On the other side of the city, Ms. Zalima and her daughter Jasmin were shopping. As they moved through the aisles, Jasmin's mind wandered, her thoughts consumed by one person.
"Maa, has Mrs. Devgan called you? Did she say when will Ajay come home again?" Jasmin asked, her voice soft but filled with longing.
Ms. Zalima felt a pang of heartache. It had been a week since Jasmin saw Ajay, but every few sentences, her daughter's words kept circling back to him. It seemed like nothing could distract her from the obsession that was growing with each passing day.
"No, beta," Ms. Zalima replied, trying to keep her tone calm. "You saw for yourself that Ajay wasn't interested in you. His mother found countless beautiful women for him, but he kept rejecting them."
Jasmin's face tightened, her voice filled with determination. "Maa, that's even more reason why I should have him."
Ms. Zalima's heart sank. She regretted introducing Jasmin to Ajay. After just one meeting, her daughter had become obsessed. What had she done?
She paused before replying, "Jasmin, it's not about what you should or shouldn't have. Ajay… he's different. You're beautiful, yes, but Ajay is not someone you can make fall in love with you, no matter how hard you try."
Jasmin shot her mother a look of disbelief. "But Maa, you heard how his mother spoke about him. He's not rejecting me because of something wrong with me. He's just confused. I'm the one who can fix that."
Ms. Zalima's chest tightened. She didn't know how to get through to her daughter. "You don't understand, beta. Ajay has his own life, his own plans. You can't change that, no matter how hard you try. His heart… it doesn't belong to you."
Jasmin didn't answer right away, but her eyes were distant. "Maybe it's not too late, Maa. Maybe if I try harder…"
Ms. Zalima could see the stubbornness in her daughter's eyes, but she had no idea how to make her understand.
---
Back at Ajay's penthouse, Ajay was busy working on some documents, but his mind was clearly elsewhere. He still couldn't believe he had registered his marriage with Jaya—the woman he had pursued for two years, the woman who had rejected him time and again.
Even though he had used every method, even blackmail, to get her to marry him, he wasn't ready to give up. He would take it step by step, working to make her love him in time. He would not let her go.
Ajay pulled out the marriage certificate from the drawer, carefully observing it. A small smile tugged at his lips as he looked at Jaya's signature at the bottom. He whispered her name softly under his breath. "Jaya."
---
The night passed, and Jaya woke up to find herself in the large, luxurious bed of the penthouse. It was a comfortable bed, yet she felt strangely alone. Ajay had been home the night before, but they had slept in separate rooms. The silence between them had been overwhelming. She rolled over, the sheets cold beside her.
When she finally got up to start her day, she went to the kitchen to make breakfast, only to find Ajay had already prepared it for her. On the counter was a note with a simple message:
"Don't forget to heat it before eating."
Jaya stared at the note for a moment. She couldn't deny it—Ajay was making this difficult. The man who had forced her into this marriage was doing everything he could to make her feel comfortable. Since moving in, he had been treating her with an unexpected kindness. He had told her that he wouldn't touch her without her permission and that he would work hard to prove his feelings for her—not just because of his obsession, but because he genuinely liked her.
Still, she couldn't understand why. What did he expect from her? Was he just going to wear her down, slowly?
Jaya heated the food (scrambled eggs and toast), then sat down to eat. Her phone rang, breaking her thoughts. It was Ajay.
"Good morning, wifey," he greeted, his voice cheery.
Jaya sighed, rolling her eyes. "Ajay, I told you not to call me that. Why don't you understand?"
"But you are my wife, Jaya. Even if I don't call you my wife, you're still my wife," Ajay replied, his tone light.
Jaya groaned in frustration. "Whatever. I don't have the energy to argue with you right now. Why did you call?"
"I just wanted to check on you. See if you're awake. Have you eaten your breakfast yet?" Ajay asked, sounding genuinely concerned.
"I'm eating now," Jaya replied, her tone flat.
"Do you like it?" he pressed.
Jaya paused. "No, it's bland."
Ajay chuckled softly. "Okay, then. Take care of yourself, and have a good day. I'll see you in the evening."
Jaya sighed, ending the call. She couldn't help but feel a mix of frustration and confusion. Ajay was making it so difficult for her to hate him. He was trying, and despite herself, she felt something stir deep inside her. But was that enough?
As she sat in silence, finishing her breakfast, Jaya wondered what the rest of the day—and the rest of this unexpected marriage—would look like.
---