That night, the wind howled outside, rattling the penthouse windows. Ava sat on the couch, wrapped in a blanket, trying to make sense of everything.
Mihir entered, carrying a folder with documents and a small, uncharacteristic smile.
"Something tells me you're not sleeping," he said softly.
Ava looked at him, half exasperated, half relieved. "How could I sleep knowing someone wants you dead?"
Mihir sat beside her, close enough that she could feel the warmth radiating from him. "Then we'll make sure they don't succeed," he said. His voice was low, almost intimate.
For a moment, silence fell between them. Ava noticed the softness in his eyes—a rare crack in his armor.
"Why did you pick me?" she asked suddenly. "Out of everyone… why me?"
Mihir's gaze met hers, intense and unwavering. "Because you're different," he said. "You don't see me as untouchable or perfect. You see… me. And that scares me, in a way I didn't expect."
Ava's breath caught. The words made her heart ache. For the first time, the contract felt less like a business deal and more like something… dangerously real.
A sudden noise at the window snapped them both to attention. Mihir quickly moved in front of her, scanning the darkness outside. Nothing. Only the snow swirling violently.
Ava's pulse began to slow, but the thrill lingered. Somehow, in the midst of danger, fear, and uncertainty, a spark had ignited—one neither of them could deny.
Mihir leaned closer, and for a moment, the world outside—the threats, the shadows, the enemies—vanished. Ava could only feel the warmth of his presence, and the realization that the rules of their contract might no longer control their hearts.
End of Chapter 6 – Cliffhanger:
As snow fell silently on the city, Ava and Mihir both knew that the contract marriage was no longer just about survival—it was about something far more dangerous and irresistible: love.