22|"I want her.."|

                                    

                                          
Ahaan's POV 
I can't understand why I'm putting her through this. It pains me to see her suffering, but why? What does she really mean to me? She's just the daughter of my enemy-the one who took away my childhood and my parents, turning my life into a nightmare. 
But why? Why does my heart tingle when I see her. Why does my heart start beating frantically whenever I see her smile? Why do I want to just keep looking at her. Why..just why do I feel like.. I'm falling for her?
Out of nowhere, I reversed my car towards home. I don't know what, how and why I'm doing this, but one thing is clear: I can't bear to see her in pain.
I arrived home and quickly parked the car before rushing inside as if in a frenzy. When I stepped into my room, I found her tending to her scraped knees with some medicine.
She noticed me but chose to ignore my presence as she continued to apply medication on her knees. I slowly stepped towards her.
I knelt in front of her and gently took the cotton from her hand.
Her eyes grew wide with astonishment, as if she had just witnessed something utterly bizarre.
"What-what are you doing?" she stammered, attempting to pull away.
I grasped her hand and met her gaze. "Hold still."
She paused and simply stared at me while I began to tend her injury. "Why?" she asked, a hint of bewilderment in her voice
I glanced at her, puzzled, unable to grasp what she meant. 
"What do you mean?" 
"Why are you doing this?" she pressed.
"What am I doing?" I replied. 
"This." she said, glancing down at her knee.
"You're confusing me, Mr. Malhotra," she said softly. 
I was aware of that. I didn't reply and continued applying the bandaid on her knees. 
"I don't understand you. When you choose to be kind, you're kind. When you're angry, you let it out. At times, you treat me like the daughter of the man who took your parent's lives, and at other times-like now-I'm not sure who I am to you," she said, her voice trembling.
I paused, uncertain of what she means to me either . A tear rolled down her cheek and landed on my hand. I looked up, startled.
"What do I mean to you, Mr. Malhotra?" she asked quietly. 
I gently brushed the tear from her cheek. She nestled into my hand and shut her eyes, I wished I could hold onto her forever. 
"I don't know myself, cara mia." I murmured, stroking her cheek with my thumb.
She opened her eyes, their beauty and depth reminiscent of the ocean. I withdrew my hand and stood up. 
"You should rest now," I said softly, turning to leave the room.
"And what about you?" she asked, concern creeping into her voice.
"I... I'll find somewhere to sleep," I answered. She nodded in response.
"Oh, and just so you know, there will be a small welcome party at our house tomorrow. It's to introduce you to my friends and guests... since you're my wife now," I informed, not turning back to look at her. 
"Thank you," she said in a barely audible whisper. I stepped out of the room, pretending I hadn't heard her. Closing my door softly to allow her some peace, I settled down on the floor just outside, leaning against the door.
"Feeling tired?" I heard a voice call out. I glanced up to see who it was. It was Nana. I nodded in response.
"Come with me, I'll make you a cup of tea," she said as she descended the stairs. I smiled and followed her.
I was seated in the kitchen as she prepared tea for me. 
"What are you so deep in thought about?" she inquired while busy with her task. 
"Nothing... it's just..." I struggled to find the right words.
"She's a lovely girl," she remarked.
"What? Who?" I asked, taken aback.
"Your wife. She's wonderful." 
It's uncommon for Nana to praise someone outside our family. A smile crept onto my face. 
"She's lost her parents-twice," she remarked while pouring tea into the cup. I kept my gaze lowered.
"She needs love and reassurance right now. Not from me, not from anyone else, but from you. Her husband," she added, handing me the cup of tea.
I grasped the cup in my hands.
"Nana, you know I can't do that... it's just not right," I replied.
"Then what do you believe is right?" she asked. 
I fell silent, unsure of the answer-I felt completely lost. 
"Torturing that poor girl? Treating her like a servant? Ignoring her completely as if she doesn't exist? All because her father-who isn't even her real father-happens to be your criminal?" she exclaimed.
"She's a victim too," she remarked. 
"I understand... but every time I see her, I-" 
"If you continue to dwell on the past, you'll ruin both your present and future. You've spent your whole life trapped in what has already happened. But now, I believe you have a reason to focus on the present." She exclaimed.
I looked over at her. 
"Ask Ahaan what he truly wants. Forget about being your parents' son for a moment-what does Ahaan want for himself?"
I glanced downward, pondering my desires. Is this how I want to continue treating her? Absolutely not. Do I want her to leave this home? Certainly not. I turned to nana and said, 
"I want her. I want her to be my wife. I want her by my side for the rest of my life. I can't imagine letting her go because... I love her."
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Thank you for reading my story. I hope you liked this chapter. If you did then do vote and comment ❤️ 
Much love to you all.