The Cold One’S Dulhan
Introduction
Hello cuties I'm a new author and this is my first chat story so please help me grow and tell me how it was in every chapter you read. I love you all.
When an ice-cold CEO is forced into an arranged marriage with a woman who doesn't care about his power… sparks don't just fly — they explode.
Aarav Malhotra
Age: 28
Title: CEO of Malhotra Industries
Personality: Cold, ruthless, unreadable. The kind of man who never raises his voice — and yet everyone listens.
Has a painful past
Weapon: Silence. Power. Contracts.
Weakness: Buried deep. Might look like… her.
Anaya Sharma
Age: 23
Background: Literature graduate, passionate about teaching and books
Personality: Intelligent, graceful, bold. Doesn’t bend, doesn’t beg.
Situation: Pushed into an arranged marriage with Aarav for her family’s financial stability.
Strength: Values self-respect more than status
Flaw: Her heart softens… even when her brain screams no.
Priya Sharma (Anaya’s Sister)
Age: 26
Profession: Criminal lawyer
Personality: Fierce, sarcastic, protective of Anaya
Role: Secret backbone of Anaya. Doesn’t trust Aarav.
Future Twist: Begins falling for....🤭— the one person she swore she’d never like.
Goal: Keep Anaya safe. Even if it means breaking some rules.
Rohan Mehta (Aarav’s Best Friend)
Age: 28
Role: COO of Malhotra Industries
Personality: Charming, witty, peacemaker. Family’s favourite.
Secret: Hides depth behind humor. Sees through everyone.
Chemistry: Off-the-charts with Priya. Loves annoying her.
Loyalty: 100% Aarav’s brother — but questions his coldness when Anaya enters the picture
Malhotra Family (Get ready for drama)
Raj Malhotra (Aarav’s Dad)
Personality: Traditional, believes in family name & legacy.
Wants Aarav married to keep up public image
Doesn’t see Meera’s manipulations yet
Meera Malhotra (Stepmother)
Personality: Sweet voice, venomous intentions
Hates Anaya. Thinks she doesn’t belong in “their class”
Wants Aarav to stay under her control forever.
Siya Malhotra (Grandmother)
Personality: Loud, funny, nosy. But pure love.
Her life goal = “Settle Aarav & see great-grandchildren.”
Always on Anaya’s side. The one who sees truth others miss.
Reema (sameer's wife)
Always comparing. Always interfering.
Thinks Kabir deserved to be the CEO.
Sows seeds of doubt against Anaya in Meera’s ears.
Sameer Malhotra
(Aarav’s Tauji / Kabir’s Father)
Name: Sameer Malhotra
Age: Early 60s
Relation: Elder brother of Raj Malhotra (Aarav’s father)
Personality: Calm, mature, quietly wise
Profession: Retired businessman; used to handle overseas branch of Malhotra Industries
Reputation: Highly respected by Dadi and elders; people still go to him for advice
Loves Aarav, Avni, and Vivaan like his own
Has a soft corner for Anaya from the beginning — sees his late sister’s spark in her.
Avni Malhotra (Aarav’s Real Sister)
Age: 19
Personality: Bubbly, bold, Gen Z queen
Loves Anaya from day one. Calls her “Bhabhi Goals”
Secretly ships Aarav & Anaya harder than anyone
Vivaan Malhotra (Aarav’s step Brother)
Age: 27
Personality: Protective, fun-loving, grounded
Believes in love and supports Anaya
Often helps her decode Aarav’s weird moods
Kabir Malhotra (Cousin)
Age: 29
Personality: Sweet in front, snake behind. Jealous of Aarav.
Hates that Anaya makes Aarav feel things.
Wants to rise in the family business — even if he has to pull others down.
Mohan Sharma (Anaya & Priya’s Father)
Age: Early 60s
Profession: Retired government school principal
Personality: Gentle, respectful, but bound by tradition and social pressure
Struggles: Financial instability after retirement, health issues (mild heart condition)
Strength: Deeply loves his daughters, but believes marriage = security
Conflict: Wants to do right by Anaya, but gives in to "log kya kahenge"
Sunita Sharma (Anaya & Priya’s Mother)
Age: Mid-50s
Personality: Emotional, overprotective, practical in crisis
Role: Peacemaker of the family
Strength: Quiet strength in chaos — sees things no one says aloud
Bond: Closer to Priya, but roots silently for Anaya’s happiness
Secret: Senses that Anaya is being pushed too fast, but feels helpless
The Proposal That Lit the Fire
Location: Sharma Residence – Late Evening
Priya Sharma(fl sister)
You’re pacing like you just got sentenced.
Anaya Sharma(fl)
Because I did. Arranged marriage with Mr. Ice Cube himself — Aarav freaking Malhotra.
Priya Sharma(fl sister)
And?
Anaya Sharma(fl)
And Papa just said “Beta, so many girls would kill for this rishta.”
I’m not “so many girls,” Priya. I don’t want to be a trophy in a penthouse
Priya Sharma(fl sister)
You won’t be. Because you’re not spineless. And FYI — he’s not that powerful. I Googled his company’s board structure. Weak legal department
Anaya Sharma(fl)
Only you would research the groom's legal liabilities.
Priya Sharma(fl sister)
I’m a lawyer. I do background checks better than Rishta Aunties
📍Meanwhile: Malhotra Mansion – Private Study
Raj Malhotra (ml father)
Tomorrow morning. Sharma family. Be polite, Aarav.
Aarav Malhotra(ml)
Politeness is for meetings. This is… unnecessary
Raj Malhotra (ml father)
No. This is responsibility.
Your Dadi wants to see you settled. Meera thinks it’ll help your image. Investors ask questions.
Aarav Malhotra(ml)
So this is a PR stunt now?
Raj Malhotra (ml father)
No. This is family. And duty. Two things you’ve buried under your business cards.
📍Later That Night – Rooftop
Aarav was on the rooftop with his laptop but he was not working just staring the sunset or we can say thinking what his father said earlier
and when there comes the princess of Malhotra And aarav's sister Avni
Avni Malhotra (ml sister)
Oye, Bhai. Heard you’re getting engaged?( full of excitement)
Aarav Malhotra(ml)
who told you? ( asking without looking at her)
Avni Malhotra (ml sister)
Everyone. Even the cook knows. You’re trending in your own house.
Anyway... is she pretty? ( asking with full excitement and a bit of teasing)
Aarav Malhotra(ml)
I don’t care (saying in his famous cold tone but little less because of her sister)
Avni Malhotra (ml sister)
Then why did you Google her college three times? ( saying while looking at his laptop screen)
Aarav Malhotra(ml)
...Go sleep, Avni. ( saying while immediately closing his laptop screen)
Avni Malhotra (ml sister)
Okay, okay. But warning: If you scare her away, I’m siding with her.(☺)
📍Back in Sharma House – Bedroom
Anaya Sharma(fl)
(To herself) Aarav Malhotra. CEO. Billionaire. Emotionally unavailable.
You don’t scare me. But you don’t own me either.
If I have to marry you... it’ll be on my terms.
Priya Sharma(fl sister)
(leaning on doorframe)
What’s your move?
Anaya Sharma(fl)
Make him regret saying yes.
Priya Sharma(fl sister)
Ohhhh. Can I have popcorn for this?
Aarav standing in front of his massive glass window, staring out at the city. Cold. Composed. But just for a second… a flicker of something breaks through.
Aarav Malhotra(ml)
(to himself)She’ll say yes. They always do.
But for the first time…
I’m not sure I want her to.
“You’re Not What I Expected”
📍Taj Imperial Lounge – Private Room
(High ceilings, quiet chandeliers, two empty glasses on the table. The air is thick with awkward formality.)
Aarav Malhotra(ml)
(sitting stiffly in a tailored charcoal suit, eyes scanning his watch, jaw tight)
You’re late. (voice cold, clipped — not looking at her yet)
Anaya Sharma(fl)
(enters in a deep blue suit-saree fusion, hair in a low bun, holding her chin high)
I was deciding whether you were worth meeting at all. (smiles sweetly, but there’s steel in her voice)
Aarav Malhotra(ml)
(finally looks up — gaze sharp, assessing. His expression doesn’t change, but his fingers still subtly pause on the table)
And? What’s your verdict?
Anaya Sharma(fl)
(walks past him, sits gracefully opposite, places her phone face-down — a quiet power move)
Still pending. But your arrogance is definitely punctual.
Aarav Malhotra(ml)
(leans back, folding his hands, voice flat)
Let’s not waste each other’s time. Our families want this. You agree. We marry. End of story.
Anaya Sharma(fl)
(raises an eyebrow, leans forward slightly, voice low and biting)
Do you make your boardroom deals this blunt too? Or do you at least pretend to care?
Aarav Malhotra(ml)
(expression unchanging, but there’s a flicker of amusement in his eyes)
Business is easier. Emotions aren’t involved.
Anaya Sharma(fl)
(smiles tightly, brushing an invisible thread from her saree)
That explains a lot
Priya Sharma(fl sister)
(sitting at a nearby table “reading” a menu, watching them like a hawk)
(to herself, muttering)
CEO or not, if he even blinks at her wrong, I swear I’ll turn this lounge into a courtroom.
Aarav Malhotra(ml)
(voice cool, controlled)
Look, Miss Sharma. This isn’t a fairy tale. I won’t offer you roses, poetry, or false promises.
But I can offer stability, dignity, and zero interference in your life.
Anaya Sharma(fl)
(tilts her head, her tone turns syrupy with sarcasm)
Wow. A marriage proposal that sounds like a bank loan. Romantic.
Aarav Malhotra(ml)
(brief pause — his knuckles twitch, but face stays unreadable)
You’re not what I expected.
Anaya Sharma(fl)
(leaning forward, smile growing, eyes locked into his)
Neither are you. You’re colder than your Wikipedia page.
📍Meanwhile – Malhotra Mansion
Vivaan Malhotra(ml step brother)
(scrolling his phone, lying on the couch, smirking)
Avni, ten bucks says Bhai scares her off in under ten minutes.
Avni Malhotra (ml sister)
(rolling her eyes, tying her hair up in a messy bun)
You wish. That girl looks like the kind who bites back. I’m already in love with her.
Aarav Malhotra(ml)
(stands up, straightens his cufflinks, tone completely flat)
I’ll have the papers drawn. A one-year deal. Public marriage. Private freedom. No obligations outside the contract.
Anaya Sharma(fl)
(rises too, not missing a beat, adjusts her purse strap with calm grace)
And no emotions. No control. No expectations.
Just… business.
Aarav Malhotra(ml)
(meets her eyes — a rare glint of something flickering, quickly buried)
Exactly.
Anaya Sharma(fl)
(offers her hand with a smirk)
Congratulations, Mr. Malhotra. You’ve just made the coldest merger of your life.
Aarav Malhotra(ml)
(shakes it briefly — his grip firm, hers firmer)
Let’s hope you can survive it.
As they part ways, both pause momentarily near the exit, backs to each other — eyes lost in thought.
Anaya Sharma(fl)
(to herself) (clutching her phone tighter, jaw clenched)
You want a deal, fine. But I won't break. Not for you. Not for anyone.
Aarav Malhotra(ml)
(to himself) (closing his eyes for half a second, then walking away)
She’s dangerous. Different.
I should’ve walked away when I had the chance.
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