Anaya realized very quickly that being Aarav Malhotra's wife came with rules that were never written down.
The house woke up early.
By six in the morning, the staff was already moving quietly through the corridors. Anaya stood by the window of her room, watching the city stretch awake, wondering how a life could change so completely overnight.
A soft knock interrupted her thoughts.
"Yes?" she said.
Nandini entered with a polite smile. "Sir has asked if you'd like breakfast in your room or downstairs."
Sir.
Even the way they addressed him reminded her who truly belonged here.
"Downstairs is fine," Anaya replied after a pause.
The dining table was smaller this time, less formal. Aarav sat at the head, already dressed in a crisp charcoal suit, reading something on his tablet.
She noticed he hadn't even looked up when she entered.
"Good morning," she said quietly.
"Morning," he replied, eyes still on the screen.
They ate in silence for a few minutes.
Finally, Aarav spoke. "You'll be accompanying me to the office today."
Her spoon froze mid-air. "Office?"
"Yes. There's an internal meeting. The board wants to see you."
"Why?" she asked before she could stop herself.
He looked up then, studying her expression. "Because you're my wife. And because people are curious."
Her stomach tightened. "I'm not— I don't know how to act there."
"You don't need to," he said calmly. "Just be present. Say little."
That again.
Presence without voice.
She nodded slowly. "Alright.
Malhotra Group headquarters was exactly what she had imagined—tall, glass-covered, intimidating.
The moment they stepped out of the car, eyes followed them.
Employees whispered. Phones came out. Curiosity buzzed in the air.
Aarav walked ahead, confident, unbothered.
Anaya stayed half a step behind him, instinctively matching his pace.
Inside the elevator, she finally exhaled.
"You don't have to be nervous," he said without looking at her.
"I'm not," she lied.
His lips twitched slightly, but he didn't call her out.
The boardroom was already full when they entered.
The conversations stopped instantly.
"Gentlemen," Aarav said calmly. "This is my wife."
For a second, Anaya felt every pair of eyes on her.
She offered a polite nod, keeping her expression composed.
The meeting itself blurred together. Numbers, projections, discussions she barely followed. She stayed quiet, exactly as instructed.
But she noticed things.
The way people deferred to Aarav without question.
The way his voice controlled the room.
The way no one dared challenge him directly.
This was his world.
And she was only a temporary guest.
As the meeting wrapped up, a woman approached them. Confident. Stylish. Familiar.
"So," she said, smiling at Aarav. "You finally did it."
Aarav's expression tightened almost imperceptibly. "Anaya, this is Rhea. A board member."
Rhea's gaze shifted to Anaya, assessing. "You're… not what I expected."
Anaya forced a small smile. "I'll take that as a compliment."
Rhea laughed softly. "Smart. I like her."
Aarav said nothing.
As they walked away, Anaya finally spoke. "She knows you well."
"Too well," he replied shortly.
Something about his tone told her not to ask more.
Back in the car, silence returned.
"Did I embarrass you?" Anaya asked suddenly.
Aarav turned to her. "Why would you think that?"
"I didn't speak much. I don't belong in that environment."
He studied her for a moment. "You followed the rules. That's all that mattered."
That wasn't reassurance.
But it wasn't criticism either.
As the car moved forward, Anaya looked out the window, her reflection staring back at her.
She had crossed into his world today.
And she could feel it already—
The line between contract and something else was thinner than either of them wanted to admit.