Burning Soul's

Chapter 28

Third PERSON POV

Yashi glared at Vasundhra, clearly displeased. But before she could say anything, a cheerful voice interrupted.

"Aunty, mai aa gayi!"

Vasundhra's face lit up as she turned toward the entrance. "Arey, Ananya, mera baccha! Aao, aao! Ekdam sahi time par aai ho tum."

Ananya stepped inside and touched Vasundhra's feet as a sign of respect. "Aap kaise hain, Aunty?" she asked warmly.

Vasundhra smiled affectionately. "Tumhe dekh liya naa, ab toh ekdam sahi hoon. Baaki baatein baad mein karenge, pehle aao, tum bhi sabke saath baith kar dinner kar lo."

"Thank you sooo much, Aunty!" Ananya grinned. "Mujhe sach mein bahot bhook lagi thi."

She walked toward the dining table, where Adarsh was seated. Ruhi was sitting beside him, and on the other side was Aashvi. As Ananya approached, Adarsh tried his best to ignore her presence, but it was proving to be a tricky task.

Vasundhra noticed Ananya standing and turned to Ruhi. "Ruhi, hato vaha se, dekho Ananya khadi hai na?"

Before Ruhi could respond, Yashi spoke up, her voice laced with annoyance. "Yaha aur bhi jagah hai... Aur Ananya ko agar baithna hai toh kahin aur baith jaye. Uske liye koi special seat ki zaroorat nahi hai."

Vasundhra shot a glare at Yashi, but Ananya merely smiled. "Tum sahi bol rahi ho, Yashi... Par it would be better if I sit beside Adarsh since he is my best friend, and I have some things to discuss about the hospital with him."

Adarsh, who had been silent till now, finally spoke up, his tone neutral but firm. "Hospital ki baat hospital mein ho toh zyada accha hoga, Ananya. Yaha sab log dinner ke liye baithe hain, toh it's better ki hum uspe concentrate karein. And it would be good if you go and sit beside Sara. She is also one of your good friends, if I am not wrong."

Ananya was left speechless. Without another word, she turned and went to sit beside Sara.

The family dinner began, and while others engaged in casual conversations, Yashi sat beside Adarsh, with Aashvi comfortably nestled in her lap. The little girl was enjoying Adarsh's presence the most-giggling, smiling, and happily munching on her food.

AFTER DINNER, Yashi took Ruhi to her room and gave her the medicine before returning to her own room at 10:30 PM. She entered to find Aashvi already asleep while Adarsh was still working on his laptop.

"Late ho gaya hai, Adarsh," she said softly. "You should better sleep right now."

Without looking up, Adarsh replied, "You sleep, Yashi. I will sleep after finishing a few more files."

Yashi sighed, knowing his workaholic nature. She walked into the walk-in closet to change into her night suit. When she returned, Adarsh was still engrossed in his laptop. Letting out another sigh, she walked up to him and gently took the laptop from his hands, placing it on the table.

Before Adarsh could protest, she placed a finger on his lips. "Sshh... Sone jao. Bahot late ho gaya hai, aur kaam toh kal bhi ho jayega."

She was about to turn away when Adarsh suddenly grabbed her wrist, pulling her toward him. She lost her balance, and before she knew it, they both tumbled onto the sofa. Their faces were mere inches apart, their eyes locked. The air between them grew heavy with unspoken emotions.

And then-beep!

Adarsh's phone vibrated loudly, breaking the moment.

Yashi quickly got up, flustered. "I-I... sorry," she mumbled, rushing to the bed. Settling under the blanket, she whispered, "Jaldi aao... Good night."

Adarsh cursed under his breath-both at his phone and his luck. Shaking his head, he walked over to the bed, leaned down, and kissed both of his girls on the forehead. "Good night, jaan."

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12:00 AM

On the other side of the house, Shruti stood on her balcony, gazing at the moon with a small smile on her lips. Dressed in a crop top and shorts, she enjoyed the cool night breeze brushing against her skin.

Suddenly, she felt a warm hand slide around her bare waist, followed by soft lips pressing against her shoulder. She didn't need to turn around to know who it was.

"Happy birthday, babygirl," Rudransh murmured against her skin, placing another lingering kiss on her shoulder.

Shruti turned around, her hands resting on his chest. "Thank you, Rudransh," she whispered before placing a sweet kiss on his cheek.

Rudransh, however, wasn't satisfied. He wrapped his arms tightly around her waist, pulling her closer until there was barely any space between them. Their eyes met, and in the next second, his lips crashed onto hers.

The kiss was intense-Rudransh dominating, claiming her lips as if they belonged to him. He bit her lower lip softly, making her gasp, allowing him to deepen the kiss. Shruti melted into him, savoring every second of the passionate moment.

And then-

"AAAAA! YOU ARE EATING MY MASI MAA!"

A loud, horrified scream made them jolt apart. Their eyes widened as they turned toward the source of the voice-Aashvi stood at the balcony entrance, her tiny face scrunched up in horror, tears welling in her eyes.

Shruti's heart dropped as she rushed to Aashvi, scooping her up in her arms. The little girl sobbed into Shruti's chest.

"Masi maa, you don't go there... He is eating you... Doctor uncle said that monsters come at night... Masa became a monster!" she wailed, clutching Shruti tightly.

Shruti glared at Rudransh, who looked just as shocked.

"Sshh, sshh, kuch nahi hua baby," Shruti soothed, rubbing Aashvi's back. "Masa was not eating Masi maa... Look, I am all fine here. He is no monster."

Rudransh nodded, stepping closer. "Yes, baccha-"

"NO! DON'T COME HERE!" Aashvi shrieked, holding Shruti tighter. "Vaishnavi Masi told me that monsters eat babies... And I am my Mumma's baby!" she cried harder.

Shruti sighed and wiped Aashvi's tears. "Do you believe your Masi, Aashvi?"

The little girl sniffled and nodded. "Yes, Masi..."

"Then trust me, he is not a monster," Shruti assured her. "He was just helping me... My eyes were hurting, that's all."

Aashvi looked at her suspiciously. "Sachhi? He is not a monster?"

Rudransh smiled and extended his arms. "No, baby. Come here."

Aashvi hesitated but finally let him take her in his arms. "I am sorry, Masa..." she whispered, her voice breaking.

Rudransh kissed her forehead. "It's fine, baccha."

Shruti sighed in relief. "What are you doing here, Aashvi?"

Aashvi suddenly gasped. "Oops, I forgot... HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MASI!" she shouted excitedly.

Rudransh chuckled at her sudden change in mood.

Shruti smiled and kissed her cheek. "Thank you, baby. But now, come on, it's already so late. Let's sleep."

She carried Aashvi to the bed, tucking her in. The little girl turned to Rudransh with puppy eyes. "Masa, aap bhi aao na... please?"

Rudransh sighed in defeat. "Aashvi wants it... Aashvi gets it."

Shruti giggled as all three of them snuggled together on the bed. For Shruti, this was truly a happy birthday.

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Author's Note:

Hey, lovely readers! ❤️ I hope you enjoyed this chapter filled with friendship, emotions, and a hint of mystery. Things are about to get even more intense, so stay tuned!

If you liked this chapter, don't forget to like, share, comment, and follow for more updates! Your support means the world to me. Let me know your thoughts-I'd love to hear from you! ✨💖