𝓑𝓻𝓸𝓴𝓮𝓷.

Chapter - 29

Shivanya ~

For a good part of the night, I was lying on the bed wide awake, tucked inside the comforter, covering all my head. Sleep was miles and miles away from me. How did I get here, married and all to my boss?

It was abundantly clear that he gets what he wants. He wanted me, yes he did. But the question was, why me?

I mean, why a woman who he hardly gave any attention to for the entirety of three years before randomly popping in my life and now, here we are.

He is my husband.

Okay, that sounds so weird even in my head.

I peaked my eyes out a little from the comforter to look at Mr. Birdbrain.

He was sound asleep. He was always alert, always aware of his surroundings. It's like he had some radar that let him know what was happening, even in the most peaceful of moments.

Slowly, I got up from the bed, careful not to make a sound. My eyes drifted around the room, over the soft light of the bedside lamp and the dark corners of the room. It felt so... still. Too still.

I turned my gaze toward the balcony door. I padded softly across the floor, the cool wooden floorboards beneath my feet adding to the stillness of the night.

I reached the door and gently pushed it open.

There was hardly any noise outside as I leaned a little on the railing, looking around. The cool sea breeze was hitting my face, tangling my hair into knots but it felt too good for me to walk back inside the room.

The cold railing under my hands, the distant hum of the city, everything else still felt like a dream I hadn't woken up from.

I opened my eyes and looked up at the sky. No stars. Just the familiar grey glow of Mumbai's night. Somewhere in the distance, a dog barked. A cab honked, probably impatient as ever. But here, it was quiet.

I let out a breath I didn't know I was holding.

And then, I felt it.

That awareness of someone watching.

I turned slightly and there he was.

Vihaan.

Standing at the balcony door, his hair messy from sleep, his eyes half-lidded but sharp enough to catch mine.

For a moment, we just stared at each other.

He didn't speak. He just stepped out barefoot, the sleeves of his t-shirt pushed up, pajama pants hanging loosely. There was something oddly... casual about seeing him like that. Too normal. Too human. Too not-boss.

He came to stand beside me but didn't say anything. Just looked ahead at the city, just like I had.

After a pause, he murmured, "You okay Sunshine?"

I nodded. "Couldn't sleep."

He leaned forward on his elbows, mimicking my posture. "You were hiding under the blanket like a scared kitten."

My eyes widened slightly. "You saw that?"

He didn't even glance at me. "I notice everything."

Of course he did.

I didn't say anything after that, what could I? Maybe he meant nothing by it. Maybe he did. I was too tired to untangle the puzzle that was Vihaan Raichand.

After a few seconds, he said, "You overthink."

I turned to him, frowning slightly. "And you... don't?"