Chapter 36: chapter 36

Vihaan’s grip on the phone tightened as he stared at the screen, his jaw ticking. Aarohi could see his chest rise and fall with each heavy breath. She’d never seen him this unguarded before—raw anger mixed with something deeper.

“What’s wrong?” Aarohi asked cautiously, even though she already knew his temper was about to flare.

He didn’t reply. Instead, he turned the phone toward her, the text message glaring back at her like an accusation:

"You might want to keep a closer eye on Aarohi. Seems like Rohan isn’t just a friend."

Aarohi’s stomach dropped, but she quickly composed herself. “Are you seriously letting this anonymous nonsense get to you?”

Vihaan’s eyes were cold, his voice sharp. “Don’t act like it’s just ‘nonsense.’ Why would someone send this if there wasn’t something behind it?”

“You’re being ridiculous, Vihaan,” she said, her voice rising. “This is someone trying to stir up drama, and you’re falling for it!”

“Ridiculous?” he repeated, stepping closer. His towering frame loomed over her, his eyes blazing. “So, it’s ridiculous to ask why my fiancée is spending so much time with another man? It’s ridiculous to expect loyalty?”

Aarohi’s frustration boiled over. “Loyalty? Are you hearing yourself? I’ve done nothing wrong! Rohan is just a friend, and you know that!”

Vihaan let out a humorless laugh, running a hand through his hair in exasperation. “Do I, Aarohi? Do I really know that? Because from where I’m standing, it looks like you enjoy his attention a little too much.”

Her mouth fell open in shock. “You’re unbelievable! You don’t trust me at all, do you? This is exactly why we keep fighting!”

---

Vihaan’s face hardened, his voice dropping to a dangerously low tone. “Don’t twist this around on me. I trust you, Aarohi—but I don’t trust him. Do you even realize how he looks at you? How he hangs on every word you say?”

“That’s not my problem!” Aarohi snapped. “If Rohan has feelings for me, that’s his issue to deal with. I can’t control how someone else feels, Vihaan. And you don’t get to punish me for it!”

“Punish you?” Vihaan said, his voice rising. “You think this is punishment? No, Aarohi, this is me protecting what’s mine.”

Aarohi froze at his words, her chest tightening. “What’s yours?” she repeated, her voice trembling.

“Yes,” Vihaan said firmly, stepping closer. “You’re mine, Aarohi. And I won’t let anyone come between us—not Rohan, not anyone. You need to understand that.”

His intensity made her feel suffocated, trapped. She took a step back, shaking her head. “You don’t own me, Vihaan. I’m not some possession you can control.”

“That’s not what I’m saying—”

“It’s exactly what you’re saying!” Aarohi interrupted, her voice breaking. “You’re so obsessed with keeping me ‘yours’ that you don’t even see how much this is hurting us!”

---

The tension in the room was thick, neither of them backing down. And then Aarohi’s phone buzzed.

She glanced at the screen, her heart skipping a beat when she saw Rohan’s name.

Vihaan noticed instantly. His eyes darkened, his jaw clenching so tightly she thought it might snap. “Of course, it’s him,” he said bitterly.

“It’s just a call,” Aarohi said, trying to sound calm, though her voice wavered.

“Just a call?” Vihaan said, his tone mocking. “Don’t act like I’m stupid, Aarohi. Go ahead—answer it. Let’s see what your ‘friend’ has to say.”

His words dripped with sarcasm, and Aarohi’s temper flared. “I’m not answering this. Not because of you, but because I don’t want to escalate this fight.”

“Oh, how noble of you,” Vihaan shot back, his voice laced with venom. “But let me make one thing clear, Aarohi. If you think I’m going to stand by while you let another man into your life, you’re mistaken. I’ve fought too hard for us to let someone like him ruin it.”

Aarohi’s chest tightened, tears pricking her eyes. “You’re the one ruining it, Vihaan. Not Rohan, not anyone else—you. Your insecurity, your control, your need to make everything about your feelings—that’s what’s tearing us apart.”

The phone buzzed again, breaking the charged silence.

“Answer it,” Vihaan said suddenly, his voice eerily calm. “Go on. Let’s see where your priorities really lie.”

Aarohi stared at him, her heart pounding. She didn’t know what to do—answering the call would only make things worse, but ignoring it felt like surrendering to his demands.

Vihaan leaned closer, his voice low and threatening. “If you answer that call, Aarohi, I’ll know exactly where I stand in your life.”

The ultimatum hung in the air, suffocating her. Aarohi looked down at her phone, her thumb hovering over the screen, her mind racing.

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Would Aarohi answer the call and risk pushing Vihaan further away, or would she let it go and try to salvage their relationship?