Third person's pov!

Days passed without waiting for anyone.

As the merger launch drew near, Dhruv's attention was drawn to his task. He was rarely at home due to many meetings, conference calls, and planning sessions, and when he was, he was exhausted.

Reminding herself that this was a crucial moment for him, Shraddha had attempted to be understanding. However, she was growing impatient, and every day a growing sense of neglect began to seep into her very being. Other than for the lady who comes to clean and wash, she was practically alone here.

One evening, as she watched the twilight sky change from gentle oranges to deep blues, Shraddha sat at the window, her thoughts racing.

She couldn't remember the last time they had a real conversation. Dhruv would come home late—his tie undone, eyes tired, face gaunt—and collapse into bed without more than a few words.

She didn't even have the heart to demand his attention; his exhaustion was too evident. However, it was at those silent times, when she lay beside him in the dark, that her fears started to become louder.

Would she always be like this? A quiet companion, standing by the sidelines as Dhruv established his empire? She had come here because she thought that a home and a life together were possible. She had stability, a place to call home, and a roof over her head thanks to Dhruv. But was that really all he had offered her?

The only connection she felt with him these days was when they made love. And while their physical intimacy was still strong, it only deepened her worries. She wasn't sure anymore if he was with her because he wanted to be or if it was just an outlet for his stress.

A part of her worried that she was turning into a trophy wife who was only meant to be looked at from a distance and had no true purpose or role.

It wasn't the kind of life she had imagined leading. She felt as if she was losing herself, even though Dhruv had promised her more.

He'd delivered on his promise of a home, but at what price? Being a stay-at-home wife who relied on her husband for everything was not her intended role.

She, too, had dreams—dreams that went beyond the boundaries of their home and beyond becoming Mrs. Khuranna.

Shraddha sighed, the weight of her frustrations building. She wanted to work, to save up enough for her master's degree. She wanted to have a career, a purpose of her own.

Any job would do, as long as it was something that allowed her to stand on her own two feet, something that was hers. Yet, every time she thought about bringing it up with Dhruv, the sight of his tired face stopped her.

However, anger was gradually replacing that fear. An underlying frustration that was simmering and ready to explode at any time.

In addition to a home, Dhruv had promised her a life. She couldn't wait for him to see the gap widening between them without doing something.

She wouldn't allow herself to be pushed into the background, to be reduced to nothing more than a quiet, compliant wife.

No, Shraddha wasn't that woman.

The more she thought about it, the more resolute she became. She wouldn't let Dhruv's ambitions overshadow her own. If he couldn't see that, then she would have to make him understand.

For the first time in weeks, Dhruv felt lighter as he arrived home a bit sooner than normal. He noticed Shraddha standing in the hallway with her arms folded and a storm building in her eyes as soon as he entered the room. He blinked, surprised by her expression.

"Hey..." he greeted, offering a warm smile as he moved closer, arms reaching out to hug her.

But Shraddha took a step back, leaving him standing there with his arms halfway raised. He frowned, confusion settling in.

"What's wrong?"

"What's wrong?" Shraddha's voice was sharp, her anger barely contained. "You really have to ask me that?"

Dhruv's frown intensified as his mind sped to keep up. She was more upset than he had ever seen her. He made another, gentler attempt to approach her.

"Shraddha, talk to me. What happened?"

She laughed bitterly and moved away from him.

"Talk to you? Since you seldom notice me anymore, how am I meant to communicate with you? You arrive home late, exhausted, and hardly talk. And what exactly am I expected to do? Act as if nothing is wrong?

"Shraddha, I know I have been busy, but—" As her words sank in, Dhruv's face slumped, remorse slowly creeping.

"Busy?" She cut him off, her voice rising with frustration. "I am not asking for much, Dhruv. I'm not asking you to give up your work or your dreams. But you've been so wrapped up in this merger, in your business, that I feel like I don't even exist anymore. I'm starting to wonder if all I am to you is just... just another part of the house. Something you come back to when it's convenient."

Her tone shifted from anger to sadness, her voice trembling as she spoke.

"You promised me a home, Dhruv. And yes, you gave me that. But I didn't come here to just sit around waiting for you to notice me. I don't want to be a trophy wife with no identity of my own, waiting for scraps of your attention. I want to work. I want to take care of myself. However, it seems like all I have left at the moment is us making love, and even then, it seems like that's the only time we still connect."

As she spoke, Dhruv stood motionless, her emotions weighing heavily on him. He now realised how much he had been oblivious to her loneliness over the past few weeks because he had been so preoccupied with his work.

"I..." With a sigh, he moved in closer and his tone grew softer. "I am sorry, Shraddha. I was ignorant of how much I had neglected you these days. Due to a lot of things on my mind, I accidentally put the business before you, which is wrong.

He softly wrapped his arms around her, feeling the tension in her body. She tensed up first, but then lowered her head against his chest and eased into his arms.

"I don't intend to turn you into a trophy wife, Shraddha," Dhruv continued in a serious manner.

"All these years, you supported yourself, worked hard, and I thought you'd appreciate some time to relax. I just wanted to spoil you, to give you a break. But I see now that I got it wrong. After the upcoming launch, I was planning to take you on a trip. A honeymoon, somewhere nice."

Shraddha blinked up at him, her eyes wide with surprise.

"Meanwhile I was going to discuss your studies plans. I know how much your master's degree means to you. I have been looking into some options for you to get started on a few crash courses while we wait for the next academic year. I am not just saying this to justify myself. Just look at these." Dhruv reached into his laptop bag and pulled out a stack of brochures.He gave them to her while observing the change in her expression from disbelief to curiosity.

When Shraddha looked through the brochures, her eyes widened when she saw that they were from some of Bangalore's finest colleges, all of which offered master's degrees in the subject she had chosen. Brochures for online and in-person graphic design crash courses and certifications were also present.

"Oh, Dhruv..." Tears filled her eyes as her voice broke. A rush of remorse swept over her. She had accused him of treating her like a trophy wife and an afterthought, but in fact, he had been considering her future as well, even as he balanced his business.

"I am sorry, Dhruv. I didn't know... I didn't know you were doing all this for me." She dropped the brochures and threw her arms around him, hugging him tightly. Dhruv hugged her back, gently rubbing her back to soothe her.

"Shraddha, you don't need to say sorry. This is how anyone in your position would have responded. You have been by yourself all day, and I haven't been able to spend time with you in the recent days. Your feelings of insecurity are normal, and I apologise for that."

"I am setting everything aside for tomorrow. No meetings, no business, just the two of us. He stepped back a little and looked her in the eye.

"But... your merger—" Shraddha's eyes lit up.

"They can manage without me for a day." Dhruv gave a comforting grin. "I'll let Sai know how to handle things tomorrow. I missed you, Shraddha. Tomorrow is just for us."

Tears streamed down her face as she smiled, her heart lighter than it had been in weeks.

"Thank you, Dhruv. I have missed you, too."

A/n

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SF❤️