| Dark Devotion |

32

I R A

"I'm sorry for leaving you like that. I know it was hard for you too, and I haven't been the most considerate person." I apologized to Niti as we strolled through the garden.

"Don't worry about it." She replied with a soft smile. "It wasn't much of a surprise. You've always been the type to isolate yourself when upset."

"I know, but it wasn't right of me to do that. I abandoned everyone, especially Abhiman." I sighed.

"You were dealing with a lot, you still are. Trust me, I understand what that feels like. Besides, Rudransh was a great support; he never left my side." Niti reassured me. Her words stung, and guilt consumed me for not being there for her.

"I'm sorry."

"If you apologize one more time, I will hit you." She threatened, glaring at me.

"Sorry—I didn't mean it! It just came out." I quickly added, covering my head as she was about to smack me.

"Well, it sounds like things are still going great with Rudransh?" I asked as we watched Kiki explore the new territory. With so much space for her to run around, I had to keep a close eye on her to make sure she didn't suddenly disappear.

Niti's face lit up with a smile at the mention of Rudransh.

"It is. He's genuinely the best man I've ever been with. A big softie, really." She chuckled, her entire demeanor brightening as she spoke about him.

I smiled as I witnessed the twinkle in her eyes.

"A softie? Mr.Hulk can't be a softie." I remarked, struggling to imagine him in such a light. "Weren't you scared when you first saw him? All I could think about was how intimidating he looked."

"You still call him Mr.Hulk?" Niti laughed.

"He's literally the size of Hulk!" I exclaimed.

"Oh, he sure is." She gave me a cheeky smile and a wink, gaining a groan from me as I rolled my eyes.

"I don't need to know that."

"Don't pretend Abhiman bhai isn't a big softie when it comes to you. That man is head over heels for you. Like, you're the reason for his existence or something." Niti chuckled.

Her words made me go silent.

"I'm not sure I deserve him." I whispered after some time. "He's done so much for me, and I've given him nothing." I confessed, feeling tears welling in my eyes.

"Oh, babes, don't ever think you don't deserve him. You've given him so much, and you don't even realize it." She reassured me.

"I'm not sure." I sighed.

"He's a different man because of you. That man was the uptightest dick I had ever met in my life. Then you came, and he's been on cloud nine ever since. So, yes, you've given him so much that he can actually enjoy life for once."

I kicked my head back in laughter at Niti's passionate rant.

"I've missed you so much!" I wrapped my arms around her in a tight hug. "But to answer your question, I suppose I was scared when I first saw Mr.Hulk." She gave me an amusing look before continuing.

"I saw him first from a distance, and all I could think was, 'If that man hits me, one blow and I'm as good as gone'. Then I got to see him up close, and it hit me just how enormous he was. That's when I started thinking about how I wanted to climb him." She bit her lip, wiggling her brows at me.

"Only you, Niti." I said with a laugh as she chuckled. "I'm happy for you, and soon you'll be Mrs. 'Hulk' Rajvansh."

"I can't wait for that. To get a new name, a fresh start, and just leave that crappy name behind for good. No offense."