Unedited.

Dhruv's POV:

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[You pig, you big donkey

-Rakshasi(devil)]

I read her message while the corners of my lips pulled into a smile. Still, I didn't reply to her with anything. It's not that I am avoiding her but I need some time to come with the terms of my life.

I never expected that I would get married someday but somehow now I am married. Even then also, I never planned to involve my heart in this relationship.

When I agreed to this marriage, I promised myself to be a friend and a companion to her and not more than that because I can't risk, getting hurt again.

So I tried my best to not develop any feelings towards Aarna yet I think she managed to crawl into the deepest part of my heart. How much I tried to harden my heart, she always has a way to soften it.

I am completely helpless and clueless about these newfound feelings. Even when I was in a relationship with Ankitha, I never experienced these kinds of emotions.

Now I don't even know whether I really loved Ankitha or was in love with the concept of being together with her. All these complicated things are creating a maze in my heart.

When Ankitha broke up with me, I was really heartbroken but the thing was, did I feel heartbroken because I couldn't live without her, or was I feeling bad because I invested my sincere feelings in a relationship which didn't have any life?

Frankly speaking, I never think of that situation from this perspective. But Aarna's presence made me rethink all these things. She made me feel those things that I never thought that I was capable of experiencing.

With Ankitha, we had some mutual understanding. We both respected each other, care for each other, supported each other, nothing more than that.

But when it comes to Aarna, it was completely different. I always like to tease her, irritate her, and annoy her to the hell as much as I have an urge to protect her, care for her. Moreover, I want to dive into the mysteries she is hiding underneath that smile.

For me, she is an enigma that I am inclined to unearth.

I never felt those feelings with Ankitha. It means I am not in love with Ankitha anymore or I was never in love with her in the first place...right.

God. I am so relieved to know this. As if some kind of weight was lifted off my shoulders, I felt so lightened at this newfound information.

"It means, I can like you without carrying any impediments of my past..right?" I thought with a bright smile while opening the candid pic of Aarna that I had clicked in that theme Park, and I was instantly reminded of the little kiss we had shared there.

The strange thing was, I wasn't repulsed by that kiss instead I craved for more. That was the reason why I shut myself off for having such unkind thoughts towards her.

'So what! she is your wife, idiot. It's okay to have such thoughts towards her.' My conscience chimed, making me smile even more at that thought.

Yes, she is my wife.

Hearing someone's throat clearing, I masked my expression with a cough and pocketed my phone immediately.

Though I tried my best to not smile, it still threatened to form on my face, so to cover it, I reached the nearest tumbler and had some water.

After doing so, I lifted my head to glance at Ravi who was looking at me while cocking his eyebrow at me.

Seeing this, I awkwardly rubbed my nose and asked, " what's the matter?"

In response, he glanced down to the file in front of me, gesturing me to take a look at it. Glancing down, I mentally chided myself for zoning off at this time.

"Looking at madam's pic, you forgot about the contract worth billions," He scoffed at me.

"What does it have to do with you?" I chided him, feeling embarrassed for making a fool out of myself in front of him.

"Can I not be your assistant just for five minutes?" He asked and I nodded at him skeptically.

Getting my approval, he smiled brightly before propping himself on the desk in front of me and looked into my eyes with a smile.

"Anna, just agree if you love her. Just call her if you miss her. What's the point in zoning off? If it goes like this, you can sell-off these two companies to just sit and daydream." He suggested cockily when I was about to retort, he interrupted me.

"Ohh. Want to deny your feelings? You can do it but ask yourself before doing so. Are you thinking that you shouldn't have come on this business trip in the first place? Are you longing for her presence? Does your heartache at the possibility of not being with her? Do you enjoy every single moment with her? Do you want that movement to not end soon? Do you want to spend your all-time just looking at her face? Just agree already. You are clearly in love with her..hihihi. My vadhina managed to melt your icy heart." He gloated to himself.

Though I was thinking so seriously about his words, All I gave him was an indifferent look before glancing at my watch, indirectly saying that his five minutes were up. He rolled his eyes in reply and hopping off the desk, he came back to his professional mode.

"I know you will have a thinking session with your heart and brain. So before doing that, please sign that document. So that I can look into the further process." He said calmly.

I shook my head and handed it to him before signing it.

"Ohh forgot to say this. Nivas sir left this morning because his mother is hospitalized," He informed me and left the room, leaving me alone to mull over my thoughts.

After he left, I bent forward and placed my hands on the desk before resting them under my chin and started pondering over his questions.

The answer to all his questions is 'Yes'. So it means I am already in love with her..right. No that can't be possible. I may have started liking her but falling in love with her this early? No, not possible.

I reasoned out to myself before making a call to Ravi.

"We are leaving today. Arrange flight tickets accordingly." I told him.

"But what about visiting the other branch here and what should I do with your remaining schedule?"

"Cancel all my schedule and just do what I say," I informed him impatiently before hanging up.

After a while, he informed me that our flight was scheduled in an hour. So having a simple meal, we both started to the airport.

When it was time, we both boarded the flight and I switched off my phone before dozing off.

It was almost evening when the flight landed. Disembarking it, we both went out as the driver came to pick us up.

Sitting in the car, I switched on my phone and saw that there was a missed call from Aarna. Since I am going home anyway, I thought not to call her but after thinking for a while, I decided to give her a call.

Keeping the phone near my ears, I was waiting for her to attend it, with a teasing smile playing on my lips. When she attended the call, without giving her a chance, I spoke.

"Missing me already?"

I teased her expecting a witty come back but all I heard is her broken voice.

"Dhruv," I could clearly hear her sobbing, making me tense for an oblivious reason.

"Hey, what happened? Are you okay? Hello? Aarna, are you there?" I asked her hurriedly and I was even more worried when the call got disconnected in the middle.

"Drive faster," I urged the driver and Ravi glanced at me with a frown.

"What happened? Is everything okay?"

"I don't know. The call got disconnected. She is crying so badly over the call." I told him with a frown while my whole body was tensed, thinking about what might have happened, for her to cry so badly.

"Don't worry. Everything will be fine," he assured me but it didn't lessen my worries at all.

I was looking outside the window, hoping for everything to be alright, tapping my foot impatiently.

When I saw that we reached the house, I hurriedly scurried out of the car to go inside but Ravi stopped me.

"Anna, feeling restless for someone, thinking what might happen to them is also a symptom of love." He shouted from inside.

Getting irritated, I impatiently spat at him, "Are you itching to get fired or what?"

"No. Uncle is the one who appointed me. So you can't fire me without his approval." He replied smugly and closed the window.

Ignoring him I went inside after informing the driver to drop him at his house.

I hurriedly rushed inside the house and left for our room. Entering it, I was greeted with complete darkness. So switching on the lights, I glanced at the bed and saw that little dude from the temple was sleeping there.

Turning my head, I gazed at the couch and saw her curling up on it. Seeing this, I scampered to her side and shook her a little after kneeling to the level of the couch.

She lifted her head slowly and glanced at me with her tear-filled eyes. Seeing me in front of her, she became dazed and noticing that I am really in front of her, a flash of surprise passed through her already reddened eyes. Seeing her in this state, I suddenly felt a pang in my heart.

I was about to ask her the reason but before I could do so, she lifted herself from the couch and jumped on me, catching me off guard.

I couldn't even balance myself on time, so resulting in us landing on the floor. Seeing this, I immediately held her safely, encircling my arms around her petite figure. Thanks to the thick carpet on the floor, my waist was still intact.

We both were in the sleeping position with her front pressed against mine. I looked down to the woman in my arms who was sobbing her guts out.

I didn't know what made her cry so much and this is my first time handling a sobbing woman. Not knowing what to do, I just tightened my hold on her and patted her back softly.

After what felt like an eternity, she stopped crying and murmured.

"I miss you so much," she said while smacking me lightly.

"me too, idiot " I answered in my heart.

"Yeah. I can see that as you have almost left me with a broken waist," I taunted.

"Can't you be a little nice at least for once?" She chimed.

"I will if you get off from me," I told her, snickering a little.

Hearing my words, she realized the position we both were in and got off me immediately with an embarrassed face.

"Hihihi..sorry." She said with a silly smile.

"Is she the same girl who was crying her guts out a while ago?" I thought.

" Why were you crying so much? Did anyone say anything to you? Had something happened? Speak up, idiot." I asked her but when she was not answering, I raised my voice a little.

"Shh. Don't shout. Advith is sleeping. As for your questions, nothing had happened." Saying this, she avoided my gaze.

"Ohh. You cried so badly and you were saying that nothing had happened. Seriously... Am I looking like a fool to you?" I asked her in an irritated tone.

"Arey baba, what I am saying is true. It's nothing serious. I was watching a k-drama. At the end of the drama, the male lead died in an accident, leaving the female lead so heartbroken. Expecting a happy ending and feeling bad for that female lead, I couldn't control my emotions and cried a little. That's it."

"Yeah. Just a little." I chimed sarcastically and scoffed at her blatant lie.

"If you don't want to share the actual reason with me, then that's fine. Just don't try to dupe me with all these rubbish things," Saying this, I angrily entered the washroom after grabbing my home wear and closed the door with a thud.

By the time I came outside, Advith was nowhere to be found and she was arranging the food on the table silently.

Ignoring her, I was about to go outside but she held my hand meekly, in an attempt to stop me.

"Have your dinner," she said.

"No, I'm not hungry," saying this, I removed her hold on my hand.

"I am sorry if I made you angry but don't show it on your food. If you want, I will go outside." She said slowly and left without even looking at me.

Damn..what the hell is happening? Am I angry because she lied to me or am I angry at her because she didn't find me trustworthy to share her pain? Why the hell am I even throwing the tantrum in the first place.

She was already feeling low for some particular reason and, instead of helping her, I made it even worse, showing my unnecessary anger toward her. I chided myself and left out after holding the food plate.

When I didn't find her anywhere, I went to the terrace and saw her, sitting on a bench, gazing at the sky while resting her head on her knees.

I went near her and cleared my throat but she ignored me royally and didn't even glance at me. Sighing, I sat beside her and tore a roti piece before dipping into the gravy and placed it near her mouth.

She turned her face to the other side, not eating it. Seeing that she was clearly angry at me, I decided to cajole her a little.

"I am sorry for shouting at you. It's just that I was so worried when I heard your voice over that call but after asking you what happened, you brushed it off saying that it was nothing which ticked me off. I know we both didn't share a usual relationship like other couples and I know, I have never been a good husband to start with but you can share your pain and grief with me. I am never a person to judge someone. Just don't bottle up your emotions. If you are not comfortable sharing it now, then do it when you feel so. I am willing to wait for you to open up to me. So now have your food. Will you?" Saying this, I gestured her to open her mouth, and she gave me a teary smile and nodded at me before opening her mouth.

I smiled at her and quipped, "I never know you are such a cry baby. Damn..I guess I think too highly of you."

"Just when I thought that you are being so nice to me, you again proved me wrong by coming back to your annoying self." Saying this, she brought a morsel towards my mouth, but when I open my mouth to take it in, instead she placed it in her mouth with a cheeky smile on her face.

I shook my head at her behavior with a small smile and had my food.

Thanks for reading.

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