𝖉𝖎𝖘𝖎𝖑𝖑𝖚𝖘𝖎𝖔𝖓 | ✓

𝔢𝔩𝔢𝔳𝔢𝔫

Bhavya towelled her hair, her mind still stuck on the missing chip, a sense of shame and guilt culminating inside her mind at the thought of having stolen something from the commissioner's house just due to her gut-feeling and then losing it merely two weeks later.

She startled, feeling a pair of arms around her, immediately grabbing the person's arms and twisting it behind their back, as she estimated their muscle mass and swiped their feet from underneath them.

Bhavya's momentary lapse in preparing herself caused her to fall on top of her husband who wrapped his arms around her.

"Hello," he whispered.

Bhavya's heart fluttered as she met her husband's warm brown eyes. Her grip on his shoulders tightened and she smiled softly, "Hi."

The sounds of throats being cleared brought the two out of their love stricken daze as they hurried to stand up. Bhavya and Rudra met the snickering looks of Omkara and Annika as Gauri, Shivaay, Kalyani and Jahnvi tried to hide their smiles.

"Hello," Omkara batted his eyelashes as Annika guffawed.

Shivaay rolled his eyes, "Alright guys that's enough." He pointed to Rudra, "Chal mere saath."

"What? Why?" Rudra frowned.

"You're already attached to your wife's pallu," Annika pinched her brother-in-law's cheeks. "And as adorable as that is," she chuckled, "We have to take Bhavya with us."

"Toh aap mujhe bhi le chalo na," Rudra blurted out causing his wife's eyes to widen.

"You already made a fuss last night about getting into your room early," Omkara said bluntly, "I think you've spent enough time, right Bhavya?" He turned to his sister-in-law, "Or do you need more?" Gauri slapped her husband's arm.

"Nahi Bhaiya," Bhavya said hastily before turning to Annika. "Bataiye na Bhabhi. What do I need to do?"

She ignored Rudra as she walked out of the room followed by the others giggling behind her as they left behind a sullen Rudra, an amused Shivaay and an Omkara who thoroughly enjoyed the next ten minutes of teasing his baby brother.

<>•<>

Bhavya stared into the distance, her hands clutching the spatula tightly as the halwa solidified inside the pot. Her mind was still stuck on the missing chip, as well as the file she had found in her wardrobe underneath her clothes, which meant one thing: those that had kidnapped Payal and murdered Manav knew about the chip but not the file.

Bhavya had heard the name AvRaz in the recording that the chip presented which meant the two were connected; but she still hadn't figured out how. Her hands shook as she recalled the threatening tone of her——

"Bhavya?" Bhavya's trance broke as she looked at Gauri staring at her worriedly.

Bhavya shook her head to dispel the paranoia and smiled at her sister-in-law, "Ji, Bhabhi?"

Gauri frowned, stepping closer, "Tu thik hain na?"

Bhavya nodded. She glanced at her phone whose screen had lit up with a message from Rudra. She rolled her eyes, as an involuntary smile overtook her face. Hearing Gauri's snort she looked at her to find the second Oberoi bahu smiling knowingly.

"Rudy Bhaiya ka message?" Gauri teased, as she walked out of the kitchen, carrying a glass of water.

<>•<>

Shivaay stared at his vanity, his fingers fiddling with the straps of his watch as he stared ahead. There were so many factors that contributed to his worry: first and foremost Svetlana's words about Kalyani Mills ruining his relationship with Annika; he knew he wouldn't survive a second separation. Secondly, the woman, named Payal—— whose actual name was something else—— who had nearly killed his wife, being sent to kill his brother's wife. Shivaay didn't even know who had hired the woman: he couldn't even protect the newest member of the family. Thirdly, hiding Veer's death from his wife.