Swara was sitting on the floor burring her head in her knees. Her phone was continuously ringing flashing 'Nikhil Calling.'

Yesterday's taunts and blamings were still ringing in her ears which was increasing her sobs by each passing moment.

She heard knocking on the door which she ignored not wanting to face anyone.

"Swara don't test my patience. Open the door NOW." She heard Sanskar's voice from other side.

'Sanskar? What is he doing here?'

"Swara open the door else I am breaking it." His voice was filled with surety.

She wiped her eyes and took a moment to gain mental and emotional equilibrium.

"Sanskar you..." Sanskar was standing in front of her with hard glare.

"What are you doing in this shitty motel?" He entered without giving any chance for her to speak.

"My condo contract ..."

"Dare you lie to me" He pulled her towards him to make her see in his scrutinising eyes.

She could not match with his eyes and lowered her head. Tears started streaming over her cheeks.

He wrapped his arms around pulling her in his secured embrace.

Feeling his scent and assured support she started sobbing heavily holding his suit jacket in her fist.

Sanskar kept caressing her long hairs without any word. Her each tear was stabbing his heart, but he stayed silent.

"Calm down Swara." He wiped her tears cupping. "I cannot see tears in your eyes."

"Roger, take her bags" Sanskar ordered, and Roger entered inside.

"Sanskar?"

"Don't say a word" he and his dominating nature.

He wrapped his hand around her shoulder to led her out unaware of one pair of furious eyes.

He made her sit on passenger seat and drove towards his penthouse.

It was silent journey but his hold over her hand was spreading relief in her tormented heart.

"Here take this" He passed water glass, making her seat on couch when they reached.

"Now tell me what happened?" he settled beside her.

"Why were you there? Have you seen that place? It was just shit. What would have happened if I would not have reached there on time? From when you are there?" he bombarded his questions.

She kept her mum not matching her eyes with him.

"From last night." She mumbled.

He ruffled his hairs in frustration.

"Last night I dropped you to your apartment and then today I found you there. What happened Swara?"

"When you dropped me yesterday, my roommate's mother questioned me."

"I tried to cover with my usual lie, but I guess she had seen me with Roger. And at night she saw me with you. She asked me to call Radhika Aunty for her confirmation."

"Who is this Radhika Aunty now?"

"Nikhil's aunt. They stay in suburbs."

"When we used to go to meet Granny over weekend, I used to lie to my roommates that I go to meet them. But when she asked me to call them. I had no other option but to keep my mum. She started questioning and taunting me with..."

"So, what's a big deal? It's your life. You can decide what you want? What's her problem in it?"

"It does not work like that Sanskar. If Radhika Aunty gets suspicious about me, she will go and tell Nikhil. He will create ruckus. He... he has indirectly blackmailed me for not breaking our engagement."

"What the hell?"

"He knows about our contract marriage. He threatened me to tell everything to my parents. Sanskar, my parents won't be able to take this. You know Papa's condition."

Sanskar pulled her as her sobbing increased due to her panic.

"But why did you leave your apartment? You are paying your rent properly. What you do with your life should not be their or anyone's concern."

"I couldn't hear her blamings, but I did not have any replies for her disgusting questions. I saw distrust in my roommates' eyes. It was unbearable for me. So, I left that apartment at night only." He rubbed his forehead knowing her in and out.

"And why didn't you come here? I was just a call away Swara. Why didn't you call me?"

"How can I come here? This is your home"

"And why you cannot come here?"

"Why the hell you cannot come to your own HUSBAND's HOME?"

"Come on are you hearing yourself?" His frustration took charge of his sanity breaking his self-made rules.

"Hus... husband's home?" they shared long eye lock which was broken by door ring.

"Sir" Roger entered inside with her pull over bags.

"Move them in the room besides mine." Roger moved towards stairs.

"Sanskar?" she opened her mouth to contradict.

"Not a word Swara. Till you find any new apartment. You are staying here. This is final. No arguments."

"How can I stay here?" she mumbled to herself.

"Don't you trust me?"

"Come on Sanskar, I trust you more than I trust my own self."

"Then it's final"

"But what if someone knows about, I am living here. What are we going answers? Sanskar it will create problems for both of us."

"That we will see when it comes, as of now, there is no way you are stepping out."

Her phone started ringing again flashing 'Nikhil Calling'

Sanskar clutched his fist.

She picked it up.

"What do you want Nikhil?" She asked tiredly.

"Why are your parents delaying marriage date? Did you book your tickets? When are you coming? It's high time." he was losing his patience.

"First, I am not in mood to talk to you. Second you have no right to ask me any questions. This is my life I will do what I feel is right. So, stop interfering in my life." She burst out her frustration over him.

"Are you forgetting that we are an engaged couple?"

"And are you forgetting I am married to someone else?"

Unknowingly Sanskar's lips stretched in small smile.

"Marriage? Where did this come from?"

Swara cut call feeling agitated.

She palmed her face feeling tired. He wrapped his arm around her.

"I am scared Sanskar."

He touched her chin to raise to make her look in his eyes.

"Day by day Nikhil is forcing me for marriage. I don't want to. But he had my deep secret. If he tells this to Ma and Papa. I am trapped in this. I am tired of lying to my parents. I feel guilty when they trust me blindly."

He rubbed her shoulder in his support.

"What will be Ma and Papa's reaction? This simple thought takes my breath away. Sometimes I just want to go and tell them everything. But then..." she kept her head back on his chest to vent out her pain.

"Have you applied for their visa?" He broke their silence after long thought.

"I am thinking. Waiting for documents from Rohan."

"Don't worry I will ask my lawyer to look into it. Once they are here, you will feel better." He wiped her tears.

Her phone started ringing flashing, 'Ayesha Calling'

"Talk to her"

"I am so sorry Swara for yesterday. Where are you? Are you ok? Do you know how many times I called you?" Swara felt good hearing concern from her friend.

They both talked for some time and Swara gave lame excuses to her about her stay. She cut the call and thanked her Kanhaji as Ayesha did not drill her more about her lies.

"Shit" he closed his eyes tightly, "There is one meeting. I must attend. I will be in study. It's over there." He pointed at one glass door.

"Sure. Sorry because of me."

"I think we have crossed this formality stage of thank you and sorry. So, you better keep these words to yourself and go get freshen up. I will order something for lunch. My meeting will be finished by that time."

They had lunch together, but Swara was silent unusual to her chirpy and chatterbox nature.

It was late evening when Sanskar finished his office work. He was moving towards his room when he saw Swara searching something in Kitchen.

"What are you looking for?"

"Hmm just looking around to make something for dinner."

"Why? We will order."

"We ordered for lunch as well."

"That's ok. Why are you bothering for such a small thing?"

"Nope first thing it's waste of money to order food if we can cook and second eating from outside every day is not good for health. Don't worry I will make something. You carry on."

She kept few ingredients on the countertop.

"Are you sure? You need any help?"

"You are asking as if you are going to wear apron and start cutting these onions." She mumbled to herself rolling her eyes.

"Excuse me Ms. Swara Mehra are you underestimating ME?" He held her hand and pulled her.

His swift move made lose her balance and she landed on his chest. She felt his arm encircling her waist for support.

Sanskar could not move his eyes from her face. With tightly closed eyes and with scared facial expressions she was looking cute.

Swara slowly opened her eyes to lost herself in his dark brown orbs.

"I must say, you have some guts my lady to hold my collar" he pressed his lips.

She looked at her hand it was clutching his t-shirt collar in tight fist. She immediately took her hand back looking everywhere but not at him.

His hot breath was fanning over her face increasing warmness on her cheeks.

"Are you ok?" he asked with narrowed eyes.

'She looks cute when she blushes' he made her stand properly.

He moved his fingers to shift her hair strand behind her ears.

His heart was elated when his fingers brushed over her cherry red cheeks.

She bit her lower lip feeling feathery touch of his fingertips. She gulped heavily with a hope that he would not hear her thumping heartbeat.

Her flushed cherry red face had set his heart on marathon speed. It was hard for him to take his eyes off her serene face. With lot of efforts and long battle between his mind and heart he gave her small smile and left from kitchen drowned in his thoughts.

'What was that?'

'Why did I feel so precious when he held me close to his heart? when he looked at me? when he touched me?'

'What was in his eyes? Why his simple stare also felt so intense?'

'I never felt uncomfortable in his presence but feel safe.'

'But today it was different... something different.'

She kept on looking at his retiring figure.

Sanskar was feeling her eyes on his back. He did not turn back but recent proximity had shaken him from the core.

For dinner Swara made simple daal and rice.

"What is this?" he asked with first bite.

"Daal and rice... I hardly found lentils and rice. Tomorrow, while coming from office, I will do grocery."

"This is good."

They talked routine and called off for the day.

Sanskar was working in his room late night as usual. During his work he needed one pen-drive which was in his study.

He came out of his room to find Swara's room door was open with lights on.

'Is she is not sleeping? It's almost 1 am.'  He thought standing at doorstep. He was turning back feeling not to disturb her.

"Sanskar you are still awake?" her voice made him turn to her.

"I can ask the same question." He leaned over door frame.

"I am not feeling sleepy." She bit her lower lip.

"Spill the bins out Swara" he raised his eyebrows. "You know you cannot lie."

"I can... I cannot sleep alone." She passed sheepish smile.

"You live alone away from your home and..."

"No, it's not like that. In India, we have small 1 BHK house. Me, Ma and Papa sleeps in one room and Rohan sleeps in hall. Here also me and Ayesha used to sleep in one room and on weekends I used to sleep with you."

'Does she even know the meaning of what she blurted out at last?' he shook his head pressing his chuckle.

"What?" she narrowed her eyes. After a long time, she could not guess what was going in his mind.

"Hmm? Nothing."

'She is too innocent.'

They talked for some time and then Swara's eyes started dropping when they called off for the day.

Sanskar kept his room door open same as Swara.

"Good night Swara" he shouted switching off the lights.

"Good night Sanskar"

Next day, they were on dining table where Swara had made breakfast.

"Good morning, Sir. Good morning, Mam." Roger greeted with professionalism.

"Good morning, Roger. Sit have some breakfast. What will you take coffee?" Swara asked with smile.

"No Mam, I am fine."

"What fine? Sit here and join us for breakfast."

Roger took seat and Swara handoverred him coffee and toast.

Sanskar was discussing to be precise ordering to Roger over some issues.

"Let him eat Sanskar" Swara saw Roger's struggle between food and talks.

Roger pressed his lips looking at his dominating master digging his head in his plate immediately receiving order from his wife.

"Roger, do you know any agent who can look for any rental apartments?" Swara asked after some time.

Her words captured Sanskar's attention.

"Roger can find an apartment for you" he declared.

"No, he will be busy."

"No Mam, I will for sure. Just let me know your requirements."

"Thanks Rogers. It should be fitting to my pockets; I cannot pay more than $1200 on rent. Even if it is small or in suburbs it is fine."

Sanskar rubbed his forehead passing death glare to Roger.

"Sure Mam, I will personally look into this."

"Swara do we have more toast?"

"Ohh I will just bring." She left for kitchen.

Sanskar kept his inquisitive eyes on Roger.

"I will share apartment details first with you Sir. When you approve then only, I will inform about it to Mam." Roger was his loyal and most trustworthy employee.

"It's not high priority. Take your time. There is no hurry for it."

Sanskar himself did not realise why his heart did not want to part from Swara.

Somewhere his soul was demanding her presence around him.

It was just one day she was in his home, but he was becoming habitual to be around her.

"Of course, Sir."

Roger had tough time to control his chuckle looking at Sanskar's antics.

*********************************************

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