𝖉𝖎𝖘𝖊𝖓𝖈𝖍𝖆𝖓𝖙𝖊𝖉

𝔢𝔦𝔤𝔥𝔱𝔢𝔢𝔫

Her toes curled as he pressed her hand on the cold wall behind her, her consciousness feeling light and heady. The touch of his lips burned from her mouth and all over her body, like molten lava, leaving her scorched in its wake. The cold touch of the brick behind her was a stark contrast to the warmth that hummed in her blood.

As he leaned back, and rested his forehead on hers, he slipped his fingers through the gaps between hers, and squeezed her hand. His left hand caressed the side of her body, and he rested it on her hip, squeezing gently.

She opened her eyes in a daze, looking at him from underneath her lashes.

"What was that for?" She whispered.

Shivaay gazed at her in silence, before letting go of their intertwined hands against the wall and running his knuckles down her cheek.

"Do you have any idea how fucking worried I was, seeing you laying on the hospital bed—— so exhausted and pale?" He sighed.

She swallowed.

This was the first time either of them were addressing what had transpired a few days ago.

"I'm sorry," she winced. "I didn't do it on purpose."

"I know," he pursed his lips. "What happened, Annika?" He placed his hand on her neck, and tilted her head sideways. "You've always loved eating whatever I make for you—— then why? You're the biggest foodie I know." He smiled sadly.

She looked away, gazing at the cupboards on the other end of the room.

"I was thinking," she mumbled.

"Thinking," he echoed. "About what? Kya soch rahi thi tum, ki you skipped meals for days on end, Annika?"

She chewed her lower lip—— she didn't know how to broach this topic with him.

"Stuff," she replied.

"Annika," he warned.

"I was just thinking about everyone at hom—— Oberoi Mansion," If Shivaay noticed the change in term, he didn't comment on it.

"I miss them too," he whispered softly.

She wanted to correct him—— she hadn't been thinking about how much she missed them—— other than Gauri, Omkara and Rudra—— she didn't really miss anyone that much.

She nodded silently, resting her head on his chest, as he ran a hand over the back of her head and placed a kiss on her temple.

"I talked to Gauri today," Annika mumbled.

She couldn't hide what had transpired in Mumbai, from him.

If he got to know from someone else, and the fact that she had known but had kept him in the dark, Shivaay would surely flip.

"Did you?" She felt him smile against her forehead. "What did she say?"

Sighing, she leaned back and looked at the soft smile on his lips and the twinkle in his eyes.

It broke her heart knowing it would disappear in a few seconds.

꧁꧂

Gauri chewed her lower lip nervously, fidgeting with her fingers as her parents-in-law ate dinner silently. Tia sat beside Tej, moving her fork around slowly.

Kalyani had opted to isolate herself in her room, and had asked for dinner to be sent upstairs.

Omkara and Rudra had both gone to Pune for the night regarding some land expansion deal, which Gauri hadn't paid much attention to.