I keep my eyes on her. If only looks could kill, this woman would be 6 feet down the fucking earth. As if stealing Hood wasn't enough, she made my innocent sister skip work today. The head designer skipping work ten days before her collection launch. Work ethics? Responsibilities? Excuse me?

Suhana never behaves so reckless, it's all happening because of certain someone's sudden return.

"Stop with the look, I can feel the hotness idhar tak." Hood teased from my left, Advik lets out a small laugh.

"You'll also feel this fork going down your throat... so shut up, eat and see yourself out." I replied never taking my eyes of her, she smirked for the 4th time and rolled her eyes. Yeah... try again, maybe you'll find brain there somewhere in the back.

"You do know this is going to be regular occurrence now, right? Falak was just telling me last night how much they have missed each other and they will not stay away from her for a second now." Advik said looking at his sister with a smile on his face. Haan... behave like a lovesick brother for her, that's what she wants.

I need new bestfriend, sister and driver/bodyguard/crime partner. Anyone interested, please fill out the forms online.

"Mom. Ask where Suhana was today. She certainly wasn't with me at the office." I looked at my mother, my face dripping down with the innocent look.

"Ask where Mom was." The she-devil said, I looked between both my mother and her, until it all connected.

How dare she!? She's trying to steal my mother now? The bit— mom stealer!

The rest of the dinner continued with the girls talking to their fathers about what they got and how much they enjoyed spending the day together.

Yeah. I get a car and I had to hear my father's taunts for two months straight, they shopped a fucking mall and nobody questions them? And they shopped for clothes when we work in the same industry.

Biased people!

"Maa, I'm going to go check on Coco and Oreo." I muttered standing up from my chair.

"Who's Coco and Oreo?" Ahaana asked Falak.

"His dogs."

"Ain't his dog Hood?" She gave a sickening sweet smile, her eyes twinkling, Hood looked up at me with a pout.

"Yeah. Keep that pathetic face on, it's working in your favor." I rolled my eyes at him, pushing my chair back under the table and picking up my plate.

"But who keeps their dogs name Coco and Oreo?" She wrinkled her nose. I put my plate in the sink and then walked back to the dining table, after washing my hands.

"Who wasn't allowed to keep their names Shea and Ahaana." It was my turn to pout. Her eyes narrowed, I smirked.

"Chittar khayega kanjar!" She stood up from her chair and threw the napkin at me, I dodged it. I made a disgusting face at her accent lashed Punjabi.

"Please. I request... don't... don't speak Punjabi. At least don't insult my language." I started walking, she followed.

"At least I try to speak. You toh don't even know how to speak your language. Also, it's Dadu's language not yours!" She said falling beside me in steps. I glanced at her, trying to hold back my smile. With her around, it's so easy to fall into our usual routines. Five and half year ago, exactly like this we used to finish our dinners and go for our walk/run. The only difference now is some unspoken things between us and five long years. But the comfort remains the same.

"So where are we going?" She asked breaking my chain of thoughts. "I mean where do they stay with someone else or roaming around open in the city?" She looked up at me as we stood waiting for the elevator.

"Actually, they have their own flat. Flat 905, you remember that place, don't you? It's on your name.... of course, you remember." I finished off with a fake smile and eye roll, hers wiped off. Flat 905. The flat we were going to shift to after our marriage, a gift to us from my grandfather but he had it named after the witch herself. Yeah... add on another topic to the list Dadu, we have a lot to talk about.

"You are keeping dogs in our flat, Shai?" I almost stumbled hearing her say that nickname, almost... but I caught myself on time and stepped inside the elevator, turned to look back at her to see her still standing there with a sad face, and I felt guilty. I shouldn't but I did.

"I was going to sell it out actually. Be grateful to your father, it isn't." I replied not looking at her dejected face. I pressed the floor button, the door started to close but then she stepped in, and it opened again, I let out a harsh breath. Why does this fucking heart of mine burns every time I hurt her with my words?

She deserves it... and more!

Flat number 905 was supposed to be our flat after our marriage. That was the flat our grandparents shared and later named it to her. It was under renovation when I graduated.

"You have the dogs in a newly renovated 3bhk flat?" She asked.

"Hmm. Not renovated though. I stopped the work after you fled and thrashed the shit out of it. It's just empty walls now." I looked into her eyes; her throat bobbed as she tried to hide her emotions from me. She never was good at hiding from me, be it hide and seek or her emotions.

"Must be extra luxurious for the dogs? They are having the time of their life." She let out a humorless laugh. I didn't reply. Not having the energy anymore. To say something rude to her. To try hurting her. To see her hiding more into her shell.

I stood there behind him waiting for him to unlock our-- the flat's main door. As soon as the door was pushed open... two prettiest husky's I've ever seen ran to him and started licking or circling around him as he sat down on his knees and let them feel him up.

I never thought I could fall in love with dogs but as soon as their eyes turned to me, I let out a small whine. They were so fooking pretty. They had the prettiest shade of blue eyes. One had white and black fur and the other white and brown. They growled at me... like a wolf. I looked at Sahil as they tried to jump me, but he wrapped his arms around their necks, holding them.

"This is Coco." He nudged the brown furred baby with his forehead. "And he's Oreo." He did the same with the black one.

Kaafi unique! *eyeroll*

"Come here. Let them sniff you out. Hold out your palms to their nose." He said with his eyes still on them. I did as he asked. Oreo growled in the back of his throat, but Sahil nudged his head to my palm. Oreo looked at him and then me. I smiled, my heart thumping loudly in my chest. I wasn't scared of dogs, but I haven't been this close to any Siberian husky ever. I didn't know how they reacted with new persons.

"Feel her Oreo!" Sahil pushed his head to my hand lightly. I giggled when his wet nose touched the mid of my palm. Oreo moved his head from my palm to my wrist and then almost nudged at my chest, exactly at my right breast and I laughed out loud.

"Okay, that's enough!" Sahil pulled him back when the dog moved a paw ahead to my side again, he tried to touch my chest and sniff properly. I looked at his face, he narrowed his eyes at the pet.

"Should I get a female dog for you? Are you done looking at Coco's face?" Sahil glared at Oreo. The dog ignored him and continued looking at me, sniffing the air around me. Coco followed him. He moved away from Sahil's touch and walked to me.

In the next 10 minutes, they were playing with me like they have known me from the beginning. I chuckled when Coco put his front paws on my shoulders and stood up. I tried to hold him by his middle, but he was heavy. I chuckled rubbing his neck with my fingers. Oreo put his head on my shoulder, and I wrapped my arms around the furry babies.

"How old are they?" I looked up at his face as he watched me play with them.

"Four." Just a number. Nothing more. No story of how he made his mother agree. Where did he got them. Nothing.

"They'll grow more. Like their height and weight?" I asked trying to hold on to any small talk, whatsoever.

"Yeah. Couple centimeters more. They are between 45-50 now. Goes up to 60. Weighs around 24-25kgs now." He replied walking towards the kitchen and unlocked its door. Now looking closely, I realized the room doors were locked. Only the hall was open to them. Balcony door was also locked.

"So do you do everything for them, or you have help?" I asked following him to kitchen after closing the main door.

"I take them out in the morning, sometimes our fathers and Advik. But they have their own professional help who teaches them and also checks up on them timely. Also have camera here." He replied filling up their bowls with their foods. I stood there, watching him work. My gaze immediately looked around to spot the cameras.

I took his profile in. He stood taller now, at 6'2 or more even. The last time I saw him, he must have been around 6 maybe. His eyes darker, gloomier even. Those dark hazel eyes are my most favorite orbs in the whole world. The color of his eyes is unique, a dark brown... almost black ring sort of outlining and then the hazel brown color with specs of black and light brown between. His black hairs ruffled as if he had run his fingers through them the whole day. The sides trimmed showing his ears and neck completely. He loved his hairs the medium length, neither too short nor too long. The 3-4 days old stubble creating the perfect five o'clock shadow on his jawline. Giving him the manly roughness on his clear bright face.

He was dressed in a light blue t-shirt and grey shorts paired with his slippers. I almost drooled at the sight of his biceps. Fook, he went to the gym alright. I tried to inhale the air around him, to smell him again. He smells delicious. That masculine fragrance of wood or something spicy or maybe the whiskey. On him, it felt mouth watering combined with his body odor. He didn't smell like this before.

"Stop eye fucking me." My eyes widened and I looked up at his face to see him looking at me with a smirk. I didn't look away; I met his eyes with equal force.

"I've seen better." I replied crossing my arms on chest, he raised a eyebrow.

"Yeah, explains the drool." He chuckled looking back at whatever he was doing. I rolled my eyes.

He started walking towards me with the bowls in his hands and I moved aside, giving him way. He gave the pets their food, rubbing his hands on both their heads as they started feeding.

I looked at the kitchen door to see the key still in the lock. It was the master key. I pulled it out and walked to the master bedroom. I walked inside the room, unlocking it and smirked. I heard his loud footsteps behind me, and I turned to him with a smile, a teasing smirk more like.

"I thrashed the shit out of it." I said trying to mimic out manly rough voice. He glared.

"You may have stopped the work... Sahil, but you completed the master bedroom." I said walking to him. He took the key from my hand and put it in his pocket.

"Get out." He pointed to the main door.

"You can't throw me out of my own house, Shai. Not out of my own bedroom." I whispered the last part closer to his left cheek. He pushed me back with his hands on my shoulders.

"It's not your fucking bedroom. Not your fucking house." He gritted. I wrapped my hands around his neck, our fronts touching. I stepped even closer, standing on his feet.

"Or we can own this together? This can be our bedroom, hm?" I whispered over his throat. The height difference between us making it hard for me to tease him. Tough thing to balance on your tiptoes, on someone else's feet.

"Or maybe you should walk out from here... like always." He replied back unwrapping my hands from his neck. I groaned at the back of my throat. This man has always been so hard to coax.

He walked inside the room and looked around. I did the same. We had just started the interior work when I left. The master bedroom had been the first room to be designed. Yes, he had stopped the work... but after this room was finished. Because I designed this room, for us. It has everything that I ever wanted in our room to have. The grey and white walls. The fluffy and comfortable bed. Less furniture, more space... just as I wanted.

I looked at him to see him looking at the balcony. It was empty. I stood behind him and wrapped my hands around his chest, he let me. My head on his back.

"You broke us." He whispered, covering my hands with his own on his chest.

"I broke us." I agreed, he leaned into my embrace. I closed my eyes, inhaling him. His presence.

"I wanted to say so many things to you that night. We had such a beautiful life awaiting." He took a deep sigh, my eyed burned with tears.

"I wish I had heard you; I wish I had said the unspoken words, I wish I didn't leave. I wish I didn't behave like a jealous idiot." I hate myself so much for that.

"I just wished you had let me talk. You didn't even hear me out. You walked away from us." I sniffed in his back; he turned around letting my hands fall down my side.

"You never trusted me? Did you? You always used to say that I just talked or was around you because of our family friendship. You always had your insecurities about us." He looked at me, I could feel his stare on my face with my eyes closed. Putting a finger under my chin, he made me look up at his face.

"Nahi toh..." I turned my eyes away.

"Lie to someone who doesn't know you from your diaper days, Ahaana. I know how exactly your brain works." I turned around to go, but he pulled me back in his chest.

"You've never actually felt what jealousy is, I'll show and make you feel what real jealousy is Ahaana." He gritted in my ears; I turned my face sideways looking at his face. Our eyes connected. I looked down first not able to look in those eyes which shined looking at me earlier, now throwing daggers at me.

"I am gonna break your heart." He pushed me out of his embrace and then left me, leaving me standing there in the room or world... I wanted to create for us. He walked out of the dreamy land we always wanted, to the real world or hell... I actually created for all of us.

Next Morning.

"GOOOOD!" I sprinted taking two steps at a time. Joey is going to kill me, and I'll kill that stupidest member of Sahdev family. How dare he!?

"Rabba please meeting na start hoi ho." I murmured entering the restroom and looking at my horrible state. I was not going to enter like this in my first ever big meeting. "If only I could murder a certain someone and then bring him back to life."

"And who would that certain someone be, little miss always late?" The devil himself said behind me, I looked up in the mirror to see him standing leaning against the door frame all in his handsome glory.

I turned around to face him, tiredness taking over my features. "Sahil yaar, don't be this mean. I am all up for your punishment but don't bring my work into this please." I softly whispered, feeling drained out and the morning had just started.

"Hm? What did I do?" He made an innocent-shocked face. I rolled eyes at the drama.

"You? What did you do? Or should I say what didn't you do? You called Hood an hour early so that I can't make him drive me to work. You reached here an hour early just to steal him from me! And I for sure know it was you who made them stop the other three elevators, making it hella crazy to get into the other two elevators with all the rush, all this so that I can't reach here on time. You made me take stairs!" I glared at the smirking man. He looked at me head to toe and turned around walking away without saying a word.

"He is sooooooo baddd!" I groaned out wanting to pull my hairs out in frustration. Argh! As soon as I saw the time, I quickly dabbed a tissue on my face and neck, settled down my hairs with fingers and swiped away any makeup smudge. Looking a bit more professional rather than an athlete, I picked up my handbag and walked to where the meeting was.

His floor. His meeting room. First big meeting with him, Suhana and Advik. With me being Joey's assistant.

As soon as I opened the door, everyone turned to look at me. Joey and the other three new stylist interns, Suhana and my brother. Also, the devil.

"You're late, Miss Mehrotra." Joey said from his chair. Suhana gave me a sympathetic face, my brother glaring holes at his best friend. The said best friend looking at me with the most professional look, a look that said he's about to make this extra hard for me.

"I-I... Yeah. The elevators weren't working, and I had to take the stairs." I replied pulling out the empty seat beside Joey.

"The meeting was scheduled at 8'o clock, it's now 8:45. I don't think taking stairs would make you this late if you were otherwise on time." Please God. Please don't let me lose my temper in front of these other four people. Pleaseee!

"I was late. Already. Yes. Sorry to keep you guys waiting, but I was stuck in the traffic." I looked at him with a sweet smile. He sure knows what my 'sweet' smiles means. Translation- I wish I can kill you and bury your body right under my chair.

"I don't think you are taking this work seriously, Miss. Mehrotra. Do you not want to work--"

"Let's start the meeting. We already are late. We can have discussion with her at dinner tonight, Sahil. I am sure she'll 'in detail' tell you how important this job is for her." My brother cut him off, I raised an eyebrow at Sahil, teasing him. Everyone at the office knew who I am, and some of them knew about the tiff between Sahdev and me.

"Joey, let's begin." Bhai nodded at Joey. He stood up and everyone turned to look at him as he turned on the screen.

"The wedding season is just around the corner, so we mostly worked in bride and bridesmaids outfit this time. Bride collection was under Suhana and the team, I handled the bridesmaids with my team. We will begin with Bridesmaids collection then moving onto Suhana's designs." Joey said as the outfit illustration started, I bit down on my lips to control myself from speaking out anything.

He should not have started with illustrations. This meeting is for the final launch product and not about the idea. He wants to see the final thing we have in hand; he already saw these.

Mean Sahil incoming...

"Joey. Do you really think I am here to see your designs on paper? These products are launching in ten days, do we or do we not have the collection ready?" Mr. Sahdev said, I looked down in my lap, not wanting to see him angry.

"We-We have the collection ready, Sahil." Joey replied, the screen behind him paused on one design, I looked at Sahil.

"Then show me the final photoshoots we will put out for the world!" His jaw clenched the moment Joey looked down. Yeah, he was too busy wrecking havoc in my life, he fluffed up his job.

"The photoshoots are in progress. They will be finished by evening, and we will have the final pictures by tomorrow." Joey replied, I did feel pity for the guy but then I remembered all the times in the past week he shouted on me and gave me stupid work.

"The photoshoots are happening? Like now? Isn't it a little too early for that, Joey. We can do those on new year, no hurry." Sahil crossed his fingers on the table, he was seconds away from getting on that damn table and putting some sense in Joey's head. I looked away from him to my other two family members, they were busy typing away on their phones under the table. The table is made of glass. Some professional these two are. I shook my head and looked at the three girls, who were ready to bolt out from Sahil's expressions and he wasn't even talking to them. Good, three less girls to worry about fawning over him.

"Do you have the samples here?" I looked back at him; Joey nodded his head in a yes. "I can't go and see the photoshoot. I have another meeting to attend in two hours. Ahaana, go pick ten outfits and try them on. Be quick!" He snapped his finger. He snapped his fingers at me, telling me to quicken it up.

How dare he? Do I look like a model to him?

"Sahil--"

"Quick Ahaana. Joey... girls help her." I still sat there looking at him like he's alien or something. I turned my gaze towards my brother and Suhana, my lower lip out in a sad pout. Bhai just mouthed, 'I am sorry'.

Mummmmaaaa! Which level of hell is this?

"Ahaana. Come on!" Joey snapped from the door; I pushed my chair back still pouting. His voice halted us just as we were closing the door.

"Ahaana starts working alongside Suhana as soon as we are back from our trip." He muttered not looking up from his phone, I tried to control my 440-watt smile, but it still broke out on my face, lighting it up like diwali ka diya. Ten outfits? I'll do eleven for him!

•

"Kaafi jaldi, nahi?" I glared at my best friend. She made a sorry face shutting the door with her foot. Placing both the bowls on the bed, she took her seat next to me. I picked up my maggi bowl and dig in.

"Ruk toh jaa!" Suhana muttered picking up her bowl and taking a bite. "So why did you miss dinner?"

"Green dal." I said with my mouth full. She made a disgusting face, I nodded.

"So whatcha we watching?" Suhana picked up the remote and started surfing.

I wasn't here to watch anything though, I wanted to talk to my best friend. I wanted to know what was happening with her, her life, her relationship and everything. I wanted to be a part of her life that I had missed.

"Nothing. We talking tonight!" I took away the remote and turned it off throwing the remote somewhere behind me, it ended up falling down on the floor.

"Yeah? Okay. Cool. We should call Falak?" She asked, I shrugged.

"I already tried. She's busy with some work. Bhai is helping her." I made some teasing facing making her laugh out loud.

"Good. At least one of us is getting some action." And that's how I barfed.

"Ayy! Shut upp! He's my brother you are talking about." I put my already empty bowl on the bedside drawer and digged in her bowl, she passed it to me.

"So what's happening with you and Yug? Give me all that I missed and moreeeee." I sang out loud, she slapped a hand on my mouth.

When I blinked my eyes, she removed her hand. "The walls are not soundproof. Stop shouting, Bhai will come, and he'll start his tantrums. You want that?" She asked, I shook my head.

I did not want to face him after the stunt I pulled tonight. I didn't go for my nightly run, knowing too well, that he was expecting me. Yeah, that's what you get for making a model out of me.

"Your brother's a weirdo, you know that?" I muttered keeping my voice low.

"Yeah, I know. But he's my brother so I can't really get him changed or return him." She shrugged and both chuckled hi-fiving.

•

•

The next two hours passed by us sharing jokes, life, laughs and some tears. But soon enough, I heard heavy feet slapping against the floor before the door pushed open. We three shared some eye locks.

"What. The. Fuck. Is. Wrong. With. You. Two? There are three other people in the house that are sleeping unlike you two!" He said in his hoarsy sleepy voice, and my mouth watered. Doesn't he sound sexy as Satan? He fluffing doesss!

"We bonding bonding." I gave him a cheeky smile, he glared. Oh yeah. Sleepy Sahil is angry Sahil.

"Why are you letting her do this? Don't you know she thrives on this?" He ignored my entire existence and pinned Suhana with a look, that said something in a language I didn't understand a word of.

"Stop talking about me as if I am not here. I thrive on what?" I focused my stare on my best friend's brother. Suhana held my hand under the blanket and squeezed it as if telling me to stop pissing him off.

I don't care about him. I wanna know what he thinks of me.

"The power of breaking my sisters' heart. Haven't you already done enough? Leaving without telling her anything. Ignoring her as if she did you wrong. You had a problem with me, but you took it out on my sister. You hurt her continuously for years. You broke her heart. You made her cry." He walked some steps closer to my side of the bed, I gulped scared. I didn't even have the power to move my eyes from his face to my best friend's.

"Leave." He pointed his forefinger to the open door; I could feel my eyes tearing up and throat closing.

"Shai—"

"Leave us both alone, Ahaana. Go." He gritted out angrily, his jaw so tightly closed... I feared he'd hurt himself.

"Bhai. Please stop." I heard shuffling from beside me and then she was standing between him and me. He looked away from my face to meet her eyes.

"Stop being so rude all the time, bhai. Please. You're hurting her." She put a hand on his chest, he didn't say a word. He just kept looking at her as if trying to put something in her head with just his eyes, I looked down in my lap.

"Does your 'best friend' know about the first and last song you ever recorded, Suh?" I looked back at the siblings, he had his arms crossed on his chest, all his sleepiness now poofed.

"You're angry on her because she didn't join you for your routine-ly run. Stop pulling me into your drama." Suhana pushed her finger on his chest, telling her to leave.

"What song?" I asked interrupting them both. He looked down at his sister who shook her head in negative. He smirked.

My heart stopped beating for a second. He smirked. He's going to hurt me. Horribly. Intentionally. He wants to hurt me. Make me feel some pain.

"Show her or I will." Sahil said, his voice no more sexy to me.

"Bhai. Please don't do this. She's Ahaana yaar. Kya kar rahe ho aap?" Suhana walked a step closer and cupped his cheeks. He moved his face away making her hands slide down to his chest, she put her head on his chest murmuring something, I wasn't able to catch.

I started to slide down the bed, his eyes met mine. I gulped and looked away from him not having the courage to hold that eye lock. "Good night, Suhana." I whispered before walking to the door.

I didn't even notice when I left their place and entered my own till I was in my bedroom. I was in a daze. How could I ever even think about making it up to these people? It's not possible.

We all have to carry this thing with us forever. this phase... where I just... evaporated from all their lives. I went away. I pushed away all my relationships for what? A silly misunderstanding? And now I think that I'll do something or spend some time alone with each of them, that'll just magically make all of them forget about those five years? They can't! It wasn't easy for them.

I don't know for how long I stayed in that same position... curled up on my bed, I don't know for how long I tried to think... I tried to not think... I tried... I tried to do something... anything. I just laid there staring down at nothing as I tried to feel something other than resentment and hatred at my own self.

When I couldn't keep my eyes open, when I felt my body loosening... I tried to stay somewhat conscious and dropped a message to the only one person who could give me what I wanted... before I let sleep take over me completely.