Page 3 of The Defiant Wife

"Vihaan."

He grins wider.I hate him.I really do.The problem is that I know exactly how this happened.The entire disaster started three hours ago during the annual board meeting.

Everything had been normal initially.

Financial reports.

Growth projections.

Expansion plans.

Profit discussions.

The kind of things I actually care about. The kind of things that make sense. Numbers don't lie. Numbers don't change their minds. Numbers don't wake up one day and decide they feel differently. Numbers are reliable.

People are not. Then one of the board members had cleared his throat. The warning sign. I should have known.

"Your Highness." I hate when they use that tone.The careful one.The one that means they're about to suggest somethingridiculous."We believe there is room for improvement regarding public perception."

Public perception.Two words capable of ruining an otherwise productive day.

I remember setting my pen down. Slowly. Carefully.

Because experience has taught me that when people start talking about public perception, logic usually leaves the room shortly afterward.

"What exactly needs improvement?"

A mistake.

I shouldn't have asked.The floodgates opened immediately.Apparently I look intimidating.Apparently I seem unapproachable.Apparently younger audiences find me severe.Apparently some focus groups described me as frightening.

One woman had actually said I looked like the kind of man who would reject a loan application and then sleep peacefully afterward.Which, for the record, is ridiculous.I would sleep perfectly peacefully.The rejection would have been justified.That's the point.

Meanwhile the board members had continued listing concerns while I sat there wondering whether any of them had actual work to do.

Then came the truly horrifying suggestion.

Marriage. I physically remember blinking. Just once. Slowly. Because surely I had misheard. Marriage.As a public relations strategy.As though finding a wife was equivalent to launchinga marketing campaign.Thankfully Bhai sa shut that down immediately.

Vihaan too.For which I was genuinely grateful.Because absolutely not.Not now.Not later.Not ever if I can help it.

People assume I don't believe in love because something tragic happened. Because some woman broke my heart. Because I witnessed some devastating relationships growing up.

None of those things are true.I've been surrounded by love my entire life.

Maa-sa and Baapu sa.Bhai sa and Meher bhabhi sa. Sitara and Dhruv. Vihaan and Poorvi.

Everywhere I look, there are examples of happy relationships.Healthy relationships.Successful relationships.The evidence exists.

I acknowledge that. I simply don't understand it. Love has always seemed like the least practical decision a person can make.You build your life around emotions.You trust another person with your happiness.You willingly hand someone the ability to affect your peace.

Why?

Logic keeps you alive. Discipline builds success. Consistency creates stability.

Love?

Love seems like chaos people willingly volunteer for.No thank you.Unfortunately, after the marriage idea died, Vihaan had raised his hand.