It had been a week since the doctor's appointment And Prerna was trying her best to smile and not stress herself. The fact that Anurag had been busy with some office chore had been a boon, because she didn't have to face him, and his complaining eyes that always made her resolve weak.

Right now Prerna watched Kuki as she did her homework, with a small smile dancing on her face. Kuki would look up every few minutes, checking on her and then would resume her work. Prerna laughed at her and ruffled her hairs, earning a huge smile.

"Kuki?", Prerna called, and Kuki looked up raising her eyebrows.

"Why are you looking up again and again?", Prerna questioned, and Kuki giggled, signaling the smile on her face.

"You are making sure I am smiling?", Prerna read her actions and Kuki smiled wider nodding her head, and jumped up to kiss Prerna's cheek.

Prerna pulled the little girl in her lap, and kissed her forehead.

"Thank you for taking care of my smile sweetheart", she whispered in her ears and cuddled her tight, to which Kuki smiled again and turned her face to loop her hands around her neck. Once settled, she pointed her finger at her father's picture, lying on the bedside table.

"Papa asked you to take care of me?", Prerna guessed, astonished and Kuki nodded, dutifully, before signalling some more.

"Both me and Papa love your smile", Prerna was more surprised to read her actions this time, and found no words to respond. Forcing a smile on her face, she patted Kuki's head, who went back to her homework.

A knock on her door broke her chain of thoughts.

"Boudi, juice!", the servant enteted with a glass of juice and Prerna looked up, frowning.

"But Kuki just had her breakfast", She spoke, wanting to dismiss him when the servant shook his head and forwarded it to her.

"It is for you. Rishabh baba had requested us to follow a diet for you, that he gave us, and you need to have this juice twice in a day. Now have it soon, I will bring fruits in a while", he informed her and smiled at Kuki, before leaving. He was one of Mr. Bajaj's most trusted servants, Maasi had already told Prerna that. That was why he had also come with them to Basu Badi.

Prerna sipped the juice, lost deep in her thoughts. The last week ran through her mind, she had not even noticed all the healthy food she had been eating. The occasional juices, dry fruits, the heavy lunches, all made sense now.

Prerna sighed as the thought of thanking Mr. Bajaj crossed her mind. He had been taking care of her so well, and she would not even look his way properly. She realised it wasn't her fault per se, because looking at him made her feel guilty about hurting Anurag.

Anurag was supposed to be her husband, not him.

Anurag was supposed to be the father of her child, he was supposed to pamper her, take care of her, not him.

It made her yearn for her happily ever after she had imagined with Anurag, the man she fell hopelessly in love with.

It also made her angry, for turning Anurag into someone he wasn't. She never could imagine in her worst nightmares that Anurag would become someone so short tempered, and would plan and plot against someone, or would turn a blind eye to the pain he was causing to his family. Prerna felt rage at these thoughts, because she somehow understood that it was her love, or the lack of it which was changing him into the Anurag she didn't recognise anymore.

Sighing, she stood up, wanting to go lay down for a while and rest. Kissing Kuki's forehead and letting her know where she was going, Prerna walked out of her room and was about to enter her bedroom when she collided with Anurag outside her room, and all the books he was carrying fell down on the ground.

Anurag and Prerna both stood transfixed, looking at each other for a while, longing visible in them before Prerna averted her eyes. Without saying anything, she walked past him and entered her room, standing by the pillar of the bed.

Anurag followed her, wanting to talk. It had been a few busy days, and he hadn't been able to convince her to leave Bajaj during these days, but now that he was here, with her he wanted to try again.

Sensing Anurag, Prerna turned, and found him standing right in front of her. Anurag sighed, tilting his head and raised his hand to cup her face, but Prerna, immediately stepped back, letting his hands hang in air, as she looked everywhere but at him, lest the hurt on his face churned her insides.

"So now You don't want me to touch you either?", Anurag's voice broke, but Prerna maintained the stoicness on her face.

"You don't go around touching somebody's wife, Anurag. Respect the fact that I am Mrs. Bajaj", Prerna snapped and locked her eyes with his fierce ones.

" Doesn't matter. You are mine, and you will always be. We are soulMates Prerna, and I know he married you forcefully, right?", Anurag questioned, and that angered Prerna to no extent.

"I am not a toy, or a thing Mr. Anurag Basu. I am no one's, it's my decision. And I married by my will, you believe or not. So it would be better if you leave my room right now, and do not come without knocking or in my husband's absence the next time", Prerna stated, and turned her back to him, hiding the mist that had fallen into her eyes.

Anurag stood shaken, and left the room, his steps slow and his shoulders hunched. He was losing Prerna with every passing day and he hated that the most.

-------

With a broken look and even more broken steps, Anurag entered his office, and kept the files and books down. Snigdha, who had been sitting on the couch in the same office, drafting his mails, looked up, and found him lost in a world she didn't have access to, but she could see how painful it was, through his anguished eyes.

In the past week, they had not interacted much apart from the official details, his schedules, the mails and her work related queries. But that didn't mean she was not impressed with how hard working and good natured boss he was. She now understood the reason why Basu corporations was so renowned in the outside world.

Being a good observer, Snigdha had also noticed his restlessness, and the constant angst in his stance. She had not seen him smile genuinely even once, but she did see him overworking himself several nights. She knew they weren't friends, hence she had no rights to interfere, but she could also not just stand and see someone so clearly suffering. That was just not her.

She fished out a chocolate from her bag, and collected all the papers and laptop she was working on, before walking up to him. Keeping the chocolate bar in front of him, she caught his confused eyes staring right back at her.

"I don't know Sir what is the issue that's troubling you so much, but I do know Chocolates, always make us feel good. This is for you!", she genuinely smiled, and exited the cabin, without waiting for an acknowledgement, leaving behind a greif stricken Anurag wondering when was the last time somebody had cared about his ache.

--------

Prerna was lying in her room, her hand kept over her eyes as she tried hard to sleep. Listening the sound of incoming footsteps, she quickly turned and hid her face, pretending to be asleep.

Rishabh walked in, talking on his phone but as soon as he noticed a sleeping Prerna, he immediately disconnected, asking to call him back later.

Tip toeing upto her, he pulled over the comforter to cover her and adjusted the AC to her liking. Taking a soft glance at her, he noticed the restlessness in her stance and thinking she was asleep, he sat beside her and very gently patted her head, in an attempt to comfort her. Prerna felt tears stinging the back of her eyes at his gesture. She dearly missed her mother at the moment.

"Do not think too much Mrs. Bajaj, sleep", Rishabh's voice told her how her little acting stunt had failed, but she gave in to her exhaustion and felt asleep to his rhythmic patting.

Rishabh watched her for sometime before sighing out loud. He hoped she had a good nap, and left, aware of the havoc Prerna had began creating inside his heart. Who knew what future held for them?