The Dating Charade ✔️

Chapter-32 Valentine's Day Special❤

Wasn't going to update this week but this is a bonus chapter, a Valentine's Day Special ❤

Extremely sorry for all the confusion I created yesterday by publishing the part by mistake before it was finished. Exams are messing with my head.

Anyway, hope y'all enjoy this chappy. Wrote it in between studying sessions, so do show me some love, guys! Valentine's Special is not finished yet though, will continue it soon.

Happy Valentine's Day to you all ❤

**

Annika had almost fallen asleep, having had a hectic day at work, when her phone rang. It was almost 12 at night, and frowning, she wondered who it could be.

Shivaay

As usual, his name brought a smile to her lips. He had called quite a few times that day, like every other day, so getting these surprise calls from him wasn't unusual.

"Hey," Annika answered, voice laced with sleepiness.

"Hi babe, did you fall asleep?"

Even though he had been calling her these nick names for quite long, it still made her heart flutter.

"No, just about to. What's up?"

"Nothing much, just needed to inform you that you're not going to work tomorrow."

Annika sat up on her bed at that, wondering if she had heard him right.

"Excuse me, but did you just say I'M not going to work tomorrow?" She asked him, eyebrows creased in confusion.

"Yep," Shivaay replied simply, popping the 'p'.

When he didn't care to elaborate, Annika narrowed her eyes in frustration.

"And why is that, Mister?" She asked.

"Because," Shivaay said, taking a pause here to increase the suspense and infuriate her even more, " You're spending the day with me."

He said it very casually, as if he had all the right and freedom in the world to dictate what she do and not do.

"Shivaay, will you please stop making jalebis and tell me directly what you mean? Why will I skip work tomorrow? Is it your birthday? I know it's not as someone would have told me otherwise. Is it my birthday? Clearly not since then I would definitely know. Then why would you just-"

"Alright, alright," Shivaay's voice interrupted her from the other side, accompanied by a chuckle, "I'll only be able to answer if you let me speak, right?" He asked, voice filled with amusement. Annika bit her tongue at her stupidity.

"Yeah, go on."

"Okay so, it's not my birthday, neither is it yours. It's nothing special tomorrow, actually. Just that, I feel like spending some time with you. After tomorrow you'll be even busier, with the Malhotras's event just a few days away. So can we go out tomorrow, please?"

Annika could tell he was making a puppy dog face now, with that adorable pout of his, and even without seeing, it melted her heart.

"But Shivaay," she started, trying to think rationally, "I can't just skip a day of work at this crucial point. There's so much left to do, and it'll be really unprofessional if I take a day off.." she trailed off.

Shivaay was in deep thinking for a while. Being a workaholic himself, he understood how important work was. He may not like the person Annika was working for, but had no intention of coming between her and her job.