As the pooja continued, Meher's soft smile lingered in the air, and Vikram, despite himself, couldn't help but notice. It was the first time he had ever seen her smile, and something about it tugged at him. His eyes lingered on her for a moment longer than they should have, before he snapped himself out of it, quickly diverting his gaze.
"What the hell was that..." he muttered under his breath, frustration boiling inside him. He couldn't afford to be distracted, not by her.
After the pooja, everyone gathered in the living area, the atmosphere warm and festive. Yug, still buzzing with excitement, couldn't stop talking.
"Bhabhi, you have to give me some business tips! I need to learn from the best!" he said, his tone light and playful.
Meher, still trying to process the sudden attention from Yug, chuckled softly, feeling a bit more at ease. "We'll see," she replied with a small smirk.
But while the others were engaged in conversation, Vikram remained distant, his gaze occasionally flicking over to Meher. There was something about her today that was unsettling him in ways he couldn't understand.
Just as things seemed to settle, Vikram's voice cut through the chatter, cold and sharp, "Yug,stop calling her bhabhi she is not your bhabhi she is just here for aarvi."
The tension in the room thickened instantly. Meher's smile vanished, and her eyes shot to Vikram, narrowing in anger. "I don't need you to remind me of my place," she spat, her voice low but dangerous.
Yug, caught off guard, looked between the two, sensing the crackling tension. "Uh...did I miss something?" he asked cautiously.
"Nothing, I'm going to the office," Meher said curtly, her voice devoid of emotion as she grabbed her bag and turned on her heels. Without waiting for a response, she marched out of the house, leaving behind the tense air and Vikram's burning gaze.
As she left, Vikram's eyes followed her retreating figure, his fists still clenched. There was something about the way she dismissed everything—him, the situation—that ignited his frustration even more. How could she act so unaffected?
Dadi-sa, who had witnessed the whole exchange, sighed deeply, stepping closer to Vikram.
"Beta, ye jo gusse se bhari batein tum dono ke beech hain, kisi din kisi ek ko bohot chot pohchayengi." ("Son, this anger-filled exchange between you two will end up hurting someone deeply one day.") She shook her head gently before turning away.
Meanwhile, Meher, driving towards the office, took a deep breath, trying to calm her racing heart. The encounter with Vikram had left her more shaken than she was willing to admit.
But she couldn't let him get to her, not now, not ever. Her life, her priorities, were clear: Aarvi and her work. Everything else was secondary, including Vikram's constant criticism.
She reached the office, trying to bury her emotions beneath the facade of work. But no matter how hard she tried, Vikram's words lingered, gnawing at her resolve.
As she walked into her office, her phone buzzed. It was a message from an unknown number.
"Tick, tick, tick... found you."
Meher froze, her breath catching in her throat as she stared at the screen. The words sent a chill down her spine. She quickly locked her phone, her heart pounding in her chest.
"No," she whispered to herself, trying to shake off the unease. "This can't be happening."
YOU ARE READING
Bound by a Promise
General Fiction"Bound by Promise" is a story of betrayal, resentment, and an unexpected bond. Vikram Singh Rathore, a successful businessman, is trapped in a marriage of convenience with Meher, the best friend of his late wife. Blaming her and their daughter, Aarv...
