ministrations. Their chests rose and fell in unison, breaths turning shallow as desire began to take over.
Ayaan groped on her bosoms, doing wonders with his fingers and lips. Zara bit her lip to stop any moan escaping her lips. Ayaan’s hand moved to her south and his fingers did magic until her body trembled with release. With complete satisfaction Ayaan pushed his length inside her, wrapped her legs around his waist and started thrusting. He leaned closer and kissed her lips, his palm grazing body slowly, sending shivers down her spine. He groaned when he saw her holding back her moans. He pulled out and pushed inside with force and Zara couldn’t hold back the moan and screamed his name.
Ayaan smiled when her cry tore through the room, and he captured her mouth in a searing kiss.
“Open your eyes and look at me, wifey. Don’t you dare shut your eyes,” Ayaan whispered, his voice low and ragged.
Zara’s breath hitched and slowly, almost unwillingly she opened her eyes. For a second, it felt as though he was seeing straight through her soul. His gaze held an intensity she wasn’t prepared for… an emotion she didn’t dare to name.
“No… don’t imagine things. Don’t let him fool you again, he is not looking at you ” she warned herself, forcing her heart to harden.
She met his eyes, but her stare was guarded, while his were overflowing with something she couldn’t read… or didn’t want to.
They came undone together, bodies trembling as the waves of pleasure slowly ebbed. He remained inside her for a moment, breathing hard against her skin, before easing them onto their sides and then rolling onto his back with her gathered on top of him.
“You are insatiable, Mrs. Ayaan and you drive me crazy ” he murmured, pulling her closer. He laid her carefully next to him and rushed to the bathroom. He returned with a towel dipped in hot water and cleaned her before joining her in bed. He pulled her closer to his chest, his fingers gently stroke through her hair until sleep slowly claimed them both. He held her in his arms throughout the night like his life was dependent on her.
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A/N:
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