THE IInd DECISION

43. Laxmi?

Ayan Pov:-

I woke up to the sight of her sleeping form curled up , peaceful and calm, like a little panda lost in deep slumber. Smiling to myself, I slipped out of bed, freshened up, and took a call with my secretary. Finally, we'd managed to track down our enemy—surprisingly close, though we still needed confirmation. After finishing up the meeting, I returned home, a strange excitement building at the thought of seeing her again.

There she was, wrapped up in a duvet, sitting on the bed with her phone in hand. Her hair was a mess, framing her face in a way that made her look even more endearing. The second she noticed me, she looked up, startled, quickly tucking her phone away.

"Good morning, love," I said softly, letting my gaze linger.

She cleared her throat, a little flustered. "Morning."

"You were fast asleep last night, so I brought you here," I explained, my tone a little gentler than usual. She nodded, her cheeks slightly pink.

"I, uh, need to freshen up..." she said, glancing towards the bathroom.

I pointed her toward it, chuckling. "Yeah, go ahead."

As she walked away, a strange, almost awkward tension hung between us, like some invisible pull I couldn't quite explain. I shook my head, wondering if I'd really gone a little crazy over her.

Just as I was about to leave the room, I heard a sharp, "Ouch!" from the bathroom.

I rushed over, stopping just outside the door, my heart pounding. "Are you alright?" I called out, trying to keep my voice calm.

"Yeah, um... I just slipped," she replied, a hint of embarrassment in her tone. "I think I might have sprained my leg and hand."

I hesitated, a smirk tugging at my lips as I scratched my head. "Should I come inside? ...Are you, um... wearing clothes?"

She called out, "Yes," and I opened the door, unable to hold back a chuckle at the sight. She was sitting on the floor with her hands resting on her waist, her hair adorably messy.

"Stop laughing," she grumbled.

"Yeah, yeah," I said, quickly moving to lift her up. I scooped her into my arms as her hands instinctively wrapped around my neck, and I carried her back to the bed, setting her down gently. "Show me where it hurts," I asked, my voice softer now.

She extended her leg, revealing a slightly red area. I couldn't help but smile. "You're such a child, Ashi," I teased, moving to the drawer to grab some ointment.

"Yeah? And what does that make you? An oldie? tell me !!" she shot back, smirking.

I rolled my eyes with a smile. "Apke aage ab koi kuch bol sakta h kya ?," I muttered, bending down to apply the ointment. But as I reached out, she pulled her leg back, her expression suddenly serious.

["Can anyone say anything in front of you?"]

"You shouldn't touch my legs," she whispered, "It's... bad luck."

"Ashi," I said, my voice firm yet soft, "I don't believe in that kind of superstition. You and I? We're equals in every way. You're not just someone I care for—you're the light in my life, my strength, my reason to come home every day."

She looked down, as if unsure, her fingers fidgeting in her lap, and I couldn't let her doubt her place for even a second.

Gently, I reached out, lifting her chin so she'd look at me, her eyes reflecting both surprise and warmth. "You're not some delicate thing I have to keep hidden away. You're my partner, my equal. And more than anything, you're the Lakshmi of this home—the heartbeat of this place. Without you, everything here feels empty."