Hello everyone...

Thanks to all for voting and commenting on the previous story Unsuitable Wife (Posted on 23. Jul. 2024)

This is Aryan's story from Unsuitable Wife.

If you want to read this story in Arylie version here is the link 

So, in this story Rishabh= Aryan, Madhu= Imlie, Shivaay= Rishabh, Anika = Madhu from Unsuitable Wife, hope there is no confusions.

P.S: some scenes that were in Unsuitable Wife, will come here too... and some scenes that were in that story, will be just mentioned here even though it might be important to the story.

Please... I am too lazy to rewrite it. So, kindly read/refresh your memory of that story.

P.S: this story has no connection to Karan Johar's book LOL

Unlike Unsuitable Wife this is not an angsty story, this is more light hearted, feel good love story.

Word Count 18341

"Good morning." Madhu politely tells Anika as she opened the door for her.

"Good morning." Anika smiles at her warmly.

Madhu walks in with Anika and sees Rishabh. He was dressed for office but looked too sleepy as he stood next to the coffee machine, waiting for his coffee.

"Why you don't use the key I gave you?" Rishabh asks her. "What is with this Princess behavior wanting grand entrance every time?"

Madhu grins as she walked to him. "Has anyone told you that you are cute when you are grumpy?"

Rishabh attempts a scowl then groans. "God, I am so sleepy that I can't even scowl."

Madhu chuckles.

Rishabh points at the coffee machine. "Be a darling."

"You sit." Madhu tells him smiling.

Rishabh walks to the dining table sits with his head on the table while Madhu waited for the drip coffee to fill up the cup.

"I don't get it, aren't there any faster coffee machines?" Madhu asks curiously as she grabbed the cup and walked to him.

"This makes amazing coffee." Rishabh tells her as he took the cup and sipped. He sighs when the caffeine hit him.

"I never got the appeal of the coffee that you drink. And it is not the machine, it is the coffee beans." Madhu tells him as she sat opposite to him. Then she asks him in concern. "You didn't sleep?"

"It is the machine too. Was up till morning packing." Rishabh tells her.

"Oh they are leaving today." Madhu says.

"Yeah, then Yash woke up like 5 minutes after I went to sleep." Rishabh tells her. "I don't know why he wakes up so early. As if he has some international business call."

Madhu chuckles. "Where is he?" Madhu asks as she looked around and realizes that Anika had gone back to her bedroom.

"Went to see his friends to say bye." Rishabh tells her, his head clearing up.

"How is he doing?" Madhu asks him softly. Yash had been very upset about the move at first.

"He is fine now. Anika promised him tons of friends and stuff." Rishabh tells her as he stood up and walked to the fridge and grabbed the juice then grabbed a glass.

He walks back to Madhu. "Leela has gone with Yash." Rishabh says as he poured the juice for her. "Unless you really need your tea then you will have to make it."

Leela was their cook and nanny.

"No, this is fine." Madhu says as she took the glass from him.

She was a tea person while he was a coffee person. Every morning she came to his place so they could leave for work together. In the car, on the way to the office, they discussed his agenda for the day and everything that needs to be done. Since he was a busy person and being his secretary, kept her equally busy, they decided to use the daily commute for their early morning meetings, saving both of them time to get on with the work, when they got to office.

"You didn't answer me." Rishabh says.

Madhu frowns wondering when he had asked a question then remembering she says. "This isn't just you private space. It's Anika's too. So, I feel like I am about to intrude if I walk in unannounced."

"You don't have to feel like that with Anika." Rishabh tells her.

Madhu nods. Anika had been always polite and friendly with her, but she just couldn't be comfortable around her.

When she had joined, she had heard about Rishabh living with a divorcee and her kid. Then she had found out that they were not in a relationship. Anika was his best friend.

And it didn't take her long to fall in love with Rishabh. Who wouldn't fall in love with him? He was the perfect specimen of a man.

He was polite, respectful, hardworking, honest, straightforward and assertive when he needs to be. And the perfect best friend to Anika, perfect father figure to the little Yash and perfect son and perfect brother. He was very close to his mother, sister and brother-in-law. He even jokes that till Yash and Anika happened, he was the family baby, being coddled by his mother and elder sister.

And he didn't treat her like his secretary, sure he made her do all his errands but he treated and considered her, his friend.

How couldn't she fall him love with him?

Then her heart had broken realizing that he was in love with Anika.

"Anyway, she is leaving today. It is going to be just me." Rishabh tells her bringing her attention back to him.

Madhu nods as she drank the juice.

"Have you decided on the wedding?" Madhu asks him. He had told her that Anika had accepted his proposal.

Rishabh shakes his head. "Ma doesn't want us to get married."

"Hmmm." Madhu bits her inner cheek thoughtfully. Rishabh's mother dotted on Anika and Yash then what happened?.

"She will come around." Rishabh says then he calls out to Anika.

"Yeah?" Anika comes out of her room.

"We are leaving." Rishabh tells her. "I'll see you at the airport."

"If you're busy it is okay." Anika replies as she walked to him.

"I freed you up for the evening." Madhu informs him. "You can actually go with them to the airport."

"I thought you said I was packed." Rishabh tells her confused.

Anika's shift to Mumbai had been very unexpected. She was offered a promotion with transfer. She had decided to take it and Rishabh had realized that he loves her around that time and had proposed her.

"You were. I rescheduled a few things. I have cleared up your evening." Madhu tells him.

"Very efficient." Rishabh says with an impressed grin.

Madhu shrugs with a smug smile.

"And Anika's car?" Rishabh asks her.

"I spoke to one of the company drivers. I've given the Mumbai address." Madhu turns to Anika and asks her. "It will reach only day after, I am hoping that is fine with you."

"Yeah.. no problem. And thank you so much." Anika tells her smiling.

Madhu politely smiles at her.

Even though Anika was the one, the man she loved, loved, she couldn't bring herself to hate Anika. because Anika was genuinely a nice person and her son was such a darling.

"It's my job." Madhu tells her smiling.

"No, it is not." Anika tells her.

"If that is not my job, then picking out ties for him is also not in my job description." Madhu points out.

"You like shopping. I don't." Rishabh argues as he finished his coffee.

Madhu and Anika chuckles.

"Let's go?" Rishabh asks her as he grabbed his suit.

"Yeah. Anika, just give your car key to Rishabh, I'll get it from him and give to the driver."

"Yeah, okay."

"I didn't get to meet Yash." Madhu says a little disappointed.

"You can meet him next week." Rishabh reminds her.

Madhu stops in shock. "We are seriously doing it?"

"Yeah. I told you. We need to discuss regarding that to set it rolling.." Rishabh says as he stopped in confusion.

"Every alternate week you're working from Mumbai from now on?" Madhu asks shocked. She really didn't think that was a practical option but then men in love were fools.

"Yeah."

"And are you going to keep a secretary in Mumbai or..." Madhu asks realizing.

Rishabh grins at her. "You're going to love Mumbai, it is a lovely place."

Madhu's mouth drops open. "You want me to fly every other week up and down to Mumbai?"

"Yeah." Rishabh nods. "That reminds me, remind me to speak to the HR then you talk to her."

"What?" Madhu asks confused.

"Your contract. You signed to work in Delhi and travel with me when it is needed. But this is like you're working in two cities. So, discuss your new contract with her." Rishabh tells her.

"So, I can actually discuss about not going to Mumbai?" Madhu asks curiously.

"You can't escape, Madhu. He can survive without the rest of the world, not you." Anika says chuckling. "You're his work wife, he can't go a single day without you."

Oh that hurt. Work wife!

"Let's give it a try for a month and see." Rishabh tells her. "If it is difficult for you then we'll think of an alternative."

Madhu mentally sighs, this is why she loved him, he was not unreasonable.

"Okay." Madhu gives in.

"Let's go." Rishabh says then turning to Anika, he hugs her and kisses her cheek. "Bye."

"Bye."

Madhu's heart broke seeing that, she quickly l0oks away, and she was shocked out of her wits too.

Rishabh and Anika had the most platonic relationship ever or till two days back, before he had proposed Anika. Now they were cheek kissing?

God, what all will she have to see?

**********

Few days later, Madhu unlocks the door and walks into Rishabh's penthouse at night. Rishabh who was on video call curiously looks up. He puts up his hand to greet her.

"I got your clothes from dry cleaners. Should I leave it in your room?" Madhu asks him.

Rishabh nods as he continued to speak.

Madhu walks to his bedroom realizing that it was Anika on the video call. Madhu leaves the clothes on his bed. And walks out closing the door. She walks back to the living room and he was still on the call.

"Rishabh... I'll leave?" Madhu asks him.

"Yeah, you go." Rishabh says then he quickly says. "Just order dinner for me before you leave."

"Okay." Madhu replies as she took her phone and walked to the dining area and sat in the dining chair.

She could hear them speak, and it was something serious, so she tried to shut her ears, not wanting to eavesdrop. Though she couldn't help but pick on a name Shivaay, Anika's ex husband.

Few minutes later, she hears him walk towards her.

She looks up at him. "Rishabh, it will take about an hour and a half. Is that okay with you?"

"There isn't anything sooner?"

"Every restaurant is showing similar ETA. It's rush hour."

Rishabh groans. "I'm so hungry."

Their cook Leela had shifted to Mumbai with Anika.

"If I go to restaurant it would take about the same time, right?" Rishabh asks her.

Madhu looks at his casual clothes. "Changing clothes, drive to the restaurant, deciding what to eat, then 20 minutes for food to be prepared. Yup pretty much."

Rishabh sighs tired then perking up he says. "Should I call up Ma to see if there is any food there? I can do that swiggy genie thing."

"You not going, instead sending genie?" Madhu asks grinning.

Realizing his mother will start her you're not looking after yourself, you don't come home, tantrums, he groans. "I guess order then."

"I can cook something for you." Madhu offers.

"Cook?" Rishabh looks at her surprised.

"If you are really hungry then I can whip up something quickly."

"How fast?" Rishabh asks her curiously.

"Half an hour." Madhu says.

Rishabh wondered whether that would be taking advantage of her kind heart, then his stomach growls. "I'm so hungry. Please?"

Madhu chuckles. "Okay."

Madhu walks to the kitchen.

"As thank you, I'll take you for dinner some time this week." Rishabh says as he followed her to the kitchen.

Madhu turns to him grinning. "I'm curious about Virat Kohli's restaurant."

Rishabh chuckles. "Deal."

Madhu opens the cupboards looking for supplies. Then she quickly starts to making the food. Rishabh tried to help though she didn't need his help.

Rishabh grabs the chair that was kept in the kitchen for the maid, and brings it to the kitchen island. He sits opposite Madhu.

"It is just Moti Roti and dal." Madhu tells him.

"Anything is fine. I just want some food." Rishabh tells her. Then he curiously asks. "What is Moti Roti?"

"It's Pagdandiya special."

Rishabh nods. "I've never been to your home town."

"It is not a town." Madhu tells him. "It's a village."

Rishabh nods.

Madhu got busy making the roti while Rishabh watched.

Few minutes later, Madhu looks at Rishabh and sees that even though he was watching her, his mind was elsewhere.

"All okay?" Madhu asks softly.

"What?" Rishabh looks up at her with a start.

"I happened to overhear Shivaay when I was talking to you." Madhu tells him.

Rishabh nods with a sigh.

"Is everything alright?" Madhu asks him.

"I don't know. I guess." Rishabh says.

"Okay." Madhu nods.

"Anika met her ex." Rishabh tells her. "Seems like he didn't know about Yash that is the reason, he hadn't come to meet Yash."

"And you guys thought he knew?" Madhu asks confused.

"Yes." Rishabh tells her then he confesses. "I am not getting a good feeling about this. It is taking me all that I have to not run to Mumbai right now."

Madhu frowns hearing that. "You don't trust Anika?"

"I do. I know Anika." Rishabh quickly says. "But she barely got out of that relationship with her sanity intact."

Madhu doesn't say anything.

"Anika loves Shivaay. She was too deeply in love with him. And Shivaay did love her when they were together. Now, she is going to let him meet Yash. I don't know what is going to happen. I don't want her getting hurt again or relive the old pain." Rishabh says worriedly.

Without thinking, Madhu keeps her hand on top of his."I'm just feeling an uneasiness that I can't explain."

"Have faith, Rishabh." Madhu tells him. "It's been years since their divorce. He'll not be able to hurt her like before."

"I hope so." Rishabh keeps his hand on top of hers and squeezes it worriedly.

Then they both stop realizing what they were doing. They look at each other uncomfortably as they took their hands off.

"Why did they get divorced?" Madhu asks curiously and to get out of the awkwardness.

"Because his mother was more important to him than Anika." Rishabh says.

Madhu stops rolling the roti and asks him. "Even you're doing the same, right? Waiting for your mother's permission."

Rishabh looks at her offended, "My mother is nothing like Shivaay's mother. You've met my mother. You know how she is. Shivaay's mother was like those psycho villains in a slasher movie."

"That bad?" Madhu asks shocked.

Rishabh stops realizing. "Not that bad." Then he says. "She would have gotten there if Anika hadn't divorced Shivaay. I'm sure."

Seeing the dal is ready, Madhu grabs a plate and keeps it in front of Rishabh. She didn't bother serving the dal in a serving dish, she just places the cooker near to him.

She serves hot roti to the plate. "You start eating, I'll make the second one while you eat that."

"We'll eat together." Rishabh tells her.

Madhu smiles. "You've. I'll have after that." Seeing him about to argue, she tells him. "You're hungry. Eat."

"I had lunch really early today." Rishabh tells her as he started eating.

"This is amazing." Rishabh says smiling as he relished the food.

**********

That Saturday night, Rishabh took Madhu for dinner.

Madhu looks at him in surprise when he pulls a chair for her. "I am not your date." Madhu tells him amused.

Rishabh looks at her and says with a slight shrug. "I'm chivalrous by nature."

"I know." Madhu whispers, her love shining in her voice.

But then Rishabh didn't realize that.

They had just placed their orders when Rishabh's phone rings. Seeing it was Anika, he answers the call.

Madhu watches as Rishabh spoke to Anika though she tried not to listen in on conversation.

"Yeah, she is here." Rishabh says.

Madhu looks up and sees that Rishabh had his phone screen towards her and Yash had joined Anika.

"Madhu Aunty." Yash happily calls her.

"Yash... how are you? Are you liking your new place? Did you make friends?" Madhu asks him excitedly.

"Yes... I've lots of friends here. Then Papa came." Yash says excitedly.

"That is great." Madhu says.

"Rishabh..." Yash calls him.

Rishabh turns the phone to face him.

"You know, Papa..." Yash stops frowning. "I can't see Madhu Aunty."

Realizing that Yash wanted to talk to them both, Rishabh moves to the chair next to Madhu.

He moves towards her, keeping his hand behind her on her chair, while he held his other hand with the phone in front of them. As he leaned to speak to Yash, his body brushes against her shoulder.

Both stops with a jolt. They turned to look at each other.

Realizing he was sitting a little close to her, Rishabh quickly moves back.

"Sorry." Rishabh murmurs.

Madhu shakes her head.

Then Yash started speaking to them excitedly about his Papa while both of them had listened.

Once Yash was done, he had gone off and Anika and Rishabh started speaking.

Madhu looks away and tries to keep herself distracted. For one she didn't want to listen to their conversation and two, seeing them together, broke her heart.

"No, Madhu would have arranged that. Right?" Rishabh asks as he turned to look at her.

Madhu looks at him confused. "What?"

"You've arranged pick up for us, right? Anika was asking whether she should come to pick us up." Rishabh explains.

They were flying to Mumbai tomorrow and for a week they would be there.

"No, company car will come." Madhu tells him.

"We'll come to the flat. You carry on with your stuff." Rishabh tells her.

Few minutes later, they hangs up and Rishabh moves to his chair and just then their food also comes.

Then they look at each other, and smile at each other as the waiter served their food.

"So, you're Virat Kohli fan?" Rishabh asks her, as they ate.

Madhu laughs. "I like going to celebrity restaurants."

"Ah."

"But then they tend to be pretty expensive, so I normally can't." Madhu tells him.

Rishabh frowns hearing that. "I thought I was paying you well."

"You're. But I need to save for my future."

"And what future is that?" Rishabh asks her curiously.

"You know for my parents. For my self. To travel. Etc etc."

"How come your parents never came down?" Rishabh asks her curiously.

"They have."

Rishabh looks at her in shock. "How come I never met them?"

"What? They had no reason to come to office." Madhu tells him with a surprised chuckle.

"But you could have brought them home. If you had told me I would have dropped in." Rishabh tells her.

"Why?" Madhu asks confused.

Rishabh looks at her taken back then he says, "I thought we were friends."

"We are." Madhu replies then smiling she promises him. "Next time, when they come over, I will bring them over."

"So, they stayed with you and your friends?" He asks curiously.

"Yeah." Madhu replies, she was staying with two of her friends in an apartment.

Rishabh nods.

They spoke all through the dinner and after that Rishabh dropped Madhu home.

**********

"How is it going with Shivaay?" Madhu asks curiously as they headed towards Anika's place.

"Yash and he are getting along. Why do you ask?" Rishabh asks her curiously.

At first, Madhu shrugs then she decided to be honest, and uncomfortably confesses. "I didn't want to walk into anything awkward."

"Hmmm. It is all fine." Rishabh tells her. "Anika said that she doesn't talk to him much. They are cordial with each other." Then he says. "Shivaay is hoping to reconcile."

Madhu looks at him in shock.

"Anika told him no." Rishabh tells her. "Shivaay is going to be a part of our life. He is Yash's father, and Yash deserve to have his father with him."

Madhu nods.

"Don't worry, there is not going to be any scene." Rishabh tells her reassuringly.

They reach Anika's place.

Madhu walks in with Rishabh. It was a penthouse bought by Rishabh. This was going to be their primary residence since Anika was going to be in Mumbai from now on.

Anika opens the door for them. She warmly smiles at them.

"Hey." Anika and Rishabh hugs each other. And he kisses her cheek.

Madhu looks away immediately.

"Come in, Madhu." Anika tells her smiling.

Madhu smiles at her as she walked in.

"Nice place." Madhu says with a smile as she looked around.

"Thank you." Anika says smiling.

"Which is the room for Madhu?" Rishabh asks Anika.

"That one." Anika points at a bedroom.

"You freshen up, we'll leave in a bit." Rishabh tells her.

"Room?" Madhu asks confused.

"Yeah, you don't have a place here right?" Rishabh reminds her. Then he asks curiously. "Or have you made arrangements?"

"I have booked hotel." Madhu tells him.

"Oh okay." Rishabh nods.

"You can stay here, Madhu." Anika tells her.

No way in hell was she going to stay in the same apartment as Rishabh and Anika. She would never do that to herself.

"No, Anika, it's fine. Hotel is all set." Madhu tells her then she adds as she grinned at Rishabh. "Plus the company reimburses."

"If you're comfortable at the hotel then yeah, you do that." Rishabh tells her, thinking she was uncomfortable staying at a place that Anika, him and her ex came together.

Madhu nods. "Where is Yash? I came up to see him."

"He has gone for a friend's birthday party. I was just about to go pick him up." Anika tells her.

"Oh okay. Then I'll get going." Madhu tells them.

"I can drop you, I'm heading out anyway." Anika tells her.

Since she rejected Anika's invitation to stay already, she didn't want to be rude and reject this too. She takes out her mobile and scroll through it. "This is my hotel. Is it on your way?"

Anika looks at it. "Yeah. Let's go."

Madhu turns to Rishabh. "I'll meet you at the Mansion."

Rishabh's grandfather's mansion was being converted to a hotel. And he was going to check on the progress.

"You send me your hotel details. I'll pick you up on the way." Rishabh tells her.

"Okay then."

**********

The stay in Mumbai had been pretty uneventful for Madhu. Nothing like she had expected happened. But then she wasn't even sure what she was expecting. Rishabh and Shivaay fighting over Anika?

Though Madhu went there every morning, she only met Yash and Anika. She didn't meet Shivaay. Though she felt Rishabh did meet him, but then she didn't ask him about it. She didn't want to intrude.

Finally, they were flying back to Delhi.

"All okay?" Madhu asks Rishabh softly.

"What?" Rishabh asks as he turned to her.

"You are awfully quiet. And upset." Madhu tells him.

"I am just thinking." Rishabh tells her.

Madhu just nods, don't wanting to prod.

"Something has changed with Anika." Rishabh says lost in thoughts.

"What?" Madhu asks.

"I don't know." Rishabh replies then he shakes his head. "Leave it."

**********

The next week went on fine, though Madhu noticed that Rishabh was like as usual, but he was confused and lost in thoughts. She had tried asking him twice about it and he had just replied that 'there were things in his mind' and didn't bother to go into more detail.

It had surprised Madhu, Rishabh was someone who spoke about his feelings and thoughts. When asked a question, he wasn't one to shy away from answering. He was not one to bottle things up. So when he didn't express much about what was troubling him, she didn't ask him a third time. Though it did worry her to see him like that, she knew he was mature and sensible enough to handle it. And she hoped that once he was ready, he would share with her what was keeping him so restless.

**********

After checking in, Madhu was walking to her hotel room. She hears her mobile ring, and shuffling her bags, she pulls out her phone from her jeans pocket and sees that it was Rishabh calling.

"Hello?" Madhu answers.

"Madhu, where are you?" Rishabh asks her.

"At the hotel." Madhu replies. "What happened? Do we have to go somewhere?"

"Call the driver back." Rishabh instructs her. "Then meet me at office. Get the chopper ready. We are going back."

"We just got here now." Madhu replies confused as she turned around. "Is there any problem in Delhi office?"

"No."

When he didn't explain, Madhu didn't ask more. "Should I pick you from the flat?" Madhu asks him, because the company driver had dropped her off at the hotel and was on his way back to Rishabh's flat.

"No, driver would be somewhere near to your vicinity. So, you just come with him. I'll get a cab." Rishabh tells her.

"Do you want me to book an Uber for you?"

"Yea."

"Okay. I'll do it now." Madhu replies and hangs up.

Madhu first booked an Uber for Rishabh then she called up the helicopter pilot and gave him instructions. Then she called up the driver and asked him to come back. Then she went on to check out.

Then within the hour they were on their way back to Delhi. Rishabh had been silent and lost in thoughts. He hadn't answered when she had asked him the reason they were heading back. So, she didn't prod.

He had dropped her off at her flat and went off without a word.

Madhu couldn't control her worry for him. She had never seen him like that. Unable to control herself, she quickly got a cab and went to his place.

Rishabh had hardly just got home when he hears the door unlocking sound. Knowing it was Madhu, he turns to look curiously.

"You forgot something?" Rishabh asks her as she walked in closing the door.

"No." Madhu replies as she walked to him.

"Then why did you come?" He asks her confused.

"What happened, Rishabh?" Madhu asks him in concern.

Rishabh doesn't say anything, he just looks away.

"It hurts to see you upset, Rishabh." Madhu tells him as she kept her hand on his hand.

Rishabh looks at her and asks. "Why?"

Not wanting to say why it really hurt her, she says another truth. "We are friends. If I was upset like this would you just leave me alone?"

Rishabh looks away as he sighed.

Then he says softly. "Anika loves Shivaay. Shivaay loves Anika. They should be together. I've no place there. I broke it off with her. I've set her free."

Madhu's heart broke seeing his heart break. She didn't know what to say. How to console him. So, she just move towards him and hugs him.

When she hugged him, Rishabh hugs her back.

"It hurts, Madhu." Rishabh whispers to her.

Madhu hugs him tighter. Her body brushing up against his.

"I knew she didn't love me. She still loved Shivaay. But I fell in love with her. I knew she might never love me and I was okay with it." Rishabh says then he asks her. "Do you think I was being desperate?"

Knowing, she was in love with a man, who loved another, Madhu moves her head back, and looks at his face. "I understand your love, Rishabh."

Rishabh looks at her.

Finally, their brains understanding their closeness. How perfectly she was fitting his frame. Their bodies were so close to each other.

And instead of pulling away, they move closer to each other. Their lips meet each other's halfway.

The kiss was unsure and gentle.

They part as they looked at each other. Unable to resist each other, they move forward and again kiss.

The kiss started off again as nervous and gentle, but quickly turned to passionate, hungry and hurried.

Neither knew how they got to his room or on his bed. Both of them were too lost in their need for each other. Neither could say the other started it, both were the aggressor and both were demanding.

After the passion had died, they both had come to their senses. Rishabh and Madhu look at each other. They were too lost for words.

Finally, Rishabh speaks. "I had a crazy long tiring day. I just can't think right now. Can we talk in the morning, please?"

Madhu nods hearing that.

"You're okay with that, right?" Rishabh asks her gently.

"Yes." Madhu replies.

Rishabh gives her a quick thankful smile. "Thank you."

Rishabh wakes up in the morning, and it took him a few seconds to clear his head. Remembering what had happened last night, he looks to the side that she had slept and it was empty.

"Madhu?" Rishabh calls out as he sat up, wondering whether she was in the bathroom.

There was no reply. He gets out of the bed and goes to check on her.

And it took him a couple of minutes to realize that she had left.

**********

Rishabh answers the call. "Hello?"

"I've reached. I am here down." His driver informs him.

Rishabh frowns in confusion. "Didn't you go to pick Madhu?" He asks. As the driver was supposed to pick Madhu from her flat every morning, so they could go to office together.

"She had messaged that she has some things to do and that she will come to office later."

Rishabh closes his eyes fighting his anger. What the hell is up with Madhu? "Okay, I'll come down in a few minutes."

**********

Rishabh was in the worst of his moods by the time Madhu reached office.

"You left." Rishabh accuses her just as she opened the door.

Madhu quickly steps in and closes the door.

"You left, Madhu." Rishabh furiously accuses her as he stood up. "We decided we will speak in the morning, right? You had agreed."

"There isn't anything to talk, Rishabh." Madhu tells him calmly.

Rishabh looks at her, taken back. "What do you mean?" Rishabh asks her frowning at her.

"It was a mistake. It is done and it is over." Madhu tells him. "Let's just forget it happened."

"Forget?" Rishabh asks her. "How does one forget things like this?" Rishabh asks her in shock.

"And let's be honest, if it was another girl in my place, this might have happened." Madhu tells him.

"Is that what you think of me?" Rishabh asks her offended. "How can you even think like that?"

"Rishabh, it was rebound sex for you. You were heart broken. And I just couldn't control my hormones. That was it. I really don't want to talk about it." Madhu tells him. "Honestly, there is nothing to talk."

"You can't just brush it all under the carpet, Madhu." Rishabh tells her.

"Let's just stick to professionalism. You're my boss and I'm your secretary. Let's just stay like that without any complications." Madhu tells him.

"Oh, so now, we are not even friends?" Rishabh asks her.

"No."

Hearing her emphatic reply, he felt hurt, angry and his heart broke a little.

**********

It was like talking to a brick wall after that.

She refused to discuss it further. She treated him in a professional way. There were no longer the friendly banters or the smiles. So, he just gave up.

Rishabh just couldn't understand why Madhu wanted to act like it didn't happen.

Madhu was too caught up in her panic and guilt over what had happened, because in a way, she blamed herself. If she hadn't gone to his flat, if she hadn't hugged him, if she wasn't so desperately in love, this wouldn't have happened. She was scared to speak to Rishabh because she didn't know if they spoke about their night together, she would be able to hide her love for him.

And she was not going to put her heart out at risk knowing Rishabh's heart was with someone else.

**********

Once again they were back in Mumbai.

Rishabh stood at the balcony as he watched the car drive away. First time, Madhu hadn't come up to meet Yash. She always had come to meet Yash. And today, she didn't. But then Yash wasn't home. Is that why she didn't come up? Or...

It was like she didn't want anything outside of work with him.

This distance that she was imposing on them was starting to hurt. Hell, they were good friends before things had gone south.

"Hey." Anika says as she stepped out.

"Hey!" Rishabh says as he looked at her. "Everything is set here. Now it will be back to normal. I need to come once in a month or so."

He had handled everything at the Mumbai office and things had gone back to how it were before he had decided to work out of Mumbai office every other week.

They spoke for a few minutes about Anika thinking of moving out and also about Anika and Shivaay.

"What is the matter with you?" Anika asks him softly.

"What?" Rishabh asks her surprised.

"You look upset. Agitated." Anika tells him.

Rishabh looks away as he held the grills of the balcony, thinking about the mess that his life was right now.

"You stopped coming on video calls. It is just phone calls. I thought it was because of..." Anika stops then she says. "It is something else. You're not like usual. Even with Yash, you seem so lost."

Rishabh sighs loudly as he leaned back, running his hand through his hair in frustration. He had been hiding from Anika because he knew she would figure out that there was an issue, and she did.

"What is it, Rishabh?" Anika asks him in concern.

Rishabh sighs loudly and tells her. "I slept with Madhu."

"What?" Anika shouts in shock. "Madhu as in your secretary Madhu? The one I call your work wife?"

"I'm so screwed, Anika." Rishabh tells her helplessly.

"What is Madhu saying?" Anika asks him in shock.

"That it was a mistake and there is nothing to talk about." Rishabh says irately.

"So, you two didn't talk about it?" Anika asks him.

"She just shut me out." Rishabh tells her pissed. "She just want to act as if nothing happened and go back to being professionals."

"Did she come with you this time?" Anika asks him.

"Yeah, she did. Since Yash wasn't here, she didn't come up." Rishabh tells her, hoping that is why she didn't come up.

Anika nods.

Rishabh turns to her and asks her pissed. "Why can't people just act like grown ups and speak? Why do you've to brush it under the carpet?"

"I've been talking to Shivaay." Anika tells him.

"I didn't mean you!" Rishabh says fed up.

Cheekily grinning, Anika replies. "I know."

Rishabh gives her a not-so-amused look.

**********

The next day, after work, Rishabh was surprised to see Madhu get out of the car with him. He assumed that she was coming to meet Yash.

They didn't say a word to each other as they walked to the flat. The silence between them was too much now and it was hurting him.

He couldn't help wonder whether Madhu was okay with it.

"Hi Madhu." Anika says smiling while Rishabh walks in.

"Hi, Anika. Why did you ask me to come?" Madhu asks as she walked in with Anika.

"Wait... you asked her to come?" Rishabh asks as her frowning.

"Why did you think I came up?" Madhu asks him confused.

"To see Yash." Rishabh says with a shrug.

"I saw him in the morning." Madhu reminds him.

That was true. Anika saw her also in the morning. So why did she ask Madhu to come?

And Rishabh knew Anika was going to meddle.

"Can I speak to you in private?" Rishabh asks Anika in a clipped tone.

"No time. Me and my boys are going for a movie. Sorry." Anika tells him. "Come, Madhu."

Madhu and Rishabh look at each other then Madhu follows Anika to the sitting room while Rishabh was distracted by Yash.

"Rishabh told me about you both." Anika gently tells her.

Madhu looks at her in shock then Rishabh, but Rishabh was listening to whatever Yash was saying. "He shouldn't have." Madhu says.

Anika nods. "I know I shouldn't interfere. But he is my best friend and I want him to be happy."

"His happiness is not with me." Madhu reminds her.

Anika gulps hearing that. "I know Rishabh. I know what his mindset is. How he sees things. And Madhu, he is going through hell now."

"I don't think there is anything I can do." Madhu tells her.

"Talk to him. That is all I am asking. Just talk it out." Anika tells her.

Madhu looks at Rishabh and sees that he was watching them.

"Madhu?" Anika softly calls her.

Madhu nods.

Hearing the doorbell ring, Yash runs towards the door. "Papa is here."

Anika smiles seeing his excitement, she watches as Yash opened the door.

"Papa." Yash puts up his hands and Shivaay happily picks him up and kisses him. Then Shivaay's gaze looks for Anika and finds her.

They smile at each other.

Madhu notices how Anika's face brightened up at the sight of Shivaay. Even his joy at seeing her. There was an yearning in their eyes for each other. A longing.

She couldn't help feel worried for Rishabh because she knew what she was seeing, even he was seeing it. She looks at Rishabh, expecting to see longing and pain on his face seeing Anika with someone else. Expecting to see him yearn for Anika. But he was looking at her.

His eyes were on her, not on Anika.

For the first time, she felt as if his attentions solely on her.

Her heart skipped a beat at that realization.

"Papa, have you met Madhu Aunty?" Yash asks him.

Hearing her name being mentioned, Madhu looks at Yash and his father.

"No." Shivaay replies as he looked at her.

"She works with Rishabh." Yash informs him.

Shivaay walks to Madhu and extends his hand to her. "Hello, Madhu."

"This is my Papa." Yash informs her as he kept his hand on Shivaay's chest..

"I know." Madhu says as she shook his hand with a polite smile.

"Let's go?" Anika asks as she stood up.

"Yeah." Shivaay replies.

"Rishabh, Leela said she has some shopping. So, I'll be taking her with us." Anika calls out as she walked out.

Madhu's heart starts slamming against her chest, realizing that Anika had given them the whole flat, so they could speak. Like, right now.

**********

Rishabh and Madhu look at each other then without saying anything, Rishabh walks to the kitchen area.

"Why did you tell Anika about us?" Madhu asks him.

"I've never hidden anything from Anika." Rishabh informs her as he looked at her.

"You should have hidden this from your ex-fiancee." Madhu tells him, disapprovingly.

Rishabh looks into her eyes and clarifies. "I didn't tell my ex-fiancee. I shared it with my best friend. She figured something was wrong and she asked me."

Madhu looks away hearing that.

"Why are we discussing this now? Aren't we supposed to brush it all under the carpet?" Rishabh asks her.

"Anika asked me to speak to you." Madhu tells him.

"So, you decided to speak?" Rishabh asks her frowning. "All these days, I was behind you but you didn't want to discuss it."

"If you don't want to talk about it, then it is fine with me." Madhu tells him and turns to go.

Rishabh walks around the counter and holds her hand. "I want to talk about it."

"Okay." Madhu says as she looked at him. "What do you want to say?"

"We should get married." Rishabh tells her.

"WHAT?" Madhu shouts in shock as she stepped back. "Did you say that we should get married?"

"Yes." Rishabh replies frowning.

"Why?" Madhu asks him.

"We slept together." Rishabh tells her.

"It was a mistake." Madhu tells him agitatedly. Her heart slamming against her heart, her dearest wish was to marry him but not like this!

"Whatever it be, we slept together and we should get married."

"NO!"

Rishabh says exasperated. "Why does every girl reject me? And people say that I'm very high up in the marriage mart!"

"Anika didn't reject you. You stepped aside. So she could be with the one she loves." Madhu reminds him.

"And may I ask why you are rejecting me?" Rishabh asks her.

"Why do you want to marry me?" Madhu asks him back.

"We slept together." Rishabh reminds her.

"That is not a reason." Madhu tells him fed up.

Rishabh sighs as he looked at her. "Madhu, I am just an old fashioned guy. I have never fooled around with a girl. I have never disrespected a girl. I've never looked at one with disrespect."

Madhu helplessly looks at him. "Rishabh..."

Rishabh cuts her off. "I've been raised by two women. My ma and di. Every girl that I have met, I've treated her with the same respect that I wanted others to treat my mother and sister with."

"Rishabh, I understand. But you realize that this would be a rebound marriage for you. It will be a disaster." Madhu tells him.

"Madhu, what makes you think we can't make it work." Rishabh asks her.

"Because I'm not sure about that." Madhu tells him.

Rishabh holds her hand and says. "The night we had, it was great between us."

Madhu gulps hearing that, the memory of that night flooding her.

"It had been amazing. And Madhu, I haven't been able to get it out of my head." Rishabh then asks her helplessly. "How did you get over it so easily?"

Madhu looks at him feeling helpless, trapped, passionate, yearning, her heart beating fast.

Seeing the way, she was looking at him, he knew that she is as affected as him.

Rishabh bends down, seeing that Madhu parts her lips. And they kiss passionately.

Heart slamming against their chest, they part.

Then without a word, Rishabh picks her up in his arms and walks to his bedroom. Madhu wraps her hands around his neck, and leaning up, she kisses him.

**********

"I can't marry you, Rishabh." Madhu says as she lay on his chest.

"Why?" Rishabh asks her.

"Sex should not be the base for a marriage." Madhu tells him.

"But we can work from there." Rishabh tells her.

Madhu sits up, pulling the blanket to her chest. Seeing that, Rishabh also sits up.

"No, Rishabh. We can be in a no strings relationship." Madhu tells him.

"WHAT THE FUCK?" Rishabh asks outraged as he stood up. "You don't want to be my wife, but rather be my mistress?"

"I'm not going to be your mistress." Madhu tells him offended.

"Then what do you call it?" Rishabh asks her.

"We are just going to sleep with each other without any commitments. That's it. I'm not your mistress and you are not my mistress."

Rishabh runs his hands through his hair in frustration then he tells her in a calming tone. "Madhu, I am not that type of a guy. I can't keep my emotions aside."

"Your emotions lie with Anika, Rishabh." Madhu reminds him. "You love her."

"I care for you, Madhu. If not anything, we are friends." Rishabh tells her.

"I will not tie down myself with a man who is in love with someone else." Madhu tells him. Then she tells him gently. "You were ready for that, and what did that get you?"

Rishabh looks away as he let her question sink in. Her question was correct.

"If your worry is Anika, she is never coming back." Rishabh reassures her.

Madhu shakes her head. "The other woman not coming back is not reassurance enough to be in a relationship with a guy who is in love with her."

"Madhu, the moment you agree to be mine, from then on till my death, you'll have my loyalty and fidelity." Rishabh vows to her.

"I want those and your heart." Madhu tells him. "And you can't promise me that now."

Rishabh helplessly looks at her.

"Why don't we keep it just sexual for now and see if we feel that we can build a relationship beyond that? instead of jumping into marriage or dating? Don't have any expectations from each other." Madhu asks him. "Can we do that?"

"You are not giving me a choice." Rishabh points out.

"You've the choice of saying no and walking off." Madhu points out to him.

"That is not a choice." Rishabh tells her as he looked into her eyes.

Madhu's breath gets caught in her throat seeing the way he was looking at her.

"I want you, Madhu." Rishabh tells her.

Madhu takes a slow and deep breath hearing that.

"I missed you this whole week. You were there but not there." Rishabh tells her then he asks her softly. "Didn't you miss me?"

"I did." Madhu admits.

"Still you're adamant on this?" Rishabh asks her.

"I want love in marriage. I grew up seeing my parents in love." Madhu tells him. "One person's love being enough for a relation with two people, I don't believe that. Both of them have to be in love."

Finally, he understood what Madhu's fears were. She believes one day she is going to love him while when he was in love with someone else, he loving her was not a possibility.

And right now, he couldn't promise her, his heart.

"If this is all you can give me then I'll take it." Rishabh tells her.

"What?" Madhu asks in a whisper.

"No strings." Rishabh tells her.

Madhu nods, her heart feeling heavy. With a no strings relation, she knew not to expect more from him, not to have hopes for his love. She couldn't have her heart broken once again. And just like him, she couldn't just walk away from what they have now.

"What now?" Rishabh asks her.

Madhu shrugs then she looks at him. And that is when she realized what she hadn't noticed while they were having their discussion because she hadn't looked away from his face, he was naked.

Madhu couldn't help as her gaze lowered, wandering about his body.

"You've seen it already."

Madhu looks at him, and he was giving his lopsided grin that had stolen her heart away from her.

Madhu grins seeing his grin.

Seeing that, he gets on the bed and takes her lips in his.

**********

"Stay here." Rishabh tells her.

"No, I'll go to hotel." Madhu says as she wore her clothes. "I'll come in the morning."

"Okay." Rishabh says as he didn't know where you draw the lines at a 'no strings relation'. Was sleepovers a no-no?

He grabs his pants and pulls it on while Madhu called the driver to bring the car around.

"We didn't use protection." Rishabh says remembering.

"I'll take a morning after pill" Madhu tells him.

"Did you take last time?" Rishabh asks her.

"Yeah, I did." Madhu tells him.

"I'll get condoms." Rishabh tells her.

Madhu cheekily grins at him. "Since you don't like shopping, do I have to go and get it?"

Rishabh grins hearing that, he leans towards her and nibbles on her lips.

He walks her to the door.

"I'll see you tomorrow." Madhu says as she turned to smile at him.

Rishabh smiles at her. Then he cups her face, and kisses her on her forehead.

Madhu looks at him surprised. That kiss had felt so special, more intimate than anything else. She hugs him.

"Bye." Madhu tells him.

"Bye." Rishabh hugs her. "Message me when you reach."

Madhu looks at him smiling in confusion. "I never message you when I reach home."

"It's late night." Rishabh tells her with a shrug.

"Okay. My hotel is just few minutes from here." Madhu tells him with a smile.

Rishabh watched as she got into the lift from his door, then he gets in closing the door. He walks to the balcony and looks down. He sees the company car waiting in front. A while later, Madhu walking towards the car. Just before she got in, she simply looks up and sees him. She smiles at him and he smiles back as he waved at her. Madhu waves at him and gets in the car.

As the car drove off, Rishabh heads to his bedroom to take a shower by the time, he would be finished, Madhu would reach her hotel.

**********

Next morning, Madhu rings the bell of Anika's flat. She couldn't control her smile at the excitement of seeing Rishabh today morning.

The door opens and Rishabh happily smiles at her. "Good morning."

"Good morning." Madhu smiles at him.

Rishabh was about to hug her when Madhu quickly moves back, shaking her head in no.

Rishabh stops confused.

Madhu points towards inside the flat. Understanding she didn't want others to see them just yet, he moves aside to let her in.

"Madhu Aunty." Yash calls her as he ran to her and hugged her.

"How was your movie?" Madhu asks Yash as she picked him up.

"It was too good. Did you see it?" Yash asks her.

"No, I didn't." Madhu replies, she didn't even know which movie it was but she hadn't seen any new movies in a while, she knew she hadn't watched this particular one also.

"Even Rishabh didn't. Rishabh can take you." Yash tells her.

"Yeah, Rishabh can take her." Rishabh cheekily whispers as he walked past her.

Madhu watches him as she blushed. He winks at her and walks off.

**********

"Let's go home?" Rishabh hotly whispers to her.

Madhu turns completely pink hearing him. "Yeah." She says as she smiled at him.

He smiles at her and they walk out.

"Rishabh..." Madhu gently calls him.

"Hmmm?"

"We'll go to my hotel." Madhu tells him.

Understanding her reservations he nods. "Okay."

They were on the way, when Rishabh tells the driver. "Stop at a supermarket or..." he stops. He was about to say medical store, but then he realized that if he went to a medical store and then disappeared with Madhu into a hotel for hours, the driver was bound to guess what they were doing. And Madhu wasn't ready to be open about their relationship just yet. At least otherwise, he will assume that they were working late. "Supermarket." Rishabh tells him.

Few minutes later, the driver stops in front of a supermarket.

"I'll come now." Rishabh tells Madhu.

"Do you want me to come?" Madhu asks him.

"No, it's okay." Rishabh tells her with a smile and gets out of the car.

Few minutes later, he comes back with the condom packet in his pocket.

Seeing the boss coming back empty handed, the driver asks him, "Should we go to another supermarket?"

"No, it's okay." Rishabh replies as he looked at Madhu.

Madhu grins at him while the driver started the car.

Rishabh throws his suit between them, then under the suit jacket, he takes her hand and holds it.

Madhu looks at him and smiling she holds his hand.

Much later, Rishabh was leaving her hotel room.

"Bye, I'll see you tomorrow." Rishabh tells her as he kissed her forehead.

Madhu smiles, there was something about the way he kissed her forehead. "I'll see you tomorrow."

**********

"We'll have dinner and go."Rishabh tells Madhu as they walked out.

"We can have it in room like last night." Madhu tells him. She couldn't wait to be in his arms.

Rishabh gives her a flirty grin. "Can't wait till after dinner?"

Madhu blushing hits him.

Rishabh takes her to the restaurant. As they were ushered to their seat, Rishabh leans down as he kept his hand on her lower back. "This is Shilpa Shetty's restaurant."

Madhu turns to him in surprise. "You remember?"

"Why would I forget?" Rishabh asks her back surprised.

"This was in my bucket list but I didn't recognize it immediately." Madhu tells him happily.

They had a lovely dinner date then a night of passion.

**********

That Sunday night they were back in Delhi.

"You go, I'll drop Madhu." Rishabh tells his driver as he got out of his car.

"Okay."

Madhu smiles at Rishabh as the driver drove to the basement to park the car.

He smiles at her, as he they walked in.

Rishabh switches on the lights after they walked in. Feeling the flat stuffy after being closed for a week, Madhu starts opening the balcony door and window.

She was opening the window when Rishabh hugs her from behind. "I've switched on the ac." Rishabh tells her.

"Let's just air out for sometime." Madhu tells him as she leaned her head back and kissed his cheek.

Rishabh smiles. "Are you hungry?"

"A little."

"What do you want? I will order." Rishabh says as he pulls out his phone.

"Isn't that my job?" Madhu asks him grinning.

Rishabh was a little upset that she was still stuck on her secretary post. And was keeping this no strings to the dot.

"I will order." Madhu says. "Pizza? It will reach fast."

"Yeah. Whatever you prefer." Rishabh tells her.

He walks to the tv and turns it on. He sits on the couch as he surfed channels.

"Ordered." Madhu tells him as she joined him on the couch. Then she moves to him and wrapping her hands around his stomach, and her head resting on his shoulders, she watches the tv.

Seeing that, Rishabh pulls her closer and kisses her temple.

Madhu smiles feeling his kiss. "What are we watching?"

"Nothing particular. What do you want to watch?"

"Put some songs then."

Rishabh puts a music channel and it was playing the latest blockbuster songs. Holding each other they just watched the song.

Sometime later, their pizza arrived.

"I really need to get a cook." Rishabh says as he bit into his pizza.

"I can check with some agencies." Madhu tells him.

"I am just tired of eating food from out. Now that I am going to be here, I really need a cook." Rishabh tells her.

"I will take care of it. Cooking plus cleaning, right?"

"Yeah." Rishabh replies then he asks her curiously. "Do you have a cook at your place?"

"No, it's three of us, so we take turns cooking." Madhu tells him.

"So, for your turn is it Moti roti?" Rishabh asks her smiling.

"In the beginning that is all I knew. And everyone got tired of it. But slowly I learned other dishes." Madhu tells Him.

"What? I can never get tired of moti roti. It was amazing." Rishabh tells her in shock.

Madhu chuckles. "You don't cook?"

"No. Never had the need to learn." Rishabh tells her.

"But there were times when you lived alone." Madhu asks him. "You didn't learn then?"

Rishabh was about to answer when his mobile rings. He tilts his head to see who was calling. "It's Anika." Rishabh tells her as he picked the call.

Madhu looks down, she felt a little let down that he was answering Anika's call while they were together. She knew she was being silly and Anika was his best friend, other than his feelings there wasn't anything romantic between them.

"Hello... yeah... I am at home... sorry, I forgot to call... okay... bye." Rishabh cuts the call and keeps the phone back on the counter.

Rishabh smiles at her. "She called to check whether we reached. I Forgot to call her. Okay... where were we?"

Madhu shakes her head, "don't remember."

Rishabh thinks for a second then smiling he says. "You asked about when I was living alone. In Mumbai, I had full time cooks. Actually it was a house full of staff and guards. I used to live in my grandfather's mansion. Then here, I got a cook cum cleaner. You don't need more staff here."

Madhu nods.

"Then my Ma used to swoop in and runs things out here that time." Rishabh tells her grinning.

Madhu chuckles hearing that.

"She was... actually is a helicopter mom."

"She is not." Madhu says then grinning, she says, "you actually indulge her."

"My ma." Rishabh says with a blushing smile as he shrugged.

"Aww cutie." Madhu says as she pulled his cheek.

Noticing that both of them were done with their food. They walk to the sink.

Rishabh takes Madhu's plate also and starts washing the plates.

"I will do it." Madhu tells him.

"No, you clear the table."

Madhu starts clearing the table, putting everything back in place, putting the garbage in the thrash, wiping the table.

"What kind of mother will you be?" Rishabh asks her softly as he hugged her from behind.

Madhu thinks for a bit then she says. "I don't know. I guess I will know only when I become a mother." Then smiling she says. "You will be an amazing father."

"You think so?" Rishabh asks her smiling.

"I have seen you with Yash."

Rishabh smiles and says. "I have seen you with Yash."

Madhu smiles. "He is a darling. Actually, this place is so quiet without him."

Rishabh pulls her close and says. "Then let's make a lot of noise."

Madhu grins as she seductively brushed her body against his.

Around the wee hours of the morning, Rishabh sleepily turns to pull Madhu close to him. Feeling her space empty, he sleepily sits up.

"Madhu?" He calls out.

And this time, he instinctively knew she had left.

**********

"Good morning." Madhu says as she walked to him with a smile the next morning.

"You left." Rishabh accuses her.

Madhu looks at him confused.

"I am not a midnight booty call that you treat me like this. Show me some respect." Rishabh tells her.

"What are you saying, Rishabh? You were sleeping so I didn't wake you up." Madhu tells him shocked.

"Why did you have to leave?" Rishabh asks her.

"I thought that was..." Madhu stops confused.

"I never asked you to leave, Madhu."

"You didn't ask me to stay." Madhu points out.

Rishabh stops in shock hearing that. He couldn't believe it, he had freaking asked her to marry him, and she needed an invite to stay over?

"Even if you had asked, I wouldn't have stayed because I didn't have clothes to wear for office today. All my clothes in suitcase were dirty." Madhu tells him.

He calms hearing that, he nods accepting her explanation.

Madhu walks to him and hugs him. "I will wake you if I leave next time. Please don't be mad."

"You try a lot, Madhu, but I can't seem to be mad at you for long." Rishabh says defeated.

**********

The next night, Madhu had stayed over.

Next morning, they were getting ready for office.

"Why are you packing those?" Rishabh asks her, seeing her pack her dirty clothes.

"To take it home." Madhu replies confused.

"Leave them here, so you don't have to always bring clothes." Rishabh tells her.

"Are you going to give me half of your cupboard too?" Madhu asks him with a flirty smile as she dropped the clothes in laundry basket which already had his dirty clothes.

"Maybe a small corner." Rishabh replies with a grin.

Madhu chuckles then she stops in shock. "Shit!"

"What?" Rishabh turns to her in concern.

Madhu looks at him worriedly. "Driver would be reaching my place to pick me up now. I forgot about him."

"Hmmm."

"He is going to know I stayed here last night." Madhu tells him then she says. "Maybe I should take a cab to office now so he doesn't see me here."

Rishabh calmly tells her. "Madhu, we are not going to be able to hide from all. Specially our staff. When we get the cook, he will also know. We can't hide it, Madhu."

"There will be office gossip." Madhu tells him.

"I don't care. When Anika moved in here there were lot of gossips about us. But eventually it died down. Gossip is what jobless people do." Rishabh tells her.

Madhu thoughtfully bites her lips.

"I can have a talk with him and tell him not to discuss this with anyone. Make it clear to him that I will not tolerate if he gossips." Rishabh tells her.

Madhu nods. "There is no way, we can hide this from him."

Rishabh smiles at her and cups her face. "I'll handle it. Don't worry."

**********

They were getting ready to sleep when Madhu steps out of the bathroom and informs him. "I got my periods."

Rishabh looks at her, lost and blinking.

"Rishabh?"

"Erm... what should I do?" Rishabh asks her feeling lost.

"What do you mean?" Madhu asks him taken back.

Rishabh looks at her confused. "No, you've periods... are you fine? You need anything... should I do something?"

Seeing him so lost, Madhu bursts out laughing. "Rishabh, for a man who was surrounded by women, you don't have a clue about periods?"

"Ma, di and Anika never discussed it with me." Rishabh tells her.

Madhu walks to him and wraps her hands around his neck. "Relax, it is just periods. It is natural and normal."

"I've heard that it is discomfortable and painful." Rishabh tells her in concern.

"For some. I never had any issues." Madhu tells him.

Rishabh smiles hearing that as he wrapped his hands around her waist. "Do you have pads?"

"I always carry emergency pads with me. It came three days early this time." Madhu tells him.

"Okay... if you need anything tell me."

"Yeah...we'll sleep?" Madhu asks him.

"Yeah."

They get on bed, and they move closer to each other. Taking her in his arms, Rishabh kisses her forehead. "Good night."

"Good night." Madhu kisses him on his cheek then she settles to sleep on his chest.

**********

"Let's go?" Rishabh asks Madhu after work the next day.

Madhu looks at his surprised and reminds him. "You forgot? I have periods."

Rishabh felt hot lava type fury rise in him hearing that. Did Madhu think that all he wanted from her was sex? Didn't they have anything more than sex between them?

Then remembering in Madhu's mind that was all that was there in their relationship, he tries to calm his rage.

"I'll see you tomorrow morning." Madhu tells him.

Last night they hadn't made love, but she had slept in his arms, it was lovely. She was going to miss being in his arms tonight.

"I'll drop you." Rishabh says. He knew this relationship with Madhu was hanging by a thread and he didn't want to force her into anything and lose her completely.

**********

"It's Wednesday." Rishabh tells Madhu as she walked into his cabin the next week.

"You are going to your mother's tonight." Madhu says as she walked around the table to him, feeling sad that they won't be together tonight.

"Yeah." Rishabh replies as he pulled her on his lap. "You could come."

"And?" Madhu asks shocked.

Rishabh shrugs.

Madhu grins at him. "I am not going to fool around with you in your mother's home."

"Hmmm." Rishabh sighs disappointed.

"We can make it up later." Madhu says in a teasing tone and she moves in to kiss him when they hear his phone ring.

"Just a second, it's Anika." Rishabh says as he took his phone and answers it.

Madhu immediately looks away, if he hadn't been holding her, she would have got off his lap that instant.

"Anika.... Yeah, he is back. I spoke to him, he'll get in touch with you by evening.... Okay... great.... Bye." Rishabh hangs up the phone and looks at Madhu. "So, where were..." he stops seeing her upset and looking away. "What happened?"

"I've work." Madhu says as she tried to get off.

Rishabh tightens his hold on her. "Tell me, what happened?"

"Just leave me, Rishabh." Madhu tells him without looking at him.

He lets go immediately. Madhu gets off and starts to walk out.

Rishabh jumps up and holds her hand. "Tell me what is wrong?"

"Rishabh, just..."

"If you don't tell me how will I know what I did wrong?" Rishabh asks her.

Madhu closes her eyes trying to calm her temper.

"Please, Madhu. Tell me why you are angry with me?" Rishabh requests her.

"This is why I didn't want to marry you." Madhu says as she turned to look at him.

"What do you mean?" He asks hurt.

"One call and you leave everything and runs off to Anika." Madhu accuses him.

Rishabh looks at her in shock. "Do you expect me to ignore her calls?"

Madhu shakes her head and says sarcastically. "No, I don't expect you to ignore your ex-fiance's call when you're with me."

"She is my best friend too, Madhu." Rishabh softly tells her.

Madhu looks away hearing that.

"I won't answer her calls when you are there." Rishabh tells her.

"I don't want you to hide from me and call her." Madhu tells him helplessly.

"Madhu... I didn't meant that."

"I don't want you to be scared to speak to her."

"what do you want me to do?" Rishabh asks her confused and helpless.

Madhu's eyes fill up and she says helplessly and a sob breaks out of her. "I don't know."

Rishabh immediately hugs her, holding her head to his chest. "Sweetie, please don't cry."

"I don't know what I want." Madhu tells him helplessly. "I know there is nothing between you both. I trust you. But you love her and when you ignore me for her... I..."

"I wasn't ignoring you." Rishabh tells her. "She had called and I just..."

"If it was someone else would you have answered the call?" Madhu asks him.

"If it was Ma, di, jeeju.... And maybe even Shivaay... I would. But no one else." Rishabh tells her honestly.

Madhu nods.

"I'll keep in mind, Madhu. It won't happen again." Rishabh tells her.

"No..." Madhu says helplessly. "I don't want you to do that." Then she says frustrated "I don't know what I want!"

God, Rishabh's love for Anika had broken her heart so badly, and even though he was with her now, somewhere it was still broken.

"Madhu... look at me." Rishabh gently coaxes her as he cupped her face.

Madhu looks at him and sees him equally upset as her.

"You're my priority, Madhu. You're the girl, I am hopeful that one day, will agree to be my wife." Rishabh earnestly tells her.

Madhu looks at him, as her heart felt a little joyous.

"You said we will see how things shape up between us and see if we have a future together, and I don't want to jeopardize that future." Rishabh tells her.

Madhu nods accepting it.

He lovingly caresses her cheek with his thumb. "Whatever it is, just talk to me and I promise, we will work it out."

"I am sorry, I made a fuss." Madhu tells him softly. "I trust you. I know Anika is loyal to Shivaay. Still... I don't know..."

Finally, realizing Rishabh grins. "You were possessive about me."

Seeing him so happy and smug, Madhu didn't lie. "Maybe."

Chuckling, Rishabh takes her lips in his and kisses her.

"I don't want to ever hurt you, Madhu. You mean a great deal to me." Rishabh tells her.

Madhu nods and hugs him. She felt a little relieved hearing that from the only man who could actually hurt her.

"Even I don't want to hurt you, Rishabh. You have no idea what you mean to me." Madhu tells him.

Cheekily grinning as he hugged her tight, he points out. "You can tell me."

Madhu chuckles. "Okay, I'm going. I've work to do. Even you."

Halfheartedly he lets her go. "Fine... go."

She was about to leave when he calls her. "Madhu..."

"Yeah?" Madhu turns to him curiously.

"I didn't tell you why Anika called." Rishabh tells her.

"That is between you both, Rishabh." Madhu tells him.

In his heart, Rishabh knew this was something Madhu should be knowing, and she should be agreeing to it. "She wanted to get in touch with my lawyer. He had been out of country for vacation. He came back yesterday and Anika just called to remind me to call him." Rishabh tells her.

Madhu looks at him confused wondering why he was telling her this.

"Anika wanted to make her will."

"Will?" Madhu asks surprised.

"Shivaay asked her to make it. It is for Yash. If anything were to happen to them, Shivaay's mother would be Yash's closest kin. So, she is making the will to make sure that in such an event we will get Yash's custody." Rishabh explains to her.

"We? You and me?" Madhu asks confused then realizing her folly she says, "Oh, you and your ma?"

"Me." Rishabh clarifies. "I'll get his custody."

Madhu nods. "Good that they are doing it. You only said his mother is a psycho." Then she tells him. "God forbid if something like that happens, Yash will be safe and happy here."

**********

Hearing her mobile ring, Madhu picks it up and seeing it is Rishabh she answers the call excitedly.

"Hey." Madhu says happily.

"Hey... what are you doing?" Rishabh asks her as he lay back on his bed.

"Just getting ready for bed. What about you? How is your Ma?" Madhu asks him.

"She is fine. Was with her till now. just came to my room now." Rishabh tells her then he says softly. "I miss you."

Madhu smiles hearing that. "Even I miss you."

Rishabh smiles hearing that. In that second, he wanted to ask her to move in with him, but knowing that she wouldn't he didn't ask her.

The hiding from their family and friends, their relationship being akin to a dirty secret was starting to get to him. This was not how he had expected his relationship to be. This is not him.

But then, he understood Madhu had her reservations and Anika's presence in his life was something that was bothering her, all he could hope was that Madhu starts to see that Anika was more of his best friend than his ex-fiancee.

Rishabh sighs, he really needs to up his courting game.

"Did you call just to stare at me?" Madhu asks him teasingly.

Hearing the question, Rishabh realized that he could stare at her all his life. "Yes." He softly replies.

Thinking he was joking, Madhu laughs.

**********

The next couple of weeks went in bliss for them. Madhu had stayed at Rishabh's place most of the nights except for when he had to go to his mother's. During the weekends, they spend it together, either staying home, going for movies, drives or to restaurants.

Though both knew that their relationship was far from no strings, they didn't speak to each other about it.

Rishabh didn't want to push Madhu too hard while Madhu was just too scared to wish for more though hoped in her heart that one day Rishabh would fall in love with her.

"Can't come tonight." Madhu tells him as she walked to his cabin.

"Why?" Rishabh asks her curiously.

"Tonight is my night to cook." Madhu tells him.

Rishabh frowns. "You did mention that once but you never actually went to your place to cook."

"I know. That is why I feel I should." Madhu explains as she sat on his table facing him.

"Let's order them food." Rishabh tells her as he moved towards her and held her by her waist.

"I've been doing that for the last couple of weeks, I am feeling so guilty." Madhu tells him. "Ria and Trishna cooks on their nights. We had a deal when we started staying together."

"We can ask the cook to make something." Rishabh tells her. "And we can have it send over."

"No, I should cook." Madhu tells him shaking her head.

Rishabh sighs disappointed.

She puts her hand around his neck, with her fingers she plays with his ear lobe. "You could come to my place."

"You want me to come to your place?" Rishabh asks her surprised. "You don't mind your friends knowing about us?"

"I'm rarely sleeping there. They are not dumb to think that I am sleeping in office." Madhu tells him.

Rishabh grins. "We'll get my stuff on the way to your place then."

**********

Madhu introduces Rishabh to Ria and Trishna, her roommates. Rishabh was as always polite and cordial with Madhu's friends. And he was very happy to be included into Madhu's life outside of their bedroom and their time alone with each other.

Seeing Madhu busy in the kitchen, Rishabh excuses himself from her friends and goes to the kitchen.

Madhu smiles seeing. "You sit with them."

"I'll help." Rishabh tells her.

"I can manage, don't worry." Madhu tells him smiling as she diced the vegetables.

"I might not know cooking but I can help. Tell me what to do." Rishabh tells her.

"Okay then you cut these." Madhu tells him as she stepped aside.

Rishabh moves to where she was standing and starts cutting the vegetables. Though he wasn't fast and efficient like Madhu, he did good.

They cooked together as they chatted about random things.

**********

They were sitting down for dinner when Madhu's parents call her.

Madhu excitedly answers the video call and was speaking to them excitedly.

Rishabh shifts his chair little away from Madhu because every time they were together, and her parents called, Madhu wouldn't tell them about being with him.

"How is Ria and Trishna?" Vasundhara asks her.

"They are fine." Madhu says as she turned the phone to show them.

"Hello Uncle.. hello Aunty." Ria and Trishna says.

"How are you both?" Malik asks them.

"We are good, uncle. How are you both?"

"Good... we were just saying that it is been a while since we spoke to you both." Vasundhara tells her.

Ria and Trishna awkwardly looks at each other for a second, because Madhu hadn't been really staying with them for a while, she just dropped in every other day.

"Yeah, Aunty. It's been busy." Trishna manages to say.

Rishabh and Madhu look at each other.

Madhu turns the phone to face her.

"Then what else is happening there?" Vasundhara asks her.

"We are just having dinner." Madhu says then she hesitates for a second then she tells them. "Rishabh is also with us."

Rishabh was pleasantly surprised hearing that.

"Rishabh?" Malik asks curiously. "Your boss, Rishabh?"

"Yes." Madhu replies as she turned the phone to show him.

"Hello." Rishabh says smiling at them.

"Hello... Madhu has told us a lot about you." Malik tells him.

"Really?" Rishabh asks as he grinned at Madhu.

"You're my boss." Madhu says with a shrug.

Rishabh turns to her parents and tells them. "Even Madhu has told me a lot about you both. We just never had the opportunity to meet."

"You should come visit us some time." Vasundhara tells him.

"I've never been to Pagdandiya. And Madhu never invited me." Rishabh says as he grinned.

"Why Madhu?" Malik asks frowning then smiling at Rishabh, he tells him. "We're inviting you."

Rishabh smiles hearing that. "Next time Madhu comes, I'll come with her."

"Yes, you should." Vasundhara tells him.

"Anyway, you have your dinner." Malik says smiling at them.

Bidding their bye, they hang up the phone.

Madhu smiles at Rishabh as she kept her phone aside.

Having heard of Rishabh from her, her parents adored Rishabh and now, seeing them talking to each other, it felt so nice.

After dinner, Rishabh and Madhu do the dishes together. Just as they were closing up the kitchen, Rishabh got a call and he went to Madhu's bedroom to answer the call.

Madhu notices her friends still watching tv. She walks to them smiling.

Seeing her, Ria says in a whisper. "Your boyfriend is adorable."

Madhu was surprised hearing Rishabh being addressed as her boyfriend for the first time. She liked the feel of it.

"He is boyfriend goals. Whole time he was with us, he was talking only about you." Trishna tells her.

Madhu blushes hearing that.

**********

Feeling Rishabh get on her bed, Madhu turns to him in sleep. "Where did you go?"

"To take a shower." Rishabh says as he settled next to her.

"And dress up." Madhu points out, he was in his t-shirt and night pants.

"Unlike you, I can't sleep naked." Rishabh tells her.

Madhu chuckles. The only time, he had slept naked was when he slept off while they were in their post coital bliss talking to each other. Otherwise he always dressed up to bed.

"You're such a prude, Rishabh." Madhu teases him.

Rishabh chuckles hearing that. "I guess, I am."

"Now, I am feeling conscious about this. I'll also wear something." Madhu tells him as she started to get up.

Rishabh holds her by her waist and nibbles on her ears. "I like you naked next to me."

Madhu laughs as she hugged him.

Rishabh wakes up alone in bed. He sits up, looking for Madhu. Realizing she wasn't in the room, he quickly gets off the bed and walks out.

"Woke up?" Madhu asks him smiling as she stood by the stove making tea.

Rishabh nods sighing. "I'll just freshen up and come."

**********

Rishabh and Madhu had to go to Mumbai regarding a meeting regarding the Mansion/Hotel project.

"Don't book a hotel, you can freshen up at the flat." Rishabh tells her.

"Rishabh... I..." Madhu was still not comfortable to be with Rishabh where Anika was present.

"It's just going to be us. Anika and all have gone to Lonavala and she has given Leela also off." Rishabh tells her. "They will come back in the evening only, by then we might not even be there."

"Okay." Madhu gives in. "By the way, your mother called me to invite me for the Puja at home."

"That's great." Rishabh says smiling. "We'll go Sunday morning, come by Sunday night and monday function at Ma's."

"Okay."

"Ma asked me to stay there Sunday night. You can stay there." Rishabh tells her.

"No, I'll stay at my flat." Madhu tells him.

"Okay."

**********

Rishabh unlocks the flat and they walk inside. It was silent since no one was home. They walk to his bedroom.

"I'll freshen up." Madhu tells him as she opened her cabin bag.

"We've time. Meeting is only in 3 hours." Rishabh tells her.

"I need a shower." Madhu tells him.

"Okay." Rishabh replies as he opened the cupboard and pulled out a towel. "Here." He says throwing it to her.

Madhu catches it and walks to the bathroom, she stops at the door and turns to look at him. "By the way..."

Rishabh looks at her curiously. "What?"

"My periods are over." Madhu informs him.

Rishabh grins hearing that.

Madhu crook her finger at him, as she walked backwards into the bathroom.

Grinning, Rishabh runs into the bathroom.

**********

"Where are you going?" Rishabh asks her seeing her wear his shirt.

"We need to get ready and I need a tea before that." Madhu tells him.

Rishabh kneels on the bed and pulls her close to him. "Can we skip the meeting?"

"What?" Madhu asks chuckling.

"This time, your periods took forever to end. We'll just ditch them and stay in bed. You're going to your place tonight." Rishabh cutely pleads her.

Madhu removes his hands from her body and moving back, she asks him in a teasing tone. "Do you have any idea what a horny tharki you are?"

Rishabh looks at her in shock then asks her. "And you are not?"

"No." Madhu replies grinning.

"Really?" Rishabh asks as he got off the bed.

Laughing, Madhu runs out of the room. "Really." She replies back.

Rishabh grabs his pants and wearing them, he runs behind her. "I'll remind you what a tharki you're."

He catches up with her near the kitchen, and wrapping his hands around her waist, both laughing.

They hear a shriek and looks up to see Anika.

"Anika!" Rishabh says in shock.

Anika quickly turns around. "Sorry... sorry."

Rishabh sets Madhu down and she quickly runs off to his bedroom. He also follows her.

"You should have told you guys were going to be here." Anika says.

"You told me you would return only in the evening." Rishabh reminds her as he called out.

Seeing Shivaay and Yash, Anika shouts at them. "Stop!"

They both stop in shock.

"What?" Shivaay asks in confusion.

Just as he get into his bedroom he hears her ask. "Are you still here?"

He closes the door.

He sees Madhu worriedly looking at him.

"It's okay, Madhu." Rishabh gently tells her.

"What are they going to think?" Madhu asks worriedly.

"Anika knows." Rishabh tells her.

"What?" Madhu asks shocked.

"Yeah, and probably Shivaay also knows." Rishabh tells her.

"I don't think I like you telling Anika about us." Madhu tells him frowning.

"She told you to speak to me. That night, she asked whether we had solved the issue and I told her what we had decided." Rishabh explains to her.

"Is there no boundaries between you both?" Madhu asks him hurt.

"She is my best friend, Madhu. Why don't you understand that? You have told Ria and Trishna about us." Rishabh reminds her.

"Not the whole truth." Madhu tells him.

Rishabh sighs and he confesses. "I also didn't want Anika to feel guilty about wanting to move on with Shivaay."

"Why does all your thoughts start and end with Anika?" Madhu asks him upset.

"It is not like that, Madhu." Rishabh argues.

They hear his mobile beep.

Madhu glances at the phone and informs him. "Anika send a message."

"We are talking about us." Rishabh reminds her.

It did feel a little nice that he hadn't jumped up to check the message Anika had send him. Just a little.

"Madhu, I never hid anything about Anika and me from you. And with Anika, I never felt the need to hide anything from her. She has been my best friend for years." Rishabh tells her. Then he quickly says, "You need to stop seeing Anika as my ex-fiancee and start seeing her as my best friend."

Finally, understanding Madhu says softly. "You want to be honest and transparent with the two women in your life."

"I don't like the term, two women in my life, Madhu." Rishabh tells her offended.

"I didn't mean in that sense." Madhu tells him.

"Then in what sense did you mean it?" Rishabh asks her.

"Just that you want to be honest with Anika and me." Madhu says.

Rishabh nods accepting that explanation.

"There are things that should be private between us, Rishabh."

"I don't tell her every single thing, Madhu. Just our relationship status." Rishabh tells her. "That too when she had asked out of concern."

Madhu nods accepting. Then she grabbed his phone and passed it to him.

"What?" Rishabh asks her.

"She messaged you. You should check." Madhu tells him.

Rishabh grabs the phone and checks the message. "She wants to talk to me before I leave."

"You take your shower. While I shower, you can speak to her. Otherwise we will be late." Madhu tells him.

**********

After Rishabh had finished his shower, Madhu had gone to take her shower.

Madhu steps out after her shower and sees Rishabh dressed and ready, sitting on the bed.

"You didn't speak to her?" Madhu asks him.

"No."

"Why?" Madhu asks him softly.

"Didn't feel like it." Rishabh says as he looked away.

"It might be important otherwise she wouldn't message like that. Go and talk to her." Madhu tells him.

Rishabh looks at her and says fed up. "I don't want you to be mad at me, Madhu."

"I won't." Madhu tells him. "Go and speak to her."

Rishabh looks at her unsurely.

"Go, Rishabh. We're getting late."

Sighing Rishabh gets up and walks off. as he stepped out, she hears him call out for Anika.

Madhu walks to the mirror to get ready.

As she looked at her reflection, she sighs sadly. She had known about Anika and Rishabh for a long time now. She knew Anika had no feelings for Rishabh and Rishabh would never betray her. But Rishabh's love for Anika was becoming more and more painful for her, as she got closer to him.

**********

Madhu steps out of her room and sees Rishabh and Anika in the balcony. They were talking. He seemed angry while Anika looked calm. Then Anika was smiling at him as she said something, he had looked shocked then he hugs her happily.

Anika notices her and smiles at her.

They walk back in and Anika was about to come talk to her. Madhu prayed hard that she didn't. She just couldn't speak to Anika when her heart was in such a turmoil.

Lucky for her, Yash calls her.

"Yeah, coming." Anika calls back.

"What is he doing?" Rishabh asks as he followed her, looking at Madhu, he says, "We'll just meet him and go."

Nodding, Madhu walks with him.

**********

Just as the elevator door closed. Rishabh informs her. "Anika and Yash are going to move in with Shivaay. With his mom."

"With his mom?" Madhu asks shocked. "Why?"

"Anika is pregnant." Rishabh informs her. "And she wants to be with Shivaay."

Madhu nods hearing that.

They didn't speak anything more on Anika or about themselves. After the meeting they had headed straight back to Delhi. Rishabh had dropped her off at her flat and went to his mother's place.

**********

Next morning, Rishabh was aimlessly walking around his house as he interacted with the guests. As soon as Madhu had walked in, he had noticed her. One look at each other, and they both knew they were still upset. So, they didn't speak to each other, mainly because they didn't want to do it with so many people around. So they just kept their distance from each other.

But he couldn't help watch her. So, wherever she went, his eyes followed her. He watched as Madhu helped his sister with the preparations.

"Better put a ring on it." Radha tells him as she stood next to him.

"What?" Rishabh turns to look at her confused.

"i said you better be married before my grandchild is here." Radha tells him.

"What are you saying?" Rishabh asks her surprised.

Leaning closer to him, she tells him as she looked at Madhu. "You are looking at her the same way, your father used to look at me."

Rishabh looks at her surprised. He turns to look at Madhu then he asks his mother, as he watched Madhu. "And how does she look at me?"

"Like usual." Radha says shaking her head.

"What do you mean?" Rishabh asks her as he looked at her.

"It's means, when are you going to start noticing me." Radha whispers to him.

Rishabh looks at Madhu in shock then he looks at his mother in shock.

"I am going to ask Madhu to stay here tonight and tomorrow morning, you better be telling us all that she agreed to marry you." Radha warns him and walks off.

Rishabh watches his mother walk off then he turns to look at Madhu and sees her walking off with Dipali.

He starts to go after her when his phone rings. He was about to cut the call and go after Madhu when he notices that it was Shivaay.

He was shocked and curious that Shivaay was calling him. They didn't even talk to each other. He answers the call.

**********

"I've to go to Mumbai." Rishabh whispers to Madhu.

"What?" Madhu asks him in shock. "Now?"

"Yeah. It is important, Madhu. Shivaay had called." Rishabh tells her.

Madhu looks at him confused.

"Cover for me." Rishabh tells her. "At least till the chopper takes off, make sure Ma doesn't find out I am not here."

"When will you come back?" Madhu asks him.

"I'll come back tonight itself." Rishabh promises her.

Madhu nods.

Rishabh smiles and squeezes her hand. "I'll see you tonight."

Madhu watches Rishabh sneak out. She wondered what this important work was. Shivaay had called, was it something connected to Anika?

Then she really hoped Anika wasn't in any kind of problem. She might be insecure regarding Anika, but she didn't ever want her hurt.

**********

"Rishu is not here." Radha shakes her head at Madhu. "You lied to me."

The puja was done and the guests were having their food.

Madhu guiltily looks at her. "He has gone to Mumbai."

"Why?" Radha asks her.

"Shivaay had called."

"Is everything okay there?" Radha asks her in concern.

"He said it is important." Madhu informs her.

"Important than being here?" Radha asks her then sighing she says in relief. "At least there is no problem there. If there was, he would have mentioned that."

Madhu nods hearing that.

"Since you lied to me, your punishment is you are staying here tonight." Radha tells her.

"What?" Madhu asks her confused.

"No excuses and no questions. You're staying here." Radha declares.

Madhu nods. Rishabh had said that he would see her tonight. And he had plans to stay here tonight, so better she stay here.

Radha smiles at her and turns to walk off.

"Why didn't you want Rishabh to marry Anika?" Madhu asks her curiously.

Radha turns to her and says. "Because Anika can never love Rishu."

Madhu thoughtfully looks at her hearing that.

"I love Anika. She is like a daughter to me. And I know her. She has always been in love with Shivaay. After all that happened, Anika had continued to love Shivaay. Every happy moment in her life, there will be a pain in her eyes, and that pain was because Shivaay wasn't with her." Radha explains.

"When I know that, how could I agree for a marriage? I wanted the love that I had in my life, Dipali has in her life, I wanted the same for my Rishu. He might be this big businessman but he is still my baby." Radha says smiling.

Madhu smiles hearing that.

"Rishu had argued that Anika had married someone who had loved her and what did that get her. He didn't understand what he would miss in life if he married someone who was in love with someone else. And how long were they going to be happy in a compromise marriage? Yash is like my grandson, he shouldn't be stuck in a family that is full of compromises. Rishu, Anika and Yash deserved better."

"And to tell you the truth, the reason Anika agreed to marry Rishu was also not right. In a way, she was trying to repay him for supporting her for all these years. She felt indebted to him. And I know for a fact that if Rishu had spoke to me first and then he had asked Anika, she would have said no because I said no. the only reason she didn't back out after I said no was because she had already said yes to Rishu." Radha tells her. "And you saw what happened when Shivaay returned."

Madhu nods hearing that.

"And honestly, Madhu, Rishu realized that he loves Anika when she was moving away. Only then he realized, never before that. Even I wasn't sure whether he truly loved her. Maybe he got used to having Anika and Yash around and mistook it for love. Who knows?"

It was a lot to sink in, Madhu tells her. "If you had agreed for their wedding, Rishabh and Anika would be married now."

"I save lives. That's what I do." Radha says smugly and walks off.

**********

They were having dinner when Rishabh reached home. Radha glares at him, seeing him walk in.

He smiles at Madhu then walking to his mother, he hugs her tight.

"Get lost." Radha tells him as she tried to shrug him off.

"Sorry, Ma. It was important." Rishabh tells her.

Radha gets up and walks off. "You do what I told you to do and I'll think of forgiving you."

"And what is that?" Sultan asks curiously.

Rishabh winks at him with a cheeky grin.

"You had dinner?" Dipali asks him.

"Yeah, I had a sandwich. I need a shower." Rishabh says as he walked around the table, reaching Madhu, he leans down and whispers to her. "Don't lock your door."

Madhu turns pink hearing that. She watches him walk off.

Yesterday and today had been hard for her, maybe for him too. Yesterday and today, Rishabh going off to Mumbai like this, she was upset about all of that. She felt restless too and she wanted to make love to him. She wanted that intimacy with Rishabh, so she knew there was still hope for them.

**********

Madhu was lying on her bed when she hears the door open. Rishabh steps in as he smiled at her and closes the door and locks it.

He walks to the bed as he yawned tiredly.

"You look tired." Madhu tells him as she watched him.

"I am so tired and drained." Rishabh says as he got on the bed and hugged her. "I just want to pass out and sleep till eternity. Flying back to back like this is horrible." Rishabh says as he yawned again.

That is when she realized that he didn't come to make love. He had simply come to sleep with her.

And that intimacy was much more than the physical intimacy she had been craving. She turns to him and hugs him.

"We've lots to talk about. But in the morning." Rishabh tells her as he kissed her cheek.

"Okay." Madhu says then she couldn't control her curiosity and asks him. "Why did you go to Mumbai?"

"Shivaay called asking if he could stay at the flat till they found another place. They were not going to stay at his mansion. I told them they can have the place. I went to get my stuff from there." Rishabh tells her as he yawned.

"You went for that?" Madhu asks confused.

"Can we talk in the morning?" Rishabh asks as he yawned.

"Okay."

"I am selling the flat to him. They will be staying there from now on." Rishabh informs her.

"You two talked it out?" Madhu asks.

"Yeah, we did." Rishabh says then he stops and looks at her. "I need to tell you something."

"What?"

He guiltily looks at her and says. "I told Shivaay that I will be heart broken even after I gave up Anika if she is not happy."

Madhu looks away hearing that.

"It was wrong of me to say that. I'm sorry, Madhu." Rishabh tells her.

"You are tired. We'll talk later." Madhu tells him.

Rishabh kisses her cheek again. "There's lots I want to tell you. We'll talk in the morning."

"Okay." Madhu replies.

Rishabh was dead to the world in seconds, while Madhu was still hurt realizing that Rishabh was still stuck on Anika.

Rishabh wakes up in the morning and finds himself alone in the room. Seeing that his phone was kept where she was sleeping, he takes his phone and sees a message from Madhu.

I am going home for a few days.

**********

"Amma... Baba..." Madhu calls as she walked into her home and stops in shock seeing Rishabh sitting with her parents.

"What are you doing here?" Madhu asks him in shock.

"Madhu.. he is our guest. Is that the way to speak?" Malik asks her in shock.

"I meant, how are you here?" Madhu asks him in shock.

"Chopper. You know, I've a chopper." Rishabh reminds her.

Madhu nods in daze as her parents hugged her happily.

"We were surprised when Rishabh told us that you were on your way here." Vasundhara tells her happily.

"How did you find my home?" Madhu asks shocked.

Malik chuckles. "Prakash came to me and said a shehri had come in a helicopter and was asking for my house. When I went to look who it was, it is Rishabh."

"You know, if you had plans to visit home, you could have told me. You could have come with me in the chopper." Rishabh tells her.

Madhu hesitantly smiles at him.

Oh, he looked calm but she knew he was spiting mad at her.

**********

Her parents had suggested that she take Rishabh around to show their village. So, they went out together. The moment they were away from her home, he had turned to her.

"You need to stop this habit of running off." Rishabh tells her angrily. "Honestly, Madhu, I am starting to get scared of sleeping because I am worried that when I wake up you won't be there."

"I needed to think." Madhu tells him.

"Couldn't you think back there?" Rishabh asks her.

"I don't think you're over Anika, Rishabh." Madhu tells him softly.

"I am." Rishabh tells her.

"What?" Madhu asks in a whisper, her heart beating like crazy.

"That is what I wanted to tell you." Rishabh tells her fed up. "When I told Shivaay that, I felt I was being disloyal to you. I hated feeling that. And I realized that my first loyalty is to you."

Madhu looks at him in shock.

"That is why I told you last night. Because I don't want to be disloyal to you ever. Anika was my best friend before she got married, she was my best friend when we decided to get married, we've been each other's best fiend for a long time and we'll always be. But that is all. I am not in love with Anika. I don't know how to make you believe it." Rishabh tells her anxiously.

"I believe it, Rishabh." Madhu tells him.

"You do?" Rishabh asks her in surprise.

"You tell me and I believe you, Rishabh." Madhu tells him.

Rishabh smiles hearing that. He starts to hug her and she quickly says. "People will see. Everybody knows me here."

Rishabh nods and steps back. "You show me around your place." He tells her with a smile.

**********

They had gone around Pagdandiya and Rishabh had met lot of the villagers.

Rishabh leans on the tree as he watched Madhu on the swing. They had seen a swing on the tree and Madhu had excitedly got on it.

Rishabh smiles as he watched Madhu. Here Madhu was so different from what she was back home. Here she had a childlike enthusiasm. He fell in love with her all over again.

He walks to her and holds the swing and stops the swing.

Madhu happily smiles at him.

"You're so different here." Rishabh tells her.

Madhu looks at herself and says smiling. "I wear salwars here."

"I can see that." Rishabh tells her grinning.

"When I joined college in the city, I felt like an outsider at first. I changed my dressing to fit in at first." Madhu tells him. "Then I started liking it. But here, I like wearing salwars."

"You look beautiful in both." Rishabh tells her smiling.

Madhu happily blushes then she informs him. "We can't stay in one room here."

"I'm enjoying my time here with you." Rishabh tells her.

"Even me." Madhu tells him. "I'm so glad you came."

Rishabh smiles as he stepped a little back and pushes the swing. Madhu laughs happily as the swing brought her back to him and he happily pushed the swing for her.

**********

Madhu watched Rishabh as he slept on the charpoi kept in the room. She knew that he was not comfortable at all. The charpoi wasn't anything like the mattress he is used to and he had to sleep in the open instead of a bedroom. But he hadn't said a word of complaint.

Feeling a hand over her head, Madhu looks up and sees Vasundhara. She smiles at her mother.

"Why are you not sleeping?" Vasundhara asks her as she looked at Rishabh.

"I was going to." Madhu tells her.

Vasundhara sits next to her. "He is a nice boy. We are so happy." Vasundhara tells her.

Madhu looks at her surprised and confused. "Wha... how?"

"You both love each other." Vasundhara says with a smile.

Not wanting to lie, Madhu confesses. "I love him."

"We knew it." Vasundhara says smiling.

"How?" Madhu asks curiously.

"When Rishabh had come and he found out you were not here, he had panicked." Vasundhara tells her chuckling. "It took us a while to understand and make him understand that he had come by helicopter while you were coming in bus."

Madhu chuckles hearing that the usually astute Rishabh had misunderstood such a small thing.

"Whatever the problem was, did you two talk it out?" Vasundhara asks her.

"We did." Madhu tells her.

Vasundhara smiles hearing that. "Good."

**********

Next day, after breakfast Rishabh had asked Madhu to go for a walk. They were walking as they spoke about her childhood and Rishabh was leading the way.

They had reached the ground when Madhu hears the helicopter and she looks up and sees that his helicopter was landing.

"You are going back?" Madhu asks him panicking.

"No." Rishabh says as he waited for the helicopter to land then he walked to the helicopter and spoke to the pilot then he walked back to her as the helicopter took off.

Madhu curiously watches as Rishabh walked back to her. Then she almost gasps when he goes on his knees, opening the ring box.

"Madhu, I don't want a no string relationship. The truth was, in my heart I was never in one. I've been committed to you from day one. In the last few days, I have realized that my first loyalty is to you. Not anyone else. When Shivaay asked me whether he could move into the flat, and I realized that some of my stuff were there, it felt all wrong to me. That is not where my things should me, no matter even if it is a shirt. It shouldn't be there in Anika's home. My stuff should be where you are. That is why I had gone in a hurry to get them. Madhu, I don't ever want to wake up worried whether you are going to be there. I want to wake up knowing that you will be there, because Madhu, we belong to each other. I want to spend the rest of my life with you. Will you marry me?" Rishabh asks her.

Madhu stares at him in shock.

"Madhu?"

"Did you just have someone deliver a ring in a helicopter?" Madhu asks him shocked.

"Yesterday I did go with Baba to the jeweler here but I didn't like any. So, I got in touch with Ma's jeweler." Rishabh explains to her.

Madhu's mouth drops open hearing that.

"Madhu?"

"You told baba that you were going to propose me?" Madhu asks confused.

"No. Just asked for the jeweler." Rishabh tells her then he asks her fed up. "Will you answer me, Madhu?"

Madhu lovingly smiles at him and asks him."Didn't you understand when I ran off that I couldn't do no strings anymore and I wanted you for myself?"

Hearing that, smiling happily, he slips in the ring. Then getting up, he hugs her.

"Someone will see." Madhu protests halfheartedly.

"I don't care. You're mine now." Rishabh tells her.

"I've been yours for a long time now." Madhu tells him as she hugged him happily.

**********

Things had happened in jet speed after that.

Rishabh spoke to Malik and Vasundhara about their marriage and they had happily given them their consent. Then Rishabh had called the chopper back, so he could take Madhu and her parents to Delhi so both the families could meet.

The family had got together and were too happy and excited for the wedding. Since, Rishabh and Madhu didn't want to wait long for the wedding, it was decided that they will have a private engagement with just close family in two days and a grand wedding in a month.

**********

The night before the engagement, Madhu comes to the living room and sees that Anika, Shivaay and Yash had reached. Rishabh had told her that they were coming. She had been okay with it because he had told her that he was over Anika. But now, watching Rishabh and Anika speaking to each other and laughing, she felt a pain in her heart.

She hated this feeling. She hated this jealousy that she felt every time she saw Anika, realizing that Rishabh had loved Anika and not her. She wished hard that she could get over her jealousy. She didn't want to feel like this. She would hate herself if she ever put Rishabh in a position where he will have to choose Anika or her.

Madhu turns her gaze to Rishabh and he looks at her at the same time. He smiles at her. And that was when it had hit her hard. Her eyes fill up and unable to stand there, she walks off.

Seeing her going off like that, Rishabh runs behind her.

"Madhu..." Rishabh holds her hand. "What happened?" Rishabh asks her worriedly. "Is it because Anika is here? I had asked you..." Rishabh asks her worriedly.

"I love you, Rishabh. I've always been in love with you. For a long time." Madhu tells him as tears dropped from her eyes.

Rishabh wipes her tears and asks her. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"I don't know." Madhu shrugs. "by the time, I got the courage to tell you, you were in love with Anika."

"Oh Madhu..." Rishabh whispers as he cupped her face.

"Then I didn't tell you because maybe it was my pride. I asked for no strings because I wanted to protect my heart from wishing for more. I thought you would never stop loving Anika." Madhu tells him. "When I saw you both now, I realized that I will always have to accept Anika in your life because I didn't want to make you choose between us."

"Madhu..." Rishabh starts to say and she keeps her finger on his lips to stop him.

"And I realized just now, it doesn't matter who is on the other side, you'll always choose me. No matter who it is, you will choose me." Madhu tells him as tears fell from her eyes.

"I'll always choose you. No matter who it is that I have to give up. I will not give you up." Rishabh vows to her.

"I know." Madhu says smiling through her tears. "I realized you love me and it brought tears to my eyes. I don't know why it took me so long to understand that. Why didn't you realize it yet?" Madhu asks him exasperated.

"I realized it." Rishabh tells her smiling.

"Then why didn't you say anything?" Madhu asks him shocked.

"I would have if you hadn't said yes to marry me." Rishabh tells her.

"So, you were not planning to say it?" Madhu asks him outraged.

Rishabh kisses her on her lips then he tells her, "I loved someone else. And you knew about it. So when I tell you that you are my one true love, the one that not only owns my heart, but the whole of me, I wanted to do it in a grand style. Make it very special for you and me."

Madhu looks at him in shock. "Idiot!" She calls him. "How did you make so much billions being such an idiot?"

Rishabh chuckles hearing that.

"You say I love you and it is grand and special for me." Madhu tells him.

"I love you." Rishabh tells her.

"I love you." Madhu tells him as she hugged him.

"I can't wait to marry you." Rishabh tells her as he hugged her tight. "I want a baby Madhu."

Madhu chuckles hearing that and leaning back, she says. "Rishabh, you said we should get married when we slept together. The age old outlook you had towards relationship, especially your own, I don't know how you are going to be when it comes to your daughter. I am seriously worried, that your baby Madhu might just murder you."

Rishabh laughs hearing that then he asks her, "you know, you were in love with me and I was the one who was chasing you the whole time, do you realize the irony of it?"

**********

Epilogue

Seeing Madhu walk in, Rishabh smiles at her as he walked to her and held her to help her walk. "Slept well?"

"Yeah. Where is Oviya?" Madhu asks him.

"She is sleeping, I didn't bring her up thinking you will get disturbed." Rishabh tells her pointing at their daughter sleeping on the couch with cushions around her.

Rishabh was a hands on Dad and having helped Anika raise Yash, he was an expert with their daughter.

Rishabh helps her sit. Madhu smiles at Anika and Shivaay who was holding their four month old second son. Anika and her family had come over when she had given birth 5 days ago.

"How are you doing?" Madhu asks Anika smiling.

"Sleep deprived." Anika replies grinning.

Madhu chuckles.

"Anika...Rishabh.." Shivaay thoughtfully calls them. "You know, how you two have this dream of Vansh and Oviya being best friends like you two?"

"Yeah." Rishabh replies as he and Anika grinned.

"I don't think that is happening." Shivaay declares.

"Why?" Anika asks curiously.

Shivaay gestures to where Oviya is sleeping.

Rishabh frowns seeing the way Yash was leaning on the couch and watching his daughter then every few seconds, he was kissing her.

"You don't kiss a lady without her permission, Yash." Rishabh tells him frowning as he walked to get his daughter away from Yash.

"She is a baby, she can't give permission, it is okay." Madhu cheekily says.

Rishabh turns to her and glares at her. "He needs baby's father's permission then."

He turns to Yash and Yash was looking at him.

Yash sweetly smiles at him. "Remember, Rishabh, you said you will give me whatever birthday present I want?"

Anika and Madhu starts howling with laughter while Shivaay tried to shut them up fearing that both the babies will wake up.

"Yeeeeah." Rishabh suspiciously replies.

Yash smiles at him. "I want Oviya as my birthday gift."

***The End ***

I guess that is the point, when Rishabh stopped being friends with Anika.

I hope Aryan/Rishabh's story was as you had expected.

Please vote and comment

- Lazy