Malhotra Mansion

The morning sun peeked through the large windows of the Malhotra mansion, casting golden rays on the expensive furniture and pristine marble floors. Twinkle sat at the edge of her bed, her fingers curled into the soft blanket, deep in thought.

It had been days since she was forcefully married to Kunj Malhotra, days since her world had turned upside down. The suffocating fear of being trapped in a mafia family still clung to her, but something had changed.

She had started to see glimpses of something different in Kunj.

The cold, ruthless man who had forcefully taken her as his wife had moments of unexpected gentleness. He hadn’t forced himself on her, hadn’t demanded submission like she had feared. In fact, he had barely touched her.

And last night—

She still couldn’t forget the warmth in his eyes when he saw her smile and when he vowed to protect her.

A part of her wished to believe there was more to Kunj Malhotra than his brutal, dominant exterior. But she knew better than to let her heart be fooled.

Still… she couldn’t sit here forever, waiting for something to change.

She needed a purpose, a distraction.

That’s why today, she had made a decision.

She was going to work.

______________________________________

Twinkle walked into the grand dining hall where Kabir, Kunal, and Kunj were having breakfast. The room was filled with the rich aroma of coffee, but despite the relaxed atmosphere, the power these men exuded was undeniable.

She hesitated for a second before stepping forward.
T-"I want to work."

Silence..... Silence

Kunj looked up from his plate, his eyes immediately narrowing.

Kunal raised a curious brow, while Kabir leaned back in his chair, his sharp gaze assessing her.

"No." Kunj’s response was instant.

Twinkle’s fingers clenched.
T-"I didn’t ask for permission. I am telling you."

Kunal smirked at her defiance, but Kunj’s expression turned hard.

Kunj- "You don’t get to decide that."

Twinkle swallowed, but her resolve didn’t waver.
T-"I don’t want to rot in this mansion. I want to work, to have something that’s mine."

Kabir tapped his fingers against the table. "Interesting," he mused. "You think we’ll let you go into the real world without protection?"

Twinkle stiffened. "I don’t need—"

"You do," Kabir cut her off, his voice cool but final.

Kunal grinned, clearly enjoying the exchange. "Let her work, Bhai. If she wants to do something instead of being a pampered mafia bride, why not?"

Kunj glared at his younger brother but turned back to Twinkle. "Where do you think you’ll work?"

"Malhotra Enterprises," she answered without hesitation.

That, at least, seemed to catch him off guard.

Kabir chuckled. "Brave choice. But you’re forgetting something, Twinkle."

She frowned. "What?"

Kabir’s smirk deepened. "You’re now Kunj’s wife. The moment you step into that office, everyone will know who you are."

Twinkle’s heart clenched, but she lifted her chin.
T-"I don’t care."

Kabir glanced at Kunj, and something silent passed between them. Kunj exhaled sharply, rubbing his temple.

Kunj- "Fine."

Twinkle’s eyes widened in surprise.

He agreed? Just like that?

But before relief could settle, Kabir’s next words made her stomach drop.

"But you’ll work as Kunj’s personal assistant."

What?

Twinkle’s head snapped toward Kunj, but he looked just as shocked as she was. "No," Kunj said immediately. "She can work in another department."

Kabir smirked. "No. If she’s at your side, she’ll always be protected."

Twinkle’s lips parted, but she realized—this was a battle she had already lost.

______________________________________

The next day, as Twinkle entered Malhotra Enterprises, she could feel eyes following her every step. The whispers started almost immediately.

"She's Kunj Malhotra’s wife?"

"She always looks so simple. Doesn’t fit this part."

"Did she seduce him for money?"

Twinkle ignored them, keeping her head high. But deep inside, every murmur felt like a knife slicing through her.

When she entered Kunj’s office, she found him leaning against his desk, arms crossed. His gaze slowly trailed over her professional attire—a crisp white shirt and a pencil skirt.

K-"You don’t have to do this," he said after a moment.

Twinkle lifted her chin.

T-"Yes, I do."

Kunj sighed and walked toward her, his movements slow, deliberate.

K-"You’re my wife. No one here will dare mistreat you."

She let out a bitter laugh.

T- "Oh, they already are. I heard them, Kunj. They think I’m a gold digger."

His jaw clenched.

She continued, "They think I married you for money, that I don’t deserve to be here."

Kunj’s expression darkened.
K- "They’re fools."

Twinkle swallowed the lump in her throat.

T- "Then let me prove them wrong."

For a moment, neither of them spoke. Then, to her surprise, Kunj gently took her hand.

K-"You don’t have to prove anything to anyone, Twinkle." His voice was softer than she had ever heard. "They don’t know you. I do."

Her breath caught.

He… believed in her?

For the first time since this forced marriage, she saw something in his eyes—something raw and real.

-----------------------------------------------------------

It was the second day since  Twinkle started working as Kunj’s personal assistant, and the office was buzzing with gossip.

Employees whispered behind her back, casting judgmental glances whenever she passed by.

"She must have seduced him."

"Why would the boss marry a nobody like her?"

"She’s just a gold digger."

Twinkle did her best to ignore it, focusing on her work. But it wasn’t easy. The stares, the murmurs, the occasional snide remarks—they all chipped away at her resolve.

It was no different right now. She had just placed a file on Kunj’s desk when she overheard a few employees in the break room.

"I still don’t get why Kunj Malhotra married her," one of the women scoffed. "She doesn’t even belong in their world."

"Maybe she got lucky," another sneered. "Or maybe she played her cards well."

Twinkle’s grip tightened around the pen in her hand. She was about to turn and leave when a deep, familiar voice cut through the air.

K-"Is there a problem?"

The room fell into a stunned silence.

Kunj stood at the doorway, his sharp gaze sweeping over the employees who had been gossiping. His presence alone was enough to make them shrink back.

One of the women forced a nervous smile. "N-No, sir, we were just—"

"Just what?" Kunj’s voice was cold and dangerous. "Badmouthing my wife?"

Twinkle’s breath caught.

"Sir, we didn’t mean—"

K-"But you did," he cut her off, stepping forward. "Let me make something very clear to everyone here.Twinkle is my wife. That means she deserves the same respect as me. Anyone who has a problem with that… doesn’t belong in my company."

A heavy silence fell over the room.

The employees exchanged nervous glances, realizing they had crossed a line.

Kunj’s gaze hardened. "Next time I hear anyone talking about my wife like this, they’ll find themselves jobless. Understood?"

A chorus of hurried nods followed. "Y-Yes, sir."

Kunj turned to Twinkle then, his expression softening slightly. "Let’s go."

She followed him out, her heart pounding.

----------------------------------------------------------

As soon as the elevator doors closed, Twinkle finally spoke.

T"You didn’t have to do that."

Kunj leaned against the wall, shoving his hands in his pockets.
K-"Of course, I did."

She frowned.
T-"I can handle people talking about me."

Kunj tilted his head slightly. "Maybe. But I don’t like anyone disrespecting my wife."

Her stomach flipped at the possessiveness in his tone.

She turned away, trying to suppress the warmth creeping up her neck.

"You’re blushing," Kunj teased, stepping closer.

Twinkle stiffened as she realized how close he was now, his scent and warmth surrounding her.

"I’m not," she mumbled, refusing to meet his gaze.

Kunj smirked. "You’re cute when you lie."

The elevator dinged, breaking the moment.

As the doors slid open, Twinkle quickly stepped out, desperate to escape the strange fluttering in her chest.

Kunj chuckled behind her.

K-"Running away, Mrs. Malhotra?"

Twinkle shot him a glare over her shoulder.
T-"I have work to do, Mr. Malhotra."

Kunj smirked. "We’ll see how long you can keep avoiding me."

And with that, he walked past her, leaving Twinkle standing there, flustered and confused.

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