The Ogre's Proposal (COMPLETED)

Chapter 23

ANIKA
✨

'But why all this Simi? You know the situation in which we have decided to get married!!! It's not like we are a-' and she suddenly palmed my mouth saying

'Stop!!! Just stop with this 'we are not a real couple' nonsense!!! The amount of heat and chemistry you both omit by only looking into each other's eyes can give anyone butterflies in their stomach Anika!!! I mean I'm an absolutely non romantic person but then you guys even make my heart melt!!! I mean...ahhh look at these pictures!!! Uffff!!!' she said making me roll my eyes as I said

'Simi!!! All that glitters isn't gold!!!And anyways you out of all knows every bit of it so I'm not expecting all this from you!!!' I said when I again peeped down the staircase where the beautician and her team was waiting for me which Simi and Linda had organised for grooming me in spite of the fact that Linda had already taken me to a parlour just a few days ago.

'You are going to get married tomorrow Anika!!! And I think a Punjabi bride would look incomplete without Henna in her hands and legs. And come on we need the bridal glow so a little bit of-'

'Simi!!! Please listen!!! I am getting married to Shankar only because I need shelter for myself and my child. I am more than happy that he's accepted my baby as ours...that one line...made my life!!! I didn't expect that from him. Since that moment my respect for him has increased ten fold. He has given me Roshni's love, a job and a roof forever...I don't expect anything else from him. I don't want to waste any of his resources' I confessed when Simi smiled saying

'You are indeed different huh!!! No wonder that idiot is helplessly getting drawn towards you!!!' she said cupping my chin when I gasped looking elsewhere. My cheeks heated up as I said

'There... there's nothing like that!!!' when Simi chuckled saying

'I have known him for years now Anika!!! The way he looks at you...the way he is protective about you...I mean he's beefed up the security around this house, asked every house help to take special care of yours and even asked me to spend some time with you to make sure you feel at home in his absence!!! Wow!!! That asshole was never that kind to me and Kevin...we are his besties!!!' she said leaving me speechless.

I tried looking here and there when she chuckled and grabbed onto my wrist and took me downstairs. She didn't even give me a chance to utter a word when the beauticians began applying Henna to my hands and legs while another one did facial simultaneously post which they colored my hair and also applied some great smelling products to my hair making me slowly fall asleep.

When I opened my eyes I noticed Mr.Nayak sitting right in front of me sipping onto his black coffee while there was no one around me. Dried Henna was still on my hands and legs and I was comfortable lying on his leather couch with a lot of pillows around me, which probably gave me a relaxed sleep.

However seeing the way he kept staring at me as he slowly kept sipping onto his coffee made me throb down south. Those eyes, the way he stares into my soul, the way he doesn't even break the eye contact makes me so damn hot and so damn nervous all at the same time.

I noticed he was still wearing his 3 piece suit when I cleared my throat and tried to initiate a conversation trying to make it a little less uncomfortable

'Ahmmmm you ...you just arrived from the office?' I asked when all he did was take another sip from his mug and whisper 'Hmmm' and I gulped dry. He still kept looking at me like I was deer caught under the headlights of a car.

I think I need to speak more.

'Ro...Rosh...Roshni-'

'She has already had her meal and gone to bed!!!! After all her parents are getting married tomorrow!!!' he said making something shift again inside my stomach.