Rudra entered the room silently, his presence almost unnoticed by Anaya, who stood transfixed before the wall of pictures. She was gazing at the photographs, her mind lost in thought as she studied the images of Rudra in various stages of his life. Without realizing it, she murmured softly to herself, "You asked me to marry you… out of nowhere. Why, Rudra?"
Though her voice was quiet, Rudra caught her words. He paused in the doorway, watching her closely. Her back was to him, and she hadn't noticed his arrival. For a fleeting moment, he considered responding, but something held him back. Instead, he remained silent, choosing not to reveal that he had heard her questioning. He observed her as she continued to stand before the photos, her shoulders tense with uncertainty.
"Looking at the pictures?" Rudra's voice broke through the silence, making Anaya jump slightly. She turned around quickly, her eyes wide with surprise, realizing she had been caught. The room felt even heavier now, with Rudra's cold, unreadable gaze fixed on her.
"So, you're in my room… or should I say, our room now?" Rudra's tone was calm, but there was a firmness to it that made Anaya even more nervous.
She tried to find her voice, but the words caught in her throat. "I—uh, yes… I…," she stammered, her fingers fidgeting with the hem of her dress. Her heart raced, unsure of how to navigate this moment. She didn't know what to say or how to act around him. She barely knew him, let alone what he liked or disliked. The fear of doing something wrong, something that would make him angry, weighed heavily on her.
Rudra watched her closely, his eyes narrowing slightly as he noticed her discomfort. He stepped forward, his movements deliberate, yet he made no effort to close the distance between them. "You don't need to be so tense, Anaya," he said, though his voice held no warmth. "I don't bite."
His attempt at easing the tension only made her more nervous. She gave a quick, awkward nod, struggling to form a coherent response. "I-I didn't mean to... disturb you," she mumbled, her voice barely audible. She glanced around, noticing the staff still quietly working in the background, organizing her things into the wardrobe. Their presence made the situation even more uncomfortable. She felt too self-conscious to have a conversation with Rudra while they were there, watching, even if only indirectly.
Rudra's eyes flicked to the staff for a brief moment before settling back on Anaya. He seemed to sense her hesitation, but said nothing more, allowing the silence to stretch between them.
As the last of the clothes were neatly folded and placed into the wardrobe, one of the staff members approached Anaya. "Ma'am, we've arranged everything as you asked," they informed her politely before bowing slightly and exiting the room, leaving Anaya and Rudra alone.
With the staff gone, Anaya let out a quiet breath, feeling the weight of their departure. But the room felt no less stifling. If anything, it became even more unbearable with just the two of them standing there in awkward silence. She glanced around, unsure of what to do next, and for a split second, considered following the staff out of the room.
"I—" she began, her voice shaky. "I think I should… um, I'll—"
Rudra tilted his head slightly, watching her with a mix of curiosity and impatience. "You're trying to leave?" he asked, his voice low, almost a challenge.
Anaya froze, her pulse quickening again. She hadn't expected him to call her out so directly. "No, I—uh, I was just… going to… step out for a bit," she stammered, her words coming out in disjointed fragments. She took a small step toward the door, feeling more trapped by the second.
Rudra's gaze sharpened. "Running away, Anaya?" His tone was cool, but there was something behind his words that sent a shiver down her spine.
"I'm not… running," she whispered, avoiding his gaze. She wasn't sure if she was lying to him or to herself. The truth was, she didn't know how to handle this situation. Being in his presence was overwhelming, and the more she stood there, the more she wanted to escape.
Rudra crossed his arms, still watching her closely. "If you're not running, then stay," he said, his voice commanding in a way that left no room for argument.
Anaya swallowed hard, her feet rooted to the spot. She knew she had no choice but to stay, no matter how uncomfortable she felt.
#
Anaya's heart raced as Rudra's words echoed in her ears. She stood there, rooted in place, her mind scrambling to make sense of the situation. She had never been more unsure of herself. Every step, every breath felt calculated and watched under Rudra's intense gaze.
She finally managed to whisper, "I… I wasn't trying to run. I just didn't want to—uh—intrude on your space." Her eyes flicked briefly to the large, dark bed in the corner, and then quickly back to Rudra. She didn't want him to misinterpret anything she said. The truth was, she wasn't sure how to act around him at all. Should she be formal? Friendly? She just didn't know.
Rudra remained silent for a moment, his gaze unwavering. He took a slow breath, his face as unreadable as ever. "This is our space now, Anaya," he said, his tone softer, though still holding the firmness that made her nervous. "You're not intruding. You belong here just as much as I do."
Those words should have comforted her, but instead, they only heightened the tension she felt. Anaya wasn't ready to accept that this was *her* space. It was too much, too soon. Everything in the room screamed Rudra—his taste, his personality, his control. She felt like a guest in a space where she was supposed to be a partner.
She nodded, but her discomfort was clear. "Right. I just—uh—don't want to... disturb you," she repeated, her voice shaky as she repeated herself, still uncertain of what to say. The intensity of his gaze made it hard for her to think clearly, and she found herself fumbling for words that didn't sound forced.
Rudra stepped closer, his eyes narrowing slightly as he studied her. "You seem uncomfortable. Are you?" The question was direct, and it caught her off guard.
Anaya's eyes widened slightly, and she instinctively took a small step back. "No! I mean—yes—I mean…" She could feel the heat rising in her cheeks, her nervousness now painfully obvious. Her hands trembled slightly as she fidgeted with her fingers. "I'm just… not used to all of this. I'm still adjusting."
There was a brief silence, and Anaya could feel her own pulse pounding in her ears. Rudra didn't say anything for a long moment, and she couldn't tell if he was annoyed, indifferent, or simply observing. His face was unreadable, but his posture remained controlled, unbothered by the discomfort radiating from her.
"I see," Rudra finally said, his voice low but calm. "I'm not here to make you uncomfortable, Anaya. But you need to know something. This marriage wasn't just for convenience. We are expected to live together. In this room. That's how it is."
Anaya swallowed, feeling the weight of his words press down on her. He wasn't scolding her, but the meaning behind his words was clear. This was her new reality, whether she was ready for it or not. She was his wife, and with that came certain expectations.
"I understand," she said quietly, though her voice was tinged with hesitation.
There was another long pause, and for a moment, Anaya considered retreating to the corner of the room, finding some excuse to escape the intensity of the conversation. She glanced toward the door, wondering if it was too late to make a graceful exit.
Just as she was about to muster the courage to excuse herself, the door opened once again, and the staff entered to inform her that everything had been arranged as she had requested. "Ma'am, all your belongings have been organized in the wardrobe. Is there anything else you need?"
Anaya blinked, momentarily relieved by the distraction. She turned to the staff, her voice a little too eager as she replied, "No, thank you. That will be all."
The staff nodded and left the room, closing the door behind them. Now, there were no more distractions. It was just her and Rudra, and the silence that hung between them was almost unbearable.
Anaya turned back to face Rudra, feeling the weight of the room close in around her. She wanted to say something—anything—to break the tension. But the words wouldn't come. Her tongue felt heavy, her mind blank. She shifted on her feet, the awkwardness gnawing at her.
"I should… probably get some air," she blurted out suddenly, her voice more frantic than she intended. She wasn't sure why she said it, but the pressure of being in the room with Rudra, in his personal space, felt too much.
Rudra's eyes narrowed slightly at her sudden attempt to leave, but his expression remained calm. "You don't need to run away, Anaya," he said quietly, his voice holding the faintest edge of amusement. "You'll have to get used to this eventually."
Anaya felt her cheeks flush with embarrassment. "I'm not running away," she muttered, though the words sounded weak even to her own ears. She took a deep breath, trying to calm the panic rising in her chest. "I just—need a moment."
Rudra stepped closer, his presence commanding but not overbearing. "This isn't something you can escape from, Anaya," he said, his tone serious but not harsh. "We're in this together. You and me. Whether we like it or not."
Anaya nodded, her throat tight. She understood what he meant, but that didn't make it any easier. She couldn't just walk away from this—walk away from him. This was her life now. But the reality of that was harder to accept than she had thought.
"I know," she whispered, her eyes darting to the floor. "I know."
Rudra watched her for a moment longer before turning away, giving her the space she so desperately needed. He moved toward his desk, his posture stiff but controlled. "Take your time," he said simply, sitting down and focusing on the papers in front of him as if the conversation had never happened.
The air in the room was thick with tension, the silence almost suffocating. Anaya stood near the wardrobe, feeling the weight of the atmosphere pressing down on her as she tried to make sense of the situation. The dark, richly colored room that she now shared with Rudra was more like a fortress than a bedroom, and Rudra himself was as distant and guarded as the space around them.
Before Anaya could attempt to say anything, there was a knock on the door. It startled her slightly, but a wave of relief washed over her at the interruption. Rudra glanced toward the door, his expression unchanged.
"Come in," Rudra said, his voice cold and commanding.
The door creaked open, and one of the female staff members entered, her eyes lowered respectfully as she approached. "Sir, Grandma has asked me to invite you both for dinner at the dining table," she said quietly, glancing between Rudra and Anaya.
Anaya's heart lifted just a little at the thought of leaving the room. Thank God you came, she thought to herself, feeling an immediate sense of relief at the staff's arrival. She even allowed a small smile to form on her face as she imagined escaping the heavy silence of their room, if only for a little while.
But her hope was short-lived.
I'm not coming," Rudra said flatly, his tone as cold as ever. "I'll have my dinner in the room."
Anaya's smile faltered, and she found herself staring at Rudra in disbelief. Seriously? She thought. He couldn't even bother to have dinner with his family? The staff member, already used to his demeanor, simply nodded and turned to leave after getting her answer.
##To be continue....**