FORBIDDEN FLAMES ✅

Breaking Point

VIHAAN'S POV

Me and Neil were driving back home. The ride was silent, my thoughts drifting to all the events that had unfolded since morning. I looked at the time—it was past 11. Soon, we reached home. Neil bid me good night and went to his flat. I slowly moved towards mine, opening the door with the security password. The living room was dark, but there was a dim light coming from our bedroom. I entered quietly, not wanting to disturb the sleep of Aarna or Shreya.

As I walked into the room, I saw Shreya reading a book with Aarna sleeping peacefully in her lap. Shreya looked up from her book and smiled at me. I smiled back. She carefully placed Aarna's head on the pillow and covered her with the quilt. When Aarna stirred, Shreya gently tapped her until she drifted back into sleep. Shreya then came towards me, and I embraced her in a tight hug.

Looking at my princess sleeping peacefully, I couldn't help but think about what Swathi had told me. What would have happened to Aarna if she didn't eat the nuts that Swathi had placed to trigger an allergic reaction? What if I hadn't gone to the school to meet her? They would have kidnapped her and ki... No, no, no. That mere thought sent a shock through my body, and I embraced Shreya even closer.

Breaking the hug, Shreya looked at me with worried eyes and asked, "Is everything okay, Wookie? You seem tense."

I simply said, "Just tired from the morning incidents and the ongoing case. We still couldn't catch that bastard. Shreya's eyes softened with understanding. "You'll get him, Vihaan. You always do." She reached up and brushed a strand of hair away from my forehead, her touch soothing. "Go freshen up and come. I'll heat up the dinner. Let's eat together.

I looked at her and asked, "You haven't eaten yet?"

She smiled and shook her head. "I was waiting for you, Vihaan, so that we could eat together, just like our old times. You remember how we used to wait for each other? Whoever got home first would wait for the other."

I smiled and said, "And I was always late, past dinner time. We'd have our romantic dinners, no matter how much tension was there at the office."

She smiled back and said, "Just like that, tonight we're going to have a peaceful dinner. I headed to the bathroom to freshen up. After changing into my nightwear, I returned to find that Shreya had arranged everything on the dining table. We sat down for dinner. "Sheru, Swathi..." I began, but she gently interrupted me.

"Not now, Vihaan," she said firmly. You've been stuck in the same case loop since morning. I know what you want to say, and I promise we'll talk about it, but not tonight. Just have your dinner peacefully, forget about the case until tomorrow morning. I know it's tough when the case is getting tougher, but it's important to think in different ways to catch the culprit.

 I nodded, smiling at her. We ate dinner, talking about random things. My attention was drawn to the dolls Mahendra Sir had bought, which were arranged everywhere. I looked at Shreya and asked, "Did she like these dolls so much that she kept them everywhere?"

Shreya smiled and said, "Actually, she didn't keep them there. Aarna and Nishi had arranged them in the dollhouse, but the dollhouse got scattered accidentally. They were worried and fussing about where to provide shelter for their dolls and to keep them safe till their house is rebuilt. Keerthi came up with the idea of placing them in every room, providing shelter to each doll. Only then were both kids satisfied and had their snacks. I smiled, imagining the scene. "That must have been quite the sight."

"It was," Shreya chuckled. The kids were so serious about it. They wanted to make sure every doll had a safe place to stay. So did they like this arrangement?" I asked.

Shreya said, "No, they didn't. They wanted all the dolls together. Keerthi suggested keeping them in the cupboard, but you know what Aarna said? She said, 'No, Keerthi aunty, they will suffocate and can't breathe. So let's arrange them in good shelter places until their house is built. I laughed and said, "See, my princess is so generous, just like her dad. Shreya stuck her tongue out at me playfully.

We continued our dinner, the light-hearted conversation helping to ease the tension of the day's events. Shreya's presence and her insistence on taking a break from the case, even if just for a night, brought a sense of calm I desperately needed. She knows how to bring calmness to our chaotic lives. Both of us being in the same department, our lives are tense, but she always brings normalcy.

As we finished our meal, Shreya cleared the table while I checked on Aarna and sat beside her, watching her sleep peacefully, hugging her teddy. I made sure she was comfortably asleep. Shreya was looking at us, standing in the entrance of the bedroom.