'Jo mere dil ko dil banati hai,
Tere naam ki koi dhadak hai naa!
~Dhadak

"The Bakshi's have agreed for the project by the way. We can get an official meeting conducted once we go back to Mumbai whenever you want!"
Rachit fills me in from his place that he had occupied on the couch in my room with his laptop in from of him. Both of us now done with the zoom call that we were to attend. His hands furiously typing away something on the laptop.

I nodded with a little hum in acknowledgement to that as I sat on my bed with my own iPad.

"What's the progress on the PR agency?" Reading a few documents with my eyebrows drawn together on the screen, I asked.

"I'm on it as well. Have selected a few already! I'll finalise my top three picks and then you can decide whom to keep?" Pausing his inhumane typing, he looked up at me.

"Just quicken up the process a bit, Rachit! The media will have a ball once dad officially announces me as the next CEO and we can't hide mine and Aradhya's relationship for too long as well, I don't want to do that but before they start sticking on us like bloody leeches for every single thing, I want to be prepared completely. Keep this in your priority list once we go back!" He threw a thumps up at my words and I knew it'll be done. 

We had a PR team already who where doing their job to maintain our public reputation quite well. They were good at what they did but I didn't want just good. I wanted someone who'd be fucking amazing because I wasn't here to take any risk with my people. The media could make or break you and I didn't want my family to go through the latter one, I specially didn't want Aradhya to go through anything mildly bad hence the changes.

My phone's notification went off and that made me look at the device only for a little smile to make it's way on my face. Obviously it was my fiancé.

Cupcake: 'You missed something so serene! Hope you rot out of boredom in your work while I enjoy this' 😭🥰😌😙

There was a picture attached to it of the sunset and the series of emojis almost made me chuckle. Simply sending a heart emoji back, we continued with the remaining work and by the time we closed off, it was quarter to seven.

"Thank god you finally deciding to grace us with your presence, brother in law. I was almost worried if you both even remember there's a world and your family outside that room as well!" Meera bhabhi smiled at us sarcastically when we came down and sat with them in the living room. Bhaiya chuckling beside her, playing with her hair and Tarun was quick to join as well.

"Bhabhi, why so moody? Aren't you enjoying bhaiya's company?" My brother glared at me when I tried hiding my smile. Bhabhi only sighing with a head shake.

"He's been on my head all the time. The girls sent
me their photos and they were enjoying so much. I'm done with his company already!" It was now by turn to laugh at bhaiya's fake offended face and bhabhi only gave him a flying kiss.

"Where's Aarav though?" Rachit asked, not finding him around. I had the same question.

"I'm here!" We heard his voice before anyone could reply and he was coming from the balcony.

"Aru called to let us know that they'll have their dinner out itself before coming. So let us eat as well. What would you guys have?" We contemplated for a few minutes at his question within ourselves but couldn't decide something.

"I think we should order in some good Goan food. Or we can do some pizzas as well? Honestly, some good hot Thai curry sounds tempting too. We can try Mediterranean, I'm open to anything!" Bhabhi was actually salivating at this point and you could see it all over her face. But you couldn't blame her, the pregnancy cravings kicking in to make their presence known.

"Relax, wife! Hold your horses for a minute. I know you feel like you're so hungry that you could eat an entire village but that's not the case. And I'm not letting you have any of the things you mentioned. I'll order a chicken salad for you in dinner!" Bhaiya rubbed her arm, using his softest tone while saying so but that didn't simmer the anger of his wife who was busy throwing daggers at him.

"You are really getting on my nerves, Ansh! First by not letting me go out and now this. I was better off back at home then coming here with you. At least I had mumma back there who could keep you in check. Dafa ho jao meri nazro se!" With that being her last words, she stood up at once and dashed away without hearing bhaiya's pleading.

"Bhai, let's be a little less strict. You know mom told us to not always hover over her for these small things. It'll only upset her more and ruin her mood. Let her enjoy here. You can go back to your rules and regulations once we're in Mumbai!" He only heaved a deep sigh at that, nodding his head and went away after bhabhi.

"Man, I already fear the time when Sahiba will make me go through this!" Tarun exclaimed with utter scared face to which Sahil smacked the back of his head but we knew he was joking and we laughed at his words.

Requesting Aarav to order pizzas for all of us since I knew bhabhi loved that the most and I was sure bhaiya wouldn't object, we then talked here and there about few things with each other till our food arrived. Calling Reyansh bhai and bhabhi downstairs who now looked as if she was never ever pissed at my brother, we sat down together at the dining table and had our meal. Conversation flowing one after another.

Just as we got done eating, the door bell rang and our house help opened it to let the girls in who were talking and laughing amongst themselves, totally still in their own world. Coming inside, they finally noticed us and my eyes where stuck on only one woman. Her hair a bit frizzy, probably due to the wind and squinting my eyes, I noticed sand stuck on her dress here there as well. They waved at us in greeting and Sahiba ran ahead before giving Tarun a back hug along with a kiss on the cheek.

I caught Aradhya looking at them before her eyes flickered to me but noticing my gaze settled on her already, she looked away. Biting her lower lip sheepishly.

If I was sure that Aarav wouldn't punch me in the face for giving his sister a kiss right here, I would've done it the moment she had entered but alas. We don't always get what we want. Talking with them and hearing their adventure story, everyone decided to call it a night and went upstairs to their respective rooms. I stayed back because there was something going on in my mind.

Locating Mahesh uncle, who was the care taker, I explained him the things I wanted to do and luckily he said I could make it happen and was also of a lot of help. It took me more than an hour to execute what I wanted but once it was finally done, I felt satisfaction filling me to the brim. Removing my phone from my pocket, I dialled my soon to be wife's number and biting the inner side of cheek, prayed for her to answer.

The ring kept going but she didn't pick up. Please don't be asleep already, Adu!

Hello?" I closed my eyes hearing her soft voice from the other side when she finally picked up on the last ring.

"I almost thought you're asleep!" My voice being low, I responded and she chuckled from the other side. A smile forming on my lips too.

"No, I was actually in the shower and heard my phone ringing. Myru is asleep already so I ran out to pick it before she could wake up, getting disturbed!" I cleared my throat, clenching my phone tighter in my fist, not wanting the mental image to corrupt my brain at what she just said.

"Okay. Well, I called to ask if you can come downstairs?" There was silence of a few seconds from her side at my question. Was she going to say no?

"Of course but is everything good, though?" Sighing in relief, I nodded but then realised she couldn't see me.

"Yes, everything's fine. Just come downstairs, please and I'll explain. I'm waiting for you here!" Standing in the middle of the living room, I replied.

"Fine, I'll be down in five!" My heart soared at her reply.

"Okay! Carry a shawl or something for yourself as well!" I let her know without fail.

"Are we—-never mind. I'll be down in a bit!" The call ended and I wondered if she got an idea already? But even if she did, she wouldn't be able to actually guess what it was so I waited and exactly after five minutes she was climbing down the stairs with her phone in one hand and the shawl in the other. Closing the distance, she stood in front of me and passed me one of her dimpled smile.

Ye dimple jung ladwade insaan se.

I let my eyes take in her presence. Her hair which was almost waist length was parted from the middle and left open. Her skin bare from any kind of make up but still shining. Her cheeks, nose and chin a little red with blush. Why does she waste her time applying that when she keeps blushing naturally, anyways? Her lips were painted a bit red as well with some kind of lipgloss going around. My gifted necklace in her neck, engagement ring on the finger and an adorable pair of nigh suit completed her look.

"Cute choice of clothes, Adhya!" The words left my mouth on it's own, taking in her little heart printed top and shorts. She scrunched her cute nose, looking down at herself before looking up again and huffing a breath.

"Shut up, it's cute!" Her hands folded around her chest as she said that and I frowned.

"Didn't I just say the exact same thing?" Did she not grasp my words I just spoke a second before her reply?

"Yes, but you were being sarcastic!" Giving me a mean look, she rolled her eyes.

Sooner rather than later, she'll regret rolling those pretty eyes of her, I'll make sure of that.

"No, cupcake, I was actually being honest!" She halfhearted believed my works before muttering an 'if you say so' and I only shook my head with a chuckle. The drama this girl has up her sleeves is still to be discovered and I'm always up for it.

"Okay! Anyways, let's go?" I forwarded her my palm and though she looked confused as hell but held my hand back. Coming out of the house together, I gestured at the pink Vespa that was standing at the threshold and her eyes widened the next second with a gasp leaving her mouth.

"Are we riding this freaking beauty?" She asked looking at me before going back to admiring the vehicle with heart eyes and I nodded. A smile intact on my face noticing her happiness over it.

"God! I always wanted to own a Vespa myself!" She muttered, her hands tucked under her chin and I mentally kept that information to myself.

"Okay, I'll hear everything about it but later. Right now I want to take you somewhere so let's get going?" Forwarding her the pink helmet matching the Scooty, I requested and she took it from my hand, wearing it.

"Let me guess, you won't tell me where we are going?" Throwing her a wink in response which made her look away with a smile, I locked the safety strap of her helmet myself and once I was satisfied, I wore my own and sat on the Vespa. Legs parted and turned it on with the key, blowing the accelerator once while clutching the left hand side break. Turning to look at my fiancé who was jumping from one leg to another on her place, I gestured her to hope on and she readily did so, legs on either side and hands on my shoulders.

"You good?" I asked her after I placed her legs properly on the leg space given on either side by cupping the back of her calf's with my hands. She only nodded without a word and I sat straight then. Finally, giving the accelerator and leaving the break, I brought the scooty outside the gate and onto the roads.

"Adhya, stop behaving like I'm a stranger you've met for the first time and hold me tight. You might fall!" My voice was more loud than normal as I tried talking to her through the wind.

"Just what a girl needs to hear while you make her sit behind yourself. You won't even tell me where we're going?" I could here the impatience in here voice of not knowing what was going on and it only pulled a chuckle out of me.

"We'll reach in hardly five minutes. But please hold tight, it's risky!" She dropped her head on my shoulder as her hands went around my torso. Her front sticking to my back and feeling her warmth seeming into me through the layers of clothes that we wore, I gulped. Momentarily loosing my balance but got a grip of myself, shaking my head.

"I'm not a little child for you to fuss after. I can take care of myself just fine." Snuggling the side of her face in my back, she murmured.

She had a way with getting on my nerves, this could be a prime example!

"I'm not fussing after you and I know very well that you can take care of yourself. But this scooty is smaller than the usual ones hence it's a bit tricky. Be the hyper independent girl all you want but I won't let you play with your safety knowingly or unknowingly!" Though I didn't intended it to be but my voice came out sharper than needed and she very well sensed it. Her hold tightening onto me and I clenched my jaw.

"Okay, Mr Malik. I get it now. Please calm down and go back to being the soft boy that you were. Grumpy man isn't it doing it for me right now!" And just like that, my hard expression melted off and I scoffed, shaking my head. Aradhya passing me a cheeky smile through the rear view mirror and I chuckled muttering a 'pagal' under my breath.

Exactly after five minutes, we reached our destination and I parked the Vespa at a safe place.

"Beach? Itni raat ko? We could've came here in the morning!" Aradhya had her eyebrows raised as she looked around but without replying to her, I held her hand, pulling her with me.

"What—" she stopped midway as soon as her eyes fell on what was coming in view. Her steps hurrying in sync and a gasp left her mouth when she stood in front of it, her hand leaving mine and cupping her face in surprise.

"Did you like it?" Coming close behind her, i asked gently. My hands going around her waist and hugging her from the back. She didn't say a word for a good whole minute. Her head dropping back on my chest, hands holding onto mine and she took deep breaths.

"This—how—why did you do this?" Finally turning around and showing me her precious face, she asked in a low voice. Her eyes shining with tears already and I shrugged, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear and cupping her face.

"This is my way of making up for not being able to give you time today. I couldn't see you upset and I regretted it a lot so I planned this little thing last minute. You like it or not?" Her hands came around my neck, intertwining there and mine went around her waist.

"Of course, I like it. I love it, actually but—you didn't had to do this. And I wasn't even that upset to begin with!" Her words made me frown.

"And who decides the parameters? It doesn't matter if you weren't that upset. The point being that I hurt you and I make up for it. This is not even up for discussion. If god has made me capable enough to shower you with the world, why wouldn't I do exactly that?" Her eyes looked at me, shining like it had the brightness of the most precious stars in them. Her cheeks gaining it's colour back and hands trying to pull me down. Kissing the corner of my lips, she breathed in the same position for a few moments with eyes closed.

"Ranveer, I don't want the world. I just want you. Standing beside me, holding my hand. If I'll be given an option to choose between you and something else, I'll always choose you. Without even knowing what the second option is and it could be the freaking moon, I don't care. That's how important you are in my life, that's what simply your presence means to me!" By the time she finished her little speech, I was hardly breathing and a tear dropped from the corner of her eyes as well which I wiped away with my thumb, gazing at her with all the feelings that I felt for her in my heart. A lump forming in my throat and heart beating like crazy.

Cardiac arrest could happen anytime now!

"Adhya, please do me a favour and go back to being your silent self because since you've decided to say things out loud, my heart has been beating to the highest rate ever!" Taking her hand, I kept it on that blood pumping organ and the next second she hugged me tight. Her hands going around my neck and legs dangling in the air. With my eye closed and face snuggled in her neck, I held her against me, tightening my hold around her waist even more. Almost lifting her up. We stood like that for the longest time, breathing each other in and feeling each others warmth.

"Now that you've made yourself clear, iska kya karna hai?" Breaking apart so that we could look at each other, I questioned her, glancing at the set up.

"Kya karna hai matlab? Itni pyaari mehnat ko waste thodi jane denge. Come!" Giving me an incredulous look, she broke apart completely and pulled me along with her while I followed her with a creepy smile of my own. Jumping in pure childlike glee, she clicked a picture of it first on her phone before we both sat down.

"I've never felt this peaceful in my live for the longest time. Thank you so much, Ranveer!" Aradhya cupped one side of my face, turning to me as we sat down on the makeshift arrangement, my back taking the support of one of the jute pillow and she took mine. Her back to my front, my one hand around her waist and the other caressing her engagement ring time and again.

"You know I only accept kisses in gratitude. I thought I made myself clear the other day?" She shook her head with a chuckle and warmth creeped up her face, taking in my mock glare as I replied.

"Aren't you such an amazing opportunist?" Giving me a sarcastic smile, she asked but still moved close. Our noses brushing together.

"How am I an opportunist if we both enjoy the exchange? Hmm?" The smirk I had on my face seeing her getting shy turned into a full blown smile when she fisted my shirt, hiding her face in my chest.

"Shut up, you flirt!" She muttered and I threw my head back in laughter, wrapping my hands tighter around her frame and pulling her even close. Her shawl spread over her.

"Acha, tell me what all you girls did today?" That made her to look up at me with a broad smile and she sat a bit straight, ready to narrate her story.

"Oh, we had so much fun! First of all we went to a salon. Kaira being the high maintenance girl that she is, she had to get her nail extensions done. Myru and Sahiba decided to join her." I nodded to let her know that I was listening aptly.

"So Preet and I decided to check out this really cute bohemian themed cafe close by and that was amazing as well. The ambience was really great we should go there with everyone once for sure." She absentmindedly played with my fingers, reciting and I smiled. I've seen people talk but Aradhya lived those moments while she narrated everything animatedly.

"Okay, we'll definitely go there!" Dropping a kiss on the corner of her mouth, I let her know and she dropped her eye contact with me, not expecting it. Shaking her head, she drew out a breath and continued again,

"And then we went to Morjim beach and that was such a good experience, I can't even express in words. The sunset, we girls, the calm we felt there. Oh, and we also had nariyal pani and we made sand castle as well. Wait I'll you show the pictures we clicked!" Without waiting for my reply, she picked up her phone which was kept beside mine on the table and opened her gallery.

"See! We clicked soooo many pictures. It's insane." I looked away from her beaming face to the one which was smiling on the screen and my heart lost it's battle once again. It was a group photo but my woman was shining with happiness and radiated an aura that could woo you just like that. All of her teeth on display and eyes almost closed in joy.

"You look so fucking beautiful. I could keep looking at you all my life!" Aradhya rolled her eyes at my compliment but her red cheeks told a different story. Keeping her phone aside, she came back in my arms and heaved a sigh.

"I think I should stop with the talking now or I'd get the award of the most yapping girl ever!" I chuckled at her choice of words and looked down.

"Yapping? What does that even mean?" The look that I received in return from her declared me an idiot in all the languages that could be there. She kept looking at my face with her eyes wide and mouth a little open.

"Okay, never mind. You aren't up to date with the social media trend yet, I just remembered!" As if realisation finally dawned upon her, she shrugged, patting my chest and I scowled. This was a social media thing?

"But what does it mean?" Holding her chin so that she looked at me, I asked.

"It basically is a word for someone who blabbers and talks a lot. But leave that. Let's talk about something else." Biting her lip and shaking her head with deep breath, she changed the topic. I made a mental note to start using social media a bit. The next time she gives me a reference from there, I shouldn't be sitting like an idiot who doesn't know shit.

Subconscious: Degree aur certificate toh kharidwayi thi humne!

That's not true. My inner self is simply making it's presence known. I had been a topper all my life.

"Ranveer, how did you, Sahil, Tarun and Sahiba became friends?" Her question pulled me out of my head and I sighed, remembering our school days when it all started.

"Sahiba and I were in the same class in sixth grade. I didn't had any real friends as such because of my closed off nature but I always noticed Sahiba being silent all the while and never mingling up. Of course, she didn't had any friends too. One day when I reached school later than normal timing, we sat together because my usual place was occupied by some other classmate. On that same day I had forgot my history note book at home and she shared her rough one with me to make notes. Since then gradually we started talking, helping each other when required and slowly became good friends. When I joined the school cricket team the next year, I met Sahil and Tarun there and we clicked it off as well. Sahiba and I had a huge fight when she thought I was neglecting her for my new found friends and didn't talk to me for a lot of days. I shared this with the boys and the they went behind my back to make her understand that they had no intentions of doing that, only to come back with Sahiba now laughing and talking her heart out with them. Since then we were a group of four. When we passed our tenth boards, Tarun proposed to Sahiba and the rest is history."

"So basically you adopted Sahiba and then Sahiba had to adopt the three of you, collectively!" She replied with a teasing smile once I was done talking and I rubbed my stubble against her cheek making her laugh in glee.

"What's your story of meeting that kira kheera and your jag mata?" Once her laughter stopped, I asked, removing a tendril from her forehead and made circles on her warm, soft cheek with my thumb.

"Oh, it is quite similar to yours but the only difference is, they were kinda forced to adopt me!" Seeing my confused face, she thought to elaborate on it and continued,

"So Kaira's mom was Aarav bhai's class teacher. We were all in the same school, obviously. Bhai was about to pass out his tenth grade and I was going to enter my seventh class. Chachi was worried there wouldn't be anybody to look after me once bhai leaves and since I was a loner because of certain things which had happened, her worry was justified!" Knowing what that certain things were, I pulled her closer in my arms on instinct. One that wanted to protect little Aradhya by going back in time. Sighing in her hair and neck, I dropped few kisses on her pulse, her breathing turning heavy as she squirmed in my hold.

"So chachi talked with Gayatri aunty, Kaira's mom and Aarav bhai's then class teacher, about the same. Aunty who was by this point chachi's friend, said that she had her daughter studying in the same school and in the same standard. Upon special request she could put her and me in the same class so that way, we can be each other's friend and I wouldn't be left alone. Chachi was happy about the arrangement and once school started in June, Kaira and I were introduced. She already had a best friend in the class. Her name was Preet, my jag mata! To my utter surprise, this Preet girl was more friendlier than the one who was supposed to be my partner in class. When I shared this thought with Preet, she said she felt the same when they had first met a year back. It was her default setting. Class ki gundi thi woh. God, I always admired her confidence and fearlessness so much back then."
Aradhya smiled at oblivion, remembering those times and I smiled looking at her serene face only to have it wiped off when a rather disturbing expression took over her face.

"Then one day, out of nowhere my whole class got to know that I didn't had a mother. It spread like a wildfire in span of a moment. Kaira was absent that day since she was unwell. I remember how these two classmates bullied me and made fun of me on that, others laughing at my expense in the background. I was so weak back then that I was bawling my eyes out in just a minute. Preet held me close to her all the while and told them to leave me alone but her words didn't had any affect on them. They only stopped when our teacher came. The next day when Kaira came back to school and Preet narrated her what all went wrong, she was boiling in anger. You wouldn't believe what she did to the bullies?" I was seething in anger by the time she stopped. My heart crying for my little girl who was bullied because her mother wasn't in the world anymore. And to say that some kids did this just for laughter and mocking, makes me almost puke in disgust.

"Tell me she gauged their eyes out?" Please tell me that happened. I'll worship Kaira my whole life for protecting this precious person who was in my arms right now.

"No—she—didn't! That's downright evil, Ranveer! But she did something close enough. Kaira punched those two guys in the nose to the point of bleeding!" She thinks that's evil? If someone so much as breathed the wrong way near her, they'll be begging for their fucking lives now. I'll make sure they do. Breathing a sigh at her answer, I nodded a little and snuggled my face in my neck. Her hand coming up to my neck and fingers moving in my hair.

"That was the turning point in our friendship. She made sure Preet and I were never left alone after that. She was our night in shining armour!" She finished her story with bated breaths and I hummed, moving my lips along the length of her swan like neck. The light from the lamp and fairy lights around her giving her the golden warmth and she was a sight for sore eyes.

"Don't do that!" Streching her head back and up so she looked at me with her hooded eyes, she whispered, an arrogant smirk forming on my face.

"Do what, cupcake?" With a husky voice I asked, dipping my face back in the hallow of her neck and dropping kisses there. Doing exactly what she told me not to. Her hands held onto my biceps tightly when I took a bunch of her silky hair in my right palm, tilting her head back and moved up to her jaw and chin. Feeling bold, I parted my lips and traced her plump bottom lip with my tongue, once. Then again and then I repeated the same with her upper lip before she held the lapels of my shirt and as if something snapped inside of her, she turned around sitting in my lap, straddling me. The temperature which was at it's peak got even higher. Both our breathings heavy and synchronised.

"Getting bold, Adu?" Pulling her closer in me by her waist that made a gasp leave past her lips, I smirked. Eyes looking nowhere else but her juicy pink petals. The sinful parted lips were begging me to ruin them and I had to grind my molars.

This position is a little too dangerous for a man who didn't want to lose his fucking shit.

"Ranveer?" She almost moaned that out, followed by an erotic sigh which left her lips and that seemed to do it for me. I joined her lips with mine, guiding her nimble arms around my back and to my hair. With a secret language of our own, she got the hint and fisted my hair tightly. My one hand wrapping around her waist, dangerously close to her ass and the other around her neck, angling her it as I pleased.

When our lips touched, the current that went through my whole being was concerning and I visibly shivered. Fingers digging into her skin as I felt the intensity of our kiss consuming me whole. The effect this tiny little human being of mine held on me was too much and I could happily give her even more if I could.

"Ohh—I—oh my god!" Aradhya broke apart a bit in the middle when my hand that was around her neck, moved to her thigh and squeezed her delicate skin a little roughly. Both of our chest heaving up and down and our lips glistening with the aftermath.

"Are you okay?" In a dark whisper, I asked her and she nodded frantically. Gulping down a bit.

"Again. Please." With that being her only two words, she joined her lips back to mine and I chuckled in our kiss. Her legs enclosing around my waist tightly on that and I knew the restraint I wanted to have was in a massive problem.

How do you control yourself when someone as gorgeous as this woman is in your arms?

She sucked on my lower lip a little and I groaned. I don't how but in the middle of it all, I had Aradhya under me, laid down on the mattress and I hovered over her, my left hand under her head and my right leg thrown over her. Both of us had no mood to stop anytime soon with way we grabbed at each other, holding tight and fighting for dominance. Sucking on my fiancé's tongue, I broke apart and she made a disapproving sound but that soon enough turned into moans and mewls when I snuggled in her neck.

"The picture you paint right now for my eyes, baby, no sane man would want to stop!" Pulling her shirt a little down from her shoulder, I sucked onto her naked skin with my teeth digging in but careful not to leave any marks.

"You don't have to stop!" Her voice heavy with emotions, replied as she stifled a moan, her hands on my back keeping me close. I groaned partly at her words and partly at the nude strap of her bra that came into view. The primary realisation hitting hard that I'll be the only man who could be this close to her because she chose me.

I cupped her chubby face which was red in my huge palm and dropped a long, deep kiss on the crown of her head. The hooded expression in Aradhya's eyes now replaced with genuine adoration and that was for me, again. Pulling her in my arms, I laid down beside her and kept her close to me, basking in the silence that followed.

"Ranveer?" Aradhya turned on her stomach breaking that silence, her face taking the support of her elbow as she looked at me.

"Hmm?" Playing with her end of her hair, I raised my eyebrow.

"Can I ask you something?" Why was she hesitant in the first place?

"You don't need my permission before asking me what you want, Adu!" She dropped a loud kiss on my nose at my answer and my heart soared, cheeks spreading in a smile. My finger now moving to her neck and playing with thin chain she had around.

"Did you know of my mother's wish before you came to meet me the first time?" Looking down at my chest, she asked. I made her look back at me in the eye with my finger under her chin.

"Do you think I would've kept that from you had I known about it?" She let my words play in her mind for a whole of five seconds before she shook her head and smiled cheekily.

"You wouldn't. Forget that! What did my dad talk with you about when he first met you?" I furrowed my eyebrows, trying to remember that. Aradhya's eyes set on me for an answer.

"He didn't actually. He never specifically asked me anything. When he came at home that day, I was sitting down beside bhabhi near her leg and was pressing her feet because she complained that it pained a lot. Your father and I didn't talk much then but while leaving, he smiled and said 'I think I'm going to make the right decision by choosing you for my daughter, beta! Ek Aadmi jo aurat ke samne jhukna janta hai, woh usse sar pe bithane se bhi piche nahi hat ta!'

Aradhya had the softest smile on her face hearing that and coming closer, she cupped my face.

"I think I can finally see what he meant by that!" Before I could say something in return, she captured my lips into her's and every other thought left my mind just like that. My arms holding her tight and eyes closing on their own as I let her do whatever she pleased with me.

My heart was content that my fiancé doesn't shy away from showing her feelings now, that my words and actions are helping her to open to me but there's a sadness in me as well because she still has an invisible boundary made between us which I can't cross. The fact that she has till now not shared anything about the darkest part of her life is prove enough for me to understand that but I know the key here is to be patient. If I've succeeded in winning her till here then I'm confident I'll win her further as well. She'd break all the barrier and accept me completely. Just like I have. With my all of my heart.

•••

How was it? Hope you liked this one?

Do drop in your thoughts through comments and don't forget to vote as well.

Till then bye and take care 🫶🏼