chapter : 33
hottest thing

HEY!! Soo, after so long, I am back with these write-ups and author's note. this week had been so tiring and kept me on my toes.

Thank you for showering your love, it means so much and more.

How are you all doing?

And back with it, how are you liking the book so far? this chapter is gonna introduce some new turns but heheh, happy reading!

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AND PLEASE COMMENT, lemme know how you feel about the book.

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k a b i r
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The moment our lips meet, there's an outrageous knock at the door.

It's reverberations shaking both our bodies. My grip on Noor's hands loosens, and we part away. She tidies her clothes, smiling at my angered look.

Why is everyone being so keen on interrupting our romance?

I set my coat neatly too, Noor walks further inside the cabin, taking me along and pushing me to my seat. The door's unlocked but nobody from the office would dare to barge in without my consent.

Once I am certain that Noor's comfortable, I call out for the person outside. The door harshly opens up to reveal Vidhi and two other employees from the administration.

Knowing how my wife detests Vidhi and her advances, I sit straight for a fun ride. Noor's already glaring at them, who are only gawking at me. I would be always on my feet to shoo them away but today, I am going to enjoy riling my wife up, a bit. A little fun is no harm.

"Sir.." They screech, their voices hitting all the high notes. I am sure Noor is comparing them to hyenas on heat currently.

"Oh, look. Who's here." Vidhi has the audacity to make a jab at my wife. I think the last time warning didn't do its job, if she has pounced back to her ways.

"I heard she dared to insult you before everyone?" The other woman, Radhika, adds on. I know all my employee's names, and it helps me to form a rapport with them on a personal level.

I notice a slight hitch in Noor's expression before she shuns it down. Appearing nonchalant.

"What brings you here?" I try halting their efforts to make Noor uneasy.

"Sir, Radhika is getting married. We wanted to extend an invitation to you. She is planning on inviting the entire office for the festivities."

"It would mean a lot if you could come and grace your presence, sir."

In other situations, hers would have been a normal invite but the way their words slip and take a sultry tone has me a little taken aback. I have always noticed some employees flirting or trying to throw bait at me. Have always ignored them. But being on the receiving end with my wife in the same room makes the situation serious and unacceptable.

"I'll try. Thank you. All the very best for your married life." I take the card and keep it aside on the table.

Waiting for them to leave my space but they stand rooted. "We are inviting the entire office..but it would be okay if you can't make it, Noor. Wouldn't want you to put a dent in your pocket and wardrobe for clothes."

What the fuck is wrong with these people? My eyes find Noor's, but her gaze is fixated down on the floor. It riles up even more, how dare they insult her? Even when she was my employee and not my wife, I never liked how people found it normal to throw a jab at her but today? The insult and taunt feel even more personal.

"I will not tolerate such remarks from anyone in my office. You are paid to work here. Not to pass comments, or insult someone. Leave."

"But sir—"

"I said you both can leave."

It's not that Noor has always been their target. I have seen how these groups of women target a new person every year. It's as if they follow a pattern. I have tried making them understand and threatened them with their posts and jobs but they don't stop.

They curb their activities for some days or weeks and they are back at it again. With others, they take the silent approach but Noor appears to be their favourite target.  They don't even hesitate sliding comments at her in front of me. Last time, I had almost terminated Vidhi but she had come to my cabin, begging for a chance.

Here she goes repeating it.

I need to take serious action against them. I know my wife's strong but not all are like her. I have personally spoken to some of the workers who were bullied; and helped them get over it. But, this can't be happening in my space.

I'll be talking to HR soon. We need to get the bully gang punished once and for all.

Once they leave shunned, I focus my attention on my wife who is deep in her thoughts.

"All good?" I query.

"I am sorry, Kabir." Those are her words. She looks pained and tormented. Her lips quiver as she bites on them nervously. I quickly make my way to her, gathering her in my arms.

"Sorry for what, baby?" I am genuinely confused by her stance. I make sure my tone is low enough to not let it escape out.

"For throwing jabs at you. It has always been wrong. As much as I enjoyed doing it, it was wrong and unethical."

"But I know it was all healthy and fun. It kept you and me on our toes, making the workplace a little fun."

"No. It's not that. I realise that we had that understanding even before marriage. You knew I never meant it harshly and vice-versa. But, it was disrespectful. It wasn't right on my part to do that in front of all." Her words sound so sincere. I haven't ever thought of our bickering that way. We both went cutthroat with our banters but they were never insulting.

I always knew what she meant, and she was right, even before we fell in love, we understood each other. It was almost our way of showing care or affection. Not everyone would feel it to be correct, but not everyone is us either.

Things aren't toxic until they actually hurt your partner in any way. There's a line that needs to be maintained respectfully, and I don't think we have ever crossed it. Different limits for each, and thus, to each their own.

"Baby, I don't think you have ever done that. I promise to let you know if I ever feel that way. So please don't stop with your jabs. I am kind of used to and addicted to them." I truthfully reply.

"Promise? You'll tell me if I ever cross a line or hurt you?"

"I do. And I hope you'll follow the same pursuit."

"Yes." She finally smiles and I wipe off the lone tear that dared to fall from her eyes.

To turn her mood a little better and get her back to her normal self, I decide to pull her leg a little.

"So you are telling me, all this while you were thinking about this and weren'5 jealous how those women were practically drooling over your man? I am hurt."

"Mr Sood, why would I be jealous when I know it's me you are coming back home to?"

The hottest thing any wife could say.

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I am barely passing through the day, seeing how mesmerising Noor looks and the way other men have been throwing glances at my wife, it's irking me even more.

All I want to do is to take her home where we can be alone and enjoy our peace, together. Noor has submerged herself into work completely, not even making a trip or two to my office. I have never been so restless but here I am.

I have some pending files and work to complete and yet I don't think I am left capable of returning to work today. I wheel my chair around, admiring the beautiful view outside of my cabin's window.

It's almost five in the evening, the sun's setting and is announcing its exit with a calming spectrum. There's an orange haze muddled with white and blue undertones. It's tangerine and like its name, it depicts a bitter-sweet departure of the daytime.

While my mind's restless, it's also deeply engrossed in certain thoughts. I don't like reeling my life again and again, it is a way of symbolising that you are stuck but today, I do want to introspect certain things.

I have no idea how Noor and I made our journey come so far, we both started with hatred, I doubt it was that though, but let's settle with a mutual dislike. We both used to bicker like cats and dogs, throwing jabs at each other. My one decision of taking her to my grandfather's party as a fake date turned everything.

I started looking at her in a different light, in a clearer way. The chemistry? I, now believe that it was always there. Deep hidden, buried but present. Loving her was the easiest choice I have ever made.

Even now as we both compete with each other, waiting for the other one to confess first, I don't have a single doubt in my head about us. We might have started with a piece of paper but not anymore. We are much more than that. Beyond that.

A small tingle erupts in the corner of my heart, knowing that there's still something I haven't come honest about to her. It can change so much. I have accepted the truth but how will Noor react to it?

I don't want Noor to react badly, I can't afford to lose her. I don't want to. I hope things won't change, any step we take from now on should only be towards the better of our relationship.

My trail of thoughts is broken when the door of my office opens harshly. I turn back in a whiplash, angered with the intrusion but I calm down when I see my wife at the entrance. She has a phone stuck between her shoulder and ear.

She strides inside roughly, closing the door with a bang. Her movements are hastened as she makes her way towards me. Once she is closer, I notice how her eyes are watery. Her lips pucker, and tremble as she hears the voice on the other end.

I move closer to her, my hand finding hers. I don't speak out my questions and wait for her to complete the conversation before I ask her. My thumb rubs the skin on the back of her palm in circles, trying to soothe her.

"Yes. I'll be there. Yes. Please..." The heaviness of her words has me panicking a little but I have to be strong for her.

She slides the phone down, keeping it on my table. Her numb eyes meet mine, she gulps back her tears, wrapping her arms around me and resting her cheek on my chest.

"What happened baby?" I keep my tone soft.

"My grandmother, she is not well. My mom had called, we have to go there. We have to go...she...she sounded timid and worried. What if something happens to her? Kabir...my dadi (grandmother), she was always around. I haven't met her in years but she...she understood me, even then." She hiccups.

My wife breaks down in my arms, she tells me how much her grandmother had supported her during her teenage years. She recites how guilty she is of not meeting her in these years.

"Baby," I whisper. My hand caresses her hair, moving the other on her back. She tightens her hold around me.

"We'll go there. We'll leave immediately, don't worry. She'll be fine, you'll see. Don't worry, baby." I keep chanting the words.

She takes a step back, her cheeks having tear marks imprinted. I wipe them, as I make her sit and offer her water. Meanwhile, I start booking our flights to her hometown.

It never occurred to me that we would ever be visiting the place my wife had left behind her. I have always been curious to see that side of her life, wanting to know how bad that part of her world was, that it forced her to abandon it. Even if I was curious, I would never have wanted to go there for a reason that makes sure to hurt her even more.

I hope our visit doesn't add to our problems. I hope her grandmother gets better soon and Noor doesn't have to experience the same trauma, she had faced there once.

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Hey!

thank you for reading.

TELL ME TELL ME, what do you thinkk about the story and what shall happen now that they are revisiting the past!

-ahaha, on a very different note, how do you feel about reading a very dark romance, (DARK DARK) , cause i might just have the right idea and plot ;)

royally yours,
meethi.