His Brown Bride

44

"I have to leave for a meeting," Akash mumbled while checking his phone with a frown. "We'll talk later, okay? On the phone, because I doubt we'll get to see each other again today." He looked at her for a moment, and she simply nodded.

"Also, your father will still be arrested today, along with his associates. I'll have your phone sent to you with one of the staff members," he added.

She nodded again.

He pushed his chair back, rising in one smooth motion.

He adjusted his suit, gave her one last endless look, and then walked out, leaving the door clicking shut behind him.

The interview had also ended, and the room was now filled with the muffled sounds of the reporters packing up their gear—camera bags being zipped, tripods collapsing, and quiet conversations buzzing in the background.

Muhammad approached her with an easy smile, holding out his hand. "Muhammad, from Mewat too. I studied in Banaras before coming to Mumbai, and now, here I am, working." he said energetically, his eyes crinkling as he spoke.

"That's great," she replied, her smile polite but restrained while not attempting to shake his hand.

Noticing her hesitation, he cleared his throat, and his expression softened. "Not open to making friends?" he asked, giving a little chuckle to ease the tension. "I'd like to get to know you more—if you're open to it, of course. I promise I'm not half as serious as I seem right now."

She stared up, giving him a measured look.

"Your colleagues are leaving, Muhammad," she said in a gentle yet firm tone, with a subtle nod toward the door where his team were exiting.

One of her staff stepped in quietly with her phone in his hand. "Sir sent this," he murmured, passing it to her before walking back out.

Muhammad on the other hand stayed rooted, his expression unchanged, until the staff member was out of sight.

Then, with a slight tilt of his head, he broke the silence. "Just friendship," he said softly. "Why won't you accept it?"

She met his gaze, finding herself caught off guard in his dark eyes for a second.

She inhaled, exhaled, then finally relented, letting her shoulders relax a bit. "Alright," she said with a faint smile, brushing a loose strand of hair behind her ear. "But for now, I have work to do. And I'm sure you do too."

His face broke into a grin, his dimples deepening, adding an almost boyish charm to his face.

He nodded, his enthusiasm brightening the space between them. "I'll be here tomorrow to check out that 'mystic' coffee of yours," he teased. "No camera. Promise."

She laughed softly, nodding. "You're welcome to."

He quickly scrawled his number on a notepad and slid it toward her. "Whenever you need me, just a call away. I'll probably drop by tomorrow evening, too—maybe we could have dinner?"

She glanced down at the number, her fingers gliding the paper, and offered a small, appreciative smile. "We'll see," she replied in a kind tone however, still leaving enough room to keep things in perspective.

He gave her a final, long look, his smile still in place, before he nodded and made his way to the door.

She watched him go, and after the meeting room became empty, she released a quiet sigh, the tiredness of the day settling over her shoulders.

She leaned back in her chair, glancing at the notepad in front of her, where his number was staring back.

A small smile tugged at her lips and she reached for her phone, tucking it away for later.