Author's note

Hey guys, hope you all are doing good. I know I haven't updated in a long time. Like I said I was working on my final year project. I'm done with the project and I have my Viva exam tomorrow. Hope I manage to do it well. I have my final EOS exam coming up. Will try to update as much as I can. Thank you for your constant support you have been showing me and my book. Grateful!

~ * ~

Shakhi TS Oui, Chef

Part II | A |

Out of nowhere, Anokhi felt herself getting pulled making her gasp loudly. In a nick of a time, she found herself pinned against the wall by a flaring Shaurya, his tall frame towering over her petite form. Shocked, her eyes went wide and her lips parted slightly as she stared into his eyes but quickly composed herself.

"Kya kar rahe ho! Chodo mujhe!" Anokhi glared at Shaurya.

"What was that?" Shaurya grumbled gesturing his head in a way of asking about the previous event.

Anokhi glared at Shaurya trying to wriggle her hands out of his grip.

"Kya what? Mein ne kya kiya?" Anokhi twisted her lips at Shaurya as she glared, "Meri haath chodiyeh!"

"Tu ne kya kuch nahi kiya!" Shaurya shot ignoring Anokhi's protest, "Tum ne waha aese scene kyun create kiya?!"

"Mein ne kya scene create ki?" Anokhi asked acting casual, oblivious to what Shaurya's referring to.

"Oho, toh tujhe nahi patha ki mein kis baremein bath kar raha hoon, right?" Shaurya asked.

"Haan, right" Anokhi said trying to wriggle her hand out of Shaurya's grip only to fail, "Meri haath chodiyeh"

"Unless you tell me why you did that, mein tum he chodne nahi wala!"

"Mein ne kaha na, mujhe nahi patha ki aap kis baremien bath kar rahe hein!"

"Tum ne uss ladki ke saam ne aesa kyun bola?!" Shaurya tried to control himself from lashing out and asked calmly.

"Kya kaha mein ne?" Anokhi rolled her eyes at Shaurya.

"That I'm your boyfriend, would be, husband, the love of your life?" Shaurya probed.

"Hey! Mein ne love of my life voh sab nahi bola!!" Anokhi glared, "Aap kuch bhi bakwaas math bolna!"

"Yeh sab bakwaas tum ne kiya ya mein ne? So, you do accept that you said the rest, right?!"

"Haan, mein ne kaha, toh?!" Anokhi huffed.

"Do you even know how messed up things are because of what you did? Don't you know how to behave? What, all these looks fun to you? Such a careless and irresponsible pers-"

"Arrgh! Problem kya hai tumhari?" Anokhi grumbled and once again tried to wriggle her arms free only to fail.

"Why did you say all those craps? And that to, her? Do you even know who she is!"

"Tum ladki dekh ne hi yehan aaya tha na, patha hai mujhe" Anokhi said with a smirk, "You seemed interested in her too. Too bad, voh chali gayi"

"Mein ne yeh pucha ki tum ne uss ladki se aese bola kyun! Jawab dho" Shaurya asked losing his patience.

That girl Meera was Shaurya's mother's selection and his mother would eat his head off if the girl spills everything to his mother. That's definitely not good.

"Tum ne aaj mujhpe chilaya na! Isliyeh tujhe yeh special treatment mila hai" Anokhi grinned and Shaurya looked at her in disbelief.

"What! Let me get this straight! Mein tumhe kitchen pe, our work space where I'm the head chef and you work under me, waha mein ne tumhe daata, isliyeh tum mera personal life ko sabotage kar rahi ho?!" Shaurya asked in disbelief and Anokhi's face shrunk as she thought about her actions.

"When you put it this way jo mein ne kiya, voh toh galat lag raha hai!" Anokhi said slowly but cleared her throat as her eyes met his, "But you scolded me in front of my co-workers, where I'm working for nearly two years, is that right?"

"I genuinely felt sorry for my actions and was about to apologize to you tomorrow!"

Anokhi grew silent as she wordlessly kept staring at Shaurya while he glared at her.

"Tum ne yeh sab kuch kiya par yeh nahi socha ki kal tum waha mere undher kaam karne ke liye waha FIKA hi aana hoga!" Shaurya said in disbelief and mumbled to himself, "Pagal!"

Anokhi was silent for a brief moment before she looked up at Shaurya.

"Accha teek hai, sorry boliyeh, mujhe jaana hai" Anokhi said as she tried to wriggle her arms out of Shaurya grip but he tightened his hold and leaned forward.

"Sorry?" Shaurya asked in disbelief.

"Haan, aap toh mujhse apologize karne waale the na" Anokhi said as she kept staring at Shaurya.

"Tu ne jo kaand kiya, uss ke baad mein tujse apologize karun?!" Shaurya grumbled.

"Hey! I agreed that I made a mistake, right?! What else?" Anokhi looked offended.

"Tum he andhaza bhi hai ki tu ne kya kiya? Ab toh voh ladki mera Maa se sab kuch keh diya hoga!"

"Keh diya toh? Voh toh sach nahi hai na" Anokhi said casually.

"Yeh baath tum jaanti ho, mein jaan tha hoon par mera Maa nahi jaanthi hai!"

"Agar baath aesa hai toh aap ke Maa se keh dena. Simple" Anokhi said and before Shaurya could say anything, she added, "Meri haath chodiyeh. It hurts"

"Mera Maa ko manage karna ithna simple nahi hai! Do you even know who she is?!" Shaurya said leaning a bit more forward making Anokhi go quiet as she stared into his eyes.

"Guys get a room!"

Both jerked away from each other when they heard someone walking by pass a comment. Anokhi massaged the place where Shaurya held her and winced slightly before looking up at him.

"Late ho raha hai mujhe, akele jaana hai. Main chalthi hoon" Anokhi said trying to walk away only for her to get pulled back by Shaurya who trapped her between his arms as he placed his hands at either side of her, pinning her to the wall.

"Ithni jaldi kyun hai? Tera boyfriend mein toh yehan hoon na. Phir akele jaane ka dar kyun hai?" Shaurya said sarcastically.

Anokhi exhaled through her nose as she tried to calm herself before saying,

"Hey! Dekhiye, Mr. Shaurya. Aap FIKA ke Head Chef, mein waha kaam karne waale chef. Aap ne mujhpe chilaya, mein ne aap ke date ko spoil kar diya. Baath yahi pe katham karthe hain. Is ke aage koyi muzibath nahi chahiyeh!" Anokhi said in a stern voice and added, "Iske aage agar aap problems create kiya toh mein peeche hat ne wali nahi hoon"

Anokhi pointed her finger at Shaurya who knotted his finger with hers as he leaned forward.

"Agar mein ne problem create kiya toh aap kya karegi madam?"

"Phir toh mein aap ke Maa se complaint kardungi sir" Anokhi smirked and muttered under her breath that was audible to Shaurya, "Maa ka laadla! Ithne jo dar raha hai"

"Hey! Tu jaanthi nahi hai ki mera Maa koun hai!" Shaurya said offended.

"Ithna over build up kyun deh rahe ho? Koun hai aap ki Maa?" Anokhi rolled her eyes at Shaurya.

"Aastha Kashyap"

"Haan toh v-" Anokhi nodded at first but then paused and looked at Shaurya with wide eyes and her mouth forming a perfect small O as she processed his words.

"Aas...Aastha Kashyap?!" Anokhi asked shocked.

Aastha Kashyap, a renowned chef across India who previously owned a restaurant at London where she won a Michelin star before she came back to open a restaurant in India. She was Anokhi's idol, a role model in culinary field. Aastha was a curt and stern lady when she steps inside kitchen and a pleasant person outside. She retired two years back.

"Haan, patha nahi ab voh ladki mere Maa se kya kuch nahi kahi ho gi! Mera Maa toh ek dum terror piece hai. And as far as I know my mother, she wouldn't let this go easily!" Shaurya said running his fingers in the hair in frustration while Anokhi was still processing that Aastha Kashyap is Shaurya's mother.

"Aastha mam sach mein aap ki Maa hai?" Anokhi asked in disbelief, her eyes wide.

Anokhi looked like a kitten who's showing puppy eyes that Shaurya couldn't decide he want to laugh at her or lash out thinking about the situation. They stared at each other in disbelief.

To make things tense, Shaurya's mobile rang pulling them out of their staring contest. He fished his mobile out of his pocket and heaved a tired sigh on seeing the caller I'd before showing the mobile screen to Anokhi who gulped on seeing Aastha Kashyap hugging Shaurya image on the caller I'd named "Maa"

~ * ~

Hope you guys enjoyed reading the chapter. 

Thank you,

Nan ~