Vaidehi - His Second chance [On Hold]

34. Permanent booking

✦Sankaar✦

The moment my phone vibrated under the pillow, I instinctively reached out to silence the alarm before it could disturb her. She was still asleep, nestled comfortably in my arms, her breath soft and even. There's no better feeling in the world than this—having her so close, her warmth seeping into me, grounding me in a way nothing else could.

I gazed down at her peaceful face, her hair now a tousled mess from the night. I knew she'd spend hours untangling it later, fussing over every curl, but right now, it only made her look more beautiful. Her arms were wrapped around my waist, her head resting on my chest as if it was the most natural thing in the world.

Despite the cool air from the AC, I could feel the gentle warmth radiating from her body, a warmth that made me want to hold her even tighter. I did just that, pulling her a little closer, and she responded with a soft hum, a small, contented smile playing on her lips. That smile—my heart swelled just seeing it. It was like a silent affirmation that everything was right in our world.

Her green bangles clinked softly against my skin, their coolness a stark contrast to the heat of her touch. I ran my fingers slowly through her hair, savoring the silky feel of it, before pressing a tender kiss to her cheek. Gently, I tucked an unruly strand behind her ear, not wanting anything to disturb her sleep.

She was perfect just as she was—unfiltered, unguarded, utterly herself.

Carefully, I shifted her head onto my arm, grabbing a pillow from behind her to replace my support. I placed it under her head, making sure she was comfortable, and then pulled the duvet over her, tucking her in snugly. She looked so serene, so utterly at peace, that it took everything in me to pull away.

I lingered by the bed, unable to resist one last look at her sleeping figure. Leaning down, I pressed a soft kiss to her forehead, letting my lips linger there for a moment longer. "Sleep, love," I whispered, my voice barely audible.

It was 5:30 in the morning, and like every other day, the gym was my first destination. After freshening up, I made my way to the basement where our personalized gym was located. It was usually quiet unless one of my siblings decided to make an appearance and stir up some chaos. But today, it was just me and the silence.

I put in my earpods, letting the music drown out everything else as I removed my shirt and started my workout. Abs first, as my instructor always insisted. Within an hour, I was drenched in sweat, every muscle burning with the effort, but it was a good burn, the kind that made me feel alive.

As I walked back upstairs, humming along to the music, I couldn't resist the urge to check on her. Quietly, I opened the bedroom door, just enough to peek inside. A smile tugged at my lips as I spotted my wife still sleeping, wrapped in the comfort of our bed.

How badly I wanted to ditch my routine and crawl back into bed with her, to wrap my arms around her and drift back to sleep, feeling the warmth of her body against mine. The thought was almost enough to make me give in.

I tiptoed inside, careful not to wake her, and pulled out my phone. I couldn't resist capturing this moment—my beautiful wife, so peaceful and serene, completely unaware of the world and all its worries. The small smile on her lips made my heart swell with a strange satisfaction, a reminder of how deeply she affected me.

This view was mine, only mine.

After snapping a picture, I headed to the shower, stripping off the remaining clothes as I went. The warm water cascaded over me, washing away the sweat and easing the tension in my muscles. 

Wrapping a towel around my lower half, I walked out of the bathroom and headed toward my closet. The clock on the wall read nearly 7 AM, which meant her alarm would buzz any moment now. I quickly dressed in an off-white shirt and pants, carefully buttoning up as I mentally ran through the day ahead. Just as I was fastening the last button, I heard a noise—a faint thud, like something falling.