Blessing in Disguise

Chapter 130: Koala

As they stepped into the living room, Seher's voice rang out, warm and cheerful, filling the space with an undeniable sense of welcome. "Mahi! Idhar aao, bacche!" (Come here, baby!) Her tone carried the kind of joy that only a mother could exude, a soft lilt that seemed to wrap around the room like a blanket. "Mahi," she called again, this time raising her voice slightly, her head turning toward the hallway with a knowing smile.

A moment of quiet passed, followed by the sound of hurried footsteps—heavy and quick. The distinct echo of boots on the hardwood floor signaled the approach of someone with purpose. Then, a figure appeared at the edge of the living room, stepping into view. He was tall, and rugged in appearance, with an effortlessly charming smile that made his presence impossible to ignore. His tousled hair fell carelessly around his face, and his casual attire—wearing jeans and a simple shirt—spoke to the laid-back nature that he carried with him or at least portrayed.

The man was panting slightly, as if he had been running or playing—his chest rising and falling with the exertion. But his eyes shone with a playful gleam as he caught Seher's gaze. "Sorry, she's hiding. We were playing," he explained, his voice easy and confident, each word falling from his lips with a natural charm. The amusement in his eyes was evident, and his grin only widened as he spoke.

But Maximilian wasn't smiling. His expression was unreadable, though his posture was rigid and sharp. He stood frozen for a moment, watching the man carefully, his eyes narrowing as they assessed every detail. So, this was him. The infamous Rocky. The one who had apparently spent all this time with his woman and daughter. The slight pang of jealousy, an emotion he was unused to, settled deep inside him, and his jaw tightened as his patience, already strained, began to unravel.

Seher, seemingly unaware of the storm brewing beside her, greeted the man with a warmth that Maximilian knew well. "Rajdeep ji," she said, her smile bright as she turned towards the man. Her eyes twinkled with mischief as she addressed him, though Maximilian noticed the deliberate cheer in her tone. She was enjoying this. She knew exactly how her husband was feeling, and she wasn't above teasing him. "Ian, meet Rajdeep Oberoi. Rajdeep ji, this is Maximilian Romanov, my partner."

The words were spoken with such lightness, but there was something almost too cheerful about it. Maximilian could feel her enjoyment like a palpable presence, and it irritated him further. He hated that she found this amusing, especially when his own mind was wrestling with a growing discomfort at the sight of Rajdeep.

Rajdeep, for his part, didn't seem to notice—or perhaps didn't care about—the tension that was practically radiating from Maximilian. He extended his hand with a natural grace, his expression polite yet carrying a subtle undercurrent of amusement. "Pleasure to meet you, Mr. Romanov," he said, his voice steady and courteous, though the flicker of a grin lingered in his eyes.

Maximilian didn't move immediately. His eyes remained locked on Rajdeep's, sharp and intense like a predator sizing up a potential threat. The moment stretched between them, a silent standoff as if they were both silently measuring each other. Maximilian's hand remained at his side for what felt like an eternity, but finally, after a tense beat, he unclasped his fingers and reached out, his handshake firm and unyielding. He gripped Rajdeep's hand with such force that Rajdeep's eyes widened slightly, though his smile never faltered.

"Likewise," Maximilian said, his voice smooth, but with an underlying edge that no one could miss. His words were laced with an unmistakable sense of dominance, a subtle warning that he wasn't one to back down easily.

"Well," Rajdeep said, breaking the tension with an easygoing laugh, though he winced slightly as he pulled his hand back. "It's good to finally meet the man Meher talks so much about and imitates all the time."