My Sunshine ✨️

Part - 52

The next morning, everyone gathered in the garden, enjoying a cup of chai. Priyanka, Ansh, and Nidhi were playfully sipping milk, making cute faces that elicited chuckles from the elders.

"Pri, don’t make those weird faces, Be a good girl and drink your milk. Just look at Ansh and Nidhi and learn something from them " Sid teased Priyanka, encouraging the younger ones.

Ansh and Nidhi giggled at Priyanka's exaggerated expression, then quickly downed their milk in one go, proudly demonstrating their good behavior. Priyanka shot them a mock glare, pretending to be angry, but couldn’t help smiling at their antics.

As Ansh and Nidhi stuck out their tongues at her and dashed off to play in the garden.

Just then, they spotted Ankit's car entering the driveway. Everyone was taken aback by his disheveled appearance, his hair was unkempt, his face was pale, and his clothes were sweaty and rumpled. He looked like a broken mess. Priyanka's heart sank as she regarded him with concern.

"Ankit beta, what have you done to yourself? You look exhausted," Priyanka's mother asked, her voice filled with worry.

Ankit met Priyanka’s gaze for a brief moment before quickly looking away. "I’ll freshen up and come," he muttered, leaving the gathering before anyone could say anything further. Priyanka felt his reluctance to meet her eyes, and it troubled her.

Confused, Pri looked around, her gaze finally landing on Sid, who sat with a stern expression. She narrowed her eyes at him, prompting him to roll his eyes in response. In that moment, Priyanka understood that something significant must have happened, and it was likely related to Ankit. She sighed heavily and gulped down the remaining milk in her glass.

During breakfast, Ankit remained unusually quiet, too quiet. He didn’t glance at anyone as he picked at his food, barely touching his breakfast before announcing he had an important meeting at the office.

Priyanka's worry for Ankit deepened. She knew he must be feeling shattered and likely blaming himself for whatever had occurred. That was why she had been so adamant about keeping him in the dark regarding the accident, not allowing Arjun to tell him anything.

All day, Priyanka couldn’t shake off the image of Ankit’s fallen face. His disheveled appearance and the exhaustion in his eyes weighed heavily on her mind, filling her with a sense of unease. She felt a growing pit of worry in her stomach, unable to concentrate on anything else.

Meanwhile, Ankit was equally troubled at work. The echoes of Sid’s earlier words reverberated in his mind, leaving him feeling restless and suffocated. Every time he tried to focus, thoughts of the situation overwhelmed him, making it impossible to concentrate on his tasks. He even forgot to take a break for lunch, losing track of time as he sat at his desk in a daze.

As the hours dragged on, Ankit remained in the office long after everyone else had left, staring blankly at his computer screen. The weight of his emotions felt too heavy to bear, and he couldn't bring himself to leave. Finally, he sent a quick text to Arjun, letting him know he would be late to avoid worrying anyone.

In Priyanka’s room, she was narrating a story to Ansh and Nidhi, who were listening with heavy eyelids, struggling to stay awake. Pri realized they had both fallen asleep when she heard their soft snores filling the quiet space. She gently pecked their foreheads, a tender smile on her face, and settled into a comfortable spot to scroll through her phone, waiting for Ankit to return.

Priyanka was certain that Ankit would come to see Ansh as soon as he got back from the office. As the minutes turned into hours, she felt a wave of exhaustion wash over her and eventually closed her eyes, succumbing to sleep in her seated position.