"From Rivals to Forever: A Journey of Love"

Chapter 59

Kabir's Perspective

The soft click of the door behind me felt like a faint reminder of everything I had just left behind—the warmth of her touch, the taste of her lips, and the lingering scent of her perfume still clinging to the air around me. My mind was still swirling with thoughts of Aditi as I made my way down the corridor, my fingers brushing against my lips, remembering the gentle press of hers just moments ago.

I couldn't help but smirk, thinking of her sitting in my chair, feeling a little out of place but looking every bit like she belonged there. The way she hesitated, asking if it was alright for her to sit in my chair... God, did she even realize how much she owned me? My soul was hers the moment she walked into my life, unannounced, challenging everything I thought I knew.

And that lipstick stain she wiped off me? That was all her doing. She didn't know it, but I didn't mind wearing her marks, even if it was just a smudge of lipstick. No, those weren't the only marks she'd left on me today.

Permanent marks.

I chuckled under my breath as I remembered her wide-eyed expression when I mentioned those. That faint blush that colored her cheeks as she ran to check in her phone camera. Aditi had no idea the kind of effect she had on me, or maybe she did, and she just enjoyed driving me crazy. Either way, it worked.

But I had to focus now. There was a meeting to get to, and as much as I wanted to go back into that room and lose myself in her again, duty called. I'd see her again soon, and maybe by then, I could leave a few more "permanent marks."

With a grin tugging at the corner of my lips, I made my way to Sahil's cabin. As soon as I entered, I found both Sahil and Raghav waiting for me, sitting across from each other, chatting animatedly. The moment they saw me, the teasing looks on their faces were impossible to miss.

Raghav was the first to break into a broad, knowing grin. "Aaya, aaya... lo aaya hero!" He threw his arms open like he was welcoming me back after a long adventure.

Sahil leaned back in his chair, his eyes twinkling with mischief. "Kya bhai, thoda zyada time nahi lag gaya meeting ke liye tayaar hone mein?" He crossed his arms, tilting his head as if trying to figure out what had kept me so busy.

I shot them both a warning look, though my smile gave away that I was in on the joke. "Kyun? Tum logon ko problem hai agar tumhare bhai ko thoda zyada attention mil raha hai?" I quipped, moving to sit across from them.

Raghav let out a low whistle, leaning forward with a grin. "Attention, haan? Bhai, woh toh hum dekh rahe hain ki attention mil rahi hai... bas yeh samajh nahi aa raha ki ab tuh attention le raha hai ya de raha hai."

Sahil laughed, his eyes sparkling with mischief as he added, "Waise yeh lipstick ka mark toh kaafi bold move tha, bro. Waise kaise kiya yeh miracle?"

I rubbed the spot where Aditi had cleaned the lipstick stain earlier, shaking my head at their relentless teasing. "Kuch nahi, bas jo baat hai, woh samajhdaar log samajhte hain. Tum dono ko samjhana padega, toh waqt zaya hoga."

They both burst into laughter, clearly enjoying how flustered I had become. Honestly, these two could always get under my skin when they wanted to. But right now, I was too happy to care. Aditi's presence had that effect on me—everything else seemed insignificant when she was around.

"Chalo, meeting ke liye chalein?" I said, getting up from my chair. Raghav and Sahil stood up too, but not without more grins thrown my way. I knew they wouldn't let this go so easily.

Raghav leaned in as we walked out of the cabin, his voice dripping with fake sincerity, "Waise bhai, agar aapko thoda zyada waqt chahiye tha un marks ko thoda aur permanent banane ke liye, toh bol dete. Hum yeh meeting khatam karke tum dono ko akela chhod dete."

I rolled my eyes, smacking him lightly on the back of his head. "Shut up, idiot. Chup chaap meeting pe focus kar."

The meeting itself went smoothly. We went over the necessary details, spoke with the clients, and laid out the plan for the upcoming project. But even as I sat there, discussing business strategies and making decisions, my mind kept drifting back to Aditi—back in my office, probably engrossed in her work or maybe looking around my office, knowing her.

After about an hour, the meeting finally wrapped up. As soon as we were done, Raghav stretched out, rolling his neck like he had just completed some strenuous workout. "Finally, yaar! Ab party time?"

Sahil grinned, his energy immediately lifting at the mention of a party. "Haan bhai, ab time hai chill karne ka."

 The party was about to begin, and I couldn't wait to head back to my office to check on Aditi. I wondered if she had finished the work she was supposed to do, or if she'd decided to explore a bit. Maybe she'd gotten comfortable in my office and made herself at home. The thought of her being there, in my space, brought a warmth to my chest.

As I walked into my office, I was met with a sight that made me stop in my tracks.

Aditi was fast asleep.

She was curled up in my chair, her legs tucked beneath her, her head resting gently against the backrest. Her breathing was soft and steady, her body relaxed in a way that made her look almost delicate. She looked so peaceful, so completely at ease, and for a moment, I just stood there, taking in the sight of her.

It was like she belonged there. In my office, in my space, in my life.

A smile tugged at my lips as I walked over to her, crouching down beside the chair. I could feel my heart swelling as I watched her, resisting the urge to brush the hair from her face. The last thing I wanted to do was disturb her, but we had a party to get to.

Just as I was about to wake her, my phone buzzed in my pocket. I fished it out and saw Raghav's name flashing on the screen. I sighed and answered it.

"Arre bhai, kaha ho?" Raghav's voice came through the phone, loud and teasing. "Bhabhi ji ko lekar aa na! Jaldi! Itni der nahi lagti."

I groaned, hanging up before he could continue with his nonsense. These two would never let me live this down. But honestly, I didn't care. They could tease me all they wanted; nothing could ruin the way I felt right now.

Turning back to Aditi, I reached out and gently touched her arm. "Aditi," I whispered softly. "Frosty, wake up."

She stirred slightly, her brow furrowing, but she didn't wake up fully. I smiled at how adorable she looked, completely lost in her sleep.

"Aditi," I whispered again, my fingers lightly brushing against her cheek. "Come on, sleepyhead. We have a party to go to."

Her eyes fluttered open slowly, blinking up at me in confusion. It took her a moment to realize where she was, and when she did, she straightened up, looking slightly embarrassed. "Oh my God, did I fall asleep?"

I chuckled, standing up and offering her my hand to help her out of the chair. "Yeah, but don't worry. You looked cute."

She gave me a sleepy smile as I helped her stand. "I didn't mean to. I must've been more tired than I thought."

"It's okay," I said, brushing a stray strand of hair behind her ear. "But now we've got a party to attend."