Forever His

Chapter 77: The Perfect Gift

Shahmeer's POV:

I push the door open, standing just behind her as she steps inside. Being taller than her, I can see over her head—and what I see stops me in my tracks.

The entire house is transformed. There are balloons in shades of gold and black, banners with "Happy Birthday" in elegant letters, and golden spirals hanging down from the ceiling. Confetti is scattered on the floor, shimmering under the warm glow of the lights. On the table, there's a cake, beautifully decorated, and a neat arrangement of presents wrapped with care.

"You knew," I say, softly, almost in disbelief.

She glances back at me, her brows furrowing. "Yeah, Farjaad told me. But I'm sorry, Shahmeer," she says hurriedly. "I didn't know about your brother. I can take it all down if—"

Before she can take another step, I grab her wrist and gently turn her to face me. She looks up, startled, her doe-like eyes wide. God, she's breathtaking.

"No," I interrupt, shaking my head. "It's not your fault. Besides... Sameer was part of why I didn't celebrate my birthday, but it was more because I had no one to celebrate with." I hold her gaze, the words pouring from my heart. "Now that I have you, I can celebrate every day of my life."

Her lips part slightly, and for a moment, she just stares at me, her cheeks turning the faintest shade of pink. Then, she smiles—soft and radiant—and says, "Well, come on then. Everything's prepared."

She grabs my arm and pulls me forward, her excitement contagious. I let her lead, unable to tear my eyes away from her. The way her hair bounces as she walks, the soft swish of her dress, the elegance in every little movement—she doesn't even realize the effect she has on me.

Once we're in the living room, she turns to me with a playful grin. "Do you want to see your presents first, or should we cut the cake?"

I shrug, pretending to think. "I don't know. What are you supposed to do first?"

She giggles, shaking her head. "You know what? Let's start with the cake."

"Whatever you say, sweetheart," I reply, smiling back at her.

She lights the candles, the soft glow illuminating her face, and starts singing "Happy Birthday" in a voice so sweet it feels like she's singing directly to my soul. As the song ends, we cut the cake together, her hand over mine, and I silently thank every force in the universe that brought her into my life.

She picks up a piece of cake and brings it to my mouth. I take a bite, savoring the sweetness, but before I can swallow, she smears a bit of frosting on my nose and bursts into laughter.

I raise an eyebrow, giving her a mock "seriously?" look, but I can't stop the grin tugging at my lips. Her laughter is infectious, the kind that makes you forget the world exists.

"You think that's funny, huh?" I say, grabbing a piece of cake.

Her laughter stops as she narrows her eyes at me. "Shahmeer, don't you dare—"

Too late. I swipe frosting on her nose, and her jaw drops. For a second, I panic, thinking I've crossed a line, but then she starts laughing even harder.

"You're impossible," she says between giggles, wiping her nose.

I laugh with her, but then my eyes catch the corner of her lips, where a smudge of frosting lingers. Without thinking, I lean in and brush it away with my tongue.

Her laughter stops immediately, and she gasps, her cheeks flushing a deep red. I smirk, watching her flustered expression, my heart pounding at how utterly adorable she is.