The marketplace was bustling with life. The vibrant colors of fresh fruit and vegetables piled high at the vendors' stalls contrasted sharply with the overcast sky above. But despite the festive atmosphere, Jaya felt the weight of every pair of eyes that followed her as she moved. She could hear the murmurs, feel the glances, and she knew what they were thinking: The most beautiful woman in the world.
She had been hearing that all her life. And she hated it.
Beauty was nothing more than a cage. Her face, her body, the way she carried herself—everything about her had become an obsession to the world. Yet no one truly saw her. No one understood her. They wanted her, admired her, and envied her, but not a single person bothered to look beyond her appearance.
Her mother's illness had only magnified that emptiness. She had no one to turn to—no one except herself. And now, she was struggling with a choice she never thought she'd have to make.
Her fingers tightened around the bag of medicine she had just bought. The harsh reality was clear: no matter how hard she worked, no matter how many hours she put in at the textile shop, it wasn't enough. The surgery her mother needed wasn't something that could be obtained with hard work. It required money. And Jaya had none.
She stepped into a quieter alley, breathing in deeply, as if trying to shake off the weight of her thoughts.
Then, as if summoned by fate, a sleek black car slid to a stop beside her.
Jaya didn't need to look up. She knew exactly who it was.
Ajay.
The young billionaire. The man who seemed to have everything. The man who never took "no" for an answer. The man who had pursued her for the last two years and failed miserably every time.
"You're avoiding me again, Jaya," his deep, controlled voice came from the open window, cutting through the noise of the crowd.
She paused, barely sparing him a glance as she turned to keep walking. She had no time for him. She had no patience left for his endless attempts to win her over.
But, of course, he was relentless. The door of the car opened, and Ajay stepped out. He was dressed impeccably, a dark suit that seemed to have been crafted specifically for his broad frame, the hint of power radiating off him in waves. His eyes, cold and calculating, locked onto hers as he walked toward her.
"I thought we agreed you wouldn't make this difficult," he said, his tone casual but laced with an unmistakable authority.
Jaya's pulse quickened, but she didn't show it. She'd learned long ago to keep her emotions under tight control. "I don't want anything from you, Ajay. I've told you that before."
He fell into step beside her, his presence impossible to ignore. "Yet, here you are. Alone. Struggling." His voice softened, though it remained firm. "I can help you."
"I don't need your help," she snapped, her temper flaring. "I'm fine."
"Really?" he raised an eyebrow. "Then why do you look like you're about to crumble, Jaya?"
She stopped walking, her frustration spilling over. "Why do you always do this? Why do you insist on making everything about you?"
Ajay's gaze didn't waver. His lips curved into a knowing smile, but there was no humor in it—only the cold certainty of a man used to getting what he wanted. "Because I can. Because you need me, even if you won't admit it."
Jaya recoiled, but deep inside, a sliver of truth echoed. She did need him.
Her mother's condition weighed on her shoulders like a heavy stone. Every day that passed without the surgery brought her mother closer to the brink. She couldn't even look her mother in the eyes without feeling the sting of failure.
Ajay's eyes softened, but only slightly. "I'm not here to torment you, Jaya. I'm here to offer you a solution."
Jaya felt a flicker of panic rising in her chest. She could already guess what he was going to say. "What do you want?" she asked, the words escaping her lips with barely controlled desperation.
"I want you," Ajay said simply, his voice a soft but firm command. "Not in the way you think, though."
Her heart skipped a beat. Her first instinct was to refuse, to laugh in his face and walk away, but she couldn't. Not this time.
Ajay took a step closer, his presence looming. "I'll pay for your mother's surgery. All of it. No loans. No strings attached. But there's a condition."
Jaya froze, her breath catching in her throat. She had known this moment would come—the moment when she would have to face him, face his offer. But she wasn't prepared for what he would say next.
"What condition?" she whispered, her voice trembling.
He stepped even closer, his eyes never leaving hers. "Marry me."
The words hit her like a punch to the stomach. She took an instinctive step back, shaking her head. "No. Absolutely not."
Ajay didn't flinch. He didn't back down. He simply stared at her, a cold, unwavering force. "You'll marry me, Jaya. For your mother. For her life."
Jaya felt the walls around her heart crack. No. She wanted to scream it, to defy him, to walk away and figure out another way. But deep down, she knew there was no other way.
Ajay tilted his head, his gaze piercing. "You're running out of time. I'm offering you a way out. A chance to save her, to save everything you love. You know you don't have another option."
Her heart pounded, her mind racing. The thought of marrying him—of becoming his wife, his possession—was a nightmare. But the thought of losing her mother, of letting her slip away because of her pride…
"Why would you do this?" Jaya finally managed to ask. "What do you want from me?"
Ajay's lips curled into the faintest of smiles. "I already told you, Jaya. I want you. Not just your beauty. Not just your face. I want everything." His voice dropped to a low, almost seductive whisper. "And I'm willing to wait. But I'm also willing to get what I want. Do we have a deal?"
Jaya's world seemed to tilt. The weight of her decision pressed down on her chest, suffocating her. She didn't want this. She didn't want him.
But what choice did she have?
Her hands trembled as she clutched the bag of medicine, her mind torn between pride and desperation. Every fiber of her being screamed to refuse him, to walk away with her dignity intact. But her mother's face flashed before her eyes. The hollow look in her eyes when she asked Jaya to promise her one thing: "Don't let me go."
Jaya squeezed her eyes shut, pushing away the tears. "I'll marry you," she said through clenched teeth. "But don't think for a second that this means I'm yours."
Ajay's smile grew. "We'll see about that, Jaya. We'll see."
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