ᴛɪʟʟ ᴅᴇᴀᴛʜ ᴅᴏ ᴜꜱ ᴀᴘᴀʀᴛ

𝟐𝟕. 𝐅𝐨𝐫 𝐇𝐞𝐫, 𝐓𝐢𝐦𝐞 𝐁𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐬

The morning was still calm, and I decided to take Bella for a walk. Ahana was sleeping, her fever finally subsiding after a long night of restlessness. As we passed by Uncle jack's café, he waved.

"Good morning, Mishika" - he called out cheerfully.
"Good morning, Uncle"- I smiled back, stopping for a brief chat.
"How's Ahana doing?"- he asked, concern evident in his tone.
"She's better, but her fever got worse last night. She only fell asleep early this morning"- I replied.
He nodded sympathetically. "I saw your boss around here this morning, by the way."

His words caught me off guard. Sir? Here? "You must have mistaken someone else for him" - I said, trying to hide my confusion. He has no reason to be here. But Emily's father seemed so sure, it made me pause.

"Could be"- he chuckled, but I could tell he still believed what he saw. I smiled politely and continued walking, trying to shake off the uneasy feeling. There's no way Sir was here.

Three days later...

I stood in the kitchen, stirring porridge for Ahana, who had slept through the worst of her fever. Anshumaan Sir had told us to take a break when I informed about this to kabir sir then he extended our leave beyond the usual. It had been three days since I'd last gone to the office, and the time away had given me too much room to think.

Bella danced along to the music, her little head bobbing in time with the beat I tried to focus on the cooking, but my mind wandered back to that terrible weekend. I'd almost lost Bella, but Sir was there to save her. And then the police... he saved me, again.

I don't hate him the way I used to.

The realization hit me hard. I stirred the porridge slowly, remembering all the moments he had come through for me. The first time we met was when I smashed his windshield because he pissed me off. His curt replies and bossy commands, I didn't like them, and I hated how he always tried to control everything. But then... he defended me when Lily accused me of leaking secrets to rivals, and he saved Bella from drowning.

And then, at the police station... he had my back again.

I shook my head, trying to clear the memories, but they kept resurfacing. My eyes drifted toward the bathrobe he'd left behind in my room. It reminded me of the day I'd accidentally walked into the room and saw him in just a towel. His teasing words and his flirty little comments made me blush then, and somehow, they still had the same effect now.

I glanced at myself in the mirror, smiling unknowingly. What is wrong with me?

I shook my head. "No, Mishika, what the hell is wrong with you? Calm down."

Determined to push him out of my mind, I carried the porridge to Ahana's room. She was looking much better, and we spent the next hour playing with Bella.