The Love Algorithm - AdiYa FF

Chapter 10

"Hmm." Waseem didn't seem suspicious, but his tone carried its usual weight. "Don't stay out till late, Zoya. Anyway, that's not why I called. Did you wish Arshad?"

Zoya's body stiffened. Her fingers curled slightly around the brush. "Arshad?"

"Yes, it's his birthday today," Waseem reminded her. "You should call him. Speak to him properly. He is your fiancé, after all."

At this, Aditya blinked. Fiancé? He hadn't seen that coming.

Zoya, however, showed no reaction except for the way her lips pressed together in annoyance. "I'll... I'll text him."

"Zoya," Waseem's voice turned sharp. "You're supposed to be getting married to him. At least show some respect and call him."

Zoya sighed, running a frustrated hand through her hair. "Ji, Abbu. I'll do it later."

Her father let out a displeased noise. "I don't like this attitude of yours. You wanted to study in India, I allowed you—on the only condition that you give this wedding a chance. Don't forget that, Zoya."

Zoya closed her eyes briefly before responding, "I won't."

"Good. I'll call you later. By then, make sure you have called him."

The line got cut, and the moment the call ended, silence settled between her and Aditya. Zoya placed her phone aside, her shoulders still tense from the conversation.

Aditya, however, stood up and leaned against the table next to the easel board, his expression unreadable. "You're...engaged?"

Zoya looked up at him, finally meeting his gaze. She expected judgment, maybe even curiosity, but there was something else in his eyes—something she couldn't quite place.

She shrugged. "Technically, yes."

"Technically?" He echoed, one brow lifting, "What kind of a status is that?"

"It's my father's decision," she admitted, looking away. "He agreed to send me to India to study only on the condition that I would eventually marry Arshad. I had no other choice."

Aditya's jaw tightened. He didn't know why, but he already started hating the name, Arshad. "And you're okay with that?"

Zoya let out a bitter chuckle. "Did I sound okay to you?"

He watched her for a moment, his fingers tapping lightly on the table as if processing what he had just learned. "So, you don't want to marry him?"

She exhaled. "No. Not at all."

Aditya wasn't sure why that answer sent a strange sense of relief through him. He should've been indifferent. It wasn't his business, after all. But the way Zoya had been in his arms just moments ago, the way her breath had hitched when he touched her—it wasn't the reaction of a woman who was thinking about another man, or that of a fiancée.

She didn't belong to someone else. Definitely not to Arshad.

He studied her carefully. "Then what's stopping you from saying no?"

Zoya met his gaze, something raw flickering in her eyes. "My father," she admitted. "He's given me everything. If I go against him, I'll lose a lot of a things."

Aditya exhaled, understanding the weight of those words. Not all have a father like him, who is understanding and liberal. And with just one call, he already knew what kind of a controlling personality her father possessed. And yet, standing here now, watching Zoya caught between duty and her own desires, he realized something—

She wasn't as free as she pretended to be.

"You should talk to him," he said finally.

Zoya smiled humorlessly. "It's not that simple."

"Nothing ever is," Aditya murmured, his voice quieter now, but firm. "But if you don't want this wedding... don't let yourself get trapped in it."

Zoya swallowed, his words stirring something deep inside her. She looked at him then, really looked at him—this man who, despite his teasing and arrogance, had just given her the one thing no one else had.

A choice.

She turned back to the brush, gripping it again. "Can we continue the lesson?" she asked, her voice softer.

Aditya studied her for a beat longer, then nodded. "Yeah."

Zoya started painting, while her mind was lingering over Aditya's words, while Aditya looked at Zoya, with thoughts in his mind too. More than her, at that moment, he was the one who was disturbed. And that too after the moment they just shared some time back, it bothered him even more.

***

The cool night breeze whispered through the terrace as Zoya leaned against the railing, her phone resting in her palm. The city lights twinkled below, but her focus remained on the screen as she scrolled through her contacts.

Her thumb moved slowly, pausing when she reached Arshad Habib. Her fiancé. The man her father wanted her to marry.

Her gaze lingered on the name, but before she could press the call button, her eyes flickered upward—landing on the contact just above it. Aditya.

A strange sensation unfurled inside her chest. Her mind, unbidden, drifted back to the violin class earlier that day—the warmth of his hands guiding hers, the way his breath teased against her skin, the way his voice had softened just for her.

Before she realized it, an unknowing smile crept onto her lips. It was barely there, but it was enough to understand that, that particular moment took a place in her heart. Enough to make her stomach twist in ways it shouldn't. Enough to make her realize that, for the first time in a long while, something—someone—had managed to break through the walls her father had built around herself.

Her finger moved back to Arshad's name. She should call him. The right thing she was supposed to do, which her father would expect. But as her thumb hovered over the dial button, her mind betrayed her once again—echoing another voice instead.

"Then what's stopping you from saying no?" "You should talk to him."

"Nothing ever is simple. But if you don't want this wedding... don't let yourself get trapped in it."

Her chest tightened. Aditya had asked the question so easily, as if the answer were just as simple. But it wasn't. It had never been in the case of her father.

Still, his words stayed with her, settling deep into the corners of her heart—the corners she had been too afraid to explore. Her thumb wavered. And then, finally, with a deep breath, she closed the screen and placed the phone aside.

And for the first time, avoiding to obey her father's instructions.

That's a good start, isn't it? So, maybe due to what Aditya said, or even due to Aditya himself, Zoya has shown her first step of disagreement to her father's decision. 😉 Will this develop further to Zoya breaking all the shackles eventually? Will Aditya's role get stronger in this? If you understand, what I mean! 😉❤️‍🔥

So, Arjun and Noor did get a terrific spicy start, where they just wanna kill each other! 😁 Do you even have any idea how would these two ever fall in love with each other? Well, making the impossible possible is my job...! 😉 And on the other hand, even though it was a short one, we had a very sensual and exciting violin moment between AdiYa which almost took our breath away too, right? ❤️🔥No idea about the violin, but they both definitely have struck the right chord in each other's hearts...oblivious to them, right? 🎻 The algorithm is working out, and the sparks are definitely flying...but when is it going to set ablaze? You will have to wait! 🥰

As you can see, a lot of interesting, romantic, hot, and fun tracks are on the way, and with each chapter, the intensity is just going to keep going higher! As I mentioned during the beginning of this story, this story is going to be a fun, light-hearted, yet sensuous and hot rom-com!😍 Stay tuned to witness all that, while I come up with the next chapters soon! ❤️ Thank you all so much for the love you have shown for this new story too, and your votes and comments inspire and motivate me a lot to write more...and entertain more! 🥰 Have a great week! 😘