“Now, what’s going on in that little head of yours, Angel?” Priyank asked with a smile, his mood lifting.
He had to hand it to her; she had a knack for both souring his mood and then turning it around in the blink of an eye.
She was like a coin flip, offering him a taste of both the bitter and the sweet all at once, and she always managed to nail it, no matter how much he tried to deny it.
“I’m just wondering if you’re trying to poison me because you’re not eating what I am,” Priya blurted out without much thought, unable to contain her thoughts and words. She just needed to know if her suspicions were unfounded.
With one bite already consumed, she couldn’t help but worry about the consequences if something was indeed wrong with the food.
She was feeling fine so far, but she didn’t want to take any chances. What if she ended up getting sick or worse?
“I could take a bite of this if you don’t believe me,” Priyank said, holding her hand and taking a bite of her sandwich. “If it’s poisoned, then you won’t be dying alone.”
Priya watched in disbelief as Priyank took a bite of the sandwich without hesitation, his expression calm and unwavering. His bold move left her feeling a mix of admiration and apprehension.
As Priyank chewed the food, Priya held her breath, waiting for any sign of distress or discomfort. But to her relief, he seemed perfectly fine.
A sense of relief washed over Priya as she realised that her fears were false.
She had let her imagination run wild, but Priyank’s actions reassured her that everything was okay.
“See, nothing to worry about,” Priyank said with a reassuring smile, sensing her relief. “I told you there was nothing wrong with the food.”
Priya nodded, feeling a weight lift off her shoulders.
And why wouldn’t she doubt him? With all the things he’s capable of, trusting him not to harm her seemed naive. Yet, she watched as he ate the bite and reassured her that it was safe.
“And you’re being dumb, showing doubt after taking a bite. If it were poisoned, by the time you waited for it to affect me, you’d already be facing the consequences before I could even act,” Priyank chided gently, ruffling her hair as he pointed out the obvious flaw in her logic.
Priya felt a pang of embarrassment at Priyank’s words. He had a point, and she couldn’t deny that she had acted impulsively by voicing her doubts after taking a bite.
“Yeah, I guess you’re right,” she admitted sheepishly, feeling foolish for her lapse in judgement.
Priyank gave her a reassuring smile, his hand still gently tousling her hair. “Don’t worry about it. Just remember to trust me next time,” he said, his tone comforting.
“Trust you? Didn’t you say you’d harm me straightforwardly if you wanted to?” Priya blurted out, her mouth still full from the bite.
“Do I want to harm you?” Priyank asked, raising an eyebrow.
“Who knows,” Priya replied between bites, swallowing the food in her mouth.
She didn’t feel comfortable making the leap to trust him completely, especially when his words and actions seemed to contradict each other so often.
Priya’s words hung in the air, highlighting their situation.
Priyank’s expression softened as he reached out to gently cup her cheek. “I understand your hesitation, Priya. But keep in your head, harming you is the last thing I want,” he said earnestly, his eyes searching hers for reassurance.
Taking a deep breath.”Still you hurt me so much,” she whispered, her voice barely audible.
Priyank smiled warmly, his thumb tracing a gentle pattern on her cheek. “Not close to killing you though,” he said softly.
“What do you mean by not close enough to ‘killing me’? You do a lot more than necessary,” Priya exclaimed, incredulous at the casual tone Priyank was using while discussing such dangerous words.
His soft demeanour now contrasted sharply with the gravity of his words, leaving her feeling uneasy.
Priya couldn’t help but marvel at how skilled Priyank was at masking his true intentions.
His calm appearance, his words revealed a depth of insanity that unnerved her.
It was as if he could effortlessly switch between appearing normal and revealing his darker side with his words alone.
“Eat quickly, we need to go shopping for wedding things,” Priyank brushed off her concerns, finishing his coffee and granola bar.
Priya sighed, realising he wouldn’t address her earlier questions. She focused on finishing her food and drink.
After a few minutes, she was done eating too.
“Why are you taking me shopping if we’re having a court marriage?” Priya asked, recalling their earlier discussion about opting for a court marriage.
She couldn’t help but feel confused by the sudden mention of shopping. After all, who goes shopping for court marriage stuff?
Priyank paused for a moment, his gaze meeting. “Well, I thought it would be nice to have a small celebration afterward, just with close friends and family,” he explained, his tone gentle.
Priya furrowed her brows, trying to make sense of his explanation.
Still shopping for wedding things seemed excessive for a court marriage.
“I don’t want to do any function,” she denied.
“It’s just for my few close friends, you don’t need to do anything other than look presentable,” Priyank explained calmly.
Priya’s eyes narrowed, her frustration evident. “I don’t even want to do this marriage, and here you are, still acting like it’s such a happy occasion,” she retorted bitterly.
Priyank’s expression hardened, his resolve unwavering. “I don’t care. When I said we’re going to do it, that means we’re doing it,” he stated firmly.
“Why do you always force things?” Priya exclaimed, her voice tinged with exasperation.
“Because your stubborn mind never understands things any other way,” Priyank shot back, his frustration matching hers.
Priya’s frustration boiled over as she listened to Priyank’s words. She couldn’t believe he was being so insensitive to her feelings.
Tears welled up in Priya’s eyes as she struggled to contain her emotions. “I can’t do this,” she whispered, her voice barely above a hoarse murmur.
Priyank’s expression softened slightly as he reached out to touch her arm. “Okay, how about I invite your orphanage people too?”