Stuck with the boss

Bonus- Between the Takes

Delhi

Shreya's Wedding

12 years earlier

If weddings were supposed to be beautiful—

then whoever invented weddings had clearly never met the Joshi family.

Because currently—

hell had shifted permanently to Delhi.

Seventeen-year-old Aayush Joshi had been awake for twenty-two hours.

Not voluntarily.

His elder sister Shreya was getting married.

Which apparently meant—

he had been unofficially promoted to:

* Event manager
* Driver
* Decor supervisor
* Guest coordinator
* Human punching bag

All unpaid.

His mother had screamed at him six times already.

His aunt had cried twice because flowers were "emotionally wrong."

His father was busy handling political guests.

Abhay was fighting with photographers.

Aryan—

fourteen and dangerously annoying—

had stolen imported chocolates worth twenty thousand rupees.

And Aayush?

Aayush was carrying six crystal glasses through a crowded Delhi farmhouse praying death would arrive soon.

Then—

he turned a corridor.

Collided into someone.

The tray tilted.

Glasses shook violently.

And before six thousand rupees shattered—

a hand caught the tray.

Another steadied his wrist.

A familiar voice sighed.

"Still incapable of basic coordination, I see."

Aayush looked up.

And forgot how breathing worked.

Ira.

Of course.

Same age.

Same family friend from Rania.

Same sharp eyes.

Except—

something had changed.

She was wearing dark blue lehenga.

Hair tied loosely.

No heavy makeup.

Minimal jewelry.

And somehow—

the girl who used to race him on bicycles back home—

looked nothing like a child anymore.

His brain malfunctioned.

She stared.

"Why are you looking at me like I grew horns?"

He blinked.

"You..."

"Yes?"

"You grew up."