Author POV

Some places make you feel small the moment you enter them.

Not because people insult you.

Not because someone pushes you away.

But because everything around you reminds you

that you don’t fit there.

For Rhea, the Malhotra office felt exactly like that.

Huge building.

People walking fast.

Everyone serious.

Everyone scared of one name.

Karthik Malhotra.

And today…

she had to walk inside that world

as his wife.

Even when she herself wasn’t sure

if she had any place in his life.

Outside – Malhotra Empire Office

The car stopped in front of a tall glass building.

Rhea looked up slowly.

It looked bigger than anything she had ever seen.

Her fingers tightened on her dupatta.

Karthik stepped out of the car without waiting.

She quickly followed.

Employees standing near the entrance immediately straightened.

“Good morning sir.”

“Good morning sir.”

Everyone looked nervous.

No one looked at Rhea directly.

Karthik walked inside like he owned the air itself.

Cold face.

Sharp eyes.

No smile.

He didn’t even slow down to check if she was behind him.

Rhea almost had to run to keep up.

Inside the lift, silence filled the space.

She stood in one corner.

He stood in front.

After a few seconds he spoke without looking at her.

“Don’t talk unless someone asks.”

Her heart sank a little.

“I understand.”

“Stay in my cabin. Don’t go around.”

She nodded.

“Yes.”

Lift opened.

Everyone outside moved aside immediately.

Rhea noticed the fear.

The respect.

The power.

And for the first time…

she realized how far his world was from hers.

Karthik’s Cabin

The cabin was huge.

Glass walls.

Dark furniture.

Everything expensive.

Everything perfect.

She stood near the sofa, unsure where to sit.

Karthik kept his phone on table.

“Sit there.”

She sat quietly.

He started checking files like she wasn’t even there.

Minutes passed.

No one spoke.

She looked around slowly.

This was his world.

And she felt like a stranger in it.

Suddenly the door opened without knocking.

A woman walked inside confidently.

High heels.

Stylish dress.

Attitude like she owned the place.

Rhea looked up.

The woman stopped when she saw her.

Her eyes narrowed slightly.

Then she looked at Karthik.

“So this is why you didn’t answer my calls?”

Karthik’s expression changed.

Not soft.

But different.

Less cold.

“What are you doing here, Harshita?”

Rhea felt her heart stop for a second.

Harshita.

So this was her.

Harshita crossed her arms.

“I should ask that. Who is she?”

Silence filled the cabin.

Karthik didn’t answer immediately.

Then he said calmly,

“My wife.”

The word hit Rhea’s chest harder than she expected.

Not because of love.

But because of the way he said it.

Like it meant nothing.

Harshita laughed softly.

“Wife? Seriously?”

She walked closer.

Her eyes scanned Rhea from head to toe.

“So this is the girl.”

Rhea lowered her gaze.

She didn’t know what to say.

Harshita looked at Karthik again.

“You married her… and didn’t even tell me?”

His jaw tightened.

“This is not the place.”

“Oh it is the place,” she said sharply.

Then she looked at Rhea again.

“You can go outside.”

Before Rhea could move, Karthik spoke coldly.

“She stays.”

Harshita smirked.

“Why? She needs to see everything?”

Rhea’s fingers trembled slightly.

She wanted to leave.

But she didn’t move.

Karthik looked irritated now.

“Harshita, enough.”

Harshita stared at him for a moment.

Then suddenly she smiled.

Fine.

She walked closer to him.

Too close.

Rhea’s eyes widened slightly.

Harshita touched his arm casually.

“You didn’t even call me after marriage.”

Karthik didn’t move away.

“I was busy.”

“You’re always busy… for me.”

Her voice was soft now.

Possessive.

Like she had right over him.

Rhea felt something painful in her chest.

She looked down quickly.

She didn’t want to see this.

Didn’t want to feel this.

Didn’t want to understand

that the man she married

belonged to someone else.

Near the door, someone was standing quietly.

Aryan.

He had come for meeting.

But he stopped when he saw inside.

His eyes moved from Karthik…

to Harshita…

to Rhea.

And then a slow smile appeared on his face.

“So this is the game…”

he whispered to himself.

And in that moment,

he knew exactly

how to break them.

Author POV

One girl who loved silently.

One man who loved someone else.

One woman who didn’t want to lose him.

And one enemy

waiting for the perfect moment.

The story was not getting easier.

It was getting darker.

And none of them knew

how much pain was still left.

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