UNWILLINGLY HIS

Unexpected emotions

Advait walked into the house with his usual quiet confidence. The moment he stepped into the foyer, his eyes quickly scanned the room. Not seeing Samaira, his gaze hardened, and he moved toward the hallway.

“Where is she?” His voice was calm but sharp, betraying his impatience.

Naksh was about to answer when Samaira’s father, with a reassuring smile, placed a hand on Naksh’s shoulder. He turned to Advait and said, “She’s in her room.”

Advait didn’t respond, but without another word, he headed down the hallway. He knew exactly where she would be, and nothing would stop him from seeing her.

When he reached Samaira’s room, he didn’t knock. He simply opened the door and stepped inside. The atmosphere in the room shifted immediately. Samaira, Aahana, and Anay were laughing, but as soon as Samaira saw Advait, her smile faltered, and the room fell silent.

There was a brief moment of awkwardness before Samaira finally spoke, trying to keep her composure. “You were supposed to come tomorrow, right?”

Advait didn’t answer her question immediately. Instead, his gaze swept over her face, noticing the slight redness around her eyes. His expression softened for a fraction of a second before he stepped closer.

“Have you been crying?” His voice was gentle but filled with concern.

Samaira froze, caught off guard by the question. “It’s nothing,” she replied quickly, brushing it off. “Just a misunderstanding. It’s all fine now.”

Advait’s eyes didn’t leave her face. He could tell she was trying to hide something. Then his gaze shifted to her phone on the table, still vibrating slightly from missed calls.

“Why was your phone on silent?” he asked, his voice steady, but the edge of worry was unmistakable. “I’ve been trying to reach you, Samaira. Why weren’t you answering?”

Samaira looked at her phone and then at Advait, realizing that she’d left it on silent unintentionally. “I didn’t hear it,” she said softly, trying to sound nonchalant. “It was on silent. That’s all.”

Advait didn’t seem convinced. He studied her for a moment, as if trying to figure out what she wasn’t telling him. After a moment of silence, he spoke again, his tone gentler now.

“I was worried about you,” he said quietly. “You weren’t answering your calls. I thought something might have happened to you. I had to come.”

Samaira’s heart skipped a beat. She hadn’t expected him to admit he was worried. There was something about his words that struck her, but she quickly shook it off.

“I’m fine,” she said, offering a weak smile. “It’s really nothing.”

But Advait wasn’t letting it go. He stepped closer, his eyes not leaving hers.

“Did you find anything about that mysterious caller?” he asked, his voice low, with an intensity that made Samaira’s stomach tighten. “ Who is it?”

Samaira hesitated. She had expected this moment, but hearing him ask so directly made her uneasy. The mysterious caller—Anay—was someone she couldn’t explain, not to Advait, and not now.

“Let the mysterious caller stay mysterious,” she said, her voice light but firm. “If you really want an answer, maybe you should start unraveling your own mysteries first.”

Advait’s expression hardened for a moment. He was frustrated, but he didn’t push it. He had learned over the years that Samaira wasn’t going to give in easily.

“I’m not here to argue,” he said, his tone now firm. “But I need you to be ready tomorrow. At 9 AM. We’re leaving together. You’re coming back with me.”