The morning air was thick with anticipation as I watched Raj pack his suitcases. He'd been fussing over documents for weeks, preparing for this year-long business expansion overseas. Rohan was upstairs, zipping his backpack for the weekend trip to Manali with his friends.

A week weeks. And. A whole year to be with Aryan, of stolen glances, of texting Aryan from behind closed doors, of my body humming with need every single night while Raj slept beside me. I'd turned Raj away four times now. Each rejection felt like a small victory, a gift wrapped in my own restraint, meant only for Aryan.