The De Luca mansion had finally gone quiet.
The music from the party was long gone.
The laughter that had filled the halls had faded, and one by one, the family members had disappeared into their rooms.
Purvi closed the bathroom door behind her and walked into the bedroom.
She was wearing a simple, comfortable nightdress, her long hair falling loosely over her shoulders.
The heavy jewelry from the party was gone, along with the makeup that had made her look like a princess earlier that evening.
She looked tired.
But peaceful.
Until her eyes landed on the enormous bed.
Vincenzo was already there.
He was lying against the headboard, dressed in a dark shirt and trousers, a file open in his hands.
His expression was as unreadable as ever.
Purvi stopped.
For a moment, she simply stared at him.
Then she remembered.
His rules.
One of them had been very clear.
They would not share the same bed.
It was a contract marriage, after all.
No unnecessary closeness.
No pretending.
No crossing boundaries.
Purvi didn’t complain.
She simply nodded to herself.
“Right,” she whispered.
Vincenzo’s eyes briefly lifted from the file.
“What?”
“Nothing.”
She walked toward the other side of the room where a large cushioned couch sat near the window.
Before reaching it, however, she noticed something.
A small temple had been placed against the wall.
It was beautifully decorated, with a tiny brass lamp and a few flowers resting before the idols.
Purvi’s expression softened.
She walked toward it.
Vincenzo watched her silently.
Purvi folded her hands.
She closed her eyes.
“Please keep my family safe,” she whispered softly.
“And…” She paused.
Her eyes opened slightly.
She glanced around the enormous room.
“And please give me the strength to survive living with that impossible man.”
Vincenzo’s eyebrow lifted.
Purvi continued praying as though she hadn’t just insulted him while standing three meters away.
“And please let Grandmother stay healthy.
She’s been so kind to me.”
Her voice became softer.
“And let everyone in this house be happy.”
She smiled faintly.
Then she bowed her head.
“Amen.”
She touched her forehead respectfully and turned around.
Vincenzo had returned his attention to the file.
Purvi narrowed her eyes.
Had he heard her?
Probably.
But she didn’t care.
She walked over to the couch, pulled the blanket over herself, and settled down.
“Goodnight,” she said quietly.
Vincenzo didn’t look up.
“Goodnight.”
Purvi blinked.
That was surprisingly civil.
She smiled.
Then she closed her eyes.
It didn’t take long before sleep claimed her.
Vincenzo continued reading.
At least, he tried to.
His eyes moved across the same paragraph several times.
Eventually, he glanced toward the couch.
Purvi was asleep.
Or at least, she was trying to be.
She shifted.
Then shifted again.
She pulled the blanket higher.
A few minutes later, she turned onto her side.
The couch was clearly too small for her.
Her legs were slightly bent, and one arm hung awkwardly over the edge.
Vincenzo stared.
His jaw tightened.
Why was she sleeping there?
Because of him.
He looked back at his file.
It was none of his concern.
She knew the rules.
He had made them very clear.
Another few minutes passed.
Purvi moved again.
This time, she frowned in her sleep.
Vincenzo sighed.
He closed the file.
“Ridiculous.”
He placed it on the bedside table and looked at her again.
She was clearly uncomfortable.
The couch was not meant for sleeping.
And somehow, the sight irritated him more than it should have.
He stood.
His tall frame crossed the room quietly.
He stopped beside the couch.
Purvi didn’t wake.
Her face looked completely different when she slept.
No teasing smile.
No playful remarks.
No stubborn little arguments.
Just peaceful.
Vincenzo crouched slightly.
He stared at her for a moment.
Then he shook his head.
“This is stupid.”
He slipped one arm beneath her knees and the other behind her back.
With barely any effort, he lifted her.
Purvi stirred.
“Mmm…”
Vincenzo froze.
Her head shifted against his chest.
He looked down at her.
“Go back to sleep.”
She didn’t answer.
She simply settled again.
Vincenzo carried her toward the bed.
He carefully lowered her onto the mattress.
For a second, he stood there.
He had moved her because the couch was uncomfortable.
That was all.
Nothing more.
He pulled the blanket over her and turned away.
Then he stopped.
Purvi had somehow curled toward the empty side of the bed.
Vincenzo stared at her.
“You’re unbelievable.”
He walked around the bed and climbed in on the opposite side.
He kept as much distance between them as possible.
Purvi remained asleep.
Vincenzo stared at the ceiling.
He had established rules for a reason.
This marriage was temporary.
There would be no attachment.
No complications.
No feelings.
Yet somehow, tonight, he had broken one of his own rules.
Not because he wanted her beside him.
At least, that was what he told himself.
He turned his head.
Purvi was still sleeping peacefully.
Her lips curved into the faintest smile.
Vincenzo looked away immediately.
He closed his eyes.
Sleep refused to come.
Across the bed, Purvi shifted closer in her sleep.
Vincenzo opened his eyes.
She had moved only a few inches.
He stared at the space between them.
Then, very quietly, he muttered,
“Don’t get used to this.”
Purvi obviously didn’t hear him.
She continued sleeping.
Vincenzo sighed and turned onto his side, facing away from her.
But there was something strangely different about the room now.
For the first time since their marriage began, the enormous bedroom didn’t feel quite so empty.
And that realization bothered him more than anything else.
Because tomorrow morning, he would probably be rude to her again.
He would remind her about boundaries.
He would remind her that their marriage was a contract.
He would pretend tonight never happened.
That was what Vincenzo De Luca did best.
Pretend.
But deep down, he already knew one thing.
He had carried his wife to bed.
And for some reason, he didn’t regret it.
Not even a little.