Chapter 5: Heat and Vulnerability

I was about to say, “Get out,” but then I saw the barrage:

[I bet the male supporting character is about to sneer ‘get out’—just asking for trouble. The second female lead’s love is worn down little by little like this.]

[Rohan, be a little nicer to your wife, Priya! If you mouth off now, you’ll regret it in the basement later—your mouth won’t get a break.]

Reminded by the barrage, I quickly changed my tone and gave Priya a weak smile.

My voice came out shaky—“It’s fine, wif—”

Priya, who had been about to leave, stopped, her eyes dark and fixed on me, waiting for my next word.

She stood there, the faint glow from the corridor outlining her sharp jaw. Her fingers toyed with the edge of her dupatta, an old nervous habit she hadn’t lost since college. She waited. My tongue stuck to the roof of my mouth.

Tch, that’s what I get for reading all those ‘wife’ comments in the barrage. Now I’ve slipped up too...

[You’re killing me! Just say ‘wife’—she’d give you her life. Who cares about the male lead?]

[Can we stop making the second female lead so pitiful? After three years of coldness, she must hate the male supporting character more than she loves him. And don’t forget, to protect the male lead, she ends up imprisoning the supporting character to death.]

The barrage split into two camps, arguing.

Even my internal monologue was being judged by invisible aunties and uncles, it seemed. I pressed my palm to my forehead, willing the room to stop spinning.

I raised my eyebrows, wanting to test what was true, so I played along and coaxed her:

“Priya, do you think I have a good body?”

“Average,” she replied coolly, eyes lowered so I couldn’t read her thoughts.

Her voice had that clipped, no-nonsense tone—classic Priya. But I caught the way her ears turned a shade pinker, just for a second.

[Second female lead is putting on a front! No wonder after all these years, the male supporting character still pines for his childhood sweetheart.]

[Did I wake up too early? Why does it seem like the male supporting character isn’t annoyed by the second female lead today? Our villain couple CP fans are eating well today >>>]

Not giving up, I stepped closer and teased, “You didn’t even look. How would you know?”

Her perfume, faintly jasmine with a hint of sweat, tickled my nose. She shifted her weight, her toes curling against the marble tiles.

“No need to look.” Priya’s tone was cold, but her fingertips curled, knuckles flushed pink, nearly tearing the seam of her kurti.

How did I never notice? She actually looks pretty cute when she’s shy.

She kept her face straight, but her hands gave her away—fidgeting with the strings of her salwar, her gaze darting away from mine. For a second, I saw a glimpse of the girl she might have been before all this began.

I noticed her collar was rumpled and reached out to fix it.

“Don’t touch.” Her voice was cold, but there was a hint of shyness.

Still fierce, though.

I froze, remembering the barrage’s argument.

Right. In three years, I’d never been kind to Priya, while Sneha was always warm and encouraging, like a little sun, helping her come out of her shell.

No wonder Priya hates me.

I laughed at myself, withdrawing my hand mid-air. “Close the door on your way out. I’m going to sleep.”

She closed the door, but instead of leaving, she walked toward me, step by step.

Her breath was hot, her eyes red from holding back.

Her feet, bare against the cool marble, barely made a sound. The tension in the room was so thick, you could cut it with the old kitchen knife Ma always forgot to sharpen. I sucked in a nervous breath, suddenly wishing for the safety of my old single bed at my parents’ house.

I finally realised something was off. “Priya, what’s wrong? Are you running a fever?”

Barrage:

[Technically, she’s in heat... No, second female lead, don’t fall so hard! The male supporting character is just teasing you out of boredom, and you’re so excited you triggered your heat early.]

“In heat?” I muttered.

We’d been married three years—how did I never know Priya had a heat cycle?

I’d always thought her late-night disappearances were just another CEO quirk—late meetings, midnight conference calls. Turns out, she was hiding from me.

Barrage:

[The male supporting character is clueless, always thought the second female lead was ascetic. Please, she’s a succubus, and your body is top-tier—number one in the whole novel.]

[In previous heats, Priya would always steal your vest and hide away, never letting you see.]

[Now that you mention it, those poor clothes—nearly soaked through by the lovesick second female lead...]

I stared blankly at the barrage, like watching a screen full of WhatsApp forwards.

Could it be she didn’t want me touching her just now because she was in heat?

Unable to take it anymore, Priya rubbed her face against my neck.

Her pale skin was flushed, her eyes dazed with desire, her usual aloofness softened.

Her hands trembled against my shoulders. She looked at me, eyes wide and pleading, like a child caught stealing prasad from the mandir.

I’d been so focused on fighting Sneha and winning back Meera that I’d never really looked at Priya.

I never realised she could be so beautiful—features more delicate than any actress on TV.