His Lavender forever

chapter 13

As they slept peacefully in each other's embrace, morning came all too soon. Abhimaan's eyes fluttered open, and he glanced to his side, catching sight of his beautiful wife. Sanaya was sleeping soundly, her lips pursed in a soft pout. He was tempted to lean in and kiss her, but he resisted the urge, choosing instead to admire her, taking in every delicate feature of her face.

Sanaya was in a deep sleep, lost in a dream where Abhimaan was intimately touching her. As soon as the realization struck, she opened her eyes abruptly, unsure if it was real or not. Her cheeks warmed as she felt the lingering effects of her dream, which left her feeling slightly embarrassed. After a moment, she turned to the other side to see if Abhimaan was still sleeping, only to hear the water running in the bathroom. “Oh, he’s in the shower,” she mumbled, her thoughts drifting back to her dream. She felt her cheeks blush and mentally scolded herself for thinking such “unholy things.”

Moments later, Abhimaan emerged from the bathroom, a towel wrapped around his waist, and water droplets trailing from his hair down to his chest and abs, disappearing beneath his towel. He noticed her watching him and smirked. “Like what you see?” he asked in a deep, teasing voice.

Sanaya’s face turned a deep shade of red, and she quickly looked down, stammering, “I-I wasn’t looking at you.”

His smirk widened. “No? You weren’t just looking, you were staring.”

Flustered, she stood up abruptly. “I… I need to use the bathroom,” she managed, rushing past him and into the bathroom, escaping his intense gaze. Behind her, Abhimaan chuckled at her reaction, but then, as he settled down, his laughter faded, a quiet reflection softening his expression. *I don’t know what you’re doing to me, Sanaya,* he thought. *I haven’t laughed in years, and now you’re bringing hope back to my heart. But I can’t let it break again. I’ll fulfill my responsibility to you until we can part ways, but I’m afraid… afraid that my heart is starting to feel something for you. And that you’ll leave me… just like she did.*

After getting dressed in a black business suit, Abhimaan headed down to the dining room. As always, everyone was seated, chatting and laughing—until they noticed him. His presence commanded silence, and they all returned to their food, not daring to break the quiet. Abhimaan took his seat at the head of the table. A few minutes later, Sanaya joined them, sitting in her designated seat beside him.

“Lavender, your interview is scheduled for tomorrow,” Abhimaan said to Sanaya, addressing her with his affectionate nickname. “I hope you’ll prepare well.”

“Yes, I will. Thank you,” she replied softly, casting him a shy glance.

She wanted to ask something but was too nervous to speak up. Finally, after a deep breath, she addressed the family. “Maa, Papa… Abhimaan. I wanted to request something from all of you.”

Her father-in-law smiled warmly. “Don’t think of it as a request, bacha. Just tell us. You’re like our daughter, just as much as Pihu.”

Sanaya looked at Abhimaan, who gave her a slight nod, silently encouraging her. She continued, “As you know, it was my sister who was meant to marry Abhimaan, but… things happened differently, and I married him. I’d prefer not to mention that I’m his wife at the office.”

Rukhmani, her mother-in-law, nodded kindly. “That’s perfectly fine, beta. It’s your choice.”

Her father-in-law also agreed. “Whatever makes you comfortable, Sanaya.”

Relieved, she smiled. “Thank you.”

Viraj, her playful brother-in-law, chimed in, “So, Bhabhi, you’re really joining the office?”