"May I?" His voice was a low growl, his gaze anchoring hers. She couldn't speak; she only nodded, her breath hitching as the silence stretched between them. She closed her eyes, tears tracing silent paths down her cheeks. Suddenly, his fingers gripped her waist, a sharp pinch that made her hiss. "Open your eyes," he commanded, his voice dark and dominant. "I want you to look at me while I show you how beautiful these scars really are."Her lashes fluttered open, meeting eyes darkened with an unholy desire. "Every time I kiss a scar," he whispered, his lips hovering inches from her skin, "you are going to say it. Say: I am beautiful."She nodded timidly as he pressed his lips against the jagged mark near her neck. "I am... beautiful," she whispered, the words trembling into the air. ~~~~~~ Pavitra Vyas was once a brilliant medical student with the world at her feet. Now? She is a shadow of herself-a woman sold to a ruthless businessman, tainted by a world that never showed her mercy. When her groom abandons her at the altar after discovering her "dirty truth," her first love-the cold, formidable IPS Abhimanyu Rathore-steps in to take his place. But this isn't a fairy tale. To Abhimanyu, she is nothing but a bitter responsibility. In a marriage built on secrets and duty, can Pavitra survive the haunting ghosts of her past? Or will the man who swore to protect her be the one who lets her drown? Read to know more😌😌