"It's my father,she said, her voice shaking .
"He collapsed ".
Within minutes , they were on their way.
No hesitation .
No descussion .
Just action.
At the hospital , hours blurred together .
Anaya sat outside the Icu, her hand trembeling .
"He'll be,okey," Arjun said quietly , standing beside her.
"You don't know that."
"No", he admitted ."But worrying won't change the outcome."
She looked up at him ,tears in her eyes.
"You're terrible at comfort."
"Probably ", he said.
Then ,after pause ,he did something unexpected.
He sat down beside her.
Not as a businessman.
Not as part of a contract.
But simply... beside her.
And when her hand shook, he held it.
Not for show .
Not for obligation.
But because she needed it .
After that night, things changed.
Subtly.
But undeniably .
They started having real conversations.
About childhood.
Dreams.
Regrets.
Anaya learned that Arjun had built his empire under immense pressure, always proving himself , always staying in control.
Arjun learned that anaya had once wanted to be a writer, before life forced her to choose practicality over passion.
"You still can ",he said one evening .
She laughed softly ."Not everything is that simple ."
"It could be ," her replied ." If you let it."
Months passed .
And the line between real and pretend to blur .
The way he remembered how she took her coffee.
The way she waited up for him when he worked late .
The quiet comfort of shared silence .
It was no longer just a contract .
And that was the problem.
"You're in love with her."
Arjun forze.
His grandmother watched him with knowing
eyes.
"I don't believe in love," he said.
"Liar", she replied gently .
He didn't argue .
Because for the first time in his life, he wasn't sure he was right .
The truth came out on a rainy night .
Two years were almost over.
The contract was ending .
"We should start discussing the separation," Arjun said, his tone carefully
neutral.
Anaya nodded .
"Of course," she said.
Of course .
The words felt heavier then they should have.
"This was always temporary ,"he added .
"Yes,"she said quietly ."it was".
Silence filled the room.
Then she stood .
"Thank you", she said." For everything ."
The formality hurt more then anger would have.
She turned to leave.
"Anaya".
She stopped .
But didn't turn around .
"Did it mean anything ?" He asked .
Her voice was steady when she answered .
"It meant everything ", she said. That's why it has to end."
And then she walked away.
Days passed.
The house felt Emptier.
Quieter.
Wrong.
Arjun sat alone in the study , starting at the
Unsigned termination papers.
Efficient.
That's what he had wanted .
Simple.
Controlled.
So why did it feel like he was losing something irreplaceable ?
For the first time , logic falied him.
And emotion won.
He found her where she always said she felt most like herself .
A small cafe.
A note book in front of her.
Writing.
"You didn't sign," he said.
She looked up, suprised .
"No", she replied ."I didn't ."
"Good ",he said.
She frowned slightly . "Why?"
Because he didn't have a contract to offer this time.
No conditions .
No clauses .
Just truth.
" Because I don't want this to", end he said.
Her breath caught .
"This wasn't part of the deal ," she whispered.
"I know".
"Then why_"
" Because I was wrong,"he interrupted .
" About love. About control.about everything".
He stepped closer .
"This isn't efficient ,"he said. It's not simple
And it definitely deal.
"It is,"he agreed .
Then,softer_
"But it's real".
Silence .
And then_
"Stat," he said.
Not as a command .
Not as a condition.
But as a choice.
Anaya closed her notebook.
For once, she didn't think about consequences .
Or contracts.
Or endings.
"Okey", she said.
And just like that_
Their story finally began.
End of weekly love tale