Sweetest Sin

🔄His First Surrender to Her💼

Eesha's POV.

I was just starting to relax slightly, the warmth of the family conversation washing over me, when Maa's voice cut through my thoughts.

"Dev beta, I hope you won't be staying late at the office today." Her tone was gentle but firm. "Your wife will be waiting at home."

My spoon clattered against the plate before I could catch it, and I felt heat rush to my cheeks. Waiting at home? For him? The thought made my heart do a peculiar little dance that I firmly told myself was just anxiety. I peeked up through my lashes, only to find Dev's intense gaze already fixed on me, his expression unreadable as always.

"I have meetings scheduled until eight," he replied, his voice carrying that familiar edge. 

His eyes hadn't left my face, and I found myself wondering if he could somehow read the jumbled thoughts racing through my mind.

"Reschedule them," Maa said simply. "Some things are more important than business, Dev."

I wanted to sink into the floor. Or maybe hide behind my pallu. Anything to escape the weight of his stare that seemed to pin me in place. What does one even do, waiting for a husband to come home? Especially a husband who looks at you like you're a particularly puzzling business proposal?

"I..." I started to say something - though what, I had no idea - but Dev's sharp glance made the words die in my throat.

"My wife," he said, emphasizing the word in a way that made my stomach flutter, "understands the demands of my position. Don't you, Mrs. Rajwansh?"

The question hung in the air like a challenge. I nodded quickly, then remembered his earlier warnings about proper behavior. "Of course, Sir," I managed, proud that my voice barely trembled. "Business should come first."

"See?" Dev turned back to his mother with a satisfied smirk. "She's already learning."

"That's exactly what worries me," Dadi muttered, shooting me a sympathetic glance.

I focused intently on my plate, pushing the food around while my mind wandered treacherously. Would he really come home early? What would we even talk about? So far, our longest conversation had been about fixing my saree, and that memory alone made me blush harder.

"Actually," Dev's voice startled me from my thoughts, "perhaps some schedule adjustments could be made."

My head snapped up so fast I nearly hurt my neck. Was the great Dev Singh Rajwansh actually considering...?

"Don't look so surprised, Princess," he drawled, rising from his chair with fluid grace. "Even I can be... accommodating when it serves a purpose."

A purpose? What purpose? I wanted to ask, but years of good manners held my tongue. Still, something in his tone made me shiver slightly.

He adjusted his cuffs - a habit I was beginning to recognize as a power move - and fixed me with that intense stare again. "Seven o'clock," he stated, like he was announcing a business deadline. "I trust you can manage to stay out of trouble until then?"

"I'm not a child," I protested softly, then immediately regretted speaking as his eyebrow arched dangerously.

"No," he agreed, his voice dropping lower. "You're most definitely not that." Something in his tone made my pulse jump.

"Bhaiya," Karan coughed dramatically. "You'll be late for your meeting if you keep staring at Bhabhi like that."

I nearly choked on my water, but Dev merely straightened his jacket with deadly precision. "Indeed. Princess, try not to rearrange my entire house in my absence. Malhotra's... organizational skills leave much to be desired."