Fingers traced their way from my ankle to my calf, slow and deliberate. My head tilted back slightly, my chest rising as my lips parted on instinct and I took a deep breath. I gripped his collar and pulled him closer while I lay beneath him on the bed.
We were both dressed in black, surrounded by a black room draped in heavy black curtains. Moonlight slipped through the window, falling only on Varun-his chest faintly illuminated where the buttons of his shirt hung half open.
He smiled, just a little. A smirk, really. I returned it as his eyes locked onto mine. He bent down, burying his face in my neck, his lips pressing warm kisses against my skin. I felt him in a way I couldn't quite put into words. Every kiss sent a quiet shiver through my body, a strange warmth blooming in my chest.
His lips moved from my neck to my bare collarbone. I closed my eyes. His hands slid to my waist and-
Trun trunnn.
Trun trun...
A phone rang.
I opened my eyes.
The black room vanished.
I was in a well-lit bedroom, with Karan on top of me, reaching past my shoulder to grab the ringing phone.
What was that?
I thought, my heart still racing.
Karan kissed my cheek casually, then climbed off the bed and answered the call-while I lay there, trying to understand where the dream had ended and reality had begun.
Still half-asleep and trying to make sense of what had just happened, I suddenly became aware of the damp warmth between my thighs.
My eyes flew open.
I slipped out of bed and hurried to the bathroom, splashing water on my face, my heart pounding. Even there, I could hear Karan talking-something about a video, his voice casual, normal, grounding.
When I stepped back into the room, I froze.
Karan was on a video call.
With Arun and Varun.
"Good morning, Aayna," Arun's voice came through the phone.
I smiled softly. "Good morning," I replied, resting my head on Karan's shoulder as if nothing inside me was spiraling.
"She still wants to sleep," Arun teased.
I lifted my gaze to the screen, blinking slowly. I raised my fingers in a lazy gesture. "Five more minutes," I said, hugging Karan from the side.
A laugh echoed through the phone.
I didn't need to ask who it was.
It was Varun.
The husband I had been dreaming about-
while another husband had been holding me while I slept.
"Well... we actually called to let you know something," Arun said, his tone shifting slightly.
Karan straightened a bit.
"Our video is going viral," Arun continued. "You should probably take a look."
I frowned. "Viral how?"
Varun moved closer to the camera, his face finally filling the screen. His expression was apologetic-but his eyes were unreadable.
"It's attracting all kinds of comments," he said. "Good ones. Bad ones. Some that are... crossing lines." He paused, then added, "We wanted to ask whether you want us to stop its circulation or let it run its course."
"Sorry to disturb you so early," Varun finished quietly.
I swallowed.
The warmth from earlier hadn't faded, and suddenly it felt heavier-unearned. I shifted slightly, aware of Karan's arm still around me, steady and familiar.
*Sorry to disturb.
That's all he said.
Not 'I missed you.'
Not 'Did you sleep well?'
Not even a glance that lingered long enough to mean something.
Was that it?
Had he already forgotten the time we shared-
or was it only unforgettable to me?
Another thought struck, sudden and sharp.
Is he going to the mansion?
The question echoed in my head, loud enough to feel like a shout.
No.
No, no, no.
That was ridiculous. Too much. Too far.
But what if it wasn't?
My chest tightened at the possibility-unwanted and unwelcome, yet stubbornly present.
Stop it, I told myself.
You're overthinking.
I pressed my lips together, forcing the thoughts back where they belonged.
Or at least pretending to.
Karan turned toward me.
"What do you want?" he asked.
I almost smiled.
An authoritative man-someone who usually made decisions without consulting anyone-was asking 'me' what I wanted.
Interesting.
"I want to see the videos myself first," I said.
"Send us the links," Karan added, his tone firm.
Varun shook his head lightly on the screen. "No need," he said. "Just search Karan Khano, or Varun Khano, or Arun Khano... or Aayna Khano."
He paused, letting it sink in.
"You'll find all kinds of videos."
"Some people are becoming your fans now, Aayna," Arun said, laughing.
"What?" I blinked. "Why?"
"Obviously," Arun replied, straightening up dramatically. "For pulling a handsome guy like me. Handsome. Singer. Intelligent."
He smiled, blushed exaggeratedly, then shook his head shyly-as if he couldn't believe his own charm.
"Waaaooo," I said, copying him instantly. I smiled, blushed just as hard, and shook my head the same ridiculous way.
For a second, we just stared at each other.
Then we all burst out laughing.
"What kind of cartoonish nonsense is this?" Karan muttered, shaking his head.
Arun and I immediately did it again-the blushing, the head shake, the overdone shyness.
"Oh God," Karan said, laughing despite himself. "I married into a circus."
That only made us laugh harder.
As the call ended, Karan pulled me closer into his embrace.
And for a second, I wondered-
why was I holding myself back from loving this man, when he carried everything I wished I could see in Varun?
I wrapped my arm around his shoulder. Our foreheads touched, breaths mingling. Slowly, instinctively, we leaned in for a kiss-eyes closed, hearts aligned-
Thunk.
Our noses collided.
Whattttttttttt?
My brain screamed.
Is that even possible?
We froze.
Then we laughed.
Soft at first. Then harder.
Still smiling, we leaned in again-careful this time-
Knock. Knock.
I stepped back.
He stepped back.
Frustration flickered between us, unspoken but obvious.
Knock. Knock.
"King," someone called out in a strange, exaggerated accent.
"Queen," a woman's voice followed, just as dramatic.
I groaned.
Karan ran a hand through his hair, already smiling.
Timing had officially betrayed us.
"We're organizing a couples' tournament," they said excitedly. "Couples will compete, and the ones who win the race will be awarded by you and the queen. If you decide to participate, we would be more than happy."
I paused.
The deity had never accepted me as their queen-
but the islanders still did.
They always had.
I smiled.
"Obviously, we'll come," I said calmly. "And tell everyone to be ready-because we won't make it easy for them."
I turned to look at Karan.
He was already smiling.
"Let's go!" he shouted, full of energy.
And just like that, the game was on.