Page 120 of The Defiant Wife

A woman born into this world would fit beside him so easily. Someone graceful. Someone confident. Someone who never doubts whether she belongs standing next to him. She wouldn't need him to defend her every time someone looked at her differently.

She wouldn't bring old wounds into his life. Maybe that's the woman Veeraj deserves.

Not me.

Our marriage starts because of an arrangement.

A solution to a public relations problem.

Somewhere along the way, I forget that. Somewhere along the way . . . I fall in love with him. Completely. Hopelessly.

And now all I can think about is how badly it will hurt if one day he realizes I was never meant to stay.

I wrap my arms tightly around myself, making myself as small as I can in the middle of the huge bed.

Maybe it's better if I rebuild every wall I've let him break down. Maybe if I create enough distance now . . . It won't destroy me later when he finally decides to walk away.

48. FINDING WAY BACK

DIYA

I bury myself in the inventory sheets inside the NGO storage room, forcing my eyes to move from one row of donated paint jars to another.

Paint.

Wooden blocks.

Storybooks.

Craft supplies.

Anything to keep my mind busy.

Since yesterday, work has become my escape. If my hands are busy, maybe my heart won't hurt so much.

I keep talking to the staff. Checking supplies. Organizing shelves. Doing anything that stops me from thinking about Veeraj. I keep telling myself that staying away from him is the right thing to do. That someone like me doesn't belong in his world.

That he'll be better off without carrying someone as broken as me. My phone suddenly starts vibrating on the metal table.

A strange fear settles in my chest.

For one terrifying second, I think it's Papa calling again. With shaking hands, I pick it up.

It's Vihaan.

Relief barely has time to settle before I answer. "Hello?"

"Diya." His voice doesn't sound like Vihaan at all. There's no teasing.

No jokes. Only panic.

"You need to come to City Hospital. Right now." My heart stops.

"What happened?"

"It's Veeraj." My knees almost give way. "There was an accident." I can't breathe. "His SUV was hit by another car." The sounds of sirens and people shouting echo behind him. "They've taken him into the trauma bay. Devraj bhai sa is handling the press outside."

His voice breaks. "You need to get here."