Buddha Mil Gaya

"Ji, Arjun ji, you called for me?" I stepped inside the room, measured, controlled. The coffee mug in my hand felt warm, steadying me as I placed it gently on the table.

Arjun leaned back, eyes trailing over me lazily, a slow smirk curving his lips. There it was again-danger,attractive danger.

"Hmm aao," he drawled, fingers tapping against the mug. "I need to talk to you about something VERRYY important Close the door, will you, Kripa?"

Kripa?
My stomach twisted.
No. No, no, no. Not possible.

But my face? Flawless OR...NOTT!?. A slight frown,just the right amount of hesitation.

"Ji?"

Arjun's smirk deepened.

"Oh, sorry, sorry. Bhagyalakshmi... or should I say Annapurna? Prerna? Rampyari? Gangotri?" He took a slow sip of coffee. "Or maybe... Mission No. 7? My LIFE...MY.wife, Niharika. Or is there another name you'd prefer?"

A trap. A perfect beautiful trap.

Inside, my breath hitched. But outside? Untouched. Perfectly controlled OR NOTT!.

PLAY THE F****** PARTT!

"Arjun ji, what are you even saying?" I laughed, tucking a strand of hair behind my ear. "Have you been watching too many movies lately? or are you drunk or something... Wait you are not cheating on me right...RIGHT?"

Mind:-
"Shut up, shut up, shut up, Niku! Stay calm! He's playing with you. Keep smiling. Blink. Look confused. Do not-DO NOT-react."

Arjun leaned forward, watching me with eyes that were too sharp, too knowing.

"So... what happened?" He took another sip, slow and deliberate. "Didn't find Vansh?"

AHHHHH!! F*** F**KKK!!.

No. NO.

He doesn't know. He CAN'T know.

A soft frown, a teasing lilt in my voice-deflect. Distract. Disarm.

"Vansh? What do you mean?,Who Vansh?" I blinked, tilting my head. Giving a questionable look with a raised eyebrow

My outside is maybe normal but....
Inside, my heart was pounding like a war drum.

IT'S A JOKE PLEASE IT'S A JOKE!!

"This is what I mean, jaan..."

The air shifted. My breath caught.
And just like that, my world tilted.

HE. KNOWS.