Infinite Times

26.

SHRUTI

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I walked towards my husband, who was sitting on the bed with his laptop on his lap. His legs were stretched out, and he typed smoothly on the keyboard, completely focused on his work. He looked so handsome, especially with those glasses on his face.

I couldn’t help but admire him; how could someone be this attractive without even trying? Unlike me, he had clear skin with no acne marks, while I struggled with breakouts every month.

He hadn’t noticed me yet, and I considered leaving him alone. But I really wanted to talk to him. So, I stood right in front of him, blocking his view.

When he finally looked up, his gaze felt intense. I suddenly felt nervous under his steady stare, so I coughed and averted my eyes, trying to find something else to focus on.

After a moment, he placed his laptop on the side table and sat cross-legged, looking at me with curiosity. “Hmm,” he said, his only response.

I stifled an eye roll. He really had a limited vocabulary sometimes. “Do you not like poha?” I asked, hoping to spark a conversation.

He stared at me for a moment, then shook his head. I was surprised. “Then why did you eat it? You could have said no, and I would have made you eat something else.”

I sat beside him, feeling a bit frustrated. He stretched his arms behind him, looking relaxed and playful.

"Because it was you who was feeding me"

I stared at him puzzled. It was as if he didn’t care what he ate as long as it came from me. Agar me poison de deti tab bhi kha lete kya ye .

“Yes,” he replied simply.

My eyes widened in shock. Did I just say that too loudly? I quickly closed my eyes, feeling embarrassed, and looked down to calm myself.

Then, I heard him chuckle—a soft, low sound that sent a warm feeling through me. Why did I find that so charming?

I realized that I was developing a strange obsession with him, and it made me feel a bit crazy. I couldn’t help it; everything he did, even something as simple as eating or laughing, seemed to draw me closer to him.

I took a deep breath, reminding myself to stay calm. My cheeks and neck felt warm from the embarrassment I was trying to hide. I decided it was best to leave the room before my husband noticed how flustered I was.

"Wait, Shruti," he called after me.

I paused but didn't turn around. I could hear him moving closer, but I didn't want to look back. I could sense his presence behind me, and then, suddenly, he was right there. He gently turned me around and knelt down, holding something in his hands.

He hooked a gold waistband around my waist. I looked to my side and saw the beautiful piece of jewelry. It was thick, adorned with lovely small heart patterns, and at the end, two letters dangled: A and S. It was so stunning.

Feeling excited, I quickly ran to the floor-to-ceiling mirror in the room. I gazed at myself and then at my waist, where the waistband sat perfectly.

It was beautiful, and I couldn't stop smiling. My cheeks hurt from grinning so widely.

As I admired myself, I saw him walking towards me. He placed his hands on my shoulders from behind and looked at me through the mirror. I felt his warmth close to my back, almost like a protective embrace.