Royal with Rebel (Royal #2: Book 2)

47

I forgot to post an update yesterday on the occasion of Shiv Jayanti, so here it is ✨

-• the last rain •-

Sara drapes a white georgette saree for the dinner night at her friend's house. But as she looks at herself in the mirror, it feels like she has put in too much effort for a friendly get together. Changing at the last minute would be even more stupid. So she just lets it be. Initially, she was planning to wear a bodycon, formal but comfortable, but then she noticed her husband's gaze straying towards her sarees section, before he complimented her collection and walked out to get changed in the bathroom.

They had been distant lately. He wanted space. She gave it to him. Then she knew no way to close that distance. And so she stayed distant. Until he finally approached her last night.

Things are back on the track.

The charges on her were dismissed after Sarika Goel confessed her own crimes. She's in the jail currently. Facing multiple charges from both the Chauhans and Katariyas. She might live out the rest of her life in the walls of the prison. Abhay Menon is still a hostage in the cells of Veer Mahal. Sara got her answers, she doesn't care how he dies now. Hence, that chapter is forever closed. And she has moved on to the next part of her plan. She has been keeping tabs on Kshitij. She cannot make a hasty decision, especially since he hasn't withdrew his FIR yet, still firmly believing she's out to murder him. And she is, but he won't get to prove that ever, considering he'll be dead before that happens. Alongside, she's also focused on Lalit Agarwal, the man she recently discovered her Di trusted among those seven monsters. He's the only possible suspect now.

Surprisingly, she has been feeling better lately. Both physically and mentally. She isn't aggressively brushing her teeth every morning, and if she accidentally does, the toothbrush turns itself off and she reins in her mind from returning to that night. She can eat regular food now, can sleep peacefully at nights, isn't restless half of the time thinking about the past. It's like after the case on her was dismissed, she magically got better. Maybe she was taking too much stress. That could be it. And the moment it was all over, she felt better.

Hearing the sound of footsteps, she waits for his reflection to make an appearance in the mirror. He walks in adjusting the sleeves of his grey shirt, looking up and stopping mid-step at the sight of her. A subtle smile plays over his lips. Scratching his left brow with the back of his thumb, he focuses on fixing the creases on his shirt formed after tucking the hem inside the black trousers. He comes to stand beside her, makes an impossible attempt to not look at her, but then she turns, leans in to fold his collar the right way and he inhales deeply. Their eyes meet under the incandescent lights of the room, catching infinite sparkles in the dark irises, and the two find themselves locked in an unintended stare, unable to look away.

She pulls away first. He breaks from the daze, goes back to focusing on his appearance. Elegantly holding the end of her saree in the cradle of her arm, she bends over to pick up the several bindi packets from the dressing table, nudging his arm with the back of her shoulder and asking him wordlessly to choose one from the options.

He tilts his head thoughtfully. Points to the tiny red bindi. She smiles and wears it in the centre of her brows, turning her head to show him, her voluptuous dark curls bouncing around like a soft halo behind her.

He tips his chin, approving her look.

Lips curling at the corner, she puts the bindi packets down and picks up his watch next, offering it to him. Giving her a grateful nod, he slides over the watch on his wrist, locking the metal clasp in place. As she goes over to the bed to put on her heels, he takes up the space in front of the dressing table, watching her through the mirror as she struggles to strap her heels because of her hair. He gets done with spraying a bit of cologne on his pulse points, approaching her quietly and squatting to one knee in front of her. She startles a little, sitting back with a hitched breath as he straps her heels for her. Patting her ankles as a signal that he's done, he pulls away, standing straight. She looks up, following his queue and getting up from the bed as well.