"Di! Don't be scared. You are just here as I brought you." Bulbul said to Pragya who was looking tensed.

Pragya replies, "I am not scared Bulbul. I just feel weird."

"Weird?" Bulbul asked in surprise.

Pragya, "Actually not weird. I don't know how to explain as I am here without informing him. It's more like I am tensed."

Bulbul, "But you work here before right? What's wrong in coming now?"

Pragya never says anything as she looks around the conference room nervously.

Bulbul said she wants to meet Abhi and Pragya told he is at work and she can meet him in evening. But, Bulbul was adamant and she said she will meet him at his office so now they were here.

Pragya, "Bulbul, why are we here?"

Bulbul, "Oh gosh! You know we are waiting to see him right? Did you forget it by being nervous?"

Pragya, "I do remember but we could have fixed an appointment with the receptionist and wait there."

Bulbul, "That would be so boring. Now we being here will surprise him!"

Pragya, "But what if he never turn up?"

Bulbul, "You don't have to worry about that. Purab will handle it."

Pragya, "Purab? Is he here?"

Bulbul, "Yes he is. Actually he is having a meeting with Jiju. So I asked him not to have his other staff along when he is coming here to meet Abhi."

Pragya, "Then how about him? He will have his staff too right?"

Bulbul, "No di. And you just trust me. Don't worry now. Everything will be great like me!"

Pragya shook her head in disbelief.

"Why am I facing this kind of situation? Already we are not getting along well and now I am here which would only make things worse."

They then heard the door opening sound.

Bulbul was feeling excited while Pragya closed her eyes in fear.

Purab first came in followed by Abhi.

Abhi was surprised seeing both Bulbul and Pragya.

Pragya was still closing her eyes.

Bulbul then said," Look Jiju, see how scared your wife is. She is scared you will scold her for coming here without informing you."

Abhi smiles and tells, "Why should I scold her? After all, it's her office too. She can come at anytime she wants to."

Pragya opens her eyes and widens it in shock.

Abhi smirks seeing her and then tells Purab that we can discuss with Pragya and Bulbul taking notes for them.

Pragya was still not able to believe how can Abhi be normal with her.

"I thought he will scold me or maybe argue with me. But why is he normal with me now?" she wondered and thought maybe because that Bulbul and Purab are present, he didn't want to do anything other than being nice towards her.

Bulbul and Pragya took notes on Abhi and Purab's business meeting.

After their meeting, Purab suggested that all of them should have lunch together at his house.

Abhi politely declined saying he have something on. Bulbul gave a sad puppy face of him not coming.

Abhi then said he will have lunch or dinner on some other day.

Bulbul then insist at least Pragya should join them and Pragya was more than happy to join Purab and her.

Abhi then left from the trio and asked them to enjoy their lunch.

Later that day in night,

Pragya had  completed all her work for that day and was in her room reading a book when Abhi comes in.

He stomps inside the room which caught her attention.

Abhi, "Did you tell Purab?" that was the first thing he asked which made Pragya confused.

Pragya, "About what?"

Abhi, "About the letter!"

Pragya, "No I didn't. I told you right I won't tell anyone." She told truthfully.

Abhi,"Then how did he know?"

Pragya again says she never told anyone but Abhi was fuming in anger already.

Pragya, "Look, I know it's not a small thing in the letter and I can't tell to anyone without your permission."

Abhi glares at her which makes Pragya more nervous and she starts to tremble in fear.

Abhi, "Come with me!"

Pragya pleaded, "I didn't tell him. Trust me."

Abhi, "I said just come with me!" he said loudly and she was now super scared of him.

Pragya didn't had the courage to argue with him so she just followed him.

"Where is he bringing me to? I hope he is not going to kill me. Why am I thinking he will kill me? But what can I think of when the way he looks is murderous!" she thought as he signalled her to get inside his car.

She mentally thanked god as it was very late at night and nobody could have noticed them as everyone had retired to their rooms.

He was driving fast and she seeing that hope he didn't kill her by making an accident now.

He finally stopped the car at the same place that they had discussed about Tanu before.

Pragya was feeling scared to go out of the car as the place looked extremely dark. In day time itself it was scary for her with the loneliness surrounding the place and now it was worse. She felt it very creepy!

"Come out now!" he ordered.

Pragya with no choice came out as she was more scared of Abhi than the darkness of the place.

Abhi asks her to walk by his side.

She did like he said and finally he stops at a spot.

He was silent for a long time until Pragya asked,"Why are we here?"

Abhi, "Why? Why are we here?"

Pragya, "I asked the same..."

Abhi, "Why did we end up here...."

He said in a low tone.

"Sir..." she said looking at him while he looked away.

Pragya, "I really didn't tell him."

Abhi,"I know..."

Pragya, "You know then why..."

Abhi, "I don't know... I don't know Pragya...."

Pragya could sense he was upset rather than being angry now by his tone.

Abhi, "I am sorry."

Pragya, "It's okay sir...."

Abhi, "It's not okay Pragya. This is not right. Our relationship is not right."

Pragya, "I know sir but let's do this until Bulbul's marriage is over. I know all this lies are difficult but we have to do it."

Abhi nods his head as yes.

Abhi, "I know you could be wondering why can't I give a chance to make our fake relationship as real."

Pragya wasn't expecting this from him and decided not to tell anything as she felt it will be better to listen to him.

Abhi, "I can't Pragya."

Pragya was about to ask why when he said, "Don't ask me why. It's just that I can't."

Pragya keeps quiet and felt very sad with his words.

Abhi, "You deserve someone better. I know about myself more than you or anyone. If I want something I will get it at any cost. But before I want something, I would always decide whether do I deserve it. In your case, I feel I don't deserve you. There are many reasons and I prefer not to share it with you."

Pragya,"Is this your final decision?"

Abhi nods his head firmly as yes.

Pragya, "Fine sir. I respect your decision."

Abhi, "Thanks...."

Pragya, "But just tell me one thing."

Abhi looks up at her and she asks, "Why do you think I should agree to your decision without knowing the exact reason on why you feel undeserving of me?"

Abhi, "It's not anyone else telling you Pragya that I am undeserving of you. It's me! It's the person you have developed feelings for is saying. I don't think anyone else or any other thing is required to make you agree to my decision."

Pragya, "But what if your reasons are wrong to feel you're undeserving of me? Wouldn't it be unfair to me then?"

Abhi, "Not at all Pragya. Do you think I can be unfair towards you? Never! You know I always treat everyone the same regardless of their background. And now when it comes to you, the person who had did me a very big favour of getting my name and life not to be affected, how can I do something unfair to you?"

Pragya," Hmm... "

Abhi," Pragya, just forget whatever happened between us that made us feel confused. We were in a better space by sharing the boss and staff relation."

Pragya," But I wasn't confused."

Abhi," You were confused."

Pragya," Sir, I was confused on how you would react to my feelings and actions. But I wasn't confused on my growing feelings for you. In fact, I was enjoying it. I knew it was wrong but I can't deny it made me feel happy."

Abhi, "That's attraction Pragya." he said in a low tone.

Pragya, "Don't start again. I don't want to get confused by your words."

Abhi gasped in response and she said, " You know something sir. Actually I like this. I mean I like feeling attracted towards you. I don't whether is this love or not but I am happy to have this kind of feeling towards you."

Abhi," But why??" he asked in shock as he thought the topic will be over but it started again.

Pragya," Maybe because it wasn't just physical attraction towards you."

Abhi," I don't understand... What do you mean now?"

Pragya," It's attraction like you said but not just physical attraction as you said. You were telling that day as if I was curious how will I feel around a man as I didn't have a boyfriend before. No it's not like that. I am not that desperate type of girls who yearn to have physical touch by boys."

Abhi interrupts," I didn't mean that way."

Pragya," Let me finish. I have to tell you more."

She says and he signals her to continue.

Pragya,"After the day, you told me of attraction and gratitude, I had thought about it. Everyday I have thought why I had kissed you. Yes it was to defend you at that moment but I could have remain silent too. Why I was feeling affected when my Ma told something bad about you? Why was I feeling affected when you didn't pick up my calls for that three days? Why was I feeling affected when first Purab told me that you are affected psychologically even though I could figure out it was a lie? Why was I feeling affected when you had to go through the pain of betrayal by Tanu? Why was I feeling affected by many things related to you?"

She said and looked at Abhi who was feeling stunned by then.

Pragya continues," Then I figured it out. It was because I was having an emotional attraction towards you. The way you behave with elders made me had the emotional connect with you. I respect elders a lot and that's my nature. And when I see that everyday by you, I can't stop myself from getting attracted towards you! It was not because of your physical touches like hugs or kisses. It was because of your way of life and care towards elders made me attracted towards you. I wanted the same care or maybe more from you."

Abhi was lost for words now.
She said,"Personally for me you're deserving to me. But at the same time, I respect your decision. I won't force you or let others force you to change your decision."

Abhi hearing that asked,"Why? I mean why you don't want to force me or let others to change my decision?"

Pragya, "Because I love to care for you and your feelings. If I force you or let others to change your decision then wouldn't it be like I only care about myself and care about my feelings?"

Abhi was again speechless.

Pragya continues, "That's why I will never force you. I accept and respect your feelings. By the way, when you also have said you love to be cared by me, then I should be following that too."

Abhi never says anything and walks towards his car.

Pragya by seeing him knows he needs time to accept what she have said.

"I wasn't proposing him or something. I only told him what I felt for him, just like what Bulbul wanted me to do." she tells herself confidently and felt relieved that finally she had told him everything she had felt for him.

Abhi sits in the driver seat and she sits behind not wanting to make him feel bothered or disturbed by sitting beside him.

He then drives and the whole journey back to house was silent and peaceful strangely.

Sneek peek to next part,

"I... I..." she stammered.

Bulbul, "Di, so you didn't tell you loved him? You didn't tell I Love you!"

Pragya, "I didn't Pragya but I did told what I feel about him."

Bulbul, "Di... You na... Why are you doing like this? It's just three words. You could have told that. If you had told that then the whole atmosphere will be different. He will be behind you and not away from you like now."

Pragya,"But Bulbul, as long he is happy that's enough. It doesn't matter whether I am with him or he is behind me or not."

Bulbul shook her head in disbelief.

Pragya, "Now you get ready as we need to go out right?"

Bulbul, "No di. We are not going out. Today I will tell Jiju in front of everyone that you love him."

Pragya panics hearing that and was imagining the things would happen.

By the time, Pragya tries to stop Bulbul she had already left the room which made Pragya even more shocked.

She rushes to catch up with her to stop her.

Pragya was more scared of his reaction as she had earlier assured him that she will not force him or let others change his decision.

Bulbul was near to Abhi who was with his laptop typing something. He was sitting among elders, Sarla ma and Pragya's bhai too.

Bulbul, "Jiju..."

Abhi, "Yes Bulbul..."

Bulbul, "Actually Jiju, I want to tell something on behalf of Di. I think it's absolutely fine to tell that in front of everyone here. I think all would be happy about it too."

Abhi,"Even I want to tell about it."

Bulbul and Pragya at the same time, "What?"

Abhi, "Come on! You think I don't know what my wife wants to tell? I know and I also know she is shy about it."

"What is he telling? I am shy?" she thought looking confused.

Abhi, "Don't be shy Pragya. It happens after every marriage and I am very glad about it."

Bulbul squealed in happiness,"Honeymoon?"

Abhi shook his head as no and looks at Pragya with a smile that she was unable to comprehend whether it was a smile of something good or something bad going to happen to her.

He then says something which makes everyone shocked including Pragya.

To say she was shocked was not enough and eventually she had fainted to what he had told in front of everyone.

Thank you for reading! 📖😊
I guess all of you would have guessed what's going to happen next from Reading the sneek peek😉