𝐂𝐇𝐇𝐀𝐕𝐈: 𝐇𝐢𝐬 𝐅𝐨𝐫𝐛𝐢𝐝𝐝𝐞𝐧 𝐋𝐨𝐯𝐞| 𝟏𝟖+ [Extended Ver.]

𝟖. 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐓𝐀𝐋𝐊

Happy Birthday, Mistu! This chapter is decidated to you! Enjoy your day, sweetheart!

CHHAV'S POV

"Welcome home, Miss Rosy."

My heart leaped into my throat as I spun around and saw Drishye standing behind me with a gentle smile spread on his face. He was holding a bowl in his hands. The soft glow of the diyas twinkled his grey eyes like stars on a winter night by the burning firewoods.

Noticing my alarmed condition, his eyes softened and his smile faltered. In a concern- filled voice, he asked.

"Ma'am, are you okay?"

"Yeah yeah..."

I exhaled shakily as my hands instinctively travelled to my chest, pressing it down in an attempt to calm the eerie heartbeats.

"I was trying to welcome you, ma'am..."

He said with a tinge of worry in his voice.

"Yeah yeah...I understood."

I replied waving off my hand dismissively, though the shock that jolted through me a few seconds ago lingered.

As the adrenaline coursing through my veins began to settle, I managed a weak smile.

Drishye stepped closer, leaving only a thin space between us and in a deep, serious tone, he whispered.

"I made besan ka halwa, ma'am...Do you still love it?"

His words struck me like a current, rooting me to the spot sending chilled shivers through my veins all the way to my scalp, pulling memories from the depths of my mind.

Those days...back in college...him and I...

I watched the twinkle in his eyes, almost as if I could witness a reflection of our past selves in them for a fleeting second.

The time froze around us and I didn't want to look away from his eyes. It felt as though those pair of deep husky eyes wanted to express more than anything Drishye had to say in the present. They carried everything- past, present, future. I didn't want to break free of the spell they're casting on me. The spell made me want to unblur the blurred emotions inside me, to uncover those hidden feelings and desires I never knew I harbored. It was startling, raw and overwhelming. But what caught me off guard even more was that he wasn't trying to break the moment either. His gaze mirrored the intensity of mine, pulling me deeper into an abyss I wasn't sure I wanted to escape.

I noticed my lips had gone dry, the air between us charged with something very sinister and forbidden.

We were so close, less than an inch apart. If either of us leaned forward, even just slightly, we'd close the gap that had always been there with a sinful kiss. The only thing separating us was the bowl of halwa between his hands.

Reality crept in gnawing at me like a mockery of my state. I forced myself to pull away from the trance, blinking away a single drop of tear from my left eye.

"Do you want to talk about your husband?"

He asked nonchalantly, walking away towards the teak table to place the dish at its centre. As if the air between us didn't stir into a silent turbulence just a moment ago.

I watched his back, the muscles tensing subtly under his shirt as he went on to arrange the plates.

He didn't question the tear that had traced down my cheek or acknowledge the fired moment we'd just shared. Heat was creeping up my neck, my ears burnt as if I'd been caught in a wildfire.