PERDITA

.1.

_Her POV_

Canali... Omega....Burberry.... Louis Vuitton...jimmy... Ferragamo.... Ferragamo? ah yes this, finally found it 

I'm standing here in the middle of the ground floor at UB City Mall in Bengaluru, twisting my neck and squinting at the stores. I'm holding this shattered premium perfume bottle, thinking it was high-end, but Mrs. Thakur has me completely puzzled.

Yes, I broke her favorite perfume, and she doesn't even know it. She's always flaunting luxury, but deep down, she sticks to what she loves, no matter the cost. Just like this thing in my hand—she's been using Viola Essenziale by Salvatore Ferragamo since its launch in 2016. It's a Floral Woody Musk fragrance for women. Salvatore Ferragamo only has five stores in India, and Bangaluru (Karnataka) has just one. That's what I discovered here at UB City.

Honestly, I'm not someone who enjoys shopping or running errands. If something can be done online, that's my preference. However, ordering online will take time. So, the plan is to get the same bottle, replace it where the incident happened, and make sure everything looks safe and sound. Fixing my cap, As I stepped into the room filled with the scent of perfume and the faint swirls of dust, my nose twitched uncomfortably...

Achoo..choo choo

high-pitched 'choo' that echoed softly in the room that was filled with few customers and the rest was staff yet quit,  here it goes again. I sneezed three times in a row leaning my head down and covering my face with one hand feeling itchy eyes and things in the other hand. The combination of floral notes and fine particles seemed to cling to every surface, intensifying my sensitivity and making me acutely aware of my discomfort.

Amidst the giggles echoing through the store, I cursed myself for choosing a cap over a mask. Just then, "Here" a low, husky yet sultry voice broke through the noise. Something brushed against my arm, prompting me to squint through another sneeze. It turned out to be a black handkerchief. Without hesitation, I grasped it, pressing it against my nose and mouth while rubbing my eyes. By the time I recovered and turned to thank my unseen helper, he was already gone, leaving me to face an empty space.

Shrugging off the incident, I turned back towards the store, purposefully averting the gazes of those few amused onlookers. Sure, I sneezed like a kid, but let's not make it any weirder, please. After shelling out around 50k for the 200ml bottle, I hurriedly exited the store, the air inside making it difficult to breathe despite covering my nose.

Stepping back from the shop, I paused and removed the handkerchief, relishing a deep, satisfying breath. As I examined the black fabric in my hand, a thought struck me—how stylish is it to carry a black handkerchief? Can I adopt this too? Absolutely, why not? 

As I resumed walking, my attention fixed on neatly folding the fabric,  I hadn't taken more than a dozen steps when I collided with an unyielding obstacle. In the next instant, I found myself seated abruptly on the floor, my recently acquired small bag tumbling from my grasp in a desperate attempt to shield my head from impact. The shattering of glass reverberated sharply in my ears, prompting an involuntary groan of dismay within my thoughts. also, regret how didn't let the helper pack it properly as I was in a hurry.

"sorry sorry-" I heard the man saying, familiar? why does it sound too familiar? I pulled my eyes from and bag looked up ..... and paused all my thoughts

"Aujhal?" he chuckled in amusement, clearly surprised to find me there. Let me introduce you to my elder brother, Ravi Thakur. He's a decent guy whom I deeply respect, and while I harbor no ill feelings toward him, there's a slight issue between us... You'll find out eventually, that's for sure. but what he is doing here wasn't he out on a business trip for months?