From the day, he had gifted his house to her, she receives more gifts and all of it in front of elders or her family when they are around, which makes it difficult for her to reject his gifts.

"Does he even know what he is doing? He is giving me all expensive gifts and tells that he likes to give it to his wife in front of everyone. What's all this? Is he giving it to irritate me? When I ask why is he giving me gifts, he says he felt like giving me as I like everyone here especially elders whom he respect a lot." she thought as she was in her room.

Nowadays, she prefer to stay in her room to get some peace of mind.

Just then Abhi came and said,"Pragya come down. I want to give you something."

Pragya, "Again!!!!"

Abhi, "What again?"

Pragya took a deep breath and decides to end this now.

Abhi looks at her cluelessly.

Pragya, "Look, I don't appreciate you giving me gifts."

Abhi, "Oh..."

Pragya, "It's getting too much now. So please stop giving me gifts."

Abhi,"You don't like the gifts?"

"It's not like that. But I don't need them." she said.

Abhi, "Oh then I give you what you need. I will ask Aunty or Bulbul for help."

Pragya looks back in disbelief at his words.

Pragya, "I don't need gifts from you. That's it."

Abhi,"But... It's..."

Pragya, "You see your purpose of giving me gifts is not right. Yes I love the elders here and for that gifts is making me feel weird."

He was about to tell something when she said, "I didn't expect this from you! I didn't expect you will give me gifts for respecting elders!"

Abhi, "Even I didn't but I did it as you like them. That's something good and I felt it's okay to give you gifts for that. What's wrong in that?"

"I do like them but there is a limit for everything. Why are you continuously doing something to make me feel as if it's something special or rare to like them?" she asked.

Abhi, "It is special and rare these days to like them."

"Let it be. But for me it's not something special or rare. So please don't do anything further that makes me feel awkward." she said firmly.

Abhi, "I will try not to..."

"Just stop it! If you continue means then I don't know what I will do!" she told in a high pitched tone that made Abhi taken aback.

Abhi, "Chill! I only did it as I thought it will make you happy but if it is making you feel this way.... I better not do it."

"Thank you! Thank you so much!" she said sarcastically.

Abhi smiles and was about to walk away when she said, "I got something for you."

Abhi hearing that shrieked, "Again?"

Pragya, "What again?"

Abhi, "This is how you said when you got the letter. And now... Again?"

Pragya smirked and said, "No... Not a letter this time. But it's a photograph!"

Abhi, "What photograph?"

Pragya, "Wait!"

Abhi looks at her walking to the same drawer where she had placed the letter. He was now getting worried thinking the photograph will be something that would cause him to fear.

She took the photograph and seeing it she said, "I don't believe in luck usually but recently I think I am getting very lucky."

Abhi now was perspiring in nervousness as she said that line but covered it up with a stern look.

Pragya then smiles and shows the photograph to him.

He was shell shocked and likewise he thought, it was something like the letter that now Pragya can use to blackmail him.

Abhi, "I don't understand one thing. How can you get something that is related to my personal life when the rest who live here can't get anything like that?"

Pragya, "Because I guess.... I am the house owner now. So the house itself is revealing a lot of things about its tenants."

Abhi gasped and then looked at Pragya who was smirking.

Abhi didn't know what to tell her now and he was looking at her blankly.

Pragya, "Won't you ask me what I want so that I don't tell about this photograph to anyone?"

Abhi sighed and looked away from her.

She waited for his response and he then tells, "I think you won't tell anyone about this too."

Pragya, "You can't trust me. I mean maybe for the letter, I was lenient and I haven't tell about it to anyone. But this photo, it's a visual proof so..."

Abhi in a swift motion turned towards her and hugged her tightly which was unexpected to Pragya.

Pragya was shocked by his action and tells," What are you doing?"

Abhi whispers in her ears," I know you won't tell anyone."

He tells confidently in his husky voice which was intimidating her.

Pragya, "Why... Why do you think so?" she told with difficulty.

Abhi, "Because you don't like me to look bad in front of others."

He then breaks the hug and looks at her with a wide smile.

"You could have told me that without hugging right?" she said looking down and was blushing as well.

Abhi, "I could have but I thought with a hug you will remember my words well and also get the point that I am not scared of your useless blackmails."

Pragya, "What? You called my blackmails as useless? How dare you!"

Abhi, "Yes it is. Anyways, I got other works too. You're not only work to take care of."

Pragya, "What! You consider me as a work to take care of!"

He never says anything and walks away while she follows him.

Pragya, "It's not right! How can you walk away when I am talking to you?"

He never tells anything other than smiling insanely.

She manages to pull him by holding his hand and accidentally in the force of pulling him, she kisses him!

She kisses him again on his lips which was shocking to both of them.

Pragya was about to move away when he pulled her closely and was not letting her away.

He was actually kissing her now which was unexpected to Pragya!

She closed her eyes in pleasure and they both kissed each other for sometime until they heard Bulbul calling Pragya.

Abhi first moves away from her and quickly walks away leaving Pragya behind looking dazed.

Bulbul after a while saw Pragya standing alone and asked, "Di! I have been calling you for so long and you never tell me where were you! Why di? Why you don't like me ah?"

Pragya never listen to what her sister was saying and was still lost in his kiss to her.

Bulbul then literally shakes Pragya which made her back to senses.

Pragya," Huh?"

She asked not knowing what to tell.

Bulbul," Oh god! Di! You never listen to me at all."

Pragya,"I am sorry Bulbul. I just got...."

Bulbul, "It's okay. Just tell me where is Jiju."

Pragya in response blushed thinking about him.

Bulbul, "What's wrong with you! I am asking where is Jiju and you're feeling shy! I thought you usually get irritated or tell me where he is in a monotonous tone."

Pragya, "Wo... I... He... Me..."

She blabbered which made Bulbul touch her forehead to check whether her sister is having fever.

Pragya, "What are you doing?"

Bulbul, "It's okay di. You go and rest. Your forehead is feeling hot. I think you are going to have fever."

Bulbul then tells she will ask Ma to take care of her as she needs to go out with Jiju for some wedding arrangements.

She then left ensuring Pragya goes back to her room and lies on the bed.

After Bulbul left the room, Pragya was feeling very hot.

"Am I feeling hot because of fever, weather or.... Or because of his kiss?" she thought and it made her blush profusely.

"He kissed me! That too after a long time. Does this mean he had accepted me? Is this all because of that night when I had shared about my feelings for him?" she asked herself.

"Oh god! It was a passionate kiss! I don't know what would have happened if Bulbul hadn't called me. Wait! Did Bulbul never notice he kissed me?" she thought as she went to check herself in the mirror.

Pragya, "Thank god! He didn't bite my lips if not it would be very obvious."

That's when she heard the door opening sound, she thought it was Sarla ma and said, "I am feeling fine Ma."

She wasn't looking who it was and said, "Ma you don't worry. I will take rest for a while."

She then wondered there was no response and looked at the direction of door.

"You?" she asked in shock.

"I am sorry Pragya. It was a mistake. I got carried away in that moment." Abhi told her.

Pragya was silent and he continued, "I didn't know how I forgot myself when I am around you. I am so sorry. It was a grave mistake. I promised that I won't hug or kiss you but I failed to keep the promise. You never break your promise but I did it."

He said sounding regretfully.

Pragya,"Grave mistake?"

Abhi, "Yes Pragya. It is....I am very sorry!"

Pragya, "It's alright."

She said looking away to hide her tears.

Abhi, "Are you really alright?"

Pragya sternly replied, "Yes I am
Mr. Abhi!"

Abhi, "Mr. Abhi?"

Pragya, "Yes after what you have done and told, I don't think I can consider you as sir anymore."

She told with hurt in her voice which was noticed by him.

Abhi was about to say something when she said, "Please leave me alone
Mr. Abhi."

Abhi had nothing to say so he left from her room.

She locks the door after he leaves and breaks into tears.

"He never accepted me. He only did it in a moment of weakness and considers what I find beautiful as a grave mistake!" she concludes by crying her heart out.

Sneek peek to next part,

"I don't care. Don't ask me about him Ma." She replies feeling frustrated.

Sarla ma, "How can you say like that Pragya? It's your husband who is missing!"

Pragya, "Ma please.... He is not a baby to go missing or he is not like the time Bulbul was when she went missing."

Sarla ma, "But still why are you not at all worried as he is missing for a day now?"

Pragya, "He is a grown up man and a business man too. He would be held up in some work and definitely will be busy somewhere. So don't worry about him."

Sarla ma, "I know Pragya but there is no call or text from him to you or anyone at house. Don't you think it is fishy?"

Pragya, "Ma, I will call him again. Okay?"

Sarla ma, "Pragya, is everything okay with Abhi and you? You sound not interested to know about his whereabouts or wellbeing."

Pragya, "It's not like that.... I just..."

Sarla ma asks her to tell the truth and she was about to tell everything that has happened between Abhi and her when they hear a car arriving sound outside the house.

They both rush to check whether it was Abhi.

It was not Abhi instead they saw someone else which shocked Pragya.

Thank you for reading! 😊
Glad to know the story is good to read.