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Until the Contract Ends

1

Rayyan
Rayyan
Marry me.
The words dropped like a thunderbolt in the quiet lecture hall. I blinked, certain I’d misheard. My professor—Dr. Rayaan Shah, the same man who made my life miserable for two semesters—was standing there with that cold, unreadable expression he always wore.
Riya
Riya
“Excuse me?” I managed, clutching my notebook like a shield. “Did you just—?”
Rayyan
Rayyan
“Yes,” he cut me off sharply. “I need you to marry me.”
Riya
Riya
I laughed. A dry, nervous sound. “Right. And I need a vacation in Paris. What’s your next joke, Professor?”
Rayyan
Rayyan
He didn’t even flinch. “It’s not a joke, Miss Riya Mehra. I need a wife—fast. It’s... complicated.”
Riya
Riya
“Complicated?” I repeated, stepping back. “You literally failed me in my project last month and now you want to marry me? Are you out of your mind?”
Rayyan
Rayyan
His jaw tightened. “You were late on that submission. Don’t change the topic.”
Riya
Riya
I glared at him. “You’re unbelievable.”
Rayyan
Rayyan
He exhaled, voice dropping low—almost pleading. “Listen. My grandfather’s will states that I’ll only inherit the estate if I’m married before my 30th birthday.”
Riya
Riya
“And that’s... tomorrow?” I asked, half-mocking, half-stunned.
Rayyan
Rayyan
He hesitated. “In two days.”
Riya
Riya
“Oh my God.” I pressed a hand to my forehead. “There are literally thousands of girls dying to marry you. Why me?”
Rayyan
Rayyan
“Because you’re the only one who won’t expect anything from me,” he said quietly. “You’re practical. You don’t like me. And that’s exactly why this could work.”
Riya
Riya
My heart thudded. “Wow, that’s your sales pitch? ‘Marry me because you hate me’?”
Rayyan
Rayyan
He looked me straight in the eye. “I’ll make it worth your while. One year. A legal contract. You’ll get enough money to pay off your student loans and live comfortably after graduation.”
Riya
Riya
I froze. My throat felt dry. “You’re serious, aren’t you?”
Rayyan
Rayyan
He nodded once. “Completely.”
For a moment, the air between us grew heavy. The arrogant professor and his stubborn student—both trapped in a situation neither asked for.
Riya
Riya
I swallowed hard. “And after one year?”
Rayyan
Rayyan
“The contract ends. We’ll divorce. No strings attached.”
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2

I should’ve walked away. I should’ve laughed in his face. But the memory of my father’s medical bills, my unpaid hostel rent, and my brother’s school fees flashed before me like a cruel reminder.
Riya
Riya
I whispered, “What’s the catch?”
Rayyan
Rayyan
His eyes softened—barely. “Just play the role of my wife. Publicly. My family believes I’ve finally ‘settled down.’ Don’t tell anyone it’s a contract.”
Riya
Riya
I stared at him, trying to read what hid behind that calm, professional mask. “You really trust me to pull that off?”
Rayyan
Rayyan
He smirked. “I don’t trust you, Riya. I’m counting on the fact that you won’t fall for me.”
That stung more than I wanted to admit.
Riya
Riya
“Fine,” I said, crossing my arms. “But I have my conditions too.”
Rayyan
Rayyan
“Name them.”
Riya
Riya
“One—no controlling my life. Two—no acting like an actual husband when we’re alone. And three—if you ever try to boss me around outside class, the deal’s off.”
Rayyan
Rayyan
He tilted his head, a ghost of amusement flickering in his eyes. “Noted, Mrs. Shah.”
Riya
Riya
I rolled my eyes. “Don’t call me that yet.”
Rayyan
Rayyan
He leaned closer, his voice barely a whisper. “Oh, I will. Sooner than you think.”
And just like that, my perfectly predictable life turned into a storm I never saw coming.
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3

I stared at my reflection in the mirror, still half-convinced this was some twisted dream. A red bridal lehenga. Heavy jewelry. Mehendi that spelled a name I barely believed I was marrying—Rayaan.
What was I even doing?
Rayyan
Rayyan
“Ready?” his deep voice came from the doorway.
Riya
Riya
I turned, my breath catching before I could stop it. He looked unfairly good in an ivory sherwani, the same calm expression that made him impossible to read.
Rayyan
Rayyan
“You don’t look happy,” he said flatly
Riya
Riya
“Well, I wasn’t exactly waiting my whole life to marry my professor,” I shot back.
Rayyan
Rayyan
A faint smirk tugged at his lips. “Good. Keeps things simple.”
Simple. Right. Nothing about this was simple. The ceremony, the signatures, the way his family’s eyes softened when they looked at me—believing I was truly his choice.
When the priest said, “You may now apply sindoor,” my hands trembled. He didn’t hesitate. Just leaned in, brushed his fingers across my hairline, and whispered, low enough for only me to hear—
Rayyan
Rayyan
“From this moment, Mrs. Shah, you belong to my world.”
My heart skipped a beat, but I forced myself to stay still. It’s just a contract, I reminded myself. Twelve months. Then freedom.
_____________
The house looked like a palace. His family greeted us with smiles and blessings, while I kept pretending this wasn’t the strangest night of my life.
When we finally reached his room—our room—I froze at the sight of the giant bed covered in rose petals.
Rayyan
Rayyan
“You can relax,” he said dryly, unbuttoning his sherwani cuffs. “We won’t play husband and wife in here. The contract doesn’t demand that.”
Riya
Riya
“Thank God,” I muttered, grabbing my bag.
Rayyan
Rayyan
His gaze flicked to me. “You can use the left side of the closet. And Riya—”
Riya
Riya
“What now?”
Rayyan
Rayyan
He took a slow step closer, voice calm but firm. “My family must believe this marriage is real. That means you’ll attend family dinners, talk politely, and smile when they ask how happy we are. Understood?”
Riya
Riya
I folded my arms. “And when you bark orders at me like I’m still your student?”
Rayyan
Rayyan
He arched a brow. “Then you’ll remind me you’re my wife—for now.”
The air between us grew tense, thick with something neither of us wanted to name.
Rayyan
Rayyan
Finally, he turned away. “Get some sleep. Tomorrow, we start pretending for real.”
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