Ana glared at Aryan, her hands clenched into fists on the table. She didn't care about the people staring or the expensive Ferrari outside. She only cared about stopping this madness.
"What exactly is your problem, Mr. Roy?" Ana snapped, her voice trembling with frustration. "Do you not understand plain English? I told you yesterday—I don't want to marry you! I am not interested!"
Aryan didn't look angry. Instead, he leaned back, a small, irritatingly handsome smirk playing on his lips as he watched her fiery eyes.
"I told you I'm not perfect for you," Ana continued, her voice rising. "I'm loud, I'm difficult, and I clearly don't like you. So why? Why are you so desperate to go through with this marriage?"
Aryan let out a low, dry chuckle. He leaned forward suddenly, his shadow falling over her, his gaze dropping to her lips before meeting her eyes again.
"Is that so?" he whispered. "Well, if you're so worried about being 'perfect,' let's solve the problem right now. Forget the families. Forget the ceremony. Let's go. We can get married this very second."
Ana froze, her eyes widening in total shock. "What?! Are you out of your mind?"
"I've never been more serious," Aryan replied, his voice smooth as silk.
"I am NOT marrying you!" Ana yelled, standing up so abruptly that her chair scraped loudly against the floor. "Get that through your thick, arrogant head! I'm leaving, and don't you dare follow me!"
She grabbed her bag and marched out of the café, her face flushed with pure rage. She didn't look back, not even once.
Aryan stayed seated, watching her through the glass window as she stormed down the street. He didn't look like a man who had just been rejected; he looked like a man who had just found his favorite new game.
"Go ahead, run," Aryan murmured to the empty air, his eyes sparkling with a dangerous, predatory mischief. "Run as much as you want, my little Wild Cat. But let's see how far you get. Because I'm just getting started."
The scene shifts to the Roy Mansion. The air was filled with a regal silence until the heavy mahogany doors swung open. Aryan Roy stepped in, his face an unreadable mask of determination. His parents and grandfather were in the living room, enjoying their evening tea, when Aryan's deep voice commanded their attention.
"Listen up, everyone," Aryan announced, his tone leaving no room for argument. "I've decided. I am marrying Shila... tomorrow."
The entire room went silent. Tea cups froze mid-air.
"What?!" his mother exclaimed, standing up in shock. "Aryan, we are thrilled, but tomorrow? That's impossible! We haven't even started preparations. There's no wedding dress for you, let alone the bride! How can we arrange a royal wedding in twenty-four hours?"
Aryan remained unfazed, his eyes cold and focused. "I'll take Shila shopping tomorrow morning for the rings and our wedding outfits. You handle the rest. The ceremony will take place the day after tomorrow. That's final."
Without waiting for a response, he turned on his heel and walked toward his private quarters, leaving his family staring at each other in utter disbelief.
"What on earth did that girl do to him?" his mother whispered, still dazed. "I've never seen Aryan so desperate to win someone over."
His grandfather sighed, looking down at his tea. "Honestly, I had my heart set on Ana for him. I was going to suggest her name, but I never got the chance. She is such a bright, spirited girl."
"I agree," Aryan's father added with a nod. "Ana is a sweet girl, and her family is wonderful. But if Aryan is happy with Shila, then we must be happy for him too."
Meanwhile, Aryan's mother immediately called Shila's house to deliver the news. When Shila's mother heard the words "shopping tomorrow" and "wedding the day after," she nearly fainted with joy. She rushed to Shila's room, her face glowing with a sharp, greedy excitement.
"Shila! Get up!" her mother cried, shaking her. "The Roys just called! Aryan wants to take you shopping tomorrow and the wedding is in two days! You've hit the jackpot, my girl!"
Shila turned deathly pale. Her heart sank into her stomach. "Two... two days?"
Seeing Shila's lack of enthusiasm, her mother's expression suddenly turned cold and threatening. "Listen to me carefully, Shila. From this moment on, you are to stay away from that girl, Ana. Do you hear me?"
"But Mom, Ana is my best friend—"
"I don't care!" her mother snapped. "That girl is dangerous. She has always been too smart for her own good. She could snatch a man like Aryan Roy away from you in a heartbeat. I've never liked her, and I won't let her ruin this for us. Until the wedding is over, you are forbidden from seeing or speaking to her!"
With that final warning, her mother marched out, slamming the door.
Shila collapsed onto her bed, tears streaming down her face. The weight of the lies was crushing her.
"You don't understand, Mom," Shila sobbed into her pillow. "Ana isn't like that. She's the one Aryan actually wants... he doesn't even know who I am. And she's the one who is desperately trying to run away from him."
She wiped her eyes, a flicker of desperate resolve appearing in her gaze. "But I can't let this go on. It's enough. Tomorrow, I will fix everything. I have to."
The moon was high, but the lights in Aryan's private study were still burning bright. He wasn't looking at the financial reports on his desk or the legal files his father had requested. Instead, he was staring out the window, a glass of expensive scotch in his hand, lost in thought.
"Miss Puddle..." he murmured, his voice a low growl of fascination.
He couldn't get the image of her out of his head. Today at the café, she hadn't been hiding behind sunglasses. She had been glowing. Every time she got angry, her eyes sparkled with a fire that made his blood hum. She was becoming more beautiful every day—not just her face, but that wild, untamed spirit of hers. She was a puzzle he was determined to solve, and a prize he was determined to own.
Ding.
The sound of the door opening broke his trance. Jimmy walked in, leaning against the doorframe with a playful, yet questioning look.
"Am I interrupting something, Roy? Or were you busy planning your next world conquest?" Jimmy teased.
Aryan sighed, setting his glass down. "Not now, Jimmy. What do you want?"
"Oh, nothing much. Just wanted to see the man who's getting married in two days and didn't even bother to tell his best friend!" Jimmy's tone was light, but his eyes were sharp. "I had to hear it from your mother. You're really going through with this? Getting hitched without even a bachelor party? You've really forgotten your old friend, haven't you?"
Aryan let out a rare, small smile. "I haven't forgotten anything. It's just... moving fast."
"I'll say!" Jimmy replied.
"Fine," Aryan said, standing up and straightening his shirt. "I'm taking her shopping tomorrow for the ring and the dress. Why don't you come along? You can help me pick out something that suits her... unique personality."
Jimmy's heart skipped a beat. This was exactly what he wanted. "Sure, Roy. I wouldn't miss it for the world. I'll be ready."
As Jimmy walked out of the room, his smile faded. He knew the real Shila, and he knew Aryan's taste. The two didn't match.
"Tomorrow," Jimmy thought, his eyes narrowing. "Tomorrow, I'll see for myself who this 'Shila' really is. Because I have a feeling my best friend is being played, or he's chasing a ghost."