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AUTHOR'S POV
"Oh" Ayesha and Kritika said in a mock-dramatic, long-drawn-out tone, and Shivansh let out a sigh of relief, unaware that their game was far from over
"Acha bhabhi, has Bhai come back yet" shivansh asked, deftly changing the subject
"No not yet" Ayesha replied, her smile a fragile, forced thing that didn't reach her eyes
"It's so late, and he's still not here I hope Ayansh bhai's anger has finally cooled down" shivansh thought a knot of genuine worry tightening in his gut
"Where is everyone else? I haven't seen anyone around" he asked with a faint, curious smile
"Oh, they've all gone to an anniversary party for one of Bade Papa's friends" Manvi explained
Shivansh simply nodded, his head bobbing in silent acknowledgment
Just then, the sharp sound of approaching footsteps echoed from the living room and a hush fell over the room everyone turned their eyes fixed on the doorway where ayansh and rudra were walking in
As they stepped inside, both men's gazes immediately found their wives and they stopped in their tracks
Rudra's eyes met Kritika's who was already looking at him a mischievous glint appeared in his eyes, and a slow smirk spread across his face he winked
Kritika's eyes widened in surprise, and a blush—a deep, fiery red—crept up her cheeks she gulped her gaze darting around the room hoping no one had witnessed the intimate moment then she turned back to him her eyes blazing with a playful angry defiance
He responded with a boyish grin and an innocent shrug a gesture that despite her best efforts drew a reluctant faint smile to her lips
Meanwhile Ayesha's eyes locked with Ayansh's the instant their gazes met a painful memory of the office incident flashed through her mind, and the old hurt flared up sharp and fresh all she wanted was to disappear, to be anywhere but in his presence
His eyes fell on her who was already looking at him their eyes met and for a fleeting two-second eternity the world seemed to freeze all sound and motion vanished, as if they were the only two people left he saw the slight puffiness around her eyes a testament to her recent tears, and a pang of deep-seated unease struck him he clenched his hands into fists
A sudden voice shattered the moment, yanking them both back to reality
"Bhai why are you both just standing there come on over" Manvi called out
They both walked over and sat down on the sofa
"Bhai what kept you two so late today?" Manvi asked
"Just some important work at the office. We had to finish it" Ayansh replied, his voice devoid of all emotion
He pulled his phone from his pocket and started to scroll, his attention seemingly consumed by the device
"Work? Or were they finishing off a man" Shivansh muttered under his breath, a barely audible whisper
"You should all go get fresh. I'll set the table for dinner" Ayesha said, rising from the sofa
"Yes Bhabhi, I'm starving someone didn't let me eat anything today; she ate it all herself" Rudra said with a playful smirk his eyes fixed on Kritika
Kritika, in turn shot him a fierce, angry glare
"I can understand Rudra I've experienced it myself" she said, a genuine playful smile finally gracing her face as she looked at kritika
Kritika's jaw dropped in mock betrayal her eyes wide with disbelief her comical expression was too much for Ayesha who couldn't hold back a soft, melodic laugh
Ayansh who had been lost in his phone his face a mask of disinterest, heard the sound of her laughter he slowly lifted his eyes from the screen, his gaze seeking her out the hard lines of his face softened his eyes losing their cold edge as he watched her he was captivated, just watching her smile
The moment Ayesha’s eyes met his her laughter died in her throat she immediately looked away, her gaze fixed on the floor the earlier joy evaporating
Ayansh's jaw tightened at her sudden withdrawal It was a physical rejection that stung more than he would admit He rose from the sofa, the silent tension between them thick and palpable, and walked towards his room
Ayesha watched him go, a sense of heavy finality settling in her heart
"I'll go get fresh too," Rudra said, giving Kritika a last, lingering look before following his brother
A while later they all ate dinner together, the quiet punctuated only by the clinking of cutlery the unspoken emotions in the room were a suffocating weight after the meal, they all retreated to the solitude of their respective rooms
          ×××××××××××
IN AYANSH'S ROOM
Ayesha cautiously opened the door to her room and peeked inside, a wave of relief washing over her when she saw that Ayansh wasn't there
She let out a long shaky breath and walked in collapsing onto the couch
"Thank god mr. dracula isn't here I was sure he'd find some reason to yell at me again" she thought, the sarcasm a thin veil for her anxiety
She got up and went to the closet, opening it to retrieve a black diary with a beautiful painted butterfly on the cover
She closed the closet door and settled back on the couch
A tender smile touched her lips as she looked at the diary her fingers tracing the butterfly's wings she opened it to the first page, where her name was written in elegant script, then turned to the next page a small photograph was tucked inside—a picture of a boy no older than thirteen with a kind and gentle face
She lovingly ran her fingers over the boy's image below the picture, a few lines of Italian were written
she lost herself in the boy's eyes a bittersweet nostalgia clinging to her
Suddenly, the door opened ayansh stood in the doorway his eyes sweeping the room, stopping abruptly on Ayesha and the diary in her hands
The sound of the door startled her She looked up, her heart leaping into her throat, and saw him In a frantic panic, she slammed the diary shut and shoved it behind a pillow on the couch, jumping to her feet
Ayansh’s eyes narrowed, a flicker of suspicion sparking within them he watched her every move, a deep curiosity taking root he wanted to know what she was hiding why she was so desperate to conceal it his gaze was intense analytical as if he was trying to dissect her very soul to read the secrets written on her face
But he said nothing he simply turned and walked into the washroom without a word
As the washroom door clicked shut, her knees felt weak with relief she retrieved the diary, tucked it deep into the closet and then lay back down on the couch her body finally relaxing
After some time when he emerged from the washroom his eyes went straight to her, who was now asleep on the couch He walked slowly toward her his gaze softening as he took in her peaceful sleeping face his eyes traced the delicate line of her jaw and the curve of her neck
Until they fell upon her wrist he noticed a faint but angry-looking cut
Without thinking he leaned down, a gentle touch of his finger brushing against the wound
"Shhh" a soft, pained sigh escaped her lips in her sleep
he instantly pulled his hand back as if burned
"How can someone be so careless? She should have put medicine on that" he muttered under his breath, a strange mixture of anger and concern swirling within him
He walked to the drawer beside his bed, pulled out a small tube of cream, and returned to the couch
Carefully so as not to wake her he gently lifted her wrist and gently placed it on his lap he squeezed a dollop of cream onto his finger and began to apply it to the cut
"Shh" she whimpered in her sleep again he froze, his hand hovering in the air He looked at her face his features softening with concern when she didn't stir again, he carefully finished applying the ointment
He closed the tube and sat there for a moment, just watching her without a moment of conscious thought, he leaned in and pressed a soft kiss to her forehead his lips lingered there, a fleeting moment of intimacy in the quiet room a tiny almost imperceptible smile touched his lips
He ran his hand through her hair, a gesture of tenderness that felt both foreign and familiar
Then, his eyes caught his own reflection in the mirror he saw the soft expression on his face the gentle smile and a wave of shock washed over him
He pulled his hand away as if from a fire, the smile vanishing instantly he stood up in a single abrupt motion and walked to his bed
"Damn it, what is happening to me? Why am I losing control of myself like this" he muttered angrily to himself, his gaze falling back on Ayesha
"Damn this girl this is all her fault ever since she came into my life I've started doing things I never would have done, I can't let her have this kind of power over me I need to stay as far away from her as possible and make sure she stays away from me too" He lay down on his bed, the words a cold promise he made to himself and turned off the lights, plunging the room into darkness
ON THE OTHER SIDE
Kritika walked into her room, her eyes scanning the space Rudra wasn't there
"Where did this Rudra ji go" she wondered aloud
She walked toward the washroom, reaching for the doorknob, just as the door swung open rudra was standing there
Kritika’s breath caught in her throat her cheeks instantly turned a fiery red
BUT WHY ?
BECAUSE...
He had just stepped out of the shower his upper body bare and a white towel cinched low around his waist drops of water clung to his hair and trickled down his neck over the sharp angles of his collarbone and across his defined six-pack abs
She stared, her gaze unapologetically devouring every detail of his body
His lips curled into a slow, knowing smirk as he watched her, he took a deliberate step toward her, and she instinctively took a step back
She kept backing away until her legs hit the bed forcing her to stop
He closed the distance between them until he was just inches away he leaned in close his lips brushing against her earlobe and whispered in a deep husky voice "If you keep looking at me like that I swear, I'll lose my mind."
The words sent a shiver down her spine she clutched her dupatta in a tight fist her breath coming in short heavy gasps her cheeks were burning with a hot mortifying blush, and she dropped her gaze, unable to meet his eyes
He pulled back just enough to see her face the sight of her flushed cheeks and downcast eyes was too much for him he threw his head back and let out a rich, hearty laugh
Hearing his laughter her head snapped up she glared at him the embarrassment quickly turning into a simmering anger
A wicked, triumphant smirk spread across her face, Rudra's laughter died immediately
She took a step forward and he took a step back but she continued to advance her movements deliberate and confident. He kept backing away until his back hit the wall
She cornered him, standing so close he could feel the heat radiating from her skin the proximity sent his heart into a frantic, frantic rhythm
Seeing the way she was affecting him, her smirk widened
She raised her hand and slowly, deliberately ran her fingers over his abs She brought her face impossibly close to his, their lips just a hair's breadth apart
His heart was now beating faster than a bullet train
"Don't you worry" she whispered, her voice a low teasing murmur against his lips"I know how to bring you under control you don't have a chance to lose it understood"
His cheeks and neck turned a deep red He looked away, his composure completely shattered
Seeing him flustered she fought to suppress her laughter then turned and walked triumphantly into the bathroom leaving him standing there in a daze
As she left, he put a hand to his chest, his heart still hammering wildly he took a few deep gasping breaths finally releasing the air he'd been holding for what felt like an eternity
"This girl is going to be the death of me one day" he thought, a mix of exasperation and adoration in his voice as he walked into the closet
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NEXT MORNING
The dining hall was quiet everyone seated in their usual places, eating breakfast in a strained silence
Then suddenly a loud, booming voice echoed from the entrance, cutting through the tense atmosphere
" SAUGAT NAHI KAROGE HUMARA "
    ( Won't you welcome us )Â
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