The pub buzzed faintly with music, but it was far from crowded. The guests inside all carried an air of wealth, elegance, and exclusivity. Vivaan led Maya and her friends inside, where he introduced them to his friend, the owner of the pub. After a brief conversation, the man took his leave, and the group drifted towards the dance floor.
As usual, Riya and Lekha didn’t waste a moment. They paired up quickly with two charming strangers and lost themselves in the rhythm of the music. Maya lingered at the edge, hesitant. She turned to step away when Vivaan caught her hand.
“Maya, just relax,” he said with a smile. “Don’t friends dance together too? Come on.”
She nodded slowly, allowing him to lead her back. They danced for a while, laughing lightly at their own moves, and then returned to the bar. Vivaan excused himself with a promise.
“I’ll be back soon to take you all to the resort. Just stay here until I return.”
The girls nodded, and within moments of Vivaan’s departure, two more men approached. Their confidence and seductive charm were hard to miss. They extended their hands to Riya and Lekha, who giggled and accepted, swaying back onto the dance floor with their new companions. Maya was left alone.
She ordered a drink and sipped slowly, the alcohol coursing through her and making her vision blur. A strange lightness settled in her head. Feeling dizzy, she got up and stumbled toward the restroom, trying to shake the haze by washing her face.
Meanwhile, inside a private room in the same pub, Vivaan stood before a mirror. He had changed into a fresh shirt. From his pocket, he retrieved a small packet, tore it open, and pulled out a realistic facial mask. He carefully aligned it, pressing every edge until the transformation was seamless. His hairstyle was altered too. The reflection staring back at him wasn’t his own anymore, it was Aryan’s.
He smirked.
“Hi, Aryan,” he whispered to himself. “Isn’t this the face Maya is obsessed with? Let’s see what she does now.”
Stepping out, he spotted Maya walking out of the restroom, clearly unsteady. Just as she stumbled forward, he caught her by the waist.
“Careful,” he said smoothly.
Maya clung to his shoulders, blinking up at him. Her breath caught. “Aryan? How… how are you here?” Her voice slurred, and her eyes fluttered, trying to stay open.
“I came to meet a friend. I saw you struggling to walk,” he replied gently, holding her close.
“Aryan,” she whispered, smiling in a dazed state, “you look so handsome, man.”
“And you,” Vivaan responded, playing the role perfectly, “you look gorgeous and sexy, Maya.”
“Are you really complimenting me, Aryan?”
“Yes, Maya. You always look beautiful. But today… you look hot.”
“I love you so much, Aryan,” she confessed, her voice thick with longing.
She hugged him suddenly and leaned in, pressing a soft kiss to his lips. Vivaan cupped the back of her neck and deepened the kiss with calculated precision.
“You taste wonderful, Maya,” he murmured against her lips. “I love it.”
“Aryan, please don’t leave me,” she whispered desperately. “I want you for the rest of my life. I can do anything for you.”
“Anything, Maya?”
“Yes, Aryan. Anything. Just leave that bitch and I’m here for you.”
He kissed her again, his lips brushing her neck as she moaned his name and clutched at his shirt.
“Give me time, Maya. I’ll come to you permanently. I promise.”
“I love you, Aryan.”
She kissed his cheek and gently bit his earlobe, sending a shiver through him.
“Come with me,” he said. “I want to spend more time with you now.”
Without hesitation, she nodded. Vivaan lifted her into his arms and carried her upstairs to the first-floor guest rooms, one of which he had already reserved. He opened the door, stepped inside, and closed it behind them.
He gently placed her on her feet, only to pin her back against the wall and kiss her face, her neck, and her exposed collarbones. Her off-shoulder dress made it all too easy. She moaned louder as his lips claimed her skin.
He carried her to the bed. She climbed on top of him, hands tugging at his shirt as she showered his chest with kisses and locked lips with his again and again. Vivaan felt overwhelmed—torn between pleasure and irritation every time she whispered Aryan’s name.
Still, her touch, her kisses, and the heat of her body took over. When she felt his hardness against her, she blushed, meeting his eyes. He rolled her over, his gaze drinking in her curves as he removed her dress. Their bodies entangled, their breaths turned into gasps, and the room echoed with their cries of passion.
It was the most intoxicating night Maya had ever known. But the alcohol and exhaustion took over, and soon, she drifted into unconscious sleep.
Vivaan watched her for a moment, her body now still, her face relaxed. He got up, dressed quickly, and slipped out of the room. He returned to the private lounge, removed the Aryan mask, fixed his hair back, and changed into his original shirt.
Down at the bar, he spotted Riya and Lekha laughing loudly, both perched on the laps of the guys they had danced with earlier.
Vivaan smirked to himself and walked toward them, his game complete, his deception buried in the shadows of a wild night.
The pub was beginning to quiet down when Vivaan returned, his expression laced with urgency.
“Riya, Lekha, come on. Let’s go. And where’s Maya?” he asked, scanning the room.
Riya and Lekha, who had sobered up considerably, immediately turned toward him.
“We thought she was with you,” Riya said, confused.
Vivaan’s brow furrowed. “I told you girls that I was meeting a friend. How could she be with me?”
Lekha looked at him, trying to read his face. “Vivaan… are you serious?”
“Yes, Lekha. I’m damn serious. Where is Maya?” he snapped.
“We didn’t see her after a while,” Riya admitted, worry creeping into her voice.
“I’ll go search for her,” Vivaan said, and without another word, he walked off.
He put on an elaborate show—checking corners, walking up and down the corridors of the pub, even looking out into the parking lot. Eventually, he returned to the girls, shaking his head.
“She’s nowhere,” he said, breathing heavily, playing his part well.
Just then, his friend—the owner of the pub—walked over and noticed the tension in the group.
“What’s going on?” he asked.
“Maya’s missing,” Lekha said nervously.
Understanding the implication, the man offered a suggestion. “Check the guest rooms upstairs. Maybe she took one to lie down. Some guests do that after heavy drinks.”
Without hesitation, Vivaan nodded. “Let’s go,” he said, leading Riya and Lekha upstairs.
They began checking each door. Finally, Lekha opened one, only to freeze in shock. Inside, Maya lay asleep, completely naked under the duvet.
“Riya,” Lekha called out in a hushed, terrified tone, “come here. And Vivaan…”
Vivaan approached, and his expression turned serious.
“Lekha, dress her up. Let’s take her to the resort first. We’ll talk about everything later. I’ll go get the car.”
Riya and Lekha nodded quickly, hurrying into the room and locking the door behind them. They worked together, carefully dressing Maya, who remained unconscious.
Meanwhile, Vivaan made a detour to speak with his friend before returning.
“Thank you so much. You helped me a lot to get her into my web,” Vivaan said in a low voice. “She really believed I was Aryan. Just make sure to clear any evidence. I’m leaving for Chennai tomorrow. We’ll talk later.”
With that, he left to bring the car around. By the time he reached the front, Riya and Lekha were waiting with Maya. He carried her to the car, the girls following, and they all returned to the resort.
Once inside the suite, Vivaan gently laid Maya on the bed. Then he stepped into the living area, where Riya and Lekha stood anxiously.
“I don’t know if anything actually happened to her,” Vivaan said, lowering his voice. “But I know this—if Maya finds out something did, she’ll end her life.”
Riya’s face paled. “What do we do now?”
“Listen,” Vivaan said firmly. “We’ll tell her she passed out after drinking and that we brought her here. Nothing more. Okay?”
“But what if she remembers something?” Lekha asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
“Just insist it was a dream,” Vivaan said. “Stick to the story, no matter what.”
“We might need to give her some pills in the morning,” Riya added cautiously.
“I’ll take care of it. I’ll mix it in her coffee. You girls just relax and don’t blabber. Go sleep. Let’s deal with the rest in the morning.”
Reluctantly, Riya and Lekha returned to the bedroom and curled up beside Maya. Vivaan, meanwhile, returned to his own room. Under the spray of a hot shower, a wicked smile spread across his face.
“Do you need pills, Maya? Seriously?” he thought with amusement.
The next morning as morning light filtered through the curtains, Aryan was already awake. He smiled at the sight of Sanju still fast asleep beside him. Leaning forward, he gently kissed her forehead and rose to get ready for the day.
He called Kowsalya. “Get breakfast set in our room,” he said softly. “Don’t wake her yet—just bring the tray here.”
Soon after, Kowsalya arrived with the breakfast and quietly set the table. She glanced at Sanju still curled under the blanket.
“Why is she still asleep, sir? Wake her up—baby must be hungry.”
“I will,” Aryan replied with a smile. “Let her have food and sleep later if she wants.”
After Kowsalya left, Aryan sat beside Sanju and began patting her softly, brushing her hair back.
“Wake up, sleepyhead,” he whispered and pressed a kiss to her cheek.
Sanju slowly opened her eyes and saw him sitting freshly dressed after a shower.
“When did you get up?” she asked, stretching lazily.
“Long back,” he said. “Now come on, get up and refresh. Breakfast is ready.”
“Nooo… I’m so tired,” she murmured, pulling the blanket over her face.
“Don’t worry,” he said gently. “I’ll help you.”
Without waiting for a response, Aryan scooped her up in his arms and carried her to the washroom.
“Get ready, I’ll set the plates,” he told her, placing a soft kiss on her temple.
A little while later, Sanju came out freshened up. Aryan made her sit down and served breakfast along with a glass of fresh juice.
She pouted. “I don’t want to eat… I’m still sleepy.”
“You need to eat, love. Just a little,” he coaxed.
She relented, and Aryan patiently fed her small bites, smiling at her every little complaint. After they finished, they moved to the balcony. Sanju leaned comfortably on his chest, his arms wrapped around her waist.
“Hey,” Aryan said with a playful grin, “I think we might be the first couple to go on a honeymoon while you’re pregnant.”
Sanju chuckled. “Yes, Aryan. I was just remembering that.”
“How come we didn’t know? You didn’t feel any symptoms?”
“I did feel tired,” she admitted. “But my periods have always been irregular. I thought that was the reason. Didn’t give it much thought.”
“Thank God the baby is safe,” he murmured, holding her close. “Maybe that’s why you’ve been so weak lately. Add that to all the office stress.”
“Maybe, Mr. Husband,” she said with a smile and kissed his cheek.
He hugged her tighter and leaned in to press a soft kiss to her lips.
