As we reached the venue, Karan spoke calmly but firmly.
"Aayna and I will stand in the centre. Varun, you stay on her side. Arun, you stay on mine.
"If there are steps, Aayna will stand in the front. I'll stand just behind her, and you two on either side.
"And no one talks to the media. Even if the question sounds good."
"Okay then, let's go," I said, reaching for the door.
"No," Karan replied immediately. "Not without security. They'll be here in ten minutes."
He was seated in the front, while Arun, Varun, and I sat in the back.
"Okay," I sighed.
The car fell into a quiet pause. I felt tired and wanted to rest my head. Naturally, I shifted toward Varun's side. Just as I was about to lay my head on his shoulder, Arun reacted instantly-sliding his arm in between and gently placing my head on *his* shoulder instead.
I froze.
"What?" I snapped, genuinely shocked.
"You always choose his shoulder," he said, puffing his chest slightly. "I have wide shoulders too."
We all burst out laughing. His reaction had been so quick, it was impossible not to.
"It's his last day of the week with me," I said, still laughing.
Then I settled properly against Arun's shoulder.
"Do you feel better now?" I asked in the sweetest voice I could manage.
"Much better," he replied, satisfied.
My eyes shifted to Varun. Without a word, I stretched my hand toward him. He adjusted slightly, laced his fingers with mine, and in that moment-I felt complete.
Once the security arrived, they escorted us inside. Cameras flashed as we were led toward the stage. There were many kinds of couples present-some with one husband and one wife, some with one husband and multiple wives, and some like us... one wife and multiple husbands.
Still, our arrangement wasn't unusual here. The family that had invited us belonged to the Khano tribe, where setups like ours were common.
Karan offered me his arm, and we stood together in a line. I held Varun's hand while resting my other hand on Karan's arm. Arun had his arm draped casually over Karan's shoulder. Suddenly, he leaned in and pinched my cheek playfully.
I smiled and kissed his hand in response.
What I didn't know then was that all three of them were extremely well-known within the Khano tribe. Wealthy. Influential. And fiercely private.
So any public appearance involving them-
especially with 'me'-
was bound to become news.
There were a lot of people.
Too many.
Our plan was simple-meet the parents first, then stay if we wanted to explore business opportunities. But the moment we stepped inside, it became overwhelming. People wanted to talk. To smile. To ask questions.
Then came the media.
Uffff.
It was all too much.
Karan noticed before I said anything. One look at my face was enough.
He quietly asked Varun to take me home.
Varun didn't say a word. He just nodded and held my hand as he guided me away from the noise.
He took me to his room.
"So tomorrow, you'll be with Karan," he said casually.
But it shattered something inside me.
I didn't reply.
I didn't trust my voice.
How could I feel *this much* for him?
I used to think I didn't have the ability to love. That something inside me was missing. But now... something was changing. Slowly. Every single day.
"Let's have a drink on your balcony," I said suddenly.
"In a fort. Made of sheets."
He smiled. "Deal."
We built it together.
He dragged the mattress out.
I adjusted the sheets.
He brought the wine.
I filled the glasses.
"Which movie?" he asked.
"Something new," I said.
When he sat down, I slid between his legs, resting my head against his chest. His arms wrapped around me easily, like that's where I belonged.
And then-
a tear slipped out.
He felt it instantly.
He hugged me tighter.
"Just fifteen more days," he whispered. "Then you'll be mine again."
"Fifteen days aren't small," I said quietly.
He kissed my hair.
"Okay. I promise. After that, I'll take you on a honeymoon. Just us. No one else."
I smiled.
"But Karan and Arun are taking me somewhere too, right?" I asked.
"Yeah," he said. "I just don't know where."
"So I'll have to stay away from you then too," I murmured.
"Yes," he admitted. "But a honeymoon is different. You'll only come to the hotel to sleep. The rest of the time-you'll be too busy enjoying it."
I hugged him tighter.
He hugged me back the same way.
Like neither of us wanted to let go.
"I want to tell you something," he said excitedly.
"I just saw an app. People in long-distance use it.
"You can write me messages.
We can ask each other a thousand different questions.
We can know each other's likes, dislikes... and so on."
"Whenever you come back to the hotel in the evening, or wake up in the morning, you can use this."
I downloaded the app.
We acted like a couple in a long-distance relationship.
But the reality was-
this would keep happening every few weeks.
Morning came too soon.
The light slipped through the curtains gently-cruel in its calmness. The fort of sheets still stood, fragile and temporary, just like the moment we had tried to protect last night.
I woke up first.
Varun's arms were still around me, loose in sleep, like he didn't yet know he was about to lose me again.
For a few seconds, I stayed still.
If I didn't move... maybe time wouldn't either.
I traced a small circle on his chest, memorizing the rise and fall of his breathing. This was becoming dangerous. Loving him like this. I need him like this.
I used to believe I was incapable of love.
Now I knew I was just terrified of it.
He stirred.
"Mmm... morning," he murmured, voice heavy with sleep.
"Morning," I whispered back.
Neither of us moved.
Because moving meant the end of this.
Finally, he tightened his arms around me.
"Stay," he said softly. Not as a command. As a wish.
"I can't."
Saying it hurts more than hearing it.
He opened his eyes then. Really looked at me. His hand came up to cup my face, thumb brushing away the trace of tears I hadn't realized were there.
"Don't cry," he said. "You make this harder."
"You make it impossible," I replied.
A faint smile touched his lips. Sad. Beautiful. Broken.
He kissed my forehead. Then my temple. Then lingered, his lips resting against my hair, breathing me in like he was trying to memorize the moment.
When we finally stood up, the room felt colder.
Too empty.
I changed quietly. He watched me like he was afraid I might disappear if he blinked.
At the door, I hesitated.
Fifteen days.
Just a number.
And yet... an eternity.
He pulled me into one last hug-tight, desperate, honest.
"Don't forget me," he said.
I looked up at him.
"How could I?"
He kissed my hair once more and let go.
That was the hardest part.
Letting go.
I didn't look back as I walked away.
Because if I did...
I knew I wouldn't leave.