"G-G-Gun?" she whispered, her voice barely a breath.

Beads of sweat clung to her forehead. Her knees wobbled beneath her as fear gripped her chest like a vice.

He watched her, his gaze dark and calculating, absorbing every tremble in her body.

Then, slowly—almost cruelly—he smiled.

He liked this. No—he craved it. The fear. The control.

"It’s final," he said, his voice cold and smooth like silk over steel. "You are marrying me. And when we go downstairs, you’ll say yes."

His words left no room for argument. They echoed like chains being locked around her.

Satakshi instinctively nodded, dazed.

But then—snap—reality struck her.

What am I doing?!

She clenched her fists, trying to steady her breath. "N-no, I will n—"

He didn’t let her finish.

With an unnerving calmness, he slid the gun from beneath her chin and pressed it softly—almost intimately—against her throat. His fingers brushed along her jawline, lingering a second too long.

Her breath hitched.

Their faces were close now, too close. His scent—intoxicating and sharp—wrapped around her senses.

"My mother means everything to me," he murmured, voice low, yet firm. "She loves you. She wants you as her daughter-in-law. I couldn’t care less about marriage—but for her, I’ll do anything."

His thumb lightly grazed her cheek as he held her still.

"So, you will be my wife."

His black eyes locked onto hers. And for a brief second, they softened—only to darken again with ruthless determination.

"This is the first time she’s ever asked me for something. I won’t deny her."

Satakshi’s lips trembled. Her body screamed to flee, but his closeness paralyzed her.

"You can't force me into this marr—"

The cold metal pressed harder into her skin. He leaned in, his breath brushing against her ear.

"The choice is yours," he whispered, deadly and intimate.

"Marry me... or die."

Her heart pounded violently in her chest as silence wrapped around them like a noose.

What happens next?

Will Satakshi surrender to his chilling ultimatum—or will she fight against a fate she never chose?

But the real question is…

Who is this man with eyes like obsidian and a voice like velvet over steel? Why her?

He doesn’t look like someone who listens to anyone—so why is he so bound by his mother’s wish?

Why can’t he say no… when he clearly never says it to anyone else?

One thing is certain—

Satakshi’s life is no longer hers.

And this is just the beginning.

Want the first chapter? I’ve got it waiting. Let me know below.