𝓑𝓻𝓸𝓴𝓮𝓷.

Chapter - 33

Shivanya ~

By the time we were home, the rain had eventually turned into a drizzle. I had just changed into a baby pink short kurti and salwaar and walked out of the washroom when I saw Vihaan sitting at his desk.

"Did something come up?" I asked him, putting my towel on the backrest of the chair.

"There is a bill in the pipeline and before it goes to the committee for formation, the minister has called for a meeting tomorrow." He replied, looking briefly away from the screen to me.

"Oh, okay. You finish that up and I will go get something for us to eat." I said, turning away but as I did, I felt his fingers wrap around my wrist, stopping me in my tracks.

His fingers around my wrist were not tight, they were just firm enough to make my breath stumble for a second..

I turned back slowly. 

"Let's order something in Shivanya. I don't want you to cook after a long day." He said, looking up to meet his eyes with mine and I couldn't help but smile.

"Vihaan, aap apna kaam khatam kariye aur mujhe kitchen mein jaane dijiye. Aapke liye khana banane mein mujhe kabhi bhi takleef nahi hogi, aur mai bilkul bhi nahi thaki hoon." I replied, to him, hesitantly bringing my fingers onto the wrist of his hand that was holding mine.

"Still," he said, eyes lowering to where his hand held my wrist, "you have had a long day."

"I'm fine."

"I know you're fine," he murmured, "I just don't want you to feel you have to look after me. Not out of obligation."

"Vihaan," I said quietly, "I'm not doing it out of obligation."

His eyes lifted immediately. Searching mine. Almost too intently.

"You're not?" His voice came out softer, almost unbelieving.

I shook my head. "No. I want to cook for you because I am your wife and I don't know how to be one but I had seen my mom do it for my dad when they would come home. He would look after the other house chores and our homework and Maa would cook for us and he would eat it like that is the most peaceful time of the day for him."

A softness settled over his face.

"Shivanya..." he said, almost like he didn't know what to do with the way those words of mine made him feel.

I looked away for a second, suddenly aware of how much I'd said. "I know it might sound silly," I murmured, "but that's... that's what marriage looked like to me. At least the good parts of it. And I....." I hesitated, choosing my words carefully, "I want to try. In my own way."

For a moment, he didn't say anything. Just exhaled once, slow and unsteady.

When I finally looked back at him, he was still staring. Eyes soft, unsure, surprised... and something else I couldn't name.

He didn't let go of my wrist immediately. If anything, his fingers curled just a little tighter, not enough to stop me, just enough to anchor himself.

"You don't have to learn how to be a wife," he said quietly. "Not for me."

"I want to," I said, almost whispering.

His jaw flexed once in a small, subtle motion before he let my wrist go gently.

"Okay," he said, voice low. "Then I will finish this quickly and be there with you."

I nodded and turned to walk toward the door, my heartbeat a little too loud in my chest.