MARRIED 'SINGLES'

STRANGER AND SECRETS

Happy reading....

As they settled down for breakfast, Bela couldn't help but let her curiosity get the better of her.

She glanced at Mahir, who was busy pouring juice into their glasses, and decided to ask the question that had been on her mind since last night.

"What happened between you and Aditya when you took him outside?" she asked, her tone light but her eyes curious.

Mahir paused, looking up at her with a thoughtful expression. He seemed to weigh his words before answering.

"It wasn't anything major," he said, trying to downplay it. "I just wanted to check on him. He seemed off, especially around Anu."

Bela raised an eyebrow, not convinced. "Off? How so?"

Mahir sighed, setting the juice bottle down and leaning back in his chair. "He was... different. It's like he's got something on his mind, something to do with Anu. I don't know, Bela, but the way he was watching her last night-it didn't sit right with me."

Bela frowned, her concern deepening. "Watching her? You mean when she was dancing with Lakshya?"

Mahir nodded. "Yeah. He looked... angry. And when I confronted him about it, he tried to brush it off, but it was obvious he's got some feelings for her. He was pretty defensive when I mentioned it."

Bela's eyes widened. "So he does like her?"

Mahir shrugged. "It's not just that he likes her. I think he's struggling with it, maybe even confused by his own feelings. But instead of handling it maturely, he's acting out. That's what worries me."

Bela chewed on her lower lip, thinking. "Did he say anything about Anu? Like, why she's upset?"

Mahir shook his head. "Not really. He just kept denying everything, but you know how people are when they're not ready to admit something to themselves. He's clearly frustrated, but I don't think he knows how to deal with it."

Bela sighed, feeling a mix of concern for her friend and confusion about the situation. "Poor Anu."

Mahir nodded in agreement. "Yeah, I'm worried about her too. She's tough, but everyone has a breaking point. And with everything that's happened recently, I don't want her to be hurt."

Bela reached across the table and squeezed Mahir's hand, offering him a comforting smile. "You're a good friend, Mahir. Anu's lucky to have you looking out for her."

Mahir smiled back, though it was tinged with concern. "I just want to make sure she's okay, that's all."

They finished their breakfast in comfortable silence, both lost in their thoughts about Anu and Aditya. The situation was complicated, and Bela couldn't help but feel like it was just the beginning of something bigger. But for now, all they could do was support their friends and hope that everything would work out in the end.

----

Bela was meticulously checking designs for the entrance portion, fully engrossed in her work when the intercom on her desk buzzed unexpectedly.

The voice on the other end was calm, almost too calm, as Aditya, her boss, requested her presence in his office. A flicker of confusion crossed her face-

Aditya rarely called her directly for anything. Nevertheless, she gathered her thoughts, maintained her professional demeanor, and made her way to his office.

The walk down the corridor felt longer than usual. Despite the curiosity gnawing at her-especially after the events of last night involving Anu and Aditya-Bela reminded herself that this was still a workplace. Regardless of Mahir's friendship with Aditya, the man sitting behind that desk was her boss, and she needed to keep things professional.