Anaya-His heartbeat

CHAPTER-37

ANAYA

As we left the village, I settled into the backseat, feeling a mix of emotions. It had been such a beautiful few days, but as we hit the road, I noticed Shivarth's phone kept buzzing nonstop. He answered every call, his tone serious, his attention divided between the road and the people on the other end of the line. The constant interruptions started to wear on me. After all, we'd barely had any time alone, and now, even this quiet drive was being overtaken by his work.

Finally, after his fifth or sixth call, I couldn't hold back anymore."Shivarth," I said, trying to keep my tone light but firm, "do you think you could maybe...stop with the calls for a while?"He looked at me, momentarily startled, and then chuckled, surrendering with a raised hand. "Alright, alright, I surrender," he said, slipping his phone into his pocket. "For you, I'll make this a 'no-call zone'—at least until we reach home."I smiled, feeling a little victory in my chest. But before I could say anything, Samaira chimed in from the front seat, her voice laced with amusement. "Aha, look at that! Anaya's already got Shivarth wrapped around her finger."Ayaan, sitting beside her, laughed and looked back at me. "I'm impressed, bhabhi," he teased. "Nobody's managed to make him put down his phone like that before."I felt my cheeks warm, but I tried to play it off with a shrug. "Well, I just thought he could be a little less of a workaholic, at least on the way home," I said, glancing at Shivarth. He only smiled, clearly entertained by his siblings' teasing."Ayaan, I'm taking notes!" Samaira said with a grin. "If he can listen to bhabhi, maybe he'll actually listen to us one of these days.""Oh please," Shivarth rolled his eyes, but he was laughing. "Don't get your hopes up. This is a one-time event."The rest of the ride was filled with their playful banter. I found myself relaxing, enjoying this lighthearted side of Shivarth and his family. With each passing minute, it felt less like I was a guest, and more like I was becoming part of something special.When we finally arrived at the house, Shivarth turned to me with a look that piqued my curiosity. "Come with me," he said, leading me down the hallway, past his bedroom, until we stopped at a door beside his wardrobe.As Shivarth guided me into the room, I couldn't believe my eyes. It wasn't just a wardrobe; it was like a personal sanctuary, designed with such thought and care that I couldn't help but feel overwhelmed. Each shelf, each hook, each mirrored surface felt like it was placed with me in mind. It was more than I ever expected, and I could barely hold back the tears of gratitude welling up in my eyes.I turned to him, my voice shaky but full of sincerity. "Shivarth... I... I don't even know what to say. This is beautiful. You really didn't have to go through so much trouble."He smiled, a little embarrassed but looking pleased with himself. "Anaya, you're my wife," he said, his voice soft yet resolute. "I want you to have a place here, something that's completely yours. So, consider this my gift. And believe me, it wasn't any trouble at all."I reached up, wiping the tears from my cheeks, and tried to laugh, though it came out a bit choked. "You're making it really hard for me not to cry, you know.""Hey, no tears allowed," he teased, gently brushing his thumb across my cheek. "Especially not for something as simple as a wardrobe. Though I have to say, this reaction is kind of nice.""Kind of nice?" I repeated, playfully narrowing my eyes at him. "You have no idea, do you? This is—" I glanced around, still amazed. "This is one of the most thoughtful things anyone has ever done for me."He shrugged, trying to look nonchalant, but I caught the hint of pride in his smile. "I just want you to feel like you belong here, Anaya. And besides," he added, his tone turning light, "how else am I going to keep you from filling my closet with all your clothes?"I laughed, grateful that he'd made it easier to brush away the tears. "Oh, so that's the real reason? To save your precious closet space?" I teased back, nudging his arm."Maybe," he replied, smirking. "But honestly, I wanted you to feel at home. To know that you're not just a guest here; this is your place too."A warmth spread through me, and I couldn't stop the smile that stretched across my face. "Thank you, Shivarth. Truly. I... I feel really lucky." I paused, feeling a little vulnerable but wanting him to understand how much this meant to me. "I didn't think I'd ever feel this way. I thought marriage would just be... formalities. But this... this is something else."He looked down, his expression softening. "Well, let me make it clear," he said, taking both my hands in his. "I'm not interested in just formalities. I want to make this a home for you, as much as it is for me. And this room? This is only the beginning."I felt my heart do a strange, warm flip. This man, who'd seemed so cold and distant, had just given me the most thoughtful gift I could imagine. I reached up impulsively and hugged him, wrapping my arms around his neck as I whispered, "Thank you. Thank you so much."He chuckled, surprised but pleased, and returned the hug, his arms wrapping around me in a way that felt safe, steady, and warm. "You're welcome, Mrs. Oberoi," he murmured.We stayed like that for a moment, wrapped up in each other, a rare and beautiful sense of closeness settling between us. Finally, he pulled back slightly, his smile mischievous. "But don't think this is the end of it. There are more surprises in store.""Oh?" I raised an eyebrow, feigning suspicion. "Should I be worried?"He grinned. "Only if you don't like being spoiled. Because I fully intend to keep doing that."I laughed, feeling happier and more grateful than I could put into words. "In that case," I said, standing on my tiptoes , "spoil away, Mr. Oberoi. I think I could get used to this."