Anaya-His heartbeat

Chapter-40

SHIVARTH

I pushed the door open quietly, leaning against the frame as I watched her, completely engrossed in her phone. She was sitting cross-legged on the bed, hair tied in a loose bun, wearing one of those oversized T-shirts she’d claimed from my wardrobe. She looked adorable, even in her tired state. After all, she’d gone all out cooking dinner tonight.

Clearing my throat, I stepped inside. “Mrs. Oberoi, don’t you think you’ve had enough screen time for the day?”

Her head snapped up, and she rolled her eyes when she saw me. “Mr. Oberoi, don’t you think you’ve had enough time today to annoy me already?”

I smirked, stepping closer. “Touché. But I’m not here to annoy you this time. I have a surprise.”

She narrowed her eyes suspiciously, putting her phone aside. “Surprise? From you? Should I be worried?”

“Depends,” I said with a shrug, keeping the ice cream tub hidden behind my back.

Her curiosity was piqued now, and she got off the bed, folding her arms. “What is it? Stop being dramatic, Shivarth.”

“Oh, I’m dramatic?” I asked, raising an eyebrow. “Coming from the person who cried over chopping onions an hour ago.”

“Excuse me, I didn’t cry! It was the onions!” she protested, glaring at me.

I chuckled, enjoying how flustered she looked. “Whatever helps you sleep at night, Mrs. Oberoi.”

Her glare intensified, but before she could retort, I pulled the ice cream tub out from behind my back.

Her reaction was immediate. “Ice cream!” she squealed, her entire face lighting up.

She practically snatched it from my hands and hugged it to her chest like a treasure, bouncing on her toes with excitement. “You got me my favorite!”

I leaned against the wall, watching her hop around the room like a kid who’d just won a prize. “You’re easy to please,” I teased, shaking my head. “It’s just ice cream.”

She paused mid-hop, pointing the spoon at me. “Just ice cream? This is happiness in a tub, Mr. Grumpy. Learn to appreciate the finer things in life.”

I laughed softly, unable to take my eyes off her. Her excitement was so infectious, so pure. She was like a little ball of sunshine, lighting up even the dullest corners of my life.

“You’re such a minion,” I said, shaking my head fondly.

“Minions are cute,” she shot back, already digging into the ice cream.

And as I watched her, savoring her dessert like it was the best thing in the world, I realized something—I could watch this 5’3 ball of chaos forever and still find her fascinating.

I leaned against the wall, watching her savor her ice cream like it was the most precious thing in the world. Every spoonful she took was accompanied by a little hum of delight. I couldn’t help but smirk at how cute she looked.

“Hey,” I said casually, crossing my arms. “Aren’t you going to share?”

She froze mid-scoop and turned to me, her eyebrows shooting up. “Share? My ice cream? Are you out of your mind, Mr. Oberoi?”

I raised an eyebrow, stepping closer. “I got it for you. The least you can do is let me have one bite.”

She hugged the tub protectively, pouting like a kid. “No way. It’s mine. Go get your own.”

“Anaya…” I warned, trying to keep a straight face.

She huffed dramatically, turning her back to me like I wasn’t there. “You can’t just waltz in and demand my ice cream. That’s not how it works.”