The crystal chandelier in the Oberoi mansion flickered, but it couldn't mask the cold tension in the room. Rhea stood frozen, her hands trembling as she stared at the legal documents spread across the mahogany table.
"Dad, you can't be serious," she whispered, her voice cracking. "I'm your daughter, not a piece of collateral for your failing business."
Her father wouldn't look her in the eye. "Aryan Singhania doesn't just want the money back, Rhea. He wants control. He saw you at the gala, and he made an offer that clears every debt we have. All you have to do is marry him."
The name Singhania sent a chill down her spine. Aryan Singhania was a man of shadows and steel—a billionaire tycoon known for being as ruthless in the boardroom as he was distant in his private life. People said he didn't have a heart; he had a ledger.Suddenly, the heavy front doors swung open. A man stepped in, his presence instantly shrinking the room. Tall, dressed in a charcoal-grey suit that cost more than Rhea's education, Aryan Singhania walked toward her with the grace of a predator.
He stopped just inches away, the scent of expensive sandalwood and cold rain clinging to him. He didn't look at her father; his dark, piercing eyes were locked onto Rhea.
"I don't like to wait," Aryan said, his voice a low, commanding rumble. "The papers are signed. You belong to the Singhania estate now."
Rhea felt a tear escape, but she quickly brushed it away, meeting his gaze with a spark of defiance. "You bought a contract, Aryan. You didn't buy me."
A ghost of a smirk played on his lips—the first sign of emotion she had seen. "We'll see, Rhea. Pack your bags. Your new life begins tonight."