Her body shook as the weight of her pain finally spilled out—silent sobs, broken breaths, years of wounds she had never shown to anyone.

When he bent down and scooped her into his arms, she stiffened instantly, her palms pressing weakly against his chest.

"Don’t… don’t touch me," she whispered, her voice cracking even as tears betrayed her.

Her resistance was fragile, like glass—sharp enough to cut, but breakable with just one touch of care.

He didn’t loosen his hold. He only pulled her trembling frame closer, carrying her to the bed as though she were too delicate for the world to bruise again. His touch wasn’t demanding—it was steady, grounding.

His lips brushed her temple, then her forehead, lingering just long enough for her to feel his promise.

"Breathe… I’m here." he whispered.

Another kiss, softer this time.

"No one will hurt you again."

Her tears burned hotter as he tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, his voice breaking with quiet resolve.

"You don’t have to be strong tonight… let me be strong for you."

She tried to turn away, but his hand found hers, holding it firmly against his chest, forcing her to feel the steady rhythm of his heart. And his final whisper shattered the last of her defenses—

"Even in your silence, I will listen. Even in your darkness, I will stay."

Her heart clenched. For the first time, she was terrified… not of breaking, but of what it meant to be seen so completely..

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The music played, people laughed, but for Reyansh—it all blurred into nothing. His focus was fixed only on her.

Ananya.

She looked like sin wrapped in silk—her backless saree, her heels clicking with pride, her smile laced with mischief. She wasn’t dancing for fun. She was dancing for him—no, against him. Testing him. Pushing him. Punishing him.

And it was working.

Each time she laughed a little louder with her cousins, each time she swayed her waist just a little more, his jaw tightened. He didn’t miss the way her eyes flicked to him, daring him, taunting him.

But when one cousin’s hand reached close to her bare waist—

That was it.

Reyansh’s control snapped.

In an instant, his hand was there before anyone else’s could be, gripping her waist hard enough to claim, but not to hurt. His eyes blazed at the cousin, sharp and warning—touch her, and you’ll regret it.

Without giving Ananya a chance to protest, he caught her wrist and dragged her away from the crowd, up the stairs, ignoring the stunned whispers behind them.

The door slammed shut. The next moment, her back was against the wall, his body caging hers. His hand cupped her jaw, forcing her to meet his furious gaze.

Then his lips crashed on hers—hungry, wild, a kiss soaked with jealousy and raw possession. Ananya gasped, clutching his shirt as his intensity stole her breath, her knees weakening. He deepened the kiss, almost desperate, as if he needed to erase every trace of anyone else from her skin.

When he finally pulled away, both of them were breathless, their foreheads pressed together, his voice rough and edged with fire.

“Don’t you dare play with me like that again. I’ll never stand there watching another man lay a finger on you. You’re mine, Anya—do you hear me? Mine. No one else will ever touch you… because if they try, I’ll break their every single bone.”

His grip tightened just slightly on her jaw, his words a promise and a warning all at once.

“You want to make me jealous? Fine. But remember one thing… you’ll always come back to me. Because you’re not allowed to belong to anyone else. Ever.”

Her chest rose and fell rapidly, cheeks flushed, lips trembling as she tried to catch her breath from his words. His possessive gaze still pinned her against the wall, and though her body screamed to resist, her heart was betraying her with every skipped beat.

Her voice came low, broken from the breathless haze.

“If I dare to go somewh—”

She never got to finish.

Reyansh’s mouth crashed onto hers again, this time harder, rougher—cutting off her words, swallowing every sound that dared escape her lips. His kiss was pure possession, fire and fury, as though he was teaching her body and soul a lesson she’d never forget.

His hands slid down, gripping her bare waist tight, fingers digging into her soft skin—not to hurt, but enough to remind her she belonged only in his hold. She whimpered against his lips, her toes curling, knees trembling as the intensity dragged her deeper under his control.

When he finally tore his lips away, their breaths tangled hot against each other. His voice was a growl against her trembling mouth.

“Don’t. You don’t even get to think about going anywhere that isn’t me.”

Before she could gasp again, his mouth descended lower. His lips and teeth claimed the very spot that had been teasing him all evening—the deep neckline, the bare skin that had winked at him every second of the ceremony. His teeth grazed hard against her cleavage, biting down just enough to make her cry out.

“Aahh!” she hissed, her head thrown back, eyes squeezed shut, toes curling as fire shot through her veins. Her fingers tangled into his hair, clutching, pulling almost painfully—but he only smirked against her skin, savoring her reaction like a victory.

He lifted his head slowly, lips red from her taste, eyes burning with that dangerous jealousy. His smirk deepened as he whispered, voice laced with warning and promise—

“Remember this, anya. Every time you try to test me… I’ll remind you exactly who you belong to.”

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Hlo my sweet buddies🤗✨,

Shadows never tell the whole story… 🖤

If this prologue touched your heart, there’s more waiting ahead.

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