Hello!

Yeeeey, I got a rank on the Romance genre now. Unbelievable. Thank you guys! I can't tell you enough how much it means to me that you guys read, vote and feedback. Hope you all like this chapter! :)

Love
Shona <3

So this time my cover photo is made by the sweet deepikapadukone16 , thank you so much for the lovely cover dear! <3

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Cinderella walked on broken glass, Sleeping Beauty let a whole lifetime pass, Belle fell in love with a hideous beast, Jasmine married a common thief, Ariel walked on land for love and life, Snow White barley escaped a knife. It was all about blood, sweat, and tears because love means facing your biggest fears.

Hope Miller

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Sahir stares at Sia, her question throws him off guard. "Excuse me?" Sahir questions not believing his ears.

Sia stands awkwardly beside the car hood and with great strength asks the question again. "Do you love me?" Her breathing hitches. "Or more like do you have feelings for me?" She asks fiddling with her fingers nervously.

Sahir rests his arm on the open car door to look at her straight in the eyes. "What kind of question is that?" He asks being on edge.

Sia crosses her arm over her chest as a protective shield from whatever he has to say. "Sahir, just answer the question." She says boring her own eyes into his.

Sahir closes the door and walks to stand face to face with her. They both have a staring competition with dead silence around them, or so they interpret. "No." Sahir says coldly looking into her eyes. "I don't love you Sia." He says painfully slow. "And I will never love you. The only reason for me to even considering to marry you is to restore my reputation. Make sure to not have any kind of expectations from me." He explains to her with no shame. "I'll provide you with all kind of luxury but you won't be receiving a husband. This is going to be a relationship with no strings attached." Sias heart aches hearing his words, she knew this already but hearing it from him makes it so much real. "Even if I stay with another woman you will have no saying in it." Sahirs words slaps Sia, that's it for her. "Even if."

"That's enough." Sia shows her palm disgusted. "That's all I needed to know." She says with tears pricking her eyelids. "No strings attached." She repeats his words to explain to herself.

"Sia, it doesn't mean." Sahir tries but Sia cuts him off.

"Just drop me home." She says while brushing past him, he holds her hand making her halt without himself turning around.

"Hear me out. What I meant was that."

"You don't need to explain anything. This relationship is based on revenge, you're out after my wings. To be honest, I don't give a damn. Because even if you marry me and manage to restore your reputation I won't let you make me your puppet. You are free to do whatever you want and so am I." That hits Sahir hard and he clenches his jaw in anger. "I won't expect anything from you, and that goes the other way as well. My parents made sure to nurture my wings, try to cut them Sahir, just try." Sia says and jerks away from his grip.

She quickly wipe away a tear drop that has managed to escape her eyes and sits down in the car. She inhales and exhales deeply. Sahir sits down in the car and drives off not sure of what to say or do.

He knows he has messed it all up but he didn't mean it the way Sia has interpreted. He just doesn't want her to expect something from him as he knows that he won't be able to live up to them. He doesn't want to hurt her as he knows that love hurts the most. He can't love and he won't do the mistake to believe in love. He has seen enough pain due to so called love.

The whole ride Sia just glances out through the window lost in her own world. His words slapping her again and again. Even if I stay with another woman you will have no saying. Will she be able to do this?

Why do you care? Sias mind keeps question her. In her opinion she doesn't care, it is just humiliating that her soon to be husband can even think the thought of being with someone else after marriage. That's like mocking the whole concept of marriage.

The car halts at Sias driveway and she furiously walks out of the car in a second without exchanging a single word with Sahir. Sahir walks out too. "Sia!" He tries to stop her for a talk but she slams the door on his face, breaking down leaning against the door.

Sahir feels bad, he knows that ruining a girls life by marrying her and not being able to give her the love she deserve is low. However, his reputation means the world to him, or does it? To be honest, it is not like he won't try to keep Sia happy. It is just that he don't believe in love.

Sahir has tried to contact Sia since the incident, but she isn't picking up his calls or messages. He even went to pick up her engagement gown and dropped it of at her place. Unfortunately her brother was there to receive the dress. It is Thursday today, one day left for the engagement ceremony, the jewelries he had ordered for Sia has arrived.

He will drop it off after work, sitting in his office he can't concentrate. Sias thoughts occupies his mind the whole time and he hate the fact that he hasn't been able to contact her for a few days now. Grabbing his phone he calls her again, no answer. He leans back in his seat and messages his temples. A knock on his door makes him look up. "Sir, the clients are here." His secretary Tara informs with a soft smile.

Sahir nods and he walks out to attend the meeting in the conference room.

Sia stares at her mobile. She has taken a leave from her office for a few days. Since the day Sahir has declared that he can't ever love her and might even have affairs with others she has been in turmoil. She don't need love from him and she don't think she can love him either but she can't share her husband. She believes in soulmates and even if he isn't the one, she can't share him after their marriage.

Sahirs words have taken a toll on her. However, she has decided to burry her emotions. She will play his games better than him.

As the engagement is tomorrow, some of her friends will be coming over tonight. Sanaya is arriving from Manchester which Sia is looking forward to. It's her wedding, she won't let Sahir ruin the moment she have been looking forward to since she can remember.

Sahir shakes hands with his clients as the meeting ends and bids them goodbye before taking his packet with him to his car. It's quite late and the night doesn't have a single star to adorn it. Sahir just prays that he gets a glance of Sia. Nervously he drives off and when arriving at her driveway he rings the bell with a drumming heart.

The door opens and to his surprise Sanaya stands there. "Hello there Jijo (brother-in-law)." She wiggles her eyebrows with a mischievous grin.

Sahir smiles at her a bit awkwardly. "Hi, how are you?" He asks politely.

He thought Sanaya would be arriving with Arnav tomorrow. "Oh please Jijo, I know you're not here to chitchat with me. Desperate to see your future wife aren't you?" She winks and Sahir doesn't know how to react. "I am just kidding." Sanaya giggles seeing Sahir rigid. "Come in, the future bride is adorning henna on her hands and feet." She enlightens him, he nods and gulps hearing about Sia.

He can hear loud music from above. "Isn't her family at home?" He asks a bit nervously, not that it shows.

"No, her brother and parents are at Sias uncles home. We are having a girls night." Sanaya enlightens.

Sahir comes up with an idea as this is his chance. "Sanaya can you do me a favor?" He smiles and Sanaya nods eagerly.

Sia is sitting in her room with Sneha, Anjali, Shetal, Myra, Soumya and a few of her cousins in the same age. Her a few years older cousin Mahi is a henna artist and is adoring henna on her left hand after having adorn it on her right.

Sia is sitting in a simple black long dress so if the henna stains her dress it won't matter. Her hair is up in a messy bun. The girls are listening to music, chitchatting and eating junk. Sia is actually happy, she loves applying henna. The smell usually ticks others off but she enjoys the soothing odor.

"You know the deeper the color turns, the deeper your husbands love will be for you." Mahi winks at her and Sia smiles softly as her heart clenches remising Sahir words.

The door to her room opens and the girls attention turns to a hyper Sanaya. "Everyone out!" She yells giving their eardrums a good time. "Girls I need to speak to you all so please out! Hurry!" She says and grabs the arm of the girls and pulls them out.

"What why can't you speak here?" Sneha protests as she gets dragged out.

"Shut up! Just out." Sanaya says grinning, weird.

"Should I also come?" Sia asks confused.

Sanaya wiggles her eyebrows and dances a bit before answering. "No, all good. You sit there and be pretty." Sanaya tells her and Sia raises an eyebrow amused, interesting.

Sia is sitting on a bean bag at the floor. She examines her henna and smiles at it as it is beautiful, she can see the name of Sahir being written on her right hand which she emotionlessly stares at. "Beautiful." She hears a too familiar voice which makes her freeze in her spot.

She lets her gaze wander to the door frame where Sahir is leaning with a bag in his hand. He is wearing a black suit and Sia guesses he came here from work. She gulps and looks away from his intense eyes, focusing on her henna again as a distraction.

Sahir stares at her, his heart clenches seeing her giving him the silent treatment. He can't handle it anymore and he takes a few steps towards her. Sia can't heave herself up to walk away from there as her henna will be ruined and it will look so clumsy.

Her heart picks up its rate and she gets nervous seeing him walking towards her from her peripheral vision. She still doesn't want to speak to him, not to even tell him to back off.

He kneels down in front of her and she forces herself to keep calm even though his gaze is burning on her skin, giving her a hard time to breathe. "Sia look at me." He orders softly and she let out a humorless smile, he will never change.

Sahirs heart drums heavily seeing her, even though she isn't decked up she looks radiant. This is his future. Sia isn't even looking at him which starts to make him mad.

A strand of hair falls and caresses her soft cheek, his hand automatically reaches for it and Sia jerks her head back looking at him horrified. Holding her eyes in his he tucks the strand behind her ear, making her shiver at his touch.

She looks away again and he can't handle the disgust in her eyes for him. "Sia, I was honest with you from the beginning. Why are you acting this way?" Sia can't believe her ears, why is she acting this way? "I promise to try to be a good husband."

Sia snaps her head at him in fury. "No thanks Mr. Sahir Khan. Please don't do such a favor upon me, I will survive." She holds his eyes as he clenches his jaw tightly hearing her venom filled words. "No strings attached remember? You will not have any saying in my life style and I won't have any in yours." She fakes a smile.

Sahir gets furious. "What does that supposed to mean?" He questions already knowing the answer. He clenches his fists.

"The same thing you meant. If you see me with another." She can't even finish the sentence as he interrupts her.

"Shut up!" He snaps growling making Sia flinch back in surprise. "Don't you dare to even nurture such ideas in your mind."

She chuckles amused. "Really Sahir? Really? It is okey if you do it but not the other way around? Why so?" She asks bitterly. "We don't love each other, so what's the big deal?" She adds and Sahir breathes heavily due to anger.

Bluntly he starts to utter the most stupid comment someone can make. "It doesn't suit married women to."

Sia interrupts him. "Oh shut up. It doesn't suit married man either. I thought we had an agreement so what's the problem? Why are you so possessive all of a sudden?" She asks with a raised eyebrow.

"I am not possessive but I won't let you ruin my reputation." He snaps with gritted teeth.

Sia raises an eyebrow amused. "But you can ruin your own?" She questions with a bitter smile.

Sahir runs a hand down his hair. "I won't be ruining mine. What I said was just to explain to you to not have any expectations." He explains with his eyes still lingered on Sias.

"Yeah, don't worry. I don't have any, and I hope it goes the same way for you." Sia smirks making Sahirs blood boil.

Before he can do something bad he leaves throwing the parcel on her bed. Shaking Sia can't stop her tears from flowing and tilts her head back as if that will stop them from falling. Sahir storms out of the house without acknowledging the calling friends of Sia behind him. Outside in the fresh air he inhales a sharp breath and questions himself why he lets that girl get to him. He drives of in full speed anger reducing with increasing acceleration.