THE IInd DECISION

32. Growing Tension

Ayan Pov:-

I walked into the room, holding a bowl of porridge, only to find Ashi curled up in bed, completely absorbed in her book. She was wearing my oversized T-shirt, the one that looked way too big on her, but somehow made her look even more adorable. Her hair was tousled in that effortless way, and the blanket was draped around her legs. She didn't even notice me until I stood right next to her.

"Porridge?" she muttered, scrunching her nose the moment she caught sight of it. "Ugh, please, take it away."

I grinned, sitting beside her. "Come on, I made it just for you."

She wrinkled her nose even more. "No, seriously. Take it away-"

Before she could finish, I swiftly brought the spoon to her lips, slipping a mouthful of porridge in. Her eyes widened in shock, and for a second, I thought she might spit it out, but she reluctantly swallowed, her cheeks puffed out as she did.

"What the-?!" she sputtered, glaring at me with mock outrage.

I chuckled, leaning in closer. "Just take it like a good girl," I teased, my voice low and playful.

Her reaction was immediate. Her cheeks flamed a deep, unmistakable red, the blush spreading all the way to her ears. She blinked rapidly, as if trying to process what I'd just said, and for a second, her gaze dropped to my lips, then back up to my eyes. I noticed everything-the way her breathing hitched, the way her fingers tightened around the edge of the blanket.

I smirked, leaning just a little closer. "What's wrong? You don't like being called a good girl?"

Her face turned even redder, if that was even possible, and she quickly stuffed another spoonful of porridge into her mouth, probably to avoid answering. She was clearly flustered, and it was adorable.

I wasn't done teasing her. "No, really. Tell me, did I say something wrong?" I asked, watching her closely, enjoying the way her expression shifted between embarrassment and something else I couldn't quite name.

She swallowed hard, avoiding my gaze as her eyes flickered toward the window. "Actually... you know I read romance novels, right?"

I raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "Yeah, so?"

Her face grew even redder, her voice coming out softer. "Well... in those novels, when the leads, um... you know... do it, male lead say, umm.. exact lines."

My smirk widened, my curiosity getting the better of me. "Do it? What exactly is it?"

Her eyes darted back to me, filled with a mix of embarrassment and exasperation. "It," she said, stressing the word like it should be obvious.

It took me a second to understand. Then it hit me, and I groaned, running a hand through my hair. "Oh... that." I shook my head, standing up abruptly. "Ashi, you seriously need to stop reading those books."

She lowered her head, but I could see the corners of her lips twitching, barely holding back a laugh. I was mortified, and here she was, enjoying this. She finally broke, letting out a soft laugh, her eyes sparkling with mischief.

She had already finished her porridge, her attention now back to that romance novel she was glued to. I sat beside her, opening my laptop to review some files, but my eyes kept drifting toward her. She looked so calm, so absorbed in the book, it was hard to believe that just last night she had cried herself to sleep after everything that happened. Today, it was as if none of it had touched her.