contract Signed
The Malhotra boardroom was designed for power.. mahogany table, leather chairs, tall windows overlooking the city skyline. Tonight, though, it felt like a battlefield.
Aarav sat at the head of the table, his expression calm, almost detached, as though this was just another merger deal.
Beside him lay a stack of crisp papers.. the contract that would bind Meher’s life to his.
Vijay and Kavita sat together, uneasy and pale, whispering prayers under their breath. Their presence was proof of their desperation.
The door opened. Meher walked in.
She wore a simple pastel suit, no jewelry except her grandmother’s thin gold bangle.
Her face was calm, but her eyes gave her away.. they held fire and defiance.
Aarav’s gaze flickered to her, unreadable, before he slid the contract across the table.
Aarav Malhotra (ML)
Read it, if you wish.. (he said coolly)
Aarav Malhotra (ML)
Every term is clear. One year. You fulfill the duties of my wife in name, and at the end of the term, if you choose to leave, you walk away with your family’s debts cleared. No obligations.
Meher Sharma (FL)
(Meher’s hand hovered over the file but didn’t touch it)
Meher Sharma (FL)
You’ve already written my life down in clauses. What’s the point of reading?
Aarav Malhotra (ML)
(Aarav arched an eyebrow)
Aarav Malhotra (ML)
Then sign it.. ❄️
The silence stretched. Even the ticking of the wall clock felt loud.
With steady hands, Meher picked up the pen. She glanced once at her father, whose eyes pleaded with her. She looked at her mother, whose tears hadn’t stopped since morning.
And then, without another word, she pressed the tip of the pen to paper and signed her name.
The sound of the pen scratching echoed in the vast room. Each stroke felt like a nail sealing her own cage.
When it was done, she pushed the contract back toward Aarav.
Meher Sharma (FL)
Congratulations, Mr. Malhotra.. (she said softly but firmly)
Meher Sharma (FL)
You’ve bought yourself a wife.. ❄️
Aarav leaned back, his expression unreadable, though a flicker of something.. amusement, maybe respect.. passed through his eyes.
Aarav Malhotra (ML)
Correction, Ms. Sharma.. (he replied, folding the papers neatly)
Aarav Malhotra (ML)
I’ve secured myself a partner. The difference, you’ll learn in time.
Meher Sharma (FL)
(Meher’s jaw tightened. She turned to leave, but his voice stopped her)
Aarav Malhotra (ML)
Our wedding will be next week. Everything will be arranged. ❄️
Meher Sharma (FL)
(She paused at the doorway, her back straight, her voice low but steady)
Meher Sharma (FL)
This is your deal, Aarav Malhotra. Don’t mistake it for my choice. ❄️
And with that, she walked out, leaving the room colder than it had been when she entered.
Aarav stared at her retreating figure, the faintest smile tugging at his lips.
For the first time in years, a deal had begun to feel… unpredictable.
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